Articles from the Week of December 15, 2023

Interesting Quotes

“When you write things down, they sometimes take you places you hadn't planned.”

MELANIE BENJAMIN

Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.

Albert Einstein

We all have different gifts, so we all have different ways of saying to the world who we are.

Fred Rogers (“Mr. Rogers”)

To have become a deeper man is the privilege of those who have suffered.

Oscar Wilde

You mustn't confuse a single failure with a final defeat.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?

Robin Williams

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.

Mark Twain

I have noticed that even people who claim everything is predetermined and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.

Stephen Hawking

Fascinating Facts

Humans glow (the technical term is bioluminescence) but at a level that is 1,000 times less than the human eye can detect (Source: InterestingFacts.com)

The inventor of Stop signs never learned how to drive (Source: InterestingFacts.com)

Abraham Lincoln and Ben Franklin are both in sports halls of fame. Abraham Lincoln was honored in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Benjamin Franklin in the International Swimming Hall of Fame (Source: HistoryFacts.com)

“Guinness World Records started out as a Guinness Brewery promotion intended to help settle bar bets.

In 1954, Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of Guinness, thought up a way to reduce pub disputes so bartenders could focus on pouring his company’s signature beers.” (Source: InterestingFacts.com)

Counseling News

Nature-Based Interventions for Autistic Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Most interventions for autism spectrum disorder are conducted in classrooms or counseling offices. This meta-analysis examined 24 studies where interventions were conducted in nature. They found small but significant decreases in irritability and hyperactivity. For those who are interested, this type of intervention might be explored further.

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Long-suspected link between cats and schizophrenia could be real: new study

Cat-lovers will hate this study, but it concluded that owning a cat doubles the likelihood that a person will develop schizophrenia. The presumed culprit is a parasite known as toxoplasma gondii. In some people it causes no problem, but if the parasite infiltrates the central nervous system it can cause problems. It has also been found to increase the frequency of problems during pregnancy.

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 6-year-old New Jersey girl is one of the youngest new members of high IQ society

This obviously isn’t a counseling article, but I thought this article was too fascinating to not share it.

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Fun Headlines from the Babylon Bee

The Babylon Bee Writers Stand in Solidarity with Our Fellow Fake News Writers Going on Strike at The Washington Post

Husband Becomes Jehovah’s Witness to Get Out of Putting Christmas Lights Up

'Did Not Attend Harvard' Now Number One Quality Employers Seeking in Job Candidate

Cannabis Laws Linked to CUD in Adults with Chronic Pain

The states that have passed laws allowing recreational or medical use of cannabis have discovered that there has been a significant increase in cannabis use disorder. This has been particularly found among the elderly who use cannabis because of chronic pain.

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Don’t fall for these 7 fake phishing emails: How to spot and avoid the most common scams that target you this time of year

This is obviously not a counseling article but after reading it I recognized several fake phishing emails that I have been receiving, and you probably have been too.

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Study Shows Mental Health Issues Persist After Transgender Treatment

As you probably know, several of the countries in Europe have suspended transgender-affirming medical treatments and have said it needs to be evaluated further before it should be implemented. One of the first research studies is now appearing in a Finnish study, and what it found was that transgender-affirming treatments did not resolve mental health issues, but often increased them. The study followed 3665 individuals over several years. Dr. Riittakerttu Kaltiala, one of the doctors who was involved in designing the original transgender-affirming protocol, now longer does them, and says that it makes problems worse across the board.

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4 Physical Signs of an Impending Manic Episode

This article lists 4 physical signs that the author says warn her of an impending manic episode.  What I would encourage people with bipolar disorder to do would be to read these four symptoms but realize that their symptoms may be different. The important thing is to listen to their own bodies and identify the symptoms that are warnings for them.

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Study shows personality traits linked to risk of developing dementia

A meta-analysis from 8 studies that included some 44,000 people found some correlations between certain personality types and the development of dementia. The authors of the meta-analysis were careful to point out that the study only showed correlations and did not prove that certain personality types cause dementia. If you read the article I think you’ll see that what we try to help clients become are also the personality types that are not associated with dementia.

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DESR: Why Deficient Emotional Self-Regulation is Central to ADHD (and Largely Overlooked)

This article by Dr. Russell Barkley, considered one of the world’s most foremost experts on ADHD, explains what deficient emotional self-regulation is. Interestingly it is not included in the list of diagnostic criteria for ADHD in the DSM-5, but probably anyone who has to live with a person with ADHD will quickly affirm that it should be.

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Deep Brain Stimulation Might Improve Cognition Years After TBI

If a person had a traumatic brain injury several years ago, it is still possible that they might benefit from deep brain stimulation. This is a small study, but it revealed that persons with TBI from as long as 18 years ago could still benefit from deep brain stimulation.

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Probing the Role of Impulsive Behaviors in Alcohol Misuse and Suicidality

Alcohol misuse and suicidality have been thought for some time to be related. This study tried to see if some genetic factors could be related to both issues. This article shares what these investigators found.

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Mom Takes Away Her Kids' Screen Time After Their Behavior Gets 'Crazy'—After 1 Month, It Happened

This is an interesting story of how a mother of three young children thought they were out of control and it might be due to all the screen time they were spending, so she took away all screen time and provided other things for them to do. I think you’ll find this family’s story of interest.

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Hormonal Changes & ADHD: A Lifelong Tug-of-War

A very informative article on how hormonal changes throughout the lifetime affect men and women. If you know someone, male or female, with ADHD, this article would probably be helpful to them.

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NBA Games, Other Big Events Can Cause Sensory Overload. This Nonprofit Found A Solution

Individuals with various disabilities may find that they cannot attend sports events in person because the arenas cause sensory overload. Read about this thoughtful solution.

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Seeking Candidates for Interview on Study of Betrayal Trauma in Religious Institutions

Are you someone who has experienced mistreatment within a religious context? We want to hear your story and learn from your experiences! Participate in a research study on betrayal trauma in religious institutions.

We seek individuals who have encountered various forms of mistreatment within religious organizations. Your valuable insights can help shed light on these crucial issues and contribute to change.

As a participant, you can share your experiences in a safe and confidential environment. Your identity will be kept strictly confidential throughout the study, ensuring your privacy and security.

Process: Initial screening telephone interview (no more than 5 minutes) followed by an extensive video conference meeting (lasting 45-75 minutes). The study is completely voluntary, and you may withdraw your participation at any time.  Interview will occur via Zoom and will be Audio-recorded for later transcription.

Eligible participants are entitled to a $25 gift card if selected and the study is completed!

To express your interest or for more information, please email religiouousbetrayaltrauma@gmail.com

I hope you have a wonderful week or weekend!

Henry Virkler