What's Behind the Rise of Chemsex?

Beneath the sex and the drugs, men are seeking out chemsex parties to find a place where they can belong—but the connections they make are fleeting.

PATRICK CASH, ILLUSTRATION: THOMAS PULLINNov 30 2015, 3:00pm


"At least when you're being fucked by someone you're worth something to that person in that moment," says an anonymous man halfway through VICE's new documentary, CHEMSEX. He's talking about sex on drugs like mephedrone, GHB/GBL, and crystal meth—"chemsex," as it's come to be known in the UK—which commonly happens in private homes at gatherings called "chillouts" and can last for days.

While chems are a big part of any chillout, he's not describing the appeal of having sex on drugs, but the importance of connecting with another person. Because beneath the sex and the drugs, men are seeking out chemsex parties and chillouts to belong—yet these bonds often seep away as soon as the drugs wear off.


"I'd gone on a weird quasi-date with someone I'd had a chem encounter with, and it was so awkward. There was no connection," said a young man I interviewed last year. "There was an awkwardness in that we have opened up ourselves to each other in such a way, but actually I don't know anything about you."

Another guy I spoke to said a similar thing: "You make all these plans to go out together, be bezzies forever, and then you wake up and delete his number."

I won't deny that the initial attraction to the chemsex scene for most is that taking drugs can make you feel fantastic, and that having sex while you're on those drugs is normally going to be a lot more intense than having sex sober. But besides the drugs, what's getting people hooked on chillouts? What is the modern gay community missing that leads to some men choosing the illusion of friendship over reality?

"In a recent study of chemsex in London, it was found that over two-thirds of participants in chemsex parties felt able to enhance their sense of connection with their sexual partners in these contexts primarily because they felt that they were on 'another level' with their sexual partner," says Professor Rusi Jaspal, Chair of Psychology and Sexual Health at De Montfort University. "Some men may feel that they are more able to connect with other men in chemsex settings than in sober settings, which could be attributed to the weak bonds of community perceived in sober settings."


For Dominic Davies of gender and sexual diversity organization Pink Therapy, these weak bonds coincide with the social media revolution our generation has experienced: "The way the internet helps people remain anonymous and often unaccountable compounds shame and guilt, which in turn leads some people to see others as disposable commodities," he says. "The instant block on Grindr being a prime example of eradicating gay men."

Another problem is the diminishing number of spaces for the "real life" gay community to convene. While the few bars and clubs that haven't yet been closed down remain important, there is no centre in London for the communication integral to a strong community.

Sal Mohammed is a lecturer-practitioner with a research focus on psychosocial factors affecting cultural and societal values. "It's about balance, and shifting [the bars'] focus from providing party places to multifaceted spaces for a variety of uses," he says. "There is not one queer venue in London which offers solely a platform for discussion, performance, campaigning and so forth. And many have the space but choose not to host such events, which is a shame."

However, Sal does cite Jonny Woo's pub the Glory in Haggerston, the RVT in Vauxhall, and Ku Bar in Leicester Square as venues exhibiting positive "shifts of responsibility."

Without adequate dialogue in queer spaces, perhaps it's unsurprising that the gay scene's focus is less on mind and spirit, and more upon the body. Sex and the male torso has become its currency. Has this obsession with bodily perfection become damaging to gay men's sense of community ethos?


"Those outside the able body ideal of gay magazines and poster boys are targets for prejudice, mockery and pity," said Stuart Forward, editor-in-chief of queer body positive website EQView. "I am partially disabled through a condition which affects bone marrow and restricts mobility... My experiences have exposed me to certain ugly attitudes within the gay community. A guy in a club watched me dance, before coming up and asking, 'What's up with your arms?' then circling me with his friends and mock-dancing, mirroring my movement as his friends laughed. Or four months ago, when the guy marking me on the football pitch whispered 'cripple' in my ear."

As well as ableism, Professor Rusi points out the stigmatization of people living with HIV on the gay scene and the ongoing faux-masc demonization of camp. Both Sal and Professor Rusi also highlight the lack of inclusion for gay men of ethnic minority backgrounds, and point out that racism within the gay community needs to be discussed.

"There are some aspects of racism online," says "Luke," who didn't want me to use his real name. "'Don't contact me if you're this.' Before I'd actually contact them and say, 'I was born and raised here, but yeah, I'm Asian,' but they don't usually reply. It makes me hateful or ashamed of myself. It's not nice."

I ask Professor Rusi why the gay community can sometimes be marred by this kind of hurtful, judgmental behavior. "Psychologists have long been interested in a concept called 'downward comparison'," he says. "This refers to a defensive tendency that human beings have to compare themselves to others that are, in some way, worse off to themselves to feel better about themselves and their own situation. This can bolster your own sense of self-worth, but it often results in the stigmatization of others and the construction of further divisions."


Sadly, this can result in gay men who've moved to big cities in search of a sense of belonging instead finding themselves subjected to the kind of shaming and marginalization they were hoping to escape.

"To have a sense of community in which one is accepted for who they are is an integral part of recovery from early childhood trauma," says Dorota Mucha, who works with gay men at Us in Therapy. She cites depression, anxiety, loneliness and commitment issues as common topics she sees in her patients, often a result of troubled pasts at school or at home. All of this may result in "low self-esteem, internalized homophobia, self-hatred"—and if you hate yourself for being gay, it's unlikely you're going to like anybody else for being gay.

"There are many reasons why people decided to use drugs for sex: It takes away inhibitions and gives a false sense of being wanted and loved; frequently gay men mistake intimacy and affection for sex," continues Dorota. "One of my patients told me recently that he attends chillouts to talk, kiss, and cuddle more than for sexual intercourse itself."

Remziye Kunelaki, Lead Psychosexual Therapist at sexual health clinic 56 Dean Street, identifies one particular recurring theme. "In my clinical experience, weak bonds among gay men ultimately cause a great sense of loneliness," she says. "At the core of what is really behind sexually risky behavior or chemsex is a deep fear of being alone. Most of the work we facilitate in psychosexual therapy at 56 Dean Street is about recommending tools in order to achieve self-care at a basic level and then sexually. The idea is once you are able to look after and respect yourself, you have the capacity to do so with a partner or friends. If the gay community becomes more supportive of each other, there might be better chances to be forgiving and inclusive, regardless of one's body shape or sexual performance."


How, then, does a community facing both external and internalized homophobia make itself stronger?

I asked each person I interviewed this question, and their answers ranged from education about social stigma to initiatives increasing sexual confidence when sober. But the overarching response was the need for greater dialogue. Communication. Understanding. Emotional truth gained by the sharing of similar experiences.

I'm writing this article because I run a night in Soho dedicated to this purpose called Let's Talk About Gay Sex & Drugs. Other events, such as Simon Marks's A Change of Scene and David Stuart's Dean Street Wellbeing Programme, also do important work. The narrative is beginning to change. Speaking and listening are incredibly simple things to do, and they're vital for building community. Ultimately, perhaps we can work towards solving this chemsex problem by creating a shared space where every gay man can feel he belongs.

Follow Patrick on Twitter.


Chemsex support is available in most sexual health clinics. 56 Dean Street offers one-to-one chemsex support; visit chemsexsupport.com. Antidote (London Friend) offers drug and alcohol support for the LGBT community. Call 0207 833 1674.

SOURCE:

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mvxxmv/whats-behind-the-rise-of-chemsex-902(accessed 28.9.17)

What is chemsex and why is the UK government worried about it?

No chemsex please, we’re British. It has widely been reported this morning that the UK government is gunning for chemsex in its new drug strategy, published today. But what is it, and is it really that bad?

Sorry, what is chemsex again?

It’s when people take drugs that enhance sex and make them feel uninhibited, more often in some gay communities. Typically it involves crystal methamphetamine, GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) or mephedrone, also known as miaow miaow, which can be snorted or swallowed. There’s also “slamsex”, which is when the drugs are injected for a more intense high.





I wasn’t taught about this in my school Sex Ed lessons

The trend has taken off in the last ten years or so, probably because of the rising use of these particular drugs along with the boom in hook-up apps.

Why is this more alarming than any of the other ways people use illegal drugs?

It raises the risk of sexually transmitted infections, like HIV and hepatitis C. It’s thought that the drugs can make people who usually use condoms feel less inhibited and have unprotected sex. Needle sharing for slamsex can also spread STIs.

Surely alcohol makes sex riskier too. Why aren’t we cracking down on “drunksex”?

To be fair to ministers, chemsex is a relatively new behaviour that is raising concern among sexual health doctors as well as gay rights groups. People have always had sex while drunk or high, but these three drugs in particular make people lose their inhibitions. GHB is also a mild anaesthetic, which can encourage forceful anal sex, which heightens infection risk. Typically people engaging in chemsex spend two or three days sleeping with multiple partners.

How common is it?

According to a survey of over a thousand gay men in London, one-fifth had had chemsex in the past five years and one-tenth had done it in the past four weeks. According to a recent editorial in the British Medical Journal, some people said they do it to cope with internalised homophobia and negative feelings about their sexuality.

What’s the government going to do about it?

They haven’t gone into much detail yet other than saying doctors should support targeted interventions and collaborate with community groups.

What does that mean?

Hopefully something more effective than just telling people not to do it. There are harm-reduction approaches that could make chemsex safer. For instance, some sexual health clinics provide batches of colour-coded needles, which helps participants stick to their own needles and avoid needle-sharing.

Anything else?

It would help if doctors could provide the medicines that stop people catching HIV free on the NHS. At the moment people in England have to buy cheap generic versions through the internet. And treating everyone who carries the hepatitis C virus would also stop its spread, but at the moment the medicines are only available for people with more advanced liver disease.

SOURCE:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2140756-what-is-chemsex-and-why-is-the-uk-government-worried-about-it/(accessed 28.9.17)

Compulsive Skin Picking – Understanding the Painful Challenges of Dermatillomania

Compulsive skin picking (CSP) is an impulse control disorder. It compels people to damage their skin by picking at it repetitively. If you live with this challenging condition, you know exactly the kind of raw and painful toll it takes – both physically and emotionally. Also known by the tongue-twisting name dermatillomania, this form of self-mutilation affects as many as 1 in 20 people.[1]
What are the signs of CSP?

