Archive for 2011
Budding Duncanrig DJ gets a helping hand from Radio 2. Report by James McSherry
By Kayleigh Mcleod
Second year student Rory Macfadyen got a pleasant surprise when the sound department at Radio 2 provided him with his own professionally produced radio jingle.
Rory, who attends the communication support base at Duncanrig Secondary School in East Kilbride, has been using the school’s radio station to write and present his own show as a means of improving his communication skills.
The team responsible for the Chris Evan’s Breakfast Show created the jingle with the budding DJ in mind.
Teacher Catherine Holmes said: “Rory is a great fan of Radio 2 and, in particular, of The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.
“He has based his own show on The Chris Evans show, calling it ‘The Rory Macfadyen Breakfast Show’.
We contacted the show and sound producer Chris Reay offered not only to send us some of the jingles they use on the show, but to make Rory his own customised jingle based on one of Chris Evans’. Rory is absolutely thrilled with the result.â€
The inspiration behind the radio station is teacher Chris Gerrard who runs the school radio club where students present their own live radio shows at lunchtimes.
Chris said: “I initially discussed with Mrs Holmes about using the equipment in the radio studio to help Rory work on his voice levels.
“Rory has limited functional language due to his Autistic Spectrum Disorder and when asked to speak louder, Rory would shout very loudly and when he was asked to speak more quietly, Rory would whisper.
“We used the radio studio as it is a very visual way in which Rory could gauge how loud or quiet his voice is and Mrs Holmes now refers to the levels used in the radio studio in every day classroom situations such as level 4 voice is perfect, level 2 voice is too quiet.”
Rory’s work for Radio Duncanrig was also recently featured on the Education Showcase Stage at this year’s Scottish Learning Festival.
Chris said: “It’s such a fantastic story and everyone who works with Rory is amazed at how much progress he has made by being a part of Radio Duncanrig.
Read in Full:
http://local.stv.tv/east-kilbride/news/26490-autistic-student-shines-thanks-to-radio-broadcasts/
Jobs allow for involvement, earning competitive wages
Todd Erdes clocks in at the Schwabe North America loading and distribution center every weekday, just like the rest of his coworkers.
He works out at the company gym, goes out after work to play darts or bowl and gets dressed up for the company Halloween party.The main difference between the 31-year-old Green Bay man and the rest of his coworkers is his autism. Erdes’ superiors consider his work ethic second-to-none, and he earns more than $11 per hour.
“He brings a different sense of energy to this company. He’s an individual that wants to be here 24-7 if he could be,” said Isaac Oshefsky, distribution group leader at the manufacturing distributor formerly known as Enzymatic Therapy that produces nutritional supplements. “It opened up my eyes. “But Erdes is an outlier. Most people who spend 10 years in a sheltered workshop, which he did, never find jobs working alongside other nondisabled individuals for competitive wages in the community. Competitive employment is an optimal outcome for many disabled adults and a means to escape poverty and complete dependence, according disability experts. But the extent to which it can be achieved and the role played by sheltered workshops, the largest provider of work and rehabilitation services for the disabled, is a source of contention.
What’s at stake
In Green Bay, Diane Gustin started a gourmet popcorn company called Heart@Work Unlimited, which is focused on employing people with disabilities like her son, Drew Gustin, a 21-year-old with Down syndrome.A longtime business owner, Gustin is convinced that many working-age adults with disabilities have the abilities, work ethic and enthusiasm to contribute to community businesses alongside the rest of the work force just like Drew and others who work with her. She also believes sheltered workshops — her son still works part time at ASPIRO — offer crucial services and training to people with disabilities to help them achieve employment.
Read in Full:
In a shocking revelation, it has been told that the Department of Human Services (DHS) has failed miserably to deal with the case of death of a young autistic boy. The four years old Rory was told to have consumed his father’s medication, an oxycodone tablet, by mistake, and that is what caused the death of the boy.
It was told that the police had done search operation on the bus where the boy was living with his family at that time, and found that parents were taking drugs. It was told by Senior Constable Peter Clayton and Constable Rebecca Creed that the bus was in pathetic condition, and they found a number of spoons with the residue of white powder and several hypodermic needles.
Once the case got registered with the DHS, they started their investigation. It was confirmed that couple of times, the department met the family involved.
