Tag: science

How to channel your stress to help you succeed | Heidi Hanna | TEDxSDSU

Dr. Heidi Hanna loves stress. Yup, you read that right. In fact, she thinks we are all capable of loving it too. She reveals how to turn stress from an enemy to a friend through the lens of curiosity. What if stressing really is a blessing? Heidi Hanna, PhD is an integrative neuroscience researcher and the Executive Director of the American Institute of Stress. She is a New York Times best selling author, and recovering stressaholic. Heidi’s passion is helping people transform their relationship with stress by understanding and adapting personal and organizational energy management practices. She believes that the answer to our current stress epidemic is training a new, whole-brain stress response based in a curiosity mindset that facilitates positive change and collaboration. Only when we stop trying to minimize or manage stress will we learn how to master it, and use stress as fuel for good. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

How stress affects your brain – Madhumita Murgia

Check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/tededView full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-stress-affects-your-brain-madhumita-murgiaStress isn’t always a bad thing; it can be handy for a burst of extra energy and focus, like when you’re playing a competitive sport or have to speak in public. But when it’s continuous, it actually begins to change your brain. Madhumita Murgia shows how chronic stress can affect brain size, its structure, and how it functions, right down to the level of your genes.Lesson by Madhumita Murgia, animation by Andrew Zimbelman.

Boy’s Chocolate Pudding Tantrum Reveals How Uncomfortable OCD Treatment Can Be

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They say you shouldn’t judge a person until you walk a mile in their shoes. But many are rushing to conclusions about one mom’s parenting tactics. Andrea Lunsford’s son Rafael has obsessive-compulsive disorder and high functioning autism.

Recently, she filmed one of her son’s episodes and demonstrated how she deals with them. While many think her reaction to his emotional response is cruel, she argues that it’s a form of treatment. According to the Daily Mail, “she first came across exposure therapy, the method of treatment she uses in the video while watching British television show ‘Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners.'”She commented, “We are choosing exposure therapy to make him face his fears and expose him to things that would cause him anxiety, so he can overcome it and realize it will not control his life if things are not perfect.”

Andrea appears to laugh and consistently pokes holes in Rafael’s logic concerning his pudding wrapper. After considerable back and forth, Rafael does something amazing.

Read More: A Boy With Autism Went To Meet Santa — What He Found Melted Our Hearts

The reaction to the video has been mixed. Some say her method creates distrust and dismisses his mental illness as something he can be talked out of.

YouTube / FoolyLiving

YouTube commenter Mc Kenna wrote, “I work with kids like this. You are constantly working towards goals. Sure there are and will be bumps in their road ahead. But egging on the issues when he is showing success is just cruel.”Others say her method is successful and that exposure therapy is legitimate for treating OCD, as evidenced by the fact that Rafael does eat the pudding.Another commenter, Larissa Gaines, revealed she also has Asperger’s and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. She writes, “She is trying to show him that he doesn’t need to obsess over it, and it’s possible for him to move on from the problem (the wrapper).”

It’s important to remember that mental illness is never straightforward, and treatments that work for one person may not work for another. Here’s hoping Rafael’s doctors and his family have found a treatment that works for him.

What do you think? Cruel or logical? Let us know!
Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/ocd-treatment-controversy/

The Number Of Reported Child Suicides Has Nearly Doubled — These Are The Signs

A swarm of children huddled around a petite casket, each holding onto a powder blue balloon and carrying a note to their fellow classmate, Ashlynn Conner.

Ashlynn’s older sister discovered the 10-year-old hanging from a clothing rod just a day after coming home in tears and asking to be taken out of school. Her parents promised her they would go to the school and talk with the principal, but the depression and helplessness became too much for her to wait out the weekend.

While Ashlynn may have felt alone in her fight against bulling and what some report to be life in a volatile home, hundreds of children under age 14 across the U.S. are acting on suicidal urges.

No one expected Ashlynn to take her own life, but mounting stress and anxiety pushed the little girl over the edge.

YouTube / Cortney Mikel

Little Ashlynn was bullied in fifth grade, and despite telling countless teachers and school officials, nothing was done to put an end to the taunting. In one distinct account, Ashlynn was bullied by girls who thought she looked like a boy after she got a haircut.

Other members of her family have also suffered with mental illness over the years. Stacy Conner, Ashlynn’s mother, has reportedly attempted suicide twice. These stressors proved to be too much for the young girl to handle.

Read More: Do Your Kids Have Screens In Their Rooms? Here’s Why It Could Be Bad For Their Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collected death-rate data for child fatalities from 1999 to 2014.

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While the number of deaths caused by homicide and fatal car crashes has decreased over the years, data reveals that the number of suicides in children between 10 and 14 has nearly doubled since 2007.

