Brains-Yours, Mine, Ours

Intermittent Explosive Disorder - Roger Heater's Story

2009-06-04T11:15:00.005-04:00

This post is from my guest writers, Tammy Moss and Roger Heater:

"From Institutions to Freedom" tells the story of Roger Heater who has lived with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) for over three decades

As a child Roger suffered from temper tantrums and rage attacks. What began as tantrums, banging his head on the floor, ended in rage attacks, flipping furniture over, and destroying his bedroom. These attacks lasted thirty minutes to two hours sometimes. At times his parents were forced to sit on him and hold him down so he wouldn’t cause any damage to himself, or them.

By age 12, Roger was made a ward of the court and spent the next four years being shuffled around shelters, group homes, mental institutions, and psychiatric hospitals throughout the State of California, during which time he experienced several different forms of discipline and medications.

In the 70’s, Roger was placed in an institution where they mixed mentally handicap adults with kids. At age 13, he was living with adults as old as 70. Being stripped of his belt, shoes and pockets emptied, he was placed in a 7’ by 4’ room with no outside window or door knob on the inside. He was restrained on beds by being wrapped in sheets from the ankles to his neck. As early as 9 years old he was subjected to several different anti-depressants including Ritalin, Valium and Lithium.

Over the next 15 years Roger self-medicated with marijuana that he began to smoke excessively from as early as age 14. It seemed to control his hyper energy and aggressive behavior. By age 19 his impulsive and addictive personality began to crave the drug cocaine.

Four years later, after almost overdosing one evening, Roger began a self therapy treatment that involved one day at a time of not touching the drug and performing at local amateur comedy clubs throughout the Bay area. Just like marijuana, comedy became an excellent outlet to release his extra aggression. By age 34, with two addictive drug habits and two failed marriages behind him, the comedy stage alone was no longer enough to keep his anger under control. His aggressive and abusive behavior landed him into a psychiatric hospital twice within a 6 month period.

Three decades of Roger's IED incidents:

Age 4; Temper tantrums began, Roger would lay flat on his stomach and repeatedly bang his head on the floor, his mother had to hold him until he calmed down.
Age 11; He was running head first into walls, destroying his room so bad that everything was removed except his bed and dresser.
Age 16; Roger took out 32 car windshields with a baseball bat causing over $5,000.00 worth in damages.
In his early 20's after receiving a hamburger with mayo at a Jack in the Box drive-thru, he threw it back at the server and sped off in a screaming road rage into heavy expressway traffic, almost causing a three car pileup.
In his early 20's to mid 30's he mentally and physically attacked 3 separate wives. During a rage attack he was known to lift wives up off the floor by their throats.

After struggling for over three decades, Roger was finally given a diagnosis in 1995. He was told he had a mental disorder called Intermittent Explosive Disorder (I-E-D). This disorder was still unknown to the public and researchers at the time, so proper medications and therapy were still in the testing stage. Over the years while learning what he could about the disease he taught himself how to overcome and survive living with it. After more than 14 years of touring and performing comedy all over the United States, he developed a strong ability to keep any size groups attention and his strong stage presence continues to shine even when delivering material on a much darker subject. His sense of humor, passion and understanding for this disorder stands out in every delivery.

Roger is in the process of writing his book- “From Institutions to Freedom” in the hopes that sharing his story with others will motivate and show others that instead of ‘you can’t’ -you can!

Stimulus Pro-bono opportunity~~
During these tough economic times, we are giving a limited amount of pro-bono talks in Las Vegas, California, Utah and Arizona. Don't wait! Email us to schedule. Contact us @ tmoss1026@yahoo.com

Roger is dedicated to speak wherever there is a need. A man who never took “you can’t” as an excuse, Roger fought through each and every obstacle and came out proving everyone wrong.

Roger is sharing his story all around the country. Please email us with where you are from and names of organizations that may benefit in hearing this powerful, motivating story

To learn more about IED and to book a pro-bono talk, visit our website- http://www.heaterproductions.com/

EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques. What is It?

2009-05-04T10:32:00.020-04:00

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) are based upon the theory that negative emotions are caused by "disturbances" in the body's "energy field." EFT is derived from Thought Field Therapy (TFT) techniques and is based upon acupuncture. Proponents of EFT claim it relieves many psychological and physical conditions, including depression, anxiety, stress, addictions and phobias.

The basic EFT technique involves recalling a negative memory or emotion and simultaneously using one's fingers to tap on specific points on the body. This tapping alters the body's energy field, restoring it to a "balance."

Studies:

1. A 2003 study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology and financed by the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, involved 35 patients with a phobia of small animals. Each patient received a single treatment with EFT. The authors stated that their results were "largely consistent" with the hypothesis that EFT can reduce phobias.

2. Another 2003 study, published in The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, was conducted by Waite and Holder on 119 University students who experienced specific fears or phobias. This study divided the students into four groups: Group A received a single round of EFT with tapping on the appropriate points; Group B received the same EFT treatment except that they tapped on points in the arm that are not the standard EFT recommendations; Group C received the same EFT treatment as Group A and tapped on a doll; and Group D was asked to make a toy only.

The students were asked to record their fears before and after treatment on a "SUDS" scale.
Groups A, B and C did better than Group D. There were no significant differences between the Groups A, B and C which implies that the tapping certain areas isn't necessary.

3. A 2005 study, published in Counseling and Clinical Psychology, used a symptom checklist to in 102 participants in an (EFT) workshop before their treatment, after their treatment, and six months later. There was no control group. The results of this study showed a significant decrease in psychological distress over time.

EFT has it's controversies. Some proponents are very conservative about their claims while others have gone beyond the scope of EFT's creator, claiming it can cure just about anything. EFT has it's roots in Eastern medicine so, of course, Western medicine is going to be skeptical.

EFT Video:

OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

2009-04-15T09:25:00.015-04:00

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is the label put on the inability to avoid persistent thoughts and stop repeated behaviors that are negatively affecting one's quality of life. About 2.2 million people in the US suffer from OCD which is classified as an anxiety disorder. It is often accompanied by one or more other problems such as other anxiety disorders, eating disorders and especially depression. OCD usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood.

Obsessions are thoughts that one can't get out of their head. No matter how hard one tries, the unwelcome thoughts return. Common subjects are germs/contamination, doubting that something was done, orderliness/organization, fear of impulsive behavior (saying something inappropriate/doing something terrible), fear of having terrible thoughts.

One way to cope with the anxiety caused by obsessive thoughts is to take action. These actions can get out of control and interfere with life in a negative way. The thought and action are not necessarily connected in logic. Now they are called "compulsions." Here are some examples:

If someone is afraid of germs, they might start cleaning and sterilizing things constantly (more than the average person would) as well as refuse to touch anything in a public place or shake hands with anyone. They might also start washing/scrubbing their hands many times a day.
A person who doubts might start checking things over and over and over. Ten minutes later, the doubt returns and they have to check again. It's as if they don't remember or trust their memory. Did I lock the door? Did I close the garage door? Is the stove turned off? Did I put something away? Did I turn on/turn off something?
People who obsess on orderiless and organization can't stand anything out of place. Everything has a place. No paperclip can sit outside of the official paperclip box. The lamp is not allowed to be an inch out of place on the tabletop. Couch cushions have to be just so. These people might also fixate on a certain type of thing that is out of place everywhere they go. Imagine walking to work and having to pick up every piece of trash (no matter how small) found on the street.
Some people with OCD are afraid of their own impulses to say something inappropriate (vulgarity, insults, lies, hoaxes) and so they avoid going places and being with people. It's like being afraid of suddenly being overcome with Tourrette's Syndrome when one doesn't even have it in the first place. Some people are afraid of doing something inappropriate, dangerous or worse. Again, these people isolate themselves to protect others.
Fixation on words, phrases or repeated actions are another way to deal with the anxiety. Some people will say certain words or phrases over and over until they "feel better."
Hoarding is another OCD compulsion. Suffers might keep something for a reason that seems logical to them but it gets out of control and becomes extreme. Imagine keeping an empty jar because it would be good for storage. Compare that to someone who has accumulated hundreds of jars, none of them used, to be saved for a future, possible use. There are also people who hoard animals to the point of their homes becoming filthy and they are unable to afford to feed and provide proper veterinary care for their pets.
Some people become obsessed with negative parts of their body. They scrub or wash or pluck to the point of causing damage to their appearance and/or health.
Scrupulosity is an religious expression of OCD that goes way back into history. A person focuses on their religion, or a certain aspect of their religion, way too intensely and loses sight of the big picture. Clergy in many faiths have been helping their members with this problem for hundreds of years. This is not to be confused with being religious and devout. This is a situation of extreme religion when even the leader says there is a problem.

Thoughts and behaviors are usually classified as Obsessive Compulsive Disorders when they take up (waste) more than an hour of day of one's time or interfere negatively with one's life. Sometimes it's so severe that sufferers can't hold down a job, take (almost) forever to get tasks done, and isolate themselves from friends and family. Some sufferers turn to alcohol and drugs to "calm down" and control their OCD. Not the best choice.

