Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Eating Disorders and Your Personality

Lacking in confidence? Having trouble with being such a perfectionist? Although you may not notice it, some of your most distinguishing personality traits could determine your susceptibility to eating disorders. Studies have shown that people diagnosed with eating disorders share the same common denominator: specific self-defeating personality traits. Apart from these, however, having any of the identified personality disorders, possessed with specific distinctive negative traits, raises your chances of acquiring eating disorders. Below are the first two:

Avoidant Personality

Several studies have indicated that most anorexic patients have avoidant personalities due to their extreme fear of rejection. So sensitive are they to being criticized that the slightest off-hand remark suffices to strengthen their belief of their own inadequacy. The oversensitivity to failing of people with avoidant personality disorder is further elucidated by these traits: perfectionism; extreme
shyness; sexual and/or emotional inhibition; sensitivity to rejection; affinity with being “good”; and a fear of being criticized, ridiculed, and/or humiliated.


Narcissistic Personality

A personality disorder characterized by an extreme emphasis on one's importance, people falling under this category are prone to pacifying themselves. Their need for admiration from others explains why they are so sensitive to criticism and failure.

Word Count: 200

Picture Link: http://www.sxc.hu/pic/m/l/li/livinus/150354_scream.jpg
Source: http://adam.about.com/reports/Eating-disorders.htm
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe08.html
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe07.html

Thursday, April 8, 2010

At the Mercy of Anxiety? Check Your BP (blood pressure)!


Do you find yourself feeling light-headed and out of breath during crunch time? Whether you're trying to beat a work deadline or running at the speed of light just so you could make it to the office in time, the effects such circumstances would have on your mental and physical system are the same: the onset of anxiety triggering a spike in your blood pressure. Even if you have no hypertension and are healthy throughout, fact has it that you too could experience a sudden, dramatic BP increase once anxiety sets in.

Although physically uncomfortable, these temporary BP spikes have no serious physical damage. As it is, it is not confirmed that anxiety directly causes hypertension. However, should the aforementioned episodes escalate to the point that you experience them more frequently or every day, then a lifestyle change coupled with a visit to your doctor are in order. Just like chronic hypertension, regularly experiencing a surge in your BP due to anxiety is as detrimental to your kidneys, heart, and blood vessels. Besides, since anxiety could prompt you to turn to unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, and overeating; you also run the risk of acquiring hypertension later on.


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Maximize the Destressing Benefits of Relaxation Response

As you get started with your relaxation response practice, do it properly by observing these significant pointers:









  • Find time to do it.In starting out your relaxation response practice, it's imperative to find the right time that you have especially set aside for it. Depending on your schedule, see to it that once you have decided on the specific time, you would manage to keep it. Regularity requires sticking to a fixed schedule. This way, you are assured of fully absorbing the stress-relieving benefits of relaxation response into your system.
  • Never do it when you're feeling drowsy or lethargic. Since relaxation response activities are intended to relax you totally, they could make you sleepy. However, falling asleep would mean not being able to complete the exercise, hence, you miss out on getting the most from it. To prevent this, ascertain that the period you've chosen is nowhere near your bedtime or during those hours when you're likely to feel drowsy.
  • Practice the activity that you like best. There are many different activities promoting the benefits of relaxation response, and all of them are equally effective. It all boils down to selecting the one which appeals to you the most.
Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

What You Should Know About AS (Asperger's Syndrome)

At first glance, AS people are hardly any different from others. However, getting to know them better or becoming intimate with them would give you a closer look at what exactly it is about them that distinguishes them from the rest. As it is, AS people are very well capable of functioning in typical life settings just like everybody else. However, they possess specific symptoms, especially poor or immature socialization skills and a distinctive oddity of behavior, specifically categorizing them among the 400,000 families suspected to be riddled with Asperger's syndrome—a neurobiological disorder characterized by impaired social skills and poor coordination.