There are several indicators of CSP or dermatillomania. Some of the most common include:
Visible sores or scars
Inability to resist the urge to pick at the skin
Feelings of tension or anxiety right before picking the skin
Feelings of relaxation or the release of tension immediately after picking the skin

The face is the most commonly affected body area for individuals with CSP. However, the fingers and arms are often target areas as well. People living with CSP may pick at normal features of the skin, such as moles or freckles. Actual defects or imperfections, such as scabs and acne, are often targeted as well. Sadly, many individuals with CSP also pick at imagined flaws on their skin, eventually creating real ones as a result.

Most people with CSP use their fingers to pick at their skin. Some, however, will use tools or objects, such as tweezers, fingernail clippers, or pins. These sharp, pointed objects can quickly do significant damage to the skin, often resulting in frequent bleeding and lasting scars.
What causes CSP?

No one knows exactly what triggers this often embarrassing disorder. Some research suggests it has many similarities to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In fact, it often occurs in people with OCD, with about 25% of OCD sufferers engaging in compulsive skin picking.[2] It also frequently co-occurs with another psychiatric disorder known as body dysmorphic disorder.[3]

Some experts believe dermatillomania has a lot in common with substance abuse. Others believe it fits best with a group of disorders called body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB), which includes disorders like compulsive hair pulling (otherwise known as trichotillomania). Most likely, it is caused by a complex combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors.

What experts can agree on is that many people with CSP have the urge to pick when they feel anxious or depressed. However, the behavior often becomes an unconscious habit. They begin to do it even when there are no feelings of stress or other strong negative emotions. Many CSP sufferers also report pleasurable feelings after they’ve picked, which is why some experts believe dermatillomania is similar to a substance abuse disorder.

Dermatillomania often starts during the teenage years, frequently coinciding with the appearance of acne. However, young children and adults can also develop the disorder. Like many disorders, stressful events – like the loss of a job or a death in the family – may also trigger its onset.

It’s important to recognize that repetitive skin picking can also be a symptom of another disorder. The behavior is sometimes seen in people with autoimmune disorders, substance abuse disorders, psychosis, and developmental disorders such as autism. If you pick your skin compulsively consult with your doctor to rule out other illnesses as a potential cause.
But I’m just picking at my skin…that’s not a problem, right?

Many of us pick at our skin from time to time, whether it’s to minimize an unsightly scab or fuss over a blemish. But compulsive skin picking goes significantly beyond that. People with CSP often suffer from bruises, bleeding, sores, and scars as a result of their constant picking. On a physical level, the behavior increases their risk for infection and tissue damage.

Those who live with dermatillomania know that the negative effects extend far beyond the physical. They often have to limit or alter their daily activities. For example, someone who picks at their arms may wear long sleeves in the summer to hide fresh self-inflicted wounds or scabs. Someone who compulsively aggravates the skin around their fingers may avoid shaking hands or even resort to wearing gloves when around others. The compulsive picking may also cause physical pain or discomfort that also limits activities. For example, someone whose fingertips are raw from constant picking may find writing or typing too painful.

In a few rare cases, the behavior becomes so severe that it causes potentially life-threatening consequences. For example, picking that goes deeper than the top layer of skin can result in the need for skin grafts or surgery. One CSP sufferer reportedly picked through the skin and muscles on her neck, exposing her carotid artery as a result.
Can I be treated for compulsive skin picking?

Yes, you can get treatment for CSP. When skin picking interferes with your physical health or emotional well-being, it’s time to consult an expert. Not all mental health professionals are familiar with CSP, so it’s best to find a therapist who has experience treating it. There are a number of treatment approaches including:
Habit Reversal Training (HBT): This common treatment for excessive skin picking is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Your therapist will work with you to identify the emotional and environmental triggers for your urge to pick. Once you develop an awareness of your particular triggers, your therapist will teach you strategies for coping when those situations arise. For example, you might learn that when you feel stressed, you can clutch a small ball or play with a “finger toy” instead of picking your skin. In addition to finger toys (sometimes called fidget toys), you might find a hobby (e.g. knitting) that keeps your hands busy. The goal is to learn to manage urges in a healthy way rather than pick on your skin.
Stimulus Control (SC): This type of therapy helps you find ways to alter your physical environment so you’re less likely to pick. If you pick at blemishes on your face, for example, you might put a piece of tape on the floor in front of your bathroom mirror as a reminder to stay far enough away to keep from seeing the blemishes that trigger the desire to pick. If you target your fingers, you might wear gloves or bandages as a physical barrier and cue that reminds you to stop, even when the behavior starts unconsciously.
Medication: Some therapists will recommend medication as part of a treatment strategy. To date, no drug has been FDA-approved specifically for the treatment of CSP. However, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) medications, such as Paxil and Zoloft, have been found to be effective for some people. Because there are potential side effects with SSRIs such as stomach discomfort, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction, they’re not recommended for every patient. Medication should be prescribed only in conjunction with other therapies, like HBT. As the sole form of treatment, it is rarely effective.

No matter which treatment you and your therapist choose, remember that CSP is a complex disorder that may require several different approaches. No single treatment is ideal for every person, so don’t be discouraged if one option doesn’t work. While some cases are successfully treated within a few weeks to a few months, others require many months to a year or more before the behavior is totally eliminated.

Compulsive skin picking is not merely a harmless habit. From infections that can hurt your health to embarrassment about simply shaking hands, CSP has serious consequences. Don’t let it continue indefinitely. Find a qualified mental health professional with the skills to help you lead a life free from sores, scars, and embarrassment.

SOURCE:

https://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/drug-abuse-addiction/compulsive-skin-picking-dermatillomania-2/(accessed 28.9.17)

Skin Picking Disorder (Dermatillomania) – Symptoms and Treatment

The primary characteristic of Skin Picking Disorder (also known as Dermatillomania or Excoriation) is the repetitive picking at one’s own skin to the extent of causing damage. Usually, but not always, the face is the primary location for skin picking. However, Skin Picking Disorder may involve any part of the body. Individuals with Skin Picking Disorder may pick at normal skin variations such as freckles and moles, at actual pre-existing scabs, sores or acne blemishes, or at imagined skin defects that nobody else can observe. Individuals with Dermatillomania may also use their fingernails or teeth, as well as tweezers, pins or other mechanical devices. As a result, Skin Picking Disorder may cause bleeding, bruises, infections, and/or permanent disfigurement of the skin.

Sometimes skin picking is preceded by a high level of tension and a strong “itch” or “urge”. Likewise, skin-picking may be followed by a feeling of relief or pleasure. A skin picking episode may be a conscious response to anxiety or depression, but is frequently done as an unconscious habit. Individuals with Skin Picking Disorder often attempt to camouflage the damage caused to their skin by using make-up or wearing clothes to cover the subsequent marks and scars. In extreme cases, individuals with Dermatillomania may avoid social situations in an effort to prevent others from seeing the scars, scabs, and bruises that result from skin picking.

SOURCE:

https://ocdla.com/compulsiveskinpicking(accessed 28.9.17)

Living with Alzheimer's disease

More than 45 million people around the world have dementia, the Alzheimer's Society says.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. It can affect people of all ages, but usually it affects older people.

Photographer Leah Beach has travelled around Kenya, investigating the impact it can have.

On World Alzheimer's Day, the Alzheimer's Society is urging leaders around the world to recognise dementia needs urgent action, and unite in ensuring better diagnosis, care and awareness.

This woman was living in a room in her family's home. It was kept locked due to her family's worry that she would get lost and "roam" around the village. It meant she was unable to speak or communicate to anyone.

Every day, the man in the foreground visits his lifelong friend in remote fishing village Mkwiro, even though his friend cannot remember him.

Mkwiro is known for its palm weaving, and this woman is one of the finest. She has taught the traditional technique to all of the women in the community.

However, recently she has begun to forget these techniques and is frustrated that she can no longer practise her craft.Image copyrightLEAH

Both these people are prominent figures in their local community. The man is considered a village elder. His wife cares for him, dressing him and remembering things for him throughout the day.

He is still treated with respect, although it is known he is having trouble with his memory.I

This woman has been cared for by her daughters since her former husband remarried.

She is slowly losing her memory and because her daughters have to leave her for long periods, they worry about her "being lost in the bush".

This woman is the oldest in the village. All five generations of her family care for her.

This fisherman has worked in the village for his entire life, and was always the main provider for his family.

However, he has recently forgotten how to fish, and now his family make him stay at home.

When he is left unsupervised, he gets lost in the village, and he has told his family he hopes for death so he is not a burden on them.

This woman is cared for by her sister. She used to collect seaweed for the village every day.

Now, she has forgotten how to "wade" and is fearful her family will make her stay home if anything happens to her while she is by the sea.

SOURCE:

http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-41279435(accessed 22.9.17)

How keeping a dream diary could boost your creativity

For me, dreams and creativity have always been wound tightly together. As a teenager leafing through my dad’s Heavy Metal comic strip anthologies, it was Little Nemo in Slumberland (about a character who has fantastic dreams) that stunned me the most. When I became a psychology researcher, I was fascinated with altered states and formed a short-lived dream research group with my fellow PhD students – somnambulant life seemed so mysterious, and the then-received wisdom that dreams were just brain static was becoming untenable. Today, outside of my science hours, I perform improvisational theatre, most intensively with The Dreaming, a surrealistic troupe mimicking dream-logic. And in recent years, I’ve made my sporadic dream-logging into a habit (tip: keep a voice recorder by your bed and capture everything you can without worrying about sense or structure). Could this habit make me more creative? According to new research published in the Journal of Creative Behavior, it could.



Together with my own sense that dreams feed creativity, there are a number of anecdotes that press the same message: Mendeleev’s discovery of the periodic table, Elias Howe’s conception of the lock-stitch sewing machine, Descarte’s road to the scientific method and James Cameron’s ideas for The Terminator, were all apparently inspired by dreams. What’s more, evidence suggests that greater dream recall is correlated with measures of creativity. This could simply be because creative people remember their dreams better (maybe finding them more interesting). To show that dream recall actually benefits creativity you really need an experimental setup, which is just what Mauricio Sierra-Siegert and his team at the Colegiatura Colombiana attempted.

The researchers asked their undergraduate sample to twice complete a measure of creativity, 27 days apart. The measure, the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, involves working ambiguous visual fragments into full pictures, which judges then rate for their creative content. For example, someone might work a couple of isolated curves into the number eight, a snowman, or an intricate snaking hydra with faces depicting different political figures.