To the shock of many, it was told that the DHS has made the decision to shut the case as the family has moved to some other location in December 2003, but when the family approached the department once again, the DHS simply delegated the case to other organizations.
It has shocked Coroner Jennifer Tregent the most, as she told that the DHS showed impatience in dealing with the case and the underlying issue of child abuse.
The deceased boy was told to have two siblings also, and there is similar danger to those ones also. It was told that before closing the case for the first time, the two kids were shifted with a family member in Ballarat, but later when the family moved to the Mildura area, the kids joined them.
“The department’s concern was focused primarily on appropriate housing and they simply ignored the allegations of drug use”, said the Coroner investigating the case, while putting a huge question mark on the DHS.
Source:
http://topnews.us/content/244513-coroner-lashes-out-dhs-over-shutting-case
What it’s like having Aspergers Syndrome
08/11/2011 , 6:42 PM by Penny Marshall
Rudy Simone has Aspergers Syndrome and self diagnosed when she was in her mid 40’s. Her official diagnoses was about three years ago. Since then she’s written six books -Â four directly about the spectrum and two fantasy novels. Rudy was in Launceston today talking with about 130 people about females with the condition, employment options and relationships.
Rudy Simone and Kristen Desmond from Autism Tasmania spoke with Penny Terry on the Drive program.
| Call for Stories: ASAN Investigating Use of Personality Tests |
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Dear Friends and Allies:
If you live in the United States and have recently been turned down for a job that used personality tests as part of the application process, please contact Samantha Crane at samanthac@bazelon.org and Melody Latimer at mlatimer@autisticadvocacy.org. Please include the name of the employer, the approximate date on which you applied for the job and any additional information you feel may be relevant.
Thank you, |
|
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a non-profit organization run by and for Autistic people, fighting for disability rights in the world of autism. Working in fields such as public policy, media representation, research and systems change, ASAN hopes to empower Autistic people across the world to take control of their own lives and the future of our common community. |
Repeat Bouts Of Depression Linked To Low Mastery And Smoking
Editor’s Choice
Academic Journal
Article Date: 26 Oct 2011 – 10:00 PDT
According to a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), the risk factors for individuals experiencing repeat episodes of depression include daily smoking, lack of control over life situations (low mastery) and previous depression.
Depression is a common disorder in which feelings of sadness, anger, loss, or frustration negatively affect the individual’s quality of life. Approximately 65% of individuals with the condition have repeat episodes. In addition the condition can be linked with weight and dietary control as well as pain and inattention to other health issues.
Read in Full:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/236621.php
Rat Study Ties Antidepressants to Autism-like Brain Abnormalities
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 26, 2011
A new study shows that immature rats given a common antidepressant can exhibit brain abnormalities and behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.
Researchers believe the findings suggest that taking a certain class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy may be a factor in the rise in childhood developmental disorders.
“We saw behaviors in the treated rats and neurological problems that indicate their brains are not properly conducting and processing information,†said Rick C.S. Lin, Ph.D., principal investigator on the study. Lin is a professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences at University of Mississippi Medical Center.
“However, based on this study alone it would be premature to conclude that a pregnant mother should stop taking SSRIs. A pregnant mother may do more harm to her baby through untreated depression than by taking prescribed SSRIs. This study is a starting point and a lot more research needs to be done.â€
The study appears online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Read in Full:
Antidepressant Use Up 400 Percent in US
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 25, 2011
The rate of antidepressant use in the United States increased nearly 400 percent over the last two decades, according to a report released Oct. 19.
The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found that 11 percent of Americans over the age of 12 takes an antidepressant, with about 14 percent taking the medication for more than 10 years.
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that antidepressants were the third most common prescription drug taken by Americans of all ages from 2005 to 2008 and the most frequently used medication by people between the ages of 18 and 44.
The study also found that women are two and a half times more likely to take antidepressant medication as males, while 23 percent of women ages 40 to 59 take antidepressants, more than in any other age or sex group.
Read in Full:
http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/10/25/antidepressant-use-up-400-percent-in-us/30677.html
11% Of US Adults And Teens Take Antidepressants
Article Date: 19 Oct 2011 – 13:00 PDT
Antidepressants were taken by 11% of Americans over the age of twelve years during the period 2005-2008, according to a CDC report issued today. Antidepressants are the most common prescription drugs taken by individuals aged 18 to 44 – nearly one quarter of all females aged 40 to 59 take them, the reports informs.
