Electro-Smog: Addiction & Withdrawal

They say...“Believe only half of what you see and nothing of what you hear.” nevertheless, this recently heard story got me thinking.

A woman, who regularly had headaches after each day working in a heavily electrosmoged office, discovered the way to prevent them was to keep her mobile phone and wi-fi switched on at home. 

Electric Forester has already written about similar rebound effects when people are new to using bed shielding canopies. Reports from users suggest withdrawal effects are possible when they are able to escape the perpetual onslaught of electro-smog, now endemic in most everyday environments.

Intoxication & Addiction:

When a body has been ‘intoxicated’ for some time, it becomes habituated or acclimated and may demand regular top-ups.  It is not unusual for adverse effects to accompany stimulus withdrawal. This should not be surprising as external factors (chemical substances / pathogens / radiation etc.) which require the body to ‘accommodate’ them cause the body to respond with a sophisticated and complex array of counter-measures. If the stimulus suddenly goes away, coping strategies, which have perhaps been developed over time, become excess to requirements and potentially toxic to the body. To neutralise these defensive measures before they themselves turn toxic, the quickest and easiest way is to give them something useful to do and that can be to give them more of the toxin upon which they are targeted. In consequence the cycle of addiction and withdrawal, repeats.

Timing:

If the impact of the toxin were immediately countered by measures whose effects last exactly as long as the toxin, then balance would be maintained, but there is likely to be a delay in the production of counter measures as they ramp-up to respond to the initial assault. There will be a lag so that if the stimulus is withdrawn the antidote level will overshoot and exceed the required level, unless the body has some way of detecting or predicting the changing level of exposure in advance. The sneeze is a case in point. It allows the body to reject the input and buys it time to prepare. For airborne chemicals, the outer sensors in the nose send an immediate message to the brain. By the time a chemical reaches the lungs, the body is already mounting counter-measures. In a similar way, the smell of fresh coffee alerts the body what to expect and gives it, based on similar experiences, an idea of the quantitative level to expect (how hot, strong, sweet etc.) and thus forewarns the body to prepare appropriate actions to handle it.

Dependence:

If the body has been fending off attacks for a long time, sudden cessation of the protagonist can produce an intensification of alertness. It is as if the senses believe the threat is still present, so it becomes hypersensitive in a attempt to detect it. Only after the body is satisfied that the threat really has gone away, does it allow its defences to stand down and return to a more normal level.

Too Quiet To Sleep:

City dwellers can find it difficult to sleep in the still of the countryside, their bodies having become accustomed to the constant stimulus of the metropolis. There are well accepted physiological reasons for this. If the trillions of cells which make up a human body never get the chance to relax properly, they build up a toxic burden. When they are finally able to process their backlog, suddenly a whole variety of previously sequestered toxins have to be simultaneously dealt with. This is likely to be something the body will resist until it is sure it will have the capability and time to complete the necessary reactions.

A Change Is As Good As A Rest:

A new environment contains different ‘stimulants’, which in turn demand alternative counter-measures and provides the body with the chance to rebuild reserves.

Is it time for a holiday from Electro-smog?

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145 Mobile Reassurances

or 

Whatever You Need To Tell Yourself

To operate in the world, to live easily with our fellow travellers, takes confidence. It takes a trust that whatever happens, whatever we do, we will be able to prevail upon the world and survive more or less intact. But what if that trust is misplaced and some of the things we and our fellow citizens routinely do really does put us in danger? What if how we live our lives, by our own actions and those of the rest of society all around us, puts us and our wellbeing in jeopardy?

Sometimes it is necessary to take risks. If we want to fly or drive there is a certain level of risk and it is generally understood to be ‘low enough’. If we choose to smoke or drink or indulge in some other form of drug use, then we accept there may be some unfortunate side-effects and that ultimately we may be forced to accept the consequences. Adults know these things but we become good at suppressing them and keeping them from impinging on our conscious mind’s awareness. If we could not be so selective, we would never be able to give our attention to what is really important. Children take many years to learn such discernment for themselves. In the meantime, it is adults who are responsible for securing their environment for them and keeping them safe as they grow up.

Much of human existence is spent searching for relief. Relief from poverty, pain, worry, loneliness, boredom, oppression, cold, heat - the list goes on and on but the common theme remains. Relief. An aspect of addiction is a yearning for that sense of relief. When addiction’s overwhelming desire is satiated, a sense that all is right with the world prevails, at least temporarily. Whatever other shortcomings we believe our lives hold, they are for the moment put to one side. Addiction, like denial, is a diversionary tactic to save us from having to think worrisome thoughts or recognise the inadequacies in our lives.

So what do you tell yourself about your little mobli’s emissions that allows you to be relieved to have it constantly by your side?

