The brain books that you must share with your family.
Brain Wash: Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Happiness by David and Austin Perlmutter
Link to the book: https://amzn.to/41Y0ppu
The Memory Thief: And the Secrets Behind How We Remember–A Medical Mystery by Lauren Aguirre.
Link to the book: https://amzn.to/3odgEl6
Brain Wash is actually a page turner. Well written with some great insight and encouragement to slow down and get into nature.
The Memory Thief is very interesting. It talks about fentanyl and how it can cause memory loss. You will see how dedicated the doctors are in this research. If I heard on the radio right, some of the meth now is laced with fentanyl, which is very dangerous for anyone and especially fragile, young teens.
After having a trip go very badly almost two years ago, I developed some level of PTSD. (I don’t see a need to compare this. I would not say I am worse off than what others may have endured.) This is the reason for reading the brain books. I watched myself get triggered by things that may have made no sense to an outsider, but all of them hit a nerve of fear of losing control. Get denied an application, lose control. Don’t have a lease on an apartment or home to live, be homeless, lose control. The cellular phone company will not let me speak to someone in person meant to me that no one will help me, and I was losing control, and losing control felt like imminent death. I was having regular panic attacks.
Because everything that happened leading up to the trip seemed like a knee jerk reaction, like I was being funneled and baited. I had already been practicing observing my actions and mindfulness, without being perfect. It was super helpful, and probably life saving, for me to be able to be curious, slow down and observe myself as I was watching problem after problem. It seemed like every step I took was bait, and I was falling for it. The more afraid I got, and the more I took action on the fear, the worse my situation got. I knew not to take action based on fear, but just try to slow yourself down in a knee jerk, flight, fight or freeze position.
For many years, I was practicing Byron Katie’s The Work. This is one of the all time books for me. All time, life time how to manage emotions book. When I do the work and journal through it, it can show a different perspective, involving acceptance. Basically, if you don’t know if something is 100% true, why believe it. Who do you want to be if it is? I tried to work through these questions through the chaos and consider the result of my next step. If I follow through on this next action, what will be the likely conclusion of that. Luckily, this stopped me from making more decisions from fear. When you recognize that you are taking action from something you do not know is true, often times you are effecting your own results.
- Link to amazon to get Byron Katie’s book: https://amzn.to/41VFfbJ
If you are being manipulated, which can come externally and from Ego, slowing down to consider the scenario from an outside perspective can be helpful. Think about the results of any action you take. If you take this action, based on what you are believing, what is the result? So, if you are led to believe something, first is it your business? If it is important to know the truth, find out. (And how can you really know the truth. We have to live in a society that values truth and accountability over greed and reputation.) Next, are you being baited into taking an action? What is the action you would take if you believed it and didn’t believe it? What is the result of that? Would being future focused be in your best interest?
You have to be very well versed in observing yourself to catch yourself. I found it is helpful to say out loud what you are doing. For example: I am changing all my passwords. I am not speaking to anyone.
I learned to ask myself, ‘Who benefits from this?’ If I take this action, is there someone that benefits? Just like a beneficiary when a person passes away.
Emotions are a great way to bait. If I can appeal to your emotion, I have a better chance at controlling you. Fear is a powerful catalyst. Make sure you consider all your options and check yourself twice before taking action on something you don’t know is true. You might be being manipulated.
- Be mindful when you are about to take an action based in fear.
- Think about the result before taking action.
- Watch yourself getting baited next time you lose control of your emotions.
- Learn from it afterwards, because we are human and make mistakes.
- Telling someone might help. Go above the problem.
*I am an amazon associate. I will get a small percentage if you click on the links to buy a book from amazon.