Psychological Power

Psychological Power is the ability people have to disguise what they really want from you when they are attempting to persuade or influence you. Psychological Power is based on the ability to alter an individual’s perception of reality. This power (like most power) can obviously be used dishonestly. However, it is important to understand the various psychological tactics so that you will have a greater ability to detect people who are being dishonest or devious with you. You will be able to tell the difference between the Psychological Power of the salesman and the Legitimate Power of the Master Persuader.

Time-pressure

People are typically slow at making decisions because they’re afraid of making mistakes. The longer someone waits, however, the more likely it becomes that they won’t follow through. The faster you can persuade and influence a person to make their decision, the more likely you will achieve your goals. This is where we get promotions like “one-day sale,” and “This offer won’t last long” (The Law of Scarcity). On the flip side, be sure your aren’t ever pressured into an impulse decision that you’ll regret. I remember once negotiating a contract for the marketing department of a big corporation. I knew the Laws of Persuasion and I knew what I wanted. I had a million other things to get done, and I felt rushed to hammer out the details of the contract that morning. The person I was negotiating with, on the other hand, was in no hurry and had nowhere to go. We bantered back and forth for six hours and still had not reached a resolution on a contract we were both happy with. My urgency to leave affected the terms I was finally able to get.

When we’re in a hurry, we’ll usually pay more to get what we need. When we need something right now, and someone has it, we will pay or do anything to get it. Think of all the convenience services that cost more. The all-night convenience store charges twice as much for a gallon of milk as the grocery store down the street. The 24-hour copy mart charges more than the traditional print service. Think about how much you paid for that book or magazine at the airport before you rushed to catch your plane. Being in a hurry definitely costs money.

Boldness

Acting with boldness will not only give the perception of confidence, but it will actually help you feel more confident. What’s more, you’ll come across as brave and bold, and people will rally behind you. Their lack of esteem or confidence will naturally attract them to someone like you, who is bold and assertive. Boldness can lead to the accomplishment of unimaginable things. Assertive and bold behavior creates confidence and hides our deficiencies. When you assert yourself, people automatically assume you know what you are doing. Boldness and assertiveness create authority and often fear. This sends a clear message on how people should treat us. Assertiveness creates power and the ability to persuade. Shy, timid, weak people cannot persuade others or change their minds.

A great example of being bold and assertive happened in 1925 in Paris, France. The French scrap metal owners were summoned and taken to the nicest hotel in Paris. They were wined and dined and told an incredible story about the Eiffel Tower. They found out the tower was considered an eyesore and that the cost to maintain it was astounding. The tower was only supposed to be a temporary fixture and the City or Paris now wanted it removed. For the next three days, city council would be taking bids for the scrap metal. A bold and assertive salesman flashed a badge at security and took metal owners for a tour. He was so bold and convincing that one company paid over one million U.S. dollars for the tower. Obviously, it was a scam and the sorry bid winner resold the tower to someone else six months later.

Unpredictability

Be unpredictable. Nothing confuses a target more than unpredictability. Tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes are probably the most frightening events to live through because of their sheer unpredictability. These phenomena don’t fit comfortably in our routines and so they are unnerving to us. Humans are creatures of habit; we love the familiar and predictable. We love a routine and a predictable outcome. When you are predictable, people feel a sense of control over you. Unpredictable and inconsistent behavior keeps people guessing and off balance. We have all had a boss or parent who was unpredictable. You did not know if they were going to yell, reward, or thank you for what you were doing. They spent calculated time trying to understand your next move. This type of power is very intimidating and uncontrollable.

Surprise/Distraction

People who are taken off guard or who are surprised by a request become unsure and will often comply with it. This insecurity and imbalance makes them more persuadable. A study by Milgram and Sabini demonstrated that people riding the New York subway were twice as likely to give up their seats to people who surprised them with the request, “May I have your seat?” as they were when they were told ahead of time of the person’s intention to ask for their seat. Fifty-six percent of surprised passengers gave up their seats compared to 28% of those who had been warned in advance.

