The tragedy of December 14th, the murder of 20 children and 6 adults, has spurred a lot of feelings. I was devastated, worried about my own children, and concern for the families and children in Newtown, Connecticut. And then, based on hear-say, major media outlets have latched onto the possibility of the shooter having Aspergers, a form of autism. And while the White House and members of Congress prepare drafts of legislation to limit gun sales, this sigma of "autism kills" is slowly starting to take hold as reported by CNN. And that scares me, scares me more than you can know.
You see, autism is a very mysterious disorder. No one really knows a whole lot about it, other than those with autism tend to be "weird". They stand out socially, are often targets for bullies, and live with a lot of anxiety. Because they are so different and unable to defend themselves, they become easy targets, and not just by bullies. I see fights against gun control trying to redirect the stigma of unhinged murderers toward the alleged autism of the shooter, even though there are no confirmed reports (as of this writing) that the shooter intact had autism.
Of course, as experts have constantly cited, autism is not a psychosis, meaning autism does not "cause" violent behavior, psychotic episodes, and therefore will not cause someone to become homicidal. The evidence presented by parents, therapists, psychologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists all state that those with autism are more likely to hurt themselves than anyone else.
But, as the original article from CNN stated, children (and most likely parents) are already looking to blame autism for the shooter’s actions. Once adults start to believe it, as with various unsubstantiated claims to the cause of autism, politicians will begin to believe it for those votes. Once politicians start to believe things, true or not, it becomes ingrained in law.
Scothoser is a Scottish-American, having grown up in the Rocky Mountains, now moved to San Diego. Having been raised by a farmer’s daughter and a rancher’s son, he has a love for the land, and a desire for self-sufficiency. …
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With anxiety-related problems (including depression as such a problem), we watch ourselves in everything we do and it’s not difficult to appreciate how this self-absorption can lead us to believe that we are the only one with such a problem. This, in itself, strengthens the ‘what’s wrong with me’ beliefs, yet nothing could be further from the truth.
Millions of people worldwide experience these problems; it is estimated that in America alone over thirty million people suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. The most common one is Social Anxiety Disorder (or Social Phobia), closely followed by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Around one in thirty to fifty people suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and one in ten are reported to have a specific phobia. This doesn’t include vast numbers of people who have depression or those living anxious lives ruled by shyness or stress.
Many people feel they are working below their potential and are frustrated, more people are unhealthy and overweight than ever before, greater numbers of teenagers are depressed and problems involving anxiety and stress account for the majority of visits to doctor’s surgeries. In a world of better education, food, hygiene and healthcare, emotionally, society is crumbling
The unique pressures in modern society no doubt play a part in the tension and stress found in these problems, but anxiety problems are nothing new; they are part of the human condition and the following quotation, from over three hundred years ago, sums them up aptly:
‘The mind is it’s own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven’ – John Milton (1608–1674)
For centuries, writers, poets and artists have tried to convey the inner turmoil and conflict that is often associated with existence.
The world we live in personally is dictated by what goes on in our mind, irrespective of what external reality seems to be. Nowhere can this be seen more profoundly than in the case of Anorexia Nervosa. How can a painfully thin girl look in the mirror and see herself as fat? Even to the extent of pointing out which areas of her body are too fat? Anxiety problems are reality to us … but how do we get like this?
Vast resources, in the form of research, therapy and medication, have been used in an attempt to resolve these problems, with, on the whole, a spectacular lack of success. Problems are defined, named, classified, listed, ordered, placed in categories, placed in sub-categories in an attempt to understand and control them – strangely enough, exactly the same attempts to gain control are found in most forms of OCD. And while some argue that benefits of this system include a more accurate diagnosis and subsequent better treatment (which is debatable given such a lack of success) others argue that it is inaccurate, misleading and overlooks the bigger picture.
When we look at the backgrounds of large numbers of people with anxiety and depression problems, they are often strikingly similar in various ways. Negative life experiences and subsequent feelings involving self worth and insecurity occur across the board with such regularity and are so similar that its hard to see how they cannot possibly play a major role in these problems.
