#of people who have both adhd and autism and its believed the number should be higher but not enough people are being properly evaluated'

[1eos]

was reading through the art of chart interpretation you recomended and i saw it said one of my placements tends to mean that people who have it like to adhere to organized thought patterns and routines and i thought it was so funny bc i literally have autism like wow astrology ordained autism you really got my number there 💀 lmaoo honestly we should add chart readings to the evaluation process bc its not the weirdest thing they make you do and it at least makes more logical sense than miming brushing your teeth or making up a story about a flying frog picture book (yes both of those things are real things they made me do)

hellooooooooooo. astrology is so weird like that 😭😭😭😭😭 like i have no idea if astrology can predict any kind of conditions. that's not even something i think i really believe in tbh but it did fuck me up when i was researching my chart and i found that uranus in my 3rd house can basically mean you have adhd even if you don't have adhd? i was like wait what the fuck is going on here??????? like why does the description of that placement and common adhd symptoms line up so well? and honestly healthcare can be so unserious in places having them pull up your chart wouldn't even be strangest or most useless thing a professional has had some ppl do jfakofakpfalaf better than just calling us all fat

[obsessively-compulsive]

I know I am not someone who knows you or your life but I would like to give you some food for thought I wish I had gotten when I was younger. You may not actually have bpd. There is a reason it isn't diagnosed under 18.

When I was a teenager everyone thought I had bpd because I had most of the symptoms if not all, seemingly.

Although occam's razor dictates we should always look to the fewest things to find an answer, life is often more complicated.

At your age your hormones are all whacked, emotions are far more complex, and your executive functions are under developed yet. You may find these traits dissipate as you get older. (starting around 20ish)

Explosive Anger, self destructive habits, feelings of empitiness etc. can be symptoms of depression.

Impulsivity is also a symptom of adhd (which manifests more subtle in girls) or just your age. Negative impulses can be caused a cross between the two.

Fluctuating self-image, ideal/deval, fear of abandonment etc. Can be manifestations of previous trauma, or current difficulties in your household, or a complicated history with personal and peer relationships. Etc.

My story isn't yours obviously, but everyone convinced me I had it and I agreed because I couldn't find other explanations.

I ended up having adhd/autism, a very toxic household, severe anxiety and depression and a few other issues.

A lot of the emotional behavior I had was a manifestation of all my needs not being met, poor behavior from those around me who didn't understand how to help, and just normal teenage behavior that was exaggerated by other mental health issues.

I only bring it up because:

1. As I aged these behaviors lessened, and I think people should be cautious to not accidentally pathologize developememt.

2. People believing i had bpd made them stop looking for other answers and treat me poorly.

3. When people realized other things were wrong and started accommodating them or looking through a different lense instead of villanizing them my 'symptoms' got better. (Ex. I wasn't angry and acting out, I was upset because I couldn't talk, too much noise, I didn't understand something, I was anxious, my routine was upset, I was depressed etc.)

4. When I hear a girl is considering neurodivergency but gets hit with bpd it makes me suspicious. (Esp a teenager) I know it can be true for you or maybe having both but I know what happened to me.

5. Its a common misdiagnosis in teenage girls because we are more likely to be thrown into a box of 'just over-emotional and reactive', just like certain personality disorders are misdiagnosed with boys because of our view of gender norms.

Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with having bpd if you do, and I don't mean to cross any lines or act like I know better. I just want you to know that I got misdiagnosed a lot by a number of doctors who insisted they know more about me than myself, and I didn't start getting better until the truth was found out.

Dbt therapy can be super useful so if you believe you have it its worth doing. But if you have any lingering doubts even if they've otherwise convinced you. Trust your gut. It can be hard to voice your opinion if everyone else is saying something else, but you won't get better unless the diagnosis is right.

Like I said, I don't want to come here on anon and tell you your business, I just really wish someone would have played devil's advocate for me and saved me 5+ years of my life.

I wish you all the best in your journey no matter where it takes you. Have a good day. 🌸

Thank you for giving me advice! I've been diagnosed with ADHD and suspected to have mild ASD for a couple years now until very recently. Stimulants and other treatments never seemed to help. I'm not 100% sure i have BPD but i've been told by pros that i meet the criteria, at least at the moment. I know for a fact that I overreact and am incredibly impulsive and have "episodes" of ignorance of logic where i hurt people just to get what i want. Although it could be something else, I do think it's likely to be BPD!

[neighbourskid]

Dave? Dave.

It's been quite a bit since I've written anything here, huh? Well, I guess as it has been for pretty much everyone, life has been kinda strange for a while now. Despite vaccine roll-outs and continually changing safety regulations, there's still a global pandemic on, and everyone is trying to navigate this reality the best they can. For once, we are all, generally speaking, in the same boat now (sure, there are huge differences between countries because capitalism fucking sucks and rich greedy humans are once again proof that things need to change asap, but overall, we all have to deal with this pandemic).

But I don't actually want to talk about the pandemic, it just exists as a frame of what I do wanna talk about.

As I have mentioned before, when the pandemic hit, I was in the last semester of my undergrad studies and writing my Bachelor thesis. Or that's what I was supposed to do, anyway. I did do a lot of reading for it, early in the first lockdown after university closed and we were all attending from home. I was lucky, I had no classes, I only had like three scheduled meetings to check in on progress of the thesis, but otherwise I was free of zoom calls and attempting to attend university digitally. So I read.

After a while, reading became taking a book with me into the sun, glancing at one or two pages, and then just napping for most of the day, and spending my evenings either playing video games or watching some tv show or movie. At some point, I felt like now was the perfect time to rewatch all fifteen seasons of CRIMINAL MINDS, so I did that, instead of writing my thesis. I still occasionally read, but most of the days I just felt exhausted and unmotivated so I stayed in bed and binged my crime show.

As the deadline for the thesis started approaching, and the time I had left fell under a month, a switch in my brain seemed to be activated and, oh, hello, suddenly there was a certain drive there for that thesis again. Which lasted exactly until an email from university dinged into my inbox a few days later, informing me that I would get another month for my thesis, due to the pandemic. And away that motivation and drive went, immediately.

Not much later I had a session with the therapist I was seeing at the time, because of the hormone treatment I had started early that same year. I had talked to him about my concern that I might have ADHD before because I didn't feel like there was anything we needed to talk about related to my transition, so I brought it up again here. I told him how my thesis was going -- or rather, how it wasn't going at all -- and finally, as I told him about some of the issues I experienced while trying to do work for it, he acknowledged that I may indeed have some attention regulation issues. He prescribed me medication to try out, and -- wonder oh wonder -- suddenly I was writing my thesis. I ended up finishing it on time (even though a week before I had a moment of "all of this is garbage, I will never pass, I should start the whole thing from scratch") and got a decent grade for it, too. I've been on those meds since.

Over the last, I don't know how many years, I've always known that there was something a bit wonky about my brain. There were always these things that seemed to come so easy to other people, and try as I might, I just couldn't make them happen. I, presumably, had a lot of neurotypical friends. I also have friends with depression, BPD, anxiety disorders and other neurodivergencies. I have family members with autism. I know my mom suspected I might be on that spectrum as well.

Reading up on many of those things I never felt like any of them described what I was experiencing. There were certain traits, sure, but mostly there was a lack of what I actually did experience in most of them. Even ADHD, when reading about the "required" issues and traits, doing those self-diagnosing questionnaires, I just never saw what I felt represented. And then I started reading about what people with diagnosed ADHD had to say about how they experience things. I ignored the more medical or clinical information, and just looked for people talking about how they navigate their lives with ADHD. And then all of a sudden it was, oh, yeah this, this is relatable. This is where my brain's at.

Suddenly it made sense that caffeine didn't do nothing for me, that a nice, warm cup of coffee put me right to sleep. It made sense how, after only a month, suddenly a well beloved hobby or tv show was suddenly of no interest whatsoever. Staring at the wall for three hours instead of doing a simple task. Drawing in class so that I could pay attention to what is being said. The inability to remember much of my life before 6th grade. Having to bounce my leg so I could read a simple text. Needing to visually break a book down into chapters with colourful post-its to keep me from being overwhelmed by the length of the book. And so many other things. Suddenly, there was a reason for that.

I've always liked doing personality quizzes. Or doing stuff related to my zodiac sign even if I don't believe in astrology per se. Finding out what my Enneagram number is. Or my Myers-Briggs type. Not because I think those things define me or describe me to a T, but because they give me a vocabulary. They give me options. I love answering a bunch of questions and then getting a wall of text telling me This Is Who You Are and then I get to pick out what is accurate and what isn't. It gives me words to describe who I am that I didn't have before.

And it is the same thing with posts or videos of people with ADHD. It gives me a vocabulary for the things I experience and it lets me express those things in a way I wasn't able to before. Before, I was like, doing things that my brain doesn't want to do, feels like running headfirst into a wall because there is no way above, around, or underneath it. There is no door, no ladder, no tunnel, no nothing. There is only running headfirst into it until maybe, hopefully, it cracks. Preferably before my head does. But that is exhausting and most of the time, I prefer to not get through the wall at all, if what it takes is going headfirst through it. Now, I know that what that is, is a dopamine deficiency. The task that needs doing, the task that this wall is, doesn't give my brain enough dopamine. There is no satisfaction, there is nothing to gain from that task, so the brain isn't interested.

One of the things that I recently discovered and helps me a lot in this quest of figuring out how my brain works, is this guy Connor on tiktok, who also has ADHD. His videos are both hilarious and informative. And also incredibly relatable. They might be silly haha funny videos on the dear old internet, but I walk away from most of them going, oh! oh that makes sense, good to know.

He occasionally talks about how ADHD is completely misnamed and how Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder does not actually accurately describe what exactly people with ADHD lack. In one of his videos, he calls it DAVE instead. It's silly, and sounds a bit dumb, but I kinda like it. Dave. Dopamine Attention Variability Executive-Disfunction. Dave. I like Dave.

Y'know, I don't mind having ADHD. Presumably, I've lived with it my whole life so far. And it's annoying as shit some of the time. Especially when things need to get done and they just won't. But I don't mind that, especially now that I know that this is what it is. I've always feared that if I finally do go to a therapist and try to figure out what my brain is up to, they'll just tell me that I'm fine and there's nothing to worry about. And at first, my therapist did say I was psychologically unremarkable. But I guess if you've lived like this your whole life and nobody has really picked up on it, even a therapist doesn't notice (it's called masking, I've learned, thanks Connor).

But knowing is good. Knowing means I can learn things that help. I can take medication when needed. And, looking at the grades I'm currently getting in my graduate studies? Hells yeah, taking that medication and knowing how to deal with certain aspects of my brain helps a lot. It is incredibly funny to me that the best grades I have gotten in my entire academic career have been achieved in my Master's studies during a global pandemic. There is currently an actual real possibility that I may graduate summa cum laude. In my MA. That is insane!

Anyway, I am avoiding tasks by writing this right now. Oh, the irony. I'm gonna try and do those tasks now. Y'all take care. Cheers!

