 
Day after day, night after night, Francisco Hernandez Jr., 13 years old, rode the subway. He had an electronic fare card, $10 in his pocket and a bookbag on his lap. As the human tide flowed and ebbed around him, he sat impassively, a gangly boy in glasses and a red hoodie, speaking to no one.
After getting in trouble in class in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and fearing another scolding at home, he had sought refuge in the subway system. He removed the battery from his cell phone. “I didn’t want anyone to scream at me,†he said.
Francisco disappeared for 11 days in October — a stretch he spent entirely in subway stations and on trains, he says, hurtling through four boroughs. And somehow he went undetected, despite a round-the-clock search by his panicked parents, relatives and family friends, the police and the Mexican Consulate.
New York SubwayÂ
Since Oct. 26, when a transit police officer found him in a Coney Island subway station, no one has been able to fully explain how a boy could vanish for so long in a busy train system dotted with surveillance cameras and fliers bearing his photograph.
But this was not a typical missing-person search. Francisco has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism that often causes difficulty with social interaction, and can lead to seemingly eccentric behavior and isolation. His parents are Mexican immigrants, who say they felt the police were slow to make the case a priority.
“Maybe because you might not understand how to manage the situation, because you don’t speak English very well, because of your legal status, they don’t pay you a lot of attention,†said Francisco’s mother, Marisela Garcia, 38, a housecleaner who immigrated in 1994 and has struggled to find ways to help her son.
The police, however, say they took the case seriously from the start, interviewing school officials and classmates, canvassing neighborhoods and leafleting all over the city.
Francisco says his odyssey wound through three subway lines: the D, F and No. 1. He would ride a train until its last stop, then wait for the next one, wherever it was headed. He says he subsisted on the little he could afford at subway newsstands: potato chips, croissants, jelly rolls, neatly folding the wrappers and saving them in the backpack. He drank bottled water. He used the bathroom in the Stillwell Avenue station in Coney Island.
Coney IslandÂ
Otherwise, he says, he slipped into a kind of stupor, sleeping much of the time, his head on his bookbag. “At some point, I just stopped feeling anything,†he recalled.
Though the boy’s recollections are incomplete, and neither the police nor his family can retrace his movements in detail, the authorities say that he was missing for 11 days and that they have no evidence he was anywhere but the subway.
For his parents, the memories of those 11 frantic days — the dubious sightings, the dashed hopes and no sleep — remain vivid.
What propelled Francisco to take flight on Oct. 15 is unclear.
Administrators at his school, Intermediate School 281, would not comment. But Francisco said he had failed to complete an assignment for an eighth-grade class, and was scolded for not concentrating.
Source: Â http://tech.mit.edu/V129/N56/long3.html
 
Get Through the Holidays with Humor and Grace: Four Strategies for Couples and Families
Take care of yourself: Everyone needs a few moments alone to relax and unwind. Find at least 20 minutes a day to talk a walk, read, listen to music, play with the cat, have a cup of tea – whatever works for you.
Turn to your partner: When you are surrounded by people and expectations are high, it’s best to have a stress-reducing ritual that is short and effective. Once or twice a day, ask your partner for a 5-Minute stress talk. You get 5 minutes to vent about whatever is bothering you. Make sure to talk about your own experience, and make sure that your partner knows to listen, not problem solve. This small ritual made a big difference for my clients Zoe and Steve last year.
Rediscover your core values: Take some time to remember what is truly important to you. Whether it’s family, adventure, community, solitude, learning, or freedom – make sure your holiday celebrations reflect those values. When you and your partner have different values, see if there is a way they might overlap.
If you’ve felt yourself pulled into holiday activities that left you feeling frustrated and tired instead of peaceful and relaxed…this year, try something different. Give up perfection, take care of yourself, turn to your partner, and rediscover your core values. These strategies will help you feel renewed and refreshed, and enjoy a peaceful holiday season.
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=33863&cn=51
Family Ties: Knowing Why and How They Must Remain Snug & Tied!
