Freddie Mac, a leading mortgage finance company, is partnering with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) to create a more inclusive workplace. Starting next year, Freddie Mac will be offering 2-3 internships for young adults on the autism spectrum with backgrounds in statistics, mathematics, economics, computer science or information technology. ASAN will be working with Freddie Mac to provide employer training on accommodation needs and recruiting qualified applicants on the autism spectrum. We’re looking for resumes from recent college graduates on the autism spectrum with the following qualifications:

• *Degree or background in mathematics, computer science, statistics, economics, or information technology;
• *Some experience with statistical modeling software, particularly SAS, SPSS, Stata, R, or SPlus;
• *A strong work ethic;
• *A willingness to work in a collaborative fashion to craft a job description that is both accessible and meets Freddie Mac’s business needs;
• *Applicants must either be currently in the DC Metro area or be willing to relocate to the DC Metro area for the duration of the internship;

These internship opportunities will be paid and may lead to further opportunities with the company. All internships will be based in the DC Metro area. Please email your resume to resumes@autisticadvocacy.org. We look forward to hearing from 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.

 

Genetic Mutation Links Inherited Narcolepsy With Multiple Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Article Date: 11 Sep 2011 – 0:00 PDT

Narcolepsy is a rare disorder characterized by an excessive urge to sleep at inappropriate times and places. Narcoleptics are also often subject to “cataplexy,” a sudden muscle weakness that is triggered by strong emotions. Although most cases of narcolepsy are thought to be caused by complex mechanisms, a small percentage of cases are associated with unidentified inherited mutations. Now, a new study published by Cell Press in the American Journal of Human Genetics uncovers a mutation that causes narcolepsy in a large family affected by the disorder. The research sheds new light on the genetics of inherited narcolepsy and provides intriguing insight into other complex neuropsychiatric disorders.

Read in Full:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/234158.php

Insomnia Exhausts US Productivity

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on September 2, 2011

Have trouble sleeping at night? If so, you are not alone as new research shows that insomnia is costing the average U.S. worker 11.3 days, or $2,280 in lost productivity every year. That’s $63.2 billion for the nation as a whole; 252.7 days.

“We were shocked by the enormous impact insomnia has on the average person’s life,” said lead author Ronald C. Kessler, Ph.D.

“It’s an underappreciated problem. Americans are not missing work because of insomnia. They are still going to their jobs but accomplishing less because they’re tired. In an information-based economy, it’s difficult to find a condition that has a greater effect on productivity.”

Read in Full:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/09/02/insomnia-exhausts-us-productivity/29138.html

Women, sleep, and age

Published on August 31, 2011 by Michael J. Breus, Ph.D. in Sleep Newzzz

• 1.  Difficulty falling asleep
• 2.  Trouble staying asleep
• 3.  Problems with daytime alertness

In addition to difficulty with nightly sleep, as we age we’re less likely to be able to cope with disruptions to our night-day routines, including difficulty adapting to time-zone changes, or working non-traditional hours, late at night or early in the morning.

Sleep is a critical factor in our long-term health and well being:studies show that it can play an important role in extending health and longevity and lack of sleep, in turn, can pose serious health consequences as we age.

Women face particular challenges to sleep throughout their lives. Research shows they are more likely than men to experience difficulty sleeping. Evidence also suggests that over time, sleeplessness can have a more serious impact on women’s overall health than on men’s. Some of the sleep challenges for women are a matter of physiology, and others can be a matter of the many roles and responsibilities that women so often take on, particularly as mothers.

Read in Full:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201108/is-the-circadian-rhythm-less-effective-age

Will chats about Anne Droyd, The Feeling’s Unmutual, Doctor Who and Asperger Syndrome in this interesting and not to be missed interview with host John S. Drew.

Will published his debut children’s novel Anne Droyd and Century Lodge in 2002. It was later republished as an “Asperger adventure” in 2004 alongside Will’s autobiography The Feeling’s Unmutual. The latter was endorsed by Doctor Who actor Colin Baker and Tripods author John Christopher.

In 2008 Will published Anne Droyd and the House of Shadows. The third instalment, Anne Droyd and the Ghosts of Winter Hill, is due in February 2010.

His latest book, a teen novel entitled The Blueprint, will be released this Fall.