[rebel-by-default]

Overload

So I had a go at writing an autistic Peter Parker fic. I often headcanon Pete as autistic, and Tony so very clearly has ADHD it often surprises me it’s not canon (at least in the MCU). Anyway, the characters are probably way off, but I mostly wrote it for my own enjoyment. 

Peter should have known things were going to go wrong today, the day had been cursed from the start. Waking up 15 minutes before his train left for school, forgetting his headphones, and apparently losing every single fidget toy he owned. The train had been completely packed and overwhelming, the stench of too many people crammed into a small space, mixing with various breakfast foods and the background stink of New York Public Transport.

With nothing to fiddle with, Peter absentmindedly chewed at his hoodie strings, not realising until it was too late, that he had chewed on them far too aggressively. Holding his severed hoodie string in his hand, he sighed and resigned himself to a Bad Day.

By the time Peter trudged into school, he had given up on any hopes of masking as neurotypical. Hood up, sunglasses on and hands slammed tightly over his head, he knew he looked odd, but there was no way he’d make it to class without his hood up.

“Hey Peter! Excited for the Weekend?”

A hand tapped Peter on the shoulder and he jumped round, curbing his jump to something resembling normal human abilities at the last second. The owner of the hand, Ned, quickly pulled back, and lowered his voice.

“Are you having a Bad Day?”

Peter just nodded mutely.

“Here” Ned whispered, rummaging in his bag, “I’ve got some spare headphones. Figured it was always good to be prepared”.

Peter grimaced, but smiled in thanks, and quickly went to plug his headphones in. He had always been in awe of Ned’s complete understanding of all of his quirky behaviours, it was nice to have a friend who got it, and was completely supportive.

When Peter had decided to first tell Ned, he was terrified. Terrified that Ned, a certified weirdo, would find him just too strange, and no longer want to be his friend. It had happened before. Peter remembered the ‘friends’ before Midtown Tech, sneering when he didn’t get a joke, or laughing when he flung his hands over his ears at the sound of a siren. He had learnt to hate himself, to hate the word written all over his medical reports. Autism.

When he managed to move to Midtown, he thought things would be better, as a scientific school, he had hoped he would meet more like-minded people, but one wrong step had led to Eugene Thompson, Flash, deciding that he was the resident nutter. Although May always encouraged him to be open and proud about a part of himself, Autism became a dirty word. It took Peter an entire year to tell Ned, stood in the parking lot at the end of school, practically vibrating with anxiety. When he finally managed to stutter through an explanation, he stood poised for danger, as if ready to run from his expected mockery, but Ned had simply shrugged and said “huh”, before running straight into a monologue about a new Star Wars Lego Kit.

Since that day, Ned had asked Peter how best he could support him, and often carried around a spare pair of headphones or a fidget cube.

However, today, even the headphones weren’t enough. Feeling his heartbeat rising, Peter consciously tried to push it down, taking deep breaths. Walking to his first lesson of the day, he just hoped his teachers would see his discomfort and leave him alone. Unluckily for him, the chance of an easy time flew right out of the window when an unfamiliar figure walked through the door.

“Good morning Class. My name is Ms Atkinson.”

A middle-aged looking woman with long blonde hair tied into a tight ponytail walked into the room. Even with his headphones on, Peter could easily hear her.

“I’ll be covering for Mr Harrington today. But just because I am not your normal teacher doesn’t mean you will be able to get away with misbehaviour.”

Peter sighed, he knew the inevitable was coming, but basked in the relative comfort of his hood and headphones for a few more seconds.

Ms Atkinson’s rather shrill voice quickly cut through any last minute relaxation.

“Excuse me young man, do you think that is appropriate attire for a lesson?”

Ned was about to protest, but Peter threw him a look saying, “I can deal with it” and slowly removed his hood and headphones, squinting at the sudden brightness of the room. As Mrs Atkinson walked away, Ned surreptitiously handed Peter a stress ball, Peter responding with a brief smile of thanks.

However as the lesson progressed, Peter got more and more agitated, aggressively wiggling his leg under the table and chewing his pen to death. When the bell finally rang, he was sure he would feel a sense of relief, but instead a wave of dread washed over him. He had physics next. Physics with Flash.

 Physics started out okay. Mr Richards was surprisingly supportive, and allowed Peter to pull his headphones on once any explanations of the work had been given. The work was simple, and Peter finally began to relax, until he could feel a rhythmic poking behind him. Flash had elected to take up the desk behind him, and decided that the best method of torturing an overstimulated teen was to continually prod him with a pen. Peter kept trying to shift away, but each time Flash poked him with more force. The jabbing in his back was just one sensation too much, and Peter soon felt his body melt down into a puddle of panic.

Everything was too loud, too much. His hoodie itched, and his headphones were no longer a comfortable weight, but a crushing vice against his skull. Distantly, Peter recognised that he was now hyperventilating and aggressively flapping his hands by his face, but all he could feel was overwhelming panic. Desperately trying to calm himself down, peter prayed someone had noticed his distress and would remove him from the room.

Luckily his prayers were answered in the form of MJ. MJ? Oh god, MJ didn’t know, MJ didn’t know about “The Autism”. Peter’s panic increased further, what would she think of him now? She’d never want to be friends with a loser like Peter, especially now she knew he was defective. So blinded by this newfound fear, it wasn’t until he was seated in the Nurses office that he realised he had left the classroom. Pulling his hood over his eyes and clasping his hands to his ears, he curled into a tight ball on the hard, plastic chair. Even through his hands he could here the whispered conversation between MJ and the Nurse, and the faint ringing of a dial tone, meaning the Nurse was ringing May.

Peter knew May wouldn’t pick up. She had headed off this morning to spend a girly weekend in the Berkshires with her friends. Peter couldn’t begrudge her it, even when he so wished to have her calming presence right now. Since Ben’s death she had hardly given herself a chance to relax, and Peter was glad that her finding out about Spider-Man had allowed her to come to trust Tony, and take some time to reconnect with her friends. Right now, though, Peter just wished May was in Queens, and could come and take him back to the apartment. Instead…

Instead, the nurse hung up and began to ring Peter’s second emergency contact. Even through his hyperventilation, and MJ’s murmured reassurances next to him, Peter heard her small chuckle at the name. Of course she didn’t believe him. No one did.

Even so, she rang the number, and quickly began to explain the situation.

“Hello, I believe you are listed as Peter Parker’s second emergency contact?”

“I’m afraid he is having a difficult day and appears to be having a panic attack…”

“Yes, I’ll see you in five minutes, can I just take a name down?... Yes, there is a name next to the number, I just assumed it was a joke.

…

Apologies Mr Stark, I will have someone meet you outside the school in ten minutes”

Peter was momentarily calmed by the prospect of getting out of school, when the realisation struck him. Not only had MJ seen him like this, but now Mr Stark would too. How the hell would Peter ever be able to convince Mr Stark he is Avengers material if it gets out that he’s autistic. Peter just curled tighter into himself, attempting to prepare himself for his impending doom.

Peter was startled from his trance of panic when a large and calloused hand came to rest on his shoulder.

“Come on kid, lets have some breathing. I don’t think May would be impressed if I killed you on the first day of her weekend away.”

Peter took a shuddery breath, and registered the smell of engine oil and coffee. Mr Stark always smelt of oil and coffee, even when he had just showered. It was as if the smells were physically ingrained into his being, probably from overexposure. Miss Potts often jokes that Mr Stark’s blood is probably 70% coffee at this point. The smell was reassuring, and Peter’s breathing finally began to slow

“I think its best if we get you out of here. Do you think you can stand up?” Peter made a small whimpering noise, but nodded slowly and shakily made his way to his feet. Peter felt Mr Stark’s hand on his shoulder, and let him guide them both out of the School and into the back of a running car by the gates.

“Step on it Happy. Oh and put the window tints on, will you?” Tony said, before reaching into the side pocket of the car and pulling out a pair of ear defenders, placing them in Peter’s lap.

“I’d put them on for you, but I don’t want to touch you whilst you’re overloading. Think you can put them on?”

Peter looked at Tony inquisitively, before putting on the ear defenders and shutting his eyes. Finally able to really relax, Peter began to ponder just why Tony had a pair of what appeared to be enhanced ear defenders readily available, but he didn’t think for long before exhaustion hit him, and peter was out like a light.

When Peter woke again, it was to a light tapping on his shoulder, and the sound of a voice muffled by headphones.

“Come on kiddo, I’ll leave you alone again once you’re inside” said tony, handing peter a pair of sunglasses before turning to head towards the tower entrance. Peter slid on the glasses and followed closely behind, passing through the noisy foyer to the private elevator at the back as quickly as possible.

Peter waited for the customary order of “Penthouse please Fri”, but was instead surprised by tony softly requesting the communal floor. The lift rose silently and soon they were stepping out into the open kitchen and lounge. Tony placed his hand on the small of peter’s back, gently pushing him towards a corridor to the left of the lounge, one peter rarely went down. They walked all the way to the end, before Tony opened a door to a cool, dark room.

The room was only lit by a line of warm, low lights on the back wall. Against that wall, peter could see a pile of blankets, as well as a bucket of various fidget toys and stress balls. Why did Tony have all this? Oh god, maybe May told him about “the Autism”. Peter’s breath started to pick up and he could feel his fist beating out a staccato against his thigh. How the hell could he ever look at Mr Stark again? Would Mr Stark ever let him be an avenger?

A voice cut through Peter’s panicked haze.

“you going to go inside? Not much point in a sensory room if you just stand in the doorway hyperventilating kiddo”

Tony was right, as soon as Peter stepped inside, he calmed a little. The room was quiet and still, and Peter felt just comfortable enough to snatch a blanket, that appeared to be weighted, from the pile and throw it around himself. Huddling under his newfound covers, he raised his head, expecting a sneering glance or disappointment from his pseudo father figure.

Instead he just found eyes full of caring, and a question on Tony’s lips.

“Want me to stay?”

Peter nodded, before looking back down into his lap, and slowly rocking back and forth, processing the day’s emotions.

It only took about 45 minutes before Peter was feeling ready to move again. And feeling very hungry. After the third monstrous stomach rumble, he heard Tony chuckle beside him.

“Honestly kid, I’m starting to think you’ve smuggled a dragon into my tower under that hoodie.”

Peter giggled quietly, before braving a response.

“Can we have pancakes?” he asked, voice gravelly from a day of no use.

“Sure”, Tony replied, groaning as he stood up from his place on the floor and began to stretch his legs, “although I haven’t made pancakes since the time Vision wanted to learn how to fry things. There’s still burn marks in the kitchen. So this could be… interesting”

Peter laughed again, before throwing a wry grin up at Tony.

“The good news is Mr Stark, when you get pancakes stuck on the ceiling again, I can get it down before Pepper comes home!”

“You watch that cheek kiddo, or I’ll let Dum-E make your meals from now on.”

Later, with pancakes eaten, Aunt May kept in the loop, and Star Wars playing quietly on the penthouse lounge’s television, Peter’s curiosity finally outweighed his fears.

“Why do you have a sensory room?”