Although diagnosis can be made as early as the age of three, it is not unusual for most AS people to be misdiagnosed with ADHD before it can be confirmed that what they have is actually AS later on. To familiarize you better with the nature of AS, here are its other symptoms:

  • Predilection for “self” topics when conversing with others
  • Robotic and reiterative speech
  • Not having enough “common sense”
  • Academic problems; specifically with math, reading, or writing
  • Unusual mannerisms and/or behaviors
  • Bungling movements
  • Fixation for complicated topics (patterns, music, etc.)
  • Improper and/or limited social interactions
Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Monday, April 5, 2010

Foolproof Tips in Managing Sunburn


“An ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure.” The truth of this popular adage can never be disputed, especially where one's health is at stake. As it is, this also applies to even seemingly mundane complaints as sunburn. Typical during the hot summer months, the best step in addressing sunburn is through conscientious prevention. Capable of ruining the skin - the main organ used for heat control and fluid retention as well as protection against infection - handling sunburn can be done by following these foolproof tips:

Get indoors or shield sunburned areas immediately. Further exposure to the sun after you have had sunburn would only worsen it.

Spot check the sunburned area for blisters. The latter are indications of second-degree burns, meaning that the affected are has suffered complete damage and is already prone to complications. Emergency cases calling for immediate medical attention would be indicated by having such a big blister that it could cover an entire abdomen or is bigger than an arm.

Ease the discomfort and pain via a shower or bath. Aloe or over-the-counter cooling agents could also be applied on the affected areas. However, never use oil or butter.


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Zeroing In On Teen Depression


In discussing teen depression, many factors come into play, ranging from genetics to social, physical, as well as environmental factors. Defining the manner whereby a particular teenager could be at risk requires discussing his inherent personality aside from the previously mentioned factors. Teen girls are said to have a higher risk since they often obtain their self-esteem through their relationships.


However, depression cannot be contained to only one life premise. With the many challenges confronting adolescents as they struggle with growing up, it can be surmised that like every body else, depression is a perennial threat if they're not careful.

Most cases of teenagers who had depression experienced the following: teen pregnancy, drug or substance abuse, and lagging behind their peers in academics or other areas. Once depression sets in, the ultimate risk would be having that compulsion to commit suicide. To keep teens safe, parental support and guidance are important. As with other health issues, preventing the disorder from settling in is the best way to ensure that your teen is protected from its adverse effects. Prioritizing their health concerns means being attentive not only to their physical needs, but also to their mental needs as well.

Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Friday, March 26, 2010

Plate Size Matters

In telling the reasons behind the compulsion driving people to overeat unconsciously, a food psychologist pointed out that several factors come into play. Some studies revealed that one common reason in particular has a lot to do with the plate size we use for eating. Nevertheless, despite the variations of these factors, a food expert maintains that all these reasons compelling us to overeat without our noticing it are united under the fact that they exist only in our minds.

A problem generated by the demands of today's busy lifestyle, such tendencies are referred to as mindless eating by Brian Wansink, a behavioral scientist at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab. According to him, people are so preoccupied with the many things they are busy with during the day that they tend to lose track of how often they eat. He claims that the stomach has nothing to do with these compulsions. The mind is the sole culprit. However, as powerful as it is, it could be fooled easily using a simple technique: change plate sizes. Dr. Wansink confirmed, “Based on our studies, people get more food servings when their plates are bigger. They add up to 20-28% more.”


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Thursday, March 25, 2010

What It's Like to Be a Hypochondriac


Getting sick due to a cold or flu hardly fazes anyone anymore. However, when the sickness becomes frequent, it can't be helped that others would be alarmed. Besides the possibilities that the concerned individual could just be feigning sickness or is really suffering from a particularly debilitating disease, another plausibility most of us overlook is hypochondria.



