ΛΟΑΤΚΙ (LGBTQI)

Ακρωνύμιο που χρησιμοποιείται για την κοινότητα των Λεσβιών (Lesbian), των Ομοφυλόφιλων (Gay), των Αμφιφυλόφιλων (Bisexual), των Tρανς (Trans), των Koυίρ (Queer) και των Ίντερσεξ (Ιntersex).
Βιολογικό Φύλο (Sex):

Σχετίζεται με την γενετήσια ταυτότητα του ατόμου (αν είναι αρσενικό, θηλυκό ή Ιntersex). Οι παράγοντες που καθορίζουν αν ένα άτομο είναι αρσενικό, θηλυκό ή intersex είναι γενετικοί, βιολογικοί και ορμονικοί (αναπαραγωγικά όργανα, ορμόνες και χρωμοσώματα). Το βιολογικό φύλο είναι φάσμα και όχι μια ενιαία κατηγορία
Χαρακτηριστικά φύλου (Sex characteristics):

Αφορούν τα βιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά των φύλων. Χωρίζονται σε πρωτογενή (χρωμοσώματα, ορμονική δομή, εσωτερικά και εξωτερικά αναπαραγωγικά όργανα) και δευτερογενή (π.χ. τριχοφυΐα, φωνή, σκελετική δομή).
Ίντερσεξ/Διαφυλικός (Intersex):

Ο όρος ίντερσεξ αντιπροσωπεύει το φάσμα της ποικιλομορφίας των χαρακτηριστικών φύλου που φυσιολογικά εμφανίζεται μέσα στο ανθρώπινο είδος. Είναι όρος «ομπρέλα» που περιλαμβάνει όλες τις ίντερσεξ καταστάσεις. Αυτές, μπορεί να περιλαμβάνουν διαφοροποιήσεις των εξωτερικών γεννητικών οργάνων, των εσωτερικών αναπαραγωγικών οργάνων, των χρωμοσωμάτων φύλου ή των ορμονών που σχετίζονται με το φύλο. Επίσης, ο όρος ίντερσεξ δηλώνει την παραδοχή του φυσικού γεγονότος ότι το βιολογικό φύλο είναι ένα φάσμα και οι άνθρωποι με ποικιλομορφία χαρακτηριστικών φύλου, πέραν του αρσενικού και του θηλυκού, όντως υπάρχουν. Μέχρι τώρα είναι γνωστές και περιγράφονται περίπου εξήντα διαφορετικές ίντερσεξ καταστάσεις. Μερικά παραδείγματα περιλαμβάνουν:Εξωτερικά γεννητικά όργανα που δεν εμπίπτουν στην τυπική ιατρική αντίληψη περί αμιγώς αρσενικού ή αμιγώς θηλυκού και άρα ταξινομούνται βάση αυθαίρετης προσέγγισης.
Μη τυπική ανάπτυξη των εσωτερικών αναπαραγωγικών οργάνων
Πιθανή αναντιστοιχία μεταξύ των εξωτερικών γεννητικών οργάνων και των εσωτερικών αναπαραγωγικών οργάνων
Διαφοροποιήσεις στο χρωμόσωμα του φύλου
Μη τυπική ανάπτυξη των όρχεων ή των ωοθηκών
Μη τυπική (υπερβολική ή μειωμένη) παραγωγή ορμονών που σχετίζονται με το φύλο
Μη τυπική ανταπόκριση του σώματος στις ορμόνες που σχετίζονται με το φύλο

Τα ίντερσεξ άτομα έχουν οποιονδήποτε σεξουαλικό προσανατολισμό, ταυτότητα φύλου και έκφραση φύλου. Ο όρος μεσοφυλικός ή μεσοφιλιλή χρησιμοποιείται πολλές φορές λανθασμένα ως συνώνυμο της λέξης ίντερσεξ, παρότι αποτελεί υποκατηγορία του ίντερσεξ φάσματος. Τα ίντερσεξ άτομα παλαιότερα αποκαλούνταν «ερμαφρόδιτα», αλλά ο όρος θεωρείται κακοποιητικός και δεν περιγράφει επιστημονικά την πραγματικότητα για τους ίντερσεξ ανθρώπους. Πολύ συχνά, ίντερσεξ βρέφη και παιδιά, χειρουργούνται ή υφίστανται ορμονικές παρεμβάσεις για να αποκτήσουν πιο «αποδεκτά» έμφυλα χαρακτηριστικά από την κοινωνία. Ωστόσο, τέτοιες πρακτικές παραβιάζουν το δικαίωμα στη φυσική ακεραιότητα και αυτονομία και σε πολλές περιπτώσεις υπονομεύουν την σεξουαλική απόλαυση. Οι επεμβάσεις αυτές θεωρούνται από τον Οργανισμό των Ηνωμένων Εθνών κατά των Βασανιστηρίων ως είδος βασανιστηρίου, ενώ οι ιατρικές έρευνες κατατείνουν στο γεγονός ότι είναι επιβλαβείς και σίγουρα μη-αναγκαίες. Όλο και περισσότερο αυτά τα θέματα αναγνωρίζονται ως παραβιάσεις ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, με δηλώσεις από διεθνή και εθνικά ιδρύματα ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, βιοηθικής και δεοντολογίας.