Peter stared intently at Tony, watching him formulate a response, terrified of what he was about to hear. Terrified of Tony saying that May had told him everything, or that he’d read Peter’s medical reports. Terrified that this was the moment where Tony would reveal that he had never intended to let Peter join the team, that he was just too broken to be an Avenger. Peter was expecting many responses, dreading most of them, but he didn’t expect Tony to say it was for himself.

“Do you know what ADHD is Pete? I’m sure you know enough to get an idea.

Anyway, I have ADHD, only got diagnosed about ten years ago when Pep pointed out that it wasn’t normal to spend 36 hours hyper-focused on a project without eating or sleeping, and then be unable to concentrate through a 10-minute presentation that was vital to the running of my company. Add in a plethora of sensory difficulties and complete time blindness, and you get Tony Stark, ADHD”

There was a pause, before Tony continued.

“Anyway, you looked like I do when everything is a bit too much, I thought chances are, the same techniques would make life a little bit easier.”

Peter turned to Tony, taking a deep breath, and beginning his own reveal.

“I have Autism” he said, looking down at his hands, where he was fiddling with the corner of a cushion, “Usually I can handle everything just fine, but its been even harder since the bite. But I promise I can handle being Spider-Man! I promise I can still be a superhero! I’m not useless I swear!” beginning to stress again, peter pulled his knees up to his face and began to rock again, before forcing himself to stop. He hated when he stimmed in public, he felt so weak. Why had he told Mr Stark? He’d sealed his fate now, Mr Stark would just see him as a weirdo like everyone else did! Looking up at Tony expectantly, he expected to see a look of disgust or disappointment, instead Mr Stark just seemed to smile softly.

“Yeah, I thought you might, Clint’s autistic too, and you remind me of him sometimes. You actually picked up his favourite weighted blanket back in the sensory room earlier. He’s nicknamed it Sylvester. God knows why.”

“Wait, Clint is autistic? And he’s allowed to be an Avenger?”

Tony raised an eyebrow, “Of course he is? Did you think the Avengers would turn away a super-spy because he also happens to have Autism? Jesus Christ kid, who’s told you to be embarrassed of who you are?”

Peter shrugged. Aunt May had always told him to be proud of himself, that being different is not a bad thing, and his autism was just a part of him that he should love like every other part of him. Aunt May had always indulged his special interests, and had never stopped him from stimming, but that didn’t stop the people at school from putting him down. After being called a weirdo for most of his school career, it was difficult not to believe it himself. After all, if being autistic wasn’t a bad thing, why had he been endlessly mocked for it?

“Listen kid”, Tony began, once again cutting through the flood of thoughts in Peter’s mind. “Autism isn’t a bad thing. It’s just a thing. Sometimes it gives you benefits, I bet your abilities in chemistry come from years as your special interest, don’t they?”

Peter nodded.

“Sometimes, it can make life a little more difficult, but we find ways forwards. There is nothing wrong with neurodivergence. It’s not bad, it’s not a defect, it just is. It’s a part of who you are, Pete, and it’s a part of you that you should be proud of. Its certainly not something you need to hide. I’ve seen you stuff your stim toys to the bottom of your bag when you come to the tower, you have nothing to hide here.”

Tony wrapped his arm around the teenager’s shoulders reassuringly, and Peter leaned into the embrace, returning his attention to the film on screen. A little while later, as his eyes were beginning to droop, and the exhaustion of the day yet again crept up on him, he smiled a soft smile and whispered “thanks dad” as quietly as he could manage.

Peter thought he had uttered the words so quietly that Tony couldn’t have noticed, but the last thing he heard before drifting off to sleep, was an equally soft “you’re welcome, kid”, and a slight tightening of Tony’s hug around him.

He was safe, he was sound, and… he was asleep.

[emedhelp]

Doctors Explain How Hiking Actually Changes Our Brains

Three simple steps you can take to clear blocked sinuses that seem to work for many people.

Having clogged sinuses isn’t fun. You can’t breath, you can’t smell, your head hurts, and your voice sounds funny. Finding relief when you have clogged sinuses is usually like finding a million dollars on the ground — it’s amazing!

The causes for nasal congestion can range greatly, and you don’t have to be sick to be congested. Many people will experience congestion from allergies, temperatures, dust, smoking, spicy food, and air particles.

Recently I was at Contact in the Desert in California and I found myself having clogged sinuses from the blowing sand and dry air. Within two days, I couldn’t breathe at all out of one side of my nose and my sinuses got blocked up, causing my face and head to hurt. I needed a solution.

After trying to blow my nose over and over again, I turned to the internet for relief. Sure enough, Google came through.

I found a video by Dr. Adam that quickly and easily explained how to clear sinuses in about one minute using just your fingers — and no, they don’t have to go in your nose. Sure enough, I had relief from the pain the blockage was causing, and I could breathe!

How to Clear Your Sinuses Fast!

You simply need to sit down and get your hands ready for the following steps. The video below offers a visual demonstration, so I recommend checking that out too.

2. Take your index fingers, locate the hard, bony part of the upper sides of your nose, and move downward toward the soft part on the side of your nose where the bone ends. Begin massaging this area in a circular motion with as much pressure as you can for about 20 seconds. Once completed, rub the muscles from the side of your nose down and toward your cheekbones to relax them.

3. Take your index fingers and run them under the inside orbit bone above your eyes until you find a notch in the bone called the super orbital notch. It is usually just above the centre of the eye. Massage that notch in a circular motion with as much pressure as you can handle for about 20 seconds. Once done, massage your forward with both hands starting in the centre of your forehead and pulling outwards towards your temples.

That’s it! Once you have gone through this process you should notice a lot of relief in your sinuses and should be able to blow your nose quite easily. You may have to repeat this process again, but play with it and see what works for you.

Below is a video from Dr. Adam explaining the entire process. I have also included another helpful method that worked well for me as well.

This method is simpler but may not be as effective for everyone. As always, do what works best for you.

1. Push your tongue flat into the roof of your mouth, with decent pressure, for one second.

3. Alternate between steps one and two over and over again for about 20-30 seconds. Note: You are not pressing the points at the same time, simply alternating between them.

Repeat this process as necessary to help clear your sinuses.

If you’ve had blocked sinuses, you probably don’t want it to happen often, so prevention is the key! Here are a few ways you can avoid blocked sinuses.

Eat a well-balanced diet – Eating healthy foods promotes good health. What you put into your body to digest is what determines your health. If you want your immune system working well, take care with quality food and keep your gut performing well.

Get regular exercise – Regular exercise also helps improve overall health and the immune system.

Quit smoking – It goes without saying, but cigarettes are not good for us and the smoke can irritate sinuses.

Use a humidifier – If you find your house dry, use a humidifier to help dampen the air. You can also hop in a warm shower and breathe in the steam. It’s best to use a chlorine filter on your shower head so you aren’t breathing in toxic chemicals from chlorine.

Keep a clean home – Dust and poor air quality can also cause blocked sinuses. Vacuum and wipe down surfaces of your home regularly. Decrease clutter and areas where dust can collect and stay.

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), considered a neurobiological condition, is an often “long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions), and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.” Although the specific obsessions and compulsions vary widely from person to person, the common denominator is that they “create stress and interfere with daily life.”

U.S. researchers estimate that OCD affects 1%-2% of children and up to 3% of adolescents and adults. The current lifetime prevalence estimate of around 2.7% is 54 times higher than the estimated pre-1980s prevalence (for the U.S. population as a whole) of around 0.05% (1 in 2000). In a retrospective hospital-based study that looked at OCD prevalence over time, researchers who examined psychiatric discharge diagnoses from 1969 to 1990 reported that something changed in the 1980s, with a marked increase in the frequency of OCD diagnoses over the decade.

Reflecting the disorder’s growing prominence, the American Psychiatric Association’s 2013 diagnostic manual revisions eliminated OCD as a subcategory of “anxiety disorders” and gave the diagnosis its own category of “obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.” OCD experts now urge busy neurologists “to be aware of OCD…and to have a high index of suspicion for this disorder.”

OCD is just one of numerous neurodevelopmental disorders that have gone from relatively rare to common since the late 1980s—over the same time frame in which the childhood vaccine schedule exploded. There are at least three reasons to suspect a potential vaccine-OCD link:

As Duke University researchers have stated, “the immune system, both in the central nervous system (CNS) and in the periphery, is crucial in shaping and influencing normal brain functions, and any disruption of immune function could adversely impact the brain too.”

Not only OCD

Studies show that OCD is more severe when it is early-onset; when diagnosed before puberty, children have “a longer duration of illness [and] higher rates of comorbid tics” as well as more frequent compulsions and greater psychosocial difficulties. In addition to comorbid tics, OCD often presents alongside autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other diagnoses that are not only increasingly common in American children but often persist into adulthood. In a study of adults with OCD, three out of four (75%) had one or more other neuropsychiatric diagnoses. Researchers also believe that some types of OCD may be closely related to PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections).

Compared to girls, boys tend toward a greater neuroinflammatory response, reflecting sex differences in how the brain’s principal immune cells (the microglia) function. This may be one of the reasons why early-onset OCD is two to three times more common in boys. (In early adulthood, however, OCD symptoms appear more frequently in women.) In this respect, OCD is no different from a number of other neurodevelopmental and health conditions, including ASD, that also disproportionately affect boys.

The Yale study

In 2017, researchers from the Yale Child Study Center published a retrospective case-control study in Frontiers in Psychiatry that considered a possible association between prior vaccination and increased incidence of seven neuropsychiatric disorders, including OCD. Recall that at the start of the 1980s, children received three vaccines for seven illnesses (totaling two dozen doses by age 18), whereas fully vaccinated children now get almost six dozen doses for sixteen conditions.

The Yale researchers looked at a national sample of privately insured children and adolescents (ages 6-15) for the six-year period from January 2002 through December 2007. They found that for four diagnoses—OCD, anorexia nervosa, anxiety disorder and tic disorder—the affected children were more likely than matched controls to have received a flu shot in the preceding 12 months. In addition:

All three vaccines marketed in the U.S. for hepatitis A—GlaxoSmithKline’s Havrix and Twinrix and Merck’s Vaqta—list anorexia as adverse reactions reported during clinical trials. The Yale authors considered the “high comorbidity rates” between OCD and anorexia significant and also highlighted that OCD and anorexia have a number of “immune-mediated mechanisms” in common.

OCD is also frequently comorbid with a variety of autoimmune diseases. A recent Swedish study reported that individuals with OCD had a 43% increased risk of any autoimmune disease (compared to those without OCD), and “significantly elevated” risks for autoimmune conditions “across all organ systems”:

Beware the adjuvants

Given the extensive overlap between OCD and autoimmunity, the growing body of research that links vaccine adjuvants to autoimmunity is relevant for OCD. In fact, adjuvants—intended to intensify the immune response to a vaccine (immunogenicity)—present vaccine makers with a dilemma: “[I]ncreased vaccine reactogenicity [adverse reactions to vaccination] is the inevitable price for improved immunogenicity.”

