#it’s just extremely counterproductive if it’s only causing me to be incredibly depressed from being so sick lol

[tawnyisacolor]

i’m in such a bad place mentally and physically and i’m just like at a loss of what do to because it seems no matter how hard i work on making things better i just end up in the same place and it’s so exhausting having a body that is constantly working against me when all i’m trying to do is exist preferably comfortably instead of in constant pain and trapped in a brain prison

[tidesreach]

if you could rewrite skam italia season 2 to more accurately represent bpd and its symptoms, what would you change?

The short answer is I wouldn’t really change anything. But the reasons for that require explanation, so buckle in, this is going to be a long one.

I think accuracy is a subjective term when applied to portrayals of mental illness. Because people have very varied experiences. So what would be an accurate portrayal of BPD for me might not necessarily be accurate for someone else. Since the revelation of Nico’s diagnosis and my various posts on the subject, I have had messages from numerous other borderlines. A lot of them – like myself – related to Nico in many aspects. But there are also some who didn’t – or who did in some aspects but not others. The fact of the matter is that it’s not possible to portray a disorder like BPD in a way that is wholly accurate and relatable to everyone in all aspects because people have such varied experiences. If you’re interested in another portrayal of BPD, I recommend watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. For me, some aspects are incredibly relatable – sometimes uncomfortably so – but others are not. But that doesn’t mean those aspects are inaccurate. Another portrayal of BPD is the film Girl, Interrupted (one of my absolute favourite films) – however, some people with BPD (myself included) relate less to Winona Ryder’s character, who is the character diagnosed with BPD, and much more to Angelina Jolie’s character. Like I said, it’s subjective.

It’s also important to note that though there are nine diagnostic criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder only five are required for diagnosis. So one person could have almost completely different experiences to another. And even if you do meet all of the same criteria as someone else with BPD your symptoms may manifest in different ways. For this reason people’s experiences with BPD can be incredibly varied. I meet all nine of the diagnostic criteria (it’s like winning a really shit lottery) – so I have experience dealing with all of them, but how I experience them may be very different to the way someone else experiences them. As an example: people deal with fear of abandonment in different ways. Some people self-isolate as a way to avoid abandonment. Some people may appear “clingy” e.g. they will send constant texts and make frequent phonecalls. Some people experience what we call “splitting”. Some people experience all three. Basically, we all have our own individual experiences and there’s no one way to be borderline. Symptoms can manifest in so many different ways.

I’m putting this under a read more to save everyone’s dashboards because it’s quite lengthy. But if it interests you, I’ve listed the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for BPD and how Nico’s symptoms accurately fit into that.

The nine diagnostic criteria for BPD are quite broad and are as follows:

Frantic efforts to avoid real and imagined abandonment.

A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, often characterised by extremes between idealisation and devaluation (also known as “splitting”).

Identity disturbance: Persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.

Impulsive behaviour that is reckless and potentially self-damaging (e.g. overspending, excessive alcohol or drug use, reckless driving, unsafe sex, binge eating, spontaneous decision-making, the list goes on).

Recurrent suicidal behaviour or ideation and/or self-harm.

Emotional instability (intense mood swings) e.g. intense episodic dysphoria, euphoria, irritability, or anxiety that can last from hours to days

Chronic feelings of emptiness and loneliness

Intense anger or difficulty controlling anger

Stress-related paranoia or severe dissociative symptoms (feeling disconnected from the world, or your own body, feelings, thoughts and behaviours)

It’s difficult to know how many of the criteria Nico meets as we have very limited background information to go on. After all, this is Martino’s season. Everything we see of Nico is in relation to Martino. Which makes it even more difficult to portray something like BPD. We have no inside knowledge of Nico’s thought processes, his past behaviours or what led to his diagnosis (hey, Ludo, can we uhhhhh get a Nico season please?). But he has to meet at least five of the above criteria to have been diagnosed. From what we have seen, the five he definitely meets are:

Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment (the back-and-forth with Marti, ignoring his texts then telling him he wants to be with him, freezing Marti out after his ill-advised comment on mental illness, going back to Maddi, the flipbook and the antidote, suggesting that he leave and his refusal to let Marti look at him when he was in a depressive state).

Impulsive/reckless behaviour (breaking into the pool at Halloween. Taking his mum’s car and driving to Bracciano. Milan in general.)

Emotional instability (I don’t think I need to give you specific instances here because his emotional instability becomes quite evident in general).

Chronic feelings of emptiness and loneliness (his speech about solitude in Nel Mio Letto explains this feeling perfectly).

Stress-related paranoia or severe dissociative symptoms (Milan, again).

