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March 23, 2006 at 10:21:07
Bush-Induced Right Wing Mental Dysfunction; by Rob Kall Page 1 of 2 page(s) |
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People with the panic disorder known as Agoraphobia basically suffer from the fear of losing control. This fear can become overwhelming.
The roots of the word come from agora-- greek for marketplace and phobia fear-- fear of the marketplace. In practical terms, agoraphobics are usually afraid of a range of situations-- the further from the place where they feel in-control, the worse. Some fear leaving their house, some going into big open spaces, some being in lines that they can't get out of. Some won't drive more than a few blocks. Some only drive by one route. If there's a detour, they turn around and go home. You won't find many agoraphobics in a line at Disneyworld. Many don't like any lines, even in the supermarket. Even ordering a meal at a restaurant, or sitting towards the front of a movie theater can be anxiety producing, since the agoraphobic worries about losing control while in front of other people.
In their minds, agoraphobics magnify the anticipation of a situation in which they panic, when their anxiety reaches a boiling point and they literally go crazy-- heart palpitating, screaming, passing out, having a heart attack, losing bowel or bladder control.
These moments of absolute loss of control rarely, if ever happen. The agoraphobics suffer more from anticipation than the actual experience. Yes, they feel anxiety. Yes their hearts race. But just thinking about going somewhere can set off those feelings and cause the victim to avoid, to stay at home.
I spent a few years, back in the 80's as a co-leader of agoraphobia groups, over that time, working with several hundred agoraphobics. It was gratifying work, especially compared to working with other psychological diagnoses. We helped heal a lot of people so they could lead more normal lives.
When I got an email from a reader recently, his response to the threat of terrorism reminded me of the folks I used to work with.
He wrote, in response to my article suggesting that Bush supporting men use their support of Bush and the war as a form of Viagra:
Who are you kidding? Do you realize in this situation, it is a cliche', "Kill or be Killed." If we don't protect ourselves, we will be under attack untill we are no longer the people of America, but the people of a fallen nation.
You talk as if you want us to look the other way while we are attacked. If Bill Clinton spent any of the money he wasted on trying to chase down Bill gates on defending our country, we woudl not need to protect our selves against an attack that started over a decade ago.
Ignoring the obvious evidence that this reader has digested and assimilated right wing anti-democrat talking points, it's clear that he is in a semi-panic state of mind. A lot of people talk about fear. But it just hit me, when I read his letter to the editor, that this is a LOT like the thinking of a panic disorder person.
People with panic disorder, a slightly broader term that includes agoraphobia, settle for less in life-- a lot less. They don't leave their house, or they avoid shopping malls, supermarkets, lines, movie theaters, long drives-- all because they are afraid of a reaction they don't even want to think about happening-- that they will have this massive panic attack, lose control, go crazy,soil their pants... So they don't do the things they fear. The live these narrow, avoidant, protected lives. I used to chide them that they might as well not walk out the door because an airplane could crash on their front step as they were walking out.
Any time they have a close call, when they feel their hearts pound, their thoughts race, their hands sweaty, their phobia is reinforced.
The treatment is remarkably simple, and effective. There are four primary components:
-group support: talk about the experience, learn and understand how anticipatory anxiety, how anticipation is the primary problem, how you are not alone, how other people learn to face the anxiety and persevere.
-self regulation/ relaxation training: building basic skills in learning to be relaxed, through biofeedback, meditation, yoga, guided imagery, different specific relaxation techniques that give the person more confidence in his or her ability to stay in control
-self talk skills: Cognitive training in how to talk oneself through anticipatory anxiety, rather than talking oneself into building anxiety. George Lakoff calls his approach to re-framing cognitive science. 
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Rob Kall is executive editor, publisher and site architect of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, more...)
