The Addiction/Creativity Connection and Brain Wiring

[dennislmay]

I am most interested in the connection between a predisposition to addictive behavior and creativity. I am drawn to people with addictive behavior - they seem to be the only people I find interesting. I have never had any substance addictions but more than a few people have believed otherwise at one time or another because apparently I exhibit the behaviors often associated with people who have substance addictions. The Air Force seemed to think I needed “random” drug testing every year – though no one else seemed to ever get randomly tested.

In the 1988-1989 time frame I volunteered for an Air Force dramamine motion sickness study. Only male Air Force Officers with engineering backgrounds were tested - we were thought to be representative of test pilot/astronaut candidates. We also had to demonstrate hand-eye coordination aptitudes similar to test pilot/astronaut candidates.

Brain scans during that testing and my reactions during testing indicated I had a unique reaction never seen among the few hundred people tested to that point. One guy [astronaut] had no physical or mental reaction to motion sickness and was a highly prized astronaut for that reason. One guy had mental but no physical reaction, the rest had mental and physical reactions. The mental reaction to motion sickness is similar to a low level epileptic fit. My reaction was unique in that I reacted physically but no mental reaction. I was to be tested further but the Air Force research was transferred to NASA at another location.

I have also noticed I have a non-normal reaction to some stimuli. I apparently have an extremely high tolerance to some kinds of pain. When I broke my leg in a motorcycle versus deer accident a couple years ago I felt no pain at all. When I woke up I didn’t believe I had been hurt - until they showed me the x-rays. I have never felt drunk or had a hangover – not sure how much it takes – 12 oz of Jim Beam in one shot/ a fifth of Frangelico doesn’t do it. I don’t care for alcohol so that is the extent of that testing. I have also discovered that a morphine drip doesn’t do anything for me – about the same reaction as a melted ice watered down fountain cherry coke. Dental pain killers do work.

I find all of this interesting in that many creative people have also had or have mental/addiction issues. I suspect I have assorted additions to creative impulses which must fulfill needs that many others fulfill with substances.

Dennis May

[Brant Gaede]

"Dental pain killers do work."

Is it safe?

--Brant

[dennislmay]

"Dental pain killers do work."

Is it safe?

--Brant

The dentist used them on me for fillings [shots - first one in my mid 30's] and the gas for pulling wisdom teeth many years ago [about age 29-30] dulled the pain for the most part but not completely. I was given tylenol 3 with codine for dry socket for wisdom teeth - I took them when I went to sleep in case I had dry socket in the middle of the night. When I woke up I realized they are clearly dangerous and I will not take them again.

So dental shots and gas are the only things I am sure work on me for pain. I don't get headaches, only one time an ear ache that lasted more than a few minutes then it went away. For the most part I don't seem to have pain that amounts to anything other than dental pain a few times. I cracked a rib one time and that was painful till it healed - nothing helped that other than healing.

Dennis

[Brant Gaede]

I have to assume you are not the next thing to a leper.

--Brant

[dennislmay]

I have to assume you are not the next thing to a leper. --Brant

Overweight and don't get enough exercise is about it.

I am pretty boring by many standards.

D

[dennislmay]

I have to assume you are not the next thing to a leper.

--Brant

I think that dental pain at a young age [broke 2 front teeth out at 3 years old] and again

in 3rd grade when permanent teeth, followed by teeth being pulled to make room for braces

set the stage for me during growth to train myself regarding pain. If I have a momentary

headache or earache I can concentrate for a few moments and stop the pain entirely. It

has always worked in moments except one case of an earache that went on for seveal

minutes. Same thing for momentary muscle twitches. I am aware that many people cannot

do this. I suspect that conscious pain control at a young age during brain develpment

affected my responses to many things. I'm not sure why the broken leg never did hurt but

I did get a 3 out of 4 concussion at the same time and did not fully recover for about 9 hours.

I never did take any pain meds for it - doctor said I should wait because of the concussion

but the pain never came.

In any case I see many parallels to addiction issues and reward systems.

Dennis

[Brant Gaede]

"Teeth being pulled for braces" was a technique developed by Dr. Charles H. Tweed, the pioneering orthodontist who was mine in the late 1950s here in Tucson. He also did Terry Goddard the Arizona Attorney General whose father was Gov. of AZ and a friend of Tweed. Tweed died in 1970 but a foundation championing his methodology lives on. His methodology is obsolete, but I don't know if they still pull eye teeth.

--Brant

[dennislmay]

"Teeth being pulled for braces" was a technique developed by Dr. Charles H. Tweed, the pioneering orthodontist who was mine in the late 1950s here in Tucson. He also did Terry Goddard the Arizona Attorney General whose father was Gov. of AZ and a friend of Tweed. Tweed died in 1970 but a foundation championing his methodology lives on. His methodology is obsolete, but I don't know if they still pull eye teeth.

--Brant

Even after they pulled 4 teeth my remaining teeth barely have room and are very tightly packed together. I'm not sure what the improved method would be.

Dennis

[Brant Gaede]

"Teeth being pulled for braces" was a technique developed by Dr. Charles H. Tweed, the pioneering orthodontist who was mine in the late 1950s here in Tucson. He also did Terry Goddard the Arizona Attorney General whose father was Gov. of AZ and a friend of Tweed. Tweed died in 1970 but a foundation championing his methodology lives on. His methodology is obsolete, but I don't know if they still pull eye teeth.

--Brant

Even after they pulled 4 teeth my remaining teeth barely have room and are very tightly packed together. I'm not sure what the improved method would be.

Dennis

Well the remaining teeth are moved to close the spaces. Starting out today, I don't think Tweed would be allowed to have children's teeth pulled as a prelude to orthodontia.

--Brant

[dennislmay]

"Teeth being pulled for braces" was a technique developed by Dr. Charles H. Tweed, the pioneering orthodontist who was mine in the late 1950s here in Tucson. He also did Terry Goddard the Arizona Attorney General whose father was Gov. of AZ and a friend of Tweed. Tweed died in 1970 but a foundation championing his methodology lives on. His methodology is obsolete, but I don't know if they still pull eye teeth. --Brant

Even after they pulled 4 teeth my remaining teeth barely have room and are very tightly packed together. I'm not sure what the improved method would be. Dennis

Well the remaining teeth are moved to close the spaces. Starting out today, I don't think Tweed would be allowed to have children's teeth pulled as a prelude to orthodontia. --Brant

If you're teeth are too big to fit - what option is there but removing some? Mine were too big to even turn sideways and get a good fit. After braces it turned out OK. My remaining teeth are so tightly together flossing is difficult.

Dennis

[Brant Gaede]

"Teeth being pulled for braces" was a technique developed by Dr. Charles H. Tweed, the pioneering orthodontist who was mine in the late 1950s here in Tucson. He also did Terry Goddard the Arizona Attorney General whose father was Gov. of AZ and a friend of Tweed. Tweed died in 1970 but a foundation championing his methodology lives on. His methodology is obsolete, but I don't know if they still pull eye teeth. --Brant

Even after they pulled 4 teeth my remaining teeth barely have room and are very tightly packed together. I'm not sure what the improved method would be. Dennis

Well the remaining teeth are moved to close the spaces. Starting out today, I don't think Tweed would be allowed to have children's teeth pulled as a prelude to orthodontia. --Brant

If you're teeth are too big to fit - what option is there but removing some? Mine were too big to even turn sideways and get a good fit. After braces it turned out OK. My remaining teeth are so tightly together flossing is difficult.

Dennis

Oh, I see you had another reason for braces than I was thinking of.

--Brant