First Published Friday, 5 February 2010
Couples Can Overdo Being Supportive
ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 2010) — Couples having problems are often advised to be more supportive of each other, but a series of University of Iowa studies shows that too much support — or the wrong kind of support — may actually do more harm than good.
In recent studies of heterosexual couples in their first few years of marriage, researchers learned that too much support is harder on a marriage than not enough. When it comes to marital satisfaction, both partners are happier if husbands receive the right type of support, and if wives ask for support when they need it.
The findings illustrate the need for couples to understand the various ways they can be supportive, and the importance of communicating what they need and when, said Erika Lawrence, associate professor of psychology in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
“The idea that simply being more supportive is better for your marriage is a myth,” Lawrence said. “Often husbands and wives think, ‘If my partner really knows me and loves me, he or she will know I’m upset and will know how to help me.’ However, that’s not the best way to approach your marriage. Your partner shouldn’t have to be a mind reader. Couples will be happier if they learn how to say, ‘This is how I’m feeling, and this is how you can help me.”
Too much of a good thing
In one study, Lawrence and colleagues discovered that receiving more support than desired is a greater risk factor for marital decline than not being there for a spouse.
“If you don’t get enough support, you can make up for that with family and friends — especially women, who tend to have multiple sources of support,” she said. “When you receive too much support, there’s no way to adjust for that.”
The study involved 103 husbands and wives who completed surveys five times over their first five years of marriage. The questionnaires looked at how support was provided and measured marital satisfaction.
Four kinds of support were identified in the study: physical comfort and emotional support (listening and empathizing, taking your spouse’s hand, giving your spouse a hug), esteem support (expressing confidence in your partner, providing encouragement), informational support (giving advice, gathering information), and tangible support (taking on responsibilities so your spouse can deal with a problem, helping to brainstorm solutions to a problem).
Results showed that too much informational support — usually in the form of unwanted advice-giving — is the most detrimental. In contrast, you can never go wrong providing esteem support, assuming it’s genuine.
Too little support was more common than too much. Receiving less support than desired was a complaint of about two-thirds of men and at least 80 percent of women. Only about one-third of men and women reported receiving more support than they wanted.
The paper, published in the Journal of Family Psychology, was co-authored by Rebecca L. Brock, a UI graduate student in psychology.
Support isn’t one-size-fits-all
A related study showed that for men, it’s important that their wives provide the right kind of support, offering emotional, informational, tangible or esteem support as needed. For wives, it’s more important that their husbands try to be supportive — even if what they do doesn’t quite hit the mark.
“Both parties are more satisfied if the husband gets the right kind of support, and if the wife feels like she’s supported,” Lawrence said. “Husbands shouldn’t throw their hands up if they’re not sure what to do. They need to stay in there and keep trying, because we found that women appreciate the effort.”
Lawrence said dialog is key. If you need support, request it; if you’re providing support, ask how you can help — don’t assume you know what to do. Afterward, talk about what worked and what didn’t, and adjust accordingly.
“The assumption is that men just want to be left alone and women want to be held and listened to,” Lawrence said. “In reality, different men want different kinds of support, and different women want different kinds of support.”
For this study, 275 newlyweds completed questionnaires about marital satisfaction, the type of support they received, and whether it was sufficient. Twice during the study, 235 couples visited the lab to discuss how they would approach a goal such as stress management, a career change, improving family relationships or being more assertive. Researchers shot video of the 10-minute conversations and observed how couples asked for, provided and accepted support.
The paper was published in the journal Personal Relationships. Lawrence was the lead author, with co-authors from the University of Iowa, CIGNA Health Solutions, Santa Clara University, the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Both studies were supported by grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute for Child and Human Development, and the UI.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100131214841.htm
Jealousy Hits Harder When Married
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on February 4, 2010
A new study suggests that marriage appears to have a protective effect in reducing jealous altercations.
However, when married couples do fight about jealousy — it’s much more damaging.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Iowa found that without jealous conflict, three-fourths of the married individuals surveyed were extremely satisfied with the emotional aspects of their marriage.
The chances of having that same level of satisfaction dropped to less than half if jealousy entered the equation.
For unmarried cohabiting couples, the probability of being highly emotionally satisfied only fell about eight points with jealousy. A similar contrast was observed for physical satisfaction.
“We associate certain rewards with marriage, but there are risks to it as well,†said Anthony Paik, assistant professor of sociology in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
“The advantages to marriage include deep commitment and trust. But when jealousy occurs in a marriage, that tension can have devastating effects on emotional and physical satisfaction. It’s not a straightforward story that marriage produces happier relationships.”
Paik authored the study, published online in the Journal of Sex Research, with Mariana Gatzeva of the Department of Human Kinetics at the University of British Columbia.
They analyzed a survey of 681 heterosexual men and women in marriages, cohabitant or non-cohabitant relationships from the Chicago area. Participants answered questions about whether they had experienced sexual jealousy and their level of physical and emotional satisfaction with their relationship.
More than half of cohabiting individuals reported sexual jealousy, compared to about one-third of individuals who lived separately (such as dating couples), and just 18 percent of married individuals.
Paik said the high rate of jealous conflict among cohabiting couples could be due to a strong expectation of exclusivity (other studies suggest 95 percent of cohabitating couples expect it), but less fidelity.
Researchers believe married couples encountered less jealousy because of the sexual exclusivity that goes along with exchanging vows — but also because they were more trusting.