The authors report that teenage women are two times as likely to take antidepressants as adult males. Usage among people aged 12 to 17 is about the same in both sexes.
A higher percentage of over 40s take prescription drugs for depression, compared to those in the 12-39 age group.
Below are some highlighted data from the report:
Read More …
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/236260.php
11 Ways to Help a Loved One in Denial
What if your friend, mother, sibling, or father-in-law is severely depressed but refuses to recognize it?
Most of us have been there at least once in our life: the awkward spot where you know a loved one has a mood disorder or drinking problem, but is too stubborn to admit it and to proud to get help. You might see the consequence his behavior is having on his children, his job, or his marriage, but he is blissfully blind or is in too much pain to see the truth.
What can you do, short of taking the person by his shoulders, shaking him, while screaming, “Wake the hell up and see what you are doing?!?”
It’s very complicated.
Because people are different.
Mood disorders vary.
And families are as unique as the illnesses themselves.
After doing a bit of research and consulting with a few mental health professionals, I have compiled this list of suggestions, to be read as merely that: suggestions.
1. Educate yourself.
The first responsible thing you can do is to educate yourself. Because you can’t really spot a type of disorder without knowing its symptoms. In guessing that a sister is depressed, you should know if there have been any significant changes in her diet, sleep, energy, and so forth. You can’t really assume your brother-in-law is bipolar based on Matt Damon’s performance as a pathological liar/bipolar freak in “The Informant!†or that a friend is obsessive-compulsive because her behavior resembles Jack Nicholson’s in “As Good As It Gets.â€
Educating yourself is not only going to help you gather the facts that you need in order to know how sick your loved is, but it is going to help you feel more in control of the situation—so that you can guard yourself against the fruitcake that will be hurled at you come Christmas dinner. It won’t be a TOTAL surprise.
2. Gather the information.
Here comes the fun part. You get to pretend you are a detective for a month or so and gather any facts you can about the person without a) invading her privacy, or 2) bringing on an awkward confrontation. If you think she is depressed, ask about her diet. “Are you still eating Chipotle’s Burrito Bowl for lunch? No? Why not? Are you still playing tennis on Tuesday nights? Why have you stopped? What book are you reading for your book club? Have you hosted any of the meetings recently? It’s helpful to get together with any mutual friends and/or family members who would have additional information, so that together you can get a truer picture of what’s going on. The person may tell you something that contradicts your sister’s information, and the discrepancy can be even more significant than either of the answers. After studying the symptoms of the disorder that you think your loved one has, you will better know the information you need to find out.
Read in Full:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/10/23/11-ways-to-help-a-loved-one-in-denial/
‘Trading Places’ Most Common Pattern for Couples Dealing With Male Depression
ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2011) — University of British Columbia researchers have identified three major patterns that emerge among couples dealing with male depression. These can be described as “trading places,” “business as usual” and “edgy tensions.”
Published in the Social Science & Medicine journal and led by UBC researcher John Oliffe, the paper details how heterosexual couples’ gender roles undergo radical shifts and strain when the male partner is depressed and the female partner seeks to help. Depression, a disorder often thought of as a women’s health issue, is underreported in men, and little is known about how heterosexual couples respond when the male partner is depressed.
“Overall, our study underscores how women play a key role in helping their male partners manage their depression,” says Oliffe, an associate professor in the School of Nursing whose work investigates masculinities and men’s health with a focus on men’s depression.
Read More …
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111021125806.htm
New Psychotherapy Helps Depression Patients Cultivate Optimistic Outlook Instead Of Traditional Therapy Focus On Negative Thoughts About Past
Article Date: 20 Oct 2011 – 2:00 PDT
Patients with major depression do better by learning to create a more positive outlook about the future, rather than by focusing on negative thoughts about their past experiences, researchers at Cedars-Sinai say after developing a new treatment that helps patients do this.
While Major Depressive Disorder patients traditionally undergo cognitive-behavior therapy care that seeks to alter their irrational, negative thoughts about past experiences, patients who were treated with the newly-developed Future-Directed Therapyâ„¢ demonstrated significant improvement in depression and anxiety, as well as improvement in overall reported quality of life, the researchers found.
