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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by LibbyH on April 2, 2003, at 23:04:50
I was talking with my mom tonight, trying to work through some of the fallout of my latest breakdown. My mom said that after I went to the hospital, my daughter mentioned how odd it seemed to her that when I get agitated and people try to calm me down by reasoning with me or trying to get me to calm down, I just get more & more upset in response & the situation just escalates. But when they treat me like a two year old who's having a tantrum & basically tell me to sit down & listen, I calm down instantly & typically become quite compliant.
Any theories or observations on why this is?
Just a point of curiosity really. Also kinda makes me wonder, if they could've really just told me to sit down & shut up & that would have saved me a trip to the hospital, then why the didn't they? (kidding about that last part)So far, my only diagnoses are Chronic Major Depression , which I gather is now called Dysthymia, and ADD.
Thanks,
L.
Posted by noa on April 3, 2003, at 16:04:31
In reply to What does this sound like to you?, posted by LibbyH on April 2, 2003, at 23:04:50
Makes sense to me. Because it isn't the "thinking" part of the brain that is having the panic attack/meltdown. It is the part of the brain that reacts to "danger" signals. When people try to "talk sense" into someone in the middle of a meltdown, it can make them angrier because they aren't understanding how they feel, or because the talking isn't registering with the reactive part of the brain as anything but more to react to.
When they tell you to just sit down and stop melting down, maybe you get a sense that someone else is taking charge for you, which can calm the panic sometimes.
WElcome to the "Flaming Amygdala Gang"! You're in good company.
Posted by LibbyH on April 3, 2003, at 19:02:13
In reply to Re: What does this sound like to you?, posted by noa on April 3, 2003, at 16:04:31
"Flaming Amygdala Gang"
We should at least get a t-shirt.
This is the end of the thread.
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