To Tune in:
http://chronicrift.com/

By Hannah Waters | September 20, 2011

When I unwrapped my New York Times on Sunday, I was met with a surprise: A front-page, above-the-fold story about a young adult with autism. The story — a must-read, which you can do here — follows Justin Canha, a 20-year old with autism as he stretches towards adulthood and aspires to an independent life. The feature, written by Amy Harmon, who won a National Academies communication award last week for her  “Target: Cancer” series, is beautifully wrought and a joy to read. It’s already been praised as a brilliant and insightful piece of medical journalism on blogs and twitter.

But I want to praise it for something else. Many articles about autism focus on the highest-functioning people on the spectrum, who certainly struggle socially, but who are brilliant beyond average academically or in some other quirky way. (Often they have Asperger’s syndrome, which will no longer be a diagnosis with the publication of the fifth edition of the psychiatric handbook,  the DSM-5, in May 2013, merging into the broader autistic spectrum.) Instead, Harmon celebrates Justin, a young man with a knack for cartooning, but whose autism is more familiar to me than in any profile I’ve read thus far.

And I am quite familiar with autism, as my youngest brother, Jonah, is on the autistic spectrum. There was a point in my life when I had to explain what autism was nearly every time I spoke about him. But I rarely have to do that anymore. As soon as I mention his diagnosis, acquaintances sigh with recognition, as if they know what that means. And, no doubt, they know more than they once did: autism awareness has never been higher, with one in 110 children born now diagnosed. But I wish I were still given the chance to explain. Too frequently, they follow-up with statements about his intellectual gifts — “Oh, he must be really smart then.” — a sign of the influence of the stories about those with high-functioning autism.

I usually laugh, and respond, “ah, yes, he is smart.” But I don’t mean ‘smart’ in any way that society currently values. At nearly 16-years old, Jonah can’t count change or multiply. He has favorite books, but he flips through them too frantically to actually absorb the text. I swell with triumph whenever we have a conversation that lasts longer than 30 seconds, an actual exchange rather than repetitions of his favorite topics, which include pasta shapes, wheeled vehicles, and what we’re having for dinner that night. What I see as his ‘smartness’ is his view of the world, little influenced by the social and societal pressures that feed my own insecurities.

In her article, Harmon gets at that smartness in her descriptions of Justin. It’s very difficult to articulate but, given the expanse of a feature, she was able to do it through dialogue and his interactions with others. And my eyes teared up as I recognized Jonah, the kind of autism that I know and love so dearly, in an autistic character portrayed elsewhere.

Read in Full:

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/culturing-science/2011/09/20/learning-to-understand-non-genius-autistic-people/

Sep 21, 2011 03:14 ET

The software testers at Aspiritech are a collection of characters. Katie Levin talks nonstop. Brian Tozzo hates driving. Jamie Specht is bothered by bright lights, vacuum cleaners and the feel of carpeting against her skin. Rider Hallenstein draws cartoons of himself as a DeLorean sports car. Rick Alexander finds it unnerving to sit near other people.

This is the unusual workforce of a U.S. startup that specializes in finding software bugs by harnessing the talents of young adults with autism.

Traits that make great software testers — intense focus, comfort with repetition, memory for detail — also happen to be characteristics of autism. People with Asperger’s syndrome, a mild form of autism, have normal to high intelligence and often are highly skilled with computers.

Aspiritech, a nonprofit in Highland Park, Ill., nurtures these skills while forgiving the quirks that can make adults with autism unemployable: social awkwardness, poor eye contact, being easily overwhelmed. The company’s name plays on the words “Asperger’s,” “spirit” and “technology.”

Clients, nine companies in Aspiritech’s first two years, have been pleased.

“They exceeded my expectations,” said Dan Tedesco of Shelton, Conn.-based HandHold Adaptive, which took a chance on Aspiritech to test an iPhone application. “There is a pride in their product you don’t usually see in this type of work.”

Aspiritech was founded by Moshe and Brenda Weitzberg after their son, Oran, now 32, was fired from a job bagging groceries. Oran was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when he was 14. He now works at Aspiritech.

“He went from failing at bagging groceries to being one of the best software testers on our team,” said Brenda Weitzberg.

The Weitzbergs modeled Aspiritech on a successful Danish company called Specialisterne, or “the Specialists.” Specialisterne also employs software testers with autism. Its satisfied clients include Oracle and Microsoft.