It is now clear from mountains of research that mobile/cell-phone users are incapable of listening to reason. In case you are in this group and your chosen mantra is becoming a bit repetitive, here are some more to choose from:

1.               I need my phone to live a full life.

2.               There have been studies but they’re not conclusive.

3.               How could so small a thing hurt me?

4.               It’s a low SAR phone so I’ll be alright.

5.               It won’t happen to me.

6.               The benefits outweigh the risks.

7.               If it starts to affect me, I’ll cut down using it.

8.               If it affects me greatly, I’ll stop using it.

9.               Its for my security. What if I need to summon help?

10.            I only use it in emergencies.

11.            I don’t use it much.

12.            I text more than I talk.

13.            I may cut down one day, but not right now.

14.            Its just so useful.

15.            Its my alarm-clock, video camera, Internet, e-mail, FM radio, media player, GPS, games console. Its everything to me…

16.            Its my life!

17.            Its sexy, cool and very useful. That’s enough for me!

18.            Its essential, I could not live without it.

19.            I don’t always hold it on the same side of my head.

20.            I mostly keep my calls short.

21.            I swap sides during long calls.

22.            I stop when my ear burns.

23.            I stop when I get a headache.

24.            I hold it lightly.

25.            I usually use it on speaker.

26.            I hold it away from my head - unless I think I look stupid.

27.            I work-out, take supplements, eat organic. I’m careful in other ways.

28.            I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs so overall my risk is low.

29.            The link to cancer is unproven.

30.            I’m charmed.

31.            Everyone I know has got one and they seem Okay.

32.            I’d be socially isolated if I didn’t have one.

33.            4.5 Billion people can’t be wrong.

34.            The Government is there to protect me. That’s their job.

35.            The FCC, FDA, WHO, HPA, MOA, ICNIRP, DECT, they say there are NO adverse health effects, so it must be alright.

