![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Zo on March 21, 2002, at 16:14:58
A researcher in Texas has postulated that manics, and possibly depressives, have a "sticky switch" between the hemispheres, and are indeed helped by putting an ice cube in the opposite ear--and that many symptoms arise from not switching in the ordinary natural rhythm of the brain.
Same thing with the goggles, and probably to an extent, EMDR. Waving your fingers across your field of vision. Ever tried it? Covering one eye--no goggles needed. Anything that snaps the brain out of its rut .
Zo
Posted by IsoM on March 21, 2002, at 16:43:16
In reply to Ice Cubes , Goggles and Sticky Switches, posted by Zo on March 21, 2002, at 16:14:58
Zo, there's lots of things you can do that aren't so radical but do force the brain to work in a somewhat diff manner. They're easy to do & while you won't see a dramatic change immediately, I do believe that over time, there's improvement, not just in the area of mood, but in brain cognition & overall function.
Examples are:
-try eating with your opposite hand than you normally do
-drive home using an alternate route, not a long way about, but just different streets
-try eating supper for breakfast & vice versa
-read something different than your normal reading material
-sing (honestly!) & be damned to who complains
-when it doesn't matter around the house, walk backwards
-if you don't do puzzles, start trying - you don't have to pick the hardestSinging has been found to be one of the best mood brightners & brain exercises. It's silly that so few people are willingly to sing - that we leave it to others & pay them exhoribitant amounts of money to do something we can too.
There's lots more & the point is to make your brain do simple things in a diff pattern than it normally does. It encourages new connections between neurons & new growth of connectors too. All you have to do is type brain mind exercises into a good search engines & explore the possibilities. Let me know what you think.
Posted by beardedlady on March 21, 2002, at 16:51:06
In reply to Brain Exercises » Zo, posted by IsoM on March 21, 2002, at 16:43:16
I used to sing in a band and with my husband while he plays guitar. We sang "Old MacDonald" with our daughter the other night, and it was great fun. I try to sing in the tub every night and the shower every day. I often make up songs and tunes, or else I pick some old torch song and sing it fast or some heavy metal song and sing it slow.
When you're down, though, it's very hard to sing! You really have to force yourself, yet I think those endorphins come out when you sing. Good advice.
lalalalaaaaaalalalalalalalalalalaaaaaaalalalalalalalalalaaaaadeduhbebopaloobopdowopbamboo
beardy : )>
Posted by IsoM on March 21, 2002, at 17:42:40
In reply to Re: Brain Exercises » IsoM, posted by beardedlady on March 21, 2002, at 16:51:06
Yes, so hard when you're down to sing which is why I'll put some perky songs on sometimes to get me going. If by the second song, I still can't stand it, then I give it up for another day or time. But I'm very easily influenced in my moods so it often does the trick. Like you, I make up songs, words & melody - nothing memorable but my cats seem to like me in that mood.
Posted by Ritch on March 21, 2002, at 22:54:22
In reply to Ice Cubes , Goggles and Sticky Switches, posted by Zo on March 21, 2002, at 16:14:58
> A researcher in Texas has postulated that manics, and possibly depressives, have a "sticky switch" between the hemispheres, and are indeed helped by putting an ice cube in the opposite ear--and that many symptoms arise from not switching in the ordinary natural rhythm of the brain.
>
> Same thing with the goggles, and probably to an extent, EMDR. Waving your fingers across your field of vision. Ever tried it? Covering one eye--no goggles needed. Anything that snaps the brain out of its rut .
>
> Zo
Hi Zo,It is much more effective if you get a few ice cubes and put them in a glass and add a little water, swish it around and then tip your head 90 degrees and tip the glass of ice water and let some *slosh* directly into your ear and hold it there for a second.... :-)
Mitch
Posted by IsoM on March 22, 2002, at 1:23:07
In reply to Ice Cubes , Goggles and Sticky Switches, posted by Zo on March 21, 2002, at 16:14:58
This ice water in the ear canal sounds very stange to me. I knew it was a test for something but couldn't remember what & that it produces temporary nystagmus, a quick movement of the eyes away from the side where of the cold ear.
