#Top 10 Most Common Health Issues

[kp777]

By Edward Carver

Common Dreams

July 23, 2024

"Harris grasps the urgency and scale of the challenge," an expert said. "She'll advance the climate progress we've made at home and internationally."

Four environmental groups on Monday evening endorsed the presidential run of U.S. vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, whom many campaigners view as slightly stronger on climate issues than President Joe Biden.

The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund, the Sierra Club, and Clean Energy for America Action issued a statement of support for Harris and pledged to mobilize millions of their supporters behind her.

“Kamala Harris is a courageous advocate for the people and the planet," said Ben Jealous, Sierra Club's executive director.

"She has worked for decades to combat the climate crisis and protect our health and future," he added.

Manish Bapna, president of NRDC Action Fund, agreed that the vice president was well-equipped to step into the top role and deal with the climate crisis.

"Harris grasps the urgency and scale of the challenge," Bapna said. "She'll advance the climate progress we've made at home and internationally. She'll raise climate ambition to make sure we confront the climate crisis in a way that makes the country more inclusive, more economically competitive, and more energy secure."

The joint statement followed a wave of endorsements from leading Democrats in the day and a half after Biden dropped out of the race and backed Harris. Evergreen Action, a climate advocacy group, also endorsed Harris.

The Sunrise Movement thanked Biden for stepping aside, after pushing him to do so. The group hasn't endorsed Harris but has, on social media, touted Harris' earlier climate proposals and initiatives, encouraging her to be as bold as she was on the issue in 2019 while running for president. That year, as a senator from California, she co-sponsored a Green New Deal bill pushed by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), saying that climate change posed an "existential threat to our nation."

As a presidential candidate, Harris ran to the left of Biden on climate issues, calling for $10 trillion in climate investment, a carbon tax, and a ban on fracking and on new oil leases on federal lands. She even said that she would support eliminating the Senate filibuster rule in order to pass a Green New Deal.

And during a 2019 town hall on climate, Harris identified an underlying climate problem more squarely than many corporate Democrats are willing to do.

"On this issue, guys, as far as I'm concerned, it's not a question of debating the science," Harris said at the time. "It's a question of taking on powerful interests, taking on the polluters, understanding that they have a profit motive to pollute."

Yet that Harris candidacy, wedged awkwardly between corporate Democrats such as Biden and progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), flopped and she dropped out of the race in December 2019.

As vice president, Harris cast the tie-breaking vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, which Biden, in his momentous letter on Sunday, called "the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world." She also represented the U.S. at the COP28 climate change summit in Dubai last year, speaking in strong terms about the need for action.

"The urgency of this moment is clear," she said in Dubai. "The clock is no longer just ticking, it is banging. And we must make up for lost time."

"Around the world, there are those who seek to slow or stop our progress, leaders who deny climate science, delay climate action, and spread misinformation," she added. "In the face of their resistance and in the context of this moment, we must do more."

Longtime Harris observers in California commend her environmental record there. As district attorney of San Francisco, she established one of the nation's first environmental justice departments. She later pushed environmental measures as state attorney general and U.S. senator representing California: electrifying school buses, replacing lead water pipes, and strengthening vehicle emissions standards, for example.

As attorney general, she sued oil companies including Chevron, BP, and ConocoPhillips over pollution issues and took legal action against the Obama administration over fracking. Later, in the town hall event, she she said was proud to be a "fighter" who "took on the Big Oil companies—great, powerful interests."

Bloomberg reported Sunday that Harris is "seen as [a] tougher oil industry opponent than Biden."

Though Harris no longer calls for a Green New Deal and has moderated her rhetoric as part of the Biden administration, she still offers a stark contrast to Republican nominee Donald Trump, whose administration rolled back over 100 climate policies from 2017 to 2021. The new Republican platform doesn't mention climate change and vows to "drill, baby, drill"—in all caps.

[not-poignant]

hiya pia! I just saw your new puppy on Instagram!! congrats, he's so cute! I was just wondering, is he a rescue?

cuddles to him and Maybe 🤗

Hi anon,

He's not a rescue! We've always had rescue cats, which is actually part of the reason we can't get a rescue dog, lol. I'm about to talk a lot about it, so get ready! Lol

So firstly, in Western Australia, poodle x rescue puppies don't really exist at all in rescue organisations , and Glen and I are both allergic to highly shedding dogs as well as dogs with very short hair, and we needed a trainable / biddable puppy because we have a cat with a lot of behavioural issues. We've had to litter test each litter of puppies we've met with to see which ones were suitable / not suitable with our allergy issues.

Unlike other places in the world, poodles are actually very hard to find here, and as someone who's had my eyes on rescue organisations on and off for 10 years I can say with a lot of confidence we were never going to find a non-shedding puppy or dog without significant behavioural issues in a rescue. It was nearly impossible before the pandemic, and it's been impossible since.

Western Australia has a dog breed bottleneck, because before frozen sperm existed, most people had to pay around $10,000 to get a new dog of any kind because of the flight fees. On top of that, we have the strictest quarantine in the world. Any dogs to introduce new genetic lineages into a breed from overseas had to spend three months in a concrete cell, with no comforts and only allowed short visits per day. As a result, many of these dogs developed behavioural issues.

But this has meant that some purebreeds don't exist at all in Western Australia, or are just extremely uncommon. There's no medium poodles in Western Australia. There's only two active miniature poodle breeders. Borzoi aren't here. The list of like... fairly common dogs that don't exist here, or only exist in small numbers, is huge. And this means what filters into the rescues tends to be the most popular breeds - staffies, kelpies, malamutes, huskies, german shepherds, labradors and their mixes - all dogs we can't have as pets :(

So, we looked into purebreeds for a long time, and fell in love with some standard poodle puppies we met several months ago, but they were just too big for our cottage, and for our 12 year old 'I have so many behavioural issues Pia learned clicker training just to manage me' rescue cat.

We actually consulted with a trainer who specialises in PTSD dogs quite a few months ago before making this decision and deciding on Tobermory, and she was the one who suggested we go this path.

Rescues are great, I'm a huge rescue animal proponent, I've worked in both wild animal rehabilitation, animal fostering, and in animal rescue at various times in my life. For most people who aren't dealing with allergies (and keeping in mind that a low-shedding dog isn't hypoallergenic! Glen and I are still having allergic reactions, they're just not hives or asthma attacks, and we can manage congestion/breathing issues etc. with antihistamines + rescue inhalers), or who don't already have problem pets to worry about, it's absolutely one of the first avenues people should try!

But puppies from reputable and trustworthy breeders (whether mixes or purebreed) are often bred for qualities that can be more reliable in people who are trying to meet certain needs. And I advocate people go in that direction too if that's the only way they can have or live with a dog. Especially if they can meet with the breeder, meet the parents, meet the puppies multiple times, see (and check) health testing results, and those dogs are being registered, if not through a Purebreed Register (which honestly guarantees nothing except conformation, and often puts health and sometimes even temperament by the wayside), then through a reputable Register that has a code of ethics where you can report a breeder for poor practices and trust that they will be held accountable.

A small fluffy cutesy dog is actually not my favoured kind of dog in terms of how he looks. If I were picking a dog for cosmetic reasons, it'd be such a different dog!! :D I prefer borzoi, or leonbergers (two dogs that don't exist here), or landseer newfoundlands (doesn't exist here), or large munsterlanders (doesn't exist here) etc.

But in terms of temperament and what we need him for? He's perfect. Plus I can still breathe through my nose today and I'm not covered in hives, which is a win!

Anyway, I realise I could've answered this with a short 'no he's not a rescue' lol, but I feel like a lot of folks don't understand what it's like in Western Australia, one of the most isolated major cities in the whole world geographically, and what that means for genetic bottlenecks, issues with finding certain kinds of dogs in rescue, and how the chances of finding a rescue that works can drastically plummet if you're already dealing with pets that have stress, anxiety, and behavioural issues at home.

Maybe was this kind of rescue. She would have been euthanased before we got her. In fact she was literally 20 minutes away from being put to sleep, before we got her. She went on to develop multiple behavioural issues being a multigen feral with Bengal background, which is a pretty bad combo in Western Australian bushland (multigen feral cats are something else here, and have been mistaken for mountain lines in the bush). She's needed intensive and time-consuming management since we got her, and it means every other animal around her needs to be as easy to manage as humanly possible.

But yeah it's put me in an interesting quandary for about 7 years? Longer? At any rate, TL;DR not a rescue! :D

[youngestdaughtersyndrome]

Tagged by my darling @glassangels <3<3<3

1. Are you named after anyone? Im named after a kinks song which is a massive win for me personally. They almost named me rosa after the pixies album (which wouldve made sense bc we do in fact surf) but one of my moms friends was already knitting a sweater with the kinks-name on it and she convinced them to keep it. My middle name is also my paternal grandmas middle name so i guess that counts too

2. When was the last time you cried? No idea tbh. That thing where you lie down on your side and then your eyes start leaking happens to me a lot but a proper sadness-induced cry hasnt happened for months. I will say that sometimes i say something made me cry, and although it technically didnt due to no tears falling, it did make my soul hurt and crying is the closest phrase that expresses that <3

3. Do you have kids? Thank god no

4. What sports do you play/have you played? Soccer, ran track for a bit, ultimate frisbee, swimming, fencing, fighting (mma, kickboxing, cage, etc), equestrianism (im including my brief and unimpressive time vaulting here), did some stuff with a circus briefly (contortionism, aerial arts, lyra), and then the usual outdoorsy shit (surfing, bouldering, hiking, skiing, and since caving is technically a sport, caving). Also danced for a bit (ballet, contemporary, and jazz). Yeah man idk either

5. Do you use sarcasm? Technically yes but its less "sarcasm" and more "inability to express a truth about myself without making it into a joke". A bit of sarcasm when the time calls for it is always fair game though and i will indulge