Psychiatry and psychology have come a long way in the past 50 years. Now there are ways to deal with the anxiety. OCD can't be cured, but it can be managed and it's impact on life lessened . There are many anxiety medications available. There is also Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to help people react and deal with anxiety.

Famous People with Anxiety Disorders

2009-03-29T10:10:00.005-04:00

At one time or another the following people had issues with anxiety that interfered with their lives:

Abraham Lincoln (president - USA)
Al Kasha (songwriter)
Alanis Morisette (singer)
Alfred Lord Tennyson (poet)
Ann Wilson (singer)
Anne Tyler (author)
Anthony Hopkins (actor)
Aretha Franklin (singer)
Barbara Bush (former First Lady - U.S.)
Barbara Gordon (filmmaker)
Barbra Streisand (singer, actress)
Beverly Johnson (supermodel)
Bonnie Raitt (musician)
Burt Reynolds (actor)
Carly Simon (singer)
Charles Schultz (cartoonist)
Charlotte Bronte (author)
Cher (singer, actress)
Courtney Love (singer, actress)
Dave Stewart (singer in Eurythmics)
David Bowie (singer)
Dean Cain (actor)
Deanna Carter (singer)
Dick Clark (television personality)
Donny Osmond (actor)
Earl Campbell (Heisman Trophy winner)
Edie Falco (actress)
Edvard Munch (artist
)Emily Dickinson (poet)
Eric Clapton (musician)
Goldie Hawn (actress)
Howard Stern (king of media)
Howie Mandel (comic)
Isaac Asimov (author)
James Garner (actor)
Jim Eisenreich (baseball)
Joan Rivers (comedienne, tv personality)
John Candy (comedian,actor)
John Cougar Mellencamp (musician, actor)
John Madden (sports announcer)
John Steinbeck (author)
John Stuart Mill (philosopher)
Johnny Depp (actor)
Kim Basinger (actress)
Lani O'Grady (actress)
Leila Kenzle (actress)
Marie Osmond (singer, actress)
Marty Ingels (comedian)
Michael Crichton (author)
Michael English (Gospel artist)
Michael Jackson (singer)
Naomi Campbell (model)
Naomi Judd (singer)
Nicholas Cage (actor)
Nicole Kidman (actress)
Nikola Tesla (inventor)
Olivia Hussey (actress)
Oprah Winfrey (tv host, actress)
Pete Harnisch (baseball)
Ray Charles (musician)
Robert Burns (poet)
Robert McFarlane (former National Security Advisor - U.S.)
Robin Quivers (radio host)
Roseanne Barr (comedienne, actress)
Sally Field (actress)
Sam Shepard (playwright)
Shecky Greene (comedian)
Sheryl Crow (musician)
Sigmund Freud (psychiatrist)
Sir Isaac Newton (scientist)
Sir Laurence Olivier (actor)
Sissy Spacek (actress)
Susan Powter (tv host)
Tom Snyder (newscaster, tv host)
Tony Dow (actor director)
W.B. Yeats (poet)
Willard Scott (weatherman)
Winona Ryder (actress)

Anxiety Disorders

2009-03-21T23:49:00.017-04:00

Anxiety is a reaction to a tense situation that might be at home, work, play or at school. It's very normal to have anxiety now and then because it helps us cope with life. Sometimes anxiety grows into being excessive for the circumstance or perhaps an irrational reaction to everyday situations that shouldn't normally cause anxiety.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):
This type is a constant anxiety, extreme worry or tension, even when there is little or nothing to cause it. There are also physical effects such as being tired all the time, headaches, muscle tension and aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):
Here there are recurrent, unwanted thoughts/obsessions or repetitive behaviors/compulsions. Rituals of repetitive handwashing, counting, checking, saving items, or cleaning are common. These tasks are done too much and/or unnecessarily.

Panic Disorder:
This is characterized by sudden, unexpected episodes of intense fear as well as physical symptoms like chest pain, fast beating heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, sweating, tingly or numb hands, flush or chill, or nausea.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):
This can develop after exposure to something horrible and violent. Events that can trigger PTSD include being assaulted, disasters, accidents, or military combat. Victims as well as onlookers can be affected. People with PTSD keep re-experiencing thoughts and memories of the frightening ordeal and, to protect themselves, appear to be emotionally numb, especially with people they were once close to. They may have sleep problems, feel detached or numb in relationships, or be easily startled.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD):
This is the fear and, even physical symptoms, of meeting with other people whether it's at school, work, a party, get-together, or going out into crowds. There is intense anxiety in everyday social situations. SAD is sometimes limited to only one type of situation but, in its most severe form, a person suffers symptoms in all social situations. There is a feeling of being watched and judged, and a fear of being embarrassed or humiliated. Sufferers often feel the blushing, profuse sweating, shaking, nausea, and difficulty talking.

Please click HERE for ways to get help for an anxiety disorder.

Feral / Wild Children "Raised by Dogs"

2009-03-09T08:54:00.017-04:00

We've all heard stories about children orphaned or abandoned by their parents and growing up wild. Some stories say these children became "feral" and were raised by or lived amongst wild animals. Some stories are true and some are hoaxes.

Here are three stories. At the end is a link to a very long list of cases of feral/wild children which includes photos, whether it was true or a hoax, and where these people are now in their lives. It's very interesting.

Oxana Malaya aka "The Ukranian Dog Girl" was 3 years old when her alcoholic parents left her outside. For the next five years she lived in a shed with several dogs. She eventually walked as if on four legs, ate like a dog, and barked at people. Feral-child expert Lyn Fry says that Malaya, now 26, has the mental capacity of a 6-year-old child and cannot be rehabilitated.

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Madina aka "Mowgli" of Ufa, Russia lived with a family of dogs, neglected by her alcoholic mother. Social workers observed Madina naked and walking on all fours like a dog. She was gnawing bones off the ground for food and huddled for warmth with the dogs. She growls if a stranger gets too close. She only knows two words - "yes" and "no."

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Dani of Plant City, Florida was never allowed outside the home - not even to play, go to school or see a doctor. She was 7 years old when found by police who were responding to a concerned call of abuse/neglect. She was never potty trained and wore only a filthy diaper. She never learned to eat solid food, had no experience with language and walked like a crab. It has been determined that her mother was "mentally impaired." The foster parents who have since adopted Dani did many of the most important things needed to help severely neglected children. When Dani first began living with them, she wanted to be held and nurtured, like a baby wants and needs. And that's what she received. Dani's story made it to the Oprah Winfrey show.

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Here are some infamous hoaxes:

Misha Defonseca: She wrote a book about her life with wolves, then admitted she had lied.
Amala and Kamala: The "wolf girls of India" were most likely mentally impaired, not feral.
The Wild Boy of Burundi: He was probably autistic, and was not raised by monkeys.

The importance of love, trust, touch, and nurturing is great. Did you know that about one-third of babies raised in orphanages will die?

Feral children and others who are severaly neglected emotionally share autistic-like behaviors including rocking, language problems, poor social skills and difficulty understanding the thoughts and feelings of others (empathy). Like autistic children, neglected children often avoid physical contact even though they are starved for touch. Feral children need to start real slow and learn that a hug or simple touch of the hand is a good thing. Physical therapy can help with this.

Recommended reading: Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D and Maia Szalavitz co-authored The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog and Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook: What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love and Healing.

Here's the link to a long list of feral children: FERAL CHILDREN

Agoraphobia- Definition, Causes, Treatment

2009-03-04T08:29:00.024-05:00

Definition:
The word agoraphobia is from Greek words meaning "fear of the outdoor marketplace." Agoraphobia is the most common type of phobia/fear and it affects about 5-10% of Americans at some point within their lifetime. It is twice as common in women as in men and usually starts between the ages of 15-35.

Agoraphobia is all about the fear of being in certain types of places. Anxiety and panic attacks are the result. Fear of future anxiety or attacks can actually bring them on. Symptoms include trembling, sweating, pounding heart, jitters, fatigue, tingling in the hands and feet, nausea, a rapid pulse or breathing rate, and a sense of impending doom.

People with agoraphobia often have a hard time feeling safe in places where crowds gather such as the mall, concert and sporting event arenas, carnivals and fairs. Times Square in NYC on New Year's Eve is an extreme example of this kind of setting. Another uncomfortable situation is one where escape or exit is difficult or not practical such as being in an elevator; riding in a bus, train or airplane; or crossing a bridge. If one does have a panic attack and has to leave suddenly or receive on-site medical attention in a public place, it's viewed as "embarrassing" so people with agoraphobia tend avoid places where a quick exit is not available. A person with agoraphobia has high anxiety levels in places that are new and unfamiliar because they have no control.

Home becomes a "safe place" with some people becoming so fearful of leaving the indoors and going into their own yard.

Causes:
No one knows the exact cause of agoraphobia but there are several suspects:

Continual use of tranquilizers such as benzodiazepines can bring on agoraphobia. When benzodiazepine dependence is treated and after some time off of them, agorphobia symptoms gradually lessen.

Research has uncovered a connection between agoraphobia and difficulties with spatial orientation. A disproportionate percentage of agoraphobics become disoriented when visual cues are sparse (wide open spaces) or overwhelming (crowds). Sometimes they may be confused by sloping or irregular surfaces. In some virtual reality studies, agoraphobics on average show difficulty processing changing audiovisual data.