For some, hypochondria is a possibility after having experienced the demise of a loved one due to illness. Likewise, the same anxiety grips persons who are nearing the specific age whereby a loved one has passed away prematurely because of the same reason. Despite having a healthy disposition, anyone who has gone through the aforementioned experiences could become anxious over a particular disease that caused a loved one's death. They may suffer from panic attacks and mull over the idea that they're also troubled by the same symptoms.

Usually, majority of illnesses beleaguering hypochondriacs are nowhere near as serious as they thought. However, from their vantage point, it's magnified greatly. Though the physical aches and symptoms they're griping about could be real, the causes they associate these with aren't. Often, these arise from their elevated stress level resulting from their anxiousness about having the condition in the first place.


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Identifying Giardiasis


Unquestionably, drinking contaminated water poses a variety of health problems, which includes giardiasis. One of the primary causes of diarrhea in the United States, this disease derived its name from the microscopic parasite known as giardia lamblia, which disrupts the body's absorption of carbohydrates and fats from the food it digests. Even in typical chlorinated water, this parasite could survive. It can even thrive up to two months in cold water.

The primary symptom indicating the onset of giardiasis is when the patient begins to suffer from diarrhea. The characteristic of his stool would be watery and odorous without any trace of mucus or blood. Unlike the usual excrement that sinks in the toilet bowl's water, the stool of a person suffering from giardiasis would float. It would also have a characteristically shiny-like appearance since the fat hasn't been properly absorbed by the body.

In treating giardiasis, your doctor would prescribe medication to kill the giardia lamblia parasite. The process usually takes five days up to a week. For children, medicines in liquid form are usually administered. Since some of these medications have side effects, it is best to stay vigilant as soon as the child starts taking them.


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Friday, February 12, 2010

Food and Your Emotions

Do you often find yourself hungry whenever you feel down? If your answer to this question is a big “yes,” then you're ranked among the many people labeled as emotional eaters. Although common, the compulsion to use food to compensate for adverse emotions endangers your weight loss efforts. Emotional eating makes you susceptible to overeating, especially with high risk high-calorie foods with lots of sugar and/or fat.

Food serves as one of the most common emotional pacifiers whenever people find themselves stressed out and/or beleaguered by problems. The act of eating itself is a form of distraction. It keeps them preoccupied while suppressing adverse emotions like sadness, confusion, anger, loneliness, fear, boredom, or a combination of any of them.

Even if there are people who tend to eat less when confronted by these emotions, getting emotionally distressed also leaves them vulnerable to eating compulsively. Whether done consciously or not, the peril of having your emotions entwined with food could send you reaching out for whatever food is available every time you feel bad. Regardless of what particular emotion has triggered your compulsion, you still end up with the same risks: botched weight loss efforts and becoming unhealthy.



Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Fishy Matters That Really Matter

Rich in omega-3-fatty acids, protein, and other vital nutrients sans the high levels of saturated fat, fish is a major component of a well-balanced diet, helpful in achieving and maintaining our healthy weight. However, because it has been confirmed that fish contains mercury and other toxins prevalent in our environment, questions concerning its healthfulness has been raised. To stay on the safe side without sacrificing the health benefits of eating fish, be guided by these pointers:

King Mackerel, Shark, Tilefish, and Swordfish have been confirmed to contain the most amount of toxins, hence, we are advised to exclude them from our diets.

It's safe to consume up to 12 ounces of these fish and shellfish with low amounts of mercury: canned light tuna, salmon, shrimp, pollock, and catfish.

Since white tuna (albacore) contains more mercury than light tuna, we're advised to consume no more than six ounces of it weekly.

Following these pointers would assure our continued enjoyment of the nutritional benefits of fish. Overall, too much consumption of mercury results to severe health complications, specifically risking the brain and nervous system. Those at higher risk are pregnant women, their unborn fetuses, lactating women, and young children.


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Monday, February 1, 2010

Why Organic Produce Is Better

The organic food trend sweeping across the globe isn't media hype alone. Learn how going organic could improve health by considering these facts:

* Organic produce tops the freshness list.

