Category: health

Drifting off

What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?

The one thing I try to do each day is to experience an activity as if for the first time. For some reason this simple act seems to have a positive influence on me. Now, I know this may sound strange but it can be quite fulfilling if you think about it in different ways. While it is recognised as a form of mindfulness there are some instances that are open to interpretation. Perhaps a more straightforward example of mindfulness is to eat something sugary. You could think about the sensation of sweetness and aim to isolate the experience.

Another task could be the simple act of moving your fingers. Such action may seem trivial and simply time wasting (justifiably so given daily priorities and time constraints etc). But if you decide to partake it can be interesting. Remember, the ordinary and mundane were once extraordinary for the uninitiated child. Feel the sensation of grabbing a bowl or picking up an object. Try attempting to write for the first time. If this doesn’t grab you (no pun intended) try doing so with your non dominant hand. The unfamiliarity and lack of dexterity forces you to focus on the task at hand. The immediate feeling may be one of frustration but then again you may begin to experience a new sensation.

Try tasting chocolate with no expectation or as if for the first time. Now, this may be a tricky one because chocolate is known to trigger the release of feel good chemicals such as dopamine, theobromine and anandamide but hey, you didn’t know this as a kid (at least I didn’t). I challenge you to really taste it separating the cacao flavours from the sweetness component. Yummmm!

Another task is to follow your train of thought as you drift off to sleep. This is not the linear thought process of the conscious mind. The catch is sustaining some awareness without actually falling asleep:)

On the other hand you may find this so completely uninteresting that you are falling asleep anyway 💤

Just weird

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

There is a moment when you realise you have to unplug when you start exhibiting strange or unusual behaviours. It’s surely better to unplug well in advance but as is so often the case the ‘red flags’ are often ignored. Considering the rather strange and ever-changing world we inhabit I guess it’s to be expected.

Nevertheless some of these distraction strategies are a bit weird. Sucking ice cubes, counting Pi (π) decimal places, cold showers, water submersion, obsessive cleaning, cracking nuts, fidgeting and nail biting, peeling glue from your hands, popping bubble wrap, hoarding, smashing glass, ceramics throwing, folding hot towels, watching gross videos on YouTube, listening to foreign languages (without understanding them), reciting recipes and polishing silverware. 😮 Some of these activities seem normal enough but the weirder ones are concerning.

So how do you unplug and what’s the best way to do it? While I admit to fidgeting, watching YouTube (but not gross videos) and buying stuff that I don’t need, the best remedy for me is physical activity whether it be stretching, yoga or just stepping out and taking a walk. Nothing beats a good book for distraction. But a real one and not some generic digital text generated by ChatGPT.

Psychopath

One percent of the population is a Psychopath. This percentage doubles or quadruples in high power positions such as lawyers, business leaders or surgeons. Because it is a spectrum disorder it can vary considerably from one individual to the next. But how do you identify a Psychopath?

Psychopathy has qualities of the two other personality types in ‘the dark triad’. Machiavellianism and Narcissism together with Psychopathy make up the triad.

One of the key shared conditions amongst all three personality types is a lack of empathy. There is also the absence of remorse and of guilt. If they pity it is for those who show kindness or compassion. To them, such feelings are a sign of weakness. 

Another Psychopathy trait is low impulse control and can see them engage in violent and risky behavior. Extreme situations may occur where the Psychopath will dispatch or kill someone on impulse. The phrase ‘act now, think later’ is scarily appropriate in regards the Psychopathy personality.

Psychopathy can be seen as having two separate models. There exists a primary or factor one type and a secondary, factor two type. ‘Act now and think later’ describes the impulsive inclination tied up with factor two Psychopathy. The manipulation, power jostling character of psychopaths describes primary Psychopathy where calculation and cunning are used against competition.

A lot has been written on Psychopathy and it is popular subject material in fiction and the movies. Hannibal Lecter immediately comes to mind. What is not commonly understood is the nuanced condition of Psychopathy, how it is part of ’the dark triad’ and how certain traits are shared with both Machiavellianism and Narcissism. In short, malevolence may vary from one individual to the next. And because Psychopathy is a spectrum disorder it may not be at all obvious. It could be your friended person on social media, your neighbour down the street or even a member of your family. 

Machiavellian

Machiavellian motivation and purpose is to take advantage of others at their expense.

Machiavelli was a 16th century philosopher and political adviser who wrote of the principle in favour of deception and pragmatism over honesty and morality in his manifesto The Prince. This is the origin of the definition Machiavellian.

The Machiavellian personality type could be described as manipulative and deceiving and having a blatant disregard for the feelings of those they manipulate. Unlike the Narcissist their motivation isn’t the need for attention but rather to control others for their purposes. While in conversation with the Machiavellian, you may feel a lack of engagement and a certain emotional distance even though the interaction may be very engaging. What is occurring is an interaction that is devoid of empathy. From their perspective you exist only to serve their purposes.

The Machiavellian is calculating and clinical in both their personal and non-personal relationships. They are emotionally detached from their partners and have no apparent difficulty in leaving them as they have alexithymia. It is not surprising any relationship they have is abusive and dysfunctional. They will run rough shot over someone rather choose a diplomatic approach. Their choice to damage an individual for personal gain is a key Machiavellian trait.

The Machiavellian can successfully climb the corporate ladder but are subject to their own unscrupulousness. They can make too many enemies and burn too many bridges. Compared to the Narcissists who will actively seek others attention, the Machiavellian may seem withdrawn because of their scheming nature. As an outcome of this they do not appear to take action. This apparent hesitancy is a misinterpretation of the Machiavellian’s calculated and unscrupulous intentions. If it suits them, they will turn people against each other without the need to take any action at all.