He also shows clear signs of:

A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships (his parents, Maddalena, probably his friends/the boy he liked from his previous school. But we have limited information on his interpersonal relationships outside of Marti – though that’s unstable for most of the season thus is a sign in itself – so whether there is a distinct pattern of unstable relationships is unclear at this point, but it’s very likely given what information we do have. Whether he experiences splitting or not is unclear, too).

Identity disturbance (when he asks Marti if he should get a haircut and a tux to meet his dad, when he proposes à la Love Actually, when he’s staring at his reflection in the hotel room window, when he’s rapping Earl Sweatshirt and boxing in the bathroom – these could all be signs of an unstable identity, but I wouldn’t categorically define him as having persistent identity disturbance since we don’t know if it is in fact a persistent symptom).

So, Nico meets at least five but very likely seven out of the nine diagnostic criteria. The only two he hasn’t shown any signs of are:

Recurrent suicidal behaviour or ideation and/or self-harm.

Intense anger or difficulty controlling anger

So, to reiterate, accuracy is subjective. Nico’s symptoms were incredibly relatable for me personally. They’re just not the only symptoms and not the only way symptoms can manifest. Like I said, I experience all nine of the diagnostic criteria. So it wasn’t even a 100% accurate portrayal for me because I experience other symptoms too (splitting, anger/rage, suicidal behaviour and self-harm, among others). But I did relate a hell of a lot to the symptoms Nico did experience and the way he experienced them. I’m also incredibly grateful they didn’t focus on the suicidal aspect because there’s a lot of stigma surrounding BPD in regards to suicidal behaviour being manipulative, and if not handled well it might have been counterproductive. It was so important to me to have such a hopeful portrayal for that reason, because we are often portrayed in a terrible light.

I think the main thing that confused people regarding accuracy was Nico’s episode in Milan. Because it looked similar to Even’s manic episode in the OG. Which I understand. But it wasn’t the same thing. Many people with BPD, myself included, experience psychotic symptoms. Psychotic symptoms such as severe paranoia, hallucinations, depersonalisation, derealisation or distortion of beliefs and perceptions aren’t uncommon (there are a bunch of studies on this if you’re really interested, because health professionals are still trying to determine the cause and frequency of psychotic symptoms in BPD patients). They’re generally triggered by stress. I’ve experienced brief episodes of psychosis on and off for years. This is what Nico experienced in Milan (triggered by the stress of his parents and Maddalena trying to control him) – Nico truly believed that he and Marti were the last two people on Earth. To me, his episode looked like severe dissociation leading into brief psychosis – or psychotic symptoms, if you will (episodes of psychosis in BPD tend to be brief). So while I understand that it was confusing, it was, in fact, a fairly accurate portrayal of psychotic symptoms in BPD. I had a far more severe reaction to Nico’s episode than I did to Even’s because I saw so much of myself in him. Would it have been helpful to portray Nico’s psychotic symptoms in a way that wasn’t so similar to Even’s manic episode? Absolutely. But the fact remains that it was accurate and it made sense in the context of the season and the metaphor that Nico got caught up in of him and Marti being the last men on earth. It wasn’t random, it was cleverly interwoven.

Sorry for how long this got, but I felt like to answer this question required some explanation. To summarise, I actually don’t think I would change anything. There’s a reason I relate so much to Niccolò. But I don’t contest that others with BPD might not have found it as accurate a representation as I and others do. That’s absolutely their right. Because symptoms are incredibly varied and we all have our own individual experiences.

[brokerplanet10-blog]

Presenting 2018's Strangest Health and Wellness Trends

CBD Oil? Goat Yoga? Presenting 2018's Strangest Health and Wellness Trends

Some health trends — like intermittent fasting, charcoal everything and infrared saunas — have been bubbling up for a few years now, but in 2018 we saw them explode beyond New York and L.A.’s healtherati circles. While some of these oddball health and fitness fads are rightfully going mainstream, others — like...umm goat yoga...appear to be more fluff than substance. To separate the strange but effective from the strange but insane, we turned to some of the country’s leading health experts. 

Here’s a look at some of the most notably weird (for better or worse!) health and fitness trends of 2018.

Goat Yoga

“Including live animals in any workout routine seems a tad problematic. With goat yoga, playful goats will wander around your mat and even climb on your back while you’re mid-yoga pose. It’s meant to keep you focused, grounded, and connected with both yourself and with nature. I like time-efficient, effective and fun workouts and my gut tells me that goat yoga may only hit on one of these characteristics — no matter how adorably cute those goats really are.” — Brian Zehetner, Director of health and fitness at Planet Fitness

IV Therapy

“Even the needle-phobic are rethinking their aversion now that IV drips and shots are becoming a popular way to hydrate, boost immunity, increase energy, and cure hangovers. No doctor or prescription required.” — Amanda Freeman, Founder/CEO of SLT and Stretch*d

