Posted by Todd (216.199.4.16) on January 22, 2000 at 16:56:31:
In Reply to: Chronic Theories posted by Jack on January 22, 2000 at 11:03:57:
Okay, here goes the biggest risk I've undertaken in a day or two.
What if the underlying disorder in chronics and episodics is EXACTLY the same, and the difference is unintentionally psychosomatic?
What I mean is this...the chronics I've come to know here think about clusters ALL the time. Many episodics not only don't do this, some even disappear from this site when their cycle ends.
Now, so that not TOO many people jump down my throat TOO hard and fast, let me hasten to add that, were I chronic, I'm sure I'd think about it all the time. I'd dread the next attack. I'd wonder if tonight is the night I finally get a good sleep. I'd wonder if tomorrow is the day they finally end. I know I'd do these things because I do them during every cycle.
I'm NOT saying chronics consciously, intentionally 'maintain' their 'cycles'. I'm NOT implying they 'enjoy' the pain, or are seeking attention or sympathy or any of that psychobabble. Just that there may be an element of the self-fulfilling prophacy at work here.
Here's my silk-thread thin 'evidence'. [The nice thing about a single data point is that it allows us to send the trend line off in any direction we want. Invalid as all heck, but hey, it's a theory.]
I found this site during my last cycle. I began to read and get involved with this place on a daily or near daily basis. That cycle was the longest I've ever had. The frequency of attacks went to a consistent 4 per day...far above my 'normal' 2. I've been plagued with bouts of shadows ever since. Every prior cycle has just flat ended, with no shadows until the start of the next cycle.
Is my daily or near daily involvement with ch.com and the constant exposure to thoughts about clusters 'prolonging' my cycle, at least with regard to the length of the last one and the frequent shadows?
This actually ties in, on one level, to the 'mind control' stuff gary, I and others have posted about.
Hey, now that I've re-read this, I realize that I've not used a single analogy. Hope y'all still recognize me.
KTSSU,
T