Archive for the ‘Psychological Aspects’ Category

The Social Consequences of Chronic Pain

https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2020/9/12/the-social-consequences-of-chronic-pain

The Social Consequences of Chronic Pain

iu-10

By Ann Marie Gaudon, PNN Columnist

When someone suffers acute pain from an accident or injury, a positive consequence is that it evokes care and compassion from others. However, when that pain becomes chronic, you don’t often receive flowers, cooked meals and offers of help. Your social connections may suffer, too.

That’s not a small issue for pain patients. A 2008 study found that maintaining social activities are just as important for people in pain as many of the physical and psychological consequences of chronic pain.

Let’s take a look at a short list of five ways that chronic pain challenges the maintenance of social relationships.  (See link for article)

_____________________

**Comment**

An unfortunate truth not only experienced by pain patients but any chronically ill person.

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/06/26/why-social-distancing-should-not-be-the-new-normal/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/09/02/10-years-of-headaches-vertigo-and-other-pains-dismissed-as-depression/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/03/12/no-rash-no-fever-so-much-pain-the-case-of-illy-jaffers-painful-year/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/08/13/ldn-for-pain-autoimmune-disorders-cancer-and-lyme-msids/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/02/23/testosterone-replacement-in-chronic-pain-patients/

Category:

Pain Management, Psychological Aspects

Author Susanna Clarke: “I’d Been Seeing Myself as an Invalid, and They Treated Me Like an Author.”

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/a-huge-moment-the-novel-susanna-clarke-thought-would-never-happen-

A huge moment’: the novel Susanna Clarke thought would never happen

By Jane Sullivan

On the face of it, Susanna Clarke’s debut novel was an unlikely hit. More than 1000 pages, a rambling alternative history yarn for adults about rival magicians and fairies, all written in an elegant pastiche of 19th-century prose with copious footnotes. Who would buy that?

More than 4 million readers, it turned out. Bloomsbury released Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrellwith a big publicity fanfare in 2004 and it quickly climbed up the New York Times bestseller list.  (See link for article)

_______________________

**Comment**

Key quotes:

We are talking via Zoom, and it’s early morning at Clarke’s home in rural Derbyshire, the best time of day for her. Later on she has to conserve her energy in case she gets exhausted. Lyme disease has left her with chronic fatigue.

But six months after the book was first published, she went to a dinner party and collapsed, and woke up the next morning “feeling weird”.

It was the start of her battle with the illness eventually diagnosed as Lyme disease. For a long time she was bed bound: “I had brain fog, I couldn’t think straight. This disease really does ravage every part of your life.”

She states that what gave her confidence to write again was visiting the set where they were filming her story of Strange and Norrell.  While she saw herself as an invalid, they say her as an author.

How to you see yourself?

 

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Psychological Aspects

Cleared by Doctors, But Not By The Public: After COVID-19, Survivors Face Stigma

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cleared-doctors-not-public-after-covid-19-survivors-face-stigma-

Cleared by doctors, but not by the public: After COVID-19, survivors face stigma

“I feel like I have a scarlet letter on my chest.”
Image: Patti Kirk-Byrne, Dashauna Ballard and Sadie Nagamootoo were all diagnosed with COVID-19.

Patti Kirk-Byrne, left, Dashauna Ballard and Sadie Nagamootoo are among those who have survived the coronavirus, only to be ostracized by friends and colleagues. The hurt they experienced went beyond standard social distancing, they said.Chelsea Stahl / NBC News

By Elizabeth Chuck

In the three months since Dashauna Ballard of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, recovered from the coronavirus, she has learned to not mention that she was ever sick. Some people give her suspicious looks when they find out she had COVID-19; some assume she got it because she did not take proper hygiene measures; and, recently, an acquaintance from church implied that Ballard, 29, caught the virus as punishment for sins she committed.

“People act like you did something to catch it, or you did something wrong, and that’s why you got it,” Ballard, an academic accommodations specialist for university students, said. “I feel like I have a scarlet letter on my chest.”