6. What's the first thing you notice about someone? The way they carry themself says a lot about their temperament and emotional state and whatnot so thats typically where my eye is drawn. Second place goes to wherever theyre keeping their valuables on them and how expensively theyre dressed though

7. Eye color? Blue but ive got a bit of yellow central heterochromia so they tend to look green if its bright out

8. Scary movies or happy endings? Kill them <3 scary movies 4ever

9. Any talents? Party trick-wise i did retain some contortionist ability and so thats always a good one to break out. Also can spit water up to 30 ft for tooth gap reasons. I am the type of person whos just naturally good at a lot of things (sorry) so i consider that a talent too

10. Where were you born? The top left corner of the USA, not including alaska

11. Hobbies? Writing, journaling, watching movies, reading, various textile arts, going for walks, playing assorted instruments, and occasionally traditional art (im particularly fond of ballpoint pens and oil pastels). Would say listening to music but thats a job to me and i clock into that shit like i get paid

12. Any pets? Maeve the most anxious dog in the world who i love very much <3

13. Height? 5'8/172 cm

14. Favorite school subject? I was a school hater so it really depended on the teacher... in high school i did have the same teacher for like three years in a row (she taught me english in freshman year, history in sophomore, + health in junior) and she was totally awesome so all those classes were great. Typically the classes i had the most fun in were english and history just bc there was more room for fucking around. In the single semester of college i took i did have crazy amounts of fun in my film class though which i will say was mostly because my professor rocked and i got him on my side early so i could kind of do whatever

15. Dream job? Due to the Issues and also common sense mainly i just wish the government actually took care of people and i wouldnt need to work. But if i have to chose a job than itd be a) writing a book or two that are good enough i could live off the royalties and film rights and whatnot for the rest of my life or b) pulling an enya (dropping some widely beloved and largely incomprehensible music and then disappearing totally from the public eye to live in a castle in the middle of nowhere)

Idk whos already done this so ignore me if you have lol @supersonic1994 @nothingrhymedwithcircus @hauntedwoman @halogenstreetlight @evebabitzgf @serethereal and anyone else who wants to <3<3<3

[girlytips]

Where in the world is Ribon?

As you've noticed, for the last about three months, the blog has gone back and forth between guest writers and queue. The blog was moved (without my knowledge) and longform writing stopped. Recently, girly.zyoshi also went on break. So where have I been? Is this the end of Ribon-tan and girly kei tips?

Short answer: No. I'm not quitting girly tips, and I don't intend to any time soon. That being said, some things will be changing.

When I started girly-kei-tips, it was a spin off blog of girly-kei-otd, in the style of old school jfashion blogs like fairykeitips, lolitatips, menheratips, etc. I'd been wearing Girly and lurking in the "larme kei" community for years, but what finally pushed me to gather resources for people looking to get into the style was the overwhelming influx of misinformation about a select few substyles and silhouettes. The jfashion community has grown in the years since tiktok, and with it has grown the number of newbies and misinformation- as well as a new "veterans correcting incorrect info is elitist gatekeeping" sort of idea circulating, at first most prevalent with baby gyaru, then lolitas, and now with menhera and Girly. I wanted to find a way to teach people new to jfashion about Girly and create a community of wearers that was as active as the "larme kei" communities of the mid 2010s were. So after an interest poll on girly-kei-otd, I wrote my first major article about the (at the time) current misconceptions newcomers to Girly had.

It circulated much faster than I expected it to! Of course, since posting that I have been bombarded with harassment, from simply reblogging with such creative stantwt-esque rebuttals as "me when i lie" to attempted doxxing, death threats, and full blown conspiracies trying to assert that I'm actually like 10 other people, not really mentally ill, hate Japan, dont really wear jfashion, etc. However, that's never effected me as much as seeing the information I translated and broke down reaching platforms I'm not even on, and encouraging people who were new to or had stepped back from Girly to rejoin the community! This only motivated me to keep going, so I did!

However, no amount of passion for something can entirely combat the reality that I am a mentally ill and disabled person who has been juggling recovery, university, a job, an irl social life, and suddenly being thrust into the position of "spokesperson for the Girly community". I became incredibly burnt out due to the sheer amount of having to repeat myself over and over, as well as a lack of energy due to struggles with mental and physical health entirely unrelated to the project. When I had an unrelated severe bpd episode, I knew I needed to temporarily step back. I had two friends who run their own jfashion projects take over for me so I could focus on survival and recovery- but it had an unintended consequence.

Unfortunately, the most common conspiracy theory used to devalue any information I give or agree with is that I am the entire Girly community, and the menhera community as well. So, when the responses from my blog seemed less like Ribon and more like runners of other popular blogs, this seemed to validate that belief in some. On top of that, language barrier issues as well as differences in opinion lead to seemingly contradictory information coming out of girly tips. Suddenly, every time I was meant to come back, I had to deal with another misunderstanding, edit another post, freak out thinking my blog was deleted when it was actually moved- no one was being malicious, there were just too many chefs in the kitchen, so to speak. This just made my mental state deteriorate even more, and make me feel even more unfit to resume activities.

This level of burnout lead me to take the extended break that I took, and starting girly.zyoshi really helped me get out of that rut- but then Instagram began to not show our posts. Apparently, this is common with kaiwai accounts- frequent posts with similar hashtags get marked as spam. After discussions with customer support, the solution was to take a break from posting so that the account doesn't get nuked before starting back over. Unfortunately, combined with my absence from the blog, this made it look as though I had abandoned my projects entirely.

So, what now? Well, I'm going to be back to making original posts and answering questions again. However, to prevent a burnout from happening again, it's never going to go back to the insane frequency of original articles I was putting out in the beginning months. The kaiwai account is also resuming activity- but limited to 2 or 3 posts a week! And yes, the Discord, which was deleted many months ago, will be staying down. To make up for this lack of original content, I'll continue to leave the blog running a daily queue as well between posts.

While I have the opportunity to do so, I'd also like to make one thing clear, AGAIN. I do not hate mentally ill people. I do not hate people who "fit" the landmine stereotype. This is a fact that seems to have been overlooked in favor of the "don't listen to that person, they just hate people who struggle" approach to combatting the information I provide. I also do not condone harassment, EVER. I don't care what for. Before deleting the Discord due to member safety concerns, I had to re-enforce that rule many times. Someone identifying as jirai or spreading the misinformation that jirai is a fashion or a movement is ABSOLUTELY not an excuse fo make fun of them. If you came to the conclusion that it is justified to bully people who post misinformation because of my blog, you have severely misread the purpose of my blog and I do not want you here.

I myself am severely mentally ill. I struggle with many aspects of illness that are the most fetishized in the landmine lifestyle. I have diagnosed BPD, as well as a severe dissociative disorder and cPTSD. I am not against mentally ill people doing their best to survive. I am not "anti" anyone's coping mechanisms- after all, even bad coping mechanisms are better than no coping mechanisms and can be the difference between life and death. I do not have anything against people like me- people who struggle to maintain healthy relationships, who struggle with chronic suicidal ideation, who have mood swings, etc. I have nothing against people who are stuck in unhealthy lifestyles because the alternative is death. My issue is the trying to make struggling with these illnesses and living dangerous lifestlyes cute and trendy- which is what the Japanese jirai scene is all about. Wherever you are in life- if it's living a "landmine lifestyle" of binge drinking and unsafe work, or if you're coping healthily, or somewhere in between- it's okay. You're okay, and I'm proud of you. What's not okay is trying to sanitize what the lifestyle and term are- they aren't feminist, they aren't safe and fun, they aren't cute and desirable. And it's also not okay to try to spread misinformation about fashions to try to support this Western fanfiction that there is a feminist fashion and culture movement called landmine about freeing mentally ill girls by denying that Girly/girly kei exists.

I hope this helps explain some things, but I haven't proofread. So please, if you have any questions, anon asks are on for the time being. Thanks so much for your support, and I'm excited to see you in a text post I have in the works! -Ribon

[hariki-maru]

affenpinscher!!🐾

the affenpinscher is a toy german dog breed of the pinscher type (group of dogs bred as ratters and guard dogs originally). theyre a confident, curious and playful breed that can be stubborn at times, but all in all theyre an affectionate and protective breed!

history

although the exact history about affens is unclear, the most widely accepted story of how affenpinschers came to be was that a man from lubeck, germany, began breeding ratting terriers during the 1600s. although the early form of the affenpinscher chased mice in stables, they soon were bred to a smaller size, with the larger size having gone extinct (╥_╥), and brought into homes during the plague to kill kitchen mice.…ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ

in the 17th and 18th century, a breed dubbed the schooshundrassen ("lapdog breed") became popular in germany which closely resembled modern affens! by the early 20th century, dogs from the same litter could be identified as either schnauzers or affenpinschers depending on their head shape. most mini schnauzer historians trace the origin of their breed back to these affen-schnauzer crossings.