Pointing to their influenza vaccination findings, the authors of the Yale study note that six European countries and China linked H1N1 influenza vaccination in 2009 to autoimmune narcolepsy, and some speculated that the H1N1 vaccine’s adjuvant—a squalene-based oil emulsion called AS03—was the culprit. Researchers caution:

A major recurring concern is the potential association between oil emulsion adjuvants and autoimmune disease induction as seen in animal and fish models. A single intradermal injection of a range of oil emulsions, including squalene emulsions, induces adjuvant arthritis in susceptible murine and rat models. […] There is a theoretical risk that any humans who share similar genetic susceptibility features to these models could similarly be prone to develop adjuvant arthritis, lupus, autoimmune hepatitis, uveitis or some other form of autoimmune disease after exposure to oil emulsion adjuvants alone or when combined with other potent innate immune activators [emphasis added].

Aluminum-based vaccine adjuvants—and especially the proprietary AAHS [amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate] adjuvant that Merck includes in its Gardasil 9, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines—are also a prominent suspect in the autoimmunity epidemic. Researchers who compared AAHS to two other types of aluminum adjuvants found that AAHS was “substantially” different from the other two in revving up the immune system. As Italian researchers have stated, “the specific mechanism of action of each single adjuvant may have different effects on the course of different diseases.”

Hear no evil, see no evil

Pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is a “first-line” treatment for OCD; because remission is uncommon, “long-term management is often necessary.” Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline—two of the four companies that lead the U.S. vaccine market—make some of the top-selling SSRIs prescribed for individuals with OCD; the two pharma behemoths completed a joint venture in 2019 to integrate their consumer health care businesses. From their point of view, OCD represents an attractive market.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, the federal government and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program turned down citizen requests to add asthma, autism, tics and several neuropsychiatric disorders—including PANDAS—to the Program’s Vaccine Injury Table. The feds’ refusal was not terribly surprising: very few new injuries have made it onto the Table since the Program came into being in 1986, despite the large number of vaccines piled onto the childhood schedule after that year. The government’s resolute refusal to conduct needed studies and its denial of even the possibility of vaccine culpability for conditions such as OCD leaves individuals no choice but to ferret out answers on their own.

Sign up for free news and updates from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Children’s Health Defense. CHD is planning many strategies, including legal, in an effort to defend the health of our children and obtain justice for those already injured. Your support is essential to CHD’s successful mission.

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[thepracticemk]

Pathological Demand Avoidance

Pathological Demand Avoidance, PDA

Recently we have been asked by a number of parents if we can assess and diagnose Pathological Demand Avoidance or PDA as its easier to know.  We thought, given the clear rise in the attention it is receiving we should explain what it is and how, or if, it can be assessed and diagnosed.

History and Profile

Dr Elizabeth Newson, a developmental psychologist, focused her work with autism during the 1970’s.  In 1994 she was made a professor of developmental psychology in Nottingham where she used her inaugural lecture to discuss PDA, as a sub type of autism.

PDA can be thought of as a behavioural profile that is sometimes identified with individuals who are being assessed for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).   PDA is not universally accepted, however, which we will explain further on in this post.

PDA is best understood as an anxiety driven need to be in control and avoid other people’s demands and expectations.

Although not everyone will display the same traits, the distinctive features of PDA in children show them to:

Resist and avoid the ordinary demands of life

Use social strategies as part of avoidance, eg distracting, giving excuses

Appear sociable, but lack understanding

Experience excessive mood swings and impulsivity

Appear comfortable in role play and pretence

Display obsessive behaviour that is often focused on other people.   

People with this profile can appear controlling and dominating, especially when they feel anxious. However, when in control they can be charming, relaxed and engage positively with others around them. 

Recently, more children having been assessed for either ASD or ADHD are walking away with labels of PDA, but not all.   It would appear only some experienced clinicians involved in neurodevelopmental are happy to identify and apply the behavioural profile.

Why is PDA not listed in either ICD 10 or DSM V and does it have to be in order for it to be diagnosed?

Answering both these questions will inevitably divide opinion amongst health care professionals, clinicians and readers.

"In 2014 a petition to the UK parliament was created asking for PDA to become a diagnosable condition.  It received only 2,248 votes.  "  -- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/57807

Firstly, it is useful for us to explain that PDA is not a clinical condition or disorder that appears in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition or The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders and so cannot be ‘diagnosed’.  

For those who are unaware of either of these concepts:

DSM is what the Americans use to diagnose mental conditions or disorders, its publication is currently in its fifth revision, hence DSM V is commonly heard.

ICD 10, a publication produced by the World Health Organisation (WHO), contains codes for diseases, signs and symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances, and external causes of injury or diseases.  It is used throughout the international community including the UK and most of Europe.  It is different to DSM V in that it covers health as a whole compared to just mental disorders classified by the US.

A study involving Psychiatrists from 66 different countries found that ICD was used more often for Clinical Diagnosis while DSM was used more for research.

To avoid becoming distracted on a completely different topic we shall move on to discussing more about PDA, however please read our post on ICD 10 and DSM V if you would like to know more.

Assessment for PDA

There is no specific PDA assessment process and it is unlikely the NHS in the UK will develop such a specific pathway, instead, opting to refer individuals for an autism diagnostic assessment.  It is usually during this assessment process that PDA can be accurately identified.

Diagnosing children with ASD with PDA as a behavioural profile has been a recent development and not all autism diagnostic teams will be happy to provide parents with both labels. The National Autistic Society has recently made clear their thoughts on PDA becoming a recognised behavioural profile under the autism spectrum and explains the benefits of doing so.

It has been shown to:

Help people with PDA and their families to understand why they experience certain difficulties and what they can do about them

Allow people to access services, support and appropriate advice about strategies

Avoid incorrect assumptions and diagnoses, such as Personality Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia (although a person might have these as well)

Inform local authorities and schools about the importance of providing support and using appropriate PDA strategies and interventions, which differ to those that benefit others on the autism spectrum. This helps to avoid school exclusion. 

As PDA is not officially recognised in either ICD 10 or DSM V it is unlikely to be ‘diagnosed’ as a mental health condition, illness, or anything else.

There has been some movement in developing PDA specific screening tools, namely the ‘Extreme Demand Avoidance Questionnaire’ (EDA-Q).  This questionnaire containing 26 questions is a measure designed to quantify traits of extreme ‘pathological’ demand avoidance (PDA) in children aged 5-17, on the basis of parent or teacher-report.

The validity study of the screening tool involved data from 326 parents and showed potential for its development, however we would recommend that it should not be relied upon as a strong indicator without direct observation of the child and the use of more widely accepted assessment tools more commonly used in autism diagnostics.

NHS Position

Each NHS trust may differ slightly with their position on PDA.  A freedom of information request to NHS Grampion in September 2016 asked several questions relating to PDA, including:

Does NHS Grampian have any specific policy regarding the diagnosis of PDA?

Does NHS Grampian have any policy that would discourage or restrict clinicians from diagnosing conditions not currently described in lCD I0?

Its response:

NHS Grampian can advise that we do not have a specific policy regarding the diagnosis of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). NHS Grampian can advise that we do not have a policy that would discourage or restrict clinicians from diagnosing conditions not currently described in lCD I DSM guidance or other similar documents.

Another FOI request to South Essex NHS in November 2014 asked:

Does your trust have any specific policy regarding the diagnosis of Pathological demand avoidance syndrome? If so, please enclose a relevant copy.

Response:

No

Does your trust have any policy that would discourage or restrict clinicians from diagnosing conditions not described in the ICD, DSM, NICE guidanceor other similar documents? If so please enclose a copy of the relevant policy.

Response:

No

How many children have been diagnosed as having Pathological demand avoidance syndrome by child and adolescent psychiatrists based in Bedfordshire?

Response:

None

Please list all child and adolescent psychiatrists who have diagnosed Pathological demand avoidance syndrome.

Response:

None

Autism and PDA

People with a PDA behaviour profile share difficulties with others on the autism spectrum in social communication, social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests.

It likely that clinicians and healthcare professionals will continue to refer individuals suspected of PDA for an autism diagnostic assessment.  This is the current practice for nearly all NHS trusts that we know of and we would recommend the same for any clinicians practising privately in this field.  It is during this process that PDA is most likely to be identified and if appropriate, provided as a behavioural profile only.

Case Study

Recently within our own practice we diagnosed an adolescent with ASD.  This was following a multi-disciplinary assessment involving a clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist who specialises in autism diagnostics and an educational Psychologist over four, two hour appointments.  Aside from the full clinical interview with the individual and parents, standardised assessments used included:

Autism Diagnostic Interview, revised

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2

Social Responsiveness Scale 2

Gilliam Autism Rating Scale 3

Full cognitive based assessment using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, 2nd addition and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th addition.

Additional assessment tools which included personality disorder screening.

A diagnosis of ASD was given along with attachment disorder.  It is worth pointing out that the individual had been adopted following abuse within their early childhood.  Detailed recommendations were provided which included the management of ‘melt downs’ and violent outbursts.  Of course this is just a tiny extract of the conclusion in this case following a lengthy assessment process.

What is interesting is that 6 months later we were informed that a further "clear diagnosis" of PDA had been given by another clinician, the result of which had led to a reported improvement with managing the individuals behaviour at home.

Did we miss something?  Speaking with our team they believe not.  In this case based on the time spent with the individual, the detailed clinical interviews and the number of standardised evidenced based assessments (widely used and respected globally) a diagnosis of ASD was correct (and not disputed by the clinician).

Whilst PDA may have been provided by the clinician as a behavioural profile, it was clearly not explained correctly (or the parents misunderstood) as they now believe PDA to be the primary diagnosis and not ASD.

On one hand it could be said that it is not the diagnosis that is important in this case but the management of the individual’s aggressive and disruptive behaviour within the family. If by having a label of PDA this improves the ability to manage the behaviours then maybe we need to engage in further research of PDA and explore how our recommendations may be influenced by applying this label with future clients.

What was clear from the case is that the clinician did not fully explain PDA to the parents and left them confused by thinking they were completely separate disorders.  It may have helped if the clinician had contacted us and asked us to contribute to the additional work being undertaken with the family, we would have been more than happy to provide the detailed notes and raw assessment data that the team recorded.

Conclusion

It would seem, to receive a 'diagnosis' or behavioural profile of PDA, very much depends on the individual clinician on whether they choose to apply a specific label of PDA to an individual or not.

Note I am using the word ‘label’ not ‘diagnosis’

This highlights the risk that in the absence of specific training, evidence based and reliable assessments and a universally accepted condition, individuals could be mislabelled, and even with a label of PDA, many other health care professionals or in the case of children, Local Authority’s, can reject the condition.  This can result in a lack of funded support for those who may, for example require an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

It can also lead to confusion for parents when trying to seek additional support from healthcare providers as there is no clear guidance issued by NICE, the NHS or any other public body on what the recommended support for PDA is.

PDA is not currently recognised as a mental health disorder or illness in the UK and so by having the profile applied, it is unlikely to help individuals apply for additional financial or health care based support. 