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Initially having 0.9 suicide deaths for every 100,000 children in 2007, the number had increased to 2.1 deaths per 100,000 by 2014.

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Once thought to be only a teenage problem, psychologist Dr. Lisa Boesky revealed that children can have their own reasons for committing suicide. Relationships with family members or fights with a child’s close friends could result in them wanting to harm themselves.

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Warning signs of suicidal thoughts in teens can directly correlate to depression and severe mood swings, but in small children, ADHD is often present in those who follow through with suicidal urges.

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Other warning signs to look for in children include sadness, irritability, and isolation from friends and family.

Parents and adults should focus on the language their kids are using. Phrases such as “I wish I were dead” or “I wish I could go to sleep forever” are serious red flags.

If behaviors continue to escalate, it is important to reach out to a pediatrician or counselor.

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While there is very little research available about childhood suicide, Boesky believes the CDC’s report could help pave the way for more studies.

Read More: Some Moms Opt For Drug-Free Deliveries, But Epidurals Could Prevent A Bad Condition

If you suspect your child is having suicidal thoughts, don’t ignore the issue. Engage them in conversation and actively seek out help.

(via CNN)

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/childhood-suicide/

If You’re Stressed Often, Here’s What You Need To Know About This Common Condition

Everyone gets stressed out now and then, but chronic stress causes much more wear and tear on the body than most people realize.

Chronic stress is a hard thing to describe to family, friends, and sometimes even doctors. They can’t see it like they would a broken arm or a flesh wound, which may cause some to doubt its very existence.

However, anxiety is a very real disorder that effects 18 percent of the American population. When it rears its ugly head, so do many other physical side effects. Here are 10 of the most common.

1. Heart disease

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You know that saying, “You’re going to give me a heart attack?” Well, anxiety and panic attacks might actually do that. High blood pressure and weakened heart muscles are both side effects of stress that raise your chances of having a heart attack and/or developing cardiovascular disease.

2. Loss of libido

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With all these negative things happening in your body, it’s not a big surprise that your libido can suffer. Part of this is because your hormones aren’t functioning properly, and another is that your mind and body are distracted. It’s important to communicate with your partner and remember that you don’t “owe” anyone sex.

3. Brain damage

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Years of extreme stress and anxiety can lead to brain damage, particularly early-onset Alzheimer’s. It’s been found that the cortisol that’s released during stressful periods actually kills the hippocampus, leading to loss of memory and premature brain aging.

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/stress-symptoms/

This Diver Getting Sucked Into A Powerful Underwater Wave Will Give You Anxiety

The worst thing that you can do as a diver is underestimate the power of the ocean. While the waters can be calm a lot of the time, all of that can change in an instant and that’s usually where you run into trouble. That’s just the situation John Hoover found himself in while exploring the waters near the North Shore of Maui, Hawaii.

Hoover is an author and underwater photographer, and for several hours, his team documented the sights and wildlife that call these waters home.

YouTube / Chris Quarre’

Completely majestic.

YouTube / Chris Quarre’

However, as the dive wore on, the waves crashing into the rocks above got stronger and stronger.

YouTube / Chris Quarre’

Like any curious mind, Hoover decided he needed a closer look at the waves.

YouTube / Chris Quarre’

Unfortunately, John got a little too close and ended up being swept away by the current. That looks terrifying.

YouTube / Chris Quarre’

(via Chris Quarre’)

Luckily, Hoover survived his brush with the power of the ocean. Still though, in the moment that must have been insanely terrifying.

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/sucked-into-the-darkness/

This Strange Insomnia Disease Forces Its Victims To Stay Awake Until They Die

If you suffer from any level of insomnia, you know how damaging it can be to your health as well as your personal life. So you can just imagine having a disease that NEVER allows you to sleep, keeping you in a constant state of exhaustion…until your body gives up and dies.

That’s what fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is. The disease is extremely rare (less than one out of 10 million people have it), but those who do suffer from it live in extreme agony. Sadly, so far there is no cure.

The cause of FFI is a mutated protein called PrPSc, which has only been found in 40 families worldwide, affecting around 100 people.

Wikipedia

The first signs of the disease are just basic symptoms of insomnia, along with panic attacks, paranoia, and phobias.

Flickr / Jacob Stewart

After four months pass, the hallucinations start. Sometimes victims will act out their dreams, despite not really being asleep. One woman, who was a hair stylist before being diagnosed, brushed imaginary people’s hair.

Wikipedia

Five months later, victims are completely unable to sleep and experience rapid weight loss.

Flickr / Mateus Lunardi Dutra

Over the course of the next six months, victims develop dementia and go into a non-responsive, dream-like state. Eventually, they die from exhaustion. The average lifespan of a patient after the onset of symptoms is 18 months.