Read in Full:

http://www.salon.com/wires/health/2011/09/21/D9PSOSQO0_us_autism_at_work/index.html

Along life’s journey, we all face challenges that are seemingly sent to test us and our ability to cope and grow. We may be sent reeling, brought to our knees, rendered obsolete for a time, minus life’s compass after the death of a loved one, regardless of faith. Hopefully, we emerge stronger given time. One of the hardest challenges in life is that of death, the coming to terms, the letting go, and eventual re-emergence of our ‘self’. Sometimes, we may have time to prepare ourselves for its coming, other times it may creep up on us, all too abruptly, leaving us fighting for breath, struggling to cope from one day to the next.

For some, there may be a sense of relief, especially if this loss involved significant suffering over time. Our reactions and our grief, may differ significantly in expression, from one person to the next and from one day to the next. The rollercoaster ride is very real and very much a part of the grieving process. Some may feel broken, withdrawing from life for some time as a part of ‘coming to terms’ with their loss, while others have a strong desire to talk and share.

Others may outwardly present as strong and ever resilient, whether they are in actuality or not. I’m aware of teenagers on the spectrum who have experienced loss of a parent and have veered dangerously off course onto a self destructive path, in desperate need of an anchor. Just as surely as each human being on the planet is unique and complex, so equally unique and complex may their reactions be.

It should be noted that the loss of a person, not necessarily through death, but as a significant presence in our lives may have the same impact as that of death. This is never more true than for that of an autistic person who tends to be referenced to others. An autistic person may feel emotion far more intensely than one who is not on the autism spectrum. (See “Asperger’s Theory Does About Face – A groundbreaking study suggests people with autism-spectrum disorders such as Asperger’s do not lack empathy – rather, they feel others’ emotions too intensely to cope.http://www.thestar.com/article/633688)

A strong sense of bereavement may be experienced, even for young children on the spectrum, at changes in for example, school settings(the move from one known and learned environment to another), the loss of a friend or perceived friend(due to moving or otherwise).

It is not unusual for a child or adult on the spectrum to laugh or giggle in circumstances where one would anticipate an expression of embarrassment, discomfort, pain or sadness. Unusual reactions toward a death in the family, such as laughter or mania as studied by Berthier(1995) are by no means uncommon for those on the spectrum. This is likely due to the inability to express appropriate and subtle emotions. This is by no means evidence of mental illness or callousness. Understanding and tolerance of idiosyncratic ways of expressing grief is needed. ~Julie

The following compilation of articles and resources will be updated as time allows.

ARTICLES

“Death, Bereavement and Autism Spectrum Disorders”:

http://www.autism.org.uk/living-with-autism/at-home/death-bereavement-and-autism-spectrum-disorders.aspx

“Grief Reactions Subside In Most Children & Teens Whose Parent Dies Suddenly, But May Persist Or Increase In Some Cases”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/09/16/loss-grieving-grief-reactions-subside-in-most-children-teens-whose-parent-dies-suddenly-but-may-persist-or-increase-in-some-cases/

“Losing a Parent Can Be Fatal”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/04/01/loss-grieving-losing-a-parent-can-be-fatal/

“On Losing a Child”:
https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/loss-grieving-on-losing-a-child/

“Surviving the Suicide of Someone You Love/Dealing With Grief & Loss(Post Fort Hood)”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/surviving-the-suicide-of-someone-you-lovedealing-with-grief-losspost-fort-hood/

“Living While Dying – Learning To Live In The Face Of Cancer”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/04/13/living-while-dying-learning-to-live-in-the-face-of-cancer/

“Can Mindfulness Alter The Power That Death Holds Over Us?”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/03/01/can-mindfulness-alter-the-power-that-death-holds-over-us/

“Grief Versus Depression”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/grief-versus-depression/

“The Holiday Season: When SAD and Grief Occur”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/the-holiday-season-when-sad-and-grief-occur/

“Loss on Holidays & Special Days”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/loss-grieving-loss-on-holidays-special-days-2/

“Grieving: 7 Tips To Get You Through The Holidays”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/09/grieving-7-tips-to-get-you-through-the-holidays/

“Improved ‘Prolonged Grief Disorder’ Criteria Would Help Bereaved”:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/improved-prolonged-grief-disorder-criteria-would-help-bereaved-2/

“Working Through Grief: It’s Different For Everyone”:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174916.php

“Managing Anxiety and Grief Made A Little Easier”:

http://www.grief-healing-support.com/anxiety-and-grief.html

“Mind Hacks: The Evolution of Death and Dying”:

http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2010/01/the_evolution_of_dea.html

Books: Review of “The Other Side of Sadness” by George A. Bonanno

The findings of George A. Bonanno, a clinical psychologist who interviewed hundreds of grieving people, were different from those of Freud and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.