a book on brussels griffons notes, "there has always existed a breed of small, rough coated dogs, as early as the 15th century or before, and they were used for ratters and believed to be the forerunners of the present day affen". its theorised that crosses between the miniature schnauzer, german pinscher and pug may be the mix of dogs that helped create the affen ▽･ﻌ･▽ﾉ”

appearance

affens generally weigh about 3-5 kg (7-10 lbs) with a height of about 23-30 cm (9-11.5 in) with a life expectancy of 12 - 15 years! it has a wiry, harsh and rough coat which can be short and/or medium in length. its coat is shaggier over the head and shoulders, forming a mane (🦁), with a shorter coat over the back and hind quarters, often described as neat but shaggy :3

following the breed standard, they can come in colours such as black, black and tan, black and silver, red and beige (a mixture of red, brown, black and white hairs)!! black masks are acceptable and (when registered to a kennel) white patches arent penalised but are undesirable υ´• ﻌ •`υ

temperament

affenpinschers are active, adventurous, curious, and stubborn, but they are also fun-loving and playful!! theyre affectionate and protective towards their family <3 it shows little fear to aggressors, possessing a "big dog, small body" mentality, so owners are told to be cautious of their pup provoking a larger dog ,:< they adjust easily to changes which makes them a model dog to travel with U ´ᴥ` U

grooming affens should be groomed twice a week, if theres any mats they should be pulled apart gently using fingers. fur on the head is usually brushed to the front and cut in a v shape to expose the eyes while the hair on the bridge of the nose is trimmed into a fan shape to keep the eyes clear ໒(＾ᴥ＾)७ the affens coat doesnt grow quickly so trimming an affens fur every few months should suffice

health

responsible breeders will screen their affens for conditions such as luxating patella (kneecap dislocation) and hip dysplasia (abnormal formation of hip socket). theyve also been known to have eye issues and legg-calve-perthes (the ball at the top of the femur loses its blood supply and breaks down inside the hip joint)

affenpinschers, like other short-faced dogs, have difficulty breathing during hot weather if allowed to overheat ╥﹏╥ they may also have dental problems, and other health concerns due to the shortened nasal passages and compressed airways common in brachycephalic breeds. (i actually dont really like short faced dogs dogs due to the health conditions that follow this characteristic but its a 'breed standard' so ㄒoㄒ)

exercise although the affenpinscher is a part of the toy breed which makes them ideal apartment dogs, they are classified as moderately active dogs so they do need exercise!! indoor play, either with their owner or with a toy, is enough to make up a large chunk of an affens exercise. a brisk walk once or twice a day is required and also allows them to socialise with other people and dogs!

training for many years affens were mistakenly believed "too stubborn to train" but the truth is they are very intelligent little dogs, easily bored with repetitive or forced training, and prefer to think independently. while yes, they can be stubborn, they are generally eager to please <3 basic obedience training is recommended, with the affen having to understanding he isnt the leader of the pack. affens get bored easily so long training sessions arent recommended so shorter, more frequent sessions with a trainer who has experience working with toy breeds are usually successful.

fun fact to end off this post: the word affe from affenpinscher comes from the german word ape, referring to the monkey-like face of the doggy!! >w<

sources:

🐾

[mariacallous]

Gun violence continues to be a major public health crisis across the country with the rise of mass shootings. There were more than 600 mass shooting events that took place in 2022 alone, and 2023 is so far unfortunately following the same trend, with an astonishing 36 mass shootings having already taken place across the country. In fact, over the past weekend, two mass shootings occurred, including an incident in Monterey Park, California that left 10 people dead, and a separate shooting at a night club in Louisiana resulting in numerous serious injuries.

The 2022 Midterm Voter Election Poll made clear that voters want Congress to address mass shootings and support a host of public policies aimed at addressing gun violence. When asked to identify the most important issues that they want Congress and the President to address, 17% of voters identified “mass shootings and gun policy” as one of their top priorities. Mass shootings were sixth among all priorities mentioned by voters, coming in higher than education or immigration. Mass shootings and gun policy are a high priority for voters regardless of whether they live in rural, suburban, or small or large urban areas of the country—voters from all geographical areas named gun policy as a key priority at either 16% or 17%.

Although gun violence and mass shootings are a high priority for voters across all demographic groups, younger voters are more likely to view mass shootings and gun policy as a priority for Congress relative to older Americans across all racial groups. For example, a fourth (24%) of Latino and Black voters in the 18 to 29-year-old range found gun violence to be the most important issue for Congress to address, which is a higher share than older voters from these same communities.

The significance of gun violence among young adults is indicative of the generation that grew up in a challenging era in the United States where mass shooting events have been far too common, requiring regular mass shooting drills in schools to be employed. Young voters who prioritize gun policy reform are exasperated by the lack of movement from Congress to address gun violence in this country. They have since taken the matter into their own hands and have come together to create organizations aimed at gun violence prevention, with the most notable being March For Our Lives and Students Demand Action.

Race is also an important source of variation for voters when it comes to prioritizing mass shootings and gun violence as a policy issue. Mass shootings were particularly salient for voters from Latino, Black, and Asian-American communities, each of which ranked this issue fourth across policy priorities, just behind economic oriented issues and access to abortion and reproductive health.

This is likely a product of greater experience with mass shootings and gun violence among these communities. For example, a recent survey of Latino families with children between the ages of zero and five conducted by Abriendos Puertas found that nearly a fifth (18%) of Latino parents or their children have personally experienced gun violence at school or another public place. Given the surprisingly high rate of exposure to gun violence among Latino families, greater concern about mass shootings and gun violence among Latinos is unsurprising. As reflected in the figure below, over 80% of Latino parents are concerned that their child could be a victim of a mass shooting at some point in their life—with 62% admitting that they felt extremely concerned. This helps explain why two thirds of Latino parents believe it is very important that policymakers in their state “take more aggressive steps to address mass shootings.”

Latino parents are much more likely (+31%) to believe that laws covering the sale of guns in their state should be stricter than to believe that people should be able to own firearms without limit or restriction. Nearly all survey respondents who believe there should be mandatory universal background checks for all firearms sales and that there should be a 10-day waiting period to purchase a firearm.

Regarding policy preferences, 68% of all 2022 voters support banning AR-15 style rifles. Similar to issue salience, there are significant differences based on race on this item. As reflected in the figure below, support for banning assault rifles is much higher among Black, Asian-American, and Latino voters. At 64% respectively, support for banning AR-15 style rifles nationwide is supported by a strong majority of both white and Native American voters as well.

Support for banning AR-15 style rifles varies by where voters live. Support is significantly higher in large urban areas, with 82% of voters who live in large cities expressing support for banning AR-15 rifles, compared to 70% of suburban residents and 59% of residents of small towns. Voters who live in rural areas are less likely to support banning AR-15 style rifles nationwide at 47% support.

Federal and State Level Policy Interventions are Needed Now to Address Escalating Gun Violence

Banning assault rifles like AR-15s is a policy intervention being considered across the country. For example, at the federal level, Representative Cicilline (D-R.I.) introduced H.R.1808, the Assault Weapons Ban, in March of 2021. The bill is currently being reviewed by the Committee on the Judiciary, and then the Senate will vote on it. At the state level, eight states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York), as well as the District of Columbia, have laws that generally ban the sale, manufacture, and transfer of assault weapons within their borders. However, there are active attempts to block this type of legislation. This includes gun rights activists in Maryland who have submitted a second filing with the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals against the assault weapons ban in their state considering the Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen. This decision opens up the door for challenges to the constitutionality of these bans, which may prove to be problematic for the future of H.R.1808.

The Biden administration has plans to implement long-term strategies aimed at addressing the root causes of gun violence, including community violence intervention programs . These programs will take time to combat gun violence, so more immediate policy interventions will be needed to address the growing demand among the public to address mass shootings, which have skyrocketed over the past two years.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Pamela Garfield-Jaeger

Published: Mar 26, 2024

“Would you rather have a dead daughter or a live son? That question is asked over and over again, and therapists are trained to say that.”  —Author in the Epoch Times docu-drama, Gender Transformation, The Untold Realities

One of the most common lies told by therapists and clinicians to colleagues, the general public, the media, and ultimately hurting families is that if parents don’t affirm their child’s new identity, their child will die by suicide. These emotional statistics are found on the Trevor Project Website: Top-Line Statistics (note that most statistics group Trans with the entire LGB+ population): 

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10 to 24 (Hedegaard, Curtin, & Warner, 2018)—and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth are at significantly increased risk. LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers (Johns et al., 2019; Johns et al., 2020). The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth (13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. — and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth.

Transition allies ask parents of transgender identifying youth the shocking question, “Would you rather have a living son than a dead daughter?” A new slogan that is being repeated by media and politicians is “gender affirmative care saves lives.” 

But is this true? 

Due to the fact that trans activists often prevent studies on this subject, the studies that are quoted are generally small sample sizes, do not have control groups, and don’t follow the patients for very long—so they prove little. Also, many of the headlines regarding these studies do not differentiate between suicidal thoughts, suicidal gestures, and actual suicide. You must read the fine print to find that information. 

The truth is that there is a large correlation between people who have other mental health diagnosis and gender dysphoria. Causality is the claim but is never adequately addressed in the studies cited. Though it’s true that statistics of suicidal thoughts and actions are higher in this population, we need to ask if it was the lack of “affirmation” that caused a suicide, or a symptom of another mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety. That answer is not clear in the murky discussions of this topic. Finally, notice that the LGBTQI+ are all lumped together. When you start to think critically, you realize that a gay boy is vastly different from a girl who says she is non-binary. Both are completely different from a person who was born with a rare birth defect that qualifies them to be intersex. These broad statistical claims do not give the real information you need. 

One of the few rigorous studies, which was completed in Sweden, followed a transgender group of adults from 1973-2003. This study found:

Persons with transsexualism, after sex reassignment, have considerably higher risks for mortality, suicidal behavior, and psychiatric morbidity than the general population. Our findings suggest that sex reassignment, although alleviating gender dysphoria, may not suffice as treatment for transsexualism, and should inspire improved psychiatric and somatic care after sex reassignment for this patient group.

The study concluded that, “The overall mortality for sex-reassigned persons was higher during follow-up than for controls of the same birth sex, particularly death from suicide.”  

This study still doesn’t give all the information we need because it did not have a control group of transgender people who did not get hormones and surgeries. It also only follows adult patients, and it does not represent the majority of today’s demographic who are teenage girls influenced by the internet and their environment. 

Anecdotal experience shows that suicide rates are not reduced by affirming a new gender identity, rather, the mental health of the young person declines. In some cases, there is an initial “euphoria” (a term more widely used by trans influencers), especially if they gain attention and status, but eventually that feeling fades and the underlying issues the person had been avoiding are still there. In many cases it takes time, about seven to eight years or more, for the patient to figure out that hormones and surgeries did not solve their mental anguish. More unbiased research is needed on the subject, but unfortunately, in this climate, politically neutral research is nearly impossible to carry out. 