Since organically grown produce is not treated with preservatives to prolong its storage life, it's definitely fresher. And fresh fruits and veggies always taste better. However, in buying organic products, knowledge of the source is important. Usually, the farms producing them are located near the places where they're sold.

* Using organic farming methods benefits us and our environment.

Organic farming methods is considered beneficial to our environment because of the following: it decreases pollution, soil contamination and erosion, saves water, makes the soil more fertile, and decreases energy consumption. Because organic farming never uses chemical fertilizers and pesticides, we're treated to pesticide-free and more nutritious fruits and veggies.

* Eating organic meat omits the health risk of adverse side effects.

Livestock raised the organic way is neither fed with animal by-products nor given antibiotics, which could translate to negative health consequences for us. Moreover, the animals are raised in a more spacious environment instead of being cramped together, thus, promoting their overall better health. Reasonably, healthy livestock means healthier meat.


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The Importance of Keeping a Healthy Weight

The benefits of keeping a healthy weight goes beyond appearances. Besides having a more appealing vital statistics, achieving and maintaining your body's ideal weight is equivalent to a healthier and hardier physique. In effect, your risk of contracting illnesses, especially serious ones, is decreased greatly.

Based on researches, obesity lowers a person's life expectancy by nine years on average. With this comes heightened risks of contracting serious ailments such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancers in the breast, prostate and colon. Accordingly, experts have pointed out that only a small percentage of people suffer from obesity due to Cushing's syndrome or slow metabolism due to an underactive thyroid. Majority of obese people worldwide attribute their condition to unhealthy habits characterized by consuming beyond their daily required caloric consumption coupled with a sedentary lifestyle.

But as debilitating as the health consequences of obesity are, it is still a reversible condition. In losing the excess weight, we also decrease our risk of the serious illnesses associated with obesity. Making important healthy lifestyle changes is imperative. Losing weight through a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise becomes more effective if we exercise more and eat less.


Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Getting to Know Financial Stress

Tough economic times always puts the pressure on our finances that we can't help but feel anxious, worried, and/or sad. Where money matters are concerned, the need for surviving in the modern world doesn't exempt us from the burdening mental stress that comes with being preoccupied about anything concerning our bills. Hence, all of us are susceptible to financial stress. Like the usual stress, financial stress affects us physically and mentally. Find out how this comes about by pondering on these facts:

Physical Changes
  • trouble sleeping or staying asleep
  • declining concentration ability
  • feeling down or even tearful during random instances
  • loss of appetite

Mental Changes
  • pessimistic way of thinking that leads to feelings of helplessness and/or hopelessness
  • loss of enthusiasm reflected in oversleeping or wanting to be alone most of the time
  • shying away from other people's company or decreased enthusiasm for socializing with friends and loved ones

Coping with these adverse changes is possible when you follow the given suggestions below:

  • Stick to your usual routine in spite of yourself.
  • Expose yourself to early morning sunshine.
  • Talk it out with a friend.
  • Be attentive to your physical health needs (healthy diet and regular exercise) despite your feelings.

Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Mesothelioma a Rare Disease

This is a uncommon form of cancer, commonly attached to exposure to asbestos. In Mesothelioma, cancerous cells develop in the mesothelium, a defensive lining that covers most of the bodies inner organs. The most common site for Mesothelioma is the outer lining of the lungs along with chest cavity (known as the pleura lining), but it may also occur in the lining of the abdominal cavity (also known as the peritoneum) or the outer lining of the heart (pericardium).

Individuals who develop Mesothelioma have typically worked in jobs where they were exposed to asbestos particles via airborne means, or by direct contract with contaminated materials used by loved ones or friends in such occupations.

