We're Not All That Different...

[HumanTyphoon]

I'll admit, I've fought with octopuses, I've beaten Spider man, and I've even killed half man-half spider beasts in my imagination before, but it takes a looooot of guts from me to fight a spider.

Sometimes when I'm not looking, and then look down, my mind mistakes various things(such as hair balls) as a spider. I've also sat down and thought that some weird dark colored objects with weird spider like features look like spiders, only turning out to be paper napkins or potatoes or something. BTW I am kind of near sighted. Weird thing is, sometimes they are spiders!!!!! Then, well if I'm on a good day or something, I just kill the poor little bugger(no pun inteneded!)...but usually I chicke..*ahem* decide to let it live for a little longer.

*sigh, spiders....my other one weakness in this world.

[Skeptic 2004]

I can dissociate very easily. I experience at least one episode of dissociation a day, and it's usually in the morning when I look in the mirror after shaving. It's usually a pretty surreal and eyeopening experience, but it starts to scare me when I think that doing that as frequently as I do I'm a step closer to dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder).

Dissociative identity at the light end of the spectrum is separation of mind from body. If you've ever driven somewhere for a long time, and your body is driving the car, but your mind is someplace else you've experienced dissociative identity (aka "highway hypnosis"). Daydreaming, being swept up in a good book, fantasizing, meditation, and hardcore karate training where your mind severes connection with your body are all manifestations of dissociation.

On the far end of the spectrum you dissociate your identity of yourself by disconnecting memories, thoughts, and feelings; enough of this recreates an alternate identity of yourself.

I'm in the middle. I go much farther than the light end, but I'm not crazy like people at the deep end (I think). When I look in the mirror for too long, I start to step outside of myself like I'm having an out-of-body experience and I'm looking at myself. Then I start asking myself questions like, why am I here? What is my purpose in life? What happens to me when I die?

I'm pretty sure other people do this too, but probably not as often as I do (which is everyday).

[HumanTyphoon]

D.I.D., eh? I've heard about that. Shouldn't you see a special doctor for this kinda stuff? I dunno....that's what I guess...

[Jay]

when in a moving vehicle think i have an axe and imagine cuting all the trees and street lights down

[June1]

Apparently, that is INSANELY common! And I had no idea!

[jaymac]

lol human typhoon! I am so afraid of spiders. Just the other day in our dojo, a dust bunny that gathered hair went rolling past and I thought it was a spider. I immediately became sick to my stomach.

As for weird mirror things, did anyone ever see the movie candyman. it was a horror flick that basically if you said candyman in the mirror 5 times, this maniac killed you. Yep, i had to test it out. Now I knew that this crazed man would not appear, but I was actually a little scared when I got to the last audible "Candyman". Needless to say, no scary man. Thank god

[June1]

Have you heard of Bloody Mary? Same idea.

[Kieran-Lilith]

when in a moving vehicle think i have an axe and imagine cuting all the trees and street lights down

I do that and a few other "versions" of that. Not as much though, since I've started driving and can't risk hitting a tree. The other versions being pretending that there's a person running along side the car who jumps either from tree to tree or something like that, but never touches the ground. The other version is imagining a blade leaving a rut next to where the car has travelled, but always jumping over streets.

I also have the mirror thing and the shower thing, and I can disassociate myself on a daily basis as well. But I actually make an effort to do that so I can see myself how others do.

[dragons_wrath99]

Oh, mirrors... they symbolize so many things to us. Take, for example, the 'Bloody Mary' idea previously mentioned. Now think of a symbol you would use to describe someone beautiful or maybe vain- a mirror, right? Interesting how the same object can symbolize entirely different things to us, huh? A person easily spooked would see mirriors as something evil... a conceited person would see mirrors as best friends... a sci-fi fan would see mirrors as gateways into parallel universes... and maybe a fantasy fan would see mirrors as ways to tell us who is the fairest of them all. LOL. But to get back on track...

One 'mind game' I play with myself is to set two mirrors opposite each other. I find it really mind-boggling how if you look into them, they just go on and on forever. Like if you stick your hand in front of the two mirrors, you see a hand... and a hand... and a hand... Okay, I'll stop before anyone starts to think I'm obsessed. Well, you probably already do. He he.