36.      Billions of Pounds, Dollars, Euros, Yen worldwide do not corrupt true scientists and politicians.

37.            Scientific journals and peer reviews safeguard us from junk science.

38.            I’m glad people like Ben Goldarse tirelessly root out bad science.

39.            Manufacturers and the operators have to tell the truth.

40.            All my friends say mobile-phones are not a risk.

41.            Published peer reviewed reseach has not found a risk.

42.            Its probably not doing me much harm, but what the hell, nothing is absolutely safe.

43.            I’d be lost without it.

44.            Its indispensable.

45.            Its a part of me. Its part of who I am.

46.            I only keep it in my handbag.

47.            Its reassuring and handy to have in my pocket.

48.            I need it for work. My employer insists on it.

49.            Its not just mobile phones you know…

50.            It shows I’m connected, important, influential, worthy, powerful.

51.            There may be trouble ahead…

52.            It makes me attractive, with-it and trendy.

53.            Nothing can touch me when I’m on my mobli.

54.            Its just so powerful and incredibly useful.

55.            Its like having a second brain.

56.            It’ll take decades to know for sure, in the meantime I’ll carry on.

57.            I pay enough for it, I’m certainly going to use it.

58.            I get free calls, free texts, free wi-fi so why not?

59.            My company pays so it costs me nothing to use it.

60.            I can call for free. How smart am I?

61.            My ring tone is so cool, so part of me and my personality.

62.            Mine has an external antenna so its safer.

63.            Mine’s got no antenna so its safer.

64.            On it I can play games, listen to music, read books, dah de dah de dah.

65.            I need it in case my boss, partner, lover, nanny, builder, plumber…calls.

66.            Each time it rings it proves I’m indispensable. It shows I’m needed.

67.            Its how paid work comes to me.

68.            Its how I get dates.

69.            I need it. I want it. I can have it.

70.            I can get away with it.

71.            I’d rather have a brain tumour than be lonely.

72.            People who do not have a mobile are sad.

73.            People who don’t have a mobile, cordless or Wi-Fi are Luddites.

74.            People who say they are dangerous don’t appreciate the benefits.

75.            It allows opportunities to come my way.

76.            It keeps me in the loop, informed and up to date.

77.            It allows me to know stuff before other people.

78.            What if something happened and I couldn’t be reached straightaway?

79.            I’m more efficient and employable if I carry a mobile phone.

80.            It gives me a better life now even if it might shorten it in the future.

81.            It improves my chances and my prospects.

82.            It means I can enjoy sex more knowing I’m sterile.

83.            I can’t imagine my life without a mobile phone / PDA / wi-fi’d computer.

84.            A mobile phone is not as bad as….

85.            When its proven to cause cancer, I’ll stop. Till then I won’t worry about it.

86.            Sure I can drive, talk and listen all at the same time. Can’t you?

87.            Its very clever. I’m very clever for having one.

88.            Its why we have thumbs.

89.            People expect me to have one. I’m part of what’s happening.

90.            People assume you’ve a mobile phone or you’re some kind of dork.

91.            I believe the adverts. “Live for now”, “The future’s bright”

92.            Why would anyone want to track me?

93.            Ringing: Its for me! I wonder who it could be?

94.            Someone loves / needs / wants me.

95.            I love it when you call.

96.            I have control.

97.            It gives me early warning of problems at home, at work, travelling.

98.            I’ve got some great apps.

99.            Look at all this data I can carry around with me.

100.         I hope I’ve enough talk time / battery / stored numbers / pictures, videos, music…

101.         What is Coltan? Where is The Congo?

102.         Newer phones are much safer.

103.         I need a better phone.

104.         Wired headsets don’t carry signals into your brain.

105.         Airtube headsets are fiddly and not very loud.

106.         My mobli is my best friend.

107.         I’d die if I couldn’t use my phone.

108.         It works by magic.

109.         Its an essential safeguard in a dangerous and unpredictable world.

110.         If safeguards my kids.

111.         My kids made me get one. They respect me more now.

112.         Its what I need right now. Don’t worry me.

113.         Knowing how to use all its features gives me advantages.

114.         I like it.

115.         When I’m on it, I feel happy, important, useful, wanted, informed…

116.         Just having one I can call anyone in the world I want, anytime.

117.         It gives me global reach, from anywhere.

118.         People can reach me anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Its great!

119.         If cancer doesn’t get you, something else will.

120.         I can’t see how using a mobile could cost me my eyesight?

121.         I have not heard that using a mobile could cost me my hearing.

122.         I don’t understand how just using a mobile could cost me my life.

123.         I’m too busy to think about it right now, I’m on the phone.

124.         People who are that concerned should ‘get a life’.

125.         Its my passport to all good things - friends, love, fame, fortune…

126.         Its my most important and treasured possession.

127.         Its my lifeline

128.         Its a free country.

129.         Its a personal choice.

130.         If I get a tumour I’ll have it removed. What’s the problem?

131.         If I get cataracts it’s a simple operation to have them removed.

132.         I don’t wear metal ear rings or metal framed glasses so I’ll be Okay.

133.         I’ve had my amalgams removed, so I’ll be fine now.

134.         If I get a headache, I’ll take a pill.

135.         If people are worried they should see their doctor.

136.        Smiley happy people show me that its alright, that its Okay for me to want to be just like them.

137.         There are now so many sources of wireless emissions, what’s another?

138.         If something bad happens, I’ll sue.

139.         I get a great signal here.

140.         I’ve got the best phone and the best airtime calling plan. How clever.

141.         Some people can’t take it. Too bad. That’s evolution.

142.         I use a Bluetooth headset, so I’ll be Okay.

143.         If mobiles are dangerous, why haven’t I heard more about it?

144.         What the hell. You can’t live in a bubble, cut-off from everyone.

145.         I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. In the meantime, I’ll carry on.

If the odds of something really bad happening to you are 1 in 100,000, at the point your one and only body is diagnosed with something very nasty, your odds are 1 in 1.

Ask yourself “What are the chances microwave radiation is good for me?”

Ask yourself “How long can I expect to keep getting away with it?”

A mobile phone is like a Femme Fatale: Beautiful, intelligent, capable and deadly. 260 lifetime hours on your sexy little mobli is all it takes to double your risk of a brain tumour. How much of your brain will be lost if you are even able to find and afford someone to cut it out and what kind of hell will you and your family go through in the meantime?

The writing is on the wall. All those calls are adding to your 260 lifetime hours.

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Where Would We All Be Without Electricity?

Where would we all be if it were not for the hard work of the electricity companies? The answer is clear. We would all be in a very sorry state, our lives and prospects immeasurably diminished. For some however, the EHS, their lives have been and continue to be both improved and blighted by electromagnetism.

The electrical power industries surely would not want their linesman's lives jeopardised any more than they have to be. It may be in their best interests to encourage research into the how and why of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity - EHS. By selecting-out job applicants who may be predisposed to succumb to EHS they will not only be doing applicants a service but will be acting responsibly and with due diligence. They will also not be squandering their training and safety budgets on workers who may ultimately be unable to perform the dangerous roles for which they have been prepared. Of course there are occupational hazards involved in the work of electricity supply, generation and distribution. That in itself should not cause those involved concern as it is self-evident that there are risks associated with electromagnetism, as indeed there are around most of the powerful industrial forces that now enhance our lives.

But, can running high-voltage cables over people's houses still be justified in a fair and decent society, where treating others as one would wish to be treated is something to which we can all aspire?

Criticism of Distribution Network Operators may not be entirely fair as a lot of the infrastructure is a legacy of times past when questioning the adequacy of electricity safeguards was considered unpatriotic. The less obvious dangers were glossed-over then. Today, undue influence on policies and the media ensure the effects are just as invisible. So too is the suffering of those living with the consequences and it will remain invisible as long as denial and ignorance prevail in society.

Incredibly, new houses are still being built under power lines, a practice the Government continues to allow as it prevaricates year after year, allowing risks to perpetuate, generation after generation.

Where, in all of this, are the people we elected to represent us? Where is the honour and integrity amongst civil servants and industry members whose safeguards, we the people, demand adequately protect workers and all members of British society?

Are those struck down by EHS just so much collateral damage? Are the injustices they endure merely so much water to be callously shrugged off the backs of those who supposedly took on the role of society’s protectors?

You may feel this issue does not affect you or anyone you care about. Sufferers of EHS have had this functional impairment bestowed upon them slowly, over time or suddenly, overnight. To-date there is no certain remedy for EHS except avoidance of all things electrical. Be cautious if you dismiss the suffering of the EHS out-of-hand. In the future, you too could find yourself an unwilling pioneer and come to realise for better or worse, there is no way back to the life you know now.