Articles from the Week of July 5, 2024
Explanation: Although I scan the Internet primarily for counseling articles, in the process I run across quotes and interesting facts that I sometimes include in these first two sections. If you’re just interested in the counseling articles, you can skip these first two sections and go directly to the section called Counseling Articles. HV
Interesting Quotes
You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks."
Winston Churchill
Fascinating Facts
Do you know what candy bar was named after the daughter of an American president?
Answer: Baby Ruth. The Curtis Candy Company reportedly named the candy bar after Grover Cleveland’s infant daughter (Source: TriviaClue.com)
Did you know that three former Presidents all died on the Fourth of July? Those were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe (Source: HistoryFacts.com)
Counseling Articles
Parents, Please Turn Off Your Phones
This article helps us be aware of how our connection to our phones is affecting our relationship to our children, and some of the ways this author and his family have implemented to try to change that.
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An Unrelenting Stand for Families
Many of us are familiar with Dr. Ben Carson, and how his single mother encouraged him to learn and become interested in education. He has just written a book explaining the many things in our culture that are tearing families apart. This article encourages us to take a deeper look at this issue and then become involved in whatever ways we can
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Could Your Child Have Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder?
Parents of children with ADHD already have enough challenges, but for some these challenges are greater because their child has DMDD (Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder) in addition to ADHD. This article includes a DMDD self-test that parents can use along with links that give them extra help.
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Live Webinar on July 17: College Accommodations for Neurodivergent Students
This is a free webinar that parents can register for. If you have parents of an ADHD student who doesn’t know what accommodations colleges are required to provide, this webinar would probably be helpful for them and their child to register for.
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Autism Reversal in Twin Girls Through Lifestyle and Environmental Changes: New Study
Two fraternal twins who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder had a significant decrease in their autism symptoms through some lifestyle and environmental changes. This is sure to spark significant interest. The authors of the journal article say that there have been other anecdotal reports of similar improvement. The article also includes the link to the journal article as well.
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Bipolar Disorder: How to Cope with Noise Sensitivity
Some people with bipolar disorder have heightened noise sensitivity. This author, who has bipolar herself, gives several practical suggestions for working with this challenge.
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Some Antidepressants Tied to More Weight Gain Than Others
While relief of depression symptoms should be the primary reason for choosing one antidepressant over another, a factor that is important to many clients is how much weight they are likely to gain when taking it. This article discusses that issue. Wellbutrin is one of the antidepressants that is likely to cause the least amount of weight gain.
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Innovative Therapies for Bipolar Disorder: Neuromodulation, Psychedelics, and Holistic Approaches
Usually the application of traditional approaches to treating bipolar disorder are sufficient to control mood-related issues, but occasionally there may be a need to consider additional methods. This article is extremely well-researched, and includes a discussion of adding transcranial magnetic stimulation, cranial electrotherapy, vagus nerve stimulation, psilocybin, ketamine treatment, dark therapy or light therapy, biofeedback or neurofeedback, or interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (often abbreviated as IPSRT). For each treatment, it gives a few articles that discuss its use when that method was used, and any cautions noted.
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Indications Show Biden Administration’s Backing for Gender Transition Procedures in Minors
Even though the Biden administration has denied backing gender transition procedures in minors, evidence shows that the Biden’s administration transgender executive, Rachel Levine, had conversations with WPATH before WPATH recently made changes to their current policies.
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Many Kids Benefit From GLP-1s. What Happens When They Have to Stop Taking Them?
Increasingly, significantly overweight teens are being prescribed GLP-1s for weight loss. GLP-1s do seem effective for most teens and in addition to the weight loss, often produce increased self-esteem, self-confidence, and other benefits. But what if the drugs become unavailable or they start to produce intolerable side effects, or the person is no longer on parents’ insurance and cannot afford the costs? Here is an approach that one doctor explains that probably would be helpful for counselors as well.
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FDA approves Alzheimer’s treatment that has been shown to slow decline in memory
Although no treatment has been found that will cure Alzheimer’s disease, the FDA has approved a new medication that will modestly slow the progress of those who have mild cognitive decline or early Alzheimer’s. The product name is Kisunia, produced by Eli Lilly. Although the cost would probably be prohibitive for those living on Social Security, it is expected that the cost will be picked up by Medicare.
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New Clues on How Blast Exposure May Lead to Alzheimer's Disease
If you work with veterans this article may be of interest to you. Veterans who experienced blast exposures, either during training or in actual war, may be more likely to experience Alzheimer’s. This article discusses the possible pathway from one to the other.
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TBI Linked to Higher Risk for Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
Traumatic brain injury can lead to a 33% increase in the likelihood of developing schizophrenia and a 78% increase in the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder.
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Research into trans medicine has been manipulated
You may not be able to read all of this article unless you have a subscription to the Economist, so I’ll give you a summary. The report was based on court documents. The Cass Report in Great Britain had gotten that country to shut down the transgender medical treatments going on there. WPATH, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, had disagreed with the Cass Report, claiming that their research (WPATH’s) was supported by far more systematic reviews than that of the Cass Report. When Alabama tried to implement stricter reviews on gender medicine in that state, they asked Johns Hopkins University Evidence-Based Practice Centre to conduct research on gender-based medicine. WPATH asked Johns Hopkins to allow them to control the research and writeup of that research. There were several attempts by WPATH to control the research and writeups, and the situation became so tense that the contract became unworkable. It was clear that WPATH’s claim that their research is supported by far more systematic reviews is not borne out by their actions in the contracts they sign with highly respected organizations such as John Hopkins.
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Bipolar and Boundaries: Creating Space for Health and Happiness
This is an excellent article on setting boundaries. It is written by the late Steven Propst, who had bipolar, but I think it could be easily adapted by anyone who needs a little help in setting boundaries because someone is manipulating or disrespecting them and they need help tactfully setting boundaries with that person.
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12-year-old Florida Hero Skillfully Saves Mother, Earns Community Applause
This isn’t a counseling article, but because this 12-year-old here in Palm Beach County called 911 and skillfully and accurately gave the 911 operator details of what was occurring he received citations from the Palm Beach County Fire and Rescue, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s office, and his church. For more details, see the article here.
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The Gaffe’s Keep Coming
Yesterday, Thursday on the 4th of July, on a radio broadcast President Biden said that he's "proud" to be "the first black woman to serve with a black president." I wonder how Dr. Jill Biden feels about being married to a black woman?
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What Trad Wives Are Selling Is Not Traditional Motherhood
You probably won’t agree with everything in this article, but I think one thing is clear. Those men and women who support what has been identified as the traditional family are creating traditional family roles that look very different than the families presented on television focused on the 1950s and 1960s, and that is a good thing. Let’s continue to create healthy traditional family roles for the 2020s!
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Suspected drunk driver in horror LES crash is a substance-abuse counselor who wrote ‘The Sober Addict’
A very sad story. The suspected drunk driver who mowed down 10 pedestrians, killing three, on the 4th of July, was a substance abuse counselor himself.
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I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July and wish you a wonderful coming week!
Henry Virkler