Flickr / Stu

(via Oddity Central)

There is currently no cure for FFI, but as sufferers of the disease continue donating their brains to science, experts believe they are getting closer to finding one. In the meantime, people with FFI go to often bizarre lengths to help them sleep, such as sensory deprivation tanks and even electroconvulsive therapy.

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/fatal-familial-insomnia/

Climate scientists now suffering ‘pre-traumatic stress disorder’

http://twitter.com/#!/Mugsy4Fly/status/527618419714457601

Obviously a made-up mental disorder is the logical result of anxiety over made up science. This is reminiscent of the anxiety disorder liberals were suffering when they couldn’t accept that Al Gore had lost the election. That may have been the point of no return for many on the left’s sanity. Now crazy is the standard for Al Gore and his prophets of doom.

In the Grist article Climate depression is for real. Just ask a scientist we learn about the terrible ordeal high profile Nobel winning climate change alarmists like Camille Parmesan must suffer.

“In the U.S., [climate change] isn’t well-supported by the funding system, and when I give public talks in the U.S., I have to devote the first half of the talk to [the topic] that climate change is really happening,” says Parmesan, now a professor at Plymouth University in England.

Parmesan certainly isn’t the first to experience some sort of climate-change blues. From depression to substance abuse to suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder, growing bodies of research in the relatively new field of psychology of global warming suggest that climate change will take a pretty heavy toll on the human psyche as storms become more destructive and droughts more prolonged. For your everyday environmentalist, the emotional stress suffered by a rapidly changing Earth can result in some pretty substantial anxieties.

The climate change religion has already established its notions of sin, penance, and indulgences. Now they’re canonizing martyrs and saints.

Science™.

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2014/10/29/climate-scientists-now-suffering-pre-traumatic-stress-disorder/

If The New Mom In Your Life Is Showing These Signs, She Could Need Your Help

When 32-year-old Florence Leung found out that she was expecting a baby boy, she was over the moon with joy. Sadly, shortly after giving birth, she began suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).

According to Postpartum Progress, one in seven new and pregnant moms suffer from postpartum depression, yet it’s something that’s rarely discussed in mainstream culture. As a result, many women feel that they have to hide the disorder without seeking the help they so desperately need. In some cases, this fear of exposure can be fatal.

Just two months after her son was born, Leung disappeared. A few weeks later, she was found dead near her home in an apparent suicide. Friends and family were devastated. Had they missed warning signs of PPD?

Facebook / Remembering Mother Florence Leung

Katherine Stone, CEO and founder of Postpartum Progress, recently sat down with Today to share four signs of PPD that everyone should watch for in new and expecting moms. As someone who has suffered from the disorder firsthand, she knows exactly what she’s talking about.

Read More: Millions Of Women Experience Postpartum Depression, But This Woman Had It Far Worse

1. Uncontrollable Feelings Of Rage

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A little irritability is to be expected when you’re uncomfortably pregnant or caring for a fussy baby, but if a new mom is suffering from uncontrollable rage, it could be a warning sign of PPD. Red flags include things like flying off the handle, screaming and cursing, and getting upset for illogical reasons.

If these are especially out of character for your loved one, encourage them to seek professional help immediately. Remember, it’s not them that’s to blame, but hormones that are coursing through their body.

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/signs-of-ppd/

RT Podcast: Ep. 521 – Grace Helbig’s Stress Hang Gliding

Join Gus Sorola, Gavin Free, Barbara Dunkelman, Burnie Burns, and special guest Grace Helbig as they discuss cats, hang gliding gone wrong, Tumblr banning adult content, and more on this week’s RT Podcast! This episode originally aired on December 3, 2018, sponsored by MeUndies (http://meundies.com/roosterteeth), Blue Apron (http://blueapron.com/roosterteeth), and Robinhood (http://rtpodcast.robinhood.com) Join FIRST to watch episodes early: http://bit.ly/2uNNz0O» Get your Rooster Teeth merch: http://bit.ly/2udphd5 » Links Discussed this Episode: http://roosterteeth.com/episode/rooster-teeth-podcast-2018-rooster-teeth-podcast-521 » Subscribe: http://bit.ly/13y3GumAbout Rooster Teeth Podcast: The Rooster Teeth crew discuss gaming, films, and projects that they’re currently working on.More from Rooster Teeth: » Achievement Hunter: http://bit.ly/AHYTChannel » Let’s Play: http://bit.ly/1BuRgl1 » Red vs. Blue: http://bit.ly/RvBChannelhttps://www.youtube.com/user/RoosterTeeth#RTPodcast #RTP #RoosterTeethPodcast