Feeling Like Breaking Something While Trying To Solve Problems

[The Don]

Hello.

A few days ago I was thinking about trying something new. My thoughts led me to solve logic problems on Brilliant.org.

After I started the quiz, the exercises got more difficult to a point where I couldn't even concentrate.

When I forced myself to fully concentrate, I felt a rush of extreme frustration. It felt like I wanted to break something. I just couldn't sit still.

Is this normal? And has this happened to anyone here?

[Kross]

Happens to me sometimes too.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Kross

[Austin Actualizing]

Well that happens to me if I try to concentrate on something intensely when my mind doesn't want to. (I have ADHD)

[remember]

its probably a sign for low frustration tolerance. can happen because of a problematic with disappointment, but could also be that you are used to will your way in problem solving, could also be that you have trained to be competitive in several occasions in your life and it’s not about the competition itself but about winning.  whatever it is, kind of interesting to sit with that feeling, accept it, let it go. i had low frustration tolerance when i was a smoker, i used to smoke a cigarette every time i got frustrated - it’s a form of auto aggression in my case, made me understand that all aggression is auto aggression, if it would make you tilt in situation with others, it would not just be autoaggressive, so exploring it as a phenomenon is certainly the first step to change.  

edit: i could not really solve any problem without a cigarette anymore after a while - in some sense it might be that some kind of aggressive hormone like dopamine or adrenaline or so might help with providing energy for problem solving... i’ve read sth about two different kinds of stress which provide energy for problem solving.

Edited July 30, 2020 by remember

[JosephKnecht]

1 hour ago, The Don said:

Is this normal? And has this happened to anyone here?

Maybe you are losing the focus when you are trying to solve the wrong type of problems? 

[remember]

36 minutes ago, JosephKnecht said:

Maybe you are losing the focus when you are trying to solve the wrong type of problems? 

sorry i just edited my post - this is very insightful, i‘d want to add either „loosing the focus solving the wrong kind of problems“ or the problem solving approach is the wrong for him, maybe he needs a different approach than the game can provide.

for example there is a difference solving that stuff on paper or digital, even a difference if you solve these problems separately or within a problem you encounter in a life situation, maybe the timeframe makes a difference...

Edited July 30, 2020 by remember

[Artsu]

The problems stressed you out.

?

[Nahm]

3 hours ago, The Don said:

Hello.

A few days ago I was thinking about trying something new. My thoughts led me to solve logic problems on Brilliant.org.

After I started the quiz, the exercises got more difficult to a point where I couldn't even concentrate.

When I forced myself to fully concentrate, I felt a rush of extreme frustration. It felt like I wanted to break something. I just couldn't sit still.

Is this normal? And has this happened to anyone here?

You’re identifying yourself via the experience ‘behind the scenes’, that is what who you really are is not ‘going along with’. That’s why it feels terrible. Continuing in spite of receiving the message (the not good feeling) creates more resistance, resulting in “anger”.   That you are forcing yourself to fully concentrate is a separate self identification misnomer. It’s not actually happening, and as such isn’t fitting.

[remember]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance

i suppose somehow this might be the underlying problematic. its usually a problem solving problematic. you solve problems while you don’t really solve them. at least if what nahm says is the case. you have to leave the comfort zone! 

i notice this also as the reason why procrastination usually is not satisfying. the real problem might be somewhere else. maybe the game can be some kind of training but what is your real problem solving toolbox?

Edited July 30, 2020 by remember

[The Don]

1 hour ago, Nahm said:

Continuing in spite of receiving the message (the not good feeling) creates more resistance, resulting in “anger”.

@Nahm, then what can I do to be able to solve these logic problems without feeling the 'not good' feeling?

[Nahm]

@The Don

Don’t care. At all. 

[The Don]

1 minute ago, Nahm said:

Don’t care. At all.

@Nahm, and after a while, I will start to feel better while trying to solve problems or use my mind effectively? It's not productive for me to be in a state of inner resistance.

I'm actually shooting for doing anything with passion, regardless of what I do. For example, I started to learn a new programming language called Python. I struggle a lot just to figure out the basics.

All I wish is to be more conscious so I can be able to work on things with passion, without inner resistance.

[Nahm]

@The Don

The resistance is hiding in the details, which I suspect are still written off as semantics. 

[An young being]

5 hours ago, The Don said:

Hello.

A few days ago I was thinking about trying something new. My thoughts led me to solve logic problems on Brilliant.org.

After I started the quiz, the exercises got more difficult to a point where I couldn't even concentrate.

When I forced myself to fully concentrate, I felt a rush of extreme frustration. It felt like I wanted to break something. I just couldn't sit still.

Is this normal? And has this happened to anyone here?

This happened to me all the time when I was trying to crack very difficult questions in a competitive exam. The second best thing to do is to relax your body by some visualisation techniques, try to figure out different ways to solve the problem and try with the new ones. But the best thing to do is simply to ignore the problem and go on to other solvable problems. Accept the limitations of your mind and be happy that you are able to come to this level atleast. Understand that the world will always have unsolvable problems and an individual being cannot solve all of that, even if you have an Einstein's brain. Contribute what you are capable of and enjoy the rewards.