Believing what I want
 

So I know I have biases. It is my tendency to look for information that confirms my beliefs instead of conflicts with them. It's normal so whatever. Lately I have been trying to be more aware of it though.

Then this happened; I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. I go online to see how much improvement I can expect because I am all excited about having more energy and focus. I don't have much of a bias going on, I just want to know how much is due to my sleep issues. I found conflicting information from reputable sources. It is not worth treating a mild case, it is absolutely worth treating mild cases. Jebus! Even when I am trying to be objective I can't.

Yeah, the insurance gave me a $3000 machine so it must be worth treating. I had to default to that way of looking at it. What's a girl to do?

Yeah. There are probably, maybe, not very many absolutes. :wink3:

Absolutely! Seek and you shall find...conflicting information. Damn government studies! I do feel a little better after using it. It may be a placebo effect but I'll take it.

Overnight Hospital Tests conducted years ago indicated I've got 'mild' Sleep Apnea.

The first Machine crapped out after some years. I got a much smaller Philips Machine @ n/c via a Michigan Gal Pal who runs a Sleep Clinic. Nice lil Unit.

Mucking with Air Speed is kinda key because it tweaks between being effective, and/or not so breezy that it's uncomfortable. In this dry Climate/State, using the Humidifier is a nice plus. That level can be adjusted. A little goes a long way.

Various Oxygen levels, and other Diagnostics provide objective indications, I think, that these Machines really work. Being in some sort of Instrumentation about my entire Work Life, Objective Evidence can be had. I'm a big believer in the Placebo Effect, so that's 'ok', too. In our Circle of Friends, several Pals use these Machines.

Some Machines reportedly have a +12 Volt [Cigarette Lighter-style Plug] option, so RVers use them while traveling.

Note high Ratings on this moderately-priced Machine:

- Philips CPAP Machine Link -

Good Luck with yours...
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Thanks Mesa. Most everything I found agreed with the fact that I can at least expect an improvement in my mood. I only had 11 episodes per hour and my oxygen was good. What stages of sleep I was in was pretty off though.
I went on Celexa about a year and a half ago and it worked wonderful but then it put weight on me so I think that is when the apnea started to affect me. Now I am in a situation where I am so pissy all the time I need an antidepressant to keep me from freaking out on someone. Hopefully this will help enough where I can return to normal and deal with what I need to in a rational manner.

Severe apnea. I have been using a CPAP since 2007. About 3 years ago it broke and I had to go without for about 3 weeks. I was miserable! (So miserable I bought a spare.)

It's a nuissance - hoses, masks, cleaning, distilled water, etc. - but a small price to pay for the glorious sleep I get.

I remember waking up in the sleep clinic thinking, I slept better than I thought I would only to have the technician walk in and say Dude, you've got sleep apnea! You didn't sleep at all! (He really said Dude) I had no idea how poorly was sleeping until I was sleeping better.

I was just telling someone the other day that one of the biggest myths around is that lack of sleep won't kill you. It does in a million ways I won't go into ... just think it through.

That said ... bias and looking at "facts" can be pretty misleading. Right now I've been told that my vision is fine with the glasses I have and I just need eye drops.... 2 weeks later, I still can't tell and 8 from a 6 by the end of the day. I'm just saying that we experience what we experience and sometimes we don't know what the "truth" or "cause" is.

I know I am bias. I make judgments. In the end I just try to do what I can to make things a bit better and accept that my body won't always do what it is designed to do (especially as I age).

Don't know if this helps, but I just don't sweat the small stuff ... like am I right or are they right .... Just do what you can and learn to live with how things are.

A bit weird of a response, but you were talking about bias affecting decisions and this is a lot about how to deal with that for me.