I am absolutely amazed and awed by the animal kingdom. Many a night I prefer to watch National Geographic Wild than any other shows. Over the last few years I have learned so much about how animals interact and how much smarter and compassionate they are. Therefore, I am increasingly appalled by how a percentage of humans still consider animals to not have any mental reactions when they are held captive or physically abused. Studies in animal behavior are showing more and more that psychological damage suffered by dogs living in puppy mills is profound and exists long after they’ve been rescued. Even when placed in loving homes with individuals who take great care to handle them with love and tenderness, many still have elevated levels of fears and phobias, and an inability to respond to affection. Anecdotal evidence has long shown that the dogs, lacking normal human contact and living predominately in cages often suffer from post-traumatic depression. When I took Psychology 101 in college they discussed something called Hospitalism which was a diagnosis used in the 1930s to describe infants who wasted away while in hospitals from lack of human contact. The symptoms could include retarded physical and mental development, and disruption of perceptual-motor skills and language. Many soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan have returned with post-traumatic stress disorder. The sounds and images of war and the actual involvement in being in a constant state of “fight or flight” leaves the brain more vulnerable and often unable to integrate into their former lives counseling and the love and understanding of friends and family. Many of the articles I have read about war and the toll it takes on mind/body and spirit seem so obvious. How could you not be influenced by being the witness to death and destruction? All of the above whether it involves animals, babies, children or adults continues to show us that our brains hold on to memories long after they have passed. We cannot simply erase them for they become who we are. I often wish I could remove thoughts that seem to have minds of their own. Round and round they go and they create feelings that can be positive or negative. Perhaps the day will come when there will be a global epiphany that realizes that kindness, respect, and compassion towards each other and our animal friends is the only way to live.
Monthly Archives: October 2011
Repetition Compulsion
As a society we are suffering from repetition compulsion. Whenever I see a physician other than my primary care, I fill out the same paper work over and over. I have signed the HIPPA document at least fifty times. Now I understand that the medical community wants to be extra cautious , but if all these doctors work at the same hospital in the same community, wouldn’t it make sense to have a central casting agent that keeps it all in one place. I have given my health insurance information dozens of times and still I got a bill from a collection agency stating I owed money for some test I had gotten. I called the patient billing person and she said she had no record of my insurance number. This has happened before and I have called to correct it several times. I just wonder where the number goes. They never seem to lose my address to send a bill! I called my local internet and T.V company to report a problem with my computer. I should have tried to get some anti anxiety medication first, since the entire process was maddening. A facsimile of a human voice answered and asked me to punch different numbers according to my problem. I hit the one I thought was going to help me, but it started asking me questions. “What’s the problem”?, “How long has it been going on”?. I love the next question, “Where do you think the problem originated, outside or inside”? Would I be calling them if I knew that!! Then the clone asked if I wanted to “refresh” the system”? I thought, why not, that might work, so I responded, YES. Well it seems I’ve been refreshed numerous times, so it suggested a technician come over. As soon as I said yes, a real person came on and literally repeated the entire conversation I had with the fake human. Twisted sister suddenly leaped out and stated that if they reduced their need for so much redundancy they might actually be able to pay their employees more money. Lo and behold, the day before they were to arrive I got a call asking me if I still wanted someone and would I like to have them help me over the phone instead? I almost screamed “SEND SOMEONE OVER”. Last week a technician came and did fix the problem but he also mentioned that there was something going on in the street as well and they would send an “outside” person to fix it. Maybe it’s time for me to forget e-mail and get some homing pigeons. I don’t think I’d have as many problems.