Ranging from acute shyness and stress to anxiety disorders and depression, each problem is unique to the individual. Expressions of social phobia vary from person to person just as those of agoraphobia vary from panic disorder and GAD varies from OCD. However, as unique to the individual these problems are and as different to each other they are, these problems develop for similar reasons and strengthen in a similar way. They do so in a manner that reflects the way our mind and body works. Every human being on the planet (indeed, every animal) is built in such a way as to develop an anxiety disorder given the right (or wrong) set of negative life experiences.
Anxiety disorders (and severe depression) develop from our life experiences (bad ones) and how they affect us. At their heart lies neither illness nor disease and not even disorder for these problems aren’t irrational, they develop for a good reason – for our survival. They are self-destructive behaviours that we learn, behaviours that reflect our inner-self trying to protect us. Behaviours that, in trying to help us survive, actually cause us harm for they never ‘touch’ the real problem. Once we understand how we learn these behaviours and why, there is a real cure.
Terry Dixon, founder of Help-For.com and author of Evolving Self Confidence: How to Become Free from Anxiety Disorders and Depression.
According to London’s Daily Telegraph, Ministry of Defense documents recently released by the National Archive reveal that the grandson of one of Winston Churchill’s personal bodyguards accused Churchill of ordering a cover-up of a WWII encounter between a UFO and a Royal Air Force bomber.
The Independent quotes Churchill as saying in the documents, "This event should be immediately classified since it would create mass panic amongst the general population and destroy one’s belief in the Church."
The declassified documents describe the bomber’s return flight after a reconnaissance mission during which it was approached and tracked by a metallic arrow-shaped UFO that "appeared to hover noiselessly relative to the aircraft."
The grandson, a physicist whose name was redacted from the documents, filed the report in 1999 saying that "the object very suddenly disappeared, leaving no trace of its earlier presence."
The decision to suppress accounts of the encounter reportedly was made by Churchill after meeting with Dwight D. Eisenhower. It has long been rumored that Eisenhower actually met with extraterrestrials during his term as president.
While the grandson’s accusation of a Churchill cover-up is anecdotal, The Independent does remind us that "in July 1952, after a spate of reports in Britain and the US, (Churchill) wrote to the Air Ministry saying: ‘What does all this stuff about flying saucers amount to? What can it mean? What is the truth?’ Unknown to Churchill, intelligence chiefs had formed The Flying Saucer Working Party in 1950 to investigate the reports, with the blessing of Lord Mountbatten, who thought the UFOs were alien craft."
Tim Brosnan covers ufology for Technorati. A freelance feature writer, photographer, print designer and performer, he’s lived and worked from New England to Florida to California. He’s served as marketing director for a small professional theater in …
Feeling aroused, or even orgasmic, doesn’t sound like much of a problem when you first hear about it. However, after learning the details of this odd medical condition, one can truly understand how difficult it must be to try to manage everyday life with the constant strain of intense sexual stimulation.
A 2007 study, performed by Science Daily, paints a clear picture of what a woman with PGAD deals with daily. Research indicates that women who have this rare disorder experience persistent and intense sensations of genital arousal, which are not always relieved by an orgasmic release. These sensations are not caused by any form of sexual stimulation, and can actually cause a feeling of distress and helplessness. The study by Science Daily indicates that women suffering from PGAD can experience depression, anxiety, and even panic attacks. Some women experience feelings of frustration, guilt and embarrassment due to their constant sexual frustration, and the need to masturbate to alleviate the feeling. Even after masturbation, women report getting little or no relief, and sometimes have to self stimulate several times a day.
The exact cause of PGAD is unknown. It has been speculated by some experts that the use of selective serotonins reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be the cause, as some women indicate the onset of the disorder occurring after changes in medication. However, not all women suffering from the condition have reported the same, so it cannot be proven that medication is the cause. Use of MRI scans have been performed in an attempt to pinpoint an internal, or biological cause, but results showed no recognizable link.
The symptoms of Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder can include, but are not limited to:
- An engorged clitoris
- Persistent sexual arousal
- Engorgement of the sex organs
- Clitoral Swelling and/or tingling
- Spontaneous orgasm
- Throbbing of the sexual organs
- Pressure and pain in the genital area
There is no known cure for PGAD. Some women, however, have reported some relief of their symptoms after being prescribed the anti-anxiety medication Paxil. MSNBC reports that one woman, who was at the point of considering suicide because of the disorder, has found that the use of Paxil has significantly decreased the urges brought on by PGAD. Fox News reports that some women find numbing agents (such as ice) or pelvic stretching and massage can offer some relief.