Mesothelioma symptoms

It may take upwards of 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos for Mesothelioma symptoms to become apparent. Among the symptoms of Mesothelioma one might see, the primary two associated with plural cavity Mesothelioma are:

  • shortness of breath

  • pain in the chest - most likely due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space

Symptoms of Mesothelioma that are affecting the peritoneal cavity may include

  • weight loss

  • abdominal swelling

  • pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity).

  • bowel obstruction

  • blood clotting abnormalities

  • anemia

  • fever

If the cancer has spread then the symptoms may diversify as well. General symptoms of metastasized Mesothelioma may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

All symptoms on this page may be caused by Mesothelioma, especially if the individual had a prior exposure to high levels of asbestos earlier in life. However, all of these symptoms can be caused by less serious conditions.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Dengue Alert

What is dengue?

Dengue fever is a relatively common problem in Asia and periodically reaches epidemic proportions in some countries like Indonesia, Philippines and others, usually every 4-5 years. Rarely fatal in fit adults, the patient is often left debilitated and requires considerable time for convalescence. Dengue Fever is most common during the rainy season (November - May) as the mosquito requires clean standing water to reproduce.

Dengue occurs due to infection by a flavivirus which is transmitted by the bite of the Aedes mosquito. (Unlike malaria, this disease occurs in greater Jakarta - urban dengue occurs in nearly all tropical countries like I said it before).



SYMPTOMS

Certainly in the aboriginal stages of illness, dengue fever is difficult if not impossible to distinguish clinically from the many other possible causes of similar symptoms and signs.

IN ADULTS:

The deposit of the dengue virus in the skin by the bite, there is an incubation period of 2 - 14 (usually 4 - 8) days.

Thereafter onset of symptoms is usually abrupt, coinciding with viremia (the virus multiplying in the bloodstream) with chills, headache, backache, weakness, pain behind the eyes, flushing of the face, muscle and joint pain, and lassitude. The joint and back pains can be very bad indeed; hence the older name 'breakbone fever'.

The temperature rapidly rises, often to 40°C (104°F), and there is a low heart rate (compared to the degree of, and other causes of, high fever). The blood pressure is often low also. A transient rash which blanches under pressure may be seen during the first 24 hours of fever.

During the 2nd to 6th day of fever, nausea and even vomiting may occur, and the patient may develop one or more of the following; skin hypersensitivity, generalized swelling of regional lymph nodes, swelling of the palms, changes in taste sensation, loss of appetite, constipation, anxiety and depression.

Within 2 to 4 days a temporary improvement can occur with a sudden drop in temperature and subjective improvement - for 24 hours until there is a second rapid temperature rise. A generalized morbilliform (“measles-like”) rash appears a characteristic rash on the trunk, limbs, palms and soles especially. (This second febrile phase does not invariably occur). This rash usually disappears in 1-5 days, the skin in these areas turn bright red and may peel. The temperature should fall back to normal and the infectious episode is effectively over.

Epistaxis (“nose bleeds”), petechiae (“red skin spots”) and purpuric skin lesions (“purple skin spots / bruises”) can occur at any stage of the disease, varying with age, sex, and type of dengue virus. Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, and excessive vaginal bleeding if menstruating can also occur, but do not usually occur in most cases.

IN CHILDREN:

A fever occurs in nearly all dengue infections in children; the other most common symptoms are a red throat, a (usually mild) runny nose, cough, and mild gastrointestinal symptoms which of course may present similar to pharyngitis, influenza, and upper respiratory infections.

The presentation of dengue in the younger child is much less characteristic than in the older child and adult as above.



TREATMENT

It has no particular cure for the infectious caused by dengue virus in dengue fever or DHF / DSS. The complications can and should be treated, and in the rare cases of DSS, treatment for shock as well as a low platelet count is both essential and available including fresh blood and / or platelet transfusion but there is no medicine or vaccine anywhere available that can act specifically against the virus.

