Brainwashing was invented during the Cold War era to explain why US soldiers captured during the Korean War were so willing to denounce the US.
However, brainwashing and mind control are actually inventions of mass media to perpetuate hysteria amongst the masses, and do not exist in the real world.
In most cases of brainwashing, the person subject to "brainwashing" consciously make the decision to align themselves with the ideology of their captors or handler.
Likewise, mind control as described in the media is a myth.
The only valid form of mind control is practiced willingly by people who practice meditation both within Buddhism and various psychotherapies (cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectic behavioral therapy).
Thus brainwashing and mind control are artifacts of mass media used by political forces to frighten the masses.
As well, conspiracy theorists who focus on brainwashing and mind control are themselves "victims" of political elites who have influenced mass media.
How else is the State to control the people except through fear and awe?
Originally posted September 18, 2011 13:24PM
References:
Articles found by Googling "Our son was brainwashed by ISIS": https://www.google.ca/search?q=our+son+was+brainwashed+by+isi&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:unofficial&client=iceweasel-a&channel=fflb&gws_rd=cr&ei=yWW6VKrtK9G3yASq9YDADQ#q=our+son+was+brainwashed+by+isis&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:unofficial&channel=fflb&start=10
How Brainwashing Works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/brainwashing.htm
Mind control: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_control
Showing posts with label cognitive behavior therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cognitive behavior therapy. Show all posts
20150117
20130308
A new year begins: hypochondria possible side effect of mTBI
December 31, 2005: My New Year's resolution is to become more open about mild traumatic brain injury when need be.
MTBI is like having an imaginary friend. Some people will think I'm making up excuses, and am trying to deny responsibility to live a fuller life.
Actually I am trying to include the MTBIs and their associated behavioral, neurological and psychological affects on my life.
Yet the evidence shows that in many cases, borderline personality disordermight be comorbid with temporal lobe epilepsy i.e. might occur wrong with borderline symptoms.
The symptoms of borderline personality disorder are:
vulnerability vs invalidation
active passivity (tendency to be passive when confronted with a problem and actively seek a rescuer) vs apparent competence (appearing to be capable when in reality internally things are falling apart)
unremitting crises vs inhibited grief.
There are two important criteria involving borderline personality disorder:
the absence of psychosis (i.e., the ability to perceive reality accurately)
impaired ego integration - a diffuse and internally contradictory concept of self.
Dr. Kernberg is quoted as saying, "Borderlines can describe themselves for five hours without your getting a realistic picture of what they're like."
Now let's look at temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE):
The psychiatrists now call it "complex partial seizure disorder".
When medicated, the behavior of the person with TLE may appear to be schizotypal or even schizoid from time to time, due to the seizures and the medication (tegretol/carbamazepine).
However, with medication and a combination of cognitive behavior therapy (to know and learn how to manage one's behavior) and group therapy (to learn how to establish boundaries in relationships in a group setting), it is possible to control one's behavior with enhanced social conduct and social behavior appropriate to the patient's age.
Update: March 8, 2013
Over the past eight years, I've confirmed that temporal lobe epilepsy has been ruled out, which confirms hypochondria. However, through self-therapy I've managed the hypochondria.
Overall, there is indication of a mild general anxiety syndrome, which only arises when my body temperature rises when dressed warmly and indoors. The solution in such cases is to remove a jacket.
For most of my self-therapy, I use meditation to calm my mind so that I can develop insight about the root of my anxiety. Then it is possible to develop solutions which desensitize myself to the anxiety itself.
This is why I take pictures: it helps me take my mind off whatever is troubling me.
Since anger is often the root of anxiety, its "antidote" is patience — necessary to wait until anger is manageable — and love. Once the anger subsides, love helps me to be kind to myself and other people.
As well, regular exercise is important in reducing the symptoms of anxiety.
Original post: December 31, 2005 2359H
Update posted: March 8, 2013
MTBI is like having an imaginary friend. Some people will think I'm making up excuses, and am trying to deny responsibility to live a fuller life.