It is however, becoming increasingly recognised as a behavioural profile within the neurodevelopmental community and in certain cases may benefit clients by understanding the profile and how to manage it.  While the PDA profile has been found to be relatively uncommon, we would agree that it’s important to recognise and understand the distinct behaviour profile as it may have implications for the way a person is best supported.

Notes for the Editor

The Practice MK is a private multi-disciplinary psychological practice in Milton Keynes that specialises in Autism Spectrum Conditions

The article was produced by Dominic Goodsell, Director and Practice Manager but in collaboration with its Clinical Director, Katherine Goodsell who specialises in Autism. 

The Practice MK has 16 Associates working in the fields of psychology and delivers counselling, therapy, educational and psychological assessments.  It also delivers a specialist trauma clinic and therapetuic adoption and fostering service.

References

Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance syndrome in children. Christie, Duncan, Fidler & Healey (2011).

Mezzich, Juan E. (2002). "International Surveys on the Use of ICD-10 and Related Diagnostic Systems"

http://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/pda.aspx

O’Nions, E., Christie, P., Gould, J., Viding, E. & Happé, F. (2013)

Development of the ’Extreme Demand Avoidance Questionnaire’ (EDA-Q): Preliminary observations on a trait measure for Pathological Demand Avoidance, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

[moffittsccc-blog]

Research Paper

Dylan Moffitt

Professor McCulloch

10 December 2018

Final Research Paper

Marijuana Legalization

Despite being around for centuries, marijuana and its use, in America, is just now receiving a substantial amount of attention over the benefits we are just discovering about the substance. Although the plant is classified as a schedule one drug, there are many valid reasons into why this plant should be legalized for both recreational and medical use but with a few modifications. Since now that medical marijuana has become so popular within the last decade, many new truths about this drug are being discovered that has many benefitting factors for people with both minor and severe illnesses. Today, marijuana is legal for recreational use in eleven states and legal for medical use in twenty three states, and more states are following suit because of the medical benefits it possess. The legalization of marijuana would also act as a boom to our economy, having a positive impact on both the local and federal economy. It would also completely reform the prison system, freeing the people convicted of marijuana charges and being able to focus that money on something else like the opioid crisis.

Since about 2700 B.C, marijuana has been used to treat many medical conditions. We know this from descriptions of many therapeutic properties that marijuana possess that is “in the world's oldest compendium of medicines and drug preparations, the Chinese pharmacopeia known as the Pen Ts'ao Ching. The ancient Chinese appeared to have used cannabis for pain and as an anesthetic for surgery, for constipation, beriberi (thiamine or vitamin B1 deficiency), menstrual cramps and labor pains, malaria, gout, and absent mindedness” (Kane 1). Many other civilizations including the African, Middle Eastern, and Arabian also studied the effects and benefits of marijuana and in their societies, proved it helped with fever, blood poisoning, anthrax, snake bites, malaria, fluid retention, gout, gastrointestinal discomfort, toothaches, earaches, asthma, dysentery, epileptic seizures, and according to an Arabian medical text in the year A.D. 1000, to "clean the brain,” (Kane 2). In the 1800’s many herbalists and scientists utilized the plant of marijuana in many ways, such as smoking it, inhaling it, and ingesting it. The benefits gained from these actions were crucial to their day to day life due to lack of industrialized medicine at that time.

Marijuana, like stated earlier, is considered to be a schedule one drug. The schedule one type of drugs include heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy - which alone kills “72,000 people a year” according to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, as of 2017. When looking such a drastic number of people that die from drug overdoses, it is important to notice that not one death was linked to a marijuana overdose. With marijuana being a less lethal drug than the other schedule one types, it also holds a lot of benefiting factors for people struggling with illnesses including epilepsy, Alzheimer's, and cancer. According to CNN, for epilepsy, ‘’Medical marijuana extract in early trials at the NYU Langone Medical Center showed a 50% reduction in the frequency of certain seizures in children and adults in a study of 213 patients recently.’’ Marijuana also  exhibited positive effects for slowing the development of Alzheimer's in patients. When using medical marijuana, in one cell study researchers found it, “slowed the progress of protein deposits in the brain. Scientists think these proteins may be part of what causes Alzheimer's.” More studies have also shown that for cancer patients, “certain marijuana extracts may kill certain cancer cells. Other cell studies show it may stop cancer growth, and with mice, THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, improved the impact of radiation on cancer cells.” With all of the new studies that have been done pertaining to the positive effects of medical marijuana aspects, it is hard to keep marijuana illegal.

In 2012, there was a case study performed on a six year old boy named Jayden who suffered from Dravet syndrome, a rare catasphrophic form of childhood seizures. Before Jayden started using medical marijuana, he was not able to eat solid food, take baths, or walk on his own. He would experience seizures so frequently that he had been rushed to the hospital 44 times by ambulance. Jayden's father decided to try and give him medical marijuana and it worked substantially. By giving him the extracts, little Jayden went a day without seizures, for the first time since he was four months old. The cannabis that his father decided to give him is an extract from the marijuana plant that contains cbd opposed of the thc formula. The CBD that is contained in marijuana is a non-psychoactive form of marijuana does not get you high but instead grants many medical benefits. With a severe case like young Jayden’s, the medical extracts proved to help him with his seizures greatly and continues to show results for others in a range of other mild to chronic diseases. “Colorado has 45 registered users under age 18, Oregon reports 56 child users and Montana has 55. DeAngelo says children with severe autism, epilepsy, ADHD and cancer can be helped by medicinal marijuana. But those sick children, says DeAngelo, often face barriers to accessing marijuana,” (Lah 3). Many scientists believe that on these facts alone, laws regarding medical marijuana are essentially outdated rules that need to be changed on the federally, so more children like Jayden could have a chance in receiving proper treatment for their illnesses.

Marijuana is also known to help those with chronic and severe pain exponentially. My father who has had nine total surgeries on his knee, one total knee replacement, and two revisions, utilizes medical marijuana for the great benefits it carries for him. He was addicted to opiod painkillers for years and recently detoxed and quit off of them with the help of doctors and New Jerseys medical marijuana program. When smoking marijuana, it helps get his mind off of the pain and also helps him get through with day to day routines. He constantly says that more and more people should be utilizing medical marijuana to help get off of opioid painkillers and if you suffer from chronic pains like he has. If the country legalized marijuana, similar people to my father could be treated to help detox off of painkillers and help with the terrible chronic pains that they deal with.

Alongside benefiting those with mild to chronic illnesses, marijuana also greatly helps those with mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Millions of Americans suffer from anxiety and depression and could lead to thoughts of suicide, not wanting to leave his/her house, or even go to work. Many of these people are often prescribed xanax and antidepressants which are known to become very addictive and deadly. Medicinal and recreational marijuana would help these people by making them being able to relax to treat anxiety, improve appetite which is known to decrease while depressed, and would be able to help those suffering to be mind free of the pains they may experiencing from said mental related illnesses. “There are dozens of strains available today that have been cultivated especially to target depression. Patches, edibles, and strains can all be used throughout the day or during specific times to help you emotionally when you need it the most,” (Smith 3). If more and more states hopped on board to legalize medical and recreational marijuana, more people could get there hands on what they need in order to overcome their mental illness and live a healthy life.

From a prominent study at the University of Buffalo’s Research Institute, they have found that when  “people are emotionally stressed, they produce less endocannabinoids.. meaning the compounds in our brain that are responsible for regulating our moods. When there is less endocannabinoid production in the brain, this is when people tend to suffer more anxiety, depression, and stress,” (Smith 1). In a sense, we all have natural cannabis in our bodies that are called endocannabinoids that when smoking marijuana, are increased and stimulated through the THC and the CBD found in marijuana. Allowing people suffering with mental illnesses with depression and anxiety to use medical or recreational marijuana would help them interact with their chemical imbalance to eventually help them overcome their illness.

The CBD found in Marijuana could also potentially treat animals such as canines. Since marijuana is still registered as a class one drug, the studies for CBD treating animals is just starting to catch the scientific eye within the last few years. “A survey study conducted by AHVMA has reported that 61.8% to 95% of pet owners have endorsed the health benefits of CBD-laced treats, ranging from ‘moderate to excellent’. Some of the medical conditions that were relieved by these edible treats include pain, nervous system problems, inflammation, anxiety, nausea and/or vomiting, digestive system problems, tumors, seizures/convulsions, skin problems and phobias, including fireworks or thunderstorm phobias,” (Janakiraman). If marijuana became legal in all states across America, the overall impact of the economy would be a positive in itself. With the government able to tax the plant for both medical and recreational use, it would bring in a lot of money to strengthen both the state and federal economies. Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marijuana for both medical and recreational use and it is shown that “In a landmark report out of the Colorado State University-Pueblo's Institute of Cannabis Research, researchers found that a taxed and regulated cannabis industry contributed more than $58 million to the local economy,” (Zhang). If marijuana was legalized nationwide in all 50 states, both the economy and job industry would boost substantially. According to Forbes, “Legalizing marijuana on the federal level could result in an additional $105.6 billion between 2017 and 2025, according to a new report from the cannabis analytics firm New Frontier. That figure includes projections for business tax revenues, payroll withholdings, and a 15% sales tax. Meanwhile, fully legalizing cannabis today would add 654,000 jobs and up to 1 million jobs by 2025.” The marijuana revenue would also completely take over the rest of the market including big tobacco industries and the alcohol industry. “Reports finds that marijuana is already pulling in tax revenue at three times the rate of the alcohol industry. By 2020, the firm expects marijuana taxes to outstrip cigarette taxes as a revenue-generator as well,” (Ingraham 3).  Jobs would be created solely in the marijuana industry that relies on people to do everything to cultivating, marketing, lawyers, contracts, growers, etc.

If marijuana becomes legalized in the United States, there would also have to be a huge prison reform condemning the victims of a victimless crime. In 2010 about eight million people were arrested under marijuana charges and about eight percent of that group are serving sentences for simply possessing marijuana. The taxpayer money that goes into the prison system keeps climbing and climbing due to the constant flow of inmates being convicted. “In the year 2014, Johnson County, Kansas had around 693 inmates. There are around 574,272 people in total who live in this county. They spend an estimated $191.95 per inmate per day and meaning that each and every resident is essentially paying $82 every year for jail,” (Jenness 1.) If you look at those numbers, you can conclude that a total of about 50 inmates in each prison are incarcerated because of marijuana charges and costs taxpayers $4,592 dollars a year just to keep them in prison. If people serving prison for marijuana charges gets released, then that taxpayer money could possibly help funding for the opioid crisis that our country is now faced with.

Teenagers also faced with serving time in juvie for marijuana charges are also faced with a new problem. If a teenager gets picked up for having an ounce of marijuana on them in a non-legal state and faces jail or juvie time, it could potentially ruin that teenagers whole life. They are now faced with a lifetime criminal conviction and hardships of  possibly not being able to hold a job and being stereotyped. Teenagers serving time for only marijuana charges are now in the prison system and could possibly convert to criminal ideology from serving time and be made out to be the criminal he was not supposed to be. They have a higher risk of returning to prison and costs taxpayers even more money to keep these kids locked up for marijuana charges.

