How To Control Your Brain At Will

[Adfcom]

First i must say that this book is excellent and a MUST read for anyone who wants to be cured from OCD,SP,SA or whatever other mental disorders they might have.I know theres already a thread about this book but i doubt many people know it.Ive searched a lot in the web for a cure and this book is the only really helpful thing ive found so far...and for the people who cant find it on p2p, heres a download link.
http://www.google.com/search?q="How+To+Control+Your+Brain+At+Will.pdf"

I personally have/had ocd,sp and a lot more other crap but now theres only tiny bits of sp left.
I remember when it all started 2 years ago,i dint understand what was wrong and how to fix it, luckyly there was one person who told me what was wrong(lack of control over my life) and then i knew what to do, also i should note that i dint take any meds.

a quote from the book
""""
They hardly exist in the present; their thoughts come and go, and
their minds are either lost in reveries about the past, or are consumed
with worry about the future.

Such patients often let themselves fall into a kind of dreamlike
semi-conscious state, which they do not find unpleasant, but whose
dangers they do not recognize, and which they will be hard put to get
out of later on. The longer this state lasts, the more pronounced the
symptoms become: apathy, fatigue, and a general disinterest in life
soon take hold and refuse to let go.

A perfectly balanced individual may have a preponderance for
one or the other part of the brain. Nervous persons in particular are
often observed to place more emphasis on the subconscious brain,
without necessarily becoming ill. All he or she has to do is learn to
control it.

""""

---TIPS---

The average person takes 10 to 12 breaths per minute at rest. Your breathing rate may be higher than it should be. Some people with social phobia overbreathe constantly, while other people find that their breathing rate only goes up when they are anxious. In both cases slow breathing can help.
http://www.crufad.com/self_help/socialphobia.htm#socphob5

------------------
Now i would like to add some of my own tips.
When you go somewhere your subconscious remembers only fear and anxiety.We must save the new experiences to the subconscious so when you go to the place where you felt fear before, you now would feel good because thats the way your subconscious remembers it.

So when you go out, you must create a good feeling, you cant hold that feeling forever so you have to recreate it whenever a fear appears.
If you have negative thoughts like "everybody are watching me" then just
think positively like no their not, you must understand how irrational your thoughts are, concentrate on breathing very slowly(this is very important!).
This might be hard for people with bad sp but it works for me.

-----------------

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2002Jul/gam20020709015292.htm
Also people who play video games and have sp,i must say its not good because people with mental disorders live in a dreamlike semi-conscious state and playing will keep them there harder.

quote from the article

The video game group, which played video games for 2-7 hours daily, showed nearly zero beta activity all the time, even when they were not playing video games. This means there was little to no activity in their prefrontal lobes. These subjects reported being easily angered, having difficulty concentrating, and having trouble socializing.

 

[Hurricane]

thx for the book, i'm checking it out

 

[dzerklis]

Adfcom, greeting from neighbouring country, im in Latvia

that book definately seems worth reading :!:

 

[babel]

thx for the book, i'm checking it out

Me too...

 

[MpyreDzirez]

great book

That has alot of useful strategies. Thanx for the link :lol:

 

[LittleMissMuffet]

There are some useful techniques for letting go of past associations to be found at this site: www.acim.org
It is A Course In Miracles, written by a psychologist. IT teaches a person how to systematically train their mind to let go of past associations and thoughts and how to then change your perception(s) to get past bad experiences or bad thoughts that hold one back.

I downloaded the 'Lessons' for free and have been practising them.

 

[LittleMissMuffet]

Hi again, Adfcom,
I downloaded and read most of the book 'How To Control Your Mind At Will' and I must say that it has useful techniques, and that this strategy of reconditioning the mind to give-up past associations, thoughts and attitudes, along with other techniques and ideas, is similar to those of others', including the ones given in 'A Course in Miracles'. (see: www.acim.org ...and go to 'choose a lesson')

Having read through most of 'How to Control Your Mind At Will', whilst I do appreciate what it instructs and you for mentioning it, I have a few reservations about it... These may be a little trivial, yet I still feel them worth mentioning.

His use of the term 'normal people' in comparison to the non-normal is what I mean. I prefer ACIM in this sense, because the need to achieve conciousness is a challenge that is not limited to only those with emotional and psychological difficulties.