In the days between the assessments, 55 of the participants spent time each morning writing up the dream content they could remember from the night before. A 32-strong control group wrote instead about a vivid event from the previous day.

At the beginning and end of the study, the participants also reported how often they remembered their dreams. Those in the dream condition who started out remembering the fewest dreams – the bottom third of the group – showed an increase, from remembering one dream a month to one a week on average, suggesting that the dream diary exercise had been effective (the lowest scorers on dream recall in the control group also showed an increase during the course of the study, perhaps due to “regression to the mean”, but their increase was not as great as that shown by participants in the dream condition).

Did keeping a dream diary lead to a creativity boost? The Torrance test of creativity can be scored in terms of “raw” features like the volume of ideas, degree of extra details, and abstractness of titles of the drawings, and although the dream loggers showed an improvement in these raw scores, so did the control group (and indeed, so too did a third, non-intervention group who simply took the test twice, suggesting a benefit to performance owing simply to practice).

But the test can also be scored by evaluating more closely the content of the images, rating qualities such as the degree of emotional expressiveness, presence of narrative to the imagery, humour, richness of imagery and presence of fantasy. These are the sort of creative elements commonly associated with dreams, and indeed, the dream-logging participants showed improvements in their creative content scores whereas the control participants did not.

By repeatedly bringing their waking-state attention back to the workings of dream consciousness, Sierra-Siegert and his colleagues suggest the participants in the dream diary condition were encouraging a “cross-fertilization” between the two modes, making more accessible the creative leaps and elaboration common to dreams. Repeated referral to dream content similarly characterised the explorative leaps of the surrealists, and many of our most distinctive film-makers, from David Lynch to Christopher Nolan, blend or explore elements across these boundaries to create their work. If you desire to be creative along these lines, it seems worth paying attention to what your dream life has to offer.

SOURCE:

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/08/31/how-keeping-a-dream-diary-could-boost-your-creativity/(accessed 22.9.17)

To Stop Violence, Start at Home

THE pattern is striking. Men who are eventually arrested for violent acts often began with attacks against their girlfriends and wives. In many cases, the charges of domestic violence were not taken seriously or were dismissed.

Before Tamerlan Tsarnaev was suspected of carrying out the bombing of the Boston Marathon, he was arrested for beating his girlfriend. When Man Haron Monis held 17 people hostage at a Lindt Chocolate cafe in Sydney, he had already been charged as an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. Before George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin to death in Florida, his ex-girlfriend accused him of physically assaulting her. He faced no charges, but has been arrested twice for alleged domestic violence since 2013.

A recent study found that more than half of the 110 mass shootings in the United States between January 2009 and July 2014 included the murder of a current or former spouse, an intimate partner or a family member. Everytown for Gun Safety, the group that released the study, found a “noteworthy connection between mass-shooting incidents and domestic or family violence.”

This connection is not limited to mass shootings. An analysis of the criminal justice history of hundreds of thousands of offenders in Washington State suggests that a felony domestic violence conviction is the single greatest predictor of future violent crime among men.Continue reading the main story



If we truly want to do something about curbing violence in our society, we need to begin intervening early in the lives of children who are...
kate February 3, 2015

What about girls who grow up in violent 'homes', using that term loosely. Perhaps they may not appear in statisgtically relevant data as...
Nos Vetat? February 3, 2015

Yes, we all renounce domestic violence, however at the same time we condone other types of violence. We condone all sorts of violence from...
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With so much at stake, responding to violence against women should be a top priority for everyone. Research tells us that violence is a learned behavior.

Boys who grow up in homes with abuse and domestic violence are nearly four times more likely to perpetrate domestic violence than those who grow up in homes without it. Because violence in the home tends to be a child’s first experience of it and is often defended as either inevitable or trivial, it becomes the root and justifier of all violence.

Men who commit violence rehearse and perfect it against their families first. Women and children are target practice, and the home is the training ground for these men’s later actions.

Newsletter Sign UpContinue reading the main story
Opinion Today

Every weekday, get thought-provoking commentary from Op-Ed columnists, The Times editorial board and contributing writers from around the world.




By intervening early and stopping violence in the home, we ensure the safety of the women and children who are the first victims. We can also take steps to make it harder for perpetrators to go on to commit additional crimes, whether inside or outside the home. We could, for instance, decide that anyone who committed domestic violence could not buy or own a gun. Yet in 35 states, those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes and those subject to restraining orders can buy and carry guns. Closing these and other gaps in federal and state laws on domestic violence will save women’s lives, and by extension, many more.

And yet keeping guns out of the hands of domestic violence perpetrators is only a small part of the solution. Preventing assaults at home from happening in the first place is the key to ensuring the safety of our communities and the security of our nation.

And while some consider that problem simply too big to tackle, the truth is that we know where to look for solutions. In their landmark study published in the American Political Science Review in 2012, Mala Htun and S. Laurel Weldon looked at 70 countries over four decades to examine the most effective way to reduce violence against women. They found that the mobilization of strong, independent feminist movements was a more important force in reducing violence against women than the economic wealth of a nation, the representation of women in government or the presence of progressive political parties. Strong and thriving feminist movements help to shape public and government agendas and create the political will to address violence against women.

As activists, we see this every day. The hundreds of feminist organizations that work on this issue around this country are the best chance we have of ending the epidemic of private violence, and therefore the epidemic of public violence.

There are many small grass-roots groups that go after private and public violence at their common root. Among them are A Long Walk Home (founded by one of us), which uses art to empower young people to end violence against girls and women; A Call to Men, which mobilizes men to stand up to violence by other boys and men; and Tewa Women United, which unites indigenous women to heal and transform their communities.

Safe and democratic families are the key to ensuring safe and democratic communities. Until women are safe in the home, none of us will be safe outside the home.

SOURCE:

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/opinion/to-stop-violence-start-at-home.html?emc=edit_ty_20150203&nl=opinion&nlid=66131930&_r=1(accessed 18.9.17)

Η ομοφοβία είναι ψυχική ασθένεια;

"Μετά από συζήτηση αιώνων, για το αν η ομοφυλοφιλία πρέπει να θεωρείται ψυχική ασθένεια, για πρώτη φορά, αποδείξαμε ότι η πραγματική ασθένεια που πρέπει να θεραπευτεί είναι η ομοφοβία, που σχετίζεται με δυνητικά σοβαρές ψυχοπαθολογικές, συμπεριφορές" υποστηρίζει ο επικεφαλής συγγραφέας της συγκεκριμένης έρευνας, Dr. Emmanuele A. Jannini, πρόεδρος της Ιταλικής Εταιρείας Ανδρολογίας και Σεξουαλικής Ιατρικής.

Μια νέα μελέτη από το πανεπιστήμιο της Ρώμης Tor Vergata στην Ιταλία, και που δημοσιεύτηκε στο επιστημονικό περιοδικό Journal of Sexual Medicine, μελέτησε την ομοφοβική συμπεριφορά σε σχέση με τους αμυντικούς μηχανισμούς και τα συμπτώματα ψυχοπαθολογίας σε περισσότερους από 500 ομοφοβικούς μαθητές.

Οι ερευνητές κατέληξαν στο συμπέρασμα πως υπάρχει συσχέτιση ανάμεσα στα άτομα με υψηλά επίπεδα ομοφοβίας και σε εκείνα που παρουσιάζουν ψυχωσικές τάσεις, ενώ αντίθετα φαίνεται πως οι νευρωτικοί αμυντικοί μηχανισμοί και τα καταθλιπτικά συμπτώματα μειώνουν την πιθανότητα ομοφοβικής συμπεριφοράς.

Πιο συγκεκριμένα, τα συμπεράσματα έδειξαν πως οι ομοφοβικοί άνθρωποι, εκείνοι δηλαδή που είναι έντονα αρνητικοί απέναντι στην ομοφυλοφιλία, έχουν επίσης υψηλότερα επίπεδα ψυχωτισμού και ακατάλληλους αμυντικούς μηχανισμούς σε σχέση με εκείνους που αποδέχονται την ομοφυλοφιλία.

Αυτό βέβαια δεν σημαίνει πως όλοι οι ομοφοβικοί παρουσιάζουν ψυχολογικά προβλήματα ή πως οι ομοφοβικοί είναι παράλληλα και ψυχωτικοί, αλλά μάλλον πως υπάρχουν ψυχωτικά χαρακτηριστικά στην προσωπικότητά τους, που κυμαίνονται από την εχθρότητα έως το θυμό και την επιθετικότητα προς τους άλλους.

"Η ομοφοβία είναι ένα σημαντικό κοινωνικό πρόβλημα που αφορά ειδικά χαρακτηριστικά της προσωπικότητας των ατόμων, με μια εγγενή απέχθεια απέναντι στους ομοφυλόφιλους" υποστηρίζουν οι ερευνητές. Όπως μάλιστα αναφέρουν, όταν ένα άτομο νιώθει ασφάλεια και σιγουριά, συνήθως έχει και χαμηλό ομοφοβικό δείκτη, σε αντίθεση με εκείνο το άτομο που κάνει περισσότερο ασταθείς και πιο αυταρχικές σχέσεις.

Τι λένε οι έρευνες για την αιτιολογία της ομοφοβίας;

Προηγούμενες έρευνες υποστήριξαν πως η ομοφοβία είναι ένα πολύπλοκο θέμα, καθώς μερικές μελέτες καταλήγουν στο ότι το ομοφοβικό άτομο μπορεί να είναι ενάντιο στις δικές του επιθυμίες.

Άλλες μελέτες, ωστόσο, αμφισβητούν αυτή την ιδέα, και δείχνουν πως οι ομοφοβικοί άνθρωποι απεχθάνονται την έλξη προς τα άτομα του ίδιου φύλου.

Άλλοι παράγοντες - όπως για παράδειγμα η θρησκεία, η κουλτούρα, ο ηθικός κώδικας, φαίνεται να παίζουν ρόλο στην αρνητική στάση απέναντι στους ομοφυλόφιλους.

Παρόλο λοιπόν, που έχουν γίνει σχετικές έρευνες για την ομοφοβία και την στάση των ομοφοβικών προς την ομοφυλοφιλία, κανείς δεν είχε ποτέ εξετάσει την ψυχική υγεία ή την ύπαρξη ψυχοπαθολογίας των ομοφοβικών ατόμων.