• Read an Excerpt From ‘The Other Side of Sadness’

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/health/29book.html?ref=science

Fact Sheet “Death in the Family”

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinformation/mentalhealthproblems/bereavement/deathinthefamily.aspx

BOOKS

“When Dad Died”:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/booksbeyondwords/bbw/1904671047.aspx

“When Mum Died”:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/booksbeyondwords/bbw/1904671039.aspx

“When Somebody Dies”:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/booksbeyondwords/bbw/1901242900.aspx

“Bereavement, Loss and Learning Disabilities: A Guide for Professionals and Carers”

Robin Grey

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849050203

“Autism and Loss”

Rachel Forrester-Jones and Sarah Broadhurst

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781843104339

RESOURCES

Cruse Bereavement Care
Able to talk about any form of bereavement (not autism or disability specific).
Helpline: 0870 167 1677
Email: helpline@crusebereavementcare.org.uk
www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk

RD4U
Website designed by young people for young people (not autism or disability specific). It is a part of Cruse Bereavement Cares Youth Involvement Project. Private messages can be sent to trained volunteers through the website, or you can speak to them direct through the free Helpline: 0808 808 1677 (Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm)
www.rd4u.org.uk

Resources for Grieving Families

GriefShare:

http://www.griefshare.org/

GriefNet:

http://griefnet.org/

Compassionate Friends/Salem, Or:

http://salemtcf.org/

Compassionate Friends, Portland, Or:

http://tcfportland.org/

Crisis, Grief & Healing for Men:

http://www.webhealing.com/

Lamenting Sons: Fathers & Grief:

http://lifegard.tripod.com/index-4.html

Grief Watch:

http://www.griefwatch.com/

Silent Grief:

http://silentgrief.com/

Alive Alone: Loss of Only Child:

http://www.alivealone.org/

Grandparent Grief:

http://missfoundation.org/family/grandparents.html

Books for Grieving Families:

http://astore.amazon.com/journalinthro-20?node=2&page=2

Resources for Siblings

The Dougy Center, Portland, Or:

http://www.dougy.org/

Me, Too. & Company: supporting children and families in grief:

http://www.oregonhospice.org/metoo_and_company.htm

Adult Sibling Grief:

http://www.adultsiblinggrief.com/

Sibling Survivors of Suicide:

http://www.connect.legacy.com/inspire/sibling-survivors-of-suicide?&sn=flint

KIDSAID:

http://www.kidsaid.com/

Books on Helping Children & Teens with Death & Grief:

http://www.carefordying.org/mainwebsite_html/books/bookHelp.html

Infant Loss

Mend:

http://www.mend.org/support/home.asp

Hannah’s Prayer:

http://www.hannahscupboard.com/hannahs-prayer.html

Brief Encounters, Oregon:

http://www.briefencounters.org/home/

M.I.S.S. Foundation:

http://www.missfoundation.org/

First Candle(S.I.D.S. Loss):

http://sidsalliance.org/

CLIMB(Center for Loss in Multiple Births):

http://climb-support.org/

Multiplicity(Loss of Twins or other Multiples):

http://www.synspectrum.com/multiplicity.html

After the Loss of Your Baby: A Book For Teen Mothers:

http://www.aplacetoremember.com/pdshop/shop/item.aspx?itemid=37

Someone Came Before You: A Book for Subsequent Siblings:

http://www.amazon.com/Someone-Came-Before-You-Schwiebert/dp/0972424156

Miscarriage Loss

A Place to Remember(incl. birth/death announcement cards):

http://www.aplacetoremember.com/

The Forgotten Grief:

http://forgottengrief.blogspot.com/

La Belle Dame memorial jewelry:

http://www.labelledame.com/

My Forever Child memorial jewelry:

http://myforeverchild.com/

Child Death: Specific Causes

First candle(S.I.D.S. Loss):

http://sidsalliance.org/

SUDC(Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood):

http://www.sudc.org/

SADS(Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome):

http://www.sads.org/

Parents of Suicide:

http://www.parentsofsuicide.com/

Suicide.org:

http://www.suicide.org/

POMC(Parents of Murdered Children):

http://www.pomc.com/

Victim Assistance: National Center for Victims of Crime:

http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbID=DB_VictimAssistance207