Distraction also is a form of Psychological Power. Your prospects minds are elsewhere, so you give them something to think about. This is an unethical form of power you need to be aware of. Sometimes this tactic could end up putting you on the defensive, sidetracking you, or getting you angry. The distraction could be dropping something, screaming, throwing insults to get you off track, or distracting you from their real purpose.

Pity

Every year, Jerry Lewis hosts the muscular dystrophy telethon. Critics hate how he uses pity to raise funds, calling it demeaning and stigmatizing. Others argue, however, that the results outweigh anything that could possibly be bad about it: Reaching more than 100 million viewers through 200 different channels, the telethon raises over one hundred million dollars each year.

There is a crosswalk in my town where no one likes to stop for pedestrians. I’m always intrigued by what makes people stop at a crosswalk. I’ve noticed at this particular crosswalk that people normally just drive right through, without even noticing the pedestrians waiting to cross. One day, I suddenly noticed all of the cars stopping. I wondered what was happening until I saw an attractive college student with crutches waiting to cross the street. The power of pity pulled at the heartstrings of usually stoic drivers and influenced them to act in her favor.

Learning how to persuade and influence will make the difference between hoping for a better income and having a better income. Beware of the common mistakes presenters and persuaders commit that cause them to lose the deal. Get your free report 10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands and explode your income today.

Gee, You Are A Pleasure To Work With!

According to my recently departed professor, the famous “Father of Modern Management,” Peter F. Drucker, if we really want to get ahead, we should “Study success, and not failure.”

This is counter-intuitive advice, but sound advice, nonetheless.

Examine most of the literature on human relations at work, and you’ll find it is problem oriented, failure oriented, if you will.

We focus, mostly, on improving relations with difficult people, and even I have added to this burgeoning data base with articles of my own, and a book, “Please Don’t Shoot The Messenger!” that is about breaking bad news to resistant people.

Why don’t we take some time to study people who are a pleasure to work with?

Possibly, we could imitate them, and make life a lot more pleasant on the job and off.

For instance, I had the pleasure of working with a marketing manager at Xerox who was nothing less than great. I devised a telemarketing script, and without hesitation, he volunteered to test its effectiveness in front of ten of his colleagues.

Calmly strapping on his headset, he dialed number after number, and he quite happily racked up success after success.

Instantly, this made me credible, and my overall program was accepted. Had he not done this so agreeably, and so heroically, I would have encountered much more resistance to the new methods I was introducing.

There are others like him, but they just don’t get the recognition or the analytical attention they deserve.

Let’s focus on success, as Drucker suggested, and I’m sure we’ll all be better for it!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of www.Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

Why Can’t Everyone Be Just Like Me?

Why do people do the things that they do? Does my husband labor over a detail to make me suffer or is perfection something that he feels is achievable? Does my son bring home papers from school after the events have all passed just to annoy me, or is he trying to meet some need of his own, something far more important to him than paying attention to details? We find the answer partially in our preferred behavioral approach.

One model of behavior that attempts to help us understand this is called DISC. The
DISC model identifies four styles of people.

The “D” style stands for dominance. Being a confessed “D” style, I have found myself
on more than one occasion getting out of my car to direct traffic. Taking control of
situations (and people) is characteristic of a person with this style. The “D” person
moves quickly to take action, but quick decisions occasionally cause trouble.
Recently, I deleted a clients voice mail message after thinking I had heard `enough’
of the message, only to find out later that the client had left a home number at the
end of the message.

The “I” style stands for influencing. These folks are far more focused on people than
tasks. The most verbal of all four styles, the I is a persuasive communicator. Always
the optimist, the influencing style can have a problem with personal organization
due to their extremely full calender and wide range of personal interests. My son is
a very strong “I” style, and will often point out the positive in any situation. Once he
come home with a spelling test that had thirteen words spelled incorrectly. I gasped
as I looked at the test which had a note from his teacher requesting that I call
her.Sensing my concern, he patted my knee and said “Don’t worry mom, it was a
really good try.”

