Great Quote Regarding Me/SPD

I'd also be one to say that non-Schizoids are suffering. I'd also throw a wrench into the Schizoid Personality Disorder's anhedonia routine as I enjoy drinking alcohol. It does provide me with a good time.

I'd also add that I sometimes would like to "run and hide and pretend". I see other people doing it and wonder how they pull it off. At least, that's the impression I get from them. Maybe some people really aren't "running and hiding and pretending". It's something that needs further consideration, in my opinion.

However, my thoughts are that most of the World suffers from a crisis of capitalism. As a supporter of a Global resource-based economy (think The Zeitgeist Movement or The Venus Project), I see capitalism as the root cause of many of society's issues.

Anyway, interesting stuff.

Everybody suffers. The issue is: how does an individual react to their suffering? What do they do to alleviate or tolerate it?

I Dream 5 wrote:..'d also throw a wrench into the Schizoid Personality Disorder's anhedonia routine as I enjoy drinking alcohol. It does provide me with a good time.

Something's funny with this statement. By drinking, you can circumvent anhedonia, but that's cheating. You're not defeating it, you're covering it up. When you're sober, it's still there. And it's worse. I should know; I use marijuana to battle both anhedonia and avolition. It doesn't solve anything, it just makes me a drug addict. It moves me further and further away from the ability to defeat it on my own. It's like taping up a leaky pipe instead of replacing it.

But man, it's so much easier.

Oblivion wrote:Everybody suffers. The issue is: how does an individual react to their suffering? What do they do to alleviate or tolerate it?

I Dream 5 wrote:..'d also throw a wrench into the Schizoid Personality Disorder's anhedonia routine as I enjoy drinking alcohol. It does provide me with a good time.

Something's funny with this statement. By drinking, you can circumvent anhedonia, but that's cheating. You're not defeating it, you're covering it up. When you're sober, it's still there. And it's worse. I should know; I use marijuana to battle both anhedonia and avolition. It doesn't solve anything, it just makes me a drug addict. It moves me further and further away from the ability to defeat it on my own. It's like taping up a leaky pipe instead of replacing it.

But man, it's so much easier.

Don't get wrong. I do experience pleasure when sober. I was just going stating that most pleasure comes from drinking alcohol (for me).

Of course, this might be considered "cheating". But, so be it. Works for me.

I Dream 5 wrote:I'd also be one to say that non-Schizoids are suffering. I'd also throw a wrench into the Schizoid Personality Disorder's anhedonia routine as I enjoy drinking alcohol. It does provide me with a good time.

I'd also add that I sometimes would like to "run and hide and pretend". I see other people doing it and wonder how they pull it off. At least, that's the impression I get from them. Maybe some people really aren't "running and hiding and pretending". It's something that needs further consideration, in my opinion.

However, my thoughts are that most of the World suffers from a crisis of capitalism. As a supporter of a Global resource-based economy (think The Zeitgeist Movement or The Venus Project), I see capitalism as the root cause of many of society's issues.

Anyway, interesting stuff.

Oblivion wrote:Everybody suffers. The issue is: how does an individual react to their suffering? What do they do to alleviate or tolerate it?

. . .

By drinking, you can circumvent anhedonia, but that's cheating. You're not defeating it, you're covering it up. When you're sober, it's still there. And it's worse. I should know; I use marijuana to battle both anhedonia and avolition. It doesn't solve anything, ... It moves me further and further away from the ability to defeat it on my own. ...

But man, it's so much easier.

Before this, I had heard that ectasy/MDMA could temporarily alleviate anhedonia, but not that more common substances would also work. To me -- someone who used to 'wake and bake' -- the idea of using weed to combat avolition sounds counterintuitive, more like one of Freewheelin' Franklin's business scams from The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.

My friend must be pretty hard core to never avail himself of anything stronger than tea. How macho can one get?!

So you guys -- at least I Dream 5 and Oblivion -- seem to be of the mind that only chemicals produced by the body itself are 'fair' to use in our efforts to transmute shlt into strawberries (man, and they call army recruitment a lie; had they told me what life really was about, I would never have signed up--"There's your shlt guys, see ya' in 60 years, give or take!"). That's pretty much my belief too, but I also include nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals, and fish oil, because much of the food we buy in supermarkets lacks the nutritional value of yesteryear's locally-farmed produce, because our soils are depleted blahblahblah.

And, honestly, I don't think anyone actually succeeds by running, hiding, and pretending. Those are more like high-interest loans from a loan shark. Regardless of how deeply-ingrained and habitual, self-deception requires vigilance, which draws psychic energy. As we age, such maintenance drains more and more of our life force.

Oblivion wrote:You're not defeating it, you're covering it up. When you're (alone), it's still there. And it's worse.

I'm a small-time hood by nature, and have tried every 'cheating' means -- every one, only to intellectually conclude of late that the best way forward is the narrow, rocky path of disciplined courage (which is why I awoke at 5pm today). It's one thing to 'know' that, and quite another to acknowledge that your back is against the wall and those debt 'payments' were due yesterday.

Regarding 'Global resource-based economy (think The Zeitgeist Movement or The Venus Project)', please, what are those? (in language a child could understand; economics and chemistry are my worst)

Cholls wrote:Regarding 'Global resource-based economy (think The Zeitgeist Movement or The Venus Project)', please, what are those? (in language a child could understand; economics and chemistry are my worst)

It's a fairly easy read.

https://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/about/

Cholls wrote:So you guys -- at least I Dream 5 and Oblivion -- seem to be of the mind that only chemicals produced by the body itself are 'fair' to use in our efforts to transmute shlt into strawberries

No no no. It's a cop-out. A band-aid. Recreational drugs are fine for just that--recreation. But allow me to gently cover the ears of my former self and say getting high will solve no problem.

