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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:34:49
I am in the midst of an intraDinah war, with my emotional self and my rational self at odds with each other. My therapist has suggested that I try having a conversation with myself using my left hand to write for my emotional side and my right hand to write with my rational side. In my current feelings of charity with him, I have decided to not just laugh at his suggestion but to try it seriously. (Although my first thought was that he's been reading a bit too much pop-psych again.)
Has anyone done this? Has anyone gotten any results?
I don't even know how you go about it. He was pretty nondirective about the specifics. Do I ask a question and then sit with the pencil in my left hand hoping for a response? Or do I just start writing what I think my emotional self would say and then see if it turns into anything?
My darn emotional self isn't very verbal and largely communicates through bolts of feelings, leaving me to figure out what "she" wants. All I know for sure is that "her" objectives are different than mine. And that "she" is angry with me right now, for reasons I am only partly clear about. I'm not to happy with "her" either, since one of "her" weapons is the urge to hurt myself.
Darn. This just sounds too weird in writing. I wonder if I'll hit the confirm button?
Posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:35:26
In reply to Anyone had luck with non-dominant-hand writing?, posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:34:49
Posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:37:50
In reply to Yep. I did it. (nm), posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:35:26
I still haven't tried left handed writing.
Posted by IsoM on March 23, 2002, at 13:44:31
In reply to Anyone had luck with non-dominant-hand writing?, posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:34:49
Don't just wait for your hand to respond on its own but start writing with the left & see.
If it still doesn't work, try covering your right eye while your left hand is writing, & vice versa. Heck, this sounds interesting - I think I'm going to try it to see what happens.
I do agree with you that it sounds like a parlour game or something, Dinah, but give it a try. At least, it doesn't cost anything & doesn't have side-effects.
Posted by Ritch on March 23, 2002, at 14:45:53
In reply to Anyone had luck with non-dominant-hand writing?, posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:34:49
> I am in the midst of an intraDinah war, with my emotional self and my rational self at odds with each other. My therapist has suggested that I try having a conversation with myself using my left hand to write for my emotional side and my right hand to write with my rational side. In my current feelings of charity with him, I have decided to not just laugh at his suggestion but to try it seriously. (Although my first thought was that he's been reading a bit too much pop-psych again.)
>
> Has anyone done this? Has anyone gotten any results?
>
> I don't even know how you go about it. He was pretty nondirective about the specifics. Do I ask a question and then sit with the pencil in my left hand hoping for a response? Or do I just start writing what I think my emotional self would say and then see if it turns into anything?
>
> My darn emotional self isn't very verbal and largely communicates through bolts of feelings, leaving me to figure out what "she" wants. All I know for sure is that "her" objectives are different than mine. And that "she" is angry with me right now, for reasons I am only partly clear about. I'm not to happy with "her" either, since one of "her" weapons is the urge to hurt myself.
>
> Darn. This just sounds too weird in writing. I wonder if I'll hit the confirm button?Hi Dinah,
I have never tried that stuff before or even heard of it before. But, it sure does sound interesting. Hey, to go with all the other bizarre stuff being talked about-we could pour cold water in our *left* ear (which would switch *on* the right hemisphere to really bring out the lefthand stuff), and then put those goggles on or perhaps just get an eye patch from an optometrist (Hobby Lobby?), and place that on our right eye, and then see what happens. My "right half" isn't really angry with me, he is just a little mischeivous and can't be trusted, but generally an ok dude. Up to TomFoolery. I don't know if you read my post on PB to IsoM about my left hand, but it really seemed like the "Pottsylvania Creeper" the other day. I am writing this basically in fun, but there *is* something to this bilateral hemispherical stuff. I am sure you have seen those documentaries about people with epilepsy who have the corpos callosum severed and they actually develop *two* personalities! I remember in one of them this guy said he would try to open a door with his right hand and his left hand would slam it shut immediately afterwards. They said they just had to just sit around for a while until the *other* person started becoming more cooperative.
Mitch
Posted by Shar on March 23, 2002, at 19:07:48
In reply to Anyone had luck with non-dominant-hand writing?, posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:34:49
I've had interesting things happen with ND hand writing. Just used the free flow approach. Could have a question in mind, or not. I think the point is anything that gets us out of our usual and customary boxes and doing something different will give us new information. (Anything not harmful to us or others, that is.)
How can your emotional side and rational side be at war? Isn't it the case that interdependence, or some sort of acceptance of both is preferred? It's not like a person could live very pleasantly in the absence of one or the other...??
