Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Is depression/anxiety a symptom of AS?

What is it called when someone is hostile and murderous toward arachnids? Is there a term for this? That would be me. I'm ok with having them outside, but when they enter my domain It ticks me off! Is this yet another disorder? Maybe in the new DSM?

That would be an arachnocidal maniac!!

I don't mind spiders so much, even indoors. They kill other, less desirable, insects as well as serving as a natural toy for the cats and dog.

Warm hugs,

I am with Erica -- they are supposed to be OUTSIDE and have no business coming in!

Kat! now how am I suppose to ever visit you!!!

lol

Well, you aren't Miss Muffet and we don't have a tuffet (let alone curds or whey), so I think you'd be pretty safe.

Warm hugs,

Hmm, okay with spiders until they enter your territory-

Xenophobic Arachnophobia?

try as i might, i'm afraid to report that i'm with you mig. i keep trying to do the things that stress me out, and have to admit that the more i do, the less the stress, but it never really completely goes away. was thinking about this about a half hour ago, as i was on my way to a doctors appointment, in rush hour traffic, highway driving, in the rain, stupid drivers doing stupid things, it really does stress me out. not as much as it used to, goodness no! used to be to the point i almost couldn't do it, but still i feel quite frazzled. can feel it, deep breathing, turn on the radio. but really who needs that every day. that's why each morning and night on my way to and from work i take the backroads. in the morning, can admire the blue sky and cloud formations, observe the hawks sitting on the wires looking for prey, notice the golden hues of the corn fields as the colors change into their fall wardrobe. given a choice, an option, i'd rather do that than be on high alert for someone cutting me off and then abruptly slowing down in front of me. though i leave plenty of distance between me and other drivers much as i can, still given a choice, i'd rather commune with nature in the morning than a bunch of humans strung out on their morning coffee.

Today I had a good laugh when I was waiting in a parking lot for my husband to come out of the college. A wasp had the audacity to bother me. I gave it two warnings, and then swatted it right out of the air with my hand and smashed it with my pen. HA! Evidently I am hostile to all bugs that fly or crawl in my personal space.

Maybe I'm just an insect-ist at heart.

Phew, I need a double scotch after reading about your drive to your appointment!!

Somehow, I still think there is a perspective that can be useful here-

I like using your story as an analogy for two possible routes to travel, one full of stress-inducing busy traffic, and another scenic long way home (and not just because as you know, I am a Supertramp fan)

Naturally, if you are feeling tense to begin with, no one would dispute the logic of choosing the low-stress route

But here's a different way to see it, what if you looked at taking the hi-stress route as a challenge, made it an experiment, just to see if you can find a way to experience it, your mind on both the oncoming cars, AND keeping your muscles, stomach from tightening up in response?

It might take even deeper, slower breaths, an attitude adjustment, a sense of mockery: "Aha, I laugh at you, giant semi-truck headed for me, watch how I deftly avoid thee!"

Different mental techniques for different people, but the goal would be the same, to not let that stress experience turn into a physical thing

And what if you got good at that, practiced it daily, so that you could build on it, so that eventually you respond less and less to stress stimuli (and no, I'm sure it never goes away completely, nor should it)

so then if you accept the ideas in the book that that pain has a memory, or in other words, it builds up an efficient pain neural superhighway, then the better you get at doing this, the better you will be 5 years from now if you start doing this today!

Well, that's what I'm trying anyway

Aha, I laugh at you, many, many sound effects needed for next show, watch how I deftly record thee!

Followed by a slightly evil self-congratulatory laugh followed by a cough, a wheeze, and a confused look.