In a time when they need it the most, many survivors of the coronavirus are finding that their support system wants nothing to do with them. Having recovered from the illness, they now face a new challenge: stigma from family, friends and co-workers.

(See link for article)

_______________________

**Comment**

Unbelievable.  

Treating people like lepers happens all the with Lyme/MSIDS.  Many friends and even family just fall away.  They don’t like hanging out with a person who continues to be ill and even blame you for it or state you are imagining it.  I’ve experienced this.  Not fun.

A few things stick out:

  1. Our ‘authorities’ and mainstream media are directly to blame for the prevailing fear and heartless response due to their daily fear-pandering and ‘ongoing edict to practice social distancing’.  We are adults and should be able to look out for ourselves. We don’t need the government telling us how to live and act. Again, the death rate for COVID is nearly the same as the seasonal flu.  People die every single day. Although unfortunate, this is nothing new.  What is new is the media’s hyper focus on it.  Isn’t it interesting that with Lyme/MSIDS they continually underplay it by reassuring us that only a low percentage of ticks are infected and you only need to worry if you live in a certain geographical area, despite the mounting evidence that ticks are spreading everywhere and taking their diseases with them? Every day articles cross my desk telling me that a certain tick-borne illness or manifestation is ‘rare.’  Again, ‘authorities’ have tipped their hand by showing the polar opposite way they are handling the two diseases for their own selfish purposes: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/04/26/cdc-playbook-learning-from-lyme/  and https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/30/how-the-cdc-uses-their-own-guidelines-to-rig-the-system/
  2. Our ‘authorities’ and MSM are doing nothing to counter common COVID mythology like, “You never know, you may still have it in you.” This is craziness.  Do you say the same thing to people who just got over the flu, because coronaviruses make up 10-15% of the seasonal flu each and every year. You can not “magically” transmit things to people after you have recovered.
  3. Along those same lines, ‘authorities’ have not countered the mythology that asymptomatic people are spreading COVID like wildfire – making each and every person a guilty suspect – forever.  This is wrecking untold havoc on relationships.  According to Beda M Stadler, former director of the Institute for Immunology at the University of Bern, a biologist and professor emeritus, it was wrong to claim that this virus was novel, even more wrong to claim that the population would not already have some immunity against it, and was the crowning of stupidity to claim that someone could have Covid-19 without any symptoms at all or even to pass the disease along without showing any symptoms whatsoever.  But do our ‘authorities’ state anything about these facts?  Nope.  It gets in the way of their purpose: sell expensive drugs and vaccines they own the patents on.  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/10/coronavirus-why-everyone-was-wrong/
  4. Lastly, the following quote rings all too familiar for Lyme/MSIDS patients:

“What baffles me is the hypocrisy of the behavior of people when it actually hits your circle,” she said, adding that the other family did not check in on her and her daughter when they were sick. “There was no compassion or empathy, not even a phone call to see how we were doing.”

We have a saying in the Lyme community and goes like this:

You don’t ‘get’ Lyme until you get Lyme.

Listen to this brief 7 Min. clip with Del Bigtree:  https://thehighwire.com/videos/america-finally-goes-herd/

America Finally Goes Herd

President Trump made a major move this week naming Stanford doctor, Scott Atlas, MD, a special advisor to the President, signaling a new change in COVID policy as America tries to emerge from the pandemic. Did The HighWire have something to do with it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Psychological Aspects, Viruses

CDC Details COVID-19’s Massive Mental Health Impact

https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/generalpsychiatry/88074?

CDC Details COVID-19’s Massive Mental Health Impact

— Young adults, people of color, essential workers, and adult caregivers particularly affected

by Elizabeth Hlavinka, Staff Writer, August 14, 2020

A gloomy portrait of a man wearing a protective mask looking out the window
Nearly 11% of American adults seriously considered suicide this June, according to CDC data.