In the social sciences there is the approach that links the development of agoraphobia with modernity (industrialized society).

The Feminist Theory explains agoraphobia and other anxiety disorders as gendered issues. One such theory explains agoraphobia as a fear of being perceived by others as overly feminine and out of control. Just worrying about this brings on the anxiety.

Treatment-Medication:
Fighting agoraphobia includes a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Treatment is often successful. It can be overcome and kept under control.

Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are often prescribed. Fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly), paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR) and sertraline (Zoloft) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat panic disorder and also may help agoraphobia.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are sometimes used to treat agoraphobia but they tend to have more side effects and more serious side effects than do SSRIs.

Benzodiazepines can help control symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, and are often prescribed. These include alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin) and others.

Anti-anxiety medications often work immediately to reduce symptoms, while antidepressants may take a couple of weeks before one starts feeling better. The doctor may suggest taking both to increase the effectiveness. You may have to try several different medications before you find one that works best for you. Don't give up if the first try doesn't work out. Even after one feels "cured," maintenance treatment may help prevent the unexpected return of symptoms, especially as you return to the outside world of crowds, less control and uncertainty.

Treatment-Psychotherapy:
Cognitive behavior therapy may help quite a bit for agoraphobia. This involves learning more about agoraphobia and panic attacks, what the triggers are, and how to control them. One also learns how to de-stress using breathing and relaxation techniques.

There is also "desensitization" which helps one safely confront the places and situations that cause fear and anxiety. Together, the doctor and patient go places, such as trips to the mall or driving around town. Baby steps - a little at a time is best. By repeatedly visiting feared places, people with agoraphobia become a little more comfortable with the situation once it's realized that the fears are not becoming reality.

Getting out to see a doctor or therapist can be a big challenge for people with agoraphobia. Therapists who treat agoraphobia know this and may offer to make house calls or meet at other "safe zones." They may also try sessions over the phone or through e-mail. Another thing that might help is to bring a trusted relative or friend to appointments who can offer companionship, comfort and help.

Here are some helpful links:

Agoraphobia Resouce Center

Anxiety & Agoraphobia Treatment Center

Anxiety Disorders Association of Ontario

Books on agoraphobia
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Hyperlexia - What Is It?

2009-02-23T09:16:00.010-05:00

Hyperlexic children are often fascinated by letters and numbers. Some children can learn to spell long words before they are two years old and learn to read whole sentences before they turn three. They often become very early readers. This aspect of hyperlexia can be viewed as a superability. Often this ability is initilly considered a gift of super intelligence, so many parents delay getting their children help when language starts becoming difficult.

On the other hand, hyperlexic children have difficulties with spoken language. They learn to speak only by memory and repetition. Rules of language such as word order and tenses are difficult to master. Often, the child has a large vocabulary and can identify many objects and pictures but can't participate in spontaneous conversation.

Such language challenges may result in difficulty interacting with other children and other problems. Social skills often suffer. Hyperlexic children often have low interest in playing with other children.

Hyperlexia exhibits the following characteristics-

An unusually early ability to read words

An intense fascination with letters or numbers.

Significant difficulty in understanding verbal language

Difficulty in socializing and interacting appropriately with others

Memorizes sentences without understanding their meanings

Reverses pronouns

Rarely initiates conversations or asks questions

Strong need to keep routines, ritualistic behavior

Difficulty with transitions

Very sensitive to sounds, smells and textures

Self-stimulatory behavior

Unusual fears (beyond the boogie man under the bed or monster in the closet)

Normal development until 18-24 months, then regression

Strong auditory and visual memory

Difficulty answering who-what-when-where questions

Think in literal terms, difficulty with abstract ideas

Listen selectively, appear to be deaf sometimes

Their diets may be picky

Potty training can be difficult, more so than for children their same age

MRI studies showed that hyperlexia may be the neurological opposite of dyslexia. Hyperlexia sometimes co-exists with Asperger Syndrome. Right now there is professional disagreement over whether to include hyperlexia within the realm of autism or classify it as unique.

Please check out these resources:

American Hyperlexia Association

Canadian Hyperlexia Association

Hyperlexia Parents Network

Books on Hyperlexia

Ward Off Dementia - Get Out There, Party and Socialize!

2009-02-19T19:39:00.011-05:00

LONDON - A recent study says that keeping busy with social events and get-togethers lowers the risk of developing dementia. Lowering stress levels helps, too. The study found that socially active people with resulting lower stress levels had a 50 percent lower risk of developing dementia as compared with people who were alone and/or prone to stress. These findings have been published in the journal NEUROLOGY.

"In the past, studies have shown that chronic distress can affect parts of the brain, such as the hippocampus, possibly leading to dementia," said study leader, Hui-Xin Wang of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. "But our findings suggest that having a calm and outgoing personality in combination with a socially active lifestyle may decrease the risk of developing dementia even further...The good news is, lifestyle factors can be modified as opposed to genetic factors which cannot be controlled," Wang said, "but these are early results, so how exactly mental attitude influences risk for dementia is not clear."

The Swedish study involved 506 elderly people who did not have dementia in the beginning. They were given questionnaires about personality traits and lifestyles and then followed for six years. By the end of the study, 144 people developed dementia. The more socially active and less stressed people were 50 percent less likely to be diagnosed with the condition.

Here's my own two cents - don't wait until you are old! Join or form some sort of group that gets together for fun and laughs when you turn 40! If you have a stressful job, this is doubly important!

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Gender Differences in the Brain

2009-02-19T10:49:00.008-05:00

Harvard University President Lawrence H. Summers created controversy when he suggested recently that innate differences in sex may explain why fewer women succeed in science and math careers.

He's already got me angry - my daughter and I are very good at both subjects! Where's my pitchfork and torch! I have some butt kicking to do whilst singing. "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better."

Personally I think there is an overlap in "typical" male and female characteristics and that various cultures push/encourage math and science upon sons more than they do upon daughters. I also think culture and attitudes are a strong influence, short of any brain damage or mental conditions.

Nancy Forger of the the University of Massachusettes wants you to consider examples that suggest actual differences between male and female brains. Why is depression twice as common in women as in men? Why are women with schizophrenia seeming to suffer less cognitive difficulties than do men with the same condition?

Most neuro-developmental diseases are either more common or more severe in one gender or the other. She says health conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, even lung cancer also seem to be influenced by a person's gender. I think lifestyle, as shaped by culture, account for those issues but I am no expert (just in my own mind!).

Research does show that men's brains are larger, on average, than women's by about 100 grams but this could be explained by the fact that the average man's skeleton is larger than the average women's.

There are studies that have shown women may use more parts of their brain at once while men are more inclined to have focused responses.

German studies on people with brain damage to the left side, for example, show that men are less likely to be able to recover their ability to talk than are women. This difference could partly explain why infant girls, on average, speak sooner and use more words than infant boys.

Drs. Ruben and Raquel Gur at the University of Pennsylvania have shown in MRI's that women's brains "light up" in more areas than do men's brains when given verbal and spatial tasks. They feel this extra activity gives women the ability to multi-task. Women may even use different pathways than men when thinking and encoding memories. Turhan Canli at Stanford tested 12 men and 12 women in functional MRIs and showed that women encode memories using different pathways than do men when memorizing something.

"At least 100 sex differences in male and female brains have been described so far," said Forger. "They keep cropping up in animal and human studies."

In mammals, testosterone appears to be a main player in brain differences. Forger's work with mice has shown that as mammals develop in the womb, testosterone and related hormones trigger cell death in some regions of the male brain and foster cell development in other regions. In this way, the hormone sculpts the male brain and how it will differ from the female version.
Remove or add testosterone to mice shortly after birth, and their brains develop according to the presence of the hormone, regardless of their gender.

Most researchers looking into differences of the brain point out that there are many more differences in the brain just between individuals than between the genders. I totally agree!
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Treating Anger Disorders

2009-02-17T09:08:00.006-05:00

In the past, many doctors have resisted exploring anger disorders because there were very few options for treating it but now that has changed. Treatments are now available for people with anger disorders such as Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). The options include psychotherapy as well as medication.

Psychiatrists have found that people who cannot control their anger have a number of other psychological issues that require treatment. Treatment consists of behavioral self-control techniques, stress management, and cognitive therapy to change the irrational belief system that triggers the violent behavior. There are probably some depression issues, too A little Prozac might be nice in the meantime.

Anti-depressant drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are now being prescribed because studies have suggested that people who have violent, aggressive outbursts may have decreased levels of serotonin in frontal parts of their brains as compared to everyone else.

Some people with IED are often misdiagnosed as having Bipolar Disorder. Both types of patient may have explosive outbursts of rage but those people with IED do not necessarily have the same manic "highs" as people with bipolar disorder. That is the difference.

Researchers are currently working with the World Health Organization to assess and compare the prevalence of IED in 30 nations. A definition of intermittent explosive disorder was only added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980. It's still a new frontier for psychiatric medicine.

Click HERE for a discussion of IED and Domestic Violence.