“There may be a set of beliefs that’s protective for married couples in terms of avoiding jealous feelings,†Paik said.
“They’re somewhat insulated because they’re more trusting, and therefore less likely to be suspicious or look for breaches.”
Paik said understanding intimate partner jealousy is important because it could be useful in preventing domestic violence.
“Jealousy is a very powerful emotion,†he said. “In many cases, jealousy or love triangles are the motive for homicide or other violent crimes between intimates.”
Source: University of Iowa
http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/02/04/jealousy-hits-harder-when-married/11187.html
Valentines Day, How to Keep the Flame Alive
Valentine’s Day Suggestions From two Marriage Experts:
The two experts are”
1. Dr. Philip Lee, a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center, and co-head of the Marital and Family Therapy program.
2. His wife, Dr. Diane Rudolph, also a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center, and co-head of the Marital and Family Therapy program.
Drs. Lee and Randolf should know something about this subject. They have been married to one another for twenty years.
Here are some of their suggestions:
1. Couples should spend more time acknowledging the positive aspects of their relationship and put aside their complaints. Constant arguing makes everyone feel terrible about the marriage.
2. When shopping for a Valentine’s gift, refrain from being practical. Do not buy a vacuum cleaner. Instead, buy something charming and personal. In fact, this is a good idea to follow for birthdays, anniversaries and any day when one wants to give a gift to their spouse. How about some red roses?
3. It is just too easy for everyone to argue about petty things. It is also easy to forget to show appreciation to one another for the things each does. If you like her the way that blouse looks, say so. If you appreciate his making the bed, tell him.
4. Everyone needs to unwind when the day ends. Do not demand that things get done after returning home from work. Take time to relax and shed the tensions of the day. Transitions are difficult for most people and this includes the shift from working to home body and spouse.
5. It can be wonderful to reminisce about the early days of your relationship and romance. Many people wonder what ever happened to those days? The problem is that petty arguments over driving or getting to the restaurant on time dims can make the present day seem awful.
6. For some reason, marriage seems to bring to an end the daily practice of being polite. We forget to thank one another for little favors we do for each other. Those favors are taken for granted and that is why they can disappear. There is nothing wrong with using terms like, “thank you,” “what a nice dinner,” “picking up the kids really helped,” and, “thanks for doing the dishes tonight.” These among other such positive expressions really help.
7. Stop blaming your spouse for everything from forgetting to close the door to the condition of world politics. All us need to become more tolerant of each others foibles. None of us are perfect and, much of the time, the things we quarrel about could be the source of lots of laughter.
8. I always advise the couples I work with to stop using all or nothing words. For example, “you never do this,” or, “you always do that.” It is not true that we “always,” or “never.” These all encompassing words help create a false catastrophic atmosphere.
9. How many times have I pointed out to couples in therapy that they are not listening to one another. They are not listening because they are talking over one another. Each person is so busy attempting to state their own version of things that they do not hear what is being said. I ask couples to practice paraphrasing what was just said before making a comment just to make certain they really heard and understand what was just said. So often, what we believe we heard is different from what was said.
10. Couples need time away from the kids, house and work, so that they can be together and feel private and romantic. There is nothing like the occasional dinner out at a romantic restaurant or a weekend away at a hotel.
It is important to stress the fact that these nine suggestions be practiced every day and not just on Valentine’s Day.
From time to time I have heard patients in psychotherapy or have read reader questions state that they feel lonely even though they are married. Usually, those feelings of lonely are symptomatic of two people feeling out of touch with one another. Marriage means more than just living together or supervising children. Marriage is an active interaction between people. Loneliness occurs when communication between spouses had broken down or never occurred. There is marriage therapy.
Source:Â http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=35465&cn=289
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Shiny, swanky car boosts men’s appeal to women, but not women’s appeal to men
It’s a widely held, if much derided, belief that ownership of a prestige sports car can increase a man’s sex appeal to women. Indeed, there’s a scene in the American sit-com Friends in which Joey dons a ridiculous Porsche-branded costume of peak cap, gloves, jacket and trousers, so determined is he to convince female passers-by that he owns a fast, shiny car. Now Michael Dunn and Robert Searle have tested the shiny car effect scientifically, looking at the influence of apparent car ownership on both male and female perceived attractiveness.
Hundreds of passers-by in Cardiff city centre were asked to rate the attractiveness of a young man or woman portrayed in a photograph sitting in a car. Male participants all rated the same woman, and female participants all rated the same man. Crucially, half the participants saw the man or woman sat at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta whilst the other half saw the man or woman sat at the wheel of a Bentley Continental (worth a cool £75000, approximately, at the time of testing).
Pilot research had established that, against a blank background, the photographed man and woman were perceived as equally attractive by the opposite sex (both scoring approximately mid-way on an attractiveness scale) and also that male and female participants didn’t differ from each other in the aesthetic ratings they gave to the two models of car. The stand out message from the research proper, however, is that the man was rated as significantly more attractive when he was seen sat in the Bentley rather than the Fiesta, whereas the woman’s perceived attractiveness was unaffected by the car she happened to be sitting in.
This finding appears to support prior research showing that in cultures all round the world, heterosexual women are attracted to men with greater status and resources, whereas heterosexual men tend to be attracted to women who appear youthful and fertile.
