Looking Closer (II)

Before the giant acted on Sal as an expulsion inhibitor, Sal experienced a simple stress cycle (figure 5). The bio-stressor of dust in the nose moved Sal into an uncomfortable state. After moving through the lull stage, Sal's expulsion (the sneeze) would have been all that was required to move Sal back to a peaceful state.

However, when an expulsion inhibitor was introduced (the twenty-four-foot giant), the cycle was interrupted; which caused the cycle to remain unresolved back to a peaceful state. The giant interrupted the cycle by projecting terror and shame onto Sal which introduced new stressors and added to the old stressor of dust in the nose. Shame and terror are emotional-stressors. Attached to the old bio-stressor cycle of sneezing is a new cycle created by the new stressors of terror and shame (figure 6).

This newly created cycle is composed of two related cycles. The combining of two stress cycles is called a"complex cycle." It is complex because it is formed from two or more related cycles. The attached second cycle, is almost hidden from conscious thought processes, because it is so closely attached to the first cycle. The second cycle is a type of incredibly fast self talk which must eventually be slowed down and examined. "Easy to say, hard to do, but can be done over time and as a person feels a greater sense of safety." This will be explained in more detail later in this section.

Now not only does Sal have the original cycle to be resolved (the sneeze cycle), but in addition, a second related cycle of shame and terror also needs to be resolved in order to resolve to a peaceful state.

In complex cycles, each cycle attached to (created after) a simple cycle is called "Old Baggage" if it prevents the original simple cycle from being resolved back to the peaceful state. Old baggage cycles need to be resolved in order for a complex cycle to be resolved.

By using people as an object of an addiction, I have noticed myself at different times in my life, as well as other addicts, create complex stress cycles for infants, toddlers, adolescents, and adults by becoming an expulsion inhibitor. This unfortunate circumstance is created through the use of destructive control behaviors. The use of destructive control behaviors is almost always present in an expulsion inhibitor. And becoming an expulsion inhibitor is not exclusive to addict parents or other dependent authority figures. Siblings, cousins, schoolmates, bullies, and neighborhood friends may also be added to the list of expulsion inhibitors. Anyone in a child's awareness that has the power to use, or incite the use of, destructive control behaviors is an expulsion inhibitor.

So where does this leave Sal? Like poor Sam. . . . . . . with a very complex load.

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