You are currently browsing the daily archive for June 24th, 2008.
What??? Sounds weird….right?? But fellows who have problems early in life with their testicles, often have problems later in life. It might be an early surgery to correct an ‘undescended testicle,’ or other problems involving medical intervention.
On a strictly unconscious level, these things result in anxiety, anger, or sexual problems. We think a lot about the effects of combat on combat veterans, but imagine being a young child and undergoing a medical intervention. Even if these things are not recalled consciously, they have tremendous effects on the developing mind. If you ever had an early experience with a physician, and remember it, you may remember the sheer terror of it. I do….
Ted Kasczinki, the ‘Unabomber,’ had an early medical experience as an infant. He was noted by his mother to never be the same, after the experience. Later in life he targeted medical researchers and those interested in technology with his rage. I don’t think this is a coincidence.
Not to say that anywhere close to most people would develop this kind of rage. Because, they don’t. More often they develop intense anxiety about seeing a doctor, become extremely sensitive to gagging (if they ever had tubes down their throats), feel uncomfortable around crouds, are very sarcastic, and prone to panic reactions. There is always some kind of problem with eating and self-expression. One woman could not eat a single piece of fruit or vegatable as a result of an early medical/hospital experience.
I’d like to say you’d find this kind of thing written about in any books, but you won’t…. If any of you find this relevant to your lives, I’d be interested in learning more.
Some really are….I remember one man told me he showed up to his psychiatrist appointment dressed as a full blooded Apache Indian, headress of feathers and all. Others, well seemed to meet the criteria, but were not as dramatic. One woman I worked with appeared, to all intents and purposes, to be bipolar. However, we discovered over time that her mood variation was driven by anxiety and an underlying low self-esteem. She was able, over time, to learn how to manage her moods more effectively, and eliminate destructive impulsive behavior. It took a couple of years….but she is completely recovered. She called me a couple of years ago to tell me that things were still going well, and she was practicing those things we talked about. Some folks with Bipolar Disorder REALLY need medication, but they believe that they can manage it on their own. I’ve not seen that be possible with the more severe forms. With the more severe forms, you can make yourself probably 50% better by deeply examining the psychological factors, but the other 50% comes from medication.
With milder forms, some things make a difference. Developing a consistent routine is one. Go to bed at the same time, and get up at the same time in the morning. Stay away from illicit drugs (marijuana is the most frequent). Make your patterns as routine as you can. Eat 3 meals at the same time each day. In other words, you reduce the factors that increase the instability of your mood. It might be certain types of relationships, or certain types of thinking. There might be unconscious factors that can only be discovered with the help of a trained psychoanalyst. Or psychologist with some understanding of the unconscious mind. Take Omega-3 fatty acids (most often fish oil), vitamin B12 (preferably sublingual), and melatonin (it may take 2 or 3 pills) to help normalize sleeping patterns. The melatonin is to be taken a half an hour before going to sleep.
Some of the best quality supplements can be obtained from http://www.mercola.com. The Krill oil supplements are the best for Omega 3. You can read more about this on HealthyPlace.com. One patient I worked with noted that his mood greatly stabilized, and he became less paranoid, after eating a bunch of catfish. I had been thinking about suggesting Omega 3 to him, but after I learned that fact, it clenched it for me. He got on Omega 3, and an exercise and eating pattern designed to help him gain weight and muscular bulk.
Exercise is also an important factor in mood. Primarily in lifting mood. Patients often find that they develop more energy, appetite, and motivation with exercise. The most important thing is to learn from your own patterns. When you notice a change in your mood, think back about what you have stopped doing. It might be that you were more social, exercised, or made a change in your diet. If you figure out what changed was made, start doing those things again. With each episode, you can learn a little more about yourself. You can work on reducing the duration and intesity of your episodes. Over time, you will develop increased control over your mood, because of what you have learned.
Recent Comments