The “S” style is the steadiness style. This style is very relational, but in a more
reserved kind of way than the “I”. The “S” folks are very loyal, family oriented, and
they are systematic organizers. They are the most naturally team-oriented of all the
four styles and are always concerned how decisions and changes will affect others.
My mother has lots of the “S” dimension in her style. She has the most organized
closets and drawers in her home that I have ever seen, and her pictures are in
albums! She has a drawer in her kitchen with all her spices and the top of each
bottle is labeled for quick identification. By contrast, my closets look like they have
just survived a small earthquake and my pictures are in various boxes and bags in
several locations throughout my home.

The “C” style is the conscientious style. A person drawing from this behavioral
approach will be very concerned with accuracy, quality, and doing things right. This
style is most concerned about following procedures and rules. The “C” style tends to
be very analytical, task oriented and reserved. While the “D” and the “C” are both
task oriented styles, the “D” wants to get results, but the “C” wants to do it right! My
husband has a very strong “C” style, and he balances the books (thankfully) to the
penny- he has been known to spend a few hours looking for a few cents that do not
add up. Me? Wnen things get really bad with my checkbook, I just close the account
and open another with another bank. Fortunatly with all the mergers in this
industry, there is always a new bank in town with whom to do business.

So whose approach to life is right? Of course, we each know that if only the whole
world was things the way we see them, all would be well, right? But, don’t we need
each other because of these differences? Don’t these different approaches add
richness and enable us to accomplish more?

The key to making it work is really understanding and respect. As we understand
that our children, spouses, parents, and co-workers really do see the world
a little differently, we then can understand that they approach life to meet their own
behavioral needs. When we develop a respect and appreciation for our differences,
we will begin to realize that different does not equal wrong; it just equals different.
We can celebrate our own uniqueness and the uniqueness of each person in our
personal and professional life.

Susan Stamm joined her husband as a Partner in their firm “The TEAM Approach” - http://www.teamapproach.com 17 years ago and claims that they are still best friends! She
and Rick Stamm offer many more articles on teamwork topics at their blog:

http://www.teamapproach.typepad.com/the_team_approach/2006/01/index.html

Why Did My Three Brothers Die So Young?

To many people, this article might be depressing. My belief is that death is a part of life. Nobody knows how long they will live. We must therefore, live our life fully with purpose and joy. Each day is a gift from God to be cherished.

First to die was my brother, Bobby, the boy who never met a stranger. Bobby was much like Daddy in that he always tried to make everybody laugh. Everybody liked Bobby. We grew up poor, but Bobby always had people buying him stuff because they liked him. He was just that sort of person. But, just like Daddy, Bobby’s weakness was that he was an alcoholic. Bobby was incarcerated for not paying on his fines for DUI and also possession of marijuana. He had been trying to get his life together. He was enrolled in a program at a technical college where he was taking auto body repair. He said he felt different there at school–that he really applied himself and that others didn’t even act like they cared. He finally had hope.

But one trip back with his old friends in his old hometown was enough to get him back into one of his old patterns and he decided to get some marijuana. It was a small town; he was stopped by the police and found to be in possession. The day he went before the judge was a strange day–an almost mystical day. I was there with a letter from one of the directors of the school stating that he was enrolled in the program. But this was not enough for the Judge. When Bobby’s lawyer asked if they were sure that it was marijuana, the Judge said he didn’t know many people who would carry around a little bag of turnip greens. The Judge wanted him to stay in the same town and not be allowed to return to his out-of-state school. He said he thought the same thing might happen there. He wanted him to be with my mother at her home.

The problem was that my mother had two children with my step-father and the burden would have been heavy on her. So, when they asked her if he could be released to her, she hesitated. She said, “well, oh, well my husband, uh–” I didn’t hear anything else. So, Bobby stayed in jail. It was a strange day, a very strange day. This one day, in my opinion, was the turning point of his life–he started dieing that day. You just never know. When I went to visit him there at the jail and bring him a few things, I asked him if they ever got ice cream. He said, are you crazy–they’d kill for ice cream here. Anyway, after a few weeks, Bobby was released and was on his way to live with me again when he was hit by a train. His autopsy revealed that he was intoxicated.

