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2scoops
USA
386 Posts |
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winnieboo
USA
269 Posts |
 Posted - 10/24/2008 : 10:43:41
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| Thanks; this is really interesting. |
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Webdan65
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2008 : 11:10:21
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| I agree. Very interesting stuff. Come to find out, I have one of his books on my shelf. "Why Zebras don't get Ulcers." |
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skizzik
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2008 : 16:14:18
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this is the guy who did the pbs show on monkeys and had me do my thread on asking everyone to put down "what preceded your tms relapse or tms in general" thread. I started thinking that tms has less to do w/ a buildup of repressed emotions, but rather a sense of losing control.
I feel that the sense of losing control happens much much quicker in those of us raised in sh-tty conditions who really did'nt have a "soft landing" in a solid family foundation to come home to while we were raised. So the symptoms come quicker then.
And sure enough, everyone pretty much responded it was around times when things got out of control in their lives, or perceptively so.
And his general message is we get "flight or fight" anxiety symptoms much like a zebra chased in the wild when we merely think of things like taxes, or have a bleak outlook on the future.
good find 2scoops. |
Edited by - skizzik on 10/24/2008 16:18:45 |
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winnieboo
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2008 : 10:53:01
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That's a great insight, Skizzik. This control theme recently came up in my therapy, just thought I'd share because it's on topic and maybe it might help someone else...
I'm really focused on my worry about my kids right now, some of it's warranted and some not at all. When something comes up, I've been instantly "going to" what I may have done as a parent to contribute to it, and it becomes obsessive. Interestingly, when I'm mentally obsessing, I have little or no neck/arm/muscular pain, and when I obsess less, the physical comes back.
By pointing to the examples that I bring in, the therapist has been showing me that my obsessing is a way to get control. It's like saying, 'oh my son looks sad, it must be my fault,' and then I can wrap it in a neat little package, at least in my own mind.
As you say, it goes back to my first family foundation, where many things WERE made out to be my fault. My family was devoutly Catholic and I went to Catholic school, so this is where the content of the bad habit derived, that responsibilty/guilt theme that feels so familiar to me, along with the insecurity. Geez, I'm just remembering in Catholic school, when you did something 'wrong' like step out of line or talk in the bathroom, you were made to write a 'penance,' that consisted of writing 'I will not talk in the bathroom' 100 times. What a way to teach a young mind to be obsessive! Guess it was good for the practice of handwriting!
So I think you're absolutely right, and the stress clip is a graphic depiction of what humans experience, that fear for your life and adrenaline push to "stay alive" or rather, stay in control. What we're missing is the instinctual or pure or primitive ability to have whatever frightening experience we have and then shake it off. Our brains can hold onto the past and overthink right through the present and into the future. Great for us to have such higher intelligence! |
Edited by - winnieboo on 10/25/2008 10:58:52 |
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Pd245
58 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2008 : 14:06:32
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| The desire for control of everything is a major contributor to my TMS. As a child I learned somehow that tensing my muscles made me feel like I had control over a situation. So, I tense - or brace- my upper body, especially my neck, in specific situations throughout the day. This produces headaches for me, so I'm learning to become aware of situations that make me tense those muscles, and to consciously release the muscles pretty much all day long. It's hard work. Its funny. I may not feel anxious or upset at the time, but my neck freezes up anyway. Someone was talking about the flight, fight, or freeze response to stress, and I know that I definately freeze. |
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Wavy Soul
USA
779 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2008 : 02:58:09
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Fascinating.
As Sapolsky says something on the video,to the effect that it's not just the feeling of being out of control that causes stress, but not understanding which things CAN be controlled and which things can't, (aka the Serenity Prayer, which helps me a lot:)
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference
I'm under ulcerous stress right now, and trying to figure out what I can and should do about a complex situation, and where I should just let go. Generally when I figure this out, the whole thing lifts, including the symptoms.
xx
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
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Killer Stress