‘It would appear that even though recent years have witnessed dramatic increases in female ownership of prestige luxury cars, such ownership does not enhance female attractiveness, as is the case with male attractiveness,’ the researchers said.
‘Also,’ they added, ‘the results contradict the “structural powerlessness” hypothesis, i.e. the belief that as economic differences diminish men and women will become more alike, as the rise in female economic fortune has not, it would appear, emancipated them from attraction to cues that are indices of wealth and status in males.’
Dunn, M., & Searle, R. (2010). Effect of manipulated prestige-car ownership on both sex attractiveness ratings British Journal of Psychology, 101 (1), 69-80 DOI: 10.1348/000712609X417319
Living together? Put it in writing
This is good advice for those who forgo the formality of marriage to live together. This advice applies all romantic couples who have children, financial, and/or assets or other shared valued items.
People go into these relationships out of love, but they don’t use their heads,” says Pamela Radzinski, a Southfield divorce and family law attorney.
Yet census data show the number of opposite-sex couples living together hit 6.8 million in 2008. That’s up from 5 million in 2006 and up from less than a million some 30 years ago, reports USA Today, citing census data. Cohabiting couples make up roughly 10% of all opposite-sex U.S. couples, married and unmarried.
But if you want to live together in the state of Michigan without marriage, Radzinski advises people to get a written contract.
Though the notion may not sound romantic, Radzinski says she recommends that all couples get a non-marital agreement drawn up by an attorney before moving in together. It should cover issues such as division of property and assets, what will happen to children, and support for a nonworking partner in case of a breakup.
A contract is especially important in Michigan, where those living together don’t receive the same protection as married couples, says Radzinski. She offers an example she’s seen many times: The woman stays home, the man tells her he’ll always take care of her — until he leaves and she’s left with nothing….
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How Likely Is a Woman to be Taller Than Her Man?
Evolutionists have conducted numerous studies that have shown that all other things equal, height is a desirable trait sought by women in prospective male suitors. Furthermore, tall men are more likely to be CEOs of large corporations , as well as earn more money as compared to their shorter counterparts (i.e., income and height are positively correlated). Interestingly, the importance of height varies depending on where a woman is in her menstrual cycle. When maximally fertile and when seeking short-term dalliances , the preference for tall men is more pronounced, undoubtedly a manifestation of the shopping for good genes phenomenon.
Notwithstanding the desirability of tall men, it appears that the most important issue is not that the man be taller than a certain height (e.g., “He needs to be taller than six feet.”); rather the main concern for women is that their men should be taller than them. In a study published in 1980 (although there is no reason to think that the findings would not replicate today), John S. Gillis and Walter E. Avis found that in only one of 720 actual couples was the woman taller than her man. They calculated that the chance occurrence of this event was 2% and yet the actual incidence was extraordinarily lesser frequent (0.14%).
Hence, contrary to Randy Newman’s famous song line “Short people got no reason to live”, short men need not be doomed to a life of celibacy…their task is to find women who are shorter than them!
Source:Â http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/homo-consumericus/201001/how-likely-is-woman-be-taller-her-man
Darling, Are You Proud of Me?
“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man.” C. S. Lewis
“When you’re as great as I am, it’s hard to be humble.” Muhammad Ali
What is the connection between romantic love and pride? It seems that although not all instances of pride involve love, basically all instances of romantic love involve pride. The nature and profoundness of love is expressed in the nature and profoundness of pride. Lovers are very proud of their beloved.
The relationship between love and jealousy is somewhat similar, but is manifested in a negative way. Jealousy does not necessarily involve love, but genuine romantic love may give rise to jealousy.
We can distinguish between pridefulness, which is the emotion resulting from the belief that one is a superior and better person, and pride, which is the emotion arising from the belief that one has done a good thing. Whereas pridefulness has a negative impact upon romantic relationship, pride is an important and often useful part of it. Pride of your lover is of greater moral value than pride in yourself as it is directed at another person.
Two major elements are essential to pride: (a) Evaluating something as positive, and (b) Considering oneself as somehow connected to that positive thing. Pride is a function of both elements, the positive evaluation of that thing and the connection to it, and an increase in one can compensate for a lower degree of the other. The complete absence of one of these two elements usually eliminates pride.
We are more proud of a successful event for which we are responsible than of a successful event that occurred through pure luck. Thus, a disabled person might be proud of managing to perform an action that many able-bodied people can do with ease. In this case, the pride comes not so much from performing the action per se, but from overcoming a personal handicap.
The connection to oneself can be of various types: one such type is when I am responsible for the event; another is when I am associated with a person who is a celebrity or is very prominent. The type of connection may sometimes be somewhat peculiar. Thus, one can be proud of being born in the same town as a famous politician. (I know of someone who even took pride in telling everyone that once he and the Defense Minister had urinated at the same time in a public toilet.)