It has been suggested that DHF is more likely if the patient has previously had an attack of dengue within the last calendar year (generally within the last eight-twelve months), and that the occurrence of DHF relates to this previous "sensitization". Previous exposure may raise the incidence of subsequent DHF, presumably (as experiments have shown) by the antibody elicited in response to the first infection, being capable of enhancing the infection due to the virus found in the second episode.

Uncontrolled bleeding distinguishes this from uncomplicated dengue fever. Bleeding can occur from the gums, nose, intestine, or under the skin as bruises or spots of blood especially under a tourniquet this test should be employed if there is any suspicion. The liver is often enlarged.

More Public Transportation, Less Obesity

The problem of obesity is known to be at an all-time high in the United States, with an ever-increasing number of young people being found to either be obese or be at risk of it. This is, of course, a bit of a severe problem, and the federal government has attempted to take numerous steps to try and fix the problem. However, recent research has also started to delve into what might be the cause for these problems. According to a study that looked into the frequency of obesity in various countries, it seems that there may be a connection between walking, biking, and public transportation and the frequency of obesity in people.

The study has found that countries where walking, biking, or taking public transportation to work, shopping, or school have largely lower frequencies of obesity in the general population. The study found that the higher the rate of use for public transportation and methods such as bicycles or walking, the lower the recorded instances of obesity. It was also noted that Americans, who largely prefer to travel by car from one location to another, have the highest obesity rates in the world, and are also the people least likely to walk, cycle, or take mass transit.

An estimated 12% of all people use active transportation in the United States, with 9% of that number walking, 1% riding bikes, and 2% taking a bus or train. As for the rest of the population, the car is found to be the favored means of getting around – incidentally, a third of that segment of the population have been found to be obese. This is in comparison to the 67% of commuters in Latvia, 52% of the population that prefers to walk in the Netherlands, and 62% of Swedes who walk, bike, or use mass transit. The obesity rate for Latvia is at 14%, while the Netherlands has it at 11% - significantly lower than for the US.

Part of the reason for this was found to be the structure of most European cities. The roads tended to be narrower and allowed less traffic flow, discouraging people from using cars. In contrast, US areas have much wider roads to allow for more vehicles to pass, and to speed up the flow of traffic. European cities, therefore, are structured to discourage too many people from driving cars, while American cities are designed to accommodate large numbers of vehicles on the road at once.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Workaholism: Working For The Sake of Constant Activity

Some people are not aware that there is a world of difference between being “hardworking” and being a “workaholic.” Being hardworking is characterized by perseverance and diligence. However, being compelled to work for the sake of working, and you feel panic, anxiety or a sense of loss when you aren’t working, is a case of being a workaholic. And that is a totally different story.
The difference between the two lies in knowing when to stop and set boundaries. A hardworking person knows when he/she has worked long enough. On the other hand, the workaholic feels uneasy and not yet satisfied with his/her work even if he/she has been doing it for hours longer than the usual. The lack of constant activity makes the workaholic person uneasy and incomplete.
According to Diane M. Fassel, author of Working Ourselves to Death and Chief Executive of New Measures, which conducts employee satisfaction surveys, “the workaholic is addicted to incessant activity. The behavior continues even if the worker becomes aware that it is personally harmful — even harmful to the quality of the work.”
Compared to drug addiction and alcoholism, being a workaholic is viewed by many as praiseworthy. They are rewarded for working excessively, which never happens with addiction.
However, mental health professionals are now considering workaholism as a condition that can cause both mental and physical damage. There are certain types of people who are more susceptible to workaholism than others. They are the perfectionists and those who have the need to be always in control.
Also, these are the people who engage in too much work in order to escape from a bad relationship or to make up for an absence in one’s personal life. The danger of working too hard is that the stress that goes along with it has been shown to lead to substance abuse, sleep disorders, anxiety, and, ultimately, to physical problems like heart disease.
The following are tell-tale signs of workaholism:
When most people close to you feel neglected by you because of your work, you should certainly take their concerns seriously.
When you regularly conceal from family members that you are working, even sneaking into the next room to work on your laptop, you may have a problem.
Nowadays, people are just too willing to get connected, 24-7. Advances in technology have significantly contributed in transforming people into becoming workaholics. The advent of mobile phones, laptops, and internet shops allow people easy access to go online wherever they are; be it in the restaurants, on the sidewalk, at home, or during vacation.
Workaholism can be very hard to change. It will require professional help, as well as behavioral and cognitive therapy. During treatment, workaholics may go through withdrawal syndrome. The active support of family members and friends may be needed to turn the tide.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Why Some Soldiers Don't Get Battle Stress