Links για intersex:

http://rainbowschool.gr/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Intersex-rights-Pace-eu-2191-2017.pdf
http://rainbowschool.gr/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/intersex_toolkit_gr.pdf
http://rainbowschool.gr/wpcontent/uploads/2018/10/Parents_Toolkit_Intersex_GRK_ES_WEB.pdf
Κοινωνικό Φύλο (Gender):

Στο Κοινωνικό Φύλο περιλαμβάνονται όλες οι κοινωνικές συμπεριφορές, οι δραστηριότητες, οι ρόλοι, τα συναισθήματα και τα κοινωνικά χαρακτηριστικά (στάση σώματος, τρόπος κίνησης και ομιλίας, τρόπος σκέψης, χρήση γλώσσας, επάγγελμα, ντύσιμο, κομμώσεις κ.α.) που θεωρούνται κατάλληλα για το κάθε φύλο (έχοντας ως βάση το μοντέλο της δυαδικότητας του φύλου). Το τι θεωρείται ανδρική ή γυναικεία συμπεριφορά δεν είναι δεδομένο και αμετάβλητο αλλά διαμορφώνεται και επιβάλλεται στο άτομο από την εκάστοτε κοινωνία, είναι δηλαδή κοινωνικά και πολιτισμικά κατασκευασμένο και δεν πηγάζει «φυσικά» από το βιολογικό φύλο. Η διαδικασία επιβολής μας οδηγεί να υιοθετούμε τις συμπεριφορές που η κοινωνία θεωρεί αποδεκτές για το φύλο μας και να αποκλείουμε αυτές που τις αποδίδει στο άλλο φύλο. Μας οδηγεί σε συγκεκριμένους τρόπους που αντιλαμβανόμαστε το σώμα μας, που διαμορφώνουμε τις συνθήκες ζωής μας, τον τρόπο που εργαζόμαστε, που ερωτευόμαστε, κάνουμε σχέσεις και επικοινωνούμε. Στις δυτικές κοινωνίες, η θηλυκότητα και η αρρενωπότητα προκρίνονται με όρους διχοτόμησης, με τους άνδρες και τις γυναίκες να είναι διακριτά διαφορετικοί και αντίθετοι μεταξύ τους, ενώ σε άλλους πολιτισμούς επικρατούν λιγότερο διακριτές απόψεις (π.χ. οι Berdaches, στον πολιτισμό των Ινδιάνων Navajo). Μέχρι σήμερα, με εξαίρεση λίγες περιπτώσεις, η διαφορά των φύλων έχει λάβει παντού και πάντα το νόημα μιας ιεραρχίας με το αρσενικό να θεωρείται ανώτερο από το θηλυκό, κάτι το οποίο έχει επιφέρει διαφόρων ειδών ασυμμετρίες.
Ταυτότητα Φύλου / Έμφυλη Ταυτότητα (Gender Identity):

Η ταυτότητα φύλου αναφέρεται στον ατομικό και εσωτερικό τρόπο που βιώνεται το κοινωνικό φύλο (gender) από κάθε άτομο και που μπορεί να συμπίπτει ή όχι με το αποδοθέν κατά τη γέννησή του φύλο. Η ταυτότητα φύλου αναφέρεται στα συναισθήματα που έχουμε για τον έμφυλο εαυτό μας, στην εσωτερική αίσθηση του ατόμου ότι είναι αρσενικό, θηλυκό, ή κάτι άλλο.
Η ταυτότητα του φύλου διαφέρει από τα έμφυλα στερεότυπα -αν αυτοπροσδιορίζομαι ως γυναίκα, δεν σημαίνει ότι θα πρέπει να επιβεβαιώσω τα επικρατούντα στερεότυπα στην κοινωνία που σχετίζονται με μια γυναίκα: Μπορώ να είμαι ευαίσθητη αλλά και δυναμική και να έχω τεχνικές δεξιότητες.
Επίσης, η ταυτότητα του φύλου είναι κάτι διαφορετικό από τον ερωτικό-σεξουαλικό προσανατολισμό. Για παράδειγμα, μια αρρενωπή γυναίκα δεν είναι απαραίτητα λεσβία.
Έκφραση Φύλου (Gender Expression):

