Posted by admin on December 2nd, 2009 — Posted in House Of Psychology, Medicine, School of Health
How Depressive Disorder Touches Your Kinfolk and Friends.
The first ones to note changes in your mood or action level are your household and friends. While kinfolk and friends are great for accompaniment and must be held seriously, you will need to meet your physician for specific handling.
When your son asks for how you feel and implies you could be suffering from a moderate depression, it is really important to take their words seriously and meet a doc for proper diagnosis and counseling.
Your nearest friends will also notice the shifts in you and you?re in all probability the last person to notice if you endure from a mild depression. Coping with depression early, will ease the struggling for both you and your relatives and acquaintances.
If you endure from depression you are in all probability tormented and irritable, without pleasure or enterprise and commonly less caring than everyday. Overmuch time spend on the PC, playing games or attending at Facebook can also be a signal of depressive disorder.
These symptoms of depressive disorder can be very hard on your household and friends, who will both suffer from their troubles about your wellness, and the changed response patterns in your behavior.
The introductory intervention with antidepressants holds out 4 to 8 weeks and after that period you should be without symptoms and be able to live a normal life with family and acquaintances. But commemorate to confer with your doctor and it is also advisable to consult a shrink too.
Commend to hear to your relatives and true friends as they will endure if you hold back from attending your doc and start treatment.
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Posted by admin on June 8th, 2008 — Posted in House Of Psychology
Before we start talking about how to deal with sexual harassment I think it’s important to define exactly what sexual harassment is: Sexual harassment is anything in word or deed that is sexual in nature which makes you uncomfortable.
This can be something as innocuous as a co-worker baldly asking if you got laid over the weekend, to your boss patting you on the posterior as you walk by his/her desk. Sexual harassment can be subtle and it’s not a condition experienced only by women, men experience sexual harassment as well. I suspect that harassment of male workers on the job is just as prevalent as harassment of female workers, men are simply less likely to come forward about it because the idea of a female or even male boss or co-worker sexually harassing a male employee seems ludicrous.
Now that you know what sexual harassment is, what do you do about it if it’s happening to you?
1. Start keeping a written journal of incidents. Write down what happened, what was said to you, and how you chose to deal with it at the time and why. Also put the date and the time of the incident. Keep this journal in a very safe place. If your boss has access to your desk even if it’s locked and he/she is the abuser, it is common for others to get in your desk, keep your harassment journal at home.
2. Tell someone. Start with the Human Resources department. If you work for a small company and there is no HR department or there is no real defined person in charge of HR then go to your boss. If he/she is the harasser then go to that person’s boss. If the your boss is the owner, and there is no HR department, then make a formal complaint to the Labor Board in your city. Above all do not keep what is happening to yourself. Remember, you have done nothing wrong, and you have the right to work in a safe environment free of sexual harassment.
3. What if you’re retaliated against? Don’t put up with it. Retaliation can be very subtle, it might be a one-on-one meeting where your boss or co-worker threatens you and/or your job, or you may find yourself with too little or too much work to do to name a few examples. If this happens, document it in your journal, and go back to whomever you spoke to the first time and report the retaliation. Continue to do so for as long as it continues. Don’t let up on the abuser, tell him/her to stop it immediately. Don’t discontinue reporting, even if it appears that no one is listening to you, or even if they tell you to stop. You have the legal right to report the retaliation, any further sexual harassment, and to work in an environment which is not hostile. Remind anyone of that if they attempt to thwart your efforts.
4. Ok, you’ve kept a journal, you’ve reported any further incidents of harassment and retaliation, you’ve repeatedly told the harasser to stop, but nothing is improving. You’ve done everything you can and the workplace has become a nightmare. You wake up in cold sweats from dreams about the situation, you’re having trouble sleeping, eating, and you’re suffering from depression and/or extreme anxiety. At this point my advice to you would be to quit and find another job. You may be thinking you need this job. No you don’t. No job is worth being in if you are being sexually harassed and retaliated against. It’s not worth your health, it’s not worth your time, and it certainly isn’t worth any amount of money.
Quit. It’s that simple. Think you won’t be able to claim unemployment. Not necessarily. If you can prove to the unemployment department that you had no choice but to quit and why then you have a chance. Show them your journal, show them a copy of your employment file, (Make sure you get a copy of this prior to quitting. Legally your company must provide you with a complete copy of your file within a specified time period usually 48 hours after the request is made.) show them your medical records if you went to doctors and/or therapists in an effort to cope with the situation. Have the person you are working with at the unemployment office call the person you reported the incidents to at the company you worked for, or the Labor Board.