Στη νέα μελέτη, οι ερευνητές ζήτησαν από 551 Ιταλούς φοιτητές του πανεπιστημίου, ηλικίας 18-30 ετών, να συμπληρώσουν ερωτηματολόγια σχετικά με τα επίπεδα της ομοφοβίας, καθώς και την ψυχοπαθολογία τους, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των επιπέδων της κατάθλιψης, του άγχους και ψυχωτισμού. Στην κλίμακα της ομοφοβίας ζητήθηκε από τους συμμετέχοντες να βαθμολογήσουν πόσο έντονα συμφωνούν ή διαφωνούν (σε μια κλίμακα 5 σημείων) με 25 δηλώσεις, όπως:
"Οι ομοφυλόφιλοι με κάνουν νευρικό",
"Νομίζω πως οι ομοφυλόφιλοι δεν πρέπει να εργάζονται με τα παιδιά",
"Πειράζω και κάνω αστεία με τους ομοφυλόφιλους",
"Δεν έχει σημασία για μένα αν οι φίλοι μου είναι ομοφυλόφιλοι ή ετεροφυλόφιλοι".

Οι μαθητές απάντησαν επίσης ερωτήματα σχετικά με τον τρόπο πρόσδεσης που εξηγεί το πώς οι άνθρωποι προσεγγίζουν τις σχέσεις. Ο "υγιής" τρόπος είναι αυτός της ασφαλούς σύνδεσης, στην οποία οι άνθρωποι αισθάνονται άνετα να βρίσκονται κοντά σε άλλους, να πλησιάζουν και να τους πλησιάζουν οι άλλοι. Αντίθετα, οι άνθρωποι που νιώθουν ανασφάλεια, μπορεί να αποφεύγουν την οικειότητα, να γίνουν πολύ κολλώδεις ή να επιθυμούν την εγγύτητα, αλλά να αισθάνονται άβολα να εμπιστευθούν τους άλλους.

Τέλος, οι μαθητές απάντησαν ερωτήσεις σχετικά με τις στρατηγικές αντιμετώπισης - τους μηχανισμούς άμυνας που οι άνθρωποι χρησιμοποιούν όταν αντιμετωπίζουν δυσάρεστες ή δύσκολες καταστάσεις. Οι αμυντικοί μηχανισμοί μπορεί να είναι υγιείς (ώριμοι), ή επιβλαβείς (ανώριμοι). Ένας άνθρωπος με ώριμους αμυντικούς μηχανισμούς για παράδειγμα, θα μπορούσε να ρυθμίζει τα συναισθήματα του, να μην εξαρτάται και να μην αναζητά από άλλους την επιβεβαίωση. Από την άλλη, ένας άνθρωπος με ανώριμους αμυντικούς μηχανισμούς, μπορεί να λειτουργεί παρορμητικά, παθητικό-επιθετικά ή να αρνείται την ύπαρξη ενός προβλήματος.

Οι ερευνητές κατέληξαν στα ακόλουθα συμπεράσματα:
Όσο καλύτερη είναι η ψυχική υγεία ενός ατόμου (με βάση τις απαντήσεις στο ερωτηματολόγιο), τόσο λιγότερες πιθανότητες υπάρχουν να είναι ομοφοβικό.
Άτομα με φοβική και αποφευκτική συμπεριφορά, που έχουν την τάση να αισθάνονται άβολα σε στενές σχέσεις με τους άλλους, παρουσιάζονται σημαντικά πιο ομοφοβικοί σε σχέση με εκείνους που ένιωθαν ασφαλείς στις στενές σχέσεις.
Άτομα με υψηλότερα επίπεδα των μηχανισμών ανώριμης άμυνας ήταν πιο ομοφοβικά από εκείνα με πιο ώριμους αμυντικούς μηχανισμούς.
Τα υψηλά επίπεδα εχθρότητας και θυμού μετρούμενα ως ενδείξεις ψυχωτισμού, επίσης συνδέονται με την ομοφοβία
Άλλα θέματα ψυχικής υγείας είχαν αντίθετη συσχέτιση: η κατάθλιψη και οι νευρωτικοί αμυντικοί μηχανισμοί (όπως η υποχονδρίαση) συνδέονται με χαμηλότερα επίπεδα ομοφοβίας.

Συμπερασματικά, φαίνεται πως η ομοφοβία ως χαρακτηριστικό παρουσιάζεται περισσότερο σε ανθρώπους με δυσλειτουργική προσωπικότητα. Η ομοφοβία είναι μια «ασθένεια του πολιτισμού" δήλωσε ο Jannini, φαίνεται πως τα χαρακτηριστικά της προσωπικότητας ίσως αλληλεπιδρούν με παράγοντες όπως η θρησκεία και συντηρητικές αξίες.

Συνεχίζοντας ο Dr. Jannini ανέφερε πως η μελέτη θα επεκταθεί και στους φοιτητές της γειτονικής Αλβανίας, καθώς θα ερευνήσουν επίσης και το πώς ο φόβος του "να μην είναι αρκετά άνδρας κάποιος" μπορεί να επηρεάσει την ομοφοβική συμπεριφορά.



Πηγή: 

http://www.askitis.gr/psychichealth/view/i_omophovia_einai_psichiki_astheneia(accessed 18.9.17)

Learning more about yourself could help you better understand others

The intervention used in this research was based on the Internal Family Systems model that sees an individual’s personality as made up of different sub-personalities



As social creatures, accurately recognising and understanding the mental states of others (their intentions, knowledge, beliefs, etc.) is crucial to our social bonds and interactions. In fact, in today’s multi-cultural world and strongly divided political climate, this skill – known as Theory of Mind – is perhaps more important than ever. A recent study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement proposes that an effective way to develop our Theory of Mind lies in learning to better understand ourselves.



Anne Böckler and colleagues, based at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, recruited 141 participants to take part in a three-month long contemplative training course that teaches people to take the perspective of the different aspects of their own personalities.

Before they started, the participants completed a test of their Theory of Mind: they watched short video clips of people describing autobiographical events, then answered a questionnaire about the storyteller’s intentions, thoughts and goals.

Next, the participants were taught to identify and label six ‘inner parts’ or sub-personalities within themselves, for example ‘the caring part’, ‘the inner happy child’, ‘the vulnerable part’. They could modify or add to this list at any time during the training course.

The course itself consisted of two key components that the participants practised daily for thirty minutes, and at a two-hour guided weekly training sessions. The first component was an ‘observing-thoughts’ meditation, in which participants observed their thoughts objectively, de-identified from them (i.e. observed them in a detached way), then classified the thoughts into categories of me/other, past/future or positive/negative. The second component was a perspective-taking exercise which participants conducted in pairs, alternating between the role of speaker and listener. The speaker recounted an event from their day from the perspective of one of their randomly selected inner parts. Aware of the speaker’s various inner parts, the listener had to guess which one was talking.

These perspective-taking exercises and the concept of ‘inner parts’ are based on the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model; an approach used in psychotherapy. The model sees an individual’s personality as made up of different sub-personalities, each with its own set of behaviours, cognitions and affects. The current study is part of a larger research project which draws from the model’s principles, successfully implemented in a therapeutic setting (such as with rheumatoid arthritis patients), and applies them to a non-clinical, healthy, adult population with the aim of improving mental well-being and social intelligence.

On average, the participants in the current study identified 11 inner parts to their personalities, of which 44 per cent were labelled by independent judges as negative traits and 56 per cent were positive traits. The researchers organised the participants’ different personality parts into related trait types according to the IFS model, the most common being: Protectors (12 per cent), Managers and Pleasure Parts (both 11 per cent), Inner Critics (9 per cent), and Vulnerable Parts (8 per cent).

After completing the training course the participants re-took the same Theory of Mind test that they’d taken at the start of the study. Improvement in Theory of Mind was correlated with the number of different inner personality parts identified – the more facets the participants were able to recognise within themselves, the better they seemed to become at understanding others. This is reflected in neuroimaging research, where the processes of perspective-taking of the self and others utilise shared neural mechanisms.

Interestingly, the correlation between number of parts of self identified and improvement in Theory of Mind was even stronger in those who identified more negative parts. The researchers propose that this supports the theory that people are naturally resistant to looking for negative aspects of their personality, therefore those who do are thought to be working more profoundly to better understand themselves. In addition to the result of a better understanding of the mental states of others, this deeper work also improves psychological wellbeing, as it is widely acknowledged in clinical psychology that accepting negative emotions is beneficial to mental health.

The purpose of identifying the different aspects of our personalities is to understand that through them one can view a single situation through a handful of different outlooks; we learn to see the self as multifaceted and can detach and de-identify from one sole personal perspective. Consequently, we’ll also be more open to the different points of view of others, and less likely to assume that a person’s perspective remains consistent across different life situations. It’s likely this increased interpersonal understanding will in turn encourage greater respect and compassion for others, facilitate communication and reduce the ostracism and stigmatisation of groups with alternative outlooks.

So it seems a little soul searching is required to better understand the people around us. Why not have a go at reflecting on your own psyche, and see what you can recognise in others?

SOURCE:

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/09/08/learning-more-about-yourself-could-help-you-better-understand-others/(accessed 18.9.17)

Happier People Are Raised By Parents Who Do These Two Things

Poor parenting still resonating with people now in their 60s as much as the death of a loved one.



Children of parents who are warmer and less controlling grow up happier, a new study finds.

In contrast, parents who are overly controlling tend to bring up children with worse mental well-being.

Dr Mai Stafford, one of the study’s authors, said:


“We found that people whose parents showed warmth and responsiveness had higher life satisfaction and better mental wellbeing throughout early, middle and late adulthood.”

The study tracked 5,362 people from their birth in 1946.

Over sixty years later, 2,000 of them completed a series of follow-up surveys including one asking about how controlling their parents were.

Controlling parents did not allow their children to make their own decisions and fostered too much dependence on them.

Controlling parents also invaded their children’s privacy and didn’t allow them to have their own opinions.

The negative effect of controlling parents was still felt by people in their 60s.

The researchers likened the damaging effect to the death of a loved one.

The other problematic factor — lack of parental warmth — makes it difficult to have a strong bond with parents.

A strong emotional attachment to parents provides a better base from which children can explore the world.

The study was published in The Journal of Positive Psychology(Stafford et al., 2015).

SOURCE:

http://www.spring.org.uk/2015/09/happier-people-are-raised-by-parents-who-do-these-two-things.php(accessed 13.9.17)

The Type of Music That Boosts Creativity

This type of music helps you search longer and harder for a creative solution.