Interestingly, there has been a ban on affirmative care on children in other countries such as UK, Sweden, France, and Finland, but there have been no reports of suicide spikes. Paradoxically, according to this narrative, with all the new celebrations, trans visibility days, and media representation, suicide rates in LGBTQ youth should have decreased, however, the rates continue to increase, and the media reinforces that. Plus, there have never been such high suicide rates in any marginalized population like this in the past, which suggests the suicidality is not from lack of acceptance, but other variables such as co-morbid mental health issues and the repetition of this idea. 

Throughout modern therapy, threatening suicide to get something (in this case gender affirmation) was recognized as maladaptive and considered unethical to be reinforced by a therapist. This behavior is often learned from online influencers, but sadly, it is deliberately practiced by many therapists and school personnel, particularly those who hold themselves out as “gender therapists.” Kids are coached to say, “I will kill myself,” to get hormones or other components of affirming care. Previously, this threatening behavior was typically done by those with conditions such as borderline personality disorder. 

A therapist must assess whether the suicide threat is genuine, or an unhealthy way to seek help or attention. If it is attention-seeking, the therapist and family should show compassion by acknowledging mental anguish and guide the individual to find healthy ways to ask for help. Those who demonstrate this pattern also tend to crave a lot of external validation, which means the treatment would include ways to help the person manage the desire with learning self-validation and self-soothing techniques. Also, when people get distressed, they tend to get tunnel vision or engage in black and white thinking. It is the therapist’s job to help the patient reality-check and see shades of grey.

Unfortunately, with the affirmative model, this learned suicide threat, and the demands for others to conform with forced pronouns and new names, we are reinforcing unhealthy thinking and behavioral patterns. In addition, no parent can give true informed consent if they are presented with the false ultimatum of choosing between a trans kid or a dead kid. 

If a therapist asks if you would “rather have a dead daughter or a live son,” here are a few suggested responses.

Can you please show me the data you are referencing? (If the therapist presents a study, look at it closely because it will be flimsy with no control group or solid conclusions because there is no valid study that proves this theory).

Did my child already threaten suicide? If she did, why wasn’t I notified? If she did not, then it sounds like you are giving her scary ideas which do not sound therapeutic.

If you believe she is so unstable, then we should be discussing a higher level of care, which you have failed to do. I find it difficult to trust your judgment now.

I thought that therapists believed that threatening suicide to influence someone to change their behavior was emotional manipulation. In fact, Marsha Linehan, the founder of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and an expert on people with suicidal and self-harm behaviors, teaches skills on how to get needs met appropriately, without suicidal threats, in the Interpersonal Effectiveness module of her therapy. 

(If you know there are other major issues) Why isn’t therapy addressing them? Why isn’t therapy addressing my child’s eating disorder or the recent social group changes she just had? 

I would rather not lead my child on a path that would lead to sterilization, chronic pain, disability, and making her a life-long medical patient. 

If your child’s therapist uses this tactic, my professional opinion is to pull your child from that provider as quickly as possible.

--

About the Author

Pamela is a California licensed social worker (LCSW) with over 20 years of experience. She has worked in a variety of settings including schools, clinics, residential programs, and hospitals. In 2022, she publicly started questioning the direction the mental health field is going. Pamela believes in working collaboratively with families when treating minors and advocates treating patients holistically, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. She has starred in three documentaries about the harms of gender medicine.

The preceding essay is an excerpt from her new book, A Practical Response to Gender Distress, about understanding and fighting back against the emotional manipulation of ideologically-captured therapists.

[sac-bestsupplements]

Creatine Side Effects: Is it Safe? The Toxic Effects of Creatine Monohydrate, Powder, HCL and Capsules

Discover our top 10 best creatine supplements ranking: https://super-achiever.com/best-creatine-supplements

Read more on our website: https://super-achiever.com/creatine-side-effects

#creatine #creatinesideeffects #creatinemonohydrate

Hey there, Achiever Fam! 🌟 Today, we're unraveling the mystery behind the side effects of creatine, a staple in gym bags worldwide. Sure, it's known for muscle gains, but there's more to this story. 🏋️‍♂️🤔 If you're curious about the lesser-known effects of creatine and how to balance its benefits with potential risks, you're in the right place! Don't forget to hit that subscribe button for more insightful content. Let's get into it! 💪 Common Side Effects: Bloating: A familiar side effect due to creatine pulling water into muscles. Usually temporary as the body adjusts. 💧🤰 Water Retention: Increases weight slightly, but it's water, not fat. Normal response to creatine. ⚖️💦 Digestive Issues: Ranging from discomfort to cramps and diarrhea, especially at high doses. A sign to reassess your dosage. 🚽🤢 Dosage and Type Matter: Stick to 3-5 grams per day post-loading phase to minimize side effects. The form of creatine you choose (monohydrate, hydrochloride, etc.) can affect your body differently.

🔍💊 Lesser-Known Side Effects: Sleep Disruptions: Creatine might affect your sleep cycle due to increased energy levels. 🌙😴 Mood Changes: Some experience anxiety or irritability. Always monitor mental health changes. 😠🧠 Kidney Function Concerns: Safe for most, but those with kidney issues should be cautious. 🚨👩‍⚕️ Dehydration Risks: Increased muscle water retention might lead to dehydration. Stay hydrated! 🥤💧 Muscle Cramping: Possible due to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Drink water and eat balanced meals. 🍽️💪 The Balancing Act of Creatine: Dosing is Key: Start low, increase gradually, and find what works for you. Individual factors matter. 📊🧲 Timing Matters: Taking creatine near workouts may enhance benefits. Consistent daily intake is crucial. 🕒🏋️‍♀️ A Balanced Diet: Creatine works best with a healthy diet. Eat a mix of proteins, carbs, fats, and vitamins. 🥗🍲 Supplementation Duration: Consider cycling creatine use – periods of taking it followed by breaks. 🔄⏳ Professional Consultation: Essential for those with health conditions or experiencing severe side effects. 👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️ When to Seek Professional Advice: Existing Health Conditions: Particularly kidney, liver, or heart issues. Unusual or Severe Side Effects: Persistent digestive issues, cramping, or changes in urination. 🚨👩‍⚕️ There you have it!

Understanding the side effects of creatine is crucial for harnessing its power safely and effectively. 🌟💊💪 If you've used creatine, we'd love to hear your experiences. Drop a comment below, and don't forget to subscribe for more empowering content. Catch you in the next video! 📹👋

[theoneandonlygothicrainbow]

Why the “Hunter needs therapy first” argument is a bad argument against Huntlow and other Hunter ships

I often hear the “Hunter needs therapy first” argument against many Hunter ships, especially Huntlow. While I’m sure most people mean well, I think people need to realize that this argument is not only inaccurate, but also problematic.

Full Disclaimer: I have nothing against people who don’t care for Huntlow as a ship. This blog is not meant to force the ship on anyone or discourage other ships. It’s just meant to deconstruct a common argument against it that sends unfortunate implications.

1. When you state that argument against a ship like that, you are basically implying that Huntlow is a toxic and unhealthy relationship. Whether you like the ship or not, stating that Huntlow is toxic is outright false.

Despite their rocky start in Any Sport in a Storm, at the end of the day Hunter meant no harm towards Willow, and he was willing to right his wrong when he gets NOTHING out of it. In fact, from Willow’s perspective, he was about to fucking DIE. On top of that, you know that Hunter regrets his choice. Not only did he OUTRIGHT STATE IT in Any Sport in a Storm, but we see it as among his most painful memories in Labryinth Runners. That says a lot considering what Hunter has gone through.

Regret doesn’t make you repeat actions. It makes you change for the better. There’s no doubt in my mind Hunter would make sure he never does anything close to what he did in ASIAS ever again. Huntlow helped Hunter feel genuine happiness, find new friends he can start to trust, and overall break away from his toxic environment. How in the hell is that problematic?!?!

2. A relationship can have a variety of different effects on someone’s mental health depending on the state of it. For some, it would help significantly. For others, it would be harmful. And there are people who fall somewhere in between as well. Someone’s psychology is more complicated than “this thing is good” and “this thing is bad.” A lot of factors come into play that can have different effects on people.

In Hunter’s case, his whole arc is about loving himself and finding people who care about him. He already has trust issues. A relationship would actually be helpful in this case, because it gives Hunter the opportunity to trust again, and even love himself.

On top of that, Hunter has been dealing with a lot of concerns about his life, and they may not be stuff he fully understands himself. So a relationship with someone who can deeply relate to him would actually provide a safe space where Hunter can open up about problems he has.

Now I know what some of you are thinking. “What about his friendships with Luz and Gus?” Yes, Hunter has strong bonds with both of them, but at the end of the day they don’t know Hunter deep enough for him to approach them about deeper issues he may be having.

They deeply care about him, but they aren’t as understanding about his thought process and how he takes things in. Willow is, because they have a much deeper connection and relate more on an identity and value level, rather than an experience level.

3. I have talked to people who have traumatic experiences, and all of their reactions have ranged from not understanding to being downright offended. Please keep in mind that people feel hurt and invalidated by this argument. Again, I’m sure most people mean well. But it’s important for you to understand that the argument can be very harmful and send the message that people with mental health problems don’t deserve love until they get their “issues” sorted out.

Relationships can help heal someone and they don’t need to necessarily fix themselves before they end up in one. If people needed to be completely mentally sound before ending up in relationships, we would have about 10% of the relationships we have today. After the toxic relationships Hunter has been exposed to throughout his life, he needs to develop healthy ones. It’s what will help him heal. Finding a soulmate who unconditionally loves you for who you are and is willing to provide comfort would help Hunter a ton.