I remember my sister and brothers and I going downtown to get clothes for him to wear at his funeral. We wanted him to have jeans because he always wore jeans–and then he had to have underwear. Why did he have to have underwear? There was a big discussion over this, so we finally made the decision that he was going to have underwear. The sales assistant said that they came three to a package; someone said what are we going to do with the other two pairs? The assistant, seeing the situation, said that he could get boxer shorts. But, we said he never wore boxer shorts. She said, ok–I’ll just take one pair out of the package. We were half there and half somewhere else.

An open-casket was more than I could take. I remember thinking to myself–where were all these people when he was alive. One woman said, “doesn’t he look good?” I remember saying to her “the only way he would look good would be if he were alive.” My mother really loved Bobby because he was the only one who could make her laugh. She hasn’t really laughed much since he died. That was about 20 years ago.

Then there was Randy. Randy was a sweet, gentle man who never hurt anybody intentionally–except himself. When he was only 10, he had an accident which damaged his voice box; he was driving a gocart and ran into a chain length fence. He pressed the gas instead of the brakes. But, still he didn’t let that keep him from utilizing his voice as a way to make his living. With his graveldy voice, he worked at McDonalds and took orders thru the drive in. Many people asked him if he had a cold. Then later he worked for a major electronics firm where he worked in customer service. His last major goal was to receive his RN degree; but even though he graduated with a 4.0 average, he never got to use it. Just a few days after graduation, he was diagnosed with full blown AIDS.

He could probably have lived longer if he had taken his anti retro viral drugs, but he said they made him sick, so he flushed them down the toilet. AIDS did not take him quickly. He suffered, so when he died at the hospital, I knew in my heart he would be better off with the Lord. He did try for a while. Randy never hurt anybody except himself, so why did he leave this earth premature? Randy joked about having AIDS and that Oprah ought to have him and Clay on her show because he felt it was probably strange for two brothers to have AIDS.

Randy and Clay both had gone to Los Angeles where they felt they were more accepted and able to live and not be judged because of their sexual preference. Clay was the strongest and was a fighter. Clay could really get angry. He was more of an in your face person. But when it came to AIDS, he was actually featured as one of the persons with full-blown AIDS who had lived the longest. This was many years ago, when everyone who got AIDS was expected to die from complications associated with AIDS. He said all of his friends were gone, including his partner whom he loved. But he fought and kept a positive attitude. He told me that at one time his T-cells were so few that he had them named.

So, why am I telling you about this? Why am I releasing painful information to you? It is not to make you sad. If you’ve read this whole article, you are definitely an unusual person who is not afraid to explore truth. Most people would have quit when after reading about Bobby. It is my opinion that most people don’t want to face reality when it comes to death and AIDS. That is why people don’t talk about it or why a cure has not been found.

I remember how people’s remarks hurt me so. My pastor at church stated in one of his sermons that “in the beginning, God created Adam and Eve; not Adam and Steve.” I went up after the service and told him how this made me feel. After that, I left my church. My brothers had a relationship with God; none of us are perfect. We are told not to judge. But, people often put down and criticize something they are afraid of or don’t understand. We must all strive to understand each other. We must all love each other. We must all know that AIDS or alcoholism or any type of addiction can happen to any of us or a person we love.

Cindy Brooks lives in Soddy Daisy, TN with Rod and her two dogs, Bandit and Chancey. She is interested in encouraging others to pursue their passion.

Human Ego and Superiority Complexes

Indeed humans have a superiority complex when it comes to their belief systems of where they belong on the animal kingdom chart with regard to the need to place themselves into a separate category. In fact superiority complexes are known throughout the animal kingdom in individuals of any given species, which is exhibited in pecking order contests and can be seen in individual personalities in animals.

But why is it that humans with their large brains often cannot reason their way out of such a dilemma? Why can’t they just admit that they too are merely animals instead of inventing reasons why they are not animals, by degrading other species and saying that they are nothing compared to humans? After all a tiger is much more adapted to his environment than we are in our created environment and huge civilizations.