Listening to happy, energetic music increases people’s creativity, a new study finds.

Researchers found that listening to the violin concerto “The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi helped their divergent creativity.

Divergent creativity refers to creating lots of potential answers to a problem.

For example, try to think of as many uses as you can for a brick.

Building a house is the obvious one, but you might also list sitting on it, using it to smash open a coconut, or painting a face on it and using it as a puppet (admittedly not a very expressive puppet!).

The more you can come up with, the more divergent creativity you display.


Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” was compared with, among other pieces, Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for String”, which is a sad and melancholic piece by comparison.


The study’s authors explain their results:


“The main conclusion of the results we obtained is that listening to ‘happy music’ (i.e., classical music that elicits positive mood and is high on arousal), as compared to a silence control condition, is associated with an increase in divergent thinking, but not convergent creativity.”

Convergent creativity is the type where you are trying to reach one specific solution.

Examples of this might include a math problem, a riddle or a crossword.

Here your brain is trying to ‘converge’ on the solution.

Happy classical music had little effect on this type of creativity.

Why, then, does upbeat music have this effect on divergent creativity?

The study’s authors write:


“…creative ideation is a function of persistence and flexibility, and that situational variables can influence creativity either through their effects on persistence, on flexibility, or on both.”

In other words: happy music encourages you to try harder for longer and to search in more places.

SOURCE:

http://www.spring.org.uk/2017/09/music-creativity.php(accessed 13.9.17)

Τι κάνουμε όταν ακούσουμε τι φράση: «Μαμά θέλω να μου πάρεις κινητό τηλέφωνο»;

Είναι δεδομένο ότι το να αγοράσετε στο παιδί σας smartphone δεν είναι μία εύκολη απόφαση. Όμως, σήμερα, τα περισσότερα παιδιά έχουν μία νέα μορφή επικοινωνίας μεταξύ τους, μέσω κινητού τηλεφώνου. Η επικοινωνία δεν σταματά ποτέ, αλλά ξετυλίγεται μέσα από αλληλουχίες μηνυμάτων, με τους δικούς τους κώδικες και τη δική τους γλώσσα.

Τα παιδιά, μέσω αυτού, έχουν την αίσθηση ότι διαχειρίζονται, χωρίς παρεμβάσεις το καθημερινό τους πρόγραμμα, κανονίζουν ραντεβού με τους φίλους τους, μιλούν με όποιον και όσο θέλουν, χωρίς τον έλεγχο ή την επίβλεψη του γονιού απαραίτητα. Ωστόσο, οι γονείς θα πρέπει να είναι πολύ προσεκτικοί και να λαμβάνουν υπόψη τους πολλές παραμέτρους για το συγκεκριμένο θέμα:
Kατ’αρχάς, θα πρέπει να εκτιμούν την αναπτυξιακή ωριμότητα του παιδιού πριν προχωρήσουν στη συγκεκριμένη παροχή, δεδομένου ότι δεν συνιστάται η χρήση κινητού από παιδιά ηλικίας μικρότερης των 8 ετών.
Θα πρέπει να είναι πάντα σε θέση να επιβλέπουν και να γνωρίζουν το πώς επικοινωνεί το παιδί, ώστε να το συμβουλεύουν ανάλογα.
Θα πρέπει να ενημερώνουν το παιδί ότι πρέπει να αποφεύγει τη φύλαξη του κινητού σε τσέπες ή στη ζώνη και να προτιμά τη φύλαξη σε τσάντα. Επίσης, πρέπει να αποτρέπεται η χρήση του κινητού στο αυτοκίνητο.
Θα πρέπει να συζητούν με τo παιδί για τις επαφές και τις δραστηριότητες που έχει μέσω τηλεφώνου.
Θα πρέπει να προσέχουν αν το παιδί επικοινωνεί υπερβολικά μέσω του τηλεφώνου, περιορίζοντας τις πρόσωπο με πρόσωπο στιγμές που έχει με τους φίλους του. Αν συμβαίνει αυτό, θα πρέπει να περνούν περισσότερο χρόνο ουσιαστικής επαφής και επικοινωνίας μαζί του και να το ενθαρρύνουν να έχει και ζωντανές, πρόσωπο με πρόσωπο στιγμές με τους φίλους του, όχι μόνο μέσω του κινητού και του Internet.
Επίσης, θα πρέπει να του εξηγήσουν ότι έχουν την ευθύνη κατοχής του κινητού και ότι δεν πρέπει ποτέ να το δίνουν σε αγνώστους. Ο κωδικός κλειδώματος της SIM κάρτας είναι αυστηρά προσωπικός και το παιδί δεν πρέπει να απαντά σε κλήσεις από άγνωστους αριθμούς ή από γραμμές με απόκρυψη, καθώς και να μην ανταλλάσσει γραπτά μηνύματα ή οποιουδήποτε άλλου είδους περιεχόμενο με αγνώστους.
Τέλος, θα πρέπει να συζητήσουν με το παιδί για την ύπαρξη αριθμών αυξημένης χρέωσης.

ΠΗΓΗ:

http://www.kathimerini.gr/925203/article/ygeia/afierwmata/ti-kanoyme-otan-akoysoyme-ti-frash-mama-8elw-na-moy-pareis-kinhto-thlefwno(accessed 13.9.17)

Διαχείριση άγχους κατά τη διάρκεια του αγώνα

Η πολυδιάστατη φύση του άγχους και ο διαχωρισμός του σε γνωστικό, σωματικό, προδιάθεσης (προσωπικότητας) και κατάστασης (αγώνας ή προπόνηση) μας δίνει τη δυνατότητα να αντιληφθούμε και να επενεργήσουμε στις διάφορες πτυχές του, με στόχο τη διαχείριση του και τη μεγιστοποίηση της απόδοσης του αθλητή.

Σημαντικό ρόλο διαδραματίζει η αντίληψη των αθλητών για την επίδραση του άγχους που παρουσιάζεται στην αρχή ενός αγώνα. Εάν ο αθλητής πιστεύει ότι δεν μπορεί να ελέγξει το άγχος του και ότι θα τον επηρεάσει αρνητικά, τότε αυτό λειτουργεί ανασταλτικά. Αντιθέτως, εάν ο αθλητής θεωρεί ότι μπορεί να ελέγξει τα συμπτώματα του άγχους και να τα χρησιμοποιήσει προς όφελος του, τότε το άγχος ερμηνεύεται ως ένδειξη ετοιμότητας για τον αγώνα και λειτουργεί διευκολυντικά.

Όταν ο εγκέφαλος αντιληφθεί ότι μια κατάσταση είναι επικίνδυνη, τότε το σώμα εκκρίνοντας ορμόνες όπως αδρεναλίνη, νοραδρεναλίνη και κορτιζόλη φτάνει στη διέγερση και ετοιμάζεται να την αντιμετωπίσει επιτυχώς.
Το άγχος πριν τον αγώνα

Τα ερευνητικά δεδομένα αναφέρουν ότι αρκετές ημέρες πριν από τον αγώνα ξεκινούν οι θετικές (σημάδι αυτοπεποίθησης) ή οι αρνητικές (σημάδι άγχους) σκέψεις και ενεργοποιούνται σε πολύ μεγάλο βαθμό στο μυαλό των αθλητών. Ωστόσο το σώμα ακόμη δεν εκδηλώνει σημάδια άγχους (τρέμουλο, ταχυκαρδία, εφίδρωση, στομαχικό πόνο κ.α.). Κατά συνέπεια το γνωστικό άγχος μπορεί να βρίσκεται σε υψηλά επίπεδα ακόμη και αρκετές ημέρες πριν από τον αγώνα και παραμένει σταθερό όσο πλησιάζει ο αγώνας.

Από την άλλη μεριά το σωματικό άγχος βρίσκεται σε χαμηλά επίπεδα αρκετές ημέρες πριν από τον αγώνα και κορυφώνεται όσο πλησιάζει η ώρα του αγώνα με αποκορύφωμα λίγα λεπτά πριν από τον αγώνα να φτάνει στην κορύφωση του. Όταν ξεκινήσει ο αγώνας το σωματικό άγχος πέφτει απότομα ενώ το γνωστικό άγχος έχει διακυμάνσεις κατά τη διάρκεια του.

Ο φόβος και η αμφιβολία για το αποτέλεσμα του αγώνα, τα χαρακτηριστικά της προσωπικότητας (αγχώδης τύπος προσωπικότητας), ο φόβος για αρνητική κοινωνική αξιολόγηση από τους «σημαντικούς άλλους», η υπερεκτίμηση των αντιλαμβανόμενων κινδύνων, η υποτίμηση των ικανοτήτων, ο φόβος για τραυματισμό, η ελλιπής προετοιμασία, η τελειομανία (perfectionism) και η αλλαγή στη ρουτίνα (π.χ. καθυστέρηση έναρξης του αγώνα) είναι οι πιο σημαντικοί παράγοντες που ευνοούν το γνωστικό άγχος και κατά συνέπεια αυξάνουν τα επίπεδα του προαγωνιστικού άγχους.

Αυτό που πρέπει να έχουμε υπόψη είναι ότι το επίπεδο του βέλτιστου άγχους διαφέρει από αθλητή σε αθλητή και επιπλέον το ιδανικό επίπεδο άγχους μπορεί να επιτευχθεί μέσω ψυχολογικών τεχνικών. Ο προσδιορισμός του ιδανικού επίπεδου γίνεται είτε άμεσα είτε εκ των υστέρων (μέθοδος ανάκλησης).

Πολλοί αθλητές πιστεύουν ότι με το να μην συζητούν γι’ αυτό που σκέφτονται (αποφυγή προβλήματος), να καταφεύγουν σε ηρεμιστικές ουσίες ή να αυξάνουν τα επίπεδα του φαγητού αντιμετωπίζουν σωστά το άγχος πριν τον αγώνα. Το βέβαιο είναι οι προηγούμενες τακτικές αποφέρουν τελικά υψηλότερα επίπεδα αμφιβολίας, φόβου και άγχους στον αθλητή.
Διαχείριση άγχους πριν τον αγώνα

Οι πιο ενδεδειγμένες κινήσεις προκειμένου να διαχειριστείτε το άγχος πριν τον αγώνα είναι οι ακόλουθες:

1. Ελέγξτε τις συνθήκες εκείνες, τις καταστάσεις και τις σκέψεις που σας δημιουργούν άγχος.