Clearly further research is needed. A support group has been formed for women suffering from this rare disorder. You can find out more about the support group here.
** To read more from this author, click here.
SOURCES:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,490170,00.html?sPage=fnc/health/sexpert
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22089700
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071116133547.htm
Ever since I read my first Judy Blume book as a little girl, I have wanted to write. Whether it s giving my opinion, making someone smile, or reviewing a product, writing makes me happy. My primary are… View profile
In the high- pressured, dangerous world we live in today, it is difficult to escape feelings of acute tension, stress and anxiety that frequently lead to panic attacks. Stress victims are to be found in every walk of life.
If you often feel stressed, extremely anxious and unable to cope, it may be due to a variety of different reasons. Whatever the reason it is important for you to recognize that severe stress could be harmful to your health.
Stress is regarded by medical science as one of the most important contributory factors in many illnesses.
Hypertension, high blood pressure, heart attacks, asthma, skin disorders, stomach ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis and many other medical problems are all believed to be directly related to stress.
Your stress may be due to money problems, family disagreements, unhappiness in your home, unpleasant conditions at work, concerns about the welfare of your children, uncertainty about your future or a wide range of different fears – some real, some exaggerated; some imagined.
It makes no difference whether your fear is real or imagined, the mental suffering from self-induced stress can be just as harmful to your health.
When a person has been under stress for some, it often results in a condition known as “panic disorder”. It is condition that is becomingly increasingly common.. “Panic disorder” is described as a psychiatric condition that brings about recurrent waves of panic that sometimes persist for lengthy periods.
It is an emotional state accompanied by feelings of dread that something terrible is about to happen. People who suffer from these panic attacks are sometimes fearful of getting on a bus; or entering a strange house.; or even going to a supermarket. These panic attacks can occur without warning. They are often unrelated to a specific incident or event.
Very often these feelings of panic are accompanied by alarming physical symptoms such as dizziness, tightness in the chest or the throat, shortness of breath, a racing pulse, or hot flushes.
It is not uncommon for people suffering from a panic attack to be convinced they are having a heart attack. They rush to the nearest hospital or immediately contact their physician for emergency treatment. Examination of their condition very often reveals there is no indication of any heart problem whatsoever. The symptoms they are suffering from have been brought about by a panic attack. In emergency wards at hospitals this is a fairly frequent occurrence.
It is very important however, to warn against the danger of being too casual and ignore symptoms that resemble a genuine heart attack. Don’t ever assume a panic attack is the cause of the problem.
If you are in the company of anyone who complains of severe chest pains, get qualified medical help immediately. Don’t disregard these symptoms and presume they are probably due to a panic attack. There is a chance that you may be completely mistaken.. The old maxim, “better be safe than sorry” certainly applies in these circumstances.
Doctors are seeing more and more cases, these days, of people suffering from symptoms of severe stress, nervous tension, extreme anxiety and panic attacks. The most common form of treatment is to prescribe tranquilizers.
It is small wonder that world-wide wide use of tranquilizers, has increased dramatically over the past few years.
Tranquilizers, as an emergency form of treatment, when prescribed by suitably qualified doctors, can be effective in relieving stress. But there are always disadvantages in their use. There are often side-effects. Sometimes these side effects can be very serious indeed. There is also always the danger of addiction.
A large number of people, suffering from panic attacks and conditions of severe stress, have moved away from conventional medical treatment. They are unhappy with tranquilizers. They turn to various forms of alternative medicine for treatment and have been very happy with the results achieved.
One method of treatment for stress, that has received wide recognition and a great deal of favorable publicity, because of the excellent results obtained, is meditation. There are certain forms of meditation that have proved remarkably effective in relieving stress.
Dennis Fisher is managing director of financial and investment Companies. His interests include an in-depth study of various schools of practical psychology with special emphasis on the use of meditation as a means of conquering stress. He is the author of an e-book that deal with unusual ways to meditate that have proved particularly effective in alleviating stress. Details of this e-book can be found on his website http://www.myvitalmeditation.com
While trying to conceive, there are many options to make it happen. There are actually fertility vitamins that can be taken to help speed up conception. Using these vitamins and herbs will cause you no side effects and be non-invasive as compared to other techniques of conception. These vitamins are also less expensive.