Read in Full:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/236281.php
Too Much Undeserved Self-Praise Can Lead To Depression
Article Date: 20 Oct 2011 – 3:00 PDT
People who try to boost their self-esteem by telling themselves they’ve done a great job when they haven’t could end up feeling dejected instead, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
High and low performers felt fine when they assessed themselves accurately, probably because the high performers recognized their strengths and low performers acknowledged their weaknesses and could try to improve their future performance, according to a study in the October issue of the APA journal Emotion.
“These findings challenge the popular notion that self-enhancement and providing positive performance feedback to low performers is beneficial to emotional health. Instead, our results underscore the emotional benefits of accurate self-assessments and performance feedback,” said lead author Young-Hoon Kim, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania.
Read in Full:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/236299.php
Depressed Teens Listen to Heavy Metal Music in Unhealthy Way
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 20, 2011
Youth at risk of depression are more likely to listen habitually and repetitively to heavy metal music, according to research by Dr. Katrina McFerran of the University of Melbourne.
For the study, McFerran, a senior lecturer in Music Therapy at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, conducted in-depth interviews with 50 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 and combined this information with a national survey of 1,000 young people.
Her goal is to create an early intervention model that can be brought into schools to positively impact teens before behavioral problems occur.
“The mp3 revolution means that young people are accessing music more than ever before and it’s not uncommon for some to listen to music for seven or eight hours a day,†she said.
“Most young people listen to a range of music in positive ways; to block out crowds, to lift their mood or to give them energy when exercising, but young people at risk of depression are more likely to be listening to music, particularly heavy metal music, in a negative way.â€
“Examples of this are when someone listens to the same song or album of heavy metal music over and over again and doesn’t listen to anything else. They do this to isolate themselves or escape from reality,†McFerran adds.
“If this behavior continues over a period of time then it might indicate that this young person is suffering from depression or anxiety, and at worst, might suggest suicidal tendencies.”
Read More …
10 Things Not to Say to a Depressed Person
CBS News and Health.com published a nice gallery listing what you should and shouldn’t tell a depressed love one.
I have my own list. Here are 10 things you definitely don’t want to say, a collection of the gems that I heard when well-intentioned people opened their mouths and said something really stupid to me the two years I was in sorry shape.
1. It’s all in your head. You need to think positive.
Upon hearing this, I wanted to throw a life-size figure of Tony Robbins at them. Because, while optimism is certainly important in training the brain, studies have shown that people who are severely depressed or acutely anxious only activate their amydalas (fear center of the brain) by forcing positive thinking.
2. You need to get out of yourself and give back to the community.
This is one that certainly made bad things worse. Because now, in addition to feeling severely depressed, a person also feels guilty and self-absorbed. Yes, giving back is important, but only when a person is healthy enough to hold a ladle at a soup kitchen.
3. Why don’t you try and exercise?
This is good advice. Exercise has strong antidepressant effects. However telling someone that they need to exercise is a little like telling someone their butt looks fat in those jeans. You need to hint at it, but not put it directly on the table, or else the person may very well take up kick-boxing and practice with you.
4. Shop at Whole Foods and you will feel better.
Why does this get me? Because 1) I don’t have the money to shop at Whole Foods, and 2) although I know that my diet affects my mood, and the more organic the better, I resent your telling me that my Frosted Flakes is what’s causing power outage in the left frontal lobe of my brain.
5. Meditation and yoga are all you need.
Correction: meditation and yoga may be all that people experiencing mild and moderate depression need. Both are important tools to reduce depression. However, acute anxiety and severe depression are different animals altogether. In fact, my suicidal thoughts worsened with yoga.
6. Get a new job.
Maybe the job is making your loved one depressed. Stress is never a good thing for our health, and especially our emotional health. It pours toxins into our bloodstream. But don’t encourage a major decision while the person is depressed. A balanced perspective is needed.
Read More …
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/10/19/10-things-not-to-say-to-a-depressed-person/
Dutch Study Shows Cannabis Tied to Risk of Depression in Youth
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 17, 2011
Young people who are genetically vulnerable to depression should be extra careful about smoking marijuana: A new study out of the Netherlands suggests cannabis use can lead to increased risk of developing depressive symptoms.