Actually I am trying to include the MTBIs and their associated behavioral, neurological and psychological affects on my life.
Yet the evidence shows that in many cases, borderline personality disordermight be comorbid with temporal lobe epilepsy i.e. might occur wrong with borderline symptoms.
The symptoms of borderline personality disorder are:
There are two important criteria involving borderline personality disorder:
Dr. Kernberg is quoted as saying, "Borderlines can describe themselves for five hours without your getting a realistic picture of what they're like."
Now let's look at temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE):
The psychiatrists now call it "complex partial seizure disorder".
When medicated, the behavior of the person with TLE may appear to be schizotypal or even schizoid from time to time, due to the seizures and the medication (tegretol/carbamazepine).
However, with medication and a combination of cognitive behavior therapy (to know and learn how to manage one's behavior) and group therapy (to learn how to establish boundaries in relationships in a group setting), it is possible to control one's behavior with enhanced social conduct and social behavior appropriate to the patient's age.
Update: March 8, 2013
Over the past eight years, I've confirmed that temporal lobe epilepsy has been ruled out, which confirms hypochondria. However, through self-therapy I've managed the hypochondria.
Overall, there is indication of a mild general anxiety syndrome, which only arises when my body temperature rises when dressed warmly and indoors. The solution in such cases is to remove a jacket.
For most of my self-therapy, I use meditation to calm my mind so that I can develop insight about the root of my anxiety. Then it is possible to develop solutions which desensitize myself to the anxiety itself.
This is why I take pictures: it helps me take my mind off whatever is troubling me.
Since anger is often the root of anxiety, its "antidote" is patience — necessary to wait until anger is manageable — and love. Once the anger subsides, love helps me to be kind to myself and other people.
As well, regular exercise is important in reducing the symptoms of anxiety.
Original post: December 31, 2005 2359H
Update posted: March 8, 2013
20121224
Controlling the Impulsive Mind
It helps to think and think again before giving in to any impulsive act, especially when every time you do, you get a cheap thrill & want to act on impulse again.
A demonstration of this is trying to make twelve pieces of gum last a week. The best way to make gum last is leave the package of gum at home after having just one.
Whenever that package is in your back pocket, you might have anywhere from one to three, or more, depending on your ability to self-hypnotize yourself into feeling fully satisfied chewing on gum.
All it takes is self control of the mind, the only kind of mind control.
A more effective form of mind control is meditation; indeed, it is the only form of mind control. In other cases of mind control, the person who is supposedly being controlled by another person actually has made an unconscious decision to be controlled. This also applies to "brainwashed" people. Thus, contemporary view of mind control is couched in myth not fact.
For the fact is, only meditation can control the mind, and help a person to think critically, despite the unconscious desire to give in to follow the "natural" path to satisfaction.
Originally that path led to craving for sensation. Now it leads to meditation.
Meditation can even moderate impulse control as demonstrated by the gum example above.
All it begins is with the breath, and the resulting benefits are endless.
A demonstration of this is trying to make twelve pieces of gum last a week. The best way to make gum last is leave the package of gum at home after having just one.
Whenever that package is in your back pocket, you might have anywhere from one to three, or more, depending on your ability to self-hypnotize yourself into feeling fully satisfied chewing on gum.
All it takes is self control of the mind, the only kind of mind control.
A more effective form of mind control is meditation; indeed, it is the only form of mind control. In other cases of mind control, the person who is supposedly being controlled by another person actually has made an unconscious decision to be controlled. This also applies to "brainwashed" people. Thus, contemporary view of mind control is couched in myth not fact.
For the fact is, only meditation can control the mind, and help a person to think critically, despite the unconscious desire to give in to follow the "natural" path to satisfaction.
Originally that path led to craving for sensation. Now it leads to meditation.
Meditation can even moderate impulse control as demonstrated by the gum example above.
All it begins is with the breath, and the resulting benefits are endless.
