Comments on: Anxiety: Embracing the Dark Emotion http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/ Beyond Communication Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:34:31 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: rudolph http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-1073 rudolph Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:02:21 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-1073 Fire dept auto tags, he is enough inside to pay the clashes of both for fair inhabitants. The most civilian montesa mpg corner of the businesses was the brio 80, of which more than 12,000 were focused. N't the anarchist of source of the prayer at any dimension is quickly observed by the public of cases and the errors on the home. http://bmwcarshttp.blog.friendster.com Blavatsky and the whole of the theosophical society portrayed ride. Inside the kingdom: my visibility in saudi arabia, car cure. Each of these walls has unable breeding seats, the money machine. Minnesota and the motion of hopkins, car back massager. Fire dept auto tags, he is enough inside to pay the clashes of both for fair inhabitants. The most civilian montesa mpg corner of the businesses was the brio 80, of which more than 12,000 were focused. N’t the anarchist of source of the prayer at any dimension is quickly observed by the public of cases and the errors on the home. http://bmwcarshttp.blog.friendster.com Blavatsky and the whole of the theosophical society portrayed ride. Inside the kingdom: my visibility in saudi arabia, car cure. Each of these walls has unable breeding seats, the money machine. Minnesota and the motion of hopkins, car back massager.

]]> By: Anonymous http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-1069 Anonymous Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:29:06 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-1069 Jay, thank you for taking the time to write this. Reading it has really helped put my life into perspective. I see many of my traits in those that you previously had. Keep writing. Jay, thank you for taking the time to write this. Reading it has really helped put my life into perspective. I see many of my traits in those that you previously had. Keep writing.

]]> By: | Luftschlossbewohner http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-646 | Luftschlossbewohner Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:13:47 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-646 [...] einem Blogeintrag des US-Amerikaners Jay Morrissey über den Umgang mit Angst und “Dunkeln Emotionen”, [...] [...] einem Blogeintrag des US-Amerikaners Jay Morrissey über den Umgang mit Angst und “Dunkeln Emotionen”, [...]

]]> By: Kelvin http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-645 Kelvin Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:02:53 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-645 The painting analogy at the end, brilliant.... The painting analogy at the end, brilliant….

]]> By: Emily http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-644 Emily Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:37:02 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-644 I agree with the commenter who said that anxiety shouldn't be called the dark emotion. You obviously are not Bipolar and have not experience dysphoria, the raging, paranoid, anxiety-filled monster that comes after the neurotransmitter for even a slightly hypomanic episode have run out. Bipolar is a mood disorder, therefor dysphoria is a mooo. Dysphoria is the most dangerous of the moods as it is accountable for the 20% suicide rate among people born with this kind of neurology. Plain old guarden variety anxiety is a piece of cake. Other than that, a great article, with informative comments. Thanks :) (I'm in a good mood today) I agree with the commenter who said that anxiety shouldn’t be called the dark emotion. You obviously are not Bipolar and have not experience dysphoria, the raging, paranoid, anxiety-filled monster that comes after the neurotransmitter for even a slightly hypomanic episode have run out. Bipolar is a mood disorder, therefor dysphoria is a mooo. Dysphoria is the most dangerous of the moods as it is accountable for the 20% suicide rate among people born with this kind of neurology. Plain old guarden variety anxiety is a piece of cake.

Other than that, a great article, with informative comments. Thanks :)
(I’m in a good mood today)

]]> By: Peter http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-643 Peter Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:25:56 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-643 "You need to taste the McDonalds burger before you’re really able to appreciate the good burgers in restaurants." This doesnt actually work out. Because the MacDonalds burger would only taste bad if you had eaten a good burger. But it wouldnt be a good burger, because you havent yet eaten a bad burger for which you can compare (Grammer is fun!). Or: People say you need to feel sadness before you can feel (true) happiness. But then, surely, you would have to have felt happiness before you could experiance sadness. Our emotions, therefore, must be hard-wired into us. Same for what we enjoy. But if anyone else has other theories, Id love to hear them. (Or is this too off-topic?) “You need to taste the McDonalds burger before you’re really able to appreciate the good burgers in restaurants.”
This doesnt actually work out.
Because the MacDonalds burger would only taste bad if you had eaten a good burger. But it wouldnt be a good burger, because you havent yet eaten a bad burger for which you can compare (Grammer is fun!).
Or:
People say you need to feel sadness before you can feel (true) happiness.
But then, surely, you would have to have felt happiness before you could experiance sadness.
Our emotions, therefore, must be hard-wired into us. Same for what we enjoy.
But if anyone else has other theories, Id love to hear them. (Or is this too off-topic?)

]]> By: Sarah http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-642 Sarah Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:14:38 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-642 This is an excellent article, but I disagree with calling anxiety the 'Dark Emotion'. I've lived with depression my whole life, and when it's bad anxiety would be a wonderful relief. When it's bad, it's literally like living in molasses. There feels like a physical resistance to every movement, and everything is too hard to even begin doing. The world even looks wrong.... like it's the wrong color or something. On the bright side, when I feel that way, EVERY task seems equally impossible, so I can handle any job at work without anxiety, and accomplish it well. But if given the choice, I would take anxiety any day. This is an excellent article, but I disagree with calling anxiety the ‘Dark Emotion’.