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Anger - Intermittent Explosive Disorder & Domestic Violence

2009-02-14T21:34:00.008-05:00

Intermittent Explosive Disorder -
If a person's aggressive outbursts result in any destruction of property, physical assaults on people or animals, or causing a death, then that person has a problem and should seek help immediately. This anger problem will result in legal and financial problems and destroyed relationships. Peace and true happiness are elusive. Friends, family, loved ones and even strangers are in danger.

Loss of control is the key factor. The individual loses control, resulting in aggressive acting out, either by yelling, assaulting others, or destroying property. The degree of behavior is always out of proportion to the stimulus. Typically, these individuals will not take responsibility for their loss of control, often blaming the victim, other circumstances in their life, or some third party as causing their loss of control. The inability to accept responsibility for the one's own actions helps to alleviate guilt. It also prevents the individual from seeing that there is a problem and making any changes. Both men and women can have this terrible problem.

Comedian Roger Heater suffers from IED. He now gives talks and is writing a book. He guest wrote his story for me. Please check out: Roger Heater's Story of IED.

Domestic Violence -
People with Intermittent Explosive Disorder often only lose control within the context of a close interpersonal relationship. Their self-control is better outside their own home and family. The diagnosis of Intermittent Explosive Disorder is almost always present in domestic violence situations, except when the violence occurs only in situations with substance abuse or intoxication. Sometimes, however, intoxication is also a form of not accepting blame and the individual may choose to become intoxicated prior to a confrontation and use their wasted state as an excuse for loss of control.

Individuals who only lose control within relationships often attach strong emotional ultimatums to those relationships. If a person believes that loss of a relationship would be unbearable, then they will stay in the abusive relationship, regardless of what logic says.

Perpetrators of domestic violence rarely receive adequate psychological treatment, because they are viewed as criminals, rather than individuals with psychological problems.

Click HERE for a discussion of treatment.

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The Mini Cog Screening Test for Alzheimer's

2009-02-09T10:21:00.006-05:00

The "Mini-Cog" is a simple, quick test that only takes about 3 minutes to do and is often used in emergency departments to identify people who might need more help, beyond what their emergency is all about.

First the person is asked to repeat three unrelated words. This is the same as in the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Next, the person is asked to draw a clock. This is the same as the Clock Drawing Test (CDT).

Finally the person is then asked to recall the previously-given three words. If the person has difficulty remembering any of the three words then they are categorized as "probably demented."

If the person draws their clock that is in any way abnormal they are deemed "probably demented."

The Mini-Cog test results are only a small step toward the diagnosis of dementia. It is not used by itself to make a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Click on the following links for more information:

How Alzheimer's is Diagnosed
The Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE)
The Clock Drawing Test
Symptoms & Stages of Alzheimers

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The Clock Drawing Test to Diagnose Alzheimer's

2009-02-09T09:57:00.007-05:00

The person taking this simple test is asked to draw a clock, put in all the numbers, and set the hands at ten past eleven. The test is then scored. It doesn't work for finding mild Alzheimer's, only the moderate and severe stages.

Four to five points is "normal."

This simple test actually provides alot of information about general memory, how people are able to process information and their vision. The Clock Drawing Test does gives clues about the brain's areas of change or damage.

This test is not used alone to diagnose Alzheimers. Click HERE for a listing of various tests doctors use together as a set to make the final diagnosis.
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The Mini Mental State Exam for Diagnosing Alzheimer's

2009-02-09T09:45:00.004-05:00

The MMSE is the most commonly used test toward diagnosing Alzheimer's. It's a list of questions that is scored. Although it appears to be a simple test, only trained clinicians should give and score it.

The MMSE asks questions that assess five areas:

Orientation - What is the year? What is the season? What is the date? What is the day? What is the month? What state are we in? What county are we in? What town are we in? What (hospital, or other building) are we in? What floor are we on?

Short-Term Memory - The doctor names three objectsand asks the person to repeat the three words all at once. A a maximum of six tries is permitted.

Attention - The person is asked to count backwards from 100 by 7s, or to spell the word “world” backwards.

Short-Term Memory - The person is asked to repeat the three objects named earlier

Language - First, the doctor holds up a pencil and a watch,separately, and then asks the person to name the objects. Next, the person is asked to repeat the phrase, "No ifs, ands, or buts." Third, the person is asked to follow a three-stage command. Fourth, the person is given a piece of paper with the command "Close your eyes" written on it and is asked to do what the paper says. Fifth, the person is asked to write a unique sentence. Sixth, the person is asked to copy a simple design.

The maximum score on the MMSE is 30. In general, scores fall into four categories:
24 – 30 is "normal, " 20 – 23 points is mild cognitive impairment or possible early-stage/mild Alzheimer's, 10 – 19 points is middle-stage/moderate Alzheimer's and 0– 9 is late-stage/severe Alzheimer's disease.

This MMSE shouldn't be used all by itself to make a diagnosis. A diagnosis of Alzheimer's can only be made after a complete diagnostic workup rules out any other possible cause for the person's symptoms. Many other things need to be looked at.

Click HERE for a listing of various tests the doctors will conduct to diagnose Alzheimer's.

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Diagnosing Alzheimers / Dementia

2009-02-08T22:39:00.013-05:00

Most people contact their own family doctor first. He or she will do some simple memory tests. If still concerned, the doctor might refer the patient to a neurologist, psychiatrist or psychologist for further evaluation. The family doctor will coordinated everyone's contribution to the diagnosis and treatment.

If the patient would like to find a new doctor, someone with more experience with Alzheimers than the typical family doctor, then they can contact the Alzheimer’s Association to get some names and contact information.

There is no such thing as a single "Alzheimers Memory Test" that makes the diagnosis all by itself. Alzheimers is more complicated than that. The doctors are going to look at the patient's mind, body and soul to find any conditions that could affect how the brain works. There are other things besides Alzheimers that affect our memory and thinking such as anemia, malnutrition or certain vitamin deficiencies, excess use of alcohol, medication side effects, certain infections, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, thyroid problems, and issues with the heart, lungs or blood vessels.

Here are some questions your doctor might ask at the initial appointment:

What kind of symptoms have you noticed?
When did they begin?
How often do they happen?
Have they gotten worse?

Important Note - The Alzheimer's Association says that home screening tests should not be used instead of seeing a doctor. Don't let someone who is trying to pray on your insecurities and take your money, tell you whether or not you have a mental condition! You need to see a doctor, one-on-one, who knows what he or she is doing!

Besides asking basic questions like the ones above, the doctor will also interview the patient and their spouse/family members about current and past illnessess. The doctor will ask about certain medical conditions, including Alzheimers, that might exist elsewhere in the family tree.

The doctor will do what is called "Mental Status Testing" which gives the doctor an idea of whether a person:

Is aware of having symptoms or feels nothing is wrong at all
Knows today's date, time and location
Can do simple mental exercises on the "Clock Drawing Test", "Mini-Mental State Exam" or "Mini Cog" test
Do a neurological exam which covers reflexes, coordination and balance, muscle tone and strength, eye movement, speech and sensation

A neurological exam is another part of the physical. Structural Brain Imaging such as MRI's and CT's show the shape, position and volume of brain tissue. Functional Brain Imaging shows the doctor how well brain cells in various regions are working by showing how actively the cells are using sugar and oxygen. Functional Techniques to look at the brain include Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and functional MRI's (fMRI). Many of these images are used to detect and rule out tumors, strokes, damage from severe head trauma or a buildup of fluid.

If I have any advice to give, it would be to see a doctor early. If you catch Alzheimer's early, you can fight back and delay or lessen it's severity. Do all the tests, just in case the cause of the patient's problem is something else, or co-existing with Alzheimer's.

Click on the following links for detailed information on:

Mini Mental State Exam

Mini Cog Test

Clock Drawing Test

The Four Stages Of Dementia / Alzheimers

2009-02-04T19:56:00.008-05:00

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Alzheimer's is divided into four stages which progress from one into the next. They are classified as Pre-Dementia, Early Dementia, Moderate Dementia and Advanced Dementia.

Pre-Dementia:

The first symptoms are sometimes mistaken for ageing or stress. Detailed neuro-psychological testing can reveal mild cognitive difficulties as early as eight years before a person is officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

The most noticeable early symptom is memory loss, which usually shows up as trouble remembering recently learned facts or an inability to remember new information. Subtle problems with attentiveness, planning, flexibility, and abstract thinking, or impairments in semantic memory (memory of meanings, and concept relationships), can also be signs of the early stages. Apathy is sometimes seen at this stage and it remains throughout the next three phases. This early stage of the Alzheimer's is also called "mild cognitive impairment."

Early Dementia:

The increasing challenges of learning and memory eventually leads to a doctor's diagnosis of Alzheimer's. In a few people, difficulties with language, executive functions, perception/understanding, or movements are more prominent than their memory problems.

Alzheimer's does not affect all types of memories the same. Older memories of the person's life, facts learned, and implicit memory tend to be affected less than are newer facts or memories. Language problems are mainly characterised by a shrinking vocabulary and decreased word fluency, which eventually interfere with one's writing and speaking skills. In this stage of Alzheimer's, the affected person is slowly reduced to communicating only basic ideas.

While performing fine motor tasks (finger control) such as writing, drawing or dressing, one's movements that require planning and coordination are difficult, making sufferers appear clumsy. As the disease progresses, people can often continue to perform many tasks independently, but might need help or supervision with the more mentally demanding activities.