The important thing here is to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt there was no choice but quitting. Of course you also have the option of applying of other jobs while keeping your current job, just be aware you may have to quit prior to finding another job. Don’t stay if you can safely leave, especially if you have savings or can get help to tide you over until you have a new job.
You’ve quit, you’ve found another job, you’re done right? Wrong. Don’t shred, or throw out your journal, or your employee file, or anything from your doctor/therapist that helps to prove what happened to you. Keep all of these things, and stay in touch with co-workers at your old job. You never know when someone may file a lawsuit against the company and/or the sexual harasser. It’s also possible a co-worker might quit and need your proof to back theirs up so they can get unemployment. The last thing to do is make a second set of everything and put it in a safety deposit box, or give it to a trusted friend or neighbor. This way if your house burns down or some other catastrophe happens you still have your proof.
Ultimately the choice is yours as to how to handle sexual harassment, but the important thing to remember is you have the right to a safe and enjoyable work environment. My final words of advice to you are, choose to not be a victim of sexual harassment.
Regina Paul is a freelance writer who has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, and has several years experience in HR. She is also the author of GETTING OUT ALIVE, a science fiction romance, as well as two novellas and numerous articles. She is currently at work on her next novel, and her first non-fiction book. For more information you can visit her website at http://www.reginapaul.com where you can sign up for her bi-monthly newsletter Regina’s Universe, participate in her latest contest, get free e-books, and find many other writer’s freebies.
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Posted by admin on April 5th, 2008 — Posted in House Of Psychology
We accept that illness is part of our daily lives. Colds and flu, cuts and bruises. All these are taken within our stride. Curative potions, prescribed and otherwise, are taken and within a few days we are all back to normal ready to face the world. We have this acceptance because it is something that is tangible. Life is nice and simple as we look at these minor ailments. Everyone has had them at one time or another so it’s part of life.
What about depression? The word itself, particularly when used with regard to an illness, sends a shudder down the spines of most folk. Some would say that it is a disease of the 90s, something that television and the like, too much this, not enough of that and perhaps only confined to those in our community who have - what shall we say - some mental problem. It is so easy to dismiss this illness. We can then forget it and think of things a little more pleasant. What we don’t understand can certainly make us feel that way.
It’s all very easy to dismiss this very harrowing and distressing illness, for it is an illness, not a condition. Some of our community, although seeming physically fit, appear to be carrying the worries of the world on their shoulders. They find it impossible to cope with the normal pressures that the rest of us comfortably deal with in the course of our daily lives.
It is not meant to be patronising to call them poor people. It is merely gratitude for one not having the illness and pity, yes pity, that fellow human beings have to suffer such torment. Luckily nowadays there is some relief with medication that is available. It is however small compensation for the anguish that must be caused by this awful malady.
It is quite easy to remember the days when someone had an “off day” - due to what we now know as depression - to hear their close ones say “Buck yourself up - you’ll be OK tomorrow”. That was the diagnosis and cure for depression principally because not enough was known about the reason why it happens. We read of a blackness and inner torment that travels with it, unfortunately encouraging self harm in some cases.
Society now appears to be much more tolerant. It seems that a little knowledge does go a long way. People, who before seemed aloof and rude at times, with medical help and the correct medication, can now live a content and peaceful life, free from the demons that depression inevitably brings.
Depression hasn’t just happened in the last 15 years though. It surely must have been around for an incredible number of years. Does that mean that it has increased in intensity because of the type of lifestyle we lead, or does it mean that we simply shunned our lesser fortunate acquaintances because we felt there was something “odd” about them?
It is more likely to be the latter. It was far easier to think of someone as not quite the same as everyone else and reject them accordingly, which is what we normally do with things or people we don’t understand, than approach them and try to help them conquer their personal battles.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Depression
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Posted by admin on April 1st, 2008 — Posted in House Of Psychology
Tourette syndrome (TS) is an inherited, neurological disorder
characterized by multiple involuntary movements and
uncontrollable vocalizations called tics that come and go over
years. In a few cases, such tics can include inappropriate words
and phrases. The disorder is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la
Tourette, the pioneering French neurologist who first described
an 86-year-old French noblewoman with the condition in 1885.
The symptoms of TS generally appear before the individual is 18
years old. TS can affect people of all ethnic groups; males are
affected 3 to 4 times more often than females. It is estimated
that 100,000 Americans have full-blown TS, and that perhaps as
many as 1 in 200 show a partial expression of the disorder, such
as chronic multiple tics or transient childhood tics.