As personal and private as family matters are, once they become known by people who could misuse information and further exploit family members by pitting them against each other lead the victims to becoming paranoid and suspicious. Their mindsets become very narrow because they view newer relations as untrustworthy and often suffer in building and keeping any relationships on good terms, including with their children, spouses or people at work and in their over all general social interactions.Â
Four possible reasons: Reasons due to which family ties can get weakened or come under dual attack include:
2.   Mischief simply to ignite someone in the family or disturb a whole family by interfering or probing in others’ personal matters
3.   Jealousy or Envy, back-stabbing & fury-causing negative commentsÂ
4.   Cast Doubts based on no evidence and untrue
Spirit, science, and health.
Holiday Blues With Some Shades of GreyÂ
November 18, 2009
- *Beating the Holiday Blues
- *Managing the holiday blues
- *Beating the Holiday Blues
- *Nine Ways to Beat the Bah Humbugs
- *Wrung-Out by Ringing-In the Holidays: Dealing with Post-Holiday Blues
Families Advised To Refocus For Holidays To Ease Financial Tension
Martha Wadsworth, associate professor of psychology at the University of Denver (DU), says during the holidays families should focus on what has been proven to matter most in psychological research – quality family time.
“Giving of your time and your energy can be very satisfying,” she says.
University of DenverÂ
 
‘Be Unique, Be You,’ author tells Rotary
By ANGELINA DICKSON, Staff writer
POSTED: November 23, 2009
The Rotary Club of Weirton Heights recently heard from Wheeling resident and author David George who discussed his book “Be Unique, Be You and Live!”
George informed Rotarians he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism that affects social interaction. He said his struggles throughout his life led to the inspiration of his book.
George stated he is currently promoting his book and working to be a motivational speaker. He said if he had a guide or some structure in his youth, he may have handled things better and he wants to be able to provide that for other individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome as well.
During his formative years, he said the school structure in which he attended, an all male prep school, was not the open-minded, creative environment he needed. George said he opened up and his life changed for the better when he attended Bethany College.
“Bethany (College) saved my life,” he said.
George said he felt that would be a great place to write his book, which combats ignorance and emphasizes individuality. He said, for the most part, he was a “normal” child who played sports and was involved in school activities. He said something important to him, and others with Asperger’s, is encouraging and focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses.
He discusses in his book how music helped him. He stated “The Who” is one of his favorite bands and the song “Tommy” spoke to him.
“I just felt I could relate to it so well,” he said. “Others with Asperger’s have been noted to relate to music very well.”
George discussed further how his book describes what it is like to turn off the robot inside and be comfortable with who you are. He said he plans to continue to learn and speak about Asperger’s Syndrome in the future.
Source: Â http://www.weirtondailytimes.com/page/content.detail/id/531344.html?nav=5006
 To Purchase “Be Unique, Be You & Live!”:
Jan
22
We trawl the world’s journals so you don’t have to:
The biological basis of business (Organisational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes).
The neural basis of timing and anticipatory behaviours (European Journal of Neuroscience).
Psychological functioning of international missionaries (Mental Health, Religion and Culture).
Reinforcement learning and higher cognition (Cognition).
New methodologies for intervention and outcome measurement (Neuropsychological Rehabilitation).
Dissemination and implementation of cognitive behavioural therapy (Behavioural Research and Therapy).
 
Surviving the Suicide of Someone You Love
November 21, 2009
My brother’s childhood best friend committed suicide. I was 16 years old at the time, Mark (not his real name) was 21. Mark’s parents were close friends of my parents; we played together as little kids, he was my first crush. We drifted apart as we grew up. Mark was a Kennedy-esque figure to me, handsome and smart. Everyone expected great things when he went off to an Ivy League law school. Then he was dead.
I have a vivid memory of walking around the neighborhood with Mark’s brother at night. The adults were sitting shiva and he had to get away. Suddenly he grabbed a fallen branch and wailed it on the trunk of a tree. Raw anger.
This family did heal. Before support groups or national days of recognition they talked about the conflicting emotions pain, anger, guilt. The same tape kept playing in everyone’s head:
If only… If only… They used therapy, the love of family, friends and good works, to find their way through. They found a way to forgive.Â
Today is National Survivors of Suicide Day. Around the country there will be gatherings, rallies for awareness and support.