Moderate Dementia

During this third stage, one starts losing their ability to be independent. Conversation becomes difficult, due to an inability to remember words. Sometimes wrong words are substituted. Reading and writing skills also decline. Complex movements that require coordination are more challenging, causing the ability to normal daily living activities to be difficult. During this phase, memory problems worsen, and the person may fail to recognise close relatives.

Long-term memory becomes impaired and behavioral changes become more noticeable. Common neuro-psychiatric manifestations are wandering, sundowning, irritability and labile affect can lead to crying, outbursts of aggression and/or resistance to caregiving. About a third of patients also develop illusionary misidentifications and other delusional symptoms. Urinary incontinence can develop.

During this stage of Alzheimer's, the patient's symptoms create increasing stress for their relatives and caretakers. It's at this point most loved ones must consider moving the patient into long-term care facilities that specialize in caring for Alzheimer's patients.

Advanced Dementia

During this last stage, the patient has become completely dependent upon others for care. Speaking with simple phrases or single words eventually turns to a complete loss of speech. Despite this, patients can often understand and return emotional signals. Aggressiveness might still be present but extreme apathy and exhaustion are more common.

Patients will eventually become unable to do most simple tasks without assistance. Muscle mass shrinks and mobility deteriorates to the point where they are bedridden. The Alzheimer's patient will lose their ability to feed themselves.

Finally comes death, usually caused directly by something external such as pressure ulcers or from a cold turning into pneumonia.

My grandmother had Alzheimer's. She eventually became a "vegetable" sitting in a wheelchair. She died of pneumonia.

Please click HERE to find out how doctors diagnose Alzheimer's.

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Treatment for Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

2009-02-01T11:08:00.012-05:00

Most addiction treatment centers take care of the physical and mental aspects of the addiction. It's best to pluck the person out of their environment because of temptations, enablers, stress and more that can cause failure. Some centers are holistic, adding in nutrition and spirituality to help the patient find the inner peace they never had before.

The following links are to centers that can help. Contact one to get the ball rolling...

A Forever Recovery uses a mind, body and spirit approach to treatment.

Find links to treatment centers throughout the USA via the Addiction Treatment Library. Just type in your state and hit enter!

Clearview Treatment Center in Southern California - two locations

The Addiction Treatment Help Line - 24/7 hotline plus many locations

Summer House in Miami, Florida

The Holistic Treatment Program - many locations

Treatment Solutions Network - many locations

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What is Addiction?

2009-01-29T17:09:00.011-05:00

Addiction is defined as being an "excessive" obsession, compulsion or dependence on a behavior or substance. If the item or behavior is removed, the person suffers negative psychological and/or physical side effects.

Addictions included, but are not limited to, sex, exercise, spiritual obsession, cutting oneself, shopping, sleeping, people pleasing, perfectionism, pornography, sadism, overachieving, overeating, overworking (workaholic), drugs and other medication, smoking, video games, criminal activity, alcohol, gambling, time on a computer, and tobacco. I am sure text messaging will join this list shortly!

Drugs that can cause addiction/dependence include opiates, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, alcohol and nicotine.

These addictive behaviors can cause feelings of guilt, shame, fear, failure, anxiety, humiliation and depression. It's not unusual for an addicted person to experience rejection from others and even homelessness.

Some of the above listed activities are psychological addictions, some are physical addictions and some are both. When an addicted person quits the behavior, he or she will go through "withdrawal" which is a negative physical and/or psychological experience. This bad experience causes the person to strongly want to return to the behavior to make the withdrawal symptoms stop.

Psychological withdrawal experiences include cravings, irritability, insomnia, depression and loss of appetite. Physical withdrawal symptoms include delirium, hallucinations, panic attacks, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, heart palpitations and irregular beats, seizures, weakness, sweating, tremors and death.

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There are several theories as to the exact cause of addiction. They focus on either biology, genetics, society or psychology. No one knows for sure. That's why these are called "theories."

The Disease Model of Addiction holds that addiction is the result of either the impairment of neuro-chemical or behavioral processes, or of some combination of the two. The American Medical Association, National Association of Social Workers, and American Psychological Association all have policies which are based on this theory.

The Pleasure Model says that addiction is a strong fixation on pleasureful stimulation that becomes so strong that it captivates an individual with the strength of natural drives. This model is used as one of the reason for zero tolerance for use of illicit drugs

The Genetic Model theorizes a genetic predisposition to certain behaviors. It is frequently documented that certain addictions "run in the family." Genetics are thought to be a co-contributor to the cause of addiction.

The Experiential Model says that addictions occur with regard to experiences involving the behavior or substance. It says that addiction is temporary and is often outgrown naturally.

The Opponent-Process Model states that addiction can occur whenever a negative psychological event that is followed by a positive psychological event. There are many examples of opponent processes in the nervous system including taste, motor movement, touch, vision, and hearing. Opponent-processes occurring at the sensory level may translate "down-stream" into addictive or habit-forming behavior.

The Allostatic Model says continued use of a drug leads needing higher and higher doses over time to maintain the same level of feeling. It becomes an out of control spiralling of increased use, negative emotional states and increasing withdrawal.

The Cultural Model theorizes that the influence of culture determines whether or not individuals becomes addicted. This model states that people do not become addicted to things that are not part of or are not available within their own cultures. On the other hand, when a person is exposed to possible addictive substances and doesn't learn moderation through their developmental years, they can be very likely to abuse these substances.

The Moral Model states that addictions are the result of human weakness and are defects of character and reject the notion that there is any biological basis for addiction. They often have little sympathy for people with serious addictions. The moral model is commonly applied to dependency on illegal substances even though it is considered to have no therapeutic value in treatment.

The Habit Model rejects the concept of "addiction" and says the behavior is merely a habit that is socially unacceptable, resulting in persecution. This model further states that the concept of mental illness is a myth.

Finally, the Blended Model attempts to bring together all the other models in developing a therapeutic approach to dependency. It says that dependency is unique set of circumstances for each individual and that each case must be treated individually.

A Little Fun For Your Brain - Photo Identification Puzzles

2009-01-29T10:47:00.002-05:00

Here's a little fun for your brain. You will see a small portion of a photo and guess what it is. If you are wrong, a little bit more of the photo will show. Keep going until you get it correct. Then it's off to the next picture. Click HERE to get started.
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Anorexia & Bulimia - Treatment

2009-01-24T19:32:00.009-05:00

Of all the psychological illnesses, anorexia has the highest mortality rate.

The doctor's first goal is to get some weight and nutrition back into the patient's body. In cases of serious underweight, the patient checks into the hospital, either as an outpatient or overnight. Some states have Mental Health Laws allowing involuntary hospitalization and treatment.

Vital signs, hydration levels and electrolyte levels are constantly monitored. The patient might have a feeding tube that goes into through the nose, down the throat and into the stomach. There might also be IV's in the arm or hand.

The patient will be referred to a psychotherapist for counseling to build a healthier self-esteem and finding new ways of coping with stress. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a popular approach to changing ways to coping. If the patient lives with their parents and/or siblings, there will probably also be group or family therapy meetings to help everyone deal with what's going on in a positive way, and to help the patient recover.

There is no cure for anorexia or bulimia. It's a life-long battle the comes and goes. The patient will find times when they are extra vulnerable to falling back on their old ways. They need ongoing therapy or periodic appointments during times of high stress.

A dietician will probably be assigned to the patient. Meal plans will be created to encourage a minimal amount of calories eaten per day that are very healthy. Sometimes zinc is prescribed because it affects the amygdala which is the part of the brain that controls appetite.

Many people with anorexia and/or bulimia also suffer from depression. The doctor might prescribe anti-depressants to help fight off such feelings. Meetings with the psychologist will also deal with the patient's depression.

For the signs and symptoms of anorexia click on http://brainsyoursmineours.blogspot.com/2009/01/anorexia-nervosa-symptoms-causes.html#links

For a list of famous people with anorexia/bulimia click on http://brainsyoursmineours.blogspot.com/2009/01/famous-people-with-eating-disorders.html#links

Famous People With Eating Disorders (Anorexia or Bulimia)

2009-01-17T23:06:00.024-05:00

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The World Health Organization defines "starvation" as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 16 or lower. A BMI of 17.5 or lower is considered "unsafe."

To find your BMI, click on http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm

For the symptoms and causes of anorexia, click on http://brainsyoursmineours.blogspot.com/2009/01/anorexia-nervosa-symptoms-causes.html#links

Read about the treatment of anorexia and bulimia at http://brainsyoursmineours.blogspot.com/2009/01/anorexia-bulimia-treatment.html#links

The following list is of famous people who have or have had in the past, a problem with eating disorders that caused unsafe loss of weight.