Genuine lovers are proud of their beloveds as they evaluate their characteristics in a very positive manner and consider themselves to be very connected to the beloved. Consider the following comment that Alex, a married man, made about his lover: “I would like everybody to know what a treasure I own. I am so in love, I am so proud, I am so immensely happy, because she is my wonderful love.” The following statement by a man who killed his wife (he claims that he did so out of love) illustrates a similar attitude: “I wanted to show that in love, I was more than Romeo and Juliet. That isn’t love for me. Love is something that didn’t exist before, that no one ever did before.” (see here)
Lovers often feel proud when they see their beloved in action. One man said, “I am so proud of my partner when we are at receptions together; many men are around her wishing to make love to her. But as I know that she loves only me, all their attempts are sure to be futile.” Similarly, a married woman said, “If anyone ogles my hubby, I would be so proud and although I might feel a slight pang of jealousy, I would find it funny (it means I have something worth having, like a Prada handbag).” Another married woman who has an older lover said, “I would be so proud to show him off on my arm in public; although some people might turn their heads in surprise, I am pursuing intelligence rather than looks and am so proud of him.”
In having an attractive wife, men often feel as if they have overtaken other people in the race for a better social status; hence, such wives are regarded as “Trophy wives.” (Generally, acquiring an attractive mate enhances a man’s status more than a woman’s.) Such men do not necessarily love their women, but often consider them to be a mean to enhance their selfish ego.
The nature of pride in one’s partner can reveal a lot about the nature of romantic love between the two lovers. If the pride is merely in our partner’s external appearance, so also is the nature of our love toward that partner-it is merely that of attractiveness with no positive evaluation of her other characteristics. A lack of pride in our partner might indicate either our lack of positive evaluation of our partner or that we lack a feeling of closeness with that partner.
As the nature of love can change as the romantic relationship continues, so the nature of pride toward the partner might change. In any case, pride in our partner can be quite a useful litmus paper for examining the nature of love. It is worth doing the test.
The above considerations can be encapsulated in the following statement that a lover might express: “Darling, are you proud when you look at me while I am sleeping? Do you see a great similarity between me and Angelina Jolie? Do you realize, my love, that you should be proud of me, as no other man has the good fortune to sleep beside such a beautiful woman?”
Source:Â http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-name-love/201001/darling-are-you-proud-me
Panic disorder affects between 3 and 6 million Americans, and is twice as common in women. We all experience panic at some time in our lives, but those suffering from panic disorder experience panic attacks on a daily basis, and this form of anxiety can severely reduce the quality of life, making even simple activities like grocery shopping unmanageable. In its most severe form this crippling form of anxiety can lead to agoraphobia, a very intense fear of going beyond the safety zone of one’s own home. In such severe cases, it is wise to seek medical help.
One of the characteristics of panic anxiety is the intense fear of the panic attack itself. Sufferers are deathly afraid of the next panic attack and the sense of losing control, and the social embarrassment that that will bring. Some times we feel afraid that the core anxiety is so powerful that it will literally suck us in permanently into a state of madness. Most panic anxiety sufferers recognize that fear of fear is the main problem that they have to deal with and the main source of their emotional suffering.
Read in Full: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=41896&cn=1
Article Date: 03 Feb 2011 – 0:00 PST
The Australian Psychological Society (APS) has urged those facing cyclone threats not to neglect psychological preparations when taking safety measures to ready themselves for the threat of natural disaster.
Professor Kevin Ronan, chair of the APS Disaster Reference Group, said that adequate physical and psychological preparation was crucial if those exposed to cyclones were to protect themselves and other family members, especially children.
“Being psychologically prepared helps us to make practical arrangements because we are able to deal with the anxiety that those preparations can bring and remain effective,” he said.
“It also helps us cope better when disaster strikes, because, when the time comes, we have strategies to manage our feelings of fear or anxiety and unhelpful thoughts, which will ensure we can stay calm and focus on our disaster plan.”
He said psychological preparation involved people running through likely disaster scenarios, imagining how they might feel and developing strategies to calm themselves down and talk themselves through a disaster event.
The APS has released a set of tips on psychological preparation for those in cyclone-prone communities, which illustrates how three simple steps could help those facing an emergency situation to remain focused and confident so that they can take the necessary practical tasks to protect themselves and others.
The acronym ‘AIM’ incorporates the three steps for being psychologically prepared:
– Anticipate that the situation will be stressful – reflect on how you might feel facing a cyclone (for instance, the sounds of the wind, the sight of flying debris, the potential terror of this unknown situation). Think about how this will make you feel and the strategies you might need to move through fear and anxiety to enact your disaster plan.
– Identify physical changes related to anxiety (upset stomach, shortness of breath, fast heart beat) and any frightening thoughts (I can’t cope, I am scared, I don’t know what to do, I am not going to make it).
– Manage your responses using controlled breathing (breathe consciously and slowly to help yourself relax) and ‘self-talk’ involving reassuring thoughts (I can do this, I know what to do, I have a disaster plan).
“We urge communities vulnerable to cyclones to make adequate psychological preparations, and especially to help their children prepare psychologically, and we urge the media and local government to support communities to do this by providing adequate information and assistance,” Professor Ronan said.
The APS has a wide range of resources available on its website – for communities preparing for, or recovering from, a natural disaster including a new brochure, Preparing children for the threat of cyclones.
Source:
Australian Psychological Society (APS)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/215459.php
Article Date: 03 Feb 2011 – 3:00 PST
In a major advance for schizophrenia research, an international team of scientists, led by Jonathan Sebat, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has identified a gene mutation strongly linked to the brain disorder – and a signaling pathway that may be treatable with existing compounds.
The work poses significant and immediate implications for neurobiology and the treatment of schizophrenia because the gene identified by the researchers is an especially attractive target for drug development.