This argument can also apply to fanon ships involving Hunter such as Huntmira or Goldric. While I am a huge Huntlow shipper, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with shipping Hunter with other characters. Stop saying he shouldn’t be shipped because “he needs therapy first.”

If you have gone through a traumatic experience, you have every right to dislike a Hunter ship if you dislike the idea of Hunter getting into a relationship after what he’s been through. But keep in mind that your feeling is not universal. And if you haven’t, you don’t get to say whether it’s toxic or not. I’m speaking on behalf of people who have gone through these experiences, and everyone I’ve talked to has said that they disagree with the argument.

In conclusion, the therapy argument from the perspectives I’ve heard is at best a hypocritical stretch and at worse an invalidating and unhealthy mindset that encourages people not to heal from their past trauma. Stop making this argument against a harmless ship. Because you’re being harmful.

[little-witchys-garden]

The LGBTQ+ doesn't care about SA victims of any kind tbh...

Tw: very dark topics mostly around SA in this post so if you can't mentally do that then please keep scrolling.

Lots is SA victims don't go to pride for their own mental health and nobody has ANY right in shaming just gonna say that right now.

I'm gonna say it the LGBTQ+ doesn't give a flip about SA victims of any kind.

The LGBTQ+ is as drenched in r-pe culture as the rest of society.

As a LGBTQ+ person who is also a SA victim, I don't feel safe in my own community because the LGBTQ+ treats us just as bad if not worse then the rest of society.

Ima go over a few things many SA victims I know have heard, seen and hold much issue with.

1. " you can't be a golden star _____ if you've been r-ped"

This is a very common thing in our community, I think the golden star labels are dumb if I'm honest but I really pay no mind UNTIL SA victims are being told them having sex and being r-ped are somehow the same... R-pe isn't sex. R-pe is r-pe. Virginity can't be taken by r-pe and neither can a gold star.

2. Victims being told they're acting entitled for wanting a safe space.. So does everyone else just get a safe space but the people that most likely need one for mental health because SA is VERY traumatizing just not get one??? Like wtf is this mentality???

3. The " you owe { kinks/fetishes} your consent or you're being LGBTQ+phobic"

This one comes up more times then it should... Like this is an ongoing debate in our community??? I've heard it a lot and yeah no. Nobody owes anyone consent. That's not how consent works.

4. There is no winning if a SA visits pride events or stays home.

When SA victims say they're triggered by unconsentual kink/fetishes around them then they're told by their own community " STAY HOME!!!" like yeah that hurts a lot but it also hurts when they are told " stay home" and do in fact stay home AND THEY STILL GET SHAMED for not " supporting their community" and " kinkshaming" by not going.. Like there is no winning for SA victims there..

5. If you've been SA-ed by another LGBTQ+ person the community is kinda known for trying to silence their own so cis/het society won't know that we aren't always a "big happy family" that can have bad people in it just like every other community. Ima say it point blank for y'all, No matter what you never silence the victim.

6. Justifying when our own people are r-pists or when they're ab-sers..

This happens a lot like a LOT. Here's the thing, no. That's just it,NO. A r-pist is a r-pist, an ab-ser is an ab-ser. I don't care what they are, there is NEVER justification for that sort of thing.

7. I hate the fact our community still debated on if it's okay in exposing/bringing minors into kinks, fetishes and just adult sexual stuff in general like NO. That's just pedophilia. It's predatory and illegal.

8. The shaming and emasculating of butch lesbians if they've been r-ped by a cis man.. I've been told by butch lesbians it's very common and that's just disgusting. Should not happen.

9. How okay our community is with the racial slavery kink/fetish and other racist fetishes just being okay and justified in our community even though many POC have explained it makes them feel extremely unsafe..

10. How much our community mostly the cis people in our community fetishize the SA of trans ppl and other queer spectrum people... It's just gross and very r-pe culture vibes not here for it..

11. The weird justification of LGBTQ+ ppl being okay with unconsentual touching cause " we're both LGBTQ+!" or " I'm _____ and have no attraction for you so it's fine". NO IT'S NOT FINE. STOP TOUCHING PEOPLE WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT INAPPROPRIATE WAYS, THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION.

12. The shaming of sexually repulsed people in general, it's just not okay.

That's just a few issues from off the top of my head but yeah it hurts so much and I love our community in many ways but also hate it.

Also don't comment " that's never happened towards me" like great for you, Doesn't mean these aren't real issues that harm others in our community.

[mightyflamethrower]

Updated at 1:58 p.m. ET on August 14, 2023

In 2008, when I was a writer for the blog Feministe, commenters began requesting warnings at the top of posts discussing distressing topics, most commonly sexual assault. Violence is, unfortunately and inevitably, central to feminist writing. Rape, domestic violence, racist violence, misogyny—these events indelibly shape women’s lives, whether we experience them directly or adjust our behavior in fear of them.

Back then, I was convinced that such warnings were sometimes necessary to convey the seriousness of the topics at hand (the term deeply problematic appears a mortifying number of times under my byline). Even so, I chafed at the demands to add ever more trigger warnings, especially when the headline already made clear what the post was about. But warnings were becoming the norm in online feminist spaces, and four words at the top of a post—“Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault”—seemed like an easy accommodation to make for the sake of our community’s well-being. We thought we were making the world just a little bit better. It didn’t occur to me until much later that we might have been part of the problem.

The warnings quickly multiplied. When I wrote that a piece of conservative legislation was “so awful it made me want to throw up,” one commenter asked for an eating-disorder trigger warning. When I posted a link to a funny BuzzFeed photo compilation, a commenter said it needed a trigger warning because the pictures of cats attacking dogs looked like domestic violence. Sometimes I rolled my eyes; sometimes I responded, telling people to get a grip. Still, I told myself that the general principle—warn people before presenting material that might upset them—was a good one.

Trigger warnings migrated from feminist websites and blogs to college campuses and progressive groups. Often, they seemed more about emphasizing the upsetting nature of certain topics than about accommodating people who had experienced traumatic events. By 2013, they had become so pervasive—and so controversial—that Slate declared it “The Year of the Trigger Warning.”

The issue only got more complicated from there. Around 2016, Richard Friedman, who ran the student mental-health program at Cornell for 22 years, started seeing the number of people seeking help each year increase by 10 or 15 percent. “Not just that,” he told me, “but the way young people were talking about upsetting events changed.” He described “this sense of being harmed by things that were unfamiliar and uncomfortable. The language that was being used seemed inflated relative to the actual harm that could be done. I mean, I was surprised—people were very upset about things that we would never have thought would be dangerous.” Some students, for instance, complained about lecturers who’d made comments they disliked, or teachers whose beliefs contradicted their personal values.

Read: The real problem with trigger warnings

To a certain degree, Friedman said, this represented a positive change. Mental illness was becoming less stigmatized than ever before, and seeking care was more common. But Friedman worried that students also saw themselves as fragile, and seemed to believe that coming into contact with offensive or challenging information was psychologically detrimental. In asking for more robust warnings about potentially upsetting classroom material, the students seemed to be saying: This could hurt us, and this institution owes us protection from distress.

Have we inadvertently raised a generation that has fewer tools to manage hardship?

Trigger warnings were only one part of a larger shift. Complaints quickly entered the wider culture, and were applied to “toxic” workplaces and “problematic” colleagues; students decried the “potential trauma” caused by ideas and objected to the presence of some speakers and works of art.

My own doubts about all of this came, ironically, from reporting on trauma. I’ve interviewed women around the world about the worst things human beings do to one another. I started to notice a concerning dissonance between what researchers understand about trauma and resilience, and the ways in which the concepts were being wielded in progressive institutions. And I began to question my own role in all of it.

Feminist writers were trying to make our little corner of the internet a gentler place, while also giving appropriate recognition to appallingly common female experiences that had been pushed into the shadows. To some extent, those efforts worked. But as the mental health of adolescent girls and college students crumbles, and as activist organizations, including feminist ones, find themselves repeatedly embroiled in internecine debates over power and language, a question nags: In giving greater weight to claims of individual hurt and victimization, have we inadvertently raised a generation that has fewer tools to manage hardship and transform adversity into agency?

since my days as a feminist blogger, mental health among teenagers has plummeted. From 2007 to 2019, the suicide rate for children ages 10 to 14 tripled; for girls in that age group, it nearly quadrupled. A 2021 CDC report found that 57 percent of female high-school students reported “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” up from 36 percent in 2011. Though the pandemic undoubtedly contributed to a crash in adolescent mental health, the downturn began well before COVID hit.

Teenage girls report troublingly high rates of sexual violence and bullying, as well as concern for their own physical safety at school. But it’s not clear that their material circumstances have taken a plunge steep enough to explain their mental-health decline. The CDC study suggests that, over the past decade, bullying among high schoolers has actually decreased in certain respects. Today’s teenagers are also less likely to drink or use illicit drugs than they were 10 years ago. And even before pandemic-relief funds slashed the child-poverty rate, the percentage of children living in poverty fell precipitously after 2012. American public high schoolers are more likely to graduate than at any other time in our country’s history, and girls are significantly more likely to graduate than boys.

Jonathan Haidt: The dangerous experiment on teen girls

So what has changed for the worse for teenage girls since roughly 2010? The forces behind their deteriorating mental health are opaque and complex, but one big shift has been a decline in the time teenagers spend with their friends in person, dipping by 11 hours a week—a decline that began before the pandemic, but was badly exacerbated by it. Since 2014, the proportion of teens with smartphones has risen by 22 percent, and the proportion who say they use the internet “almost constantly” has doubled. Part of the issue may be a social-media ecosystem that lets teens live within a bubble of like-minded peers and tends to privilege the loudest, most aggrieved voices; this kind of insularity can encourage teenagers to understand distressing experiences as traumatizing. “I think it’s easier for them to artificially curate environments that are comfortable,” Shaili Jain, a physician and PTSD specialist, told me. “And I think that is backfiring. Because then when they’re in a situation where they’re not comfortable, it feels really alarming to them.”