2. Κάθε φορά πριν από κάθε αγώνα πρέπει να θέτετε:
ρεαλιστικούς,
επιτεύξιμους,
συγκεκριμένους
Θετικούς και
μετρήσιμους στόχους με βάση τα αποτελέσματα που έχετε στην προπόνηση.

3. Σκεφτείτε τι πρέπει να κάνετε σωστά και ότι είστε ικανοί να το καταφέρετε γιατί έχετε δουλέψει και προπονηθεί πάνω σε αυτή τη βάση.

4. Καταστρώστε στρατηγικές και εναλλακτικά σχέδια για τον αγώνα. Αυτό θα σας δημιουργήσει ηρεμία και σιγουριά ότι έχετε σκεφτεί και μπορείτε να αντιμετωπίσετε οποιαδήποτε αντιξοότητα μπορεί να προκύψει.

5. Ελέγξτε με ημερολόγιο τη διαδικασία της προπόνησης σας και καταγράψτε τη βελτίωση σας, ώστε να αισθανθείτε υψηλότερη αυτοπεποίθηση για τον εαυτό σας.

6. Χρησιμοποιείστε τεχνικές χαλάρωσης και σωστή αναπνοή.

Το άγχος είναι κάτι που επηρεάζει είτε με θετικό είτε με αρνητικό τρόπο τους αθλητές. Η Αθλητική ψυχολογία έχει τα εργαλεία και τις τεχνικές εκείνες οι οποίες βοηθούν στη διαχείριση του, με απώτερο σκοπό τη μεγιστοποίηση της απόδοσης. Η γνωστική αναδόμηση, η εκλογίκευση των γνωστικών διαστρεβλώσεων, η αλλαγή των αρνητικών σκέψεων σε θετικές και η εκμάθηση τεχνικών για τη διαχείριση του άγχους είναι η βοήθεια που προσφέρει ο ειδικός επιστήμονας στον αθλητή προκειμένου να έχει το επιθυμητό αποτέλεσμα.



Βιβλιογραφία:

1. Endler, N.S. (1978). The interaction model of anxiety: Some possible impications. In D.M.Landers & R.W.Christina (Eds.), Psychology of motor behavior and sport-1977 (pp. 332-351). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

2. Hanin, Y.L. (1980). A study of anxiety in sports. In W.F.Straub (Ed.), Sport Psychology: An analysis of athlete behavior (pp. 236-249). New York: Mouvement Publications

3. Martens, R., Vealey, R.S., & Burton, D. (1990). Competitive anxiety in sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetic

ΠΗΓΗ:

https://www.e-psychology.gr/sports-psychology/2524-diaherisi-agxous-kata-ti-diarkeia-tou-agona.html(accessed 6.9.17)

Γάμος χωρίς σεξ: Όσα πρέπει να ξέρετε

Δεν θα εξετάσουμε την περίπτωση μιας φευγαλέας ζήλιας ή ενός συζυγικού μικρό-επεισοδίου, που κατέληξε στην πεισματική αποχή από το σεξ ως «τιμωρία» -επειδή ο σύζυγος κοίταξε επίμονα ένα εντυπωσιακό ζευγάρι γοφών ή η σύζυγος γκρίνιαξε περισσότερο από το «επιτρεπτό». Ο λόγος εδώ, γίνεται για τα ζευγάρια εκείνα που βρίσκονται σε χρόνια –συμφωνημένη ή μη- αποχή από το σεξ. Για τους συντρόφους αυτούς που, συν τω χρόνω, έγιναν δυο συγκάτοικοι, που μοιράζονται την ίδια ζωή (και ίσως το ίδιο κρεβάτι), αλλά δεν επιθυμεί πια ερωτικά ο ένας τον άλλον.




Αν είστε σε μια τέτοια σχέση, όπου μεταξύ σας δεν υπάρχει πια παρά αμοιβαία αγάπη και συντροφικότητα και η φλόγα του πάθους έχει προ πολλού σβήσει για τα καλά, οι ακόλουθες πληροφορίες και συμβουλές έχουν γραφτεί για εσάς.
Δεν είστε (οι) μόνοι

Ο μέσος, κοινωνικά νοήμων άνθρωπος το προσυπογράφει: σχέση χωρίς σεξ, είναι σχέση μισή –είναι, τελικά, φιλία. Παρά την κοινή παραδοχή ότι η αποχή από το σεξ οδηγεί με ακρίβεια σε μια σχέση δυστυχή και ελλιπή, τα ζευγάρια που συμβιώνουν έχοντας από καιρό πάρει διαζύγιο από το σεξ δεν είναι καθόλου λίγα.

Η παραδοχή αυτής της μορφής σχέσης, δεν είναι εύκολη υπόθεση. Επομένως, το γεγονός ότι καμία εκ των φίλων ή συγγενών σας δεν έχει μοιραστεί μαζί σας το αντίστοιχο πρόβλημα, δεν σημαίνει ότι δεν μπορεί να συμβαίνει και στις... πιο ευτυχισμένες οικογένειες. Ο αναλυτής δεδομένων μεγάλης κλίμακας (data scientist)Seth Stephens-Danidowitz, ανέλυσε αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης της Google που δημοσίευσε σε άρθρο του στο ΝΥ Τimes και κατέληξε στο συμπέρασμα ότι η αναζήτηση «γάμος χωρίς σεξ» είναι 3,5 φορές συχνότερη απ' το «δυστυχισμένος γάμος» και 8 φορές δημοφιλέστερη απ' το «γάμος χωρίς αγάπη»!

Με δυο λόγια: οι χωρίς σεξ σχέσεις είναι πολύ συχνότερες απ' αυτό που ίσως υποθέτετε, γεγονός που σας καθιστά -τρόπον τινά- «μέσο όρο» των συζυγικών προβλημάτων.


Μην κατηγορείτε τον εαυτό σας!

Όποιος κι αν είναι ο λόγος που η σχέση σας οδηγήθηκε σ' αυτή τη μορφή, είναι εντελώς παράλογο να κατηγορείτε τον εαυτό σας –είτε είστε άντρας, είτε γυναίκα. Όταν δύο άνθρωποι σταματούν να θέλουν να έρχονται σε επαφή, «φταίνε» κι οι δύο. Οι λόγοι που οδηγούν ένα ζευγάρι στη σεξουαλική αποχή μπορεί να είναι δεκάδες (ναι, το «βαρεθήκαμε ο ένας τον άλλον», δεν είναι απαραίτητα η απάντηση), όμως σε καμία περίπτωση δεν φταίει (μόνο) ότι το σώμα σας άλλαξε μεγαλώνοντας ή ότι πήρατε κιλά.

Ιδιαίτερα οι γυναίκες έχουν την τάση να κατηγορούν τον εαυτό τους για την έλλειψη σεξ. Φοβούνται ότι έπαυσαν να είναι αρκετά ελκυστικές και ερωτικές και γι' αυτό οδηγήθηκαν στην αποχή. «Συχνά, οι άντρες σταματούν να είναι σεξουαλικά ενεργοί επειδή βιώνουν έντονο άγχος το οποίο φοβούνται ότι θα εξελιχθεί σε στυτική δυσλειτουργία», γράφει στην Huffingtonpost η Tammy Nelson, σεξολόγος. Κι αυτός είναι ένας μόνο από τους λόγους, που ο καλός σας δεν έχει διάθεση πια για... τρελίτσες.
«Απλά... βαρεθήκαμε ο ένας τον άλλον»: Ισχύει;

Μιλώντας για τους λόγους που οδηγούν ένα ζευγάρι στην άνευ σεξ συμβίωση: η εκατέρωθεν ερωτική ανία είναι ίσως –σύμφωνα με τους ψυχολόγους- η κορυφή του παγόβουνου. Η έλλειψη όρεξης για οτιδήποτε είναι, σε κανονικές συνθήκες, ευχάριστο και απολαυστικό, μπορεί να είναι σύμπτωμα αγχώδους διαταραχής ή ακόμη και κατάθλιψης.

Επομένως, πριν σπεύσετε να καταλήξετε σε κάτι τελεσίδικο και καταδικαστικό όπως «Δεν μας συνδέει πια τίποτα» ή«Ο έρωτας μας "τελείωσε"», κάντε μια βαθειά κι ουσιαστική ανασκόπηση. Είστε ευχαριστημένοι απ' τη ζωή σας; Ή, ακόμη: είστε ευχαριστημένοι απ' τον σύντροφό σας, εν γένει; Οι άνθρωποι μεγαλώνουν και εξελίσσονται.



Ενδέχεται η ζωή σας να μην είναι αυτή που φανταστήκατε ή ο/η σύντροφός σας να μην σας καλύπτει πια ως προσωπικότητα. Η δουλειά και τα παιδιά μπορεί να σας καταβάλουν ψυχικά και σωματικά τόσο, ώστε το μόνο που επιθυμείτε στο τέλος της ημέρας να είναι ένας χορταστικός ύπνος.

Πριν, λοιπόν, καταλήξετε ότι το σεξ για σας του δύο είναι κεφάλαιο που έχει οριστικά κλείσει, σιγουρευτείτε ότι είστε καλά με τον εαυτό, τη ζωή και το άλλο σας μισό.Επικοινωνήστε κάθε σκέψη σας στο σύντροφό σας και, εάν νιώθετε ότι δεν μπορείτε να εντοπίσετε την αιτία του προβλήματος, επισκεφτείτε έναν ειδικό. Σίγουρα τα χρήματα δεν περισσεύουν, αλλά υπάρχουν ζητήματα που δεν μπορείτε να λύσετε μόνοι.
Είστε σύμμαχοι απέναντι στο πρόβλημα;

Είστε ή όχι και οι δύο «στην ίδια σελίδα»; Η έλλειψη σεξ είναι μια κοινή, σιωπηλά παρμένη απόφαση που ικανοποιεί –ή, τουλάχιστον, δεν ενοχλεί- και τους δύο ή είναι επιλογή του ενός εκ των δύο συντρόφων; Αν η απόφαση είναι κοινή και έχει παρθεί με ωριμότητα, τότε έχετε κάνει μια σοβαρή επιλογή ζωής, που μπορεί να είναι μεγάλης σημασίας, αλλά είναι επιλογή δύο σκεπτόμενων ενηλίκων.