The Hope Foundation(homicide survivors):

http://www.opentohope.com/special-topics/traumatic-deaths/homicide/

Military Death Resources

TAPS(Tragedy Assistance Program):

http://www.taps.org/

Military OneSource:

http://www.militaryonesource.com/MOS.aspx

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) bereavement counseling:

http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/Bereavement_Counseling.asp

American Gold Star Mothers Inc:

http://www.goldstarmoms.com/

Gold Star Wives of America Inc:

http://www.goldstarwives.org/

Society of Military Widows:

http://www.militarywidows.org/

United Warrior Survivor Foundation:

http://www.frogfriends.com/

Travis John by Kate Power, free MP3 download:

http://qualityfolk.com/music/travisjohn.html

Operation Remembrance: free Memory Boxes:

http://www.operationremembrance.org/

GriefNet war and combat losses email support groups:

http://griefnet.org/support/sg2.html#war_combat

Kids-to-Kids: GriefNet’s Child and teen survival support:

http://griefnet.org/support/sg2.html

Survival Resources For Those In Crisis

Alcoholics Anonymous Group Finder:

http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=28

Sober24:

http://www.sober24.com/

Narcotics Anonymous Group Finder:

http://portaltools.na.org/portaltools/MeetingLoc/

National Suicide Hotlines USA:

http://suicidehotlines.com/

Befrienders Worldwide Support Group:

http://www.befrienders.org/

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on September 16, 2011

Researchers have identified a genetic connection to optimism, self-esteem and perceived control over one’s life – factors that are critical for coping with stress and depression.

While researchers are confident they found a genetic connection to psychological states, they point out that while genes may predict behavior, they do not determine it. That is, environmental factors, family, friends and even other genes all interact to determine behavior.

In the current investigation, researchers were surprised when they pinpointed this particular gene.

“I have been looking for this gene for a few years, and it is not the gene I expected,” said Dr. Shelley E. Taylor, a distinguished professor of psychology at UCLA and senior author of the new research. “I knew there had to be a gene for these psychological resources.”

The research is currently published in the online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Read in Full:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/09/16/gene-may-impact-self-esteem-and-optimism/29486.html

By Veronica Pamoukaghlian, MA | Editor Shaheen E Lakhan

While Toni Collette may have pulled off making dissociative identity disorder (DID) look glamorous and sexy in the recently cancelled Showtime series United States of Tara, the reality of this disorder is much more complex. As fun as it is to watch an actress play five different parts in one show, for people with DID, the shifting is no fun at all.

One thing the show did get right is the fact that most people with DID develop it as a response to trauma, especially early childhood abuse from a parent or caregiver; studies have consistently reported this in 95-98% of the cases. People develop this disorder in order to distance themselves from the traumatic experience, by way of creating other personalities. While momentary dissociation is a technique that normal people use to cope with traumatic situations; in the case of people with DID, this dissociation goes beyond the moment, creating a whole new persona that has not been affected by the abuse, as an escape mechanism.

The prevalence of DID in the general population has been established at 1%, making it far more common than popular belief would have it. Nevertheless, the allure of the “exotic” continues to surround this condition, for example, because hypnosis is commonly used to gain access to the alters, as the different personalities are called. A scientifically accepted technique, hypnosis still remains, in the public mind, a practice bordering the world of the occult, found more at home in magic show than in the therapist´s office.

Perhaps because of its assumed rarity, it is the diagnosis of DID that poses one of the biggest problems. In 1993, a Dutch study of 71 DID patients established that:

Patients had spent an average of 8.2 years in the mental health system prior to correct diagnosis. Patients presented with many different symptoms and frequently received other psychiatric or neurological diagnoses.

Over the years, studies carried out in other parts of the world have yielded similar results, raising awareness about DID and the methods that could be used to identify it, separating it from other disorders, some of which can sometimes be comorbid with it, thus further complicating an effective diagnosis.

According to DSM IV, DID can be diagnosed whenever there is a coexistence of:

• *The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self).
• *At least two of these identity or personality states recurrently take control of the person’s behavior.
• *Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness and not due to the direct effects of a substance (e.g. blackouts or chaotic behaviour during alcohol intoxication) or a general medical condition (e.g. complex partial seizures).