Names in red have died, either directly or indirectly, because of it:

Karen Carpenter (American singer & drummer - 33yrs old, heart failure)

Heidi Guenther (American ballerina - 22 yrs old, 5'5", 96 lbs)

Christy Henrich (American gymnast - 22 yrs old, 4'4", 47 lbs, multiple organ failure)

Lena Zavaroni (Scottish singer, age 35)

Ana Carolina Reston (Brazilian model - 5'8", 88 lbs, BMI 13.4, kidney failure, general infection)

Luisel Ramos (model - 21 yrs old, 5'9", 98 lbs, BMI 14.5, heart attack)

Eliana Ramos (model - 18 yrs old, heart attack)

Princess Leila Pahlavi of Iran (Daughter of the Shah, 31 yrs old)

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Justine Bateman (American actress)

Isabelle Caro (French model)
Tracey Gold (American actress)

Diana, Princess of Wales (British royalty)

Margaux Hemmingway

Sia & Shane Barbi (aka The Barbi Twins)

Magoli Amadei (model)

Kate Beckinsale (actress)

Paula Abdul (American singer, dancer, choreographer)

Imogen Bailey (Austrailian model)

Maria Conchita Alonso (Latina actress)

Christine Alt (sister to American supermodel Carol Alt)

Fiona Apple

Victoria Beckham (British singer, Spice Girls)

Peta Wilson (actress, model)

Catherine Bell (actress)

Melanie Chisholm (British singer, Spice Girls)

Kelly Clarkson (American singer)

Nadia Comaneci (Russian gymnast)

Jane Fonda (American actress)

Anna Freud (daughter of Sigmund Freud)

Zina Garrison (tennis player)

Kristen Haglund (Miss America 2008)

Amy Heckerling (director, writer)

Mariel Hemmingway (American actress, grand daughter of author Ernest Hemmingway)

Maureen McCormick (American actress)

Mary MdDonough (actress)

Katherine McPhee (American singer)

Kellie Martin (actress)

Alanis Morissette (Canadian singer)

Scarlett Pomers (actress)

Jaime Pressly (actress)

Christina Ricci (American actress)

Cathy Rigby (American gymnast)

Susan Dey (American actress)

Kate Dillon (model)

Elisa Donovan (actress)

Sally Field (American actress)

Calista Flockhart (American actress)

Audrey Hepburn (American actress)

Felicity Huffman (actress)

Elton John (singer, songwriter)

Franz Kafka (German author, poet)

Gelsey Kirkland (ballet)

Thandie Newton (actress)

Barbara Niven (actress)

Sharon Osbourne (wife of Ozzy, tv personality)

Carre Otis (model)

Catherine Oxenburg (actress)

Alexandra Paul (American actress)

Jaime-Lynn Sigler (actress)

Yeardly Smith (American actress, voice over talent)

Courtney Thorne-Smith (American actress)

ANOREXIA NERVOSA - Symptoms & Causes

2009-01-09T09:12:00.015-05:00

Anorexia Nervosa is a condition where one is obsessed with their weight, shape and a control over food to the point of becoming too thin and unhealthy and yet deny anything is wrong.

Losing weight is the never-ending goal via refusing to eat, exercise, diuretics, laxatives and vomiting. This behavior can lead to severe health problems and death.

Physical Symptoms:

weight loss of 15% below average or more
too thin, bony appearance
abnormal blood counts
fatigue, dizziness, fainting
brittle nails, osteoporosis
hair thins, breaks easily or falls out
body becomes covered with a soft "peach fuzz"
in females, menstruation stops or skips often
constipation
dry skin
very sensitive to cold
irregular heart beat, low blood pressure
dehydration
erosion of tooth enamel from vomiting

Emotional & Behavioral Symptoms:

refusal to eat or eats very little
denial of being hungry when one should be
excessive exercise
lack of emotions
difficulty concentrating
preoccupied with food
constantly makes excuses for not eating
has an unusual list of "safe" or "unsafe" foods
develops unusual eating rituals
weighs food
counts calories of everything eaten
vomits after eating
weighs self often
checks body image in mirror often
wears big or bulky clothes to hide "fat" body
often complains about being fat

The cause of Anorexia Nervosa is unknown. It is suspected that a combination of factors cause it including biology, psychology and culture. Scientists are trying to isolate a responsible gene and are studying the hypothalamus and neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) to find contributory causes.

Biological Suspects:

Genetics- women with sisters or mothers with Anorexia are more likely to develop it themselves. Studies of twins suggest a genetic link as well
95% of anorexia sufferers are female
Anorexia Nervosa is most common in Caucasians
Serotonin is suspected of playing a role

Psychological Suspects:

Low self esteem
Poor body image
Obsessive Compulsive traits
Drive for perfectionism in endeavors- school, sports, body
Fear of growing up/maturing into an adult and thus becoming independent/leave family behind

Cultural Suspects:

Dancers, ballerinas and models are pressured to be thin
Athletes such as runners, wrestlers, figure skaters and gymnasts are pressured to keep their weight down
Role models in the media (television, magazines, films) are thin

Science suggests that certain people are susceptible or vulnerable to becoming anorexic and that some life event triggers it:

Compliments on weight loss during a diet cause the person to become obsessed with losing more without having a healthy goal or target weight
Ridicule or teasing about gained weight or about current weight
Coach or parent suggest weight should be lost to excel at sports, dance or other endeavor
Puberty causes some people to become negatively sensitive about their changing weight and shape. Anorexia is most like to start during teenage years but can start at any age.
Transitions such as a new home, school, job, breaking up of a relationship, or death/illness of a family member or loved one causes a strong need to regain control over own life

Today, many schools and doctors are monitoring Body Mass Index (BMI) and letting the parents know when their child's too-high or too -low weight endangers their health. Some countries fashion houses are implementing rules for their models regarding minimum age and BMI.

Here is a link for you to calculate your BMI:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm

For a listing and some pictures of famous people who have or have died from anorexia/bulimia click on http://brainsyoursmineours.blogspot.com/2009/01/famous-people-with-eating-disorders.html#links

Click on this link to read about the treatment of anorexia and bulimia http://brainsyoursmineours.blogspot.com/2009/01/anorexia-bulimia-treatment.html#links

Be aware.

Intervene.

Save a friend.

Sense of Humor Test

2009-01-02T22:42:00.004-05:00

The Discussion Board on BlogCatalog.com had a link to a sense of humor test and then lots of comments. Just for fun, take the test at http://www.spirituality-health.com/spirit/node/67. Enjoy!

AUTISM - The Basic Facts

2008-12-29T10:58:00.006-05:00

Autism is a very complicated subject. There are heated debates and fears over the causes. There are arguments over treatments and cures. It's a messy subject with a whole lot of information and misinformation to sort through.

Let's start from the beginning to try and understand autism...

First, there is "Austism Spectrum Disorders." It's an all-encompassing phrase for a group of different developmental problems. Some of these "problems" within the realm of ASD include Autism, Asperger's, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett's Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

Now let's talk about one of these - autism. It is defined as a serious ASD that shows up in a child by the age of three. There are several kinds of autism, all of which affect the child's ability to communicate and interact with other people. About 4 or 5 out of every 1000 children in the USA have been diagnosed with some type of autism.

At this time there is no "cure" for autism but early intervention and continual treatment can help lessen it's impact on the child's life. Be wary of anyone claiming to cure autism - they might offer ways to help the child handle life better, but they do not have a cure. They are hoping you are desparate and are out for your money!

The symptoms of autism affect the ability to interact with others, language skills, and behavior. Autism varies in severity and each person's symptoms are different from the next. People with severe autism do not interact or communicate with others at all.

The social skills of someone with autism might include failure to respond when their name is called, poor or no eye contact, doesn't react to hearing sounds or words, resists physical contact such as touching, holding, hugging or cuddling and prefers to be alone during play. They don't point to pictures during the reading of a story book. This lack of interaction affects their future language skills.

Language is also affected by autism. Symptoms include delayed speech (first words or short phrases come late), verbal skills regress after previously acquiring them, doesn't look at person they are talking to, unusual speech tone or rhythm, can't maintain a conversation, repeats words or phrases but doesn't understand what's being said, and asks questions or make statements repetitively.

The behavior that is seen in people with autism includes repetitive movements, routine or ritual movements that must be done, is very bothered by small changes in routine, constantly moves, might become overly fascinated with an object and they might become overly sensitive to lights, sounds or touch and yet, undersensitive to pain.

The development of an autistic child can be a roller coaster. Typically, as the child matures, he or she does develop in a positive direction, it's just much slower than the average child's pace. They will learn new things, develop skills and interact a little bit with others. But then the adolescent years might bring regression of behavior issues.

Children will autism have low, average, and high intelligence just like the rest of us. Some are slow learners and some are fast learners. It's the autism that gets in the way, affecting one's language and social skills as well as ability to apply the knowledge that's in their head. Some children with autism are "gifted" with a certain skill such as incredible knowledge on a single subject, trivia collection, or their abilities in music, art or math.

The causes of autism are a heated subject these days. It's a very complex disease and scientists suspect there are many different causes. Right now everything is a theory, nothing is fact. Currently, the suspected causes are genetic errors (brain cells multiplied/reproduced with a defect), the environment (pollution, viruses, toxins), and the age of the father (babies born to fathers over the age of 40 have a six times higher incidence of autism as compared to babies of fathers under 30), and gender (boys are over 3 times more likely than girls to have autism).

There is current research into problems during labor and delivery, the immune system, and a part of the brain called the amygdala to see if there is any connection with autism.