Applying the language of trauma to an event changes the way we process it. That may be a good thing, allowing a person to face a moment that truly cleaved their life into a before and an after, and to seek help and begin healing. Or it may amplify feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, elevating those feelings above a sense of competence and control.

“We have this saying in the mental-health world: ‘Perception is reality,’ ” Jain said. “So if someone is adamant that they felt something was traumatizing, that is their reality, and there’s probably going to be mental-health consequences of that.”

Martin Seligman, the director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, has spent the past 50 years researching resilience. One study he co-authored looked at the U.S. Army, to see if there was a way to predict PTSD. Unsurprisingly, he and his fellow researchers found a link to the severity of the combat to which soldiers were exposed. But the preexisting disposition that soldiers brought to their battlefield experiences also mattered. “If you’re a catastrophizer, in the worst 10 or 20 percent, you’re more than three times as likely to come down with PTSD if you face severe combat,” Seligman told me. “And this is true at every level of severity of combat—the percentage goes down, but it’s still about twice as high, even with mild combat or no obvious combat.”

In other words, a person’s sense of themselves as either capable of persevering through hardship or unable to manage it can be self-fulfilling. “To the extent we overcome and cope with the adversities and traumas in our life, we develop more mastery, more resilience, more ability to fend off bad events in the future,” Seligman told me. “But conversely, to the extent that we have an ideology or a belief that when traumatic events occur, we are the helpless victims of them—that feeds on itself.”

Seligman also found that some soldiers who experienced severe trauma could not only survive, but actually turn their suffering into a source of strength. “About as many people who showed PTSD showed something called post-traumatic growth, which means they have an awful time during the event, but a year later they’re stronger physically and psychologically than they were to begin with,” he said. But that empowering message has yet to take hold in society.

so what would be a more productive way to approach adversity? Friedman, the former medical director of the Cornell mental-health program, compares building resilience to physical exercise. “It’s like any form of strength training,” he told me. “People have no hesitation about going to the gym and suffering, you know, muscle pain in the service of being stronger and looking a way that they want to look. And they wake up the next day and they say, ‘Oh my God, that’s so painful. I’m so achy.’ That’s not traumatic. And yet when you bring that to the emotional world, it’s suddenly very adverse.”

The problem is that this idea—that to develop resilience, we must tough out hard situations—places a heavier burden on some people than others. Friedman pointed out that people who grew up under constant stress, perhaps owing to abuse, poverty, or food insecurity, may find that this stress is “erosive” to their ability to use those resilience muscles. The exercise metaphor rankled Michael Ungar, the director of the Resilience Research Centre at Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Canada. “Chronic exposure to a stressor like racism, misogyny, being constantly stigmatized or excluded, ableism—all of those factors do wear us down; they make us more susceptible to feelings that will be very overwhelming,” he told me. There are, after all, only so many times a person can convince themselves that they can persevere when it feels like everyone around them is telling them the opposite.Creating the conditions where resilience is possible is as much a collective responsibility as an individual one.

Tyffani Monford Dent, a clinical psychologist and an author whose work focuses on sexual violence and racial trauma, calls this “the resiliency trap.” Black women in particular, she told me, have long been praised for their toughness and perseverance, but individual resiliency can’t solve structural problems. From Dent’s perspective, young people aren’t rejecting the concept of inner strength; they are rejecting the demand that they navigate systemic injustice with individual grit alone. When they talk about harm and trauma, they aren’t exhibiting weakness; they’re saying, Yes, I am vulnerable, and that’s human. These days, patients are being more “transparent about what they need to feel comfortable, to feel safe, to feel valued in this world,” she said. “Is that a bad thing?”

Most of the experts I spoke with were careful to distinguish between an individual student asking a professor for a specific accommodation to help them manage a past trauma, and a cultural inclination to avoid challenging or upsetting situations entirely. Thriving requires working through discomfort and hardship. But creating the conditions where that kind of resilience is possible is as much a collective responsibility as an individual one.

if we want to replace our culture of trauma with a culture of resilience, we’ll have to relearn how to support one another—something we’ve lost as our society has moved toward viewing “wellness” as an individual pursuit, a state of mind accessed via self-work. Retreating inward, and tying our identities to all of the ways in which we’ve been hurt, may actually make our inner worlds harder places to inhabit.

“If everything is traumatic and we have no capacity to cope with these moments, what does that say about our capacity to cope when something more extreme happens?” Ungar said. “Resilience is partly about putting in place the resources for the next stressor.” Those resources have to be both internal and external. Social change is necessary if we want to improve well-being, but social change becomes possible only if our movements are made up of people who believe that the adversities they have faced are surmountable, that injustice does not have to be permanent, that the world can change for the better, and that they have the ability to make that change.

To help people build resilience, we need to provide material aid to meet basic needs. We need to repair broken community ties so fewer among us feel like they’re struggling alone. And we need to encourage the cultivation of a sense of purpose beyond the self. We also know what stands in the way of resilience: avoiding difficult ideas and imperfect people, catastrophizing, isolating ourselves inside our own heads.

In my interviews with women who have experienced sexual violence, I try not to put the traumatic event at the center of our conversations. My aim instead is to learn as much as I can about them as people—their families, their work, their interests, what makes them happy, and where they feel the most themselves. And I always end our conversations by asking them to reflect on how far they’ve come, and what they are proudest of.

That last question often elicits a powerful response. I started asking it because I hoped to let the women I met feel seen in full, beyond the worst things that had happened to them.

There was a time when personal strength was the quiver that held an arsenal of virtues required for our success in life. These days there is no quiver and there are no virtues. I've seen too many videos of girls reduce to tears over what they call microaggressions. The proper response to a micro aggression is micro annoyance not emotional collapse.

[bestergonomicmouse2]

Why Needs To You Think About Employing an Ergonomic Mouse

Ergonomic computer mice are made for individuals, not just computer systems. They are created with the shapes of the human hand in mind. This permits an individual to adjust the mouse in a more natural, virtually handshake placement. Enabling a much more natural hand position eases any kind of unneeded tension as well as tension from your ligaments or muscles. This is the most significant reason for using an ergonomic mouse; yet its relevance is commonly underestimated, unidentified or overlooked. A common computer system mouse puts your hand in a level position where your wrist is a little twisted. This forces wrist pronation as well as stress and anxiety on your ligaments. Long-term direct exposure to this tension may lead to repetitive strain disorder or long-lasting manoeuvrability problems. There are great deals of medical problems that have ergonomic causes in the workplace environment. These consist of nerve, tendon and muscular tissue issues typically referred to as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD). You might have also listened to the terms 'Repetitive Strain Disorder' and 'Cumulative Trauma Disorder'. These are issues we intend to avoid with our DSE Assessments, to shield worker health and also prevent injury.

This is probably one of the most well-known condition that belongs to the improper or damaging use of your wrists or hands. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an irritability of the typical nerve that goes through the carpal tunnel in your wrist. This can be very sore and might likewise cause tingling or a prickling sensation in the fingers and also thumb. Rep is one of the biggest reasons, especially when there is little break in motion. Extreme pressure, localized pressure and maintaining one position for too long can also have the very same effect.Carpal passage disorder, similar to a lot of MSDs, is avoidable and treatable if caught early sufficient. Early indicators may include pain, tingling, prickling or a burning sensation. Overall MSD prevention involves ergonomics, proper medical management and the right equipment. An ergonomic mouse is just one instance of this!

Once you locate an input device that meets your needs, you'll be able to help longer periods throughout the day and you will certainly miss fewer days because of mouse- and also keyboard-related injuries. Your muscular tissues won't feel the tiredness and also pains brought on by a traditional mouse, so you can concentrate on the work handy. Despite the fact that you'll be capable of obtaining more done, bear in mind to take frequent breaks and make use of a gel-filled mousepad wrist remainder for best outcomes.

There are even more reasons to select an ergonomic mouse-- such as the quantity of required force. An 10 top computer mice that can elevate wrist pain is designed to need less grasp strength as well as force than the typical equivalent. This creates much less exhaustion as well as less tension or stress in time. What's more-- they look pretty great also! That intends to follow the crowd when you can stand apart from it? Ergonomic computer mice have begun jumps and also bounds over the last few years, not just in visual allure, but in function and also effectiveness too. Don't stick with the out-of-date drop style! Go ergonomic!

[someonetookmygender]

I posted 29 times in 2022

That's 29 more posts than 2021!

19 posts created (66%)

10 posts reblogged (34%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@writing-prompt-s

@happy2justb

@rigormqrtis

@boymilfsblog

@atagotiak

I tagged 26 of my posts in 2022

Only 10% of my posts had no tags

#humans are space orcs - 14 posts

#aliens - 12 posts

#earth is space australia - 12 posts

#humans are weird - 10 posts

#aliens and humans - 5 posts

#humans and aliens - 4 posts

#aliens being so confused will never not be funny - 4 posts

#writing stuff - 4 posts

#scifi - 3 posts

#aliens :d - 3 posts

Longest Tag: 108 characters

#also aliens interacting with these cats that are definitely related to bigger more vicious cats is hilarious

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Aliens and Human Relationships pt 3 :D

More romantic,platonic, and familial between aliens and humans

Romantic Relationships

-Some aliens have very Rube Goldberg styles of courting while others are very straight forward

-blush appears on mammilain species but not on reptilian or avian, but that doe snot mean those species do not blush, they just hsow it differently

-i have a feeling that nearly all aliens can be embarrassed easily, so when a human flirts, its great

-meeting the parents could be very weird for alien species simply because either a) everyone knows each other or b) no one cares who you date in space

-ALIEN SO'S BEING PROTECTIVE

-on the above thought, humans have all sorts of social issues so if a human had an alien s.o, i headcanon they would be very protective

-small human, tall alien or vice versa

-the tension between very short humans and very tall humans confuse most aliens until it happens to them, then its "oh"

-some aliens are like cats which means courting gifts are like enemies heads or some sort of trophy

-polyamory is normal in some species and it is completely normal to have 2+ partners

-a lot of children that have both human and alien genes but how they appear can vary due to how strong the genetics are.