While some alters can be harmless, a study on DID and suicidality found a strong correlation between the disorder and repeated suicide attempts, as well as the risk of causing harm to others. As the DID patient does not control the alters, this presents a great danger. In fact, DID patients have often been involved in crime investigations, and North American law has even recognized the right of the different personalities to have different attorneys, outlining a plot fit for the ultimate trial film from Hollywood. Courts have also been known to take the testimonies of the different alters as if they were actually different people, especially in cases in which one of the “bad” alters has committed a crime that neither the patient´s main personality nor the other alters have a recollection of.

Many times, people have ended up going to jail for crimes committed by one of their alters. Even today, with all the developments and research carried out by the scientific community, it seems that DID remains as mysterious as ever, and people continue to suffer from this disorder without even being aware of it, all over the world.

Read More …

http://brainblogger.com/2011/08/28/behind-the-masks-the-mysteries-of-dissociative-identity-disorder/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GNIFBrainBlogger+%28Brain+Blogger%29

LINKS

“Dissociative Experiences Scale”

 http://counsellingresource.com/lib/quizzes/misc-tests/des/

An Introduction to Dissociative Disorders (and Multiple Personality Disorder):

http://psychcentral.com/library/dissociation_intro.htm

Dissociative Identity Disorder Forum:

http://www.psychforums.com/dissociative-identity/

Myth Busting and Dissociative Identity Disorder”:

http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2011/01/12/myth-busting-and-dissociative-identity-disorder/

“DID in Popular Culture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociative_identity_disorder_in_popular_culture

Movie with D.I.D. twist

The 2010 movie The Ward depicts a young institutionalized woman who, while trying to escape from the institution and a resident killer ghost, finds that all the other killed patients and the ghost are alternative personalities she created in order to deal with a violent abduction in her childhood.

Sybil –Sybil is a 1976 movie which portrays the life of a woman who suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) / Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

Description:

Sybil tells the story of Sybil Dorsett (played by Sally Field), a woman who as been severely abused by her mother and who suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) / Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). In the movie she recounts with her psychologist Dr. Wilbur (played by Joanne Woodward) her experiences as a child and the different personalities she has developed. Sybil was based on a book by Flora Rheta Schreiber.

Source: http://www.outofthefog.net/Movies/Sybil.html

A 1967 Indian Bollywood film directed by Satyen Bose. The leading actress, Nargis, won the distinguished National Film Award for Best Actress for her role as Varuna, a married woman who suffers from multiple personality disorder. By day, she is a typical Hindi homemaker, whilst at night she calls herself Peggy and walks the streets of Calcutta. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raat_Aur_Din

ScienceDaily (Aug. 24, 2011) — An extreme form of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) takes a heavy toll on thousands of women each year and can lead to hospitalization and pregnancy termination. But new research suggests pregnant women are not the only victims.

A joint study by UCLA and the University of Southern California has found that children whose mothers suffered from HG while carrying them were 3.6 times more likely to suffer from anxiety, bipolar disorder and depression in adulthood than individuals whose mothers did not have the condition. HG sends some 285,000 women to the hospital in the U.S. each year.

The study is published in the August 2011 issue of the Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease.

Prior studies have found that children of women who experience nausea persisting beyond the first trimester of pregnancy have more attention and learning problems by age 12, said study co-author Marlena Fejzo, an assistant professor of hematology-oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and an assistant professor of maternal and fetal medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. And other studies have found that poor fetal nutrition, a frequent result of HG, can lead to poor health in adulthood.

“Even though hyperemesis gravidarum can be a form of starvation and dehydration in pregnancy, no studies prior to this have been done to determine the long-term effects it has on the exposed unborn child,” Fejzo said.

HG often runs in families and in previous research, Fejzo and her colleagues found that women with a family history of the condition were up to 17 times more likely to suffer from it themselves.

Read in Full:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823180516.htm

‘My morning sickness was so bad I had to have an abortion’: Mother’s agonising decision after vomiting 40 times a day

By Luke Salkeld

Last updated at 8:23 AM on 25th June 2010

A mother has told how she suffered such extreme morning sickness that she chose to have an abortion.

Cheryl Harrison made the heartbreaking decision after her condition left her unable to walk or care for her young daughter.

The 34-year-old had already experienced a traumatic first pregnancy with Scarlett, now five, during which she vomited up to 40 times a day.

Heartbreaking decision: Cheryl Harrison suffered from such bad morning sickness that she chose to abort her baby

But when she was expecting her second child, her symptoms were even more pronounced and painful, and after nine weeks she and her husband decided on a termination.