The problem with psychology is that often in diagnosing problems there is a tendency to label people too much as if there truly exists a big difference between those who manage to function in the outside world and those who do not. I don't believe that there is a great distinction. And I believe that all too often people presume that because, for them, emotional difficulties are not as apparent, that they are greatly removed from those whose problems are more apparent -this, I attribute in fact to a lack of concious awareness on their part, that springs from the need to be able to control their own (unruly?) emotions.

....besides: psychology is a catch-22: it can offer strategies to deal with difficulties, but, in an effort to diagnose and characterise, it also tends to dwell and emphasise negative characteristics. It can be a bit negative.

An example of what I mean is that, the 'primordial' part of the brain (as the book referred to) is sometimes simply stronger in some individuals, so that achieving concious control over this already is more of a challenge; whilst less control and conciousness is needed to discipline a less strong 'primordial' part. Whereas the author, I believe, tends to focus on those with difficulties having 'flaws'; I see it rather as that some are faced with having to develop greater control and conciousness than others simply because for them there is more emotion to control.

And, I think that there often is in people the tendency to overestimate their own concious awareness, and in an effort to have control themselves, limit a deficiency in this ability to those for whom this lack of control 'shows up'. ...I am not one that believes that the simple appearance of control and function is necessary 'proof' of it, and vice versa.

This may be a minor point (I appreciate the techniques and strategies put forth by the authors of the book) but I prefer it when those with difficulties are not labelled, so much, as having 'defects' (as the book mentions) and are instead seen as simply having more work to do to achieve emotional balance (whether this be a result of genetics of of traumatic experiences, or both).

Not wanting to be trivial, but for me, this principle is a central part of me being able to believe in my ability to get better.

I have even read psychologists' opinion (!!! :!: ) that agreed with the points that I am making -and that people presume that 'self-control', 'self-actualisation', etc are much easier to achieve than actually is the reality; and that many 'wrong thoughts' that the dysfunctional have are shared wrong thoughts of many 'functional' individuals, that for some this is simply more easily hidden. And, I also was told that in poor nations, where the mentally ill are often regarded as 'special' instead of 'flawed', that there tends to be a much higher rate of recovery and general well-being among them (there may be a few reasons for this, though).

But, what is your opinion...?

 

[Adfcom]

Hi again, Adfcom,

I read that the ACIM is related to religion, i dont support that kind of stuff because it wont let people to control themselves properly,people must understand that theres nobody above them.I could go on with this topic relating all kinds of paranormal stuff to it but i doubt you'd be interested.

About those labels,its trivial, and the "flaws" nothing you cant fix If a person wants to get better then he will concentrate his energy to solve the problem and he will succeed.

Why person lost the control over his thoughts/emotions in the past is very individual, so is the cure, for some you can change the subconscious and he will get better but for others you must do something else.

Not wanting to be trivial, but for me, this principle is a central part of me being able to believe in my ability to get better.

If i would have believed every word that the doctors said, i think i wouldnt be here today... theres so many things they dont know,
so all you can do is belive in yourself, easy to say hard to do , i know :wink:

 

[LittleMissMuffet]

Actually, I've read that A Course In Miracles was written by a psychologist who was a long time atheist ....believe it or not :wink:

Although ACIM does mention 'God', the whole basis of this is about the individual being shown how their thoughts and mind create their experience and how they can train themselves to give-up past associations. In other words, it is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, only with the word 'God' thrown in from time to time. You could criticise this (minor) detail and end up missing the overall benefit of the book, which is one that teaches the exact same thing that psychology sets out to teach.

And yet, whilst it does employ the use of the label 'God', it steers clear of negative labels and hasty judgements -all of which, by the way, are the exact same thing that psychiatry identifies as being the cause of emotional illness -ie: incorrect, limited PERCEPTIONs and JUDGEMENTS- but which are continuosly used in psychiatry.

And it is interesting that you dismiss religious books on the basis that 'God' is all about depending upon others for help and essentially deprives the person of their own personal power -yet this is the exact same reason why I steer clear, for the most part, from psychiatry books. I find it much more disempowering when negative labels are used that focus on the person being faulty, and one way or another, encourage and emphasise primarily this belief. ...Sure, negatives exist, but the whole point is to see these in perspective with the positives; and I see too little of this in psychiatry, instead I see an emphasis on certain people being mentally ill or born faulty -when in fact it is looking at such people in such a way that makes them so. -Perception is everything. -THis IS the whole point of psychology.