If you suspect someone you care for is thinking of suicide tell them out loud that you are worried for them and ask if they have thought of harming themselves. Get over your fear of offending them and imagine if they are dead tomorrow, will you regret not asking? If the answer is yes, then follow the guidelines provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. You won’t regret it.
via WBFO Surviving After Suicide of Family Member
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/11/21/surviving-the-suicide-of-someone-you-love/
 
Dealing with Grief and Loss
When a national tragedy like what happened at Fort Hood occurs, there are a large number of people who have grief and loss feelings that they must deal with going forward. This can include those directly involved, as well as those who have had other losses in the past, particularly from a similarly violent situation, where there can be a re-emergence of grief feelings. People affected can also feel grief over the loss of feeling secure and safe in their workplace and homes on the base.
Some of the resources in our Grief and Bereavement Center may be helpful if you or someone you love is dealing with a loss. We include information on:
Grief being a normal and natural process
Stages of grief that people can experience (Kubler-Ross, Rando, Horowitz)
Symptoms of grief
Coping with your grief
Understanding when grief is complete
Helping other adults cope with grief
Helping children cope with grief and what to tell them
Cultural and Religious/Spiritual Implications of grief
Understanding pathological grief
Additional resources regarding grief and loss
To view those materials, click here.
In a violent tragedy like this, there can be more than grief and loss that people have to deal with. There can also be the traumautic feelings of those who witnessed the incident, those who were injured but lived, and those close to all involved. In those situations, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can develop. You can find additional information and resources about that in our PTSD topic center.
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=33816&cn=58
Party Survival Tactics for Introverts
It’s time for introverts to review all their party-survival tactics.
Still, a party is a party and I anticipated this party with the usual combination of pleasure, high anxiety, and pre-emptive exhaustion. But this time, while I prepared the food, I also prepared myself, thinking about how I could manage my psychic energy.
Read in Full: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner/200911/party-survival-tactics-introverts
The Introvert’s Party Predicament
–from The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
Parties.
Sigh.
Few situations are more fraught for the introvert.
I went to a big, festive party the other day. It was full of happy people, most of whom I don’t know.
I failed this party miserably.
I walked into the large, crowded, noisy room and shut down. Just shut down. It was terrible. I was awkward, my chitchat was stilted, I was unintentionally rude. forgot people’s names, spent too much time talking to the couple I’d attended the party with, and fled as soon as I could.
Read in Full:Â http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner/200909/the-introverts-party-predicament
Introverts prone to more health problems
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
People who experience a lot of negative emotions and do not express these experience more health problems, says Dutch researcher Aline Pelle. She discovered that heart failure patients with a negative outlook reported their complaints to a physician or nurse far less often. The personality of the partner can also exert a considerable influence on these patients.
Aline Pelle investigated patients with a so-called type D personality. These people experience a lot of negative emotions and do not express these for fear of being rejected by others. It was already known that such a type of personality in heart failure patients is associated with anxiety and depression and a reduced state of health. However, Aline Pelle also described which processes might contribute to this.
Many of the patients with a negative outlook were found not to contact the physician or specialist nurse in the event of heart failure symptoms. As a result of this they were six times more likely to experience a worse state of health than non-type D heart failure patients.
Pelle established that not just the patient’s personality but also that of the partner had a significant effect on the patient’s mood. In particular, the combination within the couple proved to be particularly important. Type D patients with a non-type D partner reported the lowest marriage quality, even lower than that of type D patients with a partner with just as negative an outlook.
Although a type D personality is associated with a range of negative health outcomes, Pelle’s results did not demonstrate a correlation with an increased risk of dying from heart failure. This observation refutes the results from a previous study.
Aline Pelle’s research was part of Johan Denollet’s Vici project. He received a Vici grant from NWO’s Innovational Research Incentives Scheme in 2004.
Long-term depression treatment provides sustained recovery for teens
Colleen Labbe – NIMH
Long-term treatment of adolescents with major depression is associated with continuous and persistent improvement of depression symptoms in most cases, according to the most recent analysis of follow-up data from The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). The report, along with a commentary compiling the take-home messages of the study, was published in the October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
The TADS team randomly assigned 439 adolescents aged 12 to 17 to one of four treatment strategies for 36 weeks-the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac®) only, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) only, the combination of the two, or placebo (inactive or “sugar” pill). After the first 12 weeks, the placebo group was discontinued, while the participants assigned to the active interventions continued treatment for another six months. Overall, the combination therapy was found to be the most effective in speeding up remission. Visit the NIMH website for more information about TADS results.
