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Small Steps Equal Success


9 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Red

My friend Richard stopped to see if I needed help with anything. Actually he was stopping to see if I could burn him a CD but asked if I needed anything done while he was here. He is the same person that drove the Uhaul back here for Karin when she moved out. Tim and friends loaded it for her and unloaded it. There was a time when neither of us would have asked for help. I have no trouble anymore.

Apple calls it keychain and the icon is a set of keys. I also have auto fill to fill my address in forms. Both are handy. 

Davit
9 years ago 0 2508 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi All! I have een a bit busy lately. I bought myself a new 2 in 1 laptop and am learning how to operate the new 8.1 windows system on it. Yesterday I subscribed to McAfee security but had a bit of trouble in the process so I got brave and tried skype for the first time and they helped me fix the problem, later I did a live realtime chat with them and they helped me install keysafe which remembers all your passwords for you which will be a real help to me since my memory is failing a bit these days. Anyway I guess it works because as you can see I am signed in and posting here today.. So I guess I am starting to get over my fear of asking for help and am also learning to operate this new system at the same time. All I have to remember now is to reach out for help when I need it and take it one small step at a time. I am hoping to apply this attitude to other aspects of my life in time.. Red..
9 years ago 0 2508 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
SSRI's are good for some that's if you believe in the whole chemical imbalance theory. They pretty much flat lined my emotions until I finally felt something,that being rage. So I stopped taking that one. My neuro-transmitters don't like being messed with. I tried some others and they gave me extreme anxiety and made me a BIT insane. No they are not for me. Of course opiates are another story they remove physical pain and anxiety but left me feeling down and depressed and of course if you take to many you will stop breathing. Not a good idea if one's feeling depressing.:)) So I guess I would have to say CBT is the best way to go for me with lasting and positive effects. Just have to keep at it be, be patient and overcome one hurdle at a time.. Red..
9 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Read other post first.

This is about neurotransmitters Think of them as soldiers on the path to your brain. Dopamine is one of these as is seratonin. There are a whole bunch at each synapse (gate) Cocaine and similar drugs increase the amount of dopamine in your system. Dopamine is the only neurotransmitter that can say yes or no at the gate. the others are yes or no specific. Under the influence of cocaine or say morphine dopamine blocks more signals and since most are negative you feel less pain and are happy. Enough and all activity stops and you die. But when the drug wears off there is a rebound and you get a flood of signals going through and since a lot will be negative you get an anxious feeling, even panic. Too much medication or street drugs and your brain no longer can perform because dopamine is blocking too many signals. Hence impairment and no sexual performance.  Also why long term drug use has to be tapered off. In fact there is a fine adjustment needed to keep pain killers of this sort from causing depression. Dopamine can not travel easily across the brain so can only work where it is generated. So areas that block it still function. You still breath and your heart still pumps. 
Neurotransmitters get sensitized over time so a number of activities and exposures are good for you to keep them working properly. A repetitive signal sets them up to do the same thing each time that signal hits them.  Because pathways in the brain continuously change with change, no change builds thicker stronger pathways that take longer to change. Good only if they are positive. EG making bread often allows you to remember the recipe. How to get to the store. This is why if you forget your grocery list you will buy what you usually buy. This is long term memory. But if you have good short term memory you won't need a list. Repeating the list keeps it from getting discarded. Some one talking to you can overlay the memory of the list and you then need long term memory to go through the things you usually buy. People can multi task so they can repeat the list to themselves while they talk. 

So you see why this is the hardest simple thing you will ever do. But you can do it. The more you need to change the longer it will take. Core beliefs are memories that don't change without direction and over time become very strong. And if they are negative they will have priority and be even stronger. 
One final thing. Don't neglect electrolytes some of these act as neurotransmitters and don't forget water. it carries them where they need to be and flushes them out when they are no longer needed. 

Davit.

Everyone:
That was a lot to absorb so feel free to question any of it. 
Okay this is just common information on the internet.
This program is still the best way to change thought processes. Do it, you won't be sorry, CBT works.
9 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Red.