There has been a recent unfounded hysteria about immunizations causing autism. Some parents believe these rumors to be true and are refusing to get their children measles-mumps-rubella MMR shots. This puts the child at risk for these other diseases and some preschools, school districts and towns are now experiencing epidemics of measles, mumps and rubella. These other diseases can cause brain damage, blindness and death.

Let's set the record straight. There has been no scientific study to find a link between getting a shot and autism. Some people point their fingers at a medication preservative called Thimerosal the use of which was discontinued back in 2001. If Thimerosal was the cause, then we should have seen a sudden drop after 2002 in the numbers of children diagnosed with autism. This hasn't happened.

Now let's talk about treatments and medication. Behavior therapies teach new skills, reduce problem behaviors, and foster proper interaction in a social setting, Educational therapies set up highly structured programs to help with learning and socialization. Medication can help reduce symptoms such as anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders and severe behavior problems.

There are also "alternative therapies" to help (not cure) such as the use of art, music or sensory activities to help reduce a child's oversensitivity to physical stimuli; special diets that prescribe extra vitamins and minerals and avoidance of food allergans; and there is "chelation" therapy - a way to remove mercury from the body.

Whatever you chose to do for your child, you will need a team of doctors, therapists and teachers to help your child attain their potential. Do your research on therapies and don't throw your money at anyone trying to sell you a miracle cure.

Source - Mayo Clinic

BIPOLAR DISORDER - DEFINITION, TREATMENT, MEDICATIONS

2008-12-25T15:27:00.012-05:00

Everybody has their usual lives, personalities, and ways of doing things. But people with Bipolar Disorder are sometimes involuntarily thrust into an extreme amusement park and they just aren't themselves for the rides. Sometimes they are stuck way up high and sometimes they are down very low. Sometimes they even bounce upon and down as if on a bungie jump of emotions.

These times are called "episodes." During an episode, a person is "different" than they usually are or what one might call "normal" or "average" for the rest of the population. Perhaps they are too happy, too crabby, too depressed or in a funk - more than what their life circumstances should cause.

Over 5 million children and adults are affected with Bipolar Disorder, many of them being treated for a different/wrong diagnosis. About 70% of the time, doctors are only consulted for one of the problems of Bipolar Disorder such as depression or anger. The resulting treatment and/or medication is wrong. One study I read stated that about 10 years can be wasted before the correct diagnosis is made. So please tell your doctor about everything - happy, sad, angry, anxious, everything! Communication is key! Your doctor only knows what you tell him or her. Don't hold anything back! Sometimes mood disorders are in the family tree, so ask your family questions about relatives and ancestors. Tell your doctor everything.

The experts define three types of episodes- manic, depressive and mixed. The mixed episodes are a roller coaster of both depressive and manic episodes. Warning signs that an episode is coming include slight changes in mood, sleep, energy, self value, sexual interest, concentration, enthusiasm, optimism, and way of dressing and grooming.

Manic episodes can cause people to feel wonderful as if nothing could go wrong, very aggitated and short fused, uncooperative and belligerent, overly angry and aggressive. Examples of manic behavior are talking too fast or constantly, risky or impulsive actions, sexual promescuity, spending binges, going without much sleep, easily distracted and unable to stay focused, having a feeling of great self worth or invincibility, becoming too focused on a goal, and racing thoughts.

Depressive episodes can cause depression and saddness, loss of interest or wanting to do anything, and no longer enjoying the things one used to do for fun. Examples of symptoms include loss of weight without being on a diet, decrease or increase in appetite, insomnia or restlessness, feeling sluggish or excessive sleeping, constant fatigue or loss of energy, feeling worthless or inappropriately or excessively guilty, difficulty thinking, concentrating and making decisions, and thoughts of suicide, making a suicide plan, or actually making an attempt.

Experts do not know what causes Bipolar Disorder. They theorize that too few or too many neurotransmitters (brain chemicals that travel between cells) might be the cause. Scientists have experimented with various drugs to see if something can be found to have a positive effect and have come up with a long list of medications that doctors now prescribe.

For a listing of bipolar medications by brand name and their information, click here .

You will need to do more than just take your medication. You need to see your psychiatrist/psychologist on a regular basis to help you cope with stress and other issues. You will also need to take care of your body and de-stress your life. Eat healthy (stop the junk food and sweets and eat on a regular schedule), exercise (go on walks at the very least), and give up the drugs and booze (join a support group - don't do it alone).

Video Games are Good for the Brain!

2008-12-19T22:23:00.005-05:00

My grandmother went through Alzheimers to the point of becoming a total vegetable who couldn't take care of herself or have conversations. My mother has forgotten some things and when she forgot her granddaughter's name, my dad marched her into the doctor for some help. She's on medication now and dad says there's an improvement. Good. I don't want what happened to my grandmother to happen to my mom. Of course this makes me all paranoid about what's in my future. The area between Alzheimers and being naturally scatter-witted is a gray one.

I recently read a few stories about the effect of video games on the "older" population. These articles cited a University of Illionois project, funded by the National Institute of Aging. In a nutshell, the study had 2 groups- the control group that didn't play video games and the test group that spent a month playing RISE OF NATIONS which is all about creating a civilization (set up cities, merchants, create an army and more). This game was chosen because it requires strategy from the players. The people in this little experiment were in their 60's and 70's.

The results showed a positive effect on the test group who played the game for a month. Results included increased scores on cognitive tests, increases in memory, reasoning and the ability to multi-task. The "working" memory improved.

So now I know what to get my mom for Christmas!

Gift Giving Etiquette

2008-12-08T16:14:00.003-05:00

Do not give her anything that is remotely related to being a housewife. Don't give her anything to suggest she needs self-improvement, mentally or physically. This is the time to give the gift of unconditional love. Or you will end up in the dog house. Here's an inside look at just what "being in the dog house" is really like:

http://bewareofthedoghouse.com/VideoPage.aspx

Thank JC Penney for the above video. Very enlightening!

Sex Anyone?

2008-12-03T21:21:00.012-05:00

I have been asked to write an article about a product called Axcite LP7. The manufacturer is marketing it more as a chemical/pheromone than as a cologne that smells nice. Their angle is that this new product attracts heterosexual women and makes them want to jump in bed with whomever is wearing it. They have a no questions asked, money back guarentee.

How a person smells can make or break a physical relationship. I'd agree with that. The stinky guys pretty much have to keep a distance from me anyway! The guys who smell nice definitely keep the girls around longer. Axcite LP7 is supposed to be real subtle with it's odor. Brain scans are said to have proven heterosexual women respond to certain smells called pheremones. This information was used to develop Axcite LP7 for men looking for a booty call at a party as well as for married men who want to spice up their relationship with their wife.

I have a few questions:

How strong is this product? Can it's "power" overcome the issue that a man might be severly ugly, rude or generally disgusting? I am sure the product only attracts and it's up to the guy's personality to win the gal's heart.

Is this a product that should be marketed toward losers to make them "winners?" Their website has pictures of hot women and is a few steps away from soft porn. That should be enough to get a loser to try a bottle.

If a woman tries Axcite LP7, will it attract another women? If so, this product should also be marketed to the Lesbian demographic. Will it make a previously heterosexual woman want to jump in the sack and try out the gay experience? I don't think that's what the manufacturer was going for.

Does this product turn "prudes" into "sluts?" I doubt it.

Does it only work on weak-minded women? Is this some sort of mind control? Nah.

Perhaps there is also a placebo effect for the man who tries it out. He enters a room, more self-confident than before. People are attracted to his self-confidence, which shouldn't be confused with big egos. It's an ice-breaker to get him started, get some introductions.

If this product does work, the wearer is still on their own to do fantastic things under the sheets.

The psychology of sex is very complicated and varied. No two people are alike. I don't think even one person is consistent from day to day about the issue.

Hopefully this new product is better than Old Spice and Irish Spring!

Perhaps Axcite LP7 is the greatest new attractant but I think it's still up to the guy's personality to keep the girl around, let alone get her into bed. That's my two cents!
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TEENAGE DEPRESSION

2008-12-02T09:11:00.006-05:00

Dear Parents,

Please read this very informative article. It can affect the outcome of your child's future! Don't just sit back and "wing it" as your child goes through puberty into adulthood. That could be a big mistake...

Click below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28004005/
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Eating Disorder Confession:

2008-11-03T16:21:00.011-05:00

Why I Hate Halloween

I am the first to raise my hand and admit that I am a compulsive eater. I have a sweet tooth. I have several of them! I eat when I am bored, when it tastes delicious and when I am feeling down. I've had alot of down times, too (depression, certain events in my life). I also eat to cover up the guilt of eating. That's a nice viscious circle! This pretty much sums it up my life's relationship with food. Dr. Phil knows all about my kind. I really should check out one of his books.

When I became an adult on my own I learned who I was and how my brain ticked. I learned not to keep desserts in my home and not to buy them in the first place while food shopping. This works pretty good for me.

Except for Halloween... for too many years I would buy candy for the trick-or-treaters and end up eating a few bags worth before the holiday hit. Sometimes I ate all of it and had to go out and buy more. My weakness is any chocolate/peanut combination, especially Reeses and Butterfingers.