After the trial ended, the teens who had been assigned to the active treatments were assessed up to four times during the following year to determine if improvements were sustained over time. TADS treatments were no longer offered, but participants were encouraged to continue to seek treatment within their communities.
Participants who had been assigned to the placebo group received open treatment during the one-year follow-up period and were not included in this follow-up assessment. About 66 percent of TADS subjects (not including those who had been in the placebo group) participated in at least one assessment during the follow-up year.
By the end of the 36-week trial, 82 percent of participants had improved and 59 percent had reached full remission. During the follow-up year, most participants maintained their improvements, and the remission rate climbed to 68 percent. However, about 30 percent of the participants who were in remission at week 36 became depressed again during the following year.
In addition, while 91 percent of participants showed no evidence of suicidal thinking or behavior at the end of the trial, 6 percent developed suicidal thinking during the follow-up year, with no statistically significant differences among the treatment groups.
The longer-term treatment of TADS, regardless of treatment strategy, was associated with lasting benefits for the majority of participants. However, a significant number of those who had recovered worsened during the follow-up period, indicating a need for continuous clinical monitoring and further improvement in long-term treatment of youth with major depression.
The final results of TADS suggest that for most teens with depression, long-term, evidence-based treatments are effective and sustainable. But future research should concentrate on improving treatment strategies to reduce the rate of depression relapse or deterioration. The authors suggest that a randomized maintenance therapy trial would help determine how long active treatment should last to ensure the effects of treatment will endure over time.
TADS Team The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): Outcomes Over 1 Year of Naturalistic Follow-Up. Am J Psychiatry 2009 Oct;166:1141-1149 Â [Abstract]
March JS, Vitiello B. Clinical messages from the Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS). Am J Psychiatry 2009 Oct; 166:1118-1123Â [Abstract]
At-risk college students reduce BP, anxiety, depression through Transcendental Meditation
Ken Chawkin
Maharishi University of Management
The Transcendental Meditation® technique may be an effective method to reduce blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and anger among at-risk college students, according to a new study to be published in the American Journal of Hypertension.
“The Transcendental Meditation Program, a widely-used standardized program to reduce stress, showed significant decreases in blood pressure and improved mental health in young adults at risk for hypertension,” said David Haaga, PhD, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at American University in Washington, D.C.
The study was conducted at American University with 298 university students randomly allocated to either the Transcendental Meditation technique or wait-list control over a three-month intervention period. A subgroup of 159 subjects at risk for hypertension was analyzed separately. At baseline and after three months, blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping ability were assessed.
For the students at risk for developing hypertension, significant improvements were observed in blood pressure, psychological distress and coping. Compared to the control group, students practicing the Transcendental Meditation program showed reductions of 6.3 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and 4.0 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure. These reductions are associated with a 52% lower risk for development of hypertension in later years.
The findings are timely. Today, an estimated 18 million students are dealing with mental health issues on college campuses. Statistics from colleges nationwide indicate there has been a 50 percent increase in the diagnosis of depression, and more than twice as many students are on psychiatric medications as a decade ago. According to recent national surveys of campus therapists, more students than ever are seeking psychiatric help on college campuses all across the United States.
“This is the first randomized controlled study to show in young adults at risk for hypertension reductions in blood pressure that were associated with changes in psychological distress and coping,” said Sanford Nidich, EdD, lead author and senior researcher at the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management. “Previous research has shown that psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, and anger contribute to the development of hypertension in young adults.“
College students are particularly prone to psychological distress caused by interpersonal and social problems, pressures to succeed academically, financial strains, and uncertain futures. For the entire sample in this study, there was a significant improvement in students’ mental health.
“Hypertension is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Yet, decades of research show that high blood pressure begins in youth. This well-controlled clinical trial found that blood pressure can be effectively lowered in students with a stress-reducing intervention. This has major implications for the prevention of hypertension, heart attacks and strokes in adulthood,” said Robert Schneider MD, FACC, specialist in clinical hypertension, Director of the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention and study co-author.