According to researcher Roy Otten at the Behavioural Science Institute of Radboud University Nijmegen, two-thirds of the population have the gene variant that makes one sensitive to depression.
Many young people use cannabis in the Netherlands, where adult residents can legally smoke cannabis in “coffee shops.†Nearly 30 percent of 16-year-olds indicate they have used cannabis on at least one occasion, and 12 percent that they have used it during the past month.
But besides hindering academic performance, recent studies have also found the use of cannabis increases the risk of developing schizophrenia and psychosis, particularly for those with a genetic predisposition to the disorders.
Smoking hashish and marijuana have been suspected to increase the risk of depression, but no conclusive evidence has been found. Otten said this is partly because earlier studies failed to consider individual genetic vulnerability to depression.
Read in Full:
Antidepressant-Induced Mania Similar to Bipolar Disorder
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 13, 2011
Depressive patients with antidepressant-induced “manic switches†show similar clinical features as individuals with bipolar disorder, research shows.
The findings suggest that people who were previously diagnosed with clinical depression and who have these manic switches might be better classified and treated as actual bipolar patients.
Antidepressant medication can induce a “manic switch†in patients with depression, but manic-switch episodes are currently not considered bipolar disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV, the reference book used to classify and diagnose mental disorders.
Bipolar disorder is broken down into two major types — type I and type II. Type I is characterized by the presence of full-blown manic episodes, while Type 2 is characterized by less extreme manic episodes called hypomania. People with either type of bipolar disorder also experience at least one episode of clinical depression.
Read in Full:
Low GABA Levels Hinder Teens from Experiencing Pleasure
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 8, 2011
Teens with anhedonia — a symptom of depression marked by an inability to experience pleasure — are found to have lower levels of the neurotransmitter GABA in a vital mood-regulating section of the brain, according to a NIMH-funded study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.  Anhedonia is found in up to 59 percent of depressed teens.
In young people, symptoms of depression can be highly varied and often overlap with symptoms of other disorders. This tends to make adolescent depression more difficult to study when using conventional research tools and methods.  However, by focusing on specific symptoms and using various kinds of measuring systems, researchers may be able to discover the pathways and processes underlying depression and other mental disorders.
Guided by research on adults, Vilma Gabbay, M.D., of New York University School of Medicine, and a team set out to focus on the neurotransmitter GABA, which plays a vital role throughout the body and is involved in regulating brain cell communication.
Abnormalities in GABA production or function in the brain have been linked to anhedonia and several other mental disorders, including schizophrenia, postpartum depression, and possibly learning disorders.
Read in Full:
Have you ever been chased by someone in your dreams? Been naked in public? Flown like a bird around a city? Or just felt utterly lost in a maze-like building?
Psychologist and dream researcher Patricia Garfield asserts that these examples are part of 12 basic dreams that all of us dream, regardless of who we are, what we do or where we live.
These “universal dreams,†as Garfield calls them, are far from a dream dictionary packed with generic terms from A to Z. On her website, Garfield writes: “Like a hearty stew that is rich with local produce, the universal dreams differ among different peoples, but they are all nourishing variants of the same wholesome meal. They are as old as humanity and as widespread as our globe. Possibly further.â€
In her book The Universal Dream Key: The 12 Most Common Dream Themes Around the World, Garfield explains that dreams differ based on four factors.
Read in Full:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/10/17/uncovering-your-dreams-12-universal-themes/
Multiple personality disorder — now known in modern psychological lingo as dissociative identity disorder (DID) in the DSM-IV — is a fairly uncommon mental health concern. But it remains an intriguing one because of its nature: The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states. Each of these identities or personality states has its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self, and take alternating control of the person’s behavior.
Sybil is one of the most popularly known individuals who had multiple personality disorder, largely because of a book published in the 1970s that detailed her experience and that of her psychiatrist in trying to help treat her.
Now Debbie Nathan, writing in her new book, Sybil Exposed, suggests that the core diagnosis for Sybil — of multiple personality disorder — was made up by the patient to keep in the good graces of her psychiatrist.
NPR has the story, and describes how Shirley Mason — Sybil’s real name — came to have multiple personality disorder:
Shirley Mason, the real Sybil, grew up in the Midwest in a strict Seventh-day Adventist family. As a young woman she was emotionally unstable, and she decided to seek psychiatric help. Mason became unusually attached to her psychiatrist, Dr. Connie Wilbur, and she knew that Wilbur had a special interest in multiple personality disorder.