Yesterday Mrs Harrison, a sales manager, said she thinks about her unborn child every day and called for more support for women in a similar condition.

She said: ‘It was the most horrendous decision I have ever made.’

Mrs Harrison and her husband James, 34, a joiner, took the drastic action after she suffered dangerously high blood pressure.

She said: ‘I was putting my life in danger. James could see how much I was suffering and never opposed the idea of a termination, but he still thinks of the family we might have had.

‘I think there are other women who have terminated pregnancies for the same reason but it’s a taboo, no one discusses it.’

Mrs Harrison, who had her abortion in February 2008, recalled how she suffered when she was expecting Scarlett.

She said: ‘I was vomiting morning, noon and night for my entire pregnancy.

‘I was extremely depressed. I had a good job, a career that I loved, but I couldn’t even stand up. There was no way I could work.’

Mrs Harrison, from Beverley, East Yorkshire, even secretly wished for a miscarriage.

Family: Cheryl with husband James and daughter Scarlett. Cheryl experienced severe morning sickness when she was pregnant with Scarlett but it was even worse with the next pregnancy

She said: ‘The 20-week scan showed I had a beautiful baby girl but I was almost disappointed because I just wanted the pregnancy to end.

‘I had a normal delivery and now I cannot imagine life without Scarlett.

‘Afterwards I was desperate to have another baby and thought I would be mentally prepared and able to cope. But the sickness was worse than ever.

‘I had one day where I could not move from the bathroom, I was sick 27 times. I couldn’t get Scarlett anything to eat even though she was starving. I dragged myself across the floor, managed to get her some chocolate from the fridge and thought “I can’t do this again”.’

Doctors diagnosed Mrs Harrison with hyperemesis gravidarum, the severest form of morning sickness.

At least 70 per cent of pregnant women experience nausea, and around one per cent suffer so badly that they are hospitalised to avoid dehydration and starvation.

But the condition is still little understood.

On July 1, academics from around the world will meet at Warwick University to discuss the causes, effects and treatments of hyperemesis gravidarum.

Psychologist Dr Brian Swallow, co-ordinator of the Pregnancy Sickness Support conference, said too many doctors trivialised morning sickness.

Dr Swallow, of the University of Lincoln, said: ‘Hyperemesis gravidarum can be far more serious than anyone realises.

‘Women consistently say they feel quite alone because there is insufficient help.

‘In some parts of the country, hospital staff are very sympathetic, but in others morning sickness is just seen as something women have to put up with.

‘We need to see a national protocol developed to offer counselling and support.’

A spokesman for anti-abortion campaigners ProLife Alliance said: ‘We sympathise with Mrs Harrison and understand that she was going through extreme suffering during her pregnancy.

‘However rather than women thinking that they have to resort to abortion, doctors should be educating themselves about morning sickness and providing more help.

‘We support Dr Swallow’s call for counselling and support.‘

Source:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1289198/My-morning-sickness-bad-I-abortion-Mothers-agonising-decision-vomiting-40-times-day.html

Links

Help HER – Hyperemesis Education Research:

http://www.hyperemesis.org/

Hyperemesis on babycentre site:

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/complications/hyperemesis/

Hyperemisis on about.com:

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/morningsickness/a/aa111499.htm

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/254751-overview

Hyperemesis Awareness Group(Blooming Awful):

http://www.help4me.info/Service.aspx?serviceid=%7b4a3a96ba-b25a-42ed-a995-158c5d1c53ed%7d

ScienceDaily (Sep. 7, 2011) — When a parent dies suddenly, most children and teens experience grief that fades over time, but some have increased or prolonged grief reactions that may increase the risk of depression and inability to function normally, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

According to background information in the article, 4 percent of children and adolescents in Western countries experience a parental death, including 5 percent of U.S. individuals under 18 years old. The authors report that a parent’s death can be one of the most stressful life events for a young person. While research has enhanced the understanding of the nature and course of adult grief, the authors write, “Relatively little is known about the course of grief in children and adolescents.” (The authors define “grief” as “the subjective experience of loss,” and “bereavement” as referring to “status with respect to loss, regardless of subjective experience.”) The investigators examined the grief reactions of children and adolescents after a parent’s sudden death to determine how those reactions affected bereaved participants’ mental well-being and ability to function.

Read in Full:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906183111.htm