It is almost as if mankind is still adapting to the environment he re-created and the animal inside each human is struggling to catch up. Evolutionarily speaking that is? Is this subject matter too heavy for you? You can click out. I was merely bringing up a point of contention, which you may have already noticed or should have considered. Perhaps you avoided this observation as it bothers one to consider such truths? Never the less the issue stands and the truth will not yield to the reality before us all. So, perhaps you might ponder these thoughts at your leisure and consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Debunking Psychics

Have you ever been curious about your future? Have you ever called a phone psychic to get some answers?

If you wonder how “psychics” work, read on. This article is for you.

Most “psychics” are plain scammers. They use cold reading to make calculated guess about the sitters. Cold reading is an interactive psychological technique which extracts information from a person through verbal and non verbal cues. More often than not, psychics utilize known psychology techniques that can apply to almost anyone. An example would be claiming the sitter is cursed and he or she could lift that curse for a fee, because most people visit a psychic when they are down and depressed, “being cursed” is a quick, convenient reason to blame. Paying the fee to lift the curse would be the quickest solution to their complicated life problems.

There seems to be several common factors in psychic readings. The psychic usually:

+Skillfully extracts information from non verbal cues such as breathing patterns, voice, dress, skin color, and body language.

+ Makes statements that seem to give information when they are actually out to fish for it. E.g. Prompts feedback from sitters by saying “I see a man in uniform, why would that be?”

+Feeds back to the subject what the latter wants to hear

+Makes general “Barnum statements” such as “You are worrisome on the outside but insecure on the inside.”

The sitter of the reading is the key to a ’successful’ reading. The sitter’s willingness to connect vague ‘clues’ came up by the psychic will often decide how successful the reading is. Many sitters who try to contact their deceased loved ones are very motivated in the first place, and will take the psychic’s message as a sign that he or she have made contact with the other side. That is why psychics subtly encourage cooperation before and during the reading. Once the psychic gains the trusts of the sitter, the latter usually actively supply information and clarifications.

Although facial expressions and body languages could mean differently to people from different cultural backgrounds, many psychologists believe that certain facial and body expressions are universal to the mankind.

How to tell dominance: People who dominates have a tenancy to stand up with an erected body, speaks slowly and rarely, and look people in their eyes for an extended period of time. Because of the demonstrated link between testosterone and aggression, people with square jaws ( testosterone induced feature) are thought as more domineering and aggressive.

How to tell submissiveness: Submissive people touches themselves a lot when they are confronted with a difficult situation. This is because human have an inborn mechanism acquired very early on in life to link physical touching with comfort and safety.

Most important to keep in mind: Real, powerful psychics don’t advertise on the back of a supermarket magazine and do readings for $1.99.

Jamie Kepcher is the Self Discovery Editor at alittlebreak.com, a home, garden and self help community.

Shakespeare and Human Nature

Shakespeare and Human Nature by Lady Camelot

Isn’t it peculiar how human nature evolves through environmental and socialogical conditions? It is evident that we, as Human beings, tend to characterize our capabilities, strengths and emotional intelligence through bonds of society. As we encounter diverse walks of life we have a bizarre and acute tendency to create new personalities. Through human nature, we unintentionally become one with our counterparts. One can travel East to West, North to South and eventually evolution of the mind and soul takes its natural course.

Although differences exist, we enable ourselves to find common bonds of life in general. In doing so, we can interrelate with each other and attain goals that apart, are seemingly impossible. In doing so, great undertakings are initiated. We revolutionize our world through interaction and coexistence.

Even the most minute action creates an affect. In human nature, we attract those that mirror ourselves in small ways. By relating to past and present circumstances, we shape our world of tomorrow. Like clay, we mold ourselves to the structures that be. Perhaps chameleons display the best sense of human nature as they cleverly and instantaneously blend with their surroundings. Not only is this an excellent manuever to avoid danger, it is also a profound way to “fit in” and become one with its immediate environment.