“Shirley feels after a short time, that she is not really getting the attention she needs from Dr. Wilbur,†Nathan explains. “One day, she walks into Dr. Wilbur’s office and she says, ‘I’m not Shirley. I’m Peggy.’ … And she says this in a childish voice. … Shirley started acting like she had a lot of people inside her.”
So the implication by the book’s author, Debbie Nathan, is that ‘Sybil’ made up her diagnosis in order to keep the attention of her psychiatrist, Dr. Wilbur, and to gain the emotional rewards from such attention. Shirley Mason wouldn’t be the first patient to ever want increased attention from their therapist.
An interesting hypothesis. But is it true?
Read in Full:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/10/24/was-sybil-faking-multiple-personalities/
Related Article
MindHacks “A Case of Simulated Fragmentation”:
http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/15/a-case-of-simulated-fragmentation/
Lorna Wing MD FRCPsych, the English psychiatrist, physician and one of the founding members of The National Autistic Society recently won the Outstanding Individual Achievement Award at The Charity Times Awards.
This award is given to someone who has demonstrated dedication, professionalism and integrity throughout their career, and who has had an identifiably profound effect on the sector through their work and/or management.
Lorna was recognised on behalf of people affected by autism, including helping to establish the concept of a spectrum of autistic conditions, and founding the NAS.
On awarding Lorna the Outstanding Individual Achievement Award, the Charity Times judges stated:
A clear contribution to the work of those with autism and helping society to understand autism over many decades.
Lorna is one of the world’s leading experts in autism. She became involved in researching the condition after her daughter was diagnosed in the 1950s, when autism was still a decidedly unheard of and misunderstood condition.
In 1962 Lorna founded The National Autistic Society with a group of other parents. Today the NAS is the UK’s leading charity for people affected by autism, with over 20,000 members and more than 100 branches. Every year we provide information, advice and specialist services to 100,000 people living with autism across the UK.
In 1991, Lorna set up the NAS Lorna Wing Centre for Autism, which was the first centre in the country to provide a complete diagnostic, assessment and advice service for children, adolescents and adults with social and communication disorders throughout the UK. Despite now being in her 80s and retired, Lorna continues to work as a consultant at the Centre.
Lorna’s numerous published works have challenged and changed in the field of autism.
Many congratualtions to Lorna on receiving the outstanding achievement award.
Source:
Unusual, psychotic-like symptoms, such as hearing voices, are not as rare among the general population as you might think. For example, it’s estimated that ten per cent of us hear voices that aren’t there, with only a small minority of hearers likely to ever receive a clinical diagnosis. According to a new study, this means that the factors that cause psychotic-like symptoms are likely different from those that lead to a diagnosis of pathological psychosis. Charles Heriot-Maitland and his colleagues argue that this distinction has been missed by the majority of past studies that hunted the causes of psychosis by focusing only on patients, neglecting those who live happily with their psychotic-like experiences.
To make a start rectifying this situation, Heriot-Maitland’s team interviewed six patients with psychosis (recruited via psychosis teams in SE England) and six “healthy” non-patients, who reported similar unusual experiences (recruited via UK networks involved with spiritual or psychic phenomena). Across both groups, these experiences included: receiving visions from God, hearing voices, and feeling that their body had been taken over. Based on their symptoms alone, you couldn’t tell which group a participant belonged to – clinical or non-clinical. The researchers asked all the participants open-ended questions about the circumstances that led to the onset of their unusual experiences, how they felt about them, and how their friends, relatives and other people had responded.
Using a qualitative method called Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the researchers looked for emerging themes in the participants’ answers. Both similarities and differences emerged. In both groups, their unusual psychotic experiences had started after a period of negative emotion, most often accompanied by feelings of isolation and deep contemplation about the meaning of life. However, the groups differed in how they responded to and perceived their odd experiences. Members of the non-clinical group had been more aware of non-medical interpretations of their symptoms; they viewed them as transient and desirable; and people close to them shared this non-pathologising perspective. By contrast, the patients encountered invalidating, medical interpretations of their experiences and were themselves less able to accept their experiences and to incorporate them into their personal and social worlds.
Read More …