Nidich SI, Rainforth MV, Haaga DA, et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial on Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Program on Blood Pressure, Psychological Distress, and Coping in Young Adults. Am J Hypertens. 2009 Oct; 22(12):1326-1331 Â [Abstract]
Jan
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Aichmophobia – the fear of shots or pointy objects
ScienceDaily (Nov. 19, 2009) — Needle! For some people, the word — almost as much as the sight of one sliding into skin — is enough for people to cringe, cry, even swoon if they’re standing in line waiting for one.
Experts believe fear of needles may be preventing people from rolling up their sleeves for the H1N1 vaccination.
“I think people may have concerns about vaccines for a variety of reasons, but pain and the actual fear of getting the injection is often the barrier that prevents people from getting the vaccine,” said psychologist Christine Chambers, a Canada Research Chair in Pain and Child Health, based at Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.
“Certainly people who are anxious in general are more likely to be fearful about other consequences and other side effects that they see might be associated with the vaccine.”
Concerned that university-aged students who are making health decisions for themselves may be bypassing immunization for H1N1 because of their fear of needles, Dr. Chambers assures there are things they can do to reduce pain. For one, she suggests the purchase of a topical anesthetic cream or a patch and applying it 30 to 60 minutes before getting the needle.
She also advises practicing the art of distraction; in other words, try not to think about it so much. Bring along an ipod while you’re waiting in line or take a friend with you.
Read in Full:Â http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118161221.htm
 
A scene from the stop-motion film Mary and Max.
 
By CHELSI MOY of the Missoulian | Posted: Thursday, November 19, 2009 10:00 pm
Thanks to the generosity of many, Heather Stone, a 33-year-old who is blind and has autism, may be able to see a dentist sooner than expected.
Two weeks ago, Stone was raking leaves in order to raise enough money to make her first visit to a dentist in 12 years. Following a Nov. 5 Missoulian article outlining Stone’s desperate need for dental care and her inability to pay, a flood of support from people in the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys helped Stone raise $6,000 – half of the total dental bill.
“It was an outpouring of kindness,” said Treva Bittinger, a close friend and organizer of the Neuro Networking Club, a local group of young adults with autism. “I’m so thrilled with Missoula that they would care and that they would donate.”
In the last two weeks, members of the Neuro Networking Club have raked 27 lawns in exchange for donations, all of which go to Stone’s dental care. Members of the University of Montana women’s rugby club also pitched in raking leaves. Others mailed checks. Griz football coach Bobby Hauck donated an autographed football signed by the UM football team, which the club hopes to soon raffle off, Bittinger said.
The Susan Talbot Home for Girls – a Youth Homes program for girls with emotional problems stemming from a history of abuse and neglect – offered its assistance.
“They wanted to help Heather, but they had no money, so they helped us rake leaves,” Bittinger said.
In fact, the first donation Stone received was from a homeless man on the bus, she said.
On Friday, A Carousel for Missoula is hosting a fundraiser for Stone. For the last year, Stone has volunteered at the carousel bagging coins and candy. Carousel employees are donating their time to run the carousel between 4 and 6 p.m. and are providing snacks. Coca-Cola is donating soft drinks. All the money raised will go directly to Stone’s dental payments.
Also, armbands that say “A Healthy Smile 4 Heather” will be available in exchange for a donation.
“Carousel employees are always happy to see her smiling face and her gentle guide dog, Chateau,” said executive director Theresa Cox.
People with autism love to spin. So the carousel is the ultimate fun activity for the members of the Neuro Networking Club, Bittinger said.
“Heather volunteered so she could ride the carousel for free,” she said. “It’s her favorite thing to do.”
A lack of access to quality care, genuine fear of the dentist, and lack of money to pay for regular visits has wreaked havoc in Stone’s mouth over the past decade. She has nine cavities and five teeth that need to be pulled.
Because Stone has autism, a trip to the dentist is a far more traumatic experience than it is for an average individual. That’s why she will need to be hospitalized and sedated for the dental procedure, which is scheduled for May.
Read in Full:Â http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_95dad056-d594-11de-90dd-001cc4c03286.html
Related ArticlesÂ
“Leaves of Change: Blind, Autistic Woman Rakes Yards To Help Pay For Dental Work”:
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/leaves_of_change_blind_autistic_woman_rakes_yards_to_help_.htm