Human nature never ceases amazement. We nurture ourselves with spirituality, duality and even complacency at times, but throughout life , we always manage to grow from our experiences. We learn acceptance and emotional understanding through our compelling desire to “be.” Shakespeare’s haunting & elusive words, “…to be or not to be…that is the question…” is the most profound phrase in human history. All human nature revolves around this particular piece of artistry - “…to be or not to be…” Shakespeare querried all Mankind.

Human nature is intriquitely defined by its owner. If we wish to merely exist, then exist we do. But if we take his question to a higher state of mind, we find life’s perfect answer: Mankind’s nature is to evolve. Not only to simply exist but to assure nonextinction of our species. We must use our natural instincts and capabilities to overcome and conquer. That, as in all things, must mature and ripen to a state of wholeness. Human nature may fool those and lure unsuspecting travelers of time, but the higher truth of human nature is the self exploration of life and the ability to broaden horizons of the self or “alter ego” and other individuals so they, too may come to see and equally realize the unequivocal and honest meaning of life.

Yes, Shakespeare conquered literature with his defined works of human nature; but the question he asks of us still confuses even the most intelligent and collegiate individuals of our time. In this day and age, we have a choice “to be or not to be.” This is no longer an inquiry but an option. We, as Humans, must choose the path of higher truth and awareness. By remaining unattached, we choose not to fully exist. A play of words can tantalize the senses, but Human nature can enrich the world in which we live. The choice is yours.

(c) Lady Camelot

Behaviour, Physiology & Fear

In this paper I will be looking at the behavioural and physiological processes involved when an individual experiences ‘fear’. I will be examining the conscious and unconscious processes entailed in experiencing dangerous situations. I will also consider the functional value of the autonomic and somatic nervous systems in a given situation, and the crucial link between the psychological and biological processes of an individual.

The scenario is as follows:

A person is walking through a forest when he is suddenly confronted by an angry bear. The person immediately runs for the nearest tree and climbs it. Half an hour later the forest rangers arrive to rescue him.

When an individual is confronted with apparent danger, one of the first reactions is the ‘fight or flight’ response. In other words, whether the individual stays to confront the perceived threat, or runs away to avoid it. This is often considered to be a conscious decision, based on the individuals knowledge of particular situations or dangers, it is also assumed to be evolutionary, from a period when man encountered physical harm from other animals on a daily basis.

However, it is now thought that, before a situation is carefully evaluated via the conscious mind, a split-second decision is made unconsciously. Information about a dangerous situation reaches the ‘amygdala’ (part of the limbic system) which is used in emotional responses. This information travels down two different pathways: the ‘direct’ pathway and the ‘indirect’ pathway.

The ‘direct’ pathway is the subcortical pathway (passing under the cortex) and carries information unconsciously. The information travels from the eye to the thalamus and on to the amygdala. Because this pathway is shorter it registers any perceived danger more rapidly and responds far more quickly than the ‘indirect’ pathway. The disadvantage to this rapid response is that we sometimes react hastily to a perceived danger which is perhaps groundless, like jumping at a loud noise. However, the advantage is that we are capable of reacting with great speed to avoid sometimes genuinely dangerous situations.

The ‘indirect’ pathway or cortical pathway (passing through the cortex) is slower than the ‘direct’ pathway. Information travels from the eye to the thalamus through the visual cortex to the amygdala. This pathway is thought to be used to assess the situation after the initial rapid response. It allows us to consciously consider, for example: how we should respond or whether or not the danger is genuine.

Therefore, on witnessing a noisy bear approaching him our ’subject’ is likely to react rapidly before he even consciously registers the existence of the bear. As he turns to run for the nearest tree, information via the ‘indirect’ pathway will consciously begin to register and he will be able to draw on his knowledge of dangerous situation. He may know that bears do not climb trees and his decision to head for the nearest tree may be based on this thought process. Alternatively, he may act purely on his emotional instinct to distance himself from the bear.