Among 5,470 people surveyed in the last week of June:

  • 30.9% reported symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder
  • 25.3% reported a traumatic or stressor-related disorder (TSRD)
  • 13.3% said they were using substances to cope with the pandemic’s stressors, said Rashon Lane, MA, of the CDC’s COVID-19 Response Team
  • 10.7% reported seriously considering suicide in the prior month, more than double the rate reported in a 2018 CDC survey, the researchers wrote in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Specifically, the risk for suicidal ideation was elevated among respondents:

  • between ages 18 and 25 (25.5%)
  • Hispanic respondents (18.6%)
  • Black respondents (15.1%)
  • unpaid adult caregivers (30.7%)
  • essential workers (21.7%)

The “markedly” high rates of mental and behavioral health conditions show the “broad impact of the pandemic and the need to prevent and treat these conditions,” the authors wrote, adding that interventions to reduce these numbers should target financial strain, racial discrimination, social connectedness, and community supports for patients considering suicide.

Medical professionals cautioned that social isolation associated with social distancing, along with soaring unemployment rates, could further accelerate the national suicide crisis.

However, suicidal ideation should not be seen as an inevitability from this data, commented Jessica Gold, MD, MS, of the department of psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis.

Instead, it should be seen as “a call for help,” and motivate the government, employers, families, and individuals to focus on the mental health needs of the population, Gold said.

“This study says we need help, especially in certain populations, and mental health needs to be a focus of all of our conversations,” she told MedPage Today in an email.

The web-based survey used the Patient Health Questionnaire to assess depression and anxiety symptoms and the Impact of Event Scale to assess pandemic-related TSRD. Substance use and suicidal ideation were self-reported.

Altogether, 40.9% reported having at least one mental or behavioral health condition. That proportion was higher among the following groups:

  • Young adults ages 18-24 (74.9%) and 25-44 (51.9%)
  • Hispanic respondents (52.1%)
  • Individuals who did not receive a high school diploma (66.2%)
  • Essential workers (54%)
  • Unpaid adult caregivers (66.6%)
  • Individuals with baseline mental health conditions (68.8%-88%)

Compared with CDC data from the second quarter of 2019, adults in this survey reported three times the rate of anxiety symptoms (25.5% vs 8.1%) and four times the rate of depression symptoms (24.3% vs 6.5%), the researchers stated. Overall, young people ages 18-24 had a far greater risk of considering suicide in the past 30 days than adults ages 45-64 (6.66, 95% CI 5.115-8.61) and adults ages 65 and up (12.51, 95% CI 7.88-19.86).

Hispanic and Black individuals were also at an elevated risk for anxiety or depressive symptoms, substance use, and suicidal ideation in the past 30 days compared with white respondents.

In an analysis of 1,497 respondents who also completed surveys in April and May, unpaid adult caregivers were more likely to start using substances to cope in June than they were in May (adjusted odds ratio 3.33, 95% CI1.75-6.31, P<0.001), and more likely to report new suicidal ideation in June (aOR 3.03,95% CI 1.20-7.63, P=0.019).

The survey relied on self-reported answers for some classifications and was web-based, both of which are limitations, Lane and co-authors noted.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

______________________

**Comment**

This UW Study shows 2/3 of High School Athletes are experiencing depression, and anxiety over canceled sports:  https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/07/15/uw-study-two-thirds-of-high-school-athletes-are-experiencing-depression-anxiety-over-canceled-sports/?