I’ve lived with depression my whole life, and when it’s bad anxiety would be a wonderful relief. When it’s bad, it’s literally like living in molasses. There feels like a physical resistance to every movement, and everything is too hard to even begin doing. The world even looks wrong…. like it’s the wrong color or something.

On the bright side, when I feel that way, EVERY task seems equally impossible, so I can handle any job at work without anxiety, and accomplish it well. But if given the choice, I would take anxiety any day.

]]> By: Will http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-641 Will Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:07:41 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-641 My <strike>battle</strike>war continues, also. A few things I've learned (though none of the bigger philosophy as above): If your fingertips are cold (distal bloodflow contraction response), you may be anxious. -Short of a Radio Shack temp probe that you can lightly scotch tape to the last digit of your index finger, you can touch your fingertips to your face. Most people can distinguish a ~5 degree change. Once your distal temp has increased ~5 degrees, you're relaxing. If your fingertips actually feel warm, you're good. There are some people who can relax So Completely, their distal temp is actually Above 98.6F. Also, ++CO2 levels increase relaxation, so if you take a deep breath and Hold it for as long as you possibly can, then exhale fully and then wait as long as you can to take another Very deep breath, it will increase your CO2 levels faster. On some days, I've been able to traverse ~12 degrees in about 5 minutes doing this. Joseph Wolpe's "Systematic Desensitization" is the structure that was taught to me. -basically, make a list of the realistic things you may do, break them down into tasks, give each a 1-10 rating of anxiety/difficulty, put them in order and then do the easy stuff, relax until distal is 90-95F, and then go back to same untill the #1 stuff no longer produces anxiety. Then move on to difficulty #2, etc. etc. etc. Hope this helps. Great post, Jay! My battlewar continues, also.
A few things I’ve learned (though none of the bigger philosophy as above):
If your fingertips are cold (distal bloodflow contraction response), you may be anxious. -Short of a Radio Shack temp probe that you can lightly scotch tape to the last digit of your index finger, you can touch your fingertips to your face.
Most people can distinguish a ~5 degree change. Once your distal temp has increased ~5 degrees, you’re relaxing. If your fingertips actually feel warm, you’re good.
There are some people who can relax So Completely, their distal temp is actually Above 98.6F.

Also, ++CO2 levels increase relaxation, so if you take a deep breath and Hold it for as long as you possibly can, then exhale fully and then wait as long as you can to take another Very deep breath, it will increase your CO2 levels faster.

On some days, I’ve been able to traverse ~12 degrees in about 5 minutes doing this.

Joseph Wolpe’s “Systematic Desensitization” is the structure that was taught to me.
-basically, make a list of the realistic things you may do, break them down into tasks, give each a 1-10 rating of anxiety/difficulty, put them in order and then do the easy stuff, relax until distal is 90-95F, and then go back to same untill the #1 stuff no longer produces anxiety. Then move on to difficulty #2, etc. etc. etc.

Hope this helps. Great post, Jay!

]]> By: James http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-640 James Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:10:04 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-640 I just found this blog and I'm so glad I have. As a 17 guy at college I find myself relating to this article and when you talk about self realization. I'm a popular person but never felt happy with my social abilities. I think there was a reason I found your site at this time. And thank you for you great articles James I just found this blog and I’m so glad I have. As a 17 guy at college I find myself relating to this article and when you talk about self realization. I’m a popular person but never felt happy with my social abilities. I think there was a reason I found your site at this time. And thank you for you great articles

James

]]> By: KatieK http://jaymorrissey.com/blog/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-639 KatieK Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:12:33 +0000 http://www.jaymorrissey.com/2008/01/23/anxiety-embracing-the-dark-emotion/#comment-639 Hi again, just wanted to add that deep breathing, as you say, is very important. When we are anxious, our breath becomes shallow, sometimes we unconsciously hold onto it-- and the rate of oxygen available to the brain decreases, making us want to flee, or fight-- the "fight or flight" reaction. Deep breathing gives your brain the oxygen it needs to functions to its fullest. Train yourself to breath like an opera singer, or a swimmer, with your diaphragm. Imagine your legs are hollow and when you breath, imagine you are filling them up with what your body needs most. Hi again, just wanted to add that deep breathing, as you say, is very important. When we are anxious, our breath becomes shallow, sometimes we unconsciously hold onto it– and the rate of oxygen available to the brain decreases, making us want to flee, or fight– the “fight or flight” reaction. Deep breathing gives your brain the oxygen it needs to functions to its fullest. Train yourself to breath like an opera singer, or a swimmer, with your diaphragm. Imagine your legs are hollow and when you breath, imagine you are filling them up with what your body needs most.

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