Posted by Gabbix2 on August 29, 2005, at 6:44:46 [reposted on August 29, 2005, at 19:11:54 | original URL]
In reply to Re: does it really? » Gabbix2, posted by alexandra_k on August 29, 2005, at 3:09:51
> > > Some of them you get by virtue of being human. Humans tend to respond to snakes and spiders with a fear response. But over time... We can learn to inhibit this fear response...
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> > You can, and I can, but I don't believe it's fair that because we are able to, that it's a possiblity for everyone.
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> So some people might never be able to get over a fear response to snakes / spiders?
>Yes, that's what I mean. We aren't all the same, I know there are phobia techniques, and ways'of teaching oneself to think but no, I don't think these things are effective for everyone.
There are too many unknowables.
> Oh. I think I get what you mean. I'm not saying that people can just think nice thoughts and then everything is magically all better. Really. I'm not trying to say that at all.
>> No, I'm not thinking you were saying that, I shortened my example cause this wasn't really something I'd meant to discuss.
My comparison there was, are people who believe that with certain techniques, (beyond cheer up) any one can overcome depression. I don't believe that's true, I don't think anything is true for everyone, and when it comes to emotional reactions, especially those with mental illnesses.
> Emotions are supposed to be interpretations of levels of physiological arousal. In depression the levels of physiological arousal are pretty low.
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> You can alter your levels of physiological arousal a fair bit via thought (think of something scairey and feel your heart begin to race, think of something peaceful and feel that response slow down) but IMO that is more of a moderating effect...
>YOU can, once again I'm saying that's true for you, it's probably true for many, but it's not true for everyone. And the thing is, I'm not talking about anything *moderating* here,
I'm talking about the generalizations and absolutes.> >I think people are far to complex in emotional make up for anyone other than the person themselves to make a determination as to what they can achieve.
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> Maybe...
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> But with fear responses to specific stimuli...
> If the simuli just stays there...
> Eventually...
> The persons body gets tired and can't sustain the level of physiological arousal any more.
> Eventually...
> They feel better.
>
> There are techniques like this for specific phobias. They work on the levels of arousal and habituation (that if you are in the presence of a stimulus for long enough your body will run out of fear response basically).
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> These are typically used in conjunction with cognitive techniques (power of positive thinking).
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> And more effective still with medications (IMO to assist with physiological baseline)
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> So its not just about one factor, rather a combination of many...
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> but this is something i'd like to study rather than something i have studied...
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>
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Not everyone has acess to these types of treatments or therapists either, which is another reason I don't like to generalize about who can do what. Others can only work on so many aspects of themselves The situation has to be perfect on just about every level.Anyway, this isn't really something I'm into discussing right now : ) Especially on the admin board. It's not an issue for me, this is something I do, but I dislike the idea that "because I can do it, everyone can"
poster:Gabbix2
thread:548417
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050824/msgs/548420.html