Drinking Mushrooms

“This year mushrooms popped up on the ingredient list of beverages in the form of powders and elixirs. The health-conscious are now relying on mushroom varieties like reishi, cordyceps, chaga, and lion's mane to solve all of their wellness issues, including focus, immunity, and relaxation.” — Amanda Freeman, Founder/CEO of SLT and Stretch*d

Face Fitness

“When you think of workouts, you think of your abs, legs, arms, even obliques, but you likely don't think of your face. Until 2018 when Face Gym, FaceLove, and other facial exercise-focused businesses came onto the scene to convince you that you should spend five minutes a day massaging your face or buy a face roller or, better yet, get a personal trainer for your face.” — Amanda Freeman, Founder/CEO of SLT and Stretch*d

Cold Workouts

“The sweat addicted have been flocking to hot workouts for years, but 2018 marks the introduction of cold temperature workouts. Benefits of working out in the cold include increased calorie and fat burn in addition to increased energy and stamina to get through a workout.” — Amanda Freeman, Founder/CEO of SLT and Stretch*d

CBD Everything

“CBD, the fully legal part of the cannabis plant, is unquestionably this year's it-ingredient. CBD oils, vapes, creams, and edibles are the number one selling product at Stretch*d. People are turning to CBD to help them sleep, relax, focus, and reduce pain. It's a miracle worker.” — Amanda Freeman, Founder/CEO of SLT and Stretch*d

Pea Protein

“For years, consumers have been trying a variety of dairy-free protein alternatives; everything from almond to oat to hemp to whey has had its day.Pea is the protein of the moment, thanks to it being high in protein, low in sugar, and nutrient-rich. It's not only easily digestible and highly bioavailable, but also aids in muscle development and recovery.” — Amanda Freeman, Founder/CEO of SLT and Stretch*d

Celery Juice

“No, drinking a bitter cocktail of pure celery in the morning will not propel you to realize your wildest health dreams nor will it ‘detox’ your organs, which are already doing so quite well, on account of your natural physiology and anatomy. Celery is indeed a nutritious vegetable and may have antispasmodic effects on the bowels, but juicing it loses the satisfaction factor of mastication and compromises fiber content. While it's probably not harmful to drink celery juice, there is no incredible benefit to juicing anything.” — Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LD/N, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition

Cauliflower Gnocchi

“I've seen a meme that says that when you turn 30 in 2018 (which I did), everything you love turns to cauliflower. While I am ALL about people increasing their vegetable intake, I'm a little sad for the great Italian master chefs who must be depressed seeing their gnocchi craft reduced to frozen balls of cauliflower. I think we need to stop thinking so 'black and white' and maybe indulge mindfully and occasionally in REAL gnocchi or do a half and half cauliflower/real gnocchi split, and well-portioned.” — Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LD/N, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition

Dousing Goods with Coconut Sugar

“Coconut sugar may be mildly more nutrient-dense and mildly less likely to spike blood sugar than plain white sugar, but nothing significant enough to impact your health. Sugar = sugar = sugar; your body recognizes coconut sugar the same. It's not a health food, it's not something to use with reckless abandon, it's just a little less refined.” — Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LD/N, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition

Eating Charcoal

“This still baffles me. Activated charcoal is something I used to see used when I worked in a hospital as an emergency detoxification treatment for severe alcohol/drug overdoses. Yes, it does bind to toxins in your body — but healthy, normal people eating food need to know that food is not a toxin! Eating charcoal will just cause you to mal absorb vital nutrients and it can mess heavily with medications and supplements.” — Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LD/N, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition

Intermittent Fasting

“Intermittent fasting is essentially timed eating: a fasting window of 12 hours is practiced for benefits such as weight loss, mental clarity and energy. While the fasted hours are flexible as long as the period is at least 12 hours, most followers generally consume their meals between noon and 8pm at night. In fact, intermittent fasting can be extremely flexible and can be adjusted to each individual’s lifestyle. However, fasting is not appropriate for everyone — particularly pregnant women and those with health conditions such as diabetes. Calorie control and quality of foods still play a large role in the success of this diet.” — May Zhu, a dietitian with Lifeway Foods

Alkaline Diet

“The Alkaline diet focuses on consuming foods that fight acidity and lead to an alkaline state in the body. The diet is based off the idea that our bodies function at the most ideal between a pH of 7.35 and 7.45, leaning towards the alkaline side. Essentially, it’s a form of the elimination diet and excludes foods such as alcohol, grains, conventional meats, eggs, processed foods, and refined sugar. Dairy is limited to yogurt and kefir, mainly for the probiotics. Followers claim that benefits include lowering inflammation, boosting immune function and enhancing metabolism. While there are definitely positive associations to regular consumption of alkalizing vegetables such as kale and brussels sprouts, there are also other benefits to consuming foods that are high on the acidic list, such as nutrient-rich eggs or certain nuts. Bottom line: eating a variety of real foods and limiting heavily processed foods can have just as much of a positive effect, without going too extreme.” — May Zhu, aa dietitian with Lifeway Foods