Okay, since that made sense I'm going to expand a bit and use the phone call as an example. When you get the bad news it travels from your ear to your brain down a pathway that has a lot of gaps in it called synapses. Each one has a number of receptors on one side and a number of senders across from it. On the sending end are neurotransmitter chemicals stored. Some of these block a signal from crossing and some carry the charge across. There has to be more than one because we gather more than one bit of information at a time. Each one recognizes the incoming information and decides whether to block the charge or let it go through. At this point it is still short term memory. If it gets to the brain by crossing all these synapses it still has to cross more to get into long term memory. It usually gets this far because negatives have priority for survival. EG all negatives get looked at but if they are common (often seen) they travel faster or stronger. Short term memory only lasts less than a day and is discarded. This is why you can often wake up the next day and the anger is gone. If it gets into long term memory all it usually does is set up the neurotransmitters to let similar situations through. Enough of this action and the brain gets a negative tendency. and negatives pass into long term memory easier. Positive thoughts stimulate the brain to send signals to the synapses telling the neurotransmitters to block most of the negatives and then the signal that gets to the brain is weak and is rejected. You would still recognize the phone call as negative but the affect would not last as long. So you see the phone call is just a trigger. The trigger lasts less than a second, only long enough to start down the path to the brain. If you have strong positives in long term memory the signal will not get into long term memory and will die some time in the next twenty four hours. If you have real strong positives the signal will not even get to the brain. 
SSRIs slow down the the wasting of Seratonin and seratonin is one of the neurotransmitters that slow down signals and select which go through but as a neurotransmitter it is still dependent on input to make its decision. This comes from long term memory. So they work better with CBT to direct them so to speak. SSRI's keep you normal they don't cure anything on their own. Tranquilizers slow down the crossing of the synapses to the point that so little gets through and there is so little brain activity directing that you get foggy or go to sleep. They cure nothing. But CBT does because it counters the negative and builds strong positive pathways that tell the neurotransmitters to only let through positives. These positives often don't get past short term memory, because the brain will always be negative prone for survival but what does get through is bits and pieces so you know it was there. You can increase their chances by having multiple positives each day so that short term memory is mostly positive. This means also not ending your day negative. Over time the brain builds a positive tendency with only a small negative tendency for survival. Over time the phone call would still be annoying but the annoyance would not last long and have no chance of getting into long term memory where it can do damage. (literally) My short term memory rejection time now is less than an hour now.

More in the next post.
Davit.
9 years ago 0 2508 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Davit,
This idea you mentioned in your post does makes sense.

I was feeling very positive about Thanksgiving and was happily cooking yams and pies the day before the main event when the phone rang with negative news on the other end. We even have a video of me happy and cooking away in the kitchen before the phone rang with bad news from one of Edds kids. I had made mashed potatoes ahead too and was cooking chicken on the barbecue for dinner that night. We let the phone call go to voice mail and decided to eat dinner before calling back.  After the phone call my mood changed from happy and excited to sad and mad that this was happening Again. This person could of waited until after the holiday to spread their news. I was not a emergency situation at all. We came to find out a few days later they were really happy with their decision but called up playing the martyr for god know what reason. Anyway the next day I had to really force the negative thoughts out of my head and cook my turkey dinner. 
We had a nice dinner put the sparkle and excitement was taken out of it..

So as far as a Christmas dinner and celebrations go I am not sure if I want to let myself get all excited and then come crashing down again. It has been this way for the holidays the last few years. This year has been a challenge during every holiday even before and on my birthday. So I find myself wanting to hide away or maybe run away camping in the desert again. We have talked about it and have decided that maybe it would be best if we buy so time next time. It may be best if Edd shuts of his cell phone for a few days before, during and after any holiday or birthday celebrations that we are trying to celebrate together here at home again..

I am not sure yet about what to do but one thing know is that I am tired of being tired and sad..So I am going to try to get myself involved in some positive distractions of some sort this year that I can get excited about and shoot for 10 positive thoughts to replace this one negative one that keeps knocking at my door and see what happens..

Thanks for sharing this information with me Davit..

Red..



9 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
We got invited to American thanksgiving, but the power was out. Susan is American working in Canada. Karin used to be American. I stayed home and kept the fire going. It was cold and snowing and the power had already been out twelve hours. Which reminds Me I have to get more candles. Susan cooked the meal on a wood stove. Peter needed four wheel drive to pick up Karin and bring her back. Her car and mine were buried under a lot of snow. I cooked supper on my propane camp stove. We dug out the cars yesterday. The snow on them had settled to two feet. It is snowing lightly again. Not good weather for Karin to move but it is her decision. I do believe she is going to be happier where she is moving. She has help moving and is only moving 40 miles.

Red, this might interest you. I now know why it takes so long to change negatives to positives. First, the brain is set up to give negatives priority for survival. Second to permanently store the change the pathway has to physically change and grow larger. To convince it to, the synapse has to be excited enough times to give it priority otherwise there is no change. If you stop half way it changes back. Some experts say it takes a positive thought ten times to change one negative. But only one negative to change it back. Small steps for sure, but steady steps.

Davit.
PS, I'm doing some Christmas baking but that is all. I'll probably go to town to look at the lights also.
9 years ago 0 2508 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Make it through Thanksgiving in spite of all the negative interruptions..
Now on to due Christmas..
Maybe? Maybe not? 

In the mean time I am going take a time out and try to engage myself in some positive and pleasant distractions.

Red..
9 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Money is such a handy thing. My pension is not keeping up with inflation.

Davit.
9 years ago 0 2508 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Davit,
I listened to that inner voice and my body yesterday and finally got some much needed restful sleep. I kept falling asleep while reading starting around 2 p.m. so I finally give in and put this kid to bed at 6 p.m. I get up way before to sun comes up every morning no matter when I go to bed. So from now on I am going to try to pay attention to my signals and let myself relax and get the rest I need. 

I was thinking I must be getting really old but am beginning to realize that maybe I am finally letting myself relax enough to fall asleep when I need to..So I think this may be a good sign really..as it relates to panic and anxiety and the positive and calming effects of cbt.

On another note since you mentioned your old age pension. I finally qualified to receive my entitlement to my late husband social security pension as his widow last August. All I have to do is apply for it when I am ready. I have been waiting 11 years to qualify for it now I just have to decide if and when I want to apply for it..Maybe after the first of year..not sure yet..


Red...

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