It is more difficult to believe in oneself when the primary focus and starting point is a negative. But to accept the negative within the context of a bigger and broader vision, gives room for an equal amount of positive attributes to people with emotional problems, etc -In other words, this realises their potention and provides the exact same 'healthy perspective' that psychiatry supposedly promotes!

And I find it much more helpful to follow a book that states that 'God is in your mind', that coaxes a person (and not 'God', or at least not in the sense that you understand this term) into gently taking responsibility for their own life; that teaches how their thoughts of 'now' actually are often based upon 'past' thoughts/associations, and tells one how to give-up such associations so that we can essentially give ourselves a clean slate, with no preconceived judgements and associations. ...since it is our PERCEPTION of reality that continues to create and recreate the same experience.

So, I must inform you that you are wrong about ACIM: the word 'God' is used only ever in the sense that it is in fact our own mind and thoughts that determine how happy our life is etc. ...Perhaps you should venture reading through it for your self first before you make up your mind to dismiss it -or that its use and understanding of the word 'God' is the one that you believe it is ...there are many different 'perceptions' of the term 'God' ...and, funny that, since 'perception making one's reality' is what spiritual books like ACIM (and also many psychology books) are all about.

 

[LittleMissMuffet]

I'm sorry if I was a bit snappy: you have to understand that I find psychiatry sometimes too negative. It often has the effect of making my problems feel and seem even bigger than they are, when I'm much more interested in thinking the exact opposite to this. .....I figure that:- if a mountain is seen as a molehill, it follows that it is much easier to climb.

 

[Adfcom]

So you think people who read that kind of stuff dont depend on others?If a person have sp then he depends on others, thats one of the reasons why sp exist.

Some people dont want labels and judgements because they cant deal the problems and the realty, so they find it very annoying when someone talks about it, they know that they have to deal with it but they just dont have the willpower.So they take the easy road.. the dream that everything is good etc etc.
Sure i understand that a person whos just starting to cure his sp might find it hard when theres negative labels but i think its very individual, for you its the labels, for someone else its something else, i guess the labels got something to do with your past.
Positives? what is there so positive about sp?
You dont think that sp is mental illness? You cant lie to people and if they cant take it how it is then they cant get well, but i still say that no matter what the doctors say, theres almost nothing person cant fix if he got the will,energy and knowledge.

And I find it much more helpful to follow a book that states that 'God is in your mind', that coaxes a person (and not 'God', or at least not in the sense that you understand this term) into gently taking responsibility for their own life;

Well if a persons self control is built up with things like that then it only seems he is in control, but at the same time....
Sorry but i just cant understand how it coaxes somebody to take responsibility.

that teaches how their thoughts of 'now' actually are often based upon 'past' thoughts/associations, and tells one how to give-up such associations so that we can essentially give ourselves a clean slate, with no preconceived judgements and associations. ...since it is our PERCEPTION of reality that continues to create and recreate the same experience.

No reason to deny things that were in the past...you cant throw them away..at least not like that...they are always in your subconscious until you change or until life changes them when you get new experiences.

So, I must inform you that you are wrong about ACIM: the word 'God' is used only ever in the sense that it is in fact our own mind and thoughts that determine how happy our life is etc. ...Perhaps you should venture reading through it for your self first before you make up your mind to dismiss it -or that its use and understanding of the word 'God' is the one that you believe it is ...there are many different 'perceptions' of the term 'God' ...and, funny that, since 'perception making one's reality' is what spiritual books like ACIM (and also many psychology books) are all about.

about reading it, well i think this time i take the right to judge the book by its cover

Overall i think people dont need to be lied how "good" theyr life is, because as the quote from the book says, sp/ocd people live in dreamlike semi-conscious state and they need to be conscious and see the realty not the dream.

 

[LittleMissMuffet]

Hi Adfcom,

Let me tell you what I think: you're right. And so am I.

...what I mean is, in another thread someone else brought up 'labels' and the stigma of mental illness, and a few people agreed with her in that often these and the way people use them make a person feel hopeless and the label was sometimes too negative; then another person stated the exact oposite, that the labels used by psychiatrists and the like that put people into a tight box and emphasised the negatives more, were actually a great relief and in fact offered them encouragement and hope.