Now that I'm home from work & checked, it's a old test to figure out if a person has had damage to their acoustic nerve & to test for diff causes of vertigo. As a method to jumpstart one's brain, it sounds awfully weird.
Posted by jay on March 22, 2002, at 5:59:01
In reply to Ice Cubes , Goggles and Sticky Switches, posted by Zo on March 21, 2002, at 16:14:58
> A researcher in Texas has postulated that manics, and possibly depressives, have a "sticky switch" between the hemispheres, and are indeed helped by putting an ice cube in the opposite ear--and that many symptoms arise from not switching in the ordinary natural rhythm of the brain.
>
> Same thing with the goggles, and probably to an extent, EMDR. Waving your fingers across your field of vision. Ever tried it? Covering one eye--no goggles needed. Anything that snaps the brain out of its rut .
>
> ZoI love the title of your post! You have also been so supportive and kind...just wanted to say thanks... :)
Jay
Posted by beardedlady on March 22, 2002, at 6:10:50
In reply to Ice Water in Ear Canal, posted by IsoM on March 22, 2002, at 1:23:07
I had that test in November for some weird feeling in my head--a type of dizziness but not vertigo. Very weird. Does not feel good. I have a fear of the water getting stuck there, because I've had that happen and had to watch the room spin around until someone could get me some Debrox to get the water to evaporate!
Still have the balance problem--had it since August 1. Ick. (They say it's a migraine that just won't go away, dammit!)
beardy : )>
Posted by IsoM on March 22, 2002, at 13:46:31
In reply to Water on the Brain ENG, posted by beardedlady on March 22, 2002, at 6:10:50
Beire-Dei (sounds the same as Beardy but looks more Celtic, like it?),
the dizziness you experience - is it a continuous thing or come-&-go? If it's come & go, read this thread & see if it sounds right for you. It's not a new 'disease' or such but has recently been recognised by the doctors & researchers at John Hopkins as a distinct problem.Start of thread:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020318/msgs/98953.html
Posted by beardedlady on March 22, 2002, at 14:14:40
In reply to Re: Water on the Brain ENG » beardedlady, posted by IsoM on March 22, 2002, at 13:46:31
Thanks IsoM(etric): It's a constant thing--worse with my period, best with ovulation. I got the dizziness after quitting birth control pills! But now when I try to take them, the dizziness is even worse!
I do not have depression, but I do, coincidentally, have low blood pressure! (It's about 90 over 55 or 60 most of the time, and my heart rate is between 50 and 60 bpm.) But the kind of dizziness I have is more like heavy headedness than light headedness.
Thanks for thinking of me.
beardy : )
Posted by Zo on March 23, 2002, at 5:32:47
In reply to Re: Ice Cubes , Goggles and Sticky Switches » Zo, posted by jay on March 22, 2002, at 5:59:01
And their importance. It seems that the brain has a natural rhythm of switching hemispheres, what, four times an hour or something, and this researcher thinks that manics have a sticky switch. . .the ice cube is secondary, as a means of forcing the switch.I prefer the ice cube method as the trickle of its melt feels. . interesting. I am speculating that goggles and finger-waving do something of the same. I routinely have my entire body loosen up and see the world literally anew when I do the eye-covering thing for a few minutes. Forget psychology--the circuitry of all this is fascinating!
Posted by IsoM on March 23, 2002, at 13:12:14
In reply to Re: Let's focus on Sticky Switches » jay, posted by Zo on March 23, 2002, at 5:32:47
Posted by christophrejmc on March 23, 2002, at 22:08:54
In reply to Off to make weird goggles and scare the neighbours (nm) » Zo, posted by IsoM on March 23, 2002, at 13:12:14
How should these goggles be made? Has anyone tried?
Maybe we should agree upon a Goggle Standard... How wide should the space be? Do you think it's different for each person? How long should they be applied? How do we measure the results?-chrstphr
Posted by Zo on March 24, 2002, at 3:56:12
In reply to The long, sallow vissage, the goggle eyes, posted by christophrejmc on March 23, 2002, at 22:08:54
. . .I taped up some workshop goggles and used them for like a month before it occured to me I could. .. duh, cover one eye.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.