-humanoids can mate with each other but not more avaian or reptiallian or even very aquatic species. So those who cannot mate will adopt

Familial Relantionships

-Children are able to speak more than 3 languages, 2 being their parents original language and one which could be galactic basic or something. English is spoken within the galaxy but is not the main language

-children learning acceptance of differences from a very young age where that's skin colour, heritage, accents, sexuality, gender etc

-very mixed families, for example - alien+alien+human (parents) with alien/human mix and full human children or human+alien with 6 adopted or foster kids. Heterosexual, Homosexual, Bisexual, polyamorous, and so on couples and families exist.

-parents have either wallets filled with pictures or at least 3 full albums full of photos that they pull out to embarrass their kids

-found family is very common. ( idk if i mentioned this already)

-Child services are very effective on some planets but on others are crap

-children who are orphans sometimes have people who help them and create safe spaces for them

-mental health issues are treated seriously in a lot of families because it is important for the members to be healthy

Platonic Relationships

-Aliens bonding over their love for their human friends/colleagues/kids/SO

-give me a human showing an alien a meme and the alien doing what all the dads do when you show them something

-t-shirts that are " this is my alien -- >" "< --this is my human"

-aliens being mildly terrified of their human friends

-on the above headcanon, humans have the whole deathworlders and also having the damage predictability of an iphone

See the full post

529 notes - Posted September 3, 2022

#4

Aliens and dealing with animals

I find this hilarious because while aliens definitely have animal species on their planets and have domesticated them. Just compared to animals we find on earth, it's either that aliens are terrified or are not. Its one or the other. No one can change my mind.

Here's a scene.

Alien: What is this quadruped, furry animal on your lap human?

Human: Oh, this is Lasagna, they're my cat. I have two other cats, Loaf and Pebble. Lasagna's old and Loaf is a kitten - she scratches everything! * points to the sofa in the corner* Look what she did to my sofa! Pebbles yells a lot.

Alien: How did you domesticate such violent and destructive creatures.

Human: Through food. These fuzzballs love food! * nuzzles into Lasagna*

Alien: On an evolutionary perspective, are they related to any other species.

Human: They're related to big cats like tigers, lions, panthers. Any big cat, our cats are somehow related to. Someone I know is a zoologist and he says that the big cats are really friendly if they know you, and they love pets.

Alien: You mean that these small creatures are related to these dangerous creatures?

Human: Yep, but it's alright, the worst these kitties can do are scratch.

Alien * equally terrified and curious as Pebbles comes close and nudges their leg, * : Who is this? * Pebbles scratches*

-Garbled alien screaming-

537 notes - Posted February 27, 2022

#3

Aliens and Humans Relationship Headcanons

General relationship headcanons, romatimic, platonic, etc. Cause my brain really ~Aliens like Humans~

- You know whenever there's a newborn baby and everyone coos over them? Yeah that's Aliens to Humans. Some are super tall and some are super short but it is agreed that Humans are ~baby~

- Most Aliens that have interacted/worked/met a bunch of humans has a favorite or a preferred human.

- Headcanoning one species of Aliens that are similar to cats. So when humans do they pspspspsp, these tall, scary looking humanoid/hybrid figures stumble over like cats. ALso this species are the same with cats and knocking things off places and chasing laser pointers.

- Imagine an Alien and Human who are together. But of course the Alien is scary and mean and in the middle of telling someone to go piss themselves, their human S.O shows up and the Alien melts into such a softy.

- Aliens either are super scared or super fond of humans. It makes sense given that Earth is Space Australia and we do banthashit things here.

- Probably classes at alien schools about Earth and Humans and there could be Human Transfers who are horrified at how Humans are presented. Human transfer students most likely being asked about human stuff

- Humans in public or in private are cuddlebugs, we like physical touch especially with the ones we love.

- Furries scare everyone, I mean have you seen them? ( this is a joke, I've met some furries and their all very nice :D)

- A thought, which i think is extremely funny, is how Aliens see our technology and compared to their technology is probably super old but humans make up for it with the enthusiasm.

- What about Aliens and swear words? I think this will be one of the next posts.

This will be continued :D

821 notes - Posted March 14, 2022

#2

I think that aliens would be extremely weirded out by third culture kids.

Here's my thinking. Aliens come from planets that have only one ruler or government so laws are the same for the entire planet. If you look at Earth that is not the case with how our countries have different laws and everything else. This is not to say that aliens don't have municipalities or regions but maybe not as complex as having 195 countries each with their own government and laws.

I feel like a conversation would end up like this between an alien and a third culture kid.

Alien: Human? What is a "Third Culture Kid"?

HUman: Oh that's where you are from one country, but you live in another and you speak a completely different language.

Alien: I thought all planets had one government. That is standard on Earth?

Human: Uhhh, no.

Alien: What do you mean?

Human: We have... 195 countries

Alien: What is a country?

Human: uhhh a country is... an area that is governed.

Alien: So a region? We have 5 of those on my home planet of *unintelligible name* What about you?

Human: uhhh.... 195.

Alien: How many? My hearing is not great

Human: 195. We have 195 countries.

Alien: *Visible confusion* 195? How do you agree on anything?

Human: We have Unions and groups to agree on things.

Alien: So this "Third Culture Kid"? What is it?

Human: I'm considered a third culture kid. Born in Austria, Raised in Australia and my first language is French. So a third culture is kid is someone who is born somewhere, speaks a completely different first language and whose raised somewhere other than their home country.

Alien: Humans are confusing.

974 notes - Posted February 14, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Imagine aliens hearing a thick accent for the first time. Like I'm talking heavy Scottish or Irish specifically just because it's too funny. But just imagine how funny it would be to other humans. We already laugh at the hilarity of the irish and scottish way of speaking so this would be humours. Just think an alien thinking its normal human and then it talks with such a thick accent that the alien just blue screens.

For anyone going to say i am mocking or making fun of these accents, i am not. Simply it is for fun and is not to offend anyone. I am sorry if i did

1,014 notes - Posted February 19, 2022

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[drashwinikarale]

Boosting Your Child's Immunity: Tips for a Healthy Start

A child’s immunity plays a crucial role in their overall well-being, enabling them to fend off infections and grow healthy and strong. As a parent, ensuring your child has a robust immune system can set the foundation for lifelong health. At Dr Ashwini Karale's Kids Clinic, a trusted children's clinic in Baner, we aim to help parents understand the key factors contributing to boosting immunity, starting from early childhood. Here are some vital tips that can help strengthen your child’s immune system for a healthy start in life.

Breastfeeding for Natural Immunity

Breast milk is often referred to as the "first vaccine" because it contains antibodies that protect infants from infections. Colostrum, the initial milk produced by the mother, is packed with immunoglobulins that help build a newborn's immune system. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is highly recommended by pediatricians, including Dr. Ashwini Karale, to provide a strong foundation for your baby’s health.

Balanced Nutrition for Immune Support

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in boosting immunity. A diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants helps your child's body develop a defense system that can fight off infections. Focus on providing a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Vitamin C-rich foods like oranges, strawberries, and broccoli, along with zinc-rich foods like nuts and seeds, are known to boost immune function.

If you're unsure about whether your child is receiving adequate nutrition, consider scheduling a child development assessment in Baner with Dr. Karale. Her clinic provides comprehensive health check-ups to ensure your child’s nutritional and developmental needs are being met.

Regular Physical Activity

Physical activity is vital for building a strong immune system. Exercise helps promote healthy circulation, allowing immune cells to move freely through the body and perform their protective functions. Encourage your children to engage in at least one hour of active play every day, whether it’s outdoor sports, cycling, or simply running around the park.

At Dr. Ashwini Karale's Children Clinic in Baner, we often advise parents on the importance of balancing screen time with physical play to ensure children develop not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Adequate Sleep

Sleep is a powerful ally when it comes to boosting immunity. During sleep, the body produces cytokines—proteins that help fight infections and inflammation. A lack of sleep can impair the production of these vital proteins, making your child more susceptible to illnesses. Ensuring your child gets the recommended amount of sleep (10-14 hours, depending on their age) will keep their immune system in top shape.

If you notice behavioral issues or problems with concentration due to poor sleep, a visit to Dr. Karale’s clinic can help identify any underlying health concerns and guide you on improving your child’s sleep patterns.

Vaccinations: A Critical Tool

Vaccinations are one of the most effective ways to strengthen your child’s immune system. Vaccines work by preparing the immune system to recognize and fight specific pathogens, reducing the risk of potentially serious infections. At Dr. Ashwini Karale's Kids Clinic, we follow a comprehensive immunization schedule that ensures your child is protected against common diseases.

Parents can discuss their child’s vaccination needs and understand the importance of timely immunizations during a child development assessment.

Minimizing Stress and Encouraging Emotional Well-being

Children are sensitive to stress, and emotional well-being is often overlooked when considering physical health. Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, making children more vulnerable to illnesses. Encouraging open communication, providing a stable and loving environment, and teaching children relaxation techniques can go a long way in reducing stress levels.

Dr. Karale’s clinic also focuses on holistic approaches to child health, offering guidance on both physical and emotional development to ensure a well-rounded approach to your child’s care.

Conclusion

Boosting your child's immunity is essential for giving them a healthy start in life. By focusing on breastfeeding, proper nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, timely vaccinations, and emotional well-being, you can equip your child with the tools they need to grow strong and healthy. For personalized guidance, you can visit Dr. Ashwini Karale's Children Clinic in Baner, where comprehensive services like child development assessments in Baner are available to ensure your child’s developmental milestones are met, and their health is on track.

