Oral soothing - only relieved during pregnancy
Hi Andrew I always want to be sucking or chewing on something and particularly when I have to sit still and focus. The only time I noticed this angst subsiding was during both of my pregnancies. During those time I noticed I knew exactly what I wanted to eat and when and how much. It was wonderful! I would score high in the trauma scale Peter Atia speaks of but have worked on myself my whole life to be as whole and happy as possible. When I sleep well I feel like a very positive person. But the wanting something in my mouth is mostly there. Particularly after I eat. As I child I sucked my thumb, then smoked in my 20's and then sucked on organic macrobiotic candy and then started chewing gum ( one of the probably ok sweeteners type gum). But having something in the mouth all the time is a disaster for gums. My mouth really needs to be left alone! I'm studying post grad psych and wondering what is going on with my wiring. I've thought of the vegus nerve and the endocannabaniod system. I exercise everyday and take cold showers and do NSDR. I'm well versed on supplements. Have yet to try meds or a psychiatrist. I worry if I stop chewing gum for 30 days I'll gain weight. Celery doesn't have the same appeal so it is I guess partly about the soothing but also the buzz from the xylitol? I keep wondering how could I trick my body into thinking it's pregnant. I'm making bioidentical hormones which are great but it doesn't help stop the urge to chew. In social situations and conversations the urge tends to dissipate unless it's the end of a meal and I'm looking for something to soothe the part of me that needs help knowing we have finished eating. My general diet is 5 star other than the gum and I seem to have been aging exceptionally well other than the dental problems. Thanks
science literacy
Dear Professor, how about an episode on the scientific method? Explaining the amount of evidence that different types of studies give us, study design, things like active placebo and statistical significance (as long as you can explain math behind it without a blackboard :-). Thank you for your great work!
career-trauma and loss of sense of self-efficacy
Suppose someone repeatedly made the experience of trying their best at certain long-term pursuits in their life, specifically with regard to career goals, and failing again and again over the course of many years in endeavors in various fields, up to the point where he or she would succumb to the belief that success is unattainable. Clearly the repeated experience of investing (subjectively) tremendous effort but not acquiring the desired outcome must eventually alter the neurological circuitry in a mal-adaptive, somewhat pathological way: He or she would eventually lose trust that any activity can ever lead to reaching goals of any kind, and an existential passivity, a complete loss of drive and motivation, would ensue. In light of what we know about the dopaminergic mechanisms that govern motivation, what would be the advisable path to overcome such a state after what one might call ‘career-trauma’?