He will now need to conserve energy from non-essential areas of the body to those which are required to physically remove him from the situation such as the brain, the heart and skeletal muscles. At this stage the ’sympathetic system’ will begin to dominate the ‘parasympathetic system’ in order to provide a rapid response. The sympathetic axons of the ANS (the autonomic nervous system, which regulates internal organs) will begin to innervate the adrenal glands, which will subsequently release hormones into the blood. Hormones such as adrenalin and noradrenalin will begin to hasten his heart beat and so rapidly increase blood flow to the skeletal muscles. Whilst increasing vital activities the sympathetic system will start to close down all non-essential activities.

As sympathetic axons of the ANS react, our ’subject’ may not be consciously aware of all the changes taking place in his body - though he may detect an increased heart beat, and the adrenalin flow which now enables his enhanced mobility. As he runs towards the tree, he may start to reflect on his predicament and perhaps consider the possible outcome of his situation.

Whilst his mind is continuously focussed on his dilemma, his somatic nervous system has already begun the process of innervating his skeletal muscles. Neurons in his primary motor cortex (part of his somatic nervous system) are receiving information from other cortical areas such as the somatosensory cortex. This information is then relayed from the neurons and interneurons of the motor cortex to the motor neurons via the midbrain, pons and medulla to the spinal cords.

At the most basic neuronal level, cell bodies project their axons from the spinal cord (CNS) to the effector organs in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The neurons fire by sending out electrical pulses along axons and releasing neurotransmitters at the axon terminals creating the synapse. This process activates the skeletal muscle, and our ’subject’ is then able to run, and to climb the tree, using the related muscles in an attempt to escape from danger.

Once he is settled in a place of relative safety the parasympathetic system may then take over from the sympathetic system and begin to calm processes in the body. The parasympathetic system may allow systems to return to normal levels if our ’subject’ perceives that he is out of danger. However, if he still feels that he may be in danger, hormone levels may stay high and he will remain in a state of extreme anxiety. This level of anxiety may only be decreased once he is rescued by the forest rangers and he is able to re-evaluate his situation.

It seems clear that ‘fear’ is something we have all experienced and view as a natural emotional response to danger. However, our reaction to fear, which to some extent, we tend to take for granted provokes major underlying physiological changes. These changes innervate functions that are sometimes clearly understood by our conscious mind, such as ‘movement’ to enable us to run from danger. But there are many others of which we are not aware, such as the unconscious processing of information to enable a rapid response to perceived danger.

Drug Trade Accounts for Forty Percent of the Afghan Economy

The voice on the radio suddenly forced its way into my conscious awareness. Absolutely staggering, I felt it deep in my gut with no uncertainty.

Forty Percent of the Afghan economy is from illegal drug production and trafficking. More disturbing is the fact that the United States has nothing that can replace the drug trade for Afghan entrepreneurs.

As I contemplated these hard hitting statements, I found myself imagining how different our world could be if we just stuck to some basic tenants of common decency.

Yet, what does this say about our world, where such an obscene industry can thrive? It’s not just the growers and traffickers that are contributing to the problems, but the users of the end product. Those users ultimately feed the entire industry’s cash flow.

Considering the Afghan drug problems alongside illicit drug trade around the world, there has to be an incredible amount of drug users to support the global market for drugs. Why? Is it really about the high, or is it about escaping the sober realities and pain of human life? It seems that we never hear anyone talking about this aspect. Life is often painful. Whether you are poor or rich, there are all kinds of problems and challenges that we human beings face.

How appealing a drug addiction and the escape it provides must be to the user. In some ways, it may even be understandable.

Facing life and its challenges head on is NOT for the timid. But, we are all faced with life nonetheless and there is no escaping that for the rational and sober minded person. Sure there are moments of pleasure that provide temporary relief but how long do those moments last? How long before the next problem rears up to block our path arrives?

For some, the moments of pleasure and happiness last longer and not so long for others. That may be related to a whole host of factors including socio-economic ones.

So what can we do? Not much as it turns out, for a simple reason. It is a fact of our very existence that free will exists. Each person makes his own choices. More laws won’t change what people do when they think that they can’t be seen.