What I'm saying here is that I think that for some people to have the label of a mental illness (and negatives focussed on) is not only something that they are better at facing and handling (as you state) but also depends on the degree to which the label and its descriptions apply to them, which is also why they are more willing to accept it. And, vice versa for another person. ...I don't see it so much in terms of who is stronger or better at dealing with reality, rather that the definition of 'reality' is in fact different and subject to changing for each person. It depends on just what your specific reality is as well as on how ready and comfortable a person is in accepting it.

I think that whilst the book you recommend is no doubt helpful to you (and it must be said that I found parts of it helpful also) that it simply made me feel much worse; and this is the bottom line.

Since the author meant it for patients and physicians alike; and he used fairly broad labels to group many different forms and degrees of mental illness, I think therefore, that there is a clumsiness in his approach. He even once mentioned the necessity of moving with a patient's stage of progress but he did not actually do this in his book. I think that this is innapropriate. Furthermore, I'm not alone in noticing the negative impact psychiatry can have; there is evidence of how psychiatry and the labels it uses does some people even more damage, whilst it does help others.

I can accept that for you it is different (and I believe that I am starting to understand how much this is the case for different people) and that you are more inclined to find that the underplaying of the negatives is like avoiding reality. One woman wrote in the other thread that, downplaying the negatives and refraining from using labels made her feel hopeless because it actually was therefore telling her that she was just pathetic for not handling something that everybody just supposedly has to some degree. Others felt the opposite to this.

I think that the only way that makes sense is to see it in terms of changing realities. For example, your positive is my negative and my positive is your negative -this is about the different ends that we are at. You can say that I am not facing reality because I can't accept a negative aspect of myself, but then I could say that you are more out of reality to begin with and that this is why you can accept being so. ...One way or another: What is reality? I think that it changes and that each person's sense of it is different. And that it's all pretty complicated.

...and maybe, when I am up to it, I'll get into the philosophy of it(...I think you mentioned before how you liked philosophy.... well, I once read a book that stated that God is the mind, and that the truth is that God exists and doesn't BOTH at the same time. Or at least, that is what I remembered it saying, since I actually came up with that theory once my self and I may have quoted it more using my words and understanding. But I don't understand this as well as I'd like.)

 

[LittleMissMuffet]

Hi again Adfcom,

Look: I wanted to apologise to you. I have been troubled over the last day about our difference of opinion.

My thoughts are that:- when I compare the information and steps for combatting Social Anxiety given to me by my therapist with the manuscript that you recommended, I see differences in both the descriptions of symptoms and even treatment.

You mentioned at the beginning that you suffered from social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder and other similar things. I only believe my self to have social phobia.

And here is the important part: we are close to one another, yet my illness is still different to yours; my anxiety and acute self-conciousness is experienced when in the company of people and often only in specific situations. And the book that you mentioned is useful and relevant to me but it describes a level of lack of control that is different to mine, and yet similar enough at the same time.

And, for example, I was told by my doctor that 'the next step beyond my fears of being scrutinised and watched by others' is shizophrenia or psychosis. ...These two diagnoses, you will agree, are more serious than social anxiety and any related anxiety illnesses also. Yet, the 'small' difference between two dianoses of illness stand for a significant difference; and I honestly feel it is the same in this case.

THe simple fact that the manual and information that I have been given by my therapist is different to the book you recommended (eg: the term 'psychasthenic' is not used, patients are not described as being overall lacking in concious awareness and control but this is experienced as more specific to certain aspects of their life, specifically social situations, and the problems of the patients in given examples are quite different to my own) I don't find the book you recommended applies well enough to me.

You are right in that it is crazy to be dishonest and not face-up to what your condition is; but it is not sane to follow a diagnosis which does not accurately fit you to begin with. This is why I find the book you recommended a bit too negative for me. It puts a negative spin on my problems because it describes ones that are close to my own but nonetheless still more extreme or otherwise simply too different. And the insecurity I felt when reading through it is because it is so close and yet so far to my self at the same time.

So, I accept that it is helpful for you and others; but I prefer to take only aspects of what it says and apply them to my self.

If you are still unconvinced that specific diagnoses and treatments should be applied to specific individuals, there are others that agree with this and here is even a short article on the subject if you are interested:-
www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4208974.stm

this was an article brought-up and discussed on the following thread in the forum: 'Labelling Mental Illness' (I think that it is in the Social Phobia UK section)


LittleMissMuffet

 

[Adfcom]

You can get the book from here now, the old link expired.
http://www.google.com/search?q="How+To+Control+Your+Brain+At+Will.pdf"