Out-Thinking Parkinson's

My PD-oriented website has just turned 8 years old

As well as writing here on substack, I maintain another website/blog which I call “Out-Thinking Parkinson’s”, that has more articles tailored specifically to people with a Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis. [The reason I started this substack, in addition to the blog, was that in the process of years of self-reflection and learning, I felt I had something valuable to share about the human condition more generally, and I wanted to share these deeper insights, while keeping my Out-Thinking Parkinson's blog specific to PD]. The articles on the Out-Thinking Parkinson’s website also serve as a record of my own healing journey, and my own unfolding self-understanding.

Since the Out-Thinking Parkinson’s website just turned 8 years old this week, I thought I would highlight it here in case any of my substack readers are, directly or indirectly, affected by Parkinson’s, but have not discovered it yet.

I feel the most important contribution of the website is that it fully explains and explores the novel theory that Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease is what happens when someone gets stuck in a type of “Freeze” stress response (also variously known as “tonic immobility”, “death feigning”, “playing possum”, “thanatosis”, or “catatonia”, depending on the source material), due to too much chronic stress.

As well as providing a pathway to understanding, allowing folks with a PD diagnosis to finally be able to answer questions such as “what happened?” and “why me?”, it also points directly to the practical and actionable steps one can take towards progressive symptom reduction.

This perspective is fully explored in a series of posts, which form a mini book, the “chapter headings” of which are.

• The Vagus Nerve;

• The Nervous System;

• Cranial Nerves;

• The Dorsal Vagus Nerve;

• Social Engagement;

• Loneliness, Social Isolation, Estrangement;

• Feeling Safe.

Meanwhile, the most read article on the website, and the one which gets the most search hits, is my article on the roles of the hands in PD.

As well as articles authored by myself, the website features a number of guest posts from other people with a Parkinson’s diagnosis, and also those involved in their care, including an insights section, to give a much broader and deeper insiders’ perspective.

For more information about the Out-Thinking Parkinson’s website, please see the about section, while the faq page is aimed at the newly diagnosed.