“In some ways, this is the kind of gene that the pharmaceutical industry has been waiting for,” said Sebat, who is also chief of the Beyster Center for Molecular Genomics of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and a member of the Institute for Genomic Medicine, both at UC San Diego. “Its activity can be modulated by synthetic peptides; and some have already been created.”
The findings are published in the Feb. 3, 2011 online issue of the journal Nature.
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder, with symptoms that include hallucinations, delusions and thought disorders. It is believed to be caused by environmental and genetic factors, most notably the latter: the illness occurs in 1 percent of the general population, or 10 percent of people who have a first-degree relative with the disorder, such as a parent or sibling.
In previous work, Sebat and collaborator Mary-Claire King, a professor of medical genetics at the University of Washington, discovered that rare mutations at many locations in the human genome resulted in significantly higher risk of schizophrenia. These mutations consisted of copy number variants or CNVs – a type of genetic variation in which the number of copies of a gene differs between individuals. The findings were the first conclusive evidence that rare mutations can cause schizophrenia, but they did not identify the specific genes involved.
The latest study goes much further. Researchers scanned for CNVs in the genomes of 8,290 individuals with diagnosed cases of schizophrenia and 7,431 healthy controls. “We found very strong links to multiple sites in the genome,” said Sebat. “Some had been picked up before in earlier studies, but we uncovered a very important new finding: duplications at the tip of chromosome 7q were detected in individuals with schizophrenia at a rate14 times higher than in healthy individuals. These CNVs impact a gene that is important for brain development – the neuropeptide receptor VIPR2.”
Formally known as the Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Receptor 2, VIPR2 is expressed in the nervous system, including in the brain, blood vessels and gastrointestinal tract. Previous studies have shown that VIPR2 helps to regulate the formation and activity of neurons in the brain. In mice, VIPR2 also has been found to play important roles in behavioral processes, including learning and timing of daily activity.
Read in Full: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/215535.php
Why should I not be using the ‘S’ word? What’s in a name?
The answer is that it has acquired a stigma in the course of a hundred years owing to the small minority of people with our condition who are violent and attack or kill other people.
Furthermore, according to Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and an invited member of the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM 5 Psychotic Disorders Work Group, the diagnosis may itself be a source of stigma. It is mystifying and confusing: people with schizophrenia do not have a split personality; the condition does not, according to Jim, exist as a distinct illness; it is a ragbag of symptoms such that calling it anything other than a syndrome is totally misleading.
So what name are the Work Group going to recommend to the APA? Probably “psychotic syndrome.†Now we, as consumers — for I am one — do not find that appealing. It is pathological. “I am a psycho†sounds weird.
What are the alternatives? It could be called “the Bleuler syndrome†after the Swiss professor of psychiatry who put forward the word schizophrenia in 1908 to replace the previously stigmatized term dementia praecox, or premature senility.
Another suggestion is made by Anoiksis, the Dutch consumer association of which I am a member: Dysfunctional Perception Syndrome (DPS). But I find the dysfunctional bit negative and tend to shorten it to Perception Syndrome. After all the medical term syndrome already implies an illness or disorder of some kind.
Also, to me, and here I am being disloyal to my own Anoiksis club, the word perception suggests sense data – seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling, … and does not capture the characteristic of a hallucination, let alone a delusion or any of the other, sometimes negative, symptoms.
Read in Full: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/02/02/does-schizophrenia-need-a-new-name/
Tens of millions worldwide endure it. 80% have considered suicide. And the suicide completion rate is double that of major depressive disorder. What emotional/mental health disorder am I talking about? Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
Imagine being consumed – beaten down – by the fact that you have some sort of horrible defect in your physical appearance. And you’re sure it’ll have others view you as repulsive.
Of course, the defect(s) is perceived – others don’t notice.
What Is BDD?
Very simply, BDD is a condition characterized by over-the-top preoccupation with an imaginary physical defect. And the preoccupation is of such magnitude that one’s routine life-functioning is turned upside down. BDD typically presents in adolescence and early adulthood. It strikes women and men equally.
Read in Full: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=41903&cn=46
Scientists look to stem cells to mend broken hearts
Tuesday, February 1 09:01 am
Kate Kelland
Britain’s leading heart charity launched a 50 million pound ($80 million) research project on Tuesday into the potential of stem cells to regenerate heart tissue and “mend broken hearts”.
Scientists leading the work for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said they hope that within the next decade they may have experimental drugs in development that would give certain kinds of cells in the heart the ability to regenerate tissue, repair damage and therefore combat heart failure.
The ability of heart tissue to regenerate already occurs in some animals, such as zebrafish, which can regrow portions of their own hearts if they are damaged.
At a briefing in London to launch a “mending broken hearts” fundraising campaign, scientists said research into stem cells and developmental biology may in future make this possible in people too.
“Scientifically, mending human hearts is an achievable goal and we really could make recovering from a heart attack as simple as getting over a broken leg,” said Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the BHF.
Scientists in the United States reported last year that they had been able to turn structural heart cells into beating cells by identifying genes that, in a developing embryo, turn an immature cell into a beating heart cell or cardiomyocyte.
One of the British teams, led by Professor Paul Riley of the Institute of Child Health at University College London (UCL) has already found a natural protein, called thymosin beta 4, that plays a role in developing heart tissue.
He said his researchers had already had some success in using this protein to “wake up” cells known as epicardial cells in mice with damaged hearts.
“We hope to find similar molecules or drug-like compounds that might be able to stimulate these cells further,” he told reporters at the briefing.