Posted by IsoM on March 23, 2002, at 23:59:57
In reply to Re: Anyone had luck with non-dominant-hand writing? » Dinah, posted by Ritch on March 23, 2002, at 14:45:53
That reminds me of a man I read about who had a stroke that affecting recognising one side of his body. He had far more trouble realising that one leg of his actually belonged to him. The nurses would sometimes find him on the floor in the middle of the night & when questioned, he said he'd found someone else's leg in his bed & tried to throw it out & always wound up on the floor. It sounds funny to hear it but really very sad.
Another woman with something similar would always carefully apply her make-up & style her hair but only on one side. Her lipstick would be applied only to the one side of her lips & end abruptly. I think it sounds horrible.
Posted by Ritch on March 24, 2002, at 1:21:28
In reply to Body Parts as Strangers » Ritch, posted by IsoM on March 23, 2002, at 23:59:57
> That reminds me of a man I read about who had a stroke that affecting recognising one side of his body. He had far more trouble realising that one leg of his actually belonged to him. The nurses would sometimes find him on the floor in the middle of the night & when questioned, he said he'd found someone else's leg in his bed & tried to throw it out & always wound up on the floor. It sounds funny to hear it but really very sad.
>
> Another woman with something similar would always carefully apply her make-up & style her hair but only on one side. Her lipstick would be applied only to the one side of her lips & end abruptly. I think it sounds horrible.
Yes, it is a little creepy. However, I get transient feelings like that at times. That's why I am interested in all of this "sticky switch" stuff. Hey, if your hemispheres don't "share" and "cooperate" frequently enough wouldn't they start to become "strangers" to each other in some way? In my case, it is just something that is subtle and fleeting-leaving me very curious about what is going on.Mitch
Posted by susan C on March 24, 2002, at 16:13:02
In reply to Re: Body Parts as Strangers » IsoM, posted by Ritch on March 24, 2002, at 1:21:28
Posted by susan C on March 24, 2002, at 16:43:33
In reply to Anyone had luck with non-dominant-hand writing?, posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:34:49
Dear Babblities...sometime ago I got this message in response to something about something of which I dont remember the details...I have deleted any non-public names and apologize now for repeating anything already discussed, or, oh no, if it should go on the med board...
Mouse having brain zaps and fluish symptoms
G'day, Yes, I have participated in a study. It was done by a researcher at the University of Queensland in Australia. I was diagnose with BP about 1 year ago, and wanted a objective test. He is mapping the rythms of the human body, and has found that the rythms are slower for BP people than for non P people. He puts shutter goggles on you, and you look at a circle on a computer monitor. If you see vertical lines you push the vertical line button. If you see horizontal you push horizontal. The test goes for a while, and as you see the lines change from vertical to horizontal you press the associated button and so forth. A non BP person has a change rate of about once per second, where BP people change at about once per 4 seconds or more. The lines change from vertical to horizontal based on which eye is dominant at the time, which is based on which side of your brain is dominant. There are other tests too, some which work on a PC which you can download from his web site: http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/BipolarDisorder.html The download is here: http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/rivalry.html the experiment is on: http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/InterhemisphericSwitching.html He draws parallels between the brain hemishpere switching and other body rythms, such as the rythm of which nostril is more open. This changes durig the day, and again BP people have a slower cycle than non BP people. Unfortunately for me I could conciously make the lines change from vertical to horizontal and back due to eye alignment operations I had as a child. But if I let the natural rythm rise up, I fitted the BP figure of 4 seconds plus. The test with the lines was specifically chosen as it is hard to learn the skill to change them conciously, unlike the test where you have a cube in the corner of a room. The mind will turn it inside out and back again with a certain timing, but the brain can easily override this. Hope this is of use to you! Jack is a great guy (orginally from US), and knows the world of BP first hand.
Posted by Ritch on March 24, 2002, at 17:39:04
In reply to The Two Sides Of The Brain and other stories, posted by susan C on March 24, 2002, at 16:43:33
> Dear Babblities...sometime ago I got this message in response to something about something of which I dont remember the details...I have deleted any non-public names and apologize now for repeating anything already discussed, or, oh no, if it should go on the med board...
>
> Mouse having brain zaps and fluish symptoms
>
> G'day, Yes, I have participated in a study. It was done by a researcher at the University of Queensland in Australia. I was diagnose with BP about 1 year ago, and wanted a objective test. He is mapping the rythms of the human body, and has found that the rythms are slower for BP people than for non P people. He puts shutter goggles on you, and you look at a circle on a computer monitor. If you see vertical lines you push the vertical line button. If you see horizontal you push horizontal. The test goes for a while, and as you see the lines change from vertical to horizontal you press the associated button and so forth. A non BP person has a change rate of about once per second, where BP people change at about once per 4 seconds or more. The lines change from vertical to horizontal based on which eye is dominant at the time, which is based on which side of your brain is dominant. There are other tests too, some which work on a PC which you can download from his web site: http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/BipolarDisorder.html The download is here: http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/rivalry.html the experiment is on: http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/InterhemisphericSwitching.html He draws parallels between the brain hemishpere switching and other body rythms, such as the rythm of which nostril is more open. This changes durig the day, and again BP people have a slower cycle than non BP people. Unfortunately for me I could conciously make the lines change from vertical to horizontal and back due to eye alignment operations I had as a child. But if I let the natural rythm rise up, I fitted the BP figure of 4 seconds plus. The test with the lines was specifically chosen as it is hard to learn the skill to change them conciously, unlike the test where you have a cube in the corner of a room. The mind will turn it inside out and back again with a certain timing, but the brain can easily override this. Hope this is of use to you! Jack is a great guy (orginally from US), and knows the world of BP first hand.
