[BlueMajo]

You know what I really really need/want to learn/manage ? To calm down right after or quick enough after a "crisis"...

It feels horrible !

For example, I got ****** with a friend and somewhere inside me, I know Im exaggerating... I want to calm down and I cant ! Imagine that I have tried turning the computer off and going to take a bath... Instead of calming down, my anger exaservates (sp ?) and when I come back I end insulting everybody even when I love them !!

Annoying for everybody, me included ! I get scared sometimes thinking there are 2 mes !

Recently, when I feel an impulse, I think: Ha ! My amygdala is still over active ! That makes me smile and it helps me to calm down a bit...

Crazy much ?

[Mari]

Majo,

1 hot shower

2 cold shower (try which one works for you)

3 long walk

4 jumping rope or doing something like a hula hoop

5 music -- I used to listen to one artist all the time. That way whenever I heard her, I knew to calm down.

6 rub your neck and shoulders

7 use a heating pad on your neck and shoulders

8 close the right nostril and breathe out of the left nostril

http://thehealthylivinglounge.com/20...eathing-today/


9 ice cold water in the right ear for depression
warm (not hot) water in the left year for mania-type issues

(Putting the cold water in the ear canal activates the opposite side of the brain).

http://www.alternativedepressionther...wo-brains.html

Mari

[Mari]

Originally Posted by BlueMajo

For example, I got ****** with a friend and somewhere inside me, I know Im exaggerating... I want to calm down and I cant ! Imagine that I have tried turning the computer off and going to take a bath... Instead of calming down, my anger exaservates (sp ?) and when I come back I end insulting everybody even when I love them !!

Next time, try a very cold bath.

Mari

[BlueMajo]

Ooooohhhhhhhh !!!

That list looks awesome Mari !!!

I will defo try point 9 and the cold water bath !!

THANKS A LOT !

[waves]

Originally Posted by BlueMajo

Recently, when I feel an impulse, I think: Ha ! My amygdala is still over active ! That makes me smile and it helps me to calm down a bit...

Crazy much ?

No, not at all! Whatever helps... HELPS!!! So, that's not crazy, it's AWESOME!

I think it can be helpful in many scenarios when things go wrong, to understand why, even in part, even if we can't really change the scenario. I know that, for instance, it helps me when I am in a long depression to remind myself that all of my reactions are conditioned by the depression. Then, even though I might not know how I would react to something if I were healthy, I am aware that it might be different - and less negative. This at least helps not make things worse!

waves

[BlueMajo]

Oh you are so right sister !!!

I like to think "feelings are not facts" they are "just" feelings When Im sad without a reason, I mean, a real fact, I like to tell to myself: "oh come on, this is not real... Sadness is just in your mind... Go to sleep, tomorrow will be better" and it does help ! Haha at least a little bit

[waves]

Hi Mari,

I read that section of the article, but I don't really follow how the ear stuff relates to mania and depression. My confusion is based on the fact that I don't see any clean lateralization in regard to the mood symptoms of mania and depression respectively.

Eg: In mania, thinking can become significantly tangential - quite unlinear (right-brain); in depression, rumination can occur - very linear thinking, and also quite active.

In short, I am not convinced that BOTH sides of the brain aren't involved in terms of altered function.

What do you think? Do have a different view on this?

waves

[waves]

Originally Posted by Mari

5 music -- I used to listen to one artist all the time. That way whenever I heard her, I knew to calm down.

Sounds like a fairly sound strategy per behaviorist theory (Skinner), if you can be successful at it the first few times. What I might do is listen to the "chosen" music when already calm, in order to try to condition the desired response.

waves

[Mari]

Originally Posted by waves

Sounds like a fairly sound strategy per behaviorist theory (Skinner), if you can be successful at it the first few times. What I might do is listen to the "chosen" music when already calm, in order to try to condition the desired response.

waves

Waves,

Well it only worked if I was strung out and wired in addition to being sleep deprived tired.

I usually listed to Melissa, Melissa Etheridge's debut album (1988).
The first couple of tracks were intense -- almost as intense and angry and powerful as my mood. I listened to one or two other albums that worked for volume and intensity but their lyrics were less helpful than hers were. ( . . .never once felt the need to consider the neighbors's ears.)

After a few tracks of hers, I would fall sleep. Often when a loud track followed a slow quiet track, I would be awakened and get up to turn the stereo off and go back to sleep.

Or if it is was really a bad day (and I was not sleepy) I would play the album again.

Etheridge -"Similar Features"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMAbqbjzADk

Go on and close your eyes imagine me there
She's got similar features with longer hair
And if that's what it takes to get you through
Go on and close your eyes it shouldn't bother you

Melissa Etheridge - Bring Me Some Water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIvXUNp8HtU

Somebody bring me some water
Can't you see I'm burning alive
Can't you see my baby's got another lover
I don't know how I'm gonna survive
Somebody bring me some water
Can't you see it's out of control
Baby's got my heart and my baby's got my mind
But tonight the sweet Devil's got my soul

I did try drinking wine after work to calm myself but it did not help because I probably needed copious amounts and I did not want to join the ranks of people in my mother's family who have ruined the lives of their spouses and kids. Carbs (pasta) worked in those days.
I most likely needed better drugs. I did get a better job soon . .. . got fired or quit. . . depending on how I choose to tell the work story.
+++
I have not found music that works like that for me now.
Maybe I should spend some time looking. The Black Keys are not awful.

M

[Mari]

Originally Posted by waves

Hi Mari,
My confusion is based on the fact that I don't see any clean lateralization in regard to the mood symptoms of mania and depression respectively.

Eg: In mania, thinking can become significantly tangential - quite unlinear (right-brain); in depression, rumination can occur - very linear thinking, and also quite active.

In short, I am not convinced that BOTH sides of the brain aren't involved in terms of altered function.

Waves,

I could believe that in some people one side of the brain can dominate enough that cold water (or hot water) could work and be worth a try.
I can barely do anything with my left hand -- even my driving and typing is right hand dominated. In speaking, I make gestures with right hand.
I notice other people can move back and forth between hands.
(Hubby is nearly ambidextrous due to having to switch fromm lefthandeness when he started school at 5 so he might be far out of range of the norm.)

We had a U.S. poster many years a go here who did this Australian cold water technique on his adolescent son when his son was emergency room level manic.

http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/ar...nt-acute-mania

http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/comm/stee...tigrew_01.html


I might try to look further into this Thursday.

Mari