Αν είστε εσείς ο… αρνητής του σεξ, τότε πρέπει άμεσα να βρείτε τι φταίει, τόσο για την υγεία της σχέσης σας όσο και για χάρη του/ της συντρόφου σας. Εξαλείψτε την πιθανότητα ιατρικού προβλήματος και ρωτήστε τον εαυτό σας, γιατί έχετε χάσει την όρεξή σας. Συζητήστε το ανοιχτά, ζητήστε κατανόηση και χρόνο και δείξτε την αγάπη σας –η έλλειψη σεξ, δεν χρειάζεται να συνεπάγεται έλλειψη τρυφερότητας μεταξύ σας.

Τι γίνεται όμως αν είστε ο «αδικημένος» της υπόθεσης; Σ’ αυτή την περίπτωση πρέπει χωρίς περιστροφές, αλλά δίχως πίεση και άγχος να μιλήσετε ξεκάθαρα για το άγχος σας. Η Sallie Foley, διευθύντρια του Κέντρου Σεξουαλικής Υγείας του Πανεπιστημίου του Μίσιγκαν, μιλάει στο ιατρικό site WebMD και συμβουλεύει: «Αν ο σύντροφός σας είναι απρόθυμος, τότε πρέπει να του πείτε ευθέως “Πρέπει να συζητήσουμε ποιες είναι οι προτεραιότητες και τα «θέλω» μας. Δεν μπορώ να είμαι σε μια σχέση όπου το σεξ έχει τελειώσει.”». Η S. Folley, επισημαίνει ότι συχνά η αιτία που μπορεί να κρύβεται πίσω απ’ την απουσία διάθεσης είναι η κατάθλιψη και το άγχος. Η επίσκεψη σε έναν ειδικό μπορεί να χαράξει τις στρατηγικές εκείνες που θα οδηγήσουν στο να βρεθεί η χαμένη διάθεση.



Σε κάθε περίπτωση, πρέπει το ζήτημα να τεθεί επί τάπητος, Αν δεν έχετε διάθεση, παραδεχτείτε το, ζητήστε συγγνώμη και προσπαθήστε να βρείτε τη λύση. Αν η διάθεση σάς περισσεύει, απαιτήστε να λυθεί το ζήτημα με αμοιβαία προσπάθεια και υποχωρήσεις.
Μόνο εσείς ξέρετε τι είναι καλύτερο για 'σας

Το πού μπορεί να οδηγηθεί η σχέση σας είστε σε θέση να το ξέρετε μόνο εσείς. Ένας γάμος χωρίς σεξ είναι σύμφωνα με την κοινή λογική, ένας ελλιπής -αν όχι δυστυχισμένος- γάμος. Εσείς όμως δεν έχετε την «κοινή» λογική –έχετε τη δική σας. Υπάρχουν άντρες και γυναίκες που δηλώνουν χαρούμενοι και απόλυτα ικανοποιημένοι από τη λευκή τους σχέση -δήλωση που για τους περισσότερους είναι ακατανόητη.

Ο καθένας γνωρίζει τι είναι καλύτερο για εκείνον και τη ζωή του. Αν η απόφασή σας να απέχετε από το σεξ είναι απόφαση που έχει παρθεί με ωριμότητα και η επιλογή αυτή είναι πραγματικά ικανοποιητική για εσάς, δεν χρειάζεται να δώσετε λογαριασμό σε κανέναν ούτε να πτοηθείτε από τα σχόλια και τις απόψεις του κόσμου. Η σεξουαλικότητα είναι όμως αναπόσπαστο κομμάτι σας, γι΄αυτό εξετάστε το πολύ σοβαρά: θέλετε πράγματι να ζείτε χωρίς ερωτικά χάδια, οργασμούς και σεξουαλική τρυφερότητα;

ΠΗΓΗ:

http://www.mama365.gr/25723/gamos-horis-sex-osa-prepei-na-xerete.html(accessed 5.9.17)

Trans men show unusual connectivity patterns in brain networks involved in self perception

Photographic stimuli from the “body morph” task that was used in the new research



Most brain imaging studies involving transgender people or people with gender dysphoria have focused on whether their brains look more like what’s typical for the gender they identify with, rather than the gender they were assigned at birth based on their biological sex. For example, whether trans men have “masculine” brains, and trans women have more “feminine” brains.

The results have been mixed and if anything point towards trans people having brains with distinct features that are neither stereotypically male or female.

A new study in Brain Imaging and Behaviour adds to this trend, showing that trans men have unusual patterns of connectivity in brain networks involved in processing of the self, as compared with male and female controls. “The present data do not support the hypothesis that sexual differentiation of the brain of individuals with gender dysphoria is in the opposite direction as their sex assigned at birth,” the researchers said, adding that the unusual connectivity patterns they found in trans men “was detected in comparison with both male and female controls, and there were no differences between the control groups”.



The research team led by Jamie Feusner at University of California, Los Angeles, scanned the brains of 27 trans men (whom they refer to as female-to-male persons with gender dysphoria) recruited via a gender dysphoria clinic at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden where they’d been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, specifically transsexualism (according to ICD 10 criteria). The trans men had not yet undertaken the surgery and/or hormone treatment that they were seeking; they had no other current psychiatric or neurological diagnoses. There were also 27 male and 27 female cisgender controls.

This was a resting-state brain scan, so the participants simply lay in the scanner doing nothing. The researchers then analysed the participants’ patterns of neural activity at rest to look for signs of connectivity in various brain networks, including the “default mode network” (which is more active when we’re mind-wandering and thinking about the self rather than engaged with the outside world) and the “salience network” which processes internal bodily sensations, among other things.

Eighteen of the trans participants and some of the controls also completed a body morph test (see example photographs above): they looked at images of their own body, shown for either half a second or two seconds, that were morphed to varying degrees with the body of another man or woman, and they had to say to what degree the photo was of themselves.

The trans men showed weak connectivity in areas of the default mode network as compared with both the male and female controls. As you’d expect, they were also more likely to rate the body morph photos as being themselves when they were morphed with a man’s body, rather than a woman’s or unmorphed. Moreover, at longer viewing times, this identification with a masculinised version of their own body correlated with greater connectivity within pregenual anterior cingulate cortex – part of the default mode network that’s associated with feelings of self. The controls didn’t show this correlation, but at shorter viewing times they (but not the trans participants) showed a correlation between seeing their unmorphed body as their own and connectivity within the right insula – a region involved in the rapid processing of internal bodily signals.

The interpretation of these different brain activity patterns is highly speculative but the researchers said the results are consistent with the idea that in trans men “higher cortical systems” were modulating the activity of more reflex systems involved in self and own body processing. The researchers said: “Gender dysphoria individuals differ from controls with respect to connectivity within networks involved in self-directed thinking and that relate to own-body identification, which could represent a neurobiological correlate of their condition.”

Whether these unusual brain activity patterns play a role in causing gender dysphoria or are the consequence of it, or both, is not clear. It also remains to be seen how surgical or hormone treatment might interact with these neural patterns. More research, especially longitudinal that tests participants over time, is needed to tease out cause and effect; and research with trans women is also required to see if the current findings generalise.

SOURCE:

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/08/21/trans-men-show-unusual-connectivity-patterns-in-brain-networks-involved-in-self-perception/(accessed 5.9.17)

Αχ, αυτός ο θυμός!

Τι είναι ο θυμός;
Ο θυμός είναι ένα φυσιολογικό και υγιές συναίσθημα που μας λέει πως «κάτι δεν πάει καλά». Ανάλογα με τον τρόπο που θα τον διαχειριστούμε μπορεί να γίνει πολύ δημιουργικός, π.χ. «θυμώνω που δεν καλύπτεις τις ανάγκες μου και μαθαίνω πως μπορώ να τις καλύπτω εγώ» ή καταστροφικός, όταν ο τρόπος έκφρασής του μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε καταστροφικά αποτελέσματα για την υγεία και τις σχέσεις μας.
Είναι μία φυσική απάντηση σε υποτιθέμενη απειλή, όπου ο οργανισμός μας εκκρίνει αδρεναλίνη για να μπορέσει να είναι σε εγρήγορση και να αμυνθεί. Μία πρωτόγονη κατάσταση, όπου σφίγγονται οι μύες και αυξάνεται η αρτηριακή πίεση και οι καρδιακοί παλμοί. Οι αισθήσεις γίνονται πιο ευαίσθητες, το πρόσωπό μας κοκκινίζει. Παρόλες λοιπόν τις σωματικές αντιδράσεις, ο θυμός γίνεται πρόβλημα μόνο όταν δεν μπορούμε να τον διαχειριστούμε με έναν υγιή τρόπο.
Τελικά δεν είναι «κακό» να θυμώνω;
Όχι. Ίσα ίσα, όπως ανέφερα και παραπάνω, ο θυμός είναι ένα σημάδι πως «κάτι δεν πάει καλά». Άρα, μπορεί να με κινητοποιήσει να δω με τι θυμώνω και να γίνω πιο δημιουργικός και θετικός άνθρωπος για παράδειγμα, να οριοθετήσω τον εαυτό μου και να μην επιτρέπω στους άλλους να με κάνουν ότι θέλουν, να μπω στη διαδικασία να μιλήσω για πράγματα που με ενοχλούν και να μοιραστώ τις ανησυχίες μου. Σημαντικός είναι ο τρόπος που θα τα κάνω όλα αυτά, η διαχείρισή του δηλαδή, ώστε να μπορέσω να τον εκφράσω με έναν πιο υγιή και δημιουργικό τρόπο.
Με τι θυμώνουμε;
Η προσωπική μας ιστορία τροφοδοτεί τις θυμώδεις αντιδράσεις μας.
Υπάρχουν πολλά ερεθίσματα καθημερινά που θα μπορούσαν να μας θυμώσουν και να χάσουμε την υπομονή μας, αισθανόμενοι πως «δεν ακουγόμαστε», «δεν αναγνωρίζεται» αυτό που κάνουμε σε προσωπικό, οικογενειακό, συντροφικό, κοινωνικό ή και επαγγελματικό επίπεδο, δεν μας σέβονται, δεν μας εκτιμούν, μας χειρίζονται, μας αδικούν, κλπ.
Μπορεί να μάθαμε να χρησιμοποιούμε το θυμό ως τρόπο επιβίωσης σε κάποια φάση της ζωής μας και προφανώς με θετικά αποτελέσματα, εφόσον «επιβιώσαμε». Σήμερα όμως, που οι καταστάσεις έχουν αλλάξει, ο «παλιός τρόπος έκφρασής του» ίσως δεν είναι και τόσο λειτουργικός πια.
Παρελθοντικά βιώματα που έχουν δημιουργήσει τραυματικές εμπειρίες, ανοιχτοί λογαριασμοί, κλπ., είναι πιθανό να πυροδοτήσουν το θυμό μας.
Ίσως προτιμάμε να είμαστε θυμωμένοι, έστω και χωρίς να το καταλαβαίνουμε, για να μην πονέσουμε, καθώς ο θυμός είναι ένα συναίσθημα που έχει ενέργεια και δεν μας αφήνει να «πέσουμε ψυχικά», π.χ. στο χωρισμό, όσο νιώθω θυμό, δεν πονάω και «δεν με παίρνει από κάτω», νιώθω μάλιστα ότι έχω υπερβολική ενέργεια.
Μπορεί να έχουμε μάθει να τον «καταπίνουμε», με αποτέλεσμα να απογοητευόμαστε όλο και περισσότερο, να «βαρυστομαχιάζουμε» και να νιώθουμε ότι μονίμως σιγοβράζουμε μέσα μας, κάνοντας τον εαυτό μας αλλά και τους γύρω μας αρκετά συχνά δυστυχισμένους.
Ο θυμός είναι ένα από τα στάδια του πένθους, όπου θυμώνουμε με την απώλεια και το γκρέμισμα των ονείρων και της ζωής μας, όπως την ξέραμε μέχρι τώρα (π.χ. θάνατος, χωρισμός, απώλεια φιλίας, εργασίας, …).
Ψυχικές διαταραχές, όπως η κατάθλιψη, αγχώδεις διαταραχές, χρήση τοξικών ουσιών.
Νευρολογικές διαταραχές, επιληψία, N. Altzheimer
Αλλαγές στη χημεία του εγκεφάλου ή υποκείμενες ιατρικές καταστάσεις, καρδιακές, μεταβολικές, ενδοκρινικές διαταραχές, π.χ. υπερθυρεοειδισμός
Αυτοάνοσα νοσήματα
Χρήση συγκεκριμένων φαρμάκων
Όπως βλέπουμε λοιπόν, υπάρχουν πολλοί και διαφορετικοί λόγοι για να θυμώσουμε, αλλά και πολλά είδη θυμού.
Πως μπορώ να διαχειριστώ το θυμό μου;