Appetite Suppressing Lollipops

“These low-calorie candies claim to suppress appetite and kick cravings, but upon closer inspection of the ingredient list, the first items listed are two different forms of sugar, which are nutritionally void of true nutrients. The star ingredient is a patented saffron extract meant to increase satiety and, as a result, reduce overall food intake. However, it’s currently not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and future research is necessary to provide concrete statistics. When it comes to weight loss, anything that claims to be an appetite suppressant rarely provides long-term results.” — May Zhu, a dietitian with Lifeway Foods

Shoes Off While Lifting

“The storyline of feeling more connected to the ground has been bought into leading to all the shoeless feet across gyms. I don’t disagree that over time shoe wear contributes to weakness in the arches, toes and ankles, however taking off the support to lift and wearing them for the other part of your workout and/or the rest of the day, much like dress shoes, is counterproductive and just makes a scene on the gym floor. The hard-core look and goal of ‘foot feel’ while lifting is trending upward this year and I expect to see more shoeless hard bodies in the new year.” — Joanna Stahl, founder of Go2Practice

The Sweat Stick

“Still one of my favorite Spin Class sightings: a woman applying a stick that looks like a circular deodorant across her arms, shoulders, core, and calves… pretty much everywhere she could reach that wasn’t covered in activewear. Why was she doing this? Sweat sticks create a sauna-like environment for your skin by clogging your pores with the promise to make you sweat more and quicker to enhance your workout.” — Joanna Stahl, founder of Go2Practice

Infrared Saunas

“Infrared saunas are now everywhere. Touted benefits range from detoxification, sore muscle relief, joint pain reduction, clear and tighter skin and improved circulation to weight loss and better sleep. All very similar to old-school sauna benefits, but these higher tech glowing boxes provide effects in less time with less heat and more comfort thanks to new technology.” — Joanna Stahl, founder of Go2Practice

Collagen

“Collagen is rich in amino acids and helps protect our tendons, bones and joints. Collagen also helps our nails, hair and skin grow faster and look healthier. It’s estimated that in 2018, Americans spent roughly $122 million on collagen supplements. While the research is not strong or high quality, I have seen my nails and hair grow faster and experienced less aches and pains since using it (it’s tasteless in coffee, tea, or smoothies).” — Kristin Oja, founder of STAT Wellness

Chocolate Milk for Recovery

“Chocolate milk is by no means a perfect recovery drink. Training tears down our muscle tissue and so we want to build back up with premium fuel that does the least amount of damage. Chocolate milk gives you some carbs, protein and fat (which millions of other foods can give us), but it also gives us a nasty cocktail of hormones like estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and cortisol and contains saturated fat, which clogs our arteries and slows down blood flow.” — Dotsie Bausch, Olympic cyclist and founder of Switch4Good.com

Fluid Stretching

“Unlike the stretching of the older days, where you hold the stretch for eight counts, the non-static stretching concept is to stretch, move through the stretch to the next stretch, and then repeat the stretch movement for several reps. The belief is that static stretching is too harsh on your tendons and muscles. I would equate it to a ballet-like warm-up rather than what you would consider typical stretching. The guru for this type of stretching is Miranda Esmonde-White, a Canadian fitness trainer and former ballerina with the National Ballet of Canada.” — Dr. Robb Akridge, health expert and co-founder of Clarisonic

Vitamin Supplements

“The concept of taking vitamins to improve your health is not new to anyone, however, how these vitamins are derived and concentrated is a big trend. There are companies like 8 Greens that create sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free effervescent tablets, which can be dropped into your water and are packed with vitamin C, B5, B12 and more. Other companies like Olly create vitamins in the form of gummies. Creating vitamins that are more bioavailable has also become a big trend, as this looks at how quickly products or vitamins are absorbed into your system. There are so many different options these days, which makes it really easy to hop on the vitamin bandwagon.” — Dr. Robb Akridge, health expert and co-founder of Clarisonic

Supplements in Food

“Supplements are no longer restricted to that smoothie you get at the gym bar; now you can add supplements into your food and use different protein- and vitamin-rich powders in your at-home recipes. For example, Vital Proteins creates Bone Broth Collagen Powders, which you can cook with — using it in the broth of soups, as an additive to almond flour to make breaded chicken, mixed with seasoning, sprinkled on your steak…” — Dr. Robb Akridge, health expert and co-founder of Clarisonic

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Source: https://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding/strangest-health-and-fitness-trends-of-2018.html