The natural course of TS varies from patient to patient.
Although TS symptoms range from very mild to quite severe, the
majority of cases fall in the mild category. What are the
symptoms? The first symptoms of TS are usually facial
tics–commonly eye blinking. However, facial tics can also
include nose twitching or grimaces. With time, other motor tics
may appear such as head jerking, neck stretching, foot stamping,
or body twisting and bending.
TS patients may utter strange and unacceptable sounds, words,
or phrases. It is not uncommon for a person with TS to
continuously clear his or her throat, cough, sniff, grunt, yelp,
bark, or shout. People with TS may involuntarily shout
obscenities (coprolalia ) or constantly repeat the words of
other people (echolalia). They may touch other people
excessively or repeat actions obsessively and unnecessarily. A
few patients with severe TS demonstrate self-harming behaviors
such as lip and cheek biting and head banging against hard
objects. However, these behaviors are extremely rare. Tics
alternately increase and decrease in severity, and periodically
change in number, frequency, type, and location. Symptoms may
subside for weeks or months at a time and later recur. How are
tics classified?
There are two categories of tics: simple and complex. Simple
tics are sudden, brief movements that involve a limited number
of muscle groups. They occur in a single or isolated fashion and
are often repetitive. Some of the more common examples of simple
tics include eye blinking, shoulder shrugging, facial grimacing,
head jerking, yelping, and sniffing. Complex tics are distinct,
coordinated patterns of successive movements involving several
muscle groups. Complex tics might include jumping, smelling
objects, touching the nose, touching other people, coprolalia,
echolalia, or self-harming behaviors. Can people with TS control
their tics?
People with TS can sometimes suppress their tics for a short
time, but the effort is similar to that of holding back a
sneeze. Eventually tension mounts to the point where the tic
escapes. Tics worsen in stressful situations; however they
improve when the person is relaxed or absorbed in an activity.
In most cases tics decrease markedly during sleep.
What causes TS?
Although the basic cause of TS is unknown, current research
suggests that there is an abnormality in the gene(s) affecting
the brain’s metabolism of neurotransmitters such as dopamine,
serotonin, and norepinephrine. Neurotransmitters are chemicals
in the brain that carry signals from one nerve cell to another.
What disorders are associated with TS?
Not all people with TS have disorders other than tics. However,
many people experience additional problems such as obsessive
compulsive behavior, characterized by an intense need to act
repeatedly, such as hand washing or checking that a door is
locked; attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, characterized
by difficulty concentrating and staying on task; learning
disabilities, which include reading, writing, and arithmetic
difficulties; or sleep disorders, which include frequent
awakenings or talking in one’s sleep. The wide range of
behavioral symptoms that can accompany tics may, in fact, be
more disabling than the tics themselves. Patients, families, and
physicians need to determine which set of symptoms is most
disabling so that appropriate medications and therapies can be
selected.
How is TS diagnosed?
Generally, TS is diagnosed by obtaining a description of the
tics and evaluating family history. For a diagnosis of TS to be
made, both motor and phonic tics must be present for at least 1
year. Neuroimaging studies, such as magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI), computerized tomography (CT), and electroencephalogram
(EEG) scans, or certain blood tests may be used to rule out
other conditions that might be confused with TS. However, TS is
a clinical diagnosis. There are no blood tests or other
laboratory tests that definitively diagnose the disorder.
Studies show that correct diagnosis of TS is frequently delayed
after the start of symptoms because many physicians may not be
familiar with the disorder. The behavioral symptoms and tics are
easily misinterpreted, often causing children with TS to be
misunderstood at school, at home, and even in the doctor’s
office. Parents, relatives, and peers who are unfamiliar with
the disorder may incorrectly attribute the tics and other
symptoms to psychological problems, thereby increasing the
social isolation of those with the disorder. And because tics
can wax and wane in severity and can also be suppressed, they
are often absent during doctor visits, which further complicates
making a diagnosis. In many cases, parents, relatives, friends,
or even the patients themselves become aware of the disorder
based on information they have heard or read in the popular
media. How is TS treated?
Because symptoms do not impair most patients and development
usually proceeds normally, the majority of people with TS
require no medication. However, medications are available to
help when symptoms interfere with functioning. Unfortunately,
there is no one medication that is helpful to all persons with
TS, nor does any medication completely eliminate symptoms; in
addition, all medications have side effects. Instead, the
available TS medications are only able to help reduce specific
symptoms. Some patients who require medication to reduce the
frequency and intensity of the tic symptoms may be treated with
neuroleptic drugs such as haloperidol and pimozide .