I say "former self" because I am well aware the weed will not enrich my life or make me more productive. I tell myself it will because I'm addicted. Still, the illusion remains that it helps in the short term. I have OCD and spend an inordinate amount of time on household chores and repeated tasks. It's grueling and boring. Getting high makes something like washing the dishes really well or scooping my cats' litter boxes with a paint scraper less mind-numbingly mundane. It makes these activities a bit of a challenge. And again, it's counterproductive: how do you think I got the idea to use a paint scraper to get up all the loose dust? I was high!

..the best way forward is the narrow, rocky path of disciplined courage

You are correct.

..I also include nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals, and fish oil, because much of the food we buy in supermarkets lacks the nutritional value of yesteryear's locally-farmed produce, because our soils are depleted blahblahblah.

True, but they're still better than supplements and vitamins. The key to nutrition is to eat whole foods. Vitamins and supplements throw off the synergy of nutrients found in whole foods. Often this synergy creates benefits that are more significant than the individual nutrients themselves. For example; oranges are high in sugar, but there are other chemicals present (in the pectin and skin) that help to regulate blood sugar. And lets not forget the experiments that tested beta-carotene's ability to fight lung cancer: subjects who were given massive doses of this nutrient in chemical (pill) form actually got more lung cancer than the control group.

And lastly, I am of the belief that it will take many generations to defeat capitalism. At the rate we're going, it may never happen, save for a complete breakdown of both society and government. Anarchy. At the very least, a bloody class war might get things going.

Oblivion wrote:I say "former self" because I am well aware the weed will not enrich my life or make me more productive. I tell myself it will because I'm addicted. Still, the illusion remains that it helps in the short term. I have OCD and spend an inordinate amount of time on household chores and repeated tasks. It's grueling and boring. Getting high makes something like washing the dishes really well or scooping my cats' litter boxes with a paint scraper less mind-numbingly mundane. It makes these activities a bit of a challenge. And again, it's counterproductive: how do you think I got the idea to use a paint scraper to get up all the loose dust? I was high!

You have humour; can laugh at yourself and make others laugh. That counts for a lot.
As for the kitty litter, the paint scraper is a good idea. I thought of a mini tea sieve but then discovered there are scoopers with holes; retain the poo while the litter falls through. It means one only has to change it every week. As for the piss... mine has started to use my shower to piss in. She wont use the litter for both. The shower works well. You just have to turn it on now and again to clean.

Cholls wrote:I'm a small-time hood by nature, and have tried every 'cheating' means -- every one, only to intellectually conclude of late that the best way forward is the narrow, rocky path of disciplined courage (which is why I awoke at 5pm today). It's one thing to 'know' that, and quite another to acknowledge that your back is against the wall and those debt 'payments' were due yesterday.

The path does not have to be rocky or narrow. It is our internal resistance makes it so. I know this without being quite able to put it into practise. Discipline and courage come easy if the desire is there. I mean do we really want to be happy or are we comfortable in the more familiar clothing of suffering?
For some reason , all those tools that would promote less suffering, such as meditation, fitness, mindfullness, yoga....seem like a chore. Why? when we know they work. we know they enable us to feel better. The benefits are noticeable, yet we resist.????

Oblivion wrote:I say "former self" because I am well aware the weed will not enrich my life or make me more productive. I tell myself it will because I'm addicted. Still, the illusion remains that it helps in the short term.

It is my weakness too. I am lucky I cannot access any with my current living situation.
I think it does help if one can use it constructively to break a cycle of futile thinking and indulge in creative thinking ( it certainly helps with this). One must then try and stop. However the fact we always want more ( are addicted) makes it dangerous.
We have 'errors' in our thinking patterns/approach to life. One error ( for me )is the inability or unwillingness to accept the transient nature of things. All things are transient. The good and the bad.
eg. weed. Even when we have supply and are cashed up, and can indulge to our hearts content, it ends. We become tolerant and the highs are not so high and depression, paranoia and lethargy worsen. It is self limiting.
I think also that such addictions arise from a reward deficit syndrome. We feel we deserve it, that life is short on pleasure especially as we do not glean pleasure from the same things the masses seem to delight in.
For me, the only way to address it is to go within. Find a spiritual philosophy ( a more healthy and sustainable) approach. If it is brainwashing, so be it. If it gets me to the finishing line .
Not saying I can, or do practice, but it is my desire to do so , so I guess it is as start.
It is a turn off that meditation, mindfulness, yoga is a trend now. I tend to go the opposite direction of the 'herd'...but hopefully I can find my own patch within this trend.
Hopefully, It is a trend that may make humans a little more kindly and non materialistic regardless of how many can sustain such practices. At least it is a seed that may sprout different ( metaphysical) approaches to life.

salles wrote:As for the kitty litter, the paint scraper is a good idea. I thought of a mini tea sieve but then discovered there are scoopers with holes; retain the poo while the litter falls through. It means one only has to change it every week. As for the piss... mine has started to use my shower to piss in. She wont use the litter for both. The shower works well. You just have to turn it on now and again to clean.

I use the paint scraper to scoop up all the litter that beaks down into fine dust that is left behind from the scooper. I started doing that many summers ago because in the summer I don't wear shoes and the dust was getting tracked onto the floor and actually made it slippery.

One of my males is an alpha type, and he routinely goes into the box, sprays the sides with urine, takes a crap, and then kicks the litter around until it's stuck to the sides of the box. It's impossible to keep it perfectly clean between washings.

I can imagine how thoroughly disgusting non-cat people must find this.