War is a jarring thing. The sounds of shells being fired, the sight of comrades getting shot, and the experience of things exploding within one's immediate vicinity can all have a tremendous effect on mental health and stability. It is, therefore, not all that surprising that people who have seen combat are a little jarred, and may not be quite normal. Depression, anxiety, and other disorders are not uncommon side effects of having seen battle, which is why the military has established programs and services specifically to help returning soldiers cope with what's happened to them. However, there are also a few people that, simply put, don't seem at all affected. According to recent research on the matter, certain individuals have lower levels of stress hormones and, as a consequence, don't get stressed.

It is known that some people simply perform better than others when put into a high-stress situation. Some people have the ability to keep cool heads, regardless of what is going on around them. This is true for mundane situations, such as an approaching deadline, and it is true for combat situations, with shells exploring, bullets flying, and all manner of unpleasant sensory data coming in. A recently completed study has managed to find what may be the reason for such behavior, and why not everyone is capable of displaying such calm. There have been some who theorized that this might be more linked to biochemistry than mental health.

According to the study, blood samples taken from soldiers who fared best under levels of extreme stress had lower levels of cortisol and higher levels of neuropeptide Y. What does this mean for the average person? It means that the soldier in question had lower levels of a stress hormone, and higher levels of a chemical that is designed to damped the stress response of the body. This means that the body's systems manage to turn down stress levels much better than the average person. Now, the next aim of the research team is to find some way to extend this benefit to those who aren't as cool-headed under stress. Potential benefits for mental health are still undetermined.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Prospect Of Depressing Sex

Most grouping equal stimulate with pleasure, happiness, or at least base, physical enjoyment. What the average mortal does not mentally associate stimulate with is depression. However, there are whatever grouping that actually mentally associate stimulate with any number of negative factors. Everything from discomfort to boredom to pain can be cited, and in whatever cases, it can actually leave a mortal feeling lethargic and depressed for a long period afterwards. It isn't meet the elderly – who tend to be stereotyped as existence too old for stimulate – who have this problem, as there are numerous grouping in their younger years that are known to experience discomfort or depression at the prospect of stimulate or afterwards.

People with this difficulty sometimes have conditions that attain stimulate an state that only cannot be enjoyed, but there are also those who have clean bills of health, in both the physical and mental fields. This difficulty is meet as likely to manifest among the well-adjusted and hard-working grouping as it is in those who are mentally unstable and psychologically imbalanced. It isn't a lack of friends, kinsfolk or personal support structure, either. It can be quite tempting to assume that this difficulty with stimulate only stems from issues towards the partner or to stimulate in general, but extended analysis might expose that this is not the case. There are meet whatever grouping that are incapable of finding pleasure in sexual intercourse.

There are cases of grouping – usually women – who experience pure episodes of depression that last for several hours after intercourse. These cases have null added wrong with them physically, and their psychiatric profiles are as connatural as one could get aside from the problem. While it is true that grouping can sometimes feel quite sad after intercourse, this is not thoughtful an adequate explanation for the pure depression and dysphoria that the above cases feel, as it is significantly more tumultuous and goes beyond the simple feeling most experience. The answer to this question, however, is still thoughtful to be up to speculation.