These medications are usually given in very small doses that are
increased slowly until the best possible balance between
symptoms and side effects is achieved. Recently scientists have
discovered that long-term use of neuroleptic drugs may cause an
involuntary movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia .
However, this condition usually disappears when medication is
discontinued. Short-term side effects of haloperidol and
pimozide include muscular rigidity, drooling, tremor, lack of
facial expression, slow movement, and restlessness. These side
effects can be reduced by drugs commonly used to treat
Parkinson’s disease. Other side effects such as fatigue,
depression, anxiety, weight gain, and difficulties in thinking
clearly may be more troublesome.
Clonidine , an antihypertensive drug, is also used in the
treatment of tics. Studies show that it is more effective in
reducing motor tics than reducing vocal tics. Fatigue, dry
mouth, irritability, dizziness, headache, and insomnia are
common side effects associated with clonidine use.
Fluphenazine and clonazepam may also be prescribed to help
control tic symptoms. Medications are also available to treat
some of he associated behavioral disorders. Stimulants such as
methyphenidate, pemoline , and dextroamphetamine , usually
prescribed for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders,
although somewhat effective, have also been reported to increase
tics; therefore their use is controversial. For obsessive
compulsive behaviors that significantly disrupt daily
functioning, fluoxetine , clomipramine , sertraline , and
paroxetine may be prescribed.
Other types of therapy may also be helpful. Although
psychological problems do not cause TS, psychotherapy may help
the person better cope with the disorder and deal with the
secondary social and emotional problems that sometimes occur.
Psychotherapy does not help suppress the patient’s tics.
Relaxation techniques and biofeedback may be useful in
alleviating stress which can lead to an icrease in tic symptoms.
Is TS inherited?
Evidence from genetic studies suggests that TS is inherited in a
dominant mode and the gene(s) involved can cause a variable
range of symptoms in different family members. A person with TS
has about a 50-50 chance of passing on the gene(s) to one of his
or her offspring. However, that genetic predisposition may not
necessarily result in full-blown TS; instead, it may express
itself as a milder tic disorder or as obsessive compulsive
behaviors or possibly attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
with few or no tics at all. It is also possible that the
gene-carrying offspring will not develop any TS symptoms. A
higher than normal incidence of milder tic disorders and
obsessive compulsive behaviors has been found in families of
individuals with TS.
Gender also plays an important role in TS gene expression. If
the gene-carrying offspring of a TS patient is male, then the
risk of developing symptoms is 3 to 4 times higher. However,
most people who inherit the gene(s) will not develop symptoms
severe enough to warrant medical attention. In some cases of TS,
inheritance cannot be determined. These cases are called
sporadic and their cause is unknown.
What is the prognosis? There is no cure for TS; however, the
condition in many individuals improves as they mature.
Individuals with TS can expect to live a normal life span.
Although the disorder is generally lifelong and chronic, it is
not a degenerative condition. TS does not impair intelligence.
Tics tend to decrease with age, enabling some patients to
discontinue using medication. In a few cases, complete remission
occurs after adolescence. Although tic symptoms tend to decrease
with age, it is possible that neuropsychiatric disorders such as
depression, panic attacks, mood swings, and antisocial behaviors
may increase.
For more information on neurological disorders or research
programs funded by the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke, contact the Institute’s Brain Resources
and Information Network (BRAIN) at: BRAIN P.O. Box 5801 Bethesda
, MD 20824 (800) 352-9424 http://www.ninds.nih.gov
Information also is available from the following organizations:
Tourette Syndrome Association
42-40 Bell Boulevard Suite 205 Bayside, NY 11361-2820
ts@tsa-usa.org http://tsa-usa.org
Tel: 718-224-2999 888-4-TOURET ( 486-8738 ) Fax: 718-279-9596
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) National Institutes
of Health, DHHS 6001 Executive Blvd. Rm. 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda , MD 20892-9663
nimhinfo@nih.gov http://www.nimh.nih.gov
Tel: 301-443-4513/301-443-8431 (TTY) 866-615-NIMH (-6464) Fax:
301-443-4279
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD) National Institutes of Health, DHHS
31 Center Drive , Rm. 3C35 MSC 2320 Bethesda , MD 20892-2320
nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.govhttp://www.nidcd.nih.gov Tel:
301-496-7243 301-241-1055 (TTD/TTY
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