Give your child the best start with expert care and support. Schedule a visit today!

[tasneem24]

No. 1 Girls Boarding school in Dehradun | Admissions 2024-25

Dehradun is also known as Dehra Doon which is the capital city of Uttarakhand, India.

Dehradun is an education hub and the “school capital of India” which has multiple schools running successfully since decades and are best known for their reputation world-wide.

Some of the top boarding schools in Dehradun includes The Doon School, Welham Boys school, Col. Brown Cambridge School, Tulas International School, Asian School, TonsBridge School and Doon International School. Talking about the best all-girls boarding school in Dehradun includes – Welham Girl’s School, Unison World School, Ecole Globale School, Shigally Hills Academy, vantage Hall Girls School, Hopetown Girls School and The Doon Girls School.

These schools are known for world class education and vast sports system which helps students to grow in a nurturing environment where academics and other cultural programs are given equal importance.

These girls boarding schools in Dehradun are affiliated with ICSE, CBSE and Cambridge curriculum which helps students to grow on a global scale.

Safety and Security in Girls Boarding Schools, Dehradun

Girls boarding school in Dehradun place a high role on the safety and security of female students.

Secure Campus - Girls Boarding School in Dehradun have 24*7 security check. They appoint a proper team including warden to security guards who helped in maintaining law and security at the premises. Points of entry and departure are also watched  over.

CCTV Surveillance - CCTV cameras are placed in common areas, dorms and other locations on campus to monitor activities and guarantee student's safety.

Trained Staff - Teachers, counsellors, wardens and nurses are among the trained personnel that work together in boarding schools in Dehradun for the wellbeing of the students.

Emergency Protocols- Boarding schools have clear emergency plans that's cover everything during emergency period. Fire drills and medical aid is available during emergency.

These protocols are routinely taught to staff and students at the campus.

Health and Wellness Program - Regular health examination are being done at girls boarding schools in Dehradun to keep an eye on the mental health and physical health of the students.

Parent Communication - Girls Boarding Schools maintain a regular touch with the parents to update them on their child's development. Academic, sports and regular health reports are being send every month for the betterment of the students.

Counselling Services - Students who need extra efforts with emotional and psychological issues are being given counselling sessions time to time.

Welham Girl’s is the number 1 girls boarding school in Dehradun which was founded in the year 1957. Since the time the school ranks among the most prestigious boarding schools for girls in India. The school campus is spread across 12 acres of land with beautiful species of trees planted around the campus. The Welham Girls school is affiliated with ICSE and ISC curriculum which takes admission of girls age between 10 to 18.

The admission criteria incudes entrance exam and an interview round with the headmaster.

Welham Girls has a long history of promoting holistic growth and offering world class education. The school has national and NRIs students studying together in a nurturing environment. These students coming from different backgrounds, cultures promotes a feeling of friendship and mutual understanding.

The school is known for its high level educational programs and it prepares it's students get ready for both national and international academics.

The school curriculum includes a wide range of extracurricular activities such as drama, music, dance and arts. These activities build confidence in the students which helps students in their mental and physical growth.

Known to be the best all girls boarding school in India, Welham Girls school in Dehradun was established with a focus on empowering young women and preparing future leaders of India. Quality education is provided to students through spacious and smart classrooms, well equipped science and computer labs and well stocked libraries.

Welham Girls also provide a secure and supportive environment for its students in order to ensure that each girl child feel safe and secure at home away from home.

The school motto says “ The aim of education is to bring peace”

The school has notable alumni in the fields of Law, Politics, Entertainment, Indian Army, Journalism and IT sector. Some of the Alumni of the school includes – Priyanka Gandhi, kareena Kapoor, Jyoti Ann Burett, Deepa Mehta, Madhu Jain and Neera Yadav.

Benefits of Girls Boarding in Dehradun includes

Academic Excellence

Holistic Approach

Discipline and Independence

Personalised Attention

Safe and Supportive Environment

Exposure to Diverse Cultures

Leadership Opportunities

Comprehensive Facilities

Emphasis on Character Building

Lifelong Friedships

Strong Alumni Network

Following steps should be taken while choosing the best girls boarding school in Dehradun-

Establish Priorities and Objectives - Parents should look for a boarding school which offers academic, extracurricular activities and also focus on the arts and athelete etc. Take into account the curriculum as well ( CBSE, ICSE IB etc)

Varify School Reputation - Varify the schools properly, check for evaluation, rankings and feedback from the parents and former students.

School history and school reputation must be taken into account before the admission.

Academic Excellence - look for the academic achievements and previous school board results.

Physical Visit to the Schools - Arrange a physical visit to the schools after shortlisting. Examine the school campus, it's amenities and classes.

Safety and Security - This plays a vital role in girls boarding schools in Dehradun. Evaluate the safety and security measures

Boarding Facilities - Parents should examine the dorms, dining halls and recreational spaces while visiting a boarding school.  Also look for the safety, comfort and cleanliness at the Campus.

Extracurricular Activities- Parents should look for the activities available at the boarding campus. Also take into account if the student's interest and skills matches with these activities.

Apart from the above mentioned points, parents should also have a look on the Health and Wellness Programs, Fees and financial aid, Alumni Network and Parental Involvement and communication programs provided by the Girls Boarding Schools in Dehradun.

[retechie]

Top 10 Tips for Buying a Used Laptop: What to Look For

Purchasing a used laptop can be a smart way to save money while still getting a high-quality device. Whether you're a student, a professional, or just looking for a budget-friendly option, buying a used or refurbished laptop is a great alternative to buying new. But you have to know what to look for if you want to make sure you're getting the best value for your money. Here are the top 10 tips for buying a used laptop, especially when shopping for used laptops in India, refurbished laptops, or second-hand laptops.

1. Know Your Needs

Before diving into the market, clearly define what you'll be using the laptop for. Whether you're a casual browser, gamer, or designer, knowing your usage will help you select the right device. Basic tasks like browsing and document editing won’t require a high-end laptop, while gaming or video editing will demand more power.

When exploring used laptops in India or refurbished laptops in India, ensure you select a model that meets your performance needs without overpaying for unnecessary features.

2. Set a Budget

Used and second-hand laptops are available across a wide range of price points. Set a budget based on your requirements. It’s easy to get carried away by high-end models, but knowing what you're willing to spend will help narrow your search and prevent you from exceeding your limit. When buying a used laptop from a platform like ReTechie, make sure to compare models within your budget to get the best deal.

3. Check the Condition

The condition of a used laptop is crucial. Examine the laptop in person for any obvious damage, such as dents, cracks, or missing parts. Key areas to examine include:

Screen: Look for any scratches, dead pixels, or discoloration.

Keyboard: Ensure all keys are functioning and responsive.

Touchpad: Test the touchpad to ensure smooth scrolling and clicking.

While cosmetic wear is common in old laptops or second-hand laptops, ensure the issues are minor and don’t affect functionality.

4. Evaluate Battery Health

Battery life is a major concern when purchasing a second-hand laptop or refurbished laptop. Over time, batteries degrade, so it’s important to check the battery health before purchasing. Some sellers might replace the battery during refurbishment, but always confirm this. You should be able to get a decent amount of charge from your used laptop to avoid the hassle of frequent charging.

5. Check the Specifications

Make sure to review the laptop’s specs to ensure they meet your needs. The following are the most crucial specifications to look up:

Processor (CPU): A good processor ensures smooth performance. For everyday tasks, an Intel Core i5 or i7, or its AMD equivalent, will work well.

RAM: Most uses can benefit greatly from 8GB of RAM. Choose 16GB or more for larger applications like gaming or graphic creation.

Storage: In terms of performance, Solid State Drives (SSDs) outperform Hard Disc Drives (HDDs). Look for laptops with SSDs for a smoother user experience.

6. Look for Warranty and Return Policy

When buying a refurbished laptop or renewed laptop, especially from platforms like ReTechie, always check if the seller offers a warranty or return policy. A warranty ensures that you're covered if any hardware issues arise soon after purchase. Some sellers offer warranties ranging from 6 months to a year, giving you peace of mind with your investment.

7. Ensure Genuine Software Installation

Always confirm that the used laptop comes with a genuine, licensed operating system. This is important for security and performance. Ensure that Windows, macOS, or Linux is properly installed and activated. Using unlicensed or outdated software can expose you to security vulnerabilities and hinder performance.

8. Test the Ports and Connectivity

Check that all the ports and connectivity options are functioning. Test USB ports, HDMI ports, headphone jacks, and any other essential ports to ensure that they work properly. If you require Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, make sure that both features are in working order. You don’t want to realize after buying the laptop that an essential connection option is non-functional.

9. Check for After-Sales Support

Whether you’re buying from an individual seller or a trusted platform like ReTechie, ensure that the seller provides after-sales support or at least some level of customer service. Platforms specializing in refurbished laptops in India or used laptops in India should provide technical support or guidance if you face any issues after your purchase.

10. Buy from a Trusted Source

Perhaps the most important tip is to buy from a trusted source. Reputable platforms like ReTechie offer high-quality refurbished laptops and second-hand laptops that are rigorously tested, cleaned, and often come with a warranty. Avoid buying from sellers who can’t provide assurance on quality or legitimacy.

Buying from reputable online platforms ensures that you get genuine products that have been tested and meet the required performance standards.

Conclusion

Purchasing a used laptop or refurbished laptop can save you a lot of money while still providing a high-quality device. By following these tips—setting a budget, checking specs, ensuring software legitimacy, and buying from trusted sellers—you can ensure you get the best possible laptop for your needs. Whether you’re exploring options for refurbished laptops in India or a second-hand laptop, taking the time to research and inspect the device is essential. For reliable options, check out the wide range of refurbished and used laptops at ReTechie, where quality and customer satisfaction come first.