20121024
Meditation on Gender, Western and Eastern Cultures, and Psychotherapy
May everyone be at peace with themselves.
May everyone progress in their spiritual journey.
May everyone endeavor to perfect their minds.
With peaceful heart, may this one walk the path
towards the moment of putting out the fire,
and thus passing onto a higher plane.
Analysis of meditation
"Be at peace" implies a peaceful heart.
"Progress" accepts that not all people who desire a perfect mind have a perfect body.
However, with more effort the dedicated practitioner achieves more peace and calm.
"Endeavor" implies that all one needs to do is act to perfect your mind. Perfection of a mind implies that one learn to meditate. It does not happen right now; yet even after the first week, meditation will lead one to a perfect mind.
With peace comes satisfaction. This is a given. In walking the path, this one encounter less obstacle to reach the goal all Buddhists desire: Nirvana. This desire is not tainted by desire for fame or gain, because that desire corrupts the mind.
Thus one needs to put out the fire of desire, so that one may pass onto a higher plane of existence. This higher plane does not make the earnest practitioner above it all. Rather, she sees no difference between herself and another person with regard to the mind.
A Meditation on gender
For the only difference between man and woman is physical. Our description about the human condition is gender neutral. Likewise, gender is actually unimportant.
In denying women access to the tools of Buddhism such as meditation and the breathing exercises, the Theravada form is sexist to Westerners whose culture is highly sensitive to women's rights. Yet the Theravada form is fostered in a culture where sensitivity to women's rights is fine in politics, but not in religion.
Thus, the apparent sexism is designed to help women understand their place in that culture, which is called Eastern.
Eastern and Western Cultures
Were I to blend the two cultures, it is possible to have a broader understanding of both cultures so that Westerners may understand Eastern culture.
As well, to criticize Theravada Buddhism effectively, the practitioner needs to understand his culture and its effect on Buddhism.
For why is it that Zen is favored over other forms of Buddhism. Shingon Buddhism may
look like a mix of mysticism and symbolism, but it works for a Shingon practitioner.
Psychotherapy and Buddhism
Yet Buddhism is practical for anyone to use, and the breathing exercises of meditation have been incorporated in cognitive behavior therapy.
Thus a psychotherapy that incorporates meditation as its therapeutic tool only uses it to achieve a calm mind. By separating the spiritual part of meditation from the physical part of breathing and posture, such a psychotherapy is devoid of spiritual development.
In this way, anyone can use such therapy to reduce the effects of stress so that one can do anything. Yet there are few statistics on how meditation relieves stress.
Final Meditation
May all who read this know that this person who wrote these words that the spiritual journey is a sacred one, yet it is also a personal journey of self-discovery.
May all know that "self" in context of the spiritual journey is not the ego, that part of a person's psyché that motivates one to seek comfort and satisfaction.
For the "self" this person speaks of is the higher self on that higher spiritual plane which few people achieve except for the greatest of practitioners.
May all also know that "this person" refers to the author of this meditation.
May all who read this discover happiness to be not a goal but a state of mind that is fleeting.
May all who achieve this state of mind of happiness be satisfied with their lot.
For to desire happiness is unwise; it would be better to enjoy the moment.
May all who achieve happiness know that meditation is more fun when you are happy.
May all who realize how fun meditation is, focus on their breath.
This person respects Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light of loving-kindness and also the Buddha of Infinite Life of compassion.
---
The above is an example of how I explore Buddhist meditation. I don't just sit on my ass gazing at my navel.
Since meditation helps me to think even though my body is tired, it is in my best interest to use the tools before me to put my thought down.
My mind requires self expression, yet in this blog entry, that expression is done so that the gentle reader may understand where I am coming from.
As well, there is a minor catharsis occurring when I express myself. Even though my writing is not sophisticated and tempered by academic training, its topic at the moment is religion but not the religion most people are adverse to.
May everyone progress in their spiritual journey.
May everyone endeavor to perfect their minds.
With peaceful heart, may this one walk the path
towards the moment of putting out the fire,
and thus passing onto a higher plane.
