Science
21
Jun 04
Food for your mind
09
Jun 04
Symbols of the ups and downs
I think a lot about emotional ups and downs. If manic-depression was a high school its mascot could be:
- a cicada
- a phoenix
- a butterfly
- a blooming flower
- the moon
What do you think all these things have in common?
09
Jun 04
Effective mood-altering substances
Sometimes I wonder if emotion is a dangerous thing. Like, does emotional sensitivity make you more fragile? By emotional sensitivity I don’t mean being thoughtful or considerate or anything positive like that. I mean it in the sense of easily affected. If you are susceptible to being easily affected emotionally does that cause everything to get all mixed up. I’ve noticed that when serious things, personal things, happen I can freeze up inside yet when meaninglessly sentimental things happen I can be greatly affected.
It makes me think a lot about the ways in which people try to modulate and manage their moods and emotions. I try to endure sadness because I am sure it will always be there in some fashion from time to time, and I hope to understand what causes it. I do things like read, nap, and listen to music if I’m feeling down. Sometimes I’ll eat something sweet. Other people find that exercising helps or drugs or Prozac or sex or alcohol or you name it. The common aspect seems to be the desire to create a more enjoyable sensation to overwhelm the unpleasant sensations or a desire to avoid or dampen the unpleasant sensation itself. Some people prefer getting all the way down into it, although this seems rather dangerous to me.
07
Jun 04
Interesting find
I came across an interesting article in my daily survey of the internet on a website about Bipolar disorder and depression, Taking it Personally. I’ve trimmed it up a little but you can read the whole thing by using that link:
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It started out as whim, but turned into an eye-opener. In May 2003, I asked my Newsletter readers to take an online Myers-Briggs personality test and email the results, along with their diagnosis. Although this was strictly a readers’ poll and not a scientific study, and bearing in mind the risks inherent in pigeonholing personalities, the findings were striking enough to indicate I might be on to something. …
Approximately 150 responses were received, and of these the first 100 were analyzed (a nice even number for this maths-challenged individual). Most readers also sent in their diagnosis, nearly all depressive or bipolar. Since most people with bipolar are depressed more than manic, it is safe to conclude that this poll was dealing with a mostly-depressed population, without further breaking down the figures. Approximately three-quarters of the respondents were women, which about matched the Newsletter’s readership. …
The first eye-popping result was 83 percent of those who replied were introverts, which sharply contrasts with the 25 percent to be found in the general population. According to one reader, who had a strong extrovert score four years ago and a much weaker one when responding to this poll: “Over the last four years I’ve sunk into a very isolated existence. The mania has worsened despite changes in medication/dosages and I spend most of my time sleeping and avoiding large social functions. I do slightly better in small social gatherings, but up until just a couple of months ago I didn’t go anywhere or see anyone other than my immediate family within our house.” …
07
Jun 04
Compulsive Hoarding
I was listening to something this morning on NPR when I was on the way to the doctor about compulsive hoarders. The thing that stuck out to me was that most compulsive hoarders are stricken by two or three different qualities which seem to promote compulsive hoarding. Namely, a notable lack of motivation, a reluctance or inability to make decisions or a lack of decisiveness, and the lack of social intercourse.
I often think about the relationship between social influences and the individual especially since I remember reading once about how insanity and lack of social activity seem to go hand and hand. Either the insanity causing social discomfort and anxiety or the lack of social stimulation promoting neurotic thinking and extreme self-consciousness.
Anyway, why the lack of motivation? Compulsive hoarders tend to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of maintaining order and therefore psyche themselves out, ignoring the growing clutter and mess. That feeling of not knowing where to start and feeling overwhelmed effectively saps any motivation. Those feelings demotivate.
The lack of decisiveness is similarly logical as decision-making is a mode of thought requiring action. The act of making a decision is a thought, but not just a thought. It is a thought and a committment to action. Decision-making is action. Since compulsive hoarding is not based on conscious decision-making but on the shadowy compulsion of ignoring action or responsibility it makes sense.
So, where does the social aspect of things come in. It seems to me that if you have a person who is in general indecisive and demotivated they may remain removed from other people to a certain degree. Also, if someone is socially active they increase their chances of being affected and coerced by others into maintaining order. Anyway, I’m just thinking out loud. I still need to think about this aspect of things. It is definitely interesting stuff.
18
Feb 04
Procrastina…..
For those afflicted (like myself) by serious bouts of procrastination here is an article I found quite helpful as it discusses the issue at length with helpful suggestions for change. Here is a taste:
Just Do It! Confronting Procrastination and Getting Things Done
Who is likely to procrastinate? There is no research evidence that gender and intelligence have anything to do with a tendency to procrastinate. Age may have something to do with it. A recent study has found that procrastination peaks in the middle to late twenties, decreases for the next forty years and then increases again in the sixties. Other research has found that people who feel overwhelmed and cannot calm down readily tend to put things off. Similarly, there is a relationship between anxiety and procrastination. It is no surprise that people who fear failure have the problem, as well as people with low self-esteem. People with a poor tolerance for frustration or difficulty delaying gratification, of course, find it difficult to stick with a task until it is completed, and the same holds true for those who cannot concentrate for long. Those who have conflicts with authority figures and are rebellious have been shown to have procrastination proclivities. People with depression, who may have low energy and hold negative thoughts about their ability to get things done, frequently have problems with procrastination. And then there is the perfectionist. Those perfectionists who set their own standards seem to have no problem with “sloth,” but those who have adopted the standards set by others do have trouble completing their work. This is because they are sensitive to the evaluations they might receive from others ? they want to avoid social disapproval.
Who knew there was so much involved in putting things off?
25
Jan 04
The face and emotions
From this interesting program, The Naked Face, at The Connection: “The face not only displays emotions, but generates them as well.” [sic]
04
Dec 03
MT Spam Vulnerability
Apparently Movable Type has a vulnerability that has turned my webhost into a spam machine. I noticed some bounce back emails from email addresses that don’t exist on the letterneversent.com domain and this vulnerability bulletin would explain that. Download the fix for it there too.