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
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Just use my open letter to the US fathers,please
Gentlemen, The WWIII will start in about half a year. Iran stopped its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, our Donny Rumsfeld is treating a possible attack on Iran as an ‘option’ and we do have about 160000 combat troops right there, in the former Iraq. Our trigger- happy cowboys in Washington have no fear except for the fear of the Congress elections in the Y2006 and what a piece of luck: they now can unleash another war and escape the vision of losing power. Longterm? Who cares? Our Commander- In – Chief talks with God on a regular basis and he, of course, knows the truth. He has a plan. Off we go. Gentlemen, I know you are busy. I know you have to work hard to feed your families and it only gets harder. I know you are tired as Hell. I know you watch the politics as a low level of entertainment somewhere between Raymond and Nascar. I know the soil goes from under your feet every day. I know you feel bad and the food is bad and your sex life stinks and the property values go down and healthcare goes up and your wife gets old and your children… they are marked for slaughter. In about half a year they will be all killed. Those, of course who will be drafted. And then others, and then others. ALL of them. Our government wants to kill them all. Gentlemen, really, please pay attention. Our President is mad. A person who openly comes out and says to the public that he stopped being an Alcoholic at 41 because he saw Jesus is mad. Madness is contagious. Our Defense Secretary is mad. Really, why is he so mad about Iran and not about India or Pakistan or China? Who the Hell gave him a right to define who can have what kind of weaponry to defend their country? By the way, what of North Korea? And folks, you all have guns in the houses, right? Imagine you telling your loving neighbor that you don’t want him to buy a shotgun because you have one and that would be quite enough for both of you. Trust me, he will then buy the machine-gun. We attacked another country and destroyed it. We killed hundreds of thousands. And then we are surprised that all the countries around started to arm themselves? Gentlemen, have you ever noticed who are those troops you are so nicely supporting with all those ribbons at the asses of your cars?. They are children. We, you, have sent the children, the first generation youth to do your dirty job. Gentlemen, if you please only be men. Accept the truth: it is a dirty war and our children are doing a dirty job. And now the Moloch of War wants more, much more. European diplomats are not morons like ours. They have to take care of their people. That is why they do what they always have done when some nation goes nuts- they redirect the drive so that nuts and madmen fight each other. Our leaders are mad, right? Iranian leaders are fanatics- even better. The slick Europeans push our madmen to bring our youth to the slaughter of war with fanatics. They did that before. If we want to engage in endless confrontation – fine. If we are so stupid to unleash a WWIII with nukes- then at least our first blow will be not on them and then, when retaliation happens that will be not on them either. And retaliation will take place. IF OUR ARMY ATTACKS IRAN OR ONE OF OUR ALLIES ATTACKS IRAN WE WILL NOT SURVIVE! OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHIDREN IF ANY WILL CURSE OUR NAMES FOREVER! Gentlemen, you all are fathers. You all want the same thing I want- that our children live long, have children and prosper. Please, be courageous, it is your time. STOP IT! Stop it for good! You have the power. In the 70s it was the fathers who stopped the war, not the youth although it was the youth who raised Hell. You know why? Because they came back. But if the WWIII starts they will not come back. There will be no grandchildren and there will be no family trees. There will be no Thanksgiving parties and no Johnnies coming home. Even coffins will not come home. Only Death. Gentlemen, it is difficult, nearly impossible for an honest, hardworking American to consider that the real enemies of his and his children are not jihadists, criminals, alternative way people, liberals, communists or anyone else like that but the bloody vampires- in- charge. It is quiet a shock. But it is true. Step- by- step they sucked their teeth into your neck releasing poison, so that you don’t feel pain and at last they got to the vein- they are ready to consume your children. Listen to Condi, Rumsfeld, Gonzales, Bush, Rove, Chertoff, PNAC. The drumbeat of war is afoot. But this is not the drumbeat of glory. It is the drumbeat of Death. Death to our children. Death to our hopes. Death to our families. Death to everything what makes the life worth living. Death to us. It is a duty of a father to defend his family and children from the evil force that wants to destroy them. I urge you all to open your eyes and see who threatens your families. I urge you to come out as you all can and sweep the garbage off the beautiful land of ours. I urge you not to allow the War to be unleashed. I urge all the fathers to send letters to their Representatives in Congress and in those letters to state that they hold those people personally responsible for the welfare and lives of our children. I urge all the fathers to explain what will they do if those Reps and Senators do not do their job and let the madmen lead us into War. I ask all the fathers to hold those bastards accountable. Isn't it a shame that now a lonely woman, Cindy Sheehan does our job? Shame on us! God bless you all, dear fathers of America at the moment of the greatest challenge we are facing- the challenge of saving our kids. God bless your children and your families. May they live long and prosper. Read this, though if you don't believe me. It is published by right-wing conservatives who have no reason to love liberals. http://www.antiwar.com/mcgovern/?articleid=8510 And for goodness sake- get your kid a passport. Mark Sashine by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 1:41:33 PM  (0+)
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