Analysis of meditation
"Be at peace" implies a peaceful heart.
"Progress" accepts that not all people who desire a perfect mind have a perfect body.
However, with more effort the dedicated practitioner achieves more peace and calm.
"Endeavor" implies that all one needs to do is act to perfect your mind. Perfection of a mind implies that one learn to meditate. It does not happen right now; yet even after the first week, meditation will lead one to a perfect mind.
With peace comes satisfaction. This is a given. In walking the path, this one encounter less obstacle to reach the goal all Buddhists desire: Nirvana. This desire is not tainted by desire for fame or gain, because that desire corrupts the mind.
Thus one needs to put out the fire of desire, so that one may pass onto a higher plane of existence. This higher plane does not make the earnest practitioner above it all. Rather, she sees no difference between herself and another person with regard to the mind.
A Meditation on gender
For the only difference between man and woman is physical. Our description about the human condition is gender neutral. Likewise, gender is actually unimportant.
In denying women access to the tools of Buddhism such as meditation and the breathing exercises, the Theravada form is sexist to Westerners whose culture is highly sensitive to women's rights. Yet the Theravada form is fostered in a culture where sensitivity to women's rights is fine in politics, but not in religion.
Thus, the apparent sexism is designed to help women understand their place in that culture, which is called Eastern.
Eastern and Western Cultures
Were I to blend the two cultures, it is possible to have a broader understanding of both cultures so that Westerners may understand Eastern culture.
As well, to criticize Theravada Buddhism effectively, the practitioner needs to understand his culture and its effect on Buddhism.
For why is it that Zen is favored over other forms of Buddhism. Shingon Buddhism may
look like a mix of mysticism and symbolism, but it works for a Shingon practitioner.
Psychotherapy and Buddhism
Yet Buddhism is practical for anyone to use, and the breathing exercises of meditation have been incorporated in cognitive behavior therapy.
Thus a psychotherapy that incorporates meditation as its therapeutic tool only uses it to achieve a calm mind. By separating the spiritual part of meditation from the physical part of breathing and posture, such a psychotherapy is devoid of spiritual development.
In this way, anyone can use such therapy to reduce the effects of stress so that one can do anything. Yet there are few statistics on how meditation relieves stress.
Final Meditation
May all who read this know that this person who wrote these words that the spiritual journey is a sacred one, yet it is also a personal journey of self-discovery.
May all know that "self" in context of the spiritual journey is not the ego, that part of a person's psyché that motivates one to seek comfort and satisfaction.
For the "self" this person speaks of is the higher self on that higher spiritual plane which few people achieve except for the greatest of practitioners.
May all also know that "this person" refers to the author of this meditation.
May all who read this discover happiness to be not a goal but a state of mind that is fleeting.
May all who achieve this state of mind of happiness be satisfied with their lot.
For to desire happiness is unwise; it would be better to enjoy the moment.
May all who achieve happiness know that meditation is more fun when you are happy.
May all who realize how fun meditation is, focus on their breath.
This person respects Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light of loving-kindness and also the Buddha of Infinite Life of compassion.
---
The above is an example of how I explore Buddhist meditation. I don't just sit on my ass gazing at my navel.
Since meditation helps me to think even though my body is tired, it is in my best interest to use the tools before me to put my thought down.
My mind requires self expression, yet in this blog entry, that expression is done so that the gentle reader may understand where I am coming from.
As well, there is a minor catharsis occurring when I express myself. Even though my writing is not sophisticated and tempered by academic training, its topic at the moment is religion but not the religion most people are adverse to.
20110817
Myths and Affirmations
Daily we tell ourselves myths to avoid facing life.
Such myths sometimes lead to depression, and friction with friends, family and loved ones.
Yet there is a way of relieving depression known as cognitive restructuring i.e. reframing myths into affirmations.
The following myths and affirmations are related to each other. They are derived from cognitive behavior therapy.
Such myths sometimes lead to depression, and friction with friends, family and loved ones.