One year I bought stuff I didn't like. Hubby wasn't too happy because now we were the house that gave out stuff no one wanted. Ends up we only had a few kids that year. Now we had all this candy we couldn't eat. A little voice inside me was saying not to waste food and irrationally rationed it was better to eat it than throw it out. The voice reminded me of all the starving kids in China. But I wasn't going to ship it to China and I wasn't going to eat it either. So out it went.

This year I bought some non-chocolate candies that the kids DO like and handed out most of it. The rest went to my daughter's school - they are shipping candy to the troops. But every time I walk into the kitchen I sneak something from my daughter's cache- Snickers, Butterfingers, Reeces, peanut M&M's. I think I stole about 20 pieces today. I am a bad mother who steals from her child. She will notice and I will promise to buy her replacements the next time we are at the store.

I have a relationship with food that is psychologically unhealthy. It causes me grief. It's one less burden that I want to carry on my shoulders.

Just in case you are wondering... I am not "fat" and prefer to describe myself as "out of shape." My weight is within the "average" range for BMI. If I lose 15 pounds I will be at the midpoint which I would like to do- that's what I weighed for most of my 20's and 30's. I weighed slightly less than midpoint the day after my daughter was born. So midpoint is NOT an unrealistic goal.

So that's my confession. Join in and let me know about your misdeads with Halloween candy.

AUTISM SUPPORT NETWORK

2008-10-31T14:08:00.011-04:00

Parents - For resources you've got your child's doctor, psychologists and psychiatrists, teachers and support staff at the school and perhaps you are lucky enough to have a network of parents who get together for support and sharing of experiences every so often. Get-togethers aren't very often and sometimes you can't attend group meetings because of the time.

Children with Autism - At school you might be grouped with other autistic children as well as peers with other unrelated challenges. You are in a school setting and it's not really the place for chit chat about life with autism, not that you want to discuss it anyway. Communication isn't your talent in life. You'd rather be on the computer or creating a masterpiece of artwork.

Adults with Autism - Perhaps your Austism or Aspergers isn't too severe. You live with your parents still or perhaps you are independent and on your own. Intellectually you know there are other people "out there" with the same issues but emotionally you feel alone. The opportunities to meet are few and far between. You would just assume avoid face-to-face talks anyway.

Everyone - A very important health and wellness organization to know about is the ASN, Autism Support Network, which has a wonderful website allowing people touched by Autism, Asperbergers, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorders to connect with each other.

The ASN's community for online autism support is comprised of doctors, parents, people with autism and their loved ones from all over the world - USA, Canada, England and India.

There is a great sharing of information, chats, blogs and links to helpful resources. You can visit their website any hour of the day, whatever is convenient for you. No face-to-face, socially difficult situations. It's easy squeezy!

The ASN is a great supplement to your current health care and education resources. Please check them out at http://www.AutismSupportNetwork.com/.

FINDING A DOCTOR ON THE INTERNET

2008-10-30T22:21:00.017-04:00

Years ago when someone needed a specialist, their GP recommended someone or they had to pull out the phone book and started making calls. Sometimes quite a few phone calls had to be made to find the right doctor, especially if the problem was uncommon- do they treat your sitution? do they take your insurance? what ages do they accept? Are they a tolerable driving distance? It was a lot of work.

Word of mouth or "buzz" is another way to find a doctor but people tend to keep their psychiatric, addiction and relationship problems private. The plastic surgeons and Botox doctors tend to benefit best by "buzz."

So here we are in the 21st century and we're still needing help finding the right doctor. Luckily we have the internet which allows the matching of doctors to patients to be a two-way process, instead of one-way, that is much faster and easier.

From the patient's point-of-view, he or she can check out the yellowpages.com, get onto the insurance company's website, or do an internet search using the name of the malady to find specialists, partnerships and groups that treat the problem.

From the doctor's side, he or she can set up a website listing what kinds of situations they specialize in as well as their location and what insurance they accept. They can also do some blog marketing and use blog advertising.

The way psychiatrists and psychologists do this is by placing ads that will pop up on blogs with content similar to their field of practice. Chances are the person reading the blog might also be looking for a doctor for a similar problem. That's one way they can find their target audience.

Manufacturers of medicine do the same thing. For example, you might see ads pop up on my blog for anti-depressants, practices that specialize in OCD, or someone selling the latest book on anxiety and phobias.

Sometimes a new practice, medicine or proceedure needs to be introduced to the world. One thing these companies can do is contact Snapbomb who then asks its members to read and learn about the subject and then write up an article to be published on the internet. These people get paid to write the articles and post them on their blogs. The pay is determined by (1) what the customer wants to pay for their blog advertising and (2) the quality of the blog site (traffic volume, quality of past articles).

I was told by my creative writing teacher in college that writing can be good for the mind, rather therapeutic, and she was right. I enjoy writing in my blogs and for Snapbomb. I'm just a newbie right now so I'm not getting rich (yet) but it's something for my wallet. If you'd like to be paid for writing click on http://www.snapbomb.com/bloggers.html?acp=7551. Just type in your contact and blog information and get started. It's therpeutic and, who knows, you just might write about something that helps you out!

ADHD - My Daughter's Experience

2008-10-29T06:38:00.010-04:00

When my daughter finished kindergarten her teacher told me she was "young" and worried that she might have trouble getting tasks completed in 1st grade, even eating lunch in time. As the years went on my daughter continued to be "young" and did indeed have difficulty meeting deadlines and time limits with her assignments.

In 4th grade her school started handing out letter grades and report cards. I helped her study for tests and quite honestly she sometimes seemed like an airhead. I'd tell her a fact, then immediately ask her a question to which the fact was the answer and she'd guess something else. It was frustrating. In 5th grade she confused this information with that information. Most of the facts were in her head, but they were a jumbled mess, not organized at all. She's been tested by several experts and her teachers in 4th and 5th grade filled out questionaires.

She now sees a psychologist once a month and psychiatrist for ADHD and anxiety twice a month. And she's on Adderall- I noticed a difference right away with the meds. Most of the airhead stuff is gone and she's on top of things.

In 5th grade she received D's on her report card. This year is starting out with A's and B's. I had fights and frustrations with the 4th grade teacher (didn't want to make sure homework was written down or books were brought home) and with the 5th grade teacher (everything under the sun he refused. he even told the school counselor no on her requests! )

My fingers are crossed that with alot of hard work, maturity and med's my daughter succeeds in school from now on.
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AUTISM - ME?

2008-10-27T09:09:00.007-04:00

When I was a preschooler I was VERY SHY, even afraid of my own visiting relatives. At around age 9 or 10 I remember hiding in my bedroom when my grandparents came to visit. I didn't like the attention or fuss. I was happy enough in my tiny little world.

As a preschooler mom says I was glued to her leg, more than the average kid my age, so she took me to a child psychologist. He told her I might have autism. He suggested that I be put into preschool. I only remember the very last visit - he wanted me to bop one of those punching balloon clowns, the ones that are weighted on the bottom and come back up. I refused. I hate "performing" ie doing something and having people watch me do it.

That was back in the early 1960's. Psychology has come a long way. Autism has since been given a spectrum. Perhaps the doctor, if it were today, would have suspected Asperger's for me.

Anyway, I have since joined chorus several times, had to give speeches in middle and high school classes as well as my Public Speaking class in college, and spent several years as a preschool teacher. It's so much easier to get up infront of little kids! I've even had to teach classes on dog grooming/care to the owners of dogs taking obedience classes at PetSmart (I worked in the grooming salon a few years ago).

I am very different from the little girl back in the 1960's. Sometimes I can even be very outspoken. I think I was just super shy and had no self-confidence and my "symptoms" came close to what Asperger's is all about. Psychology has come a long way since those days!

Now we have the ASA - The American Society of Autism. Check out their very informative website at http://www.autism-society.org/. They have tons of info from parents, doctors, and people with autism. Here's something fun- if your child has autism, you can upload his or her artwork and have it join their online exhibit. You just need to get those pictures into your computer via a scanner or your digital camera. Check it out! http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=art_exhibit.

Let me know if you participated in the exhibit or found their website helpful. :-)

WHAT IS NORMAL?

2008-10-23T09:54:00.007-04:00

At what point do we say someone has a "problem?"

I've seen behaviors that are in one society completely acceptable, even part of the culture. Yet, in other societies these exact same behaviors are deemed unacceptable and in need of treatment or a cure, perhaps even punishment.

I guess the guidelines for what is or isn't "normal" are set by society, cultures, even the micro-cultures of neighborhoods, religions and other affilations. The problem comes into play when someone is a member of two groups with opposite views on a particular behavior:

For example - what's acceptable to the micro-culture of a gang member from the inner city, might not be acceptable to the larger cultures of that person's religion, neighborhood, city and country.

Another example - why is nail-biting socially acceptable and yet other "picking" behaviors are not? There are no victims, the individual's health is usually not an issue and the only outcome is cosmetic. Seems the "fashion police" and people hung up on looks and vanity (most of us to a certain degree) are the ones who say this behavior is wrong.

I guess whenever someone has difficulty coping, dealing with life or otherwise functioning in society and the brain is involved, then there is a "problem" that needs to get fixed, or at least lessened in severity.