Please remember that all the mandates and orders have been made using flawed data:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/08/04/lockdown-deaths-not-covid-deaths/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/08/03/cdc-director-threat-of-suicide-drugs-flu-to-youth-far-greater-than-covid/

For more: 

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/22/a-years-worth-of-suicide-attempts-in-four-weeks-the-unintended-consequences-of-covid-19-lockdowns/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/01/quarantine-killed-more-seniors-than-covid-is-harming-childrens-mental-health-who-finds-no-covid-in-breastmilk-yet-pregnant-women-targeted-for-covid-vaccine/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/08/weve-been-scammed-who-now-says-no-evidence-of-asymptomatic-coronavirus-transmission-no-need-for-restrictions-if-youre-not-sick-lowest-covid-deaths-since-beginning-but-media-is-silent/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/05/24/do-lockdowns-work-mounting-evidence-says-no/?relatedposts_hit=1&relatedposts_origin=46645&relatedposts_position=2

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/04/16/israeli-study-reveals-covid19-lockdown-was-pointless/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/04/09/epidemiologist-coronavirus-could-be-exterminated-if-lockdowns-lifted/

Way past time to end lockdowns and restrictions.

Category:

Activism, Psychological Aspects, Viruses

What Lyme & Autism Have in Common Will Surprise You

https://dariningelsnd.com/lyme-and-autism/

July 6, 2020

By Dr. Darin Ingels N.D.

When speaking with children who are chronically ill, it can be difficult to understand what is causing their symptoms.

Children, naturally, might not know how to accurately describe their pains or illness. When there are multiple symptoms, it can be even more challenging as they grow and change so quickly.

For children with autism or other language disorder, they may be limited or unable to communicate why they feel the way they feel. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Lyme disease are examples of what seem to be entirely different diseases, but they share an overlap of symptoms.

While autism is usually seen as a developmental disorder and Lyme disease and infectious disease, the two have more in common than you might think. There are interesting connections between the two, especially when diagnosed in children.

Sad boy with symptoms of lyme disease

Symptoms shared by both Autism and Lyme:

  • Neurological symptoms that include difficulty with communication and confusion, disorientation, muscle twitching, sensitivity to light, brain fog, and delayed development.
  • Psychological problems that impact behaviors, obsessive-compulsive disorder, an increased sense of doom, anxiety and outbursts.
  • Physical health issues such as muscle weakness, arthritis, and rashes.
  • Gut health issues including food allergies, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

These symptoms are common features of autism and Lyme disease.

Coincidentally, many of these symptoms are also displayed in auto-immune disorders.

Tests for Lyme can be misleading, as they have a poor accuracy. A specialist is always needed in order to get a better sense of other treatment options because both autism and Lyme can have long-term issues.

However, there are treatments that benefit Lyme and autism alike. Focusing on gut health has been an important part of treatment for both conditions. This is because we are seeing the benefits of specific diets in patients with autism and/or Lyme.

Nutritional support strengthens the integrity of the intestinal membranes, balances the billions of bacteria in our gut and improves digestion and elimination.

All of this help support the immune function of the gut, which ultimately affects brain function.

An effective nutritional protocol would support the immune system, reduce symptoms, calm the nervous system and strengthen the body’s ability to fight infections.

Autoimmune conditions such as autism and Lyme disease benefit greatly from proper diet and lifestyle modifications.

Wheat

Removing casein, dairy, sugar, processed foods and gluten from the diet will allow the body to heal and aid in the detoxification process, naturally.

Reducing environmental factors like external and emotional stressors are extremely important for both Lyme and ASD.

Stress responses increase the load on the immune & nervous system, which can lead to exhaustion and further relapse into symptoms.

Identifying these triggers help you to work around them and eventually train your nervous system to create new patterns and get rid of the old ones. Autoimmune conditions have very unique impacts on the immune system, especially Lyme and autism.

Consider speaking to a specialist about your symptoms, especially if they mimic other autoimmune conditions. And never be afraid to get a second or even third opinion, as it may be necessary in order to get to the root of problem.

___________________

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/12/22/identification-evaluation-and-management-of-children-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/28/toxic-metal-pollution-linked-with-development-of-autism-spectrum-disorder/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/05/pans-autism-the-immune-system-an-interview-with-expert-neurologist-dr-richard-frye/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/26/clinical-trial-shows-most-kids-with-autism-are-not-born-with-it/

Category:

Autism, diet and nutrition, Gut Health, Inflammation, Lyme, Psychological Aspects, Uncategorized