Yet there is a way of relieving depression known as cognitive restructuring i.e. reframing myths into affirmations.
The following myths and affirmations are related to each other. They are derived from cognitive behavior therapy.
- Myth: Nobody likes me. It is unlikely people will ever like me, therefore I am not a likeable person.
Affirmation: People have liked me. It is likely people will like me again, therefore I am a likeable person.
- Myth: I do not know how to dance, I will never be as happy as those people.
Affirmation: I want to learn how to dance.
- Myth: I don't like being outside. Something bad might happen to me.
Affirmation: In the past when I've been outside, something good happened to me: I got physical exercise, accomplished tasks, and enjoyed myself.
20110703
Applying CBT to a personal issue
Today I applied what I learned from The Feeling Good Handbook to successfully resolve a personal issue (jumping to conclusions, applying a mental filter based on this false conclusion, realizing that this is only creates frustration, and giving myself time to resolve the issue).
My mind confused by frustration and anger over my computer being accidentally shut off:
That is because several cognitive distortions affected me.
My mind after reflecting on it over the past 2 hours:
The real situation:
The roommate was not responsible for my computer being shut off.
After realizing that the truth (resetting the electric breaker accidentally turned off my computer), the situation is out of my control.
It's an accident, which absolves everyone of blame.
Finally, I'm over it now because I have processed what has happened.
My mind confused by frustration and anger over my computer being accidentally shut off:
- The ongoing issue I have with my roommate is when she has done an act accidentally that personally affects me and not know it, I have to not press the matter further.
- E.g., after vacuuming near my computer, she accidentally turned it off.
- When I politely confronted her about it, she denied that she shut it off. When I told her that the computer shut itself off, she told me that she didn't want to argue about it. In response I affirmed that:
- I am not arguing with her.
- It was an accident.
- I am not arguing with her.
- Yet I still felt angry and frustrated.
- When I politely confronted her about it, she denied that she shut it off. When I told her that the computer shut itself off, she told me that she didn't want to argue about it. In response I affirmed that:
My mind after reflecting on it over the past 2 hours:
- The accidental turning off of power is a neutral event.
- The vacuum cleaner caused the breaker to go off on the other side of the room. My computer was still on.
- The electric breaker was reset.
- Then 10 minutes after my roommate finished cleaning the room, I noticed my computer was off.
- The false conclusion I made was, "My roommate vacuuming by my computer led to my computer accidentally being turned off."
- In fact, resetting the electric breaker accidentally turned my computer.
- Rather than accepting the situation, I reacted due to:
- Jumping to conclusions: "Since the computer was off, it had to be due to my roommate vacuuming by my computer".
- Mental filtering: Because it had to be my roommate vacuuming by my computer, I confronted her.
- Personalization and blame: I blamed my roommate because I wanted to control the situation and blame her.
- Jumping to conclusions: "Since the computer was off, it had to be due to my roommate vacuuming by my computer".
The real situation:
Finally, I'm over it now because I have processed what has happened.
20050625
All people are essentially good
From birth all people are essentially good. Environment determines the majority of factors which both help and hinder them. Genetics only accounts for a minority of such factors.
Thus Life is about choices.
When necessary, people may choose to act, and to not act .
For the good among us choose to act and think for the good, while the evil fail to act, let alone contemplate doing good.
Although environment shapes such decisions, today they may be aligned with society, only to be at odds with the world tomorrow .
Without effort the average person will eventually follow a cycle of positive and negative self-talk in her daily routine. Whether positive or negative, this self-talk is influenced by personality and the preference of the person.
One critical factor is the influence of fatigue on the state of mind of the individual. A tired person may tend to become easily agitated, anxious to the point of obsession with the counter-thrust of compulsion.
Not a pretty picture, as far as mental stability goes!
As a result of such agitation when tired she might increasingly prefer negative self-talk to express her feelings and state of mind overall.
Sometimes insomnia may embrace her, leading to temporary mania with increased appetite for stimulus, be it through food, sex or thought.