The legalization of marijuana would lead to both medical advancements/benefits and would have a very positive impact on the American economy which would lead to many more jobs and more revenue in local towns and states. Legalizing marijuana would lead to the reform of the prison system ultimately creating more revenue for taxpayers money. It has been proven that marijuana helps with severe illnesses like cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's in which it slows down the development for such illnesses and also helps with people suffering from chronic pain and suffering from mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. Marijuana to this day has had no deaths from overdose, but is still a schedule one type drug alongside with heroin and cocaine which both possess no medical benefit.

When looking across the United States of America, it is evident what morals some states hold higher than others. Of the 50 states, only 31 states, and Washington DC, have legalized marijuana, yet 35 states have legalized the death penalty. This shows that in America, our government is worried about ridding “the bad” in the world - by killing - yet are objecting to rid “the bad” when it comes to diseases, ailments, and disorders, all of which could be helped by the use of this single plant that has been used, reliably, for thousands of years.

Going off of this, it is important to notice the political turmoil our country has been faced with for decades in regards to the matter of the legalization of marijuana. Once Richard Nixon began the war on drugs, it was a huge divide for many across America, and still continues to be to this day. Not only does it divide us politically, but it has our country suffering financially as well. At the start of the war on drugs, about six hundred thousand dollars was put into this cause, but it has grown to be an upward of 15 billion dollars - per year. Upon the legalization of weed, America would be saving billions of dollars and have it to put to use in much more important dire needs, such as feeding and sheltering the homeless, rather than fighting an unnecessary war on a drug that has been proven itself for centuries to do more good than harm, by far.

For thousands of years the plant of marijuana has been utilized in many more ways than one and has been considered, for centuries, to be much greater than a recreational drug. In the days before medicine was advanced and industrialized, before there was a pill to treat just about every known ailment, this natural plant was a saving grace. Somehow along the way, people lost sight of the medical benefits and became convinced that this plant was more a drug and less a tool in the field of medicine. It is clear that the legalization of marijuana would greatly benefit human population medically, emotionally, financially, and even on the front of crimes. If our government took this issue as seriously as that of abortion and or the death penalty, marijuana would have been legalized long, long ago, yet we continue to fight this war on drugs - doing more harm than good. For such a simple solution - a federal bill to be passed - this controversy continues to be quite long and drawn out as well as put a large damper on the general public and the as well the politics in America - divided on this issue. Upon legalization of this medicinal and recreational drug, lives of thousands of people would become greatly more enjoyable and painless, crime rates would decrease, financial stability and the job market would improve, and overall quality of life for a mass majority would increase.

Works Cited

Adamec, Christine. "Marijuana and Anxiety." Facts on File, 2008, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/11?articleId=123770&q=medical%20marijuana%20chronic%20illnesses. Accessed 20 Dec. 2018.

Ingraham, Christopher. "Justin Trudeau May Have Made the Best Case for Legal Pot Ever." Washington Post, 10 June 2016. Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/06/10/why-people-who-hate-marijuana-should-legalize-it-anyway-according-to-justin-trudeau/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.53ba46057621. Accessed 20 Dec. 2018.

Jenness, Valery. "How Much Tax Dollars are Spent on Prisons in America?" Medium, medium.com/@Valerie_Jenness/how-much-tax-dollars-are-spent-on-prisons-in-america-df9e40a13523. Accessed 21 Dec. 2018.

Kane, Brigid M. "Marijuana and the Law." Health Reference Center, 2017, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/11?articleId=392311&q=legalization%20of%20marijuana. Accessed 13 Dec. 2018.

Lah, Kyung. "Medical Marijuana Helps Stem 6-year-old's Seizures." CNN, 2012. CNN, www.cnn.com/2012/12/10/health/medical-marijuana-child/index.html. Accessed 20 Dec. 2018.

Smith, Dana. "Medical Marijuana for Depression and Anxiety." Cannabis.net, cannabis.net/blog/medical/medical-marijuana-for-depression-and-anxiety. Accessed 21 Dec. 2018.

Sutton, Jen, editor. "Some Pros and Cons of Marijuana Legalization." Teen Health and Wellness, May 2016, teenhealthandwellness.com/article/224/4/some-pros-and-cons-of-marijuana-legalization. Accessed 20 Dec. 2018.

[sherristockman]

Increasing Fiber Decreases Major Health Risks Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola It’s become increasingly clear in recent years that fiber intake is a more crucial “mover and shaker” in the fight against cancer and other serious diseases than was previously realized. A perfect example, a recent study1 reveals, is the discovery that people with colon cancer who add extra fiber to their overall food intake may have a lower risk of mortality compared to people who don’t consume much fiber. Adequate fiber intake is so crucial to health, asserts senior study author Dr. Andrew Chan of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, that consuming more fiber after such a diagnosis can positively impact patients’ risk of dying from the disease, independent of how much fiber those patients ate before the diagnosis. How Do You Like Them Odds? Chan and his team used the data of 1,575 adults with colon cancer to determine how much fiber they were used to eating, then followed half of them for eight years. Of that number, 733 of them died — 174 of that number from colon or rectal cancer tumors. However, the numbers confirmed that for each additional 5 grams of dietary fiber a patient consumed, their odds of dying of colorectal cancer decreased by 22 percent. In addition, those patients also had a 14 percent lower risk of dying from any cause when compared to those who reported the lowest dietary fiber consumption. It’s clear that when an individual learns they have colon cancer — and as a consequence changes their diet to add more fiber — their survival rate increases. But notice that the term “dietary” fiber is used. While the researchers promoted cereal grains as among the best ways to increase fiber intake, I do not recommend this. Grains will raise your insulin and leptin levels, which is a major driver of most chronic diseases. There are far healthier forms of fiber, including that from vegetables, berries, psyllium seed husk, flax and chia seeds. So What Factors Are the Biggest Contributors to Disease? Dr. Samantha Hendren, a researcher at the University of Michigan (not involved in the study) maintains what many doctors believe, that the most telling risk factors for colon cancer are family history, a personal history of cancerous polyps, diseases such as ulcerative colitis and failure to get screened for the disease. However, other factors can influence risk, Hendren noted, mentioning lifestyle.2 Another researcher, Nour Makarem, at Columbia University in New York (and also not involved in Chan’s study), said that for her part, diet is very important, particularly as it relates to dietary fiber, as eating foods high in fiber can lower the risk of developing colon cancer. “Therefore, consuming a healthy diet that is high in … fiber sources such as fruits and vegetables, may protect from colorectal cancer. (It) also improves outcomes and reduces risk of death among colorectal cancer survivors.”3 Dr. Jennifer Wargo, a surgeon and research scientist working with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, conducted research showing that the intestinal flora of cancer patients play a significant role in whether or not they respond to “breakthrough” immunotherapy.4 Some have thought specific bacteria had to be present for a person’s gut health to be considered healthy; Wargo believes it’s the diversity. “I don’t think it’s one bacteria per se that’s driving this entire response. I think it’s probably a community of bacteria. And what we found is that, in patients who responded to the treatment, they actually had a much higher diversity of bacteria in their gut microbiomes compared to non-responders.”5 This is important, as low-fiber diets have been linked to less microbial diversity in the gut in animal studies.6 So eating a fiber-rich diet, which in turn may improve the microbial diversity in your gut, may be linked to better responses during immunotherapy cancer treatment. Wargo also explained that the question of diet for health and disease prevention can’t be ignored, wondering aloud if patients with a fiber-rich and more microbiome-friendly diet may fare better during cancer treatment and whether eating in this way may help facilitate and enhance the immune system, ultimately preventing cancer.7 Fiber Should Be on Your ‘High Priorities’ List One of the biggest problems with the American diet (and arguably that of much of the world) is that fiber is low on the list of priorities. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 25 grams of fiber per day based on a 2,000 calorie diet,8 to which most people don’t even come close, my recommendation is more than that: 50 grams per 1,000 calories. For some, this would mean an utter diet transformation, but one that could improve not just your digestive health but likely transform your health overall. Fiber in your diet is not only important for helping foods “swish” the inside of your large intestine and colon to help move everything through properly, your gut microbiome also benefits, and the rest of your body does, too, from the other nutrients in the whole foods you eat. Interestingly, it’s actually your body’s inability to digest some types of fiber that makes it so important in the digestive process. Soluble fiber, found in foods such as Brussels sprouts, blueberries and flaxseeds, attracts water and helps these foods dissolve into a gel-like texture, which helps slow down your digestion. Why do you want digestion to take more time? Because you’ll feel full longer, which helps you eat less. Insoluble fiber is found in dark green leafy vegetables, celery and carrots, among other whole foods. Like its name suggests, it doesn’t dissolve, so this type helps food move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination. Many whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. So, both types of fiber are good for you, imparting benefits that range from fewer hemorrhoids and a lower risk of kidney stones and gallstones to, more importantly, a lower incidence of stroke, heart attack and diabetes. Your skin may even improve once toxins make their way out of your body. Additionally, as fiber helps escort yeast and fungus out, their potential for being excreted through your skin to cause acne, rashes and other skin problems is diminished. Cause and Effect: ‘Which Came First, the Disease or the Disrupted Microbiota?’ An example of the importance of how gut bacteria impacts a person’s health is how the absence of it increases a person’s propensity toward obesity. The New York Times notes the work of microbiologist Claire M. Fraser-Liggett and geneticist Dr. Alan R. Shuldiner, from the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine: “Previous studies have already found differences in the gut microbiota of lean and obese adults. There is also evidence that the typical high-calorie American diet rich in sugar, meats and processed foods may adversely affect the balance of microbes in the gut and foster the extraction and absorption of excess calories from food. A diet more heavily based on plants — that is, fruits and vegetables — may result in a microbiome containing a wider range of healthful organisms. In studies, mice that had a microbiota preconditioned by the typical American diet did not respond as healthfully to a plant-based diet.”9 Studies have explored this phenomenon and found that the gut microbiome more directly influences your health and disease than previously thought. Besides the obesity and problems that result due to “colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms,” one study10 listed health conditions that can occur when the microbiome is compromised: Clostridium difficile infection, aka C. diff, a “sometimes devastating intestinal infection” that can occur when powerful antibiotics annihilate healthy bacteria that otherwise keep your microbiome balanced. Fecal transplant is one treatment that’s been used to treat such debilitating disorders, and has a 90 percent success rate.11 Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, evidenced by such symptoms as frequent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal cramps, nausea and fatigue. Allergic diseases such as asthma and eczema were observed less in the children of a rural African village who ate fiber-rich diets that positively affected their gut health, compared to children exposed to a more Western diet, and protected them from disease-causing illnesses and infections.12 Autoimmune diseases may be one result of how “bad” gut microbes and too few good ones can affect your entire body. Rheumatoid arthritis is one example, the study authors suggested, as animal studies have demonstrated that some bacteria can cause antibodies to attack and wreck joint health.13 Neuropsychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder are conditions possibly rooted in a damaged microbiota. Depending on your genetic makeup, altered microbes may disrupt the blood-brain barrier to modify normal brain development.14 Want a Little Fiber With That? It’s quite sobering to realize that your diet can either make or break not just the ecosystem in which your gut bacteria reside, but also your mental health. And it’s not just the food you eat but all kinds of other factors, including the chemicals and pollution you’re exposed to. All of it can alter the composition of gut bacteria, Belfast Telegraph contends.15 As such, the recommendation is to “eat with your gut in mind” as at least one thing you can control to improve your immune system and other aspects of health through fiber consumption for better intestinal bacteria. Interestingly, while you can augment your intestines with probiotics from raw grass fed yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir, you can also do it by eating inulin-rich, gut-beneficial foods like raw garlic, leeks, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke and bananas, according to Dr. Dan Robertson, a medical officer at Push Doctor, who advises: “Looking after your gut is really important. That means eating a balanced diet and not bombarding your microbiome with foods that are hard to break down, such as refined carbs, trans fats and foods high in added sugar. Try to stick to regular mealtimes too, so that your gut can get into a regular pattern.”16 The latter foods (raw garlic, leeks, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke and bananas) are examples of prebiotics, which help nourish beneficial bacteria and have been found to beneficially alter gut microbiota and significantly reduce body weight and body fat.17 Since obesity is linked to cancer, it stands to reason that consuming more prebiotic fiber may also help lower your cancer risk by helping with weight loss. Additional healthy foods containing high amounts of fiber include: Vegetables: Acorn squash, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli Seeds: Chia seeds, flaxseeds and psyllium husk Berries: Elderberries, raspberries, loganberries, blackberries Nuts: Almonds, pistachios, walnuts Fruits: Fresh pears, oranges and avocados; dried figs, prunes While berries are fruits, too, they contain such high amounts of fiber they can be placed in a category all their own. Caveats When Eating Anything, Even When It’s ‘Healthy’ That said, keep other ingredients and food factors in mind when you eat. Many fruits contain high amounts of natural sugar, known as fructose, which is why I recommend eating most fruit in moderation and focusing on vegetables to increase your fiber intake. No matter what foods you eat, organic is always best. While eating organic foods won’t always guarantee your food will be free of every pesticide, chemical or Genetically modified organism (which, while genetic engineering isn’t allowed in organics, could potentially contaminate organic crops), it’s among your best bets in dealing with some of the unknowns, which goes not only for exotic foods but also some of the time-honored staple crops grown throughout the U.S. As gut genomics specialist from Washington University School of Medicine, Dr. Jeffrey Gordon, explains, “The nutritional value of food is influenced in part by the microbial community that encounters that food.”18 And you can improve your gut microbiome by eating plenty of fiber. If you’re not sure how much you’re consuming daily, Cronometer.com is a free online nutrient tracker that can help.