Another team of researchers at Imperial College London will be looking at a group of rare latent stem cells that can be harvested and then grown in the laboratory.
These cells are highly active in developing hearts and can grow into new functioning tissue, but something in them gets switched off soon after humans are born, meaning that the heart is no longer able to repair any damage, said Professor Michael Schneider, who leads this team.
His researchers will be trying to find ways of re-activating the cells in a controlled and safe way, so that they are able to repair damaged heart tissue but will not grow out of control.
“One strategy would be to give a drug that would activate this kind of process,” he said, adding that this “requires more knowledge about what signals trigger these cells”.
Weissberg said if the research was as successful as they hoped, it could one day reduce or even eliminate the need for heart transplants for patients whose hearts are damaged. (Editing by Steve Addison)
Source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20110201/tsc-life-us-heart-stemcells-011ccfa.html
Heart attack symptoms in men and women
Symptoms the same for both, study finds
The symptoms of a heart attack is men and women are very similar, a new study has found.
“Both the media and some patient educational materials frequently suggest that women experience symptoms of a heart attack very differently from men,” said Martha Mackay from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, who led the study. “These findings suggest that this is simply not the case.”
In the study, scientists monitored the symptoms of 305 patients undergoing angioplasty – a procedure which involves inserting and inflating a balloon into narrowed arteries to expand them. This briefly causes symptoms in the patient simililar to those experienced during a heart attack.
Researchers found no difference in the symptoms reported by men and women, including rates of chest discomfort and ‘typical’ signs such as arm discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, indigestion-like symptoms, and clammy skin.
While both women and men experienced typical or non-typical symptoms, women were, however, more likely to report throat, jaw and neck discomfort than men.
“Clear educational messages need to be crafted to ensure that both women and healthcare professionals realize the classic symptoms are equally common in men and women”, Ms MacKay said.
She added that suspected heart disease patients should be questioned more thoroughly about their symptoms by doctors.
Heart attack warning signs (women and men)
Pain
This includes:
- *Sudden discomfort or pain that does not go away with rest
- *Pain that may be in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back
- *Pain that may feel like burning, squeezing, heaviness, tightness or pressure
- *In women, pain may be more vague
- *Chest pain or discomfort that is brought on with exertion and goes away with rest
Shortness of breath
- *Difficulty breathing
Nausea
- *Indigestion
- *Vomiting
Sweating
- *Cool, clammy skin
Fear
- *Anxiety
- *Denial
Healthy heart quiz
Heart disease kills more people in the UK than any other cause. Take our quiz to find out if you know what puts you at risk of heart disease and heart attacks.
Take the Quiz: http://uk.health.lifestyle.yahoo.net/quiz_run.aspx?q=heart-health-quiz
National Heart Month
National Heart Month is our annual campaign to increase awareness of heart and circulatory disease and to raise funds for our research, prevention and care services.
This year, we launched the BEAT, the first ever national heart health code and lifestyle check:
Be Active- Eat Healthily
- Avoid Smoking
- Take the lifestyle check
The BEAT encourages people to take steps to improve their own heart health by taking the free online lifestyle check.
During National Heart Month, we also ask people to be a part of Red for Heart and help raise vital funds for our work. You can join National Wear Red Day on Friday 25 February 2011 or choose your own event – anything goes as long as it’s red!
There are lots of other ways individuals and organisations can support National Heart Month, from holding your own event to helping us promote the campaign in your workplace, school, university or wherever you can.
To get involved you can pre-order our free fundraising kit today.
To find out more and get involved, please email red@bhf.org.uk or call 0845 241 0976.
http://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/campaigning/national-heart-month.aspx
British Heart Foundation:
By WINNIE HU
Published: January 16, 2011
The governor proposed creating “centers for excellence†in every county, suggesting that such schools could save money for districts and ensure a higher quality of instruction. He told the audience at a town-hall-style meeting in Paramus on Thursday night that “the start-up costs of these programs, if you do it district-by-district, are mind-blowing and the quality is variable.”
Parents and advocates are split over the idea of creating specialized schools for children with autism, reflecting a larger debate nationally over whether those children are best served in separate programs or in general-education classes.
Critics of the idea say that children with disabilities gain valuable academic and social skills from interacting with their peers without disabilities, and also develop closer ties to their communities.
“We’re horrified at this suggestion to have another segregated setting for children with autism in every county in New Jersey,†said Diana Autin, executive co-director of the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, a nonprofit group that assists families. “It would also send a message to parents that children with autism can’t be included.”
But Linda Meyer, executive director of Autism New Jersey, a nonprofit advocacy and educational group, said Mr. Christie’s proposal for specialized autism schools would provide a much-needed alternative for some families. Many districts, she said, lack the staff, training and resources to educate children with autism.
“What I see is the governor has a vision to expand the continuum of options for our students,†Dr. Meyer said. “There are currently not enough high-quality school options for children with autism. Not every child is being educated in an effective program.”
The number of New Jersey students classified as having autism has grown rapidly, to 13,358 in 2010 from 8,490 in 2006, according to state education statistics.
Read in Full: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/17/nyregion/17njautism.html?_r=2
Adding More Schools for Autism Just Might Defeat the Purpose
Robin Hausman Morris
It is the quintessential dilemma for parents of autistic children. Public or private. Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has made an auspicious proposal to create additional schools specifically for children with autism, as reported in the New York Times.