Να μάθω να τον εκφράζω, ίσως όχι εκείνη τη συγκεκριμένη στιγμή αν νιώθω ότι θα έχω έντονο ξέσπασμα αλλά όταν ηρεμήσω.
Να μάθω να τον συγκρατώ και να τον μετατρέπω σε μία πιο εποικοδομητική συμπεριφορά. Χρειάζεται όμως προσοχή να μην τον στρέψω «προς τα μέσα» ή να μην του δώσω μία παθητική-επιθετική έκφραση.
Να μάθω να τον ελέγχω και να ηρεμώ, αφήνοντας τα αρνητικά συναισθήματα της στιγμής να εξατμιστούν.
Να μιλήσω με σαφή τρόπο και άμεσα για το τι με ενοχλεί, χωρίς να κατηγορώ τους άλλους ή να χρησιμοποιώ βαρύγδουπες εκφράσεις για να τους πληγώσω.
Μπορεί ο θυμός να βλάψει την υγεία μου;
Εξαρτάται από το είδος του θυμού, την έντασή του και τον τρόπο διαχείρισης. Ναι, μπορεί ο θυμός να βλάψει όχι μόνο τη δική μου υγεία αλλά και των άλλων, αν για παράδειγμα, χάσω τον έλεγχο και έχω βίαια ξεσπάσματα με αποτέλεσμα να χτυπήσω, να τρακάρω αν οδηγώ, να χάσω την ισορροπία μου και να πέσω, να εμπλακώ σε καυγάδες και συγκρούσεις, να χτυπήσω κάποιον και να του προξενήσω σοβαρές βλάβες, να σπρώξω κάποιον, να πέσει και να χτυπήσει άσχημα, κλπ.
Επίσης, όπως δείχνουν και έρευνες, η διατήρηση έγκλειστου θυμού και οργής που δεν εκφράζουμε αλλά αντίθετα «καταπίνουμε» – συνειδητά ή μη - μπορεί να είναι επιβλαβής για την υγεία μας. Τέτοιου είδους αντιδράσεις μπορεί να επιδεινώσουν το χρόνιο πόνο ή να οδηγήσουν σε διαταραχές του ύπνου, σε γαστρεντερικά ή μυοσκελετικά προβλήματα. Υπάρχουν κάποιες ενδείξεις ότι ο θυμός και η εχθρότητα συνδέονται ακόμα και με καρδιακές παθήσεις.
Πως μπορεί να με βοηθήσει ο ειδικός;
Η βοήθεια ειδικού είναι χρήσιμη καθώς μπορεί να με μάθει να διαχειρίζομαι και να ελέγχω το θυμό μου και τα ξεσπάσματά μου. Αποτέλεσμα να νιώθω μεγαλύτερη ηρεμία αλλά και ικανοποίηση μέσα μου, εφόσον δεν λέω και δεν κάνω πράγματα για τα οποία μπορεί να μετανιώσω μετά από λίγο, αλλά και δεν κινδυνεύει η σωματική και ψυχική υγεία – η δική μου αλλά και όσων βρίσκονται γύρω μου και να απολαμβάνω πιο ζεστές διαπροσωπικές και ερωτικές σχέσεις…



Πηγή: 

http://www.askitis.gr/monthly/view/%CE%B1%CF%87-%CE%B1%CF%85%CF%84%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%BF-%CE%B8%CF%85%CE%BC%CF%8C%CF%82(accessed 1.9.17)

How children develop a sense of humour

Try a pun or some sarcasm on a toddler and you’re likely to draw a blank stare. Babies can be even harder to impress – ignoring your best clown impressions while laughing at some completely random event. Of course, children aren’t completely humourless. But what do they find funny at different ages and when can we expect them to get things like sarcasm and irony?

My two-year-old son has recently started grabbing my nose and pretending to throw it in the kitchen bin while laughing hysterically. It may not be a joke that I’m likely to try at my next dinner party, but it shows that his sense of humour is developing.

The main element needed for humour to evolve in children is socialisation. Children must understand that they are sharing an experience with another person before they can begin to establish a sense of humour. We typically do this by laughing and sharing reactions together – a process that effectively starts as soon as a newborn can engage in eye contact and smiling. The psychologist Lev Vygotskybelieved that humorous social interactions of this type actually facilitates a child’s cognitive development.

However, a child needs to posses a few basic cognitive skills to communicate jokes in the first place (beyond just pulling a funny face). The most important ones are imagination, the ability to take a different perspective and language. Because these abilities tend to develop at different rates in different children – and continue to grow and change throughout adolescence and adulthood – there is no firm theory that can pinpoint specific, age-related stages of humour development.
Language

Almost all types of humour involve a realisation of incongruity between a concept and a situation. In other words, we laugh when things surprise us because they seem out of place. Take for example the following joke: “A horse walks into a bar and the barman says ‘why the long face’”? This is partly funny because horses don’t normally walk into bars. But the punchline “why the long face” is amusing because we first don’t get why the horse would be sad. We then suddenly realise that there are two meanings of the expression – horses also literally have long faces.Peek-a-boo! Denise E/Shutterstock

It may therefore seem that language is a prerequisite for humour. Infants without language and younger children with limited language typically enjoy physical humour, such as a game of peek-a-boo. But such simple jokes, involving less cognitive skills than language-based jokes, are also about incongruity realisation. Peek-a-boo has an element of surprise – someone suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

Indeed, many researchers argue that it is communication that is key – and that humour actually facilitates the process of learning a language.
Imagination

Imagination plays a big part in spotting incongruity. It helps children place themselves somewhere different, to enact social roles that they normally wouldn’t, and even to pretend that their nose has come off of the body.

Imagination begins to appear in children around 12-18 months. Interestingly, this corresponds with the time when children are starting to copy parent’s jokes – making them more active in the production of their own brand of humour. Indeed, children as young as seven months can deliberately repeat any behaviours that elicit laughs, such as a funny face or a game of peek-a-boo.

A developing imagination is important for a child to eventually be able to produce their own jokes. This starts to happens by around two years of age, with jokes often being object-based, such as placing underwear on the head, or conceptual, such as claiming the “pig says moo”.I’ve got one thing to say about that. Pattanawadee Kuntaro/Shutterstock

When making up their own jokes, children often draw inspiration from whatever they are learning about. Importantly, this helps them process social rules. For example, my son often jokes that his friend Lilly “pooped on the floor”. This is because potty training and excrement is at the forefront of his life right now. Joking about it is a good way to learn about the social rituals and emotions that go along with this process – particularly in dealing with accidents.
Perspective and deception

Another cognitive skill that helps children develop humour is an understanding of how the mind works. Knowing that different people can have access to different knowledge or mental states – and that some can have false beliefs or be deceived – is important. For example, when parents pretend to be oblivious to a child sneaking up to scare them, this is actually an example of a child understanding deception.

Indeed, some research has shown that this knowledge is crucial for children to understand more complicated jokes involving sarcasm and irony. One study showed that some children as young as three (but typically around five) are able to understand some forms of irony. In the experiment, children watched a puppet show and were asked questions about what they saw. An example of irony was when one puppet broke a plate and the other commented, “your mum will be very happy”. Some children could laugh and understand that this wasn’t literal and that the mum would in fact not be happy at all.

Other research argues that the understanding of irony develops through experience with humour itself rather than perspective taking or knowledge of deception. Joking is social and cultural, so a part of this process is having to learn through social interaction.

When children have developed a basic understanding of others and an imagination they can use their humour to explore possible and actual emotions. For example, by hurling invisible food around and yelling in glee, “I’m messy” a child can get a parent to act out a scenario in which they pretend to be angry. The joke enables them to explore anger safely.

So when it comes to children’s humour, we need to be patient. And thank goodness for that – those Disney and Pixar movies would be so much harder to sit through without the off-colour jokes that go over the children’s heads. For now, we enjoy just stealing noses.

SOURCE:

https://theconversation.com/how-children-develop-a-sense-of-humour-77028(accessed 1.9.17)