Studies have proved that using vitamins, herbs or other natural means are safer and much more effective in helping the pregnancy happen. If necessary, they can also be used in addition to any medical treatments that may have already been started.
There are several supplements for women to try. A good multivitamin is a good start. Iron is important to prevent anemia. Anemia can prevent fertility. However, a low dose should be used, such as 10-20mg per day. Vitamin C, 500-1500mg per day will protect the cells and boost the immune system. Vitamin E in 400-800i.u. per day is possible to increase the quality of the egg. It can definitely increase fertility. Co-enzyme-Q10 is also known to increase egg quality, and it belongs in the important list of fertility vitamins. Folic Acid may not contribute to fertility, however, can prevent birth defects and will protect the heart. Paba at 400mg per day can increase the estrogen to induce fertility.
Women not only need supplements to become pregnant. Men should be taking them, too. One of these is Vitamin C, which helps protect against damage to the sperm, and can actually increase the sperm count. Vitamin E increases sperm potency. Zinc, 15-60mg per day could not only raise the sperm count, but help the sexual function, also. A zinc deficiency can actually lower the sperm count. This supplement is very important. Other supplements for the man to consider is Vitamin B-12 and B-complex supplement, selenium, co-enzyme-Q10, L-Carnitine, a good multi-vitamin, especially with Vitamin A, and L-Arginine.
Before taking any vitamin supplements or herbs, it is still best to consult with your doctor first to be sure that they are safe for your individual needs.
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A phobia is when you have an irrational fear of something. It is often accompanied by symptoms that are much like what someone with an anxiety disorder would experience. There are so many different types of phobias out there that have been given a name. Some of the most common ones that you may have already heard of include a fear of spiders (arachnophobia), a fear of being confined to spaces (claustrophobia), and a fear of dentists (dental phobia). Of course, it is possible to have a phobia to just about anything.
What is Severe Weather Phobia?
One of the types of phobias which has recently been given a name is severe weather phobia, or as you can probably guess, a fear of bad or severe weather. Though some people are afraid of ice storms that occur in the winter, most people who suffer from severe weather phobia are afraid of thunder, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes. Some are even afraid of rain. Since the most common time for all of these different types of weather storms occur is the summer, it is during this time that many people find that severe weather phobia interferes with regular life activities.
What is the Difference Between Fear and Phobia?
Many people who have an irrational fear of severe weather tend to find themselves afraid or even unwilling to leave their homes if they know that the weather forecast predicts bad or severe weather. While being somewhat afraid of severe weather is considered to be a normality, it is considered a phobia when you are too afraid to even live your house to go to work when you know that a storm could be on its way tomorrow or even a week from tomorrow.
What are Some Characteristics of Severe Weather Phobia?
There are a number of different characteristics of severe weather phobia. One of the main characteristics is that you are, of course, overly afraid of the possibility of severe weather. You may find yourself experiencing panic attack-like symptoms, including a fast heartbeat, nausea, dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest pains, sweats and chills – to name a few. Some people even claim that they are afraid to eat when they know that severe weather is coming. Not only will you be concerned about your safety, but you will also be concerned about the safety of your loved ones. Many people with severe weather phobia will consistently watch the Weather Channel to check for any weather updates or warnings. They will also check their basements to make sure that they are prepared for severe weather.
What Triggers Severe Weather Phobia?
One of the main things that you may be wondering is what triggers severe weather phobia. It is important to keep in mind that, much like any other type of phobia, severe weather phobia can affect just about anyone. However, it seems to be more common among people who have already experienced very severe weather at one point in time. In fact, studies have shown that over seventy percent of people who are severe weather phobics were a victim of severe weather earlier in life. Some people who have this type of phobia saw the damage that severe weather can cause on television, which may have triggered their phobia. It typically is most common for severe weather phobia to begin affecting you at an early age, though it is also possible for you to develop it later in life.
Jodi Morse has a B.A. in English from East Stroudsburg University. As a sufferer of endometriosis, she enjoys writing about women s health issues. She has worked as an assistant wedding DJ, and is dabbling i… View profile