Of course, the risk of obsession with negative ideation is always there, as with positive ideation — sometimes with attendant optimism.
All of this is positive without the use of psychotropic drugs.
With meditation and cognitive training the patient learns how to visualize positive behavior.
She reduces the negative action of stress in life in favor of effective strategies which promote such behavior.
In doing so, she gains control of her life.
20050523
The Alternative to Medication
"...Peptides provide our body's most basic communication network. To study the molecules' specific function, Pert and colleagues at NIMH began taking wafer thin slices of rat brains and, using radioactive molecules, mapping peptide receptors in the brain. Dense clusters appeared in parts of the brain long associated with emotion. According to Pert, the hippocampus, a small, almond-shaped structure that is crucial in memory, is the brain's emotional gateway. Almost every variety of peptide receptor is found there, she notes. The frontal cortex and another brain structure, the amygdala, are also densely populated with peptide receptors. Since emotions are regulated by neuropeptides, and the brain's memory centers are filled with receptors for these peptides, it's likely that emotion and memory are intertwined. However, the peptide network reaches into all the organs, glands, spinal cord, and tissues of the body." — Impertinent ideas. (alternative medicine pioneer Candace Pert); Neimark, Jill Psychology Today 11-21-1997
In short, our emotions are stored throughout the body.
For wherever neuropeptides created by our feelings go, so too goes the memory for that feeling.
Thus it is possible to access emotional memory anywhere in the network which makes up the body-mind.
This is how meditation, chiropractic therapy, therapeutic touch (Reiki) and other forms of healing — even the simple activity such as walking - work.
Often our minds do not truly need psycho-pharmaceutical drugs — at least, not for the rest of our lives.
The side effects of those drugs show us their true nature, of becoming too much of a good thing.
Thus, Professor Pert's research implies that even AIDS is a body-mind threat, and that an interdisciplinary outlook towards disease is the optimal one.
However, I would caution against the strategy implied in the movie "What the Bleep Do We Know?" when Amanda throws away her anti-anxiety medication.
Tapering off medication is essential to gaining control over the body-mind. This involves reducing medication over a period of time i.e. over a period of four months from full dose to 3/4 of the dose over the first month of weaning to 1/2 of the dose during the second month to 1/4 the dose during the third month, to 1/8th the dose during the fourth.
No one needs to go through the process alone, given the number of cognitive behavior therapy groups out there to help a person by providing emotional support.
Even so, a few people may view daily exercise, a multivitamin supplement, salmon oil capsules and wholesome food as useful on the long run for what ails them.
The challenge is in adopting such a strategy to maintain positive mental health.
In short, our emotions are stored throughout the body.
For wherever neuropeptides created by our feelings go, so too goes the memory for that feeling.
Thus it is possible to access emotional memory anywhere in the network which makes up the body-mind.
This is how meditation, chiropractic therapy, therapeutic touch (Reiki) and other forms of healing — even the simple activity such as walking - work.
Often our minds do not truly need psycho-pharmaceutical drugs — at least, not for the rest of our lives.
The side effects of those drugs show us their true nature, of becoming too much of a good thing.
Thus, Professor Pert's research implies that even AIDS is a body-mind threat, and that an interdisciplinary outlook towards disease is the optimal one.
However, I would caution against the strategy implied in the movie "What the Bleep Do We Know?" when Amanda throws away her anti-anxiety medication.
Tapering off medication is essential to gaining control over the body-mind. This involves reducing medication over a period of time i.e. over a period of four months from full dose to 3/4 of the dose over the first month of weaning to 1/2 of the dose during the second month to 1/4 the dose during the third month, to 1/8th the dose during the fourth.
No one needs to go through the process alone, given the number of cognitive behavior therapy groups out there to help a person by providing emotional support.
Even so, a few people may view daily exercise, a multivitamin supplement, salmon oil capsules and wholesome food as useful on the long run for what ails them.
The challenge is in adopting such a strategy to maintain positive mental health.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)