[thraxxedcspinners-blog]

Things to Keep In Mind While Buying Fidget Spinners Online

The increasing demand of Fidget spinners among children and teenagers has made this amazing toy more and more popular.

This is because of the number of benefits that Fidget Spinner has on offer. It is believed that fidget spinners help kids suffering from various neurological issues like Autism, and ADHD. It acts as a medium to release nervous energy and psychological order as well.

Some recent reports have shown that fidget spinner helps calm people down, who suffer from problems like anxiety and hypertension. It is also useful people who find difficulty in registering to sudden changes and emotional rage. Fidget spinners help them to easily cope with such situations. It also helps children and adults to focus.

As mentioned earlier, owing to its wonderful perks, the sale of Fidget spinners has gone several times higher in recent times. It is available in both online and offline stores. It is better to order online as it saves your time and energy. 

So, what should you consider while buying Fidget spinners online?

Be sure about your budget

Due to the growing demand, there is a range of spinner fidgets available in the market today. Different types of spinners come in different price range. You should decide your budget and then start looking online accordingly.

Make sure you buy right kind of Material

When buying fidget spinners online, it is highly recommended to buy fidget spinners which are made up of either plastic or metal or fiber. The central real bearing is usually made up of ceramic.

Correct size

Conventional spinners consist of three to two side lobes with a central lobe. While buying online, always read the description very carefully about the size and the type of material before confirming your order.

[somekindamushroom]

AMANITA DERIVATIVES: A NEW TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA? - PART VI

Today, on 10 October 2017, Ovid Therapeutics was granted orphan drug designation for OV-101 (gaboxadol) in the treatment of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). I thought this might be on the cards, and the timing is perfect to coincide with Ovid's forthcoming poster presentation of preclinical data on OV-101 at the 18th International Fragile X and Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders Workshop beginning in Quebec on Thursday. In September 2016, Ovid was granted orphan status for OV-101 in treating Angelman Syndrome. Neurologically speaking, there is not much difference between the two disorders. Both are rare forms of epilepsy, both involve a malfunction in tonic inhibition (see part five), both involve a defective gene (in FXS's case FMR1), and both involve GABA. Fragile X affects twice as many boys as it does girls. Common symptoms are an elongated face, big protruding ears, double-jointed fingers, large testicles, signs of autism, ADHD, poor muscle-tone, and trouble sleeping.

For Ovid's commercial aspirations, however, the major difference between the two disorders is in the numbers: Angelman affects around 4000 people in the States, whereas Fragile X affects around 100,000. Back in December 2015, when concerned parents at the 'Global Summit on Angelman Syndrome' asked Jeremy Levin if Ovid was going to seek orphan status for OV-101 in treating Angelman, he walked around the issue. But when Levin did a Ramaswamy and took Ovid public in April this year, the IPO filing or prospectus is clear: Ovid's future depends on 'our ability to obtain and maintain orphan drug exclusivity for any of our current and future drug candidates... both in the United States and internationally.'  There was never any doubt that this would be the case, and it's the last thing that parents of Angelman and Fragile X children wanted to hear. When another parent asked Levin how much OV-101/gaboxadol would cost assuming orphan status was granted, he promised only that it would be “affordable”. For the average American this all depends on how much health insurance they are paying and/or how much their health insurers are prepared to cover. Ocrilizumab, approved in March 2017 for aggressive MS and marketed by Genentech under the trade name 'Ocrevus', costs $65,000 a year for just two infusions (an infusion is given intravenously usually for a four-hour period). Few health insurers will cover it.  

E-CULI-ZU-MAB, which carries a 'black box warning', is the most expensive drug in the world and is not covered by health insurers. Alexion Pharmaceuticals has tried to charge as much as $590,000 for one year's treatment. People who are given eculizumab will have to keep taking it for years, probably for the rest of their lives, along with a cocktail of vaccines, antibiotics and other drugs. The -ZU- morpheme denotes 'humanized', meaning that this drug is a genetically modified form of what are claimed to be 'identical cells' in the source (in this case E-CULI, but the source can be mice, monkeys, goats, you name it). The cells are modified to appear more human, then intravenously injected or infused into humans, where they are believed to fool brain cells into believing they are human, which then react accordingly and hopefully bring about a desired, therapeutical result. Unlike other -zumab drugs mentioned earlier (see part one), eculizumab appears to do its job, but there are moral and ethical issues to consider here, not to mention the possibility of genetic repercussions somewhere down this brave new road.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals have been given carte blanche to charge what they like because orphan status comes with a bundle of lucrative, corner-cutting perks, the most lucrative of all being a period of 'exclusivity' when no other company is allowed to sell the drug, even for a different disorder. This is different from patent protection, which covers you for the patent applied for (Ovid has a patent for the use of gaboxadol to treat Angelman, another patent for gaboxadol to treat FSX, etc.). The thing that really gets my goat about what Alexion are doing is that most of the research and development costs for eculizumab were paid for from public funds, from taxpayers. Yes, I know, it beggars belief. Furthermore, it costs Alexion less than 1% of the sale price to manufacture the drug. But this is not America, is it? Ovid's prospectus is clear. Another thing it's future depends on is 'qualifying for coverage and adequate reimbursement by government and third-party payors for any drug candidates for which we obtain regulatory approval, both in the United States and internationally.' Either the NHS coughs up, or nobody here gets the drug.

Unlike all those horrible -zumab drugs, gaboxadol is sourced from a mushroom. So just how “affordable” is gaboxadol going to be? I think one of the biggest hurdles facing Ovid moving forward, as well as one of the things parents of Angelman and Fragile X children should know, is that you can buy 500 milligrams of gaboxadol online from Sigma-Aldrich for £507. Oh, and Sigma-Aldrich are at least twice the price of at least one European supplier.

[sherristockman]