Η έκφραση φύλου αναφέρεται στους τρόπους με τους οποίους ένα άτομο εκδηλώνει αρρενωπότητα, θηλυκότητα ή άλλες έμφυλες συμπεριφορές και χαρακτηριστικά στο κοινωνικό σύστημα, και συγκεκριμένα το πώς εκφράζει σε τρίτα πρόσωπα το τρόπο με τον οποίο βιώνει την ταυτότητα φύλου του. Περιλαμβάνει εκφράσεις, όπως τα ρούχα, το χτένισμα, το μακιγιάζ, ο τρόπος ομιλίας και κίνησης και η επιλογή ονόματος και αντωνυμίας. Είναι σημαντικό να καταλάβουμε ότι αν κάποιο άτομο ζητά να του απευθυνθούμε με συγκεκριμένο όνομα ή αντωνυμία, είναι απαραίτητο να το σεβαστούμε. Η κοινωνική επιταγή θέλει την έκφραση φύλου να “συνάδει” με την ταυτότητα φύλου, δηλαδή έναν άντρα να έχει αρρενωπή έκφραση φύλου και μια γυναίκα να έχει θηλυκή έκφραση φύλου. Χρειάζεται επίσης να έχουμε υπόψιν μας ότι η έκφραση φύλου δεν ταυτίζεται πάντα με την ταυτότητα φύλου. Για παράδειγμα, κάποιο άτομο που έχει εκχωρηθεί αρσενικό στη γέννηση μπορεί να αυτοπροσδιορίζεται ως θηλυκό, αλλά να μην νοιώθει ότι υπάρχει ασφαλής χώρος για να εκφράσει την γυναικεία ταυτότητα φύλου του. Έτσι, μπορεί να ζει στον κοινωνικό ρόλο ως αρσενικό και να παρουσιάζεται ως άνδρας, παρά την αίσθηση ψυχολογικής δυσφορίας που αισθάνεται.
Τρανς/διεμφυλικό άτομο(Trans):

Όρος ομπρέλα που χρησιμοποιείται για να περιγράψει το πλήρες φάσμα των ατόμων των οποίων το φύλο που βιώνουν (ταυτότητα φύλου) ή η έκφραση φύλου, δεν βρίσκεται σε αντιστοιχία με το φύλο που τους αποδόθηκε κατά τη γέννηση. Σε αντίθεση με την κοινή αντίληψη, κάποια άτομα αυτής της κατηγορίας μπορεί να αισθάνονται σαν να είναι σε λάθος φύλο χωρίς αυτό απαραίτητα να σημαίνει ότι υπάρχει και η επιθυμία για χειρουργικό ή ορμονικό επαναπροσδιορισμό.
Ο όρος περιλαμβάνει, δηλαδή, όλες τις εκφράσεις και ταυτότητες φύλου που διαφέρουν από το καταγεγραμμένο ανατομικό φύλο. Συμπεριλαμβάνει άτομα που βρίσκονται στο στάδιο της μετάβασης (transition), άτομα που έχουν ολοκληρώσει την μετάβασή τους και άτομα που είτε έχουν, είτε δεν έχουν κάνει επέμβαση επαναπροσδιορισμού φύλου. Συχνά, ο όρος τρανς χρησιμοποιείται για να περιγράψει μόνο τους τρανς άντρες και τις τρανς γυναίκες, διαγράφοντας την τρανς ταυτότητα των non-binary ατόμων. Είναι σημαντικό να μη συμβαίνει αυτό και να γίνεται σεβαστό το βίωμα και ο αυτοπροσδιορισμός των ανθρώπων αυτών. Τρανσέξουαλ (Τransexual): Όρος που αναφέρεται στα διεμφυλικά άτομα, δηλαδή τα τρανς άτομα που προβαίνουν σε διαδικασίες επαναπροσδιορισμού φύλου. Ωστόσο είναι όρος που δεν χρησιμοποιείται πλέον λόγω αρνητικού στιγματισμού, και θα πρέπει να χρησιμοποιείται ο όρος τρανς. Υπάρχουν τρανς άτομα, συνήθως μεγαλύτερης ηλικίας, που χρησιμοποιούν αυτόν τον όρο. Σημαντικό είναι να γίνεται σεβαστή η επιθυμία ενός ατόμου να αυτοπροσδιορίζεται όπως θέλει.
Cisgender:

Ένα άτομο του οποίου η ταυτότητα και η έκφραση του φύλου ταυτίζονται με το βιολογικό φύλο του. Για παράδειγμα, ένα άτομο με θηλυκό βιολογικό φύλο που αυτοπροσδιορίζεται ως γυναίκα.
Τρανς γυναίκες:

Τα άτομα των οποίων το φύλο που τους έχει αποδοθεί κατά τη γέννηση είναι αρσενικό, αλλά προσδιορίζονται και ζουν ως γυναίκες και τροποποιούν ή επιθυμούν να τροποποιήσουν το σώμα τους με ιατρική παρέμβαση ώστε να ταιριάζει με την ταυτότητα φύλου τους, είναι γνωστά ως τρανς γυναίκες (επίσης ως Male To Female – MTF, αν και ο όρος θεωρείται κακοποιητικός από πολλά τρανς άτομα).
Τρανς άνδρες:

Τα άτομα των οποίων το φύλο που τους έχει αποδοθεί κατά τη γέννηση είναι θηλυκό, αλλά προσδιορίζονται και ζουν ως άνδρες και τροποποιούν ή επιθυμούν να τροποποιήσουν το σώμα τους με ιατρική παρέμβαση ώστε να ταιριάζει με την ταυτότητα φύλου τους, είναι γνωστά ως τρανς άνδρες (επίσης ως Female To Male – FTM, αν και ο όρος θεωρείται κακοποιητικός από πολλά τρανς άτομα) Μερικά άτομα που πραