I chose this logo 'clearpathways' because recovery is about clearing the
neural pathways, especially those where memories of early trauma are
stored. The way to clear these pathways and restore normal emotions is
to redirect anger during detoxification crises, which are excitatory
nervous symptoms.

The point I refer to in my article as post-flood is when about 95% of
the repressed anger related to earlier trauma is gone. It was the
suppression of anger that caused the flood ie the toxicosis in the
noradrenergic and sympathetic nervous systems, and which resulted in
symptoms. There is also some toxicosis in the parasympathetic nervous
system. This system is more involved with the expression of grief and is
usually overpowered by the actions of the sympathetic system. This means
that feelings of grief are less likely to appear and need to be
expressed until one is post flood and has released most of the anger.
During the muddy basin period after the major flood of repressed anger
is gone, there is lingering anger that needs to be redirected and there
may be intense grief. This period for me lasted about a year. Now I have
anger when appropriate but it is no longer intense or mixed with anger
related to earlier trauma. And I feel sadness, but it is no longer for
me, but for others. I have what I call a sustained euphoria, which is
not a 'high,' but is freedom from anxiety and distress.

My reason for choosing the post-flood point as important is because this
is when the major work has been done to relieve the toxicosis, ie by
releasing and redirecting anger. It is the point at which mood swings,
periods of 'highs' followed by depression should be pretty much gone. I
also chose this because I need to reassure prison officials that
prisoners at this point would not tend to behave violently toward
others. The feelings of grief that follow don't need to be redirected,
but just felt. The lingering anger does need to be redirected, and it is
important when it it only about current interactions that the anger is
not suppressed, or one can reclog and have symptoms.

The point of post flood correlates with Janov's 'post-primal', ie when
the major primals (which are detoxification crises) have stopped. This
point also correlates with the point of 'clear' used by Scientologists
who have undergone dianetic therapy. The Scientologists have a
questionniare to tell if one is 'clear' that is similar to the one I
constructed and put in the Welcome message. Scientiologists are aware
there is more work to be done. From what I have read, this point of
'post primal' or 'clear' takes many months or years to achieve in
therapy, whereas if one uses the self help measures in my article
consistently at the first sign of exciatatory symptoms, this point can
be reached in a few months.
Ellie

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Self help for depression is on:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~clearpathway
The same article entitled Self help for addictions is on:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Sauna/2579
The longer version entitled Self help for emotional disorders is on:
http://pages.nyu.edu/~er26