This notion is music to the ears of parents who demand more speech, more occupational, and more behavioral therapies for their children. To be fair, the parents demand services because their children are in dire need of direct instruction and invaluable and intense intervention that is lacking in a typical public school setting. Nevertheless, the nagging question remains; is isolation the answer?
Read in Full: http://www.examiner.com/autism-parenting-in-national/adding-more-schools-for-autism-just-might-defeat-the-purpose
Tough Teacher Powers Under School Reforms
Thursday, January 27 02:06 pm
(c) Sky News 2011The new Education Bill sets out Michael Gove’s plans to drive up standards and behaviour.
Schools will get the final say on expulsions – making it easier to expel pupils who consistently misbehave.
The Education Secretary believes his plans will restore discipline and reduce bureaucracy.
He told Sky News: “It seems to me that the most important thing is to say to the teacher is that you’ve got the authority. I think we all want our teachers to get stuck into not just maintaining order but also to raising standards.”
His proposals will allow teachers to search children for things that can disrupt lessons – like mobile phones and video cameras.
Sky News understands that staff will also be able to delete any files or images that they feel are inappropriate.
The government also wants to protect teachers from false allegations made by pupils, by allowing them to remain anonymous until charged with an offence.
Headteachers will be asked not to suspend staff immediately and police officers encouraged to speed up any subsequent investigation so careers aren’t unnecessarily ruined.
Headteachers will also be able to discipline pupils who misbehave on their way to and from school.
But rules forcing teachers to give parents 24 hours notice of a detention will be scrapped – the thinking is that parents may be inconvenienced, but will also be prompted to ask what more they can do to improve their children’s behaviour in school.
Mr Gove added: “This Government backs teachers. All the evidence from those countries with great education systems tells us that nothing is more important than attracting great people into teaching and supporting them in the classroom.
“Teachers will be free to impose the penalties they need to keep order and free from the red tape which swallows up teaching time, so they can get on with their first duty – raising standards.”
Schools rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted will be freed from regular inspections in order to focus on the worst performers.
Ofsted will no longer rate schools on areas like community cohesion – instead focusing on just four core elements – pupil achievement, teaching, leadership and behaviour and safety.
With many of the new free schools being set up by faith groups the Education Secretary also revealed to Sky News a new unit will be set up within his department to prevent segregation in communities and combat extremism.
But the bill also includes an unexpected additional clause to make university students pay higher rates of interest on tuition fee loans.
The Government says this has to be included before the new university funding regime begins in 2012.
The General secretary of the University and College Union, Sally Hunt, has accused the coalition of “sneaking” the rate changes out in the bill.
She said: “The general public can see this for what it is – a stealth tax on learning and achievement – and it doesn’t matter what piece of legislation the Government tries to hide it in.”
The bill is likely to include further measures such as plans to overhaul the teacher training process, sweeping reforms of qualifications and the introduction of a reading test for six-year-olds.
Labour says it gives Mr Gove “50 new powers to meddle in education in your area” with Shadow Secretary Andy Burnham tweeting that it “strips councils of any real power and gives it all to the Secretary of State”.
It is part of the Education Secretary’s wider drive to give power and respect back to teachers while returning to more traditional values but could also leaves pupils and parents with a lot less clout.
Source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110127/tuk-tough-teacher-powers-under-school-re-45dbed5.html
Granville woman pursuing dream of school for autistic youth
Jan 18, 2011
Written by ANNA SUDAR
NEWARK — Barbara Lechner knows the world can be a complicated, overwhelming place for preteens with autism.
Not only do they struggle with sensory issues and anxiety, but many feel isolated and are picked on because of their social skills and communication difficulties.
Lechner, of Granville, is working to give Licking County children with autism a place where they can feel safe to be themselves.
For more than 30 years, Lechner has been the executive director of the Language Experience Center, a preschool for children with autism or communication issues.
She has applied for a $250,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant to expand the center’s mission and open a school for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders with autism.
“We want to create a learning environment that is conducive with their learning style,” she said.
A speech and language pathologist, Lechner started the Language Experience Center in 1979 at Licking Memorial Hospital with support from the Heath Sertoma. The school moved to St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Granville in 2004.
The program was designed to help young children develop language skills. Teachers work with a small group of 2-year-olds twice a week, Lechner said.
In December 2009, Lechner volunteered to do speech therapy with a 11-year-old boy with autism.
To prepare for the experience, she started reading books on the autism spectrum, taking classes and speaking with parents.
She said she realized preteens who have autism have a difficult time in school.
“They have inner anxiety plus the fact that their sensory input is either muted or highly accentuated,” she said. “They can have extreme loneliness and (face) bullying.”
Lechner began thinking about starting a school for that age group. When several members of the Language Experience Center board helped the Davis-Shai House win a $250,000 Pepsi grant, Lechner saw a way to possibly fund her new project.
Read in Full: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20110118/NEWS01/101180305/1002/Granville-woman-pursuing-dream-school-autistic-youth
Grant Funding Helps Educators Think Outside the Box
Indian Prairie Special Needs PTA provides $5,000 in grant funding to 11 schools and 18 individuals.
Published: Tuesday, February 01, 2011, 5:00 AM Â Â Â Updated: Wednesday, February 02, 2011, 1:36 AM
It’s been one year since 15-year-old Phoebe Prince committed suicide after what authorities say was the result of persistent bullying by classmates at South Hadley High School.