Can Ginkgo Give Your Brain a Boost? Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola Years ago, a public service announcement in the U.S. concluded with this powerful statement: “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” While that tagline promoted an education fund for minority college students, it could just as easily be used to underscore the importance of taking care of your brain health. I say that because of the prevalence of degenerative brain diseases, such as age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Like me, you may have coworkers, neighbors, friends and family members who are affected by one of these progressive “mind-robbing” diseases. The numbers of those affected continue to grow at alarming rates, with more than 5 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s.1 While it’s terrible to watch a loved one slip away and literally “lose their mind,” it’s also important to remember that dementia and Alzheimer’s are not a normal part of aging. Rather than try to counteract the effects of these diseases once they develop, it’s better to adopt a healthy lifestyle now that will help you successfully avoid them. Over the years, many studies have considered the effectiveness of ginkgo biloba for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and dementia. The latest research demonstrates ginkgo’s protective effects on the brain when exposed to aluminum chloride, a neurotoxin previously linked to Alzheimer's and other cognitive impairments. What Is Ginkgo Biloba and How Does It Help? Given that the ginkgo tree is among the oldest trees in the world, ginkgo seeds have been used in traditional Chinese medicine and other types of treatment for thousands of years.Over the years, ginkgo has been transformed into capsules, cosmetics, extracts, tablets and teas. Today, ginkgo biloba is a top-selling extract and dietary supplement. Beyond what was mentioned above related to its potential cognitive- and memory-boosting properties, some of ginkgo’s benefits are thought to be as follows:2 Decreases leg pain caused by narrowing of your arteries (intermittent claudication) Treats eye problems, such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye issues and glaucoma Supports the treatment of multiple sclerosis, sexual dysfunction and tinnitus, among other health conditions Ginkgo is believed to positively affect your body by increasing blood supply, reducing blood viscosity, boosting neurotransmitters and reducing harmful free radicals.3 According to WebMD,4 an adult dose of 120 to 240 milligrams (mg) of ginkgo biloba per day seems to be effective for addressing memory problems. Some have suggested even better results may be achieved by taking ginkgo in combination with panax ginseng or codonopsis. In the video below, Tom O’Brien, master herbalist, presents 10 health benefits of ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo Now Shown to Protect Your Brain Against Aluminum Chloride In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that aluminum toxicity plays a role in neurodegenerative diseases. Because aluminum targets the same areas of your brain and nervous system, people with aluminum toxicity display many of the symptoms shared by those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dementia, Parkinson's and other neurological diseases. Inhaling aluminum dust or vapors sends aluminum particles directly into your lungs in a highly absorbable form. From there, they pass into your bloodstream and are distributed throughout your body, including your bones and brain. Exposure to aluminum is an occupational hazard for workers in agriculture, factories, mining and welding. Furthermore, you ingest aluminum vapors every time your nose catches a whiff of cigarette smoke. Studies of the health effects of aluminum vapors are grim, pointing to high levels of neurotoxicity.5 In a 2016 study published in Nutrition,6 ginkgo biloba was shown to protect the brain from toxicity associated with aluminum chloride. Exposure to aluminum chloride has been linked to Alzheimer's and other cognitive impairments. The study, which lasted three months, was composed of four groups of lab rats as follows: Group 1 (control group): daily normal diet and water Group 2: daily oral dose of ginkgo biloba — 200 mg/kilogram (kg) body weight Group 3: daily oral dose of aluminum chloride — 10 mg/kg body weight Group 4: daily dose of both ginkgo biloba and aluminum chloride through a stomach tube — 200 and 10 mg/kg body weight, respectively The rats given aluminum chloride showed: ✓ A significant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), which signals damage produced by oxidative stress (similar to rust on your car, oxidative stress is a sign of aging in your body) ✓ A decrease in antioxidants catalase, glutathione and superoxide dismutase in brain and testis tissues ✓ A significant decrease in dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin levels in brain tissue ✓ A significant decrease in serum copper and zinc levels ✓ A significant increase in serum iron ✓ A significant decrease in testosterone In contrast, rats administered both ginkgo biloba and aluminum chloride had: Lower TBARS More of the antioxidants catalase, glutathione and superoxide dismutase in brain and testis tissues Overall, the research demonstrates that ginkgo biloba plays a positive role in protecting the brain neurons of rats from oxidative stress caused by the intake of aluminum chloride. The study authors stated:7 “The histologic examination showed some degenerative changes in both brain and testis tissues [of the rats receiving aluminum chloride], while significant improvement in biochemical and histologic changes were observed in the ‘aluminum chloride plus ginkgo biloba’ group. It could be concluded that the protective effect of ginkgo biloba may be attributed to its antioxidant properties.” These findings are in line with previous studies involving the extracts of ginkgo biloba, which are known to contain antioxidant compounds that protect your cells from free-radical damage within your circulatory and nervous systems.8 Ginkgo Also Shown to Help Slow Aging Process in Your Mitochondria A 2012 study published in International Psychogeriatrics9 suggests ginkgo biloba may slow the aging process within mitochondria of your cells, which can affect the progression of Alzheimer’s. The authors of the study said: “A growing volume of data confirms that ginkgo biloba extract reduces oxidative stress and improves mitochondrial respiration, and thus may be useful in preventing or slowing down the progression of [Alzheimer’s disease].” Other research has suggested the mitochondrial anti-aging effect of ginkgo biloba is not limited to just neurons, but also extends to blood platelets, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, heart cells and liver cells.10 Later in this article I will present some diet and lifestyle tips to boost your brain health. By far, one of the best strategies to support your brain and your mitochondria is to convert your body to burning fat instead of glucose as its primary fuel. You can learn more about metabolic mitochondrial therapy by reading my latest book, “Fat for Fuel.” Risks and Cautions Related to Ginkgo Intake According to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health,11 intake of ginkgo biloba is thought to be safe for healthy adults when taken by mouth in moderate amounts. Potential side effects of ginkgo may include allergic skin reactions, dizziness, headache and stomach upset. An increased risk of bleeding is possible with ginkgo if you are older, pregnant or have a known bleeding risk. Ginkgo has been shown to interact with blood thinners (anticoagulants), so do not take it if you are currently on a blood-thinner medication. For similar reasons, you should not take ginkgo before undergoing surgery or dental procedures. Also, do not eat raw or roasted ginkgo seeds, because they can cause serious side effects and may be poisonous. A 2013 study12 investigating the potential toxicology of ginkgo suggested consumption of it may raise your risk of developing liver cancer and thyroid cancer. However, that research has come under considerable criticism for the large doses of ginkgo extract that were administered to rodents daily during the two-year study.13 You Need B Vitamins If You Take Ginkgo Biloba A word of caution related to ginkgo biloba: Its seeds contain ginkgotoxin (4'-O-methylpyridoxine), an “antivitamin” that may lead to neurological problems in certain people, particularly those who are deficient in certain B vitamins.14 B vitamins are important not only when you consume ginkgo, but they are also useful in helping to reduce brain shrinkage and prevent degenerative brain diseases. In particular, folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 have been shown to play a powerful role in preventing Alzheimer's. High levels of the amino acid homocysteine have been linked to brain shrinkage and an increased risk of Alzheimer's. B vitamins are known to suppress homocysteine. In a 2010 study,15 participants received relatively high doses of the three B vitamins mentioned above. Two years later, those who had received the vitamin-B regimen suffered significantly less brain shrinkage compared to those who had received a placebo. Participants with the highest levels of homocysteine at the onset of the trial experienced brain shrinkage at half the rate of those taking a placebo. The study authors concluded: “The accelerated rate of brain atrophy in elderly with mild cognitive impairment can be slowed by treatment with homocysteine-lowering B vitamins.” A 2014 study by some of the same scientists again underscored the importance of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 to slow brain shrinkage. Additionally, they noted B vitamins helped slow shrinkage specifically in brain gray-matter regions known to be most vulnerable to Alzheimer's.16 One of the targeted areas was the medial temporal lobe. Researchers said:17 “Our results show that B-vitamin supplementation can slow the atrophy of specific brain regions that are a key component of the [Alzheimer's disease] process and are associated with cognitive decline." Prevention Is Still Your Best Option When It Comes to Alzheimer's As with any chronic illness or disease, your best strategy for beating Alzheimer’s is prevention. The following four dietary recommendations are vital for maintaining brain health and staving off Alzheimer's: • Eat real food, ideally organic. Be sure to choose organic grass fed meats and animal products, as animals raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are routinely fed genetically engineered (GE) grains contaminated with pesticides. Also, they are given a variety of drugs. Research has shown vegetables to be particularly beneficial for slowing age-related cognitive decline, mainly due to the antioxidants they contain. Avoid processed foods of all kinds because they contain items that are harmful to your brain, such as refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, glutinous grains, GE ingredients and pesticides. Ideally, you'll want to keep your total fructose below 25 grams per day if you are in good health, or below 15 grams per day if you are insulin/leptin resistant or are battling a chronic disease. • Replace refined carbohydrates with healthy fats. Contrary to what most people think, your brain does not need carbs and sugars. What it does need is healthy fats, such as saturated animal fats and animal-based omega-3s, which are far more important for optimal brain function. Healthy fats also support your mitochondria, a topic addressed more thoroughly in my book “Fat for Fuel.” Healthy fats to add to your diet include: ✓ Animal-based omega-3s, such as those found in krill oil and small fatty fish like anchovies and sardines ✓ Avocados ✓ Butter made from raw, grass fed, organic milk ✓ Coconuts and coconut oil ✓ Ghee (clarified butter) ✓ Grass fed meats or pasture-raised poultry ✓ Olives and olive oil (Avoid cooking with olive oil. Use it cold.) ✓ Organic pastured egg yolks ✓ Raw cacao butter ✓ Raw dairy ✓ Raw nuts, such as macadamias and pecans ✓ Seeds like black sesame, cumin, hemp and pumpkin seeds Avoid all trans fats and hydrogenated fats that have been modified to extend their longevity on the grocery store shelf. This includes margarine and various butter-like spreads. Vegetable oils such as soybean and canola should also be avoided. • Avoid gluten and casein. The main items to forego in this category are wheat and pasteurized dairy, but not dairy fat, such as butter. Research shows that your blood-brain barrier is negatively affected by gluten. Gluten also makes your gut more permeable, which allows proteins to get into your bloodstream where they sensitize your immune system. Once there, they promote autoimmunity and inflammation, both of which play a role in the development of Alzheimer's. • Optimize your gut flora. By avoiding the processed foods noted above, which discourage healthy bacteria in your gut, you can strengthen your gut microbiome. Other gut-harming items to avoid include antibacterial products, antibiotics and fluoridated water. You can easily fortify your gut by regularly eating cultured and fermented foods, or intaking a high-quality probiotic. In my 2015 interview with Dr. David Perlmutter, he explores the compelling connection between your gut microbes and brain health, relating it to a number of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's. Additional Alzheimer's Prevention Strategies In addition to the dietary recommendations mentioned above, the following additional prevention strategies will help you avoid Alzheimer’s. ✓ Get sufficient sleep To be healthy, it’s vital you get enough sleep according to the sleep needs of people your age, targeting around seven to nine hours per night for adults, and even more for teenagers and children. ✓ Exercise regularly Strive to sit less than three hours a day, move as much as you can during your non-exercise hours and exercise regularly. Try some of my personal favorites, such as daily walking, high-intensity exercises, stretching and strength training. Scientists have suggested exercise can trigger a change in the way the amyloid precursor protein is metabolized, thereby slowing down the onset and progression of Alzheimer's.18 Exercise also increases your levels of the protein PGC-1alpha. Research has shown people with Alzheimer's have less PGC-1alpha in their brains. ✓ Intermittently fast Intermittent fasting is a powerful tool to kickstart your body into remembering how to burn fat and repair the insulin/leptin resistance that is a contributing factor for Alzheimer's. ✓ Optimize your vitamin D levels with sensible sun exposure Sufficient vitamin D helps your immune system combat inflammation associated with Alzheimer's. The optimal vitamin D level for general health ranges between 40 to 60 nanograms per milliliter. The ideal way to raise your level is by regularly exposing large amounts of your skin to sunshine. If you cannot get sufficient UV-sun exposure, taking an oral vitamin D3 supplement along with vitamin K2 and magnesium is highly advisable. ✓ Remove dental amalgam fillings Dental amalgam fillings, which are 50 percent mercury by weight, are one of the major sources of heavy metal toxicity. If you have amalgams and are in reasonably good health, review my mercury detox protocol and then find a biological dentist who can help you with the removal. ✓ Avoid and eliminate aluminum from your body Sources of aluminum include antiperspirants, non-stick cookware and vaccine adjuvants. Learn more about how to detox aluminum. ✓ Avoid flu vaccinations Many flu vaccines contain both mercury and aluminum. ✓ Avoid statins and anticholinergic drugs Drugs that block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter, have been shown to increase your risk of dementia. These drugs include certain nighttime pain relievers, antihistamines, sleep aids, certain antidepressants, medications to control incontinence and certain narcotic pain relievers. Statin drugs are particularly problematic because they suppress the synthesis of cholesterol, deplete your brain of coenzyme Q10, vitamin K2 and neurotransmitter precursors. ✓ Challenge your mind daily Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's. Age-Related Declines Are Not Caused by a Lack of Ginkgo Biloba No matter how good the research related to ginkgo biloba is today, or becomes in the future, I strongly caution you from looking to a single supplement as a “quick fix.” Aged-related cognitive decline and signs of accelerated aging are most certainly not caused by a lack of ginkgo biloba or any other supplement! Therefore, it is essential you carefully and thoroughly evaluate your diet and lifestyle choices and habits to ensure you are doing all you can now to prevent and/or address dementia and Alzheimer’s. Choose one or two areas for positive change, and start today taking steps toward optimizing your health.