Articles from the Week of December 9, 2022
Interesting Quotes
A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.
William Shakespeare
“Because if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward.”
Mitch Albom
“Hurt people don’t always hurt people: some of us grow, heal and live our lives helping others to do the same.”
From Ginny Sale’s Facebook page.
Fascinating Facts and Trivia (many from InterestingFacts.com)
“99% of Finnish people visit a sauna at least once a week.
“Just as England loves its tea and the Netherlands loves its bicycles, Finland loves its saunas — so much so, in fact, that 99% of Finns visit a sauna at least once a week. There are around 3.3 million saunas in the country of 5.5 million people, and they’re everywhere: homes, offices, even factories and underground mines.”
Some interesting facts about Mark Twain (born Samuel Clemons)
1. Twain was born 2 months prematurely and was quite sickly during his childhood. Because of his sickness it is possible that he was spoiled and became quite a handful. When Twain’s mother was in her 80s, he asked her about his early years of ill health and whether she was “uneasy” about him.
Yes, the whole time,” she replied. “Afraid I wouldn’t live?” asked Twain. “No,” she said, “afraid you would.”
2. He trained to become a steamboat pilot and after two years received his license. When he started writing he tried out several pen names. He eventually decided on Mark Twain, a throwback to his riverboat days. When navigating riverboatmen would call out “mark twain” to indicate the river had a depth of twelve feet and therefore was safe for a steamboat to travel.
3. He reportedly preferred cats to people, and at one time owned 19 of them. He once wrote: “If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
Some interesting facts about Marie Curie
“Nearly a century after her death, Marie Curie's papers are still radioactive — and will be for another 1,500 years. The pioneering scientist initially had no way of knowing just how dangerous her research on radioactivity (a word she and her husband coined) truly was. She walked around her lab with radioactive elements in her pockets and stored them out in the open, in part because she enjoyed how they “looked like faint, fairy lights.”
“For safety reasons, France’s National Library stores Curie’s notebooks in lead-lined boxes. Anyone wishing to view her manuscripts must sign a waiver and wear protective gear. Her clothes, furniture, and even cookbooks are also radioactive.” [From “Fact of the Day”]
“Almost all meteorites crash in Antarctica
“Meteorites do not actually hit the Earth at completely random places. While their fall may be random, most end up landing in Antarctica. This is believed to be because it is on the southern end of the Earth, where meteorites are pulled to once they enter Earth’s atmosphere. This could be considered lucky, as some meteorites fall to Earth at a large enough size to do some damage to people or structures, and Antarctica is almost completely uninhabited. Most meteorites that fall are too small to do any damage.” [Quoted from Need to Know Facts]
Doctor-defending court ruling praised as “FINAL” after appeal deadline passed
This is not a counseling article, but it is one that should be an encouragement to many Christians and Christian counselors. The Biden administration had set out requirements that all doctors must provide abortions and engage in prescribing puberty suppressing drugs, opposite-sex hormones and do sex-change surgeries on children and adults who wanted them. The Christian medical and dental association (CMDA) filed a claim in court that doctors whose religious beliefs conflicted with these actions should not be forced to do them. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the CMDA. The Biden administration failed to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court before the deadline, therefore allowing the Circuit Court decision to stand. Click here to read the full article.
‘Autistic’ Or ‘Person With Autism’? It Depends
When people have autism, do they prefer to be referred to as a “person with autism” in order to emphasize the strengths of the individual rather than their disability, or do they prefer to be referred to as “autistic” as a means to embrace that the disability is an inherent part of who they are.
This study, which included persons with autism, parents of children with autism, and professionals who worked with those with autism, found that there were differences depending on which group you polled, and some of those differences would probably surprise you. I encourage you to read the results by clicking here.
The Canadian Girl Scouts have dumped the name “Brownies” because they believe it is racist.
“Stochastic Terror”: Truth Is Not Violence
I was not aware of the meaning of “stochastic terrorism” until recently Focus on the Family was accused of it. To know what it is, read this Breakpoint article.
Four Tips for a Happier ADHD Household from a Happy Mom
Most families have conflicts about children and chores. Here are four tips about helping smooth the way for families with children with ADHD to have less conflict about chores. Read the full article here.
Mood Stabilizers, Particularly Lithium, Potential Lifesavers in Bipolar Disorder
This research continues to support the idea that lithium remains, for many people with Bipolar 1 disorder, the most effective treatment. This research does not include information about the most effective treatments for Bipolar 2. Click here to read the full article.
Diagnosing, Treating Bipolar Depression Across the Lifespan
This is a three-minute summary of the major points in one psychiatrist’s presentation at a major conference on bipolar disorder. Click here to read the full article.
Scientists Reveal How Powerful the Human Brain Is Compared to the Fastest Supercomputers in the World
We marvel at what computers can do, but our human brains can sometimes do things that put even the fastest supercomputers to shame (To be balanced, computers can sometimes do things that put our brains to shame). Click here to read the full article.
SHE RAISES HER KIDS WITH “NO RULES”
This is an article describing a mother of four children who calls herself a “free-range parent.” Probably most parents would have some reservations about her style of parenting. Click here to read the full article.
Has this respected dictionary lost its way?
The Oxford English Dictionary, once the world’s most respected dictionary, has said it’s choice for word of the year is “goblin-mode.” In case you’re not familiar with that word, the definition offered is “a slang term referring to a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.”
Are Bipolar Disorder’s Obsessive Thinking & Behavior Affecting Your Life?
I’ve been reading more and more articles about people with bipolar disorder who say they experience obsessive thoughts on a regular basis. Here is one bipolar writer who describes how this problem affects him. Click here to read the full article.
American Girl wants to trans your daughter
For many years parents have trusted American Girl to provide healthy dolls and books for parents and girls. However, parents should be aware of some of the current trends at this company. Click here to read the full article.
“The ADHD Impulses I Suppressed My Whole Life? I am Unleashing Them.”
This adult female with ADHD reflects on how she used to suppress her ADHD impulses as a child (so she wouldn’t aggravate others), the cost such suppression had on her, and what she now regards as a healthier response. Some of the ADHD impulses she mentions (e.g., pen-clicking) can be quite aggravating to others, so I would recommend finding some way to re-direct those impulses rather than simply expressing them. Click here to read the full article.
As a clinical psychologist, I believe free speech, not censorship, benefits mental health: Here’s why
Although this isn’t a counseling article and I don’t know whether the author is a Christian or not, I think the three points she makes are worth considering. Click here to read the full article.
The No-Punishment Guide to Stemming Misbehavior in the Classroom
If you are counseling a teacher who is having trouble knowing how to respond to students who are being disruptive because they have ADHD, here are five excellent suggestions about how to respond to typical problem behavior that they will encounter. Click here to read the full article.
A new treatment for debilitating nightmares offers sweeter dreams
This is a description of a new treatment for those experiencing nightmares (nightmare disorder). It was conducted with a small group (36 people), young adults between 20 and 35, and people with no other psychiatric disorders, so at this point it is not known whether the results will generalize to a wider group. The new treatment was effective, helping subjects reduce from an average of three nightmares per week to only .2 nightmares per week. The treatment seemed enduring, since after three months these subjects were only experiencing .3 nightmares per week. It will take some time for the method to be widely available, but if you are interested in more details about the treatment, they are available in this article.
I hope you have a wonderful week or weekend!
Henry Virkler