Wow Susan, that was really cool stuff! I think I found what my new career is going to be in :-)
Slow switch rates..hmmm. While I was working out this morning I had an idea related to this. What if each hemisphere has a certain "frequency" or something about it like a CPU has a "clock speed". What if each hemisphere's "clock speed" needs to be a *little* asynchronous with the other so they can communicate effectively? Perfect synchronization might cause a seizure or something (?). Maybe this is the brain's "self-defense" mechanism somehow, by "switching" less often because if it switched more quickly (given the present overall "system" situation) there would be some form of havoc break loose? Blah,blah,blah. Sorry for blathering out loud-I really feel this is close to solving a major riddle somehow. Hope you get over your "fluish" symptoms,Mitch
Posted by Dinah on March 24, 2002, at 20:24:18
In reply to Anyone had luck with non-dominant-hand writing?, posted by Dinah on March 23, 2002, at 11:34:49
Boy, the things I'll do for my therapist.
Maybe it only works if you believe it will work. In that case I'll be out of luck.
Posted by Zo on March 25, 2002, at 5:36:10
In reply to The Two Sides Of The Brain and other stories, posted by susan C on March 24, 2002, at 16:43:33
. .accepted. No live animals, please.
All scoffers shall be permanently blocked. As will those who refuse to cover one eye and let an ice cube melt in thier ear.
You doubted me. Doubt no more, my sticky switchers.
Zo
Posted by jane d on March 28, 2002, at 16:47:34
In reply to Body Parts as Strangers » Ritch, posted by IsoM on March 23, 2002, at 23:59:57
> That reminds me of a man I read about who had a stroke that affecting recognising one side of his body. He had far more trouble realising that one leg of his actually belonged to him. The nurses would sometimes find him on the floor in the middle of the night & when questioned, he said he'd found someone else's leg in his bed & tried to throw it out & always wound up on the floor. It sounds funny to hear it but really very sad.
>
> Another woman with something similar would always carefully apply her make-up & style her hair but only on one side. Her lipstick would be applied only to the one side of her lips & end abruptly. I think it sounds horrible.IsoM,
Both of those stories were included in a book I just finished reading, Phantoms In the Brain by V.S. Ramachandran & Sandra Blakeslee. The book uses examples of the different effects strokes have depending on what side and what area of the brain is damaged to demonstrate the interactions and feedbacks between different areas. The book describes how damage to one area on one side of the brain causes people to be unaware that they have been paralized but damage on the other side doesn't. And how putting ice water in the opposite ear temporarily makes these people aware of what happened. It's a very interesting book and very readable too.
Jane
Posted by IsoM on March 28, 2002, at 19:50:37
In reply to left/right hemispheres and good neurology book » IsoM, posted by jane d on March 28, 2002, at 16:47:34
I've read so many of these kinds of books but just like animal documentaries & nature shows, I can never get my fill. Each one adds a somewhat different angle. Thanks. I'll be seeing if I can get it from my university library.
Posted by Ritch on March 29, 2002, at 0:00:33
In reply to Zo is exonerated. Tributes *will* be . . ., posted by Zo on March 25, 2002, at 5:36:10
> . .accepted. No live animals, please.
>
> All scoffers shall be permanently blocked. As will those who refuse to cover one eye and let an ice cube melt in thier ear.
>
> You doubted me. Doubt no more, my sticky switchers.
>
> ZoHere's a new link to a show I wasn't even aware was on TV.
go figure. or write. or calculate.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/
Posted by IsoM on March 29, 2002, at 0:32:47
In reply to More Neurology+cognition fun » Zo, posted by Ritch on March 29, 2002, at 0:00:33
Mitch, I saw the show & identified immediately with the second case - the 11 year old girl with ADD. I had more friends than her in school but then I didn't mind hanging out with the other nerdy kids. I thought the popular kids were, on the whole, boring.
It mentioned how she was assigned a focus coach that helped her. I turned to my son & said it's just what would be a God-send for me. How I'd love a focused friend to do things with - who would get as excited & enthused as me but who could keep reminding me of what's necessary & what's not.
Good show.
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