Perhaps a greater degree of personal happiness and contentment would prove to be more attractive than the lure of drug use. As you may have heard, “history tends to repeat itself”. And why is that? Maybe the human condition doesn’t really change that much, only the scenery and technology change, while the basic conditions of human life stay about the same throughout the ages.

If that is true, and similar conditions existed in the past, how were they dealt with back then? One of the western world’s most revered philosophers was Socrates.

Socrates talked about virtue. He discussed things like Truth, Beauty and Goodness with his students. Today, Master Li Hongzhi expounds on Truthfulness, Compassion and Endurance. Perhaps contemplation of these things can bring greater contentment and personal happiness? With happiness and contentment, there may no longer be as strong a catalyst for feeding a drug addiction.

One thing is fairly certain. Due to the existence of free will, only each individual can choose for himself the path he wishes to tread.

The Effects of SSRI’s and Relationships

Relationships are based on trust, nurturance, honesty, attraction, devotion, and of course, in most instances, sex. What happens if the sex is interrupted by a medical condition that prevents the ability to be sexually functional? There are many medical conditions that cause a lack of sexual interest and/or ability. Heart disease, diabetes, psychiatric illness, and others are just a few of the medical conditions that may interrupt what would normally be a healthy functioning sexual experience. Medication is provided to treat and prevent the course of an illness from worsening, or to maintain a level of functioning. What happens when the medication causes a profound change in one’s behavior and thought processes so as to render them impotent, developing a virtually non-existent libido?

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, (SSRI’s), do just that. As psychotropic medications used in the treatment of anxiety and depression they are often used as the first line of defense because of their ability to provide excellent results with fewer side effects. Working on the neurotransmitters in the brain, the SSRI’s have been implicated by treatment providers of patients with major depressive and anxiety disorders in causing the problem of sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction also creates other relationship issues: lack of intimacy, loneliness, stress, low self-esteem and more. The patient on the SSRI begins to enjoy life again without the depression or anxiety that plagued them. Their partner, on the other hand, begins to feel the side-effects of the SSRI. The literature shows that SSRI’s are effective and millions of patients who take SSRI’s wouldn’t have it any other way. However, even in the strongest of marriages and partnerships, when there is a strong commitment to the health and well-being between the partners, the curse of the SSRI is powerful. The relationship becomes a one-sided affair where there seems to be little room for change. The patient becomes comfortable with their lack of symptoms and their improved outlook and lifestyle changes. Their partners also appreciate the profound changes, but the sexual intimacy that is lacking is hard to ignore. The SSRI flattens the libido of the patient, not the partner. This is where the problem lies.

So what are couples to do? I struggle with this question as so many of my patients come to me with this particular issue. We talk about intimacy and the varied ways that a couple can be intimate. Touching, sharing thoughts, planning together, and talking about the reality of the situation are all ways of striking back. Weighing the symptoms of depression and anxiety against the new symptom of sexual dysfunction is important. This is not simple. This is a struggle for relationship-survival. Many couples break up because of the inability of the partners to connect on non-sexual or altered- sexual terms. Many couples don’t even know that the medication has caused the problem, believing instead that that the relationship is deteriorating without the understanding of what is happening.

First speak with your doctor. Be candid and let your physician know that you or your partner is experiencing sexual dysfunction. Most doctors will be sympathetic because they have heard this complaint before. When possible, adjusting the medication is a corrective action. Learning how to listen to your partner’s needs is also vitally important. The relationship survived a lot more than this issue up until now. Remember the positive qualities of the relationship before the medication and build on them. Couples need to see their strengths and reach beyond the sexual limitations. In the case of SSRI’s the treatment does become the problem, but it is not insurmountable. Patience, caring, openness, and willingness are the keys to recovering the libido. Awareness that there is a problem and knowing the causes helps the couple make adjustments that become satisfying to both. SSRI’s can be used more effectively to control the symptoms of anxiety and depression when coupled with patient and partner education. It is up to the treatment provider to provide this education to the patient and their partner so that they understand the probability of a restricted libido allowing them to be sexually proactive. There is hope in this area of treatment and recovery.

JJR/NY ©

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