Left brain stimulation

[kurokawa8]

An alexithymic may benefit from left-brain stimulation.

It may be that lack of transference of emotional energy from the right hemisphere results in underactivity in the left hemisphere.
Somatic complaints on the right side of the body may be attributed to lack of activity in left hemisphere (or overactivity in the right?).
I know that when I do these exercises I feel "evened out" somehow.  Like something I was missing is restored.

To stimulate the left hemisphere you will utilize several neurological pathways: sight, sound, touch, temperature, motor. 
You will use the Wilbarger Protocol to keep the left brain activated through the day, and then you will do some "heavy lifting" to strengthen and grow left brain activity.


The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol should be performed on the right side of the body every two hours to maintain neurological activation of the left hemisphere through the day.  Sample directions here (for full body): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9LSbINc-y0

• You will need a very soft bristle brush.  The softest I could find at walmart was still too harsh compared to the brushes used by OT practitioners.
• Every two hours brush the right side of your body ten times. 
• It does not have to be super intense but the pressure has to be heavy enough to bend the bristles to ninety degrees.
• Go down the top of your right arm and come back up.  That counts as one brush. 
• Cover the rest of the skin on your right arm nine more times. 
• Cover the rest of the skin on the right side of your body ten times.
• They say to avoid brushing the belly and the neck.
• After brushing, compress the joints on the right side of your body.
• Gently but firmly push in each finger.  Push in the right wrist. 
• Stand on your right foot and do ten right-handed pushups aginst the wall. 
• Do a small right legged-squat with a small hopping motion ten times while pushing upward along the wall
• with your right hand. 
• Do not do skin brushing or joint compression within two hours of bedtime.

Now for the heavy left-brain exercise to build some neurological muscle.  This will be performed only once per day, and can substitute for a single Wilbarger session.

• Find a video that excites the optic nerve, preferably flashing black and white with a dot in the center of the screen to focus on like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tIsf7OeTHk
• Ideally you want something that doesnt flash at a constant rate but has stops and stutters to fool the brain.  I have such a video on DVD. I can copy and mail it to anyone who really wants it for free as long as you promise to make a copy for the next person to request it.

• Now play some highly activating music thrugh headphones.  "Fast classical" is good.  Something stimulating and non-repetitive like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Diu2N8TGKA&list=PLCF7F233BB60DAD2E
• Adjust the audio settings to mute the left speaker on your headphones.  In Win 7 its in Speaker Properties/Levels/Balance.

• Get a pair of untinted glasses, maybe a cheap pair of safety glasses from the dollar store.
• Shut one eye.  Stare at the center dot of the flashing image.  Cover the left visual field with a post-it note.   The border of the post-it note should exactly bisect the center dot.  Cut the note to fit your nose etc.
• Shut the other eye.  Cover the left visual field with a post-it note.  The border of the post-it note should exactly bisect the center dot.
• You should now have blocked the left visual fields of each eye, leaving the right visual fields open. 

• Now stick an earplug in your left nostril.

• Sit in a chair in front of your computer monitor.  Have a chair of the same height next to you. 
• Fill a five gallon bucket with hot water.  Set it next to you on the chair on your right.  Pull it in close.
• Grab a tennis ball in your right fist and submerge your right arm into the hot water.
• Now focus on the center dot on the screen.  Squeeze the ball intermittently.  Breathe normally.  Squeezing against resistance activates motor neurons.  You can also use other muscles on the right side of your body like pressing on your right foot into the floor or gently biting your right teeth.

Do this for ten minutes a day.  Stop sooner if you feel fatigue.  Increase bit by bit every day.  I wouldn't do more than fifteen minutes in a session.  Maybe even twenty? 
After several weeks you might be able to reduce the amount you need to do, perhaps every other day.  Perhaps every three days.  Perhaps more?



It might be a good idea to use some tests to gauge your progress.  Here are some neurological tests:
http://library.med.utah.edu/neurologicexam/html/cranialnerve_normal.html
Pupil dilation.  Muscle tone in the palate (Cranial Nerves 9 & 10- Motor).  Eyelid drooping and ocular alignment Cranial Nerves 3, 4 & 6- Inspection and Ocular Alignment). 

[kurokawa8]

here's download link for left brain visual field stimulation video
http://bayfiles.net/file/1hJGm/mkK3qp/RIGHT_THALAMUS_R_Title1.mkv

[Affects4Me1]

hi Kuro! Itz me Affects4me only now called Affects4me1, to keep newer posts distinguishable from earlier ones. My best work see my facebook profile my work is on the my Mr Im OK You're ok TA page, see  https://www.facebook.com/Mr-Im-OK-Youre-OK-1840127576239013/

[kurokawa8]

Hey A4M, long time.  Good to hear from you.  Thx for the link.  I like the vector addition stuff.

I haven't gotten anywhere with alexithymia. Right now I'm into counseling and diet stuff.  My father is in bad shape so there's a lot of that.  I'm enjoying the alexithymic parenting book Triton linked. I've bookmarked your FB to dig into it next.

[C Forssman]

Do you find that this has helped your Alexithymia?