In the wake of the tragedy, the school vowed to put in place polices to address bullying. The new policies were enacted – a necessary response from the school system that was less than forthcoming in the wake of Prince’s death.
Efforts to repair the school’s image – and more importantly to protect the young people in its charge – are ongoing.
But the school system’s commitment to healing itself suffered another blow recently when a new charge of bullying surfaced at the high school.
Multiple news outlets have reported that advocates for the Payton Spinney – who had been a friend of Prince’s – say the school has been unresponsive to her educational and personal issues.
A lawyer for Spinney said the school has failed to implement a plan that takes into account Spinney’s autism and that it has failed to stop bullying she endures at school.
Just as troubling as the new allegations has been School Superintendent Gus Sayer’s silence on the matter.
Last Friday, Sayer said he will not be issuing a public statement addressing accusations that the School Department did not prevent Spinney from being bullied.
We are very troubled by Sayer’s silence. Parents who have children in the South Hadley schools should also be troubled.
Bullying is an unpleasant topic. But the only way to prevent it is by openly confronting the problem.
Source: http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/02/silence_on_bullying_a_troublin.html
Article Date: 28 Jan 2011
The NHS needs to improve how it diagnoses autism in children and teenagers if it is to cope with the increasing demand on services, says new draft guidance out today (Friday 28 January).
At least 1 in 100 children under the age of three years has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, levels of understanding among healthcare professionals vary greatly across the UK. ASD can be difficult to correctly diagnose as there are lots of possible signs and symptoms, as well as coexisting conditions with similar features, such as intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
In its draft clinical guideline, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) calls for healthcare professionals in the NHS to work closer together, as well as to improve how they engage with schools, social care, the voluntary sector and other key services which can offer useful insight into this condition. This is to ensure that children and teenagers with possible ASD, as well as their parents or carers, receive the appropriate care and support they need.
Dr Fergus Macbeth, Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE said: “A correct diagnosis of autism can bring a profound sense of relief to some children and young people from what can be an intense feeling of isolation from the rest of the world. It can also help them and their families or carers to get support from education, health services and voluntary organisations and make contact with others with similar experiences.
“Our draft recommendations outline the best ways that healthcare professionals can recognise the possible signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in children and young people, when they should consider referring them to a specialist team, and how they should then be diagnosed.”
In its draft clinical guideline, NICE advises that:
– A local ASD strategy group should be formed, with representation from child health and mental health services, education, social care, the voluntary sector and parents or carers of children with ASD.
– A multi-professional team should lead the referral and diagnosis of individuals with possible ASD; including a paediatrician, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist, a clinical or educational psychologist, and an occupational therapist. The ASD Team should undertake the diagnostic assessments where appropriate and advise healthcare professionals about referrals.
– Every child or young person who is to undergo a diagnostic assessment of ASD should have an appointed case coordinator from the ASD Team who will be their single point of contact and signpost them, and their parents/carers, to appropriate services and support.
– Healthcare professionals should always consider the possibility that the child/young person may have another condition with similar features to ASD. If an alternative diagnosis is suspected, they should undertake the appropriate assessments and referrals.
– Following diagnosis, the ASD Team should create a profile of the child or young person, detailing their strengths, skills, impairments and needs. This will support their education, communication, behavioural, emotional and family needs. With consent from the parent or carer, the profile should also be shared directly with relevant services, e.g. a school visit by a team member.
Dr Macbeth added: “We are inviting anyone who has experience with autism, including healthcare professionals, charities and members of the public, to comment on our draft recommendations via one of our registered stakeholders. In particular, we are very keen to hear from young people or carers of young people to get their thoughts on how our draft recommendations could affect them. This is so that we can ensure the final version of our clinical guideline is of greatest benefit to the NHS and importantly to those who live with this condition.”
The consultation deadline is Friday 25 March 2011. NICE then hopes to publish its final clinical guideline in September 2011. Once published, the recommendations will represent best clinical practice for the NHS.
Read in Full: http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=215087
Have your say on new guidelines to improve NHS services for under-18s with autism
The National Autistic Society (NAS) has today warmly welcomed the publication of a draft guideline from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on improvements to NHS autism diagnostic services for under-18s in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
These include vital proposals on improving diagnosis and post-diagnostic support, such as appointing a case coordinator for each young person and their family as single point of contact who will signpost them to appropriate services; and creating a profile of each young person who has a diagnosis, outlining their needs.
NAS Chief Executive, Mark Lever, said:
Children with autism are often disadvantaged in accessing services as their condition is not properly recognised. Too often we hear from families who are sent from pillar to post whilst seeking a diagnosis, or who find themselves outlining their experiences over and over again to different professionals. The longer they have to wait, the longer it takes for them to get the right support in place, which can have a negative impact on the whole family and lead to more costly services and support being required later in life.
Once published, I hope that the final clinical guideline will bring about a more consistent approach to referral and diagnosis and recommend comprehensive training for professionals involved. This is something families have long been calling for. We strongly welcome these draft recommendations for NHS healthcare professionals and urge all young people with autism, their parents, and healthcare professionals to make their views heard.
NICE is inviting anyone with experience of autism, including professionals and members of the public, to comment on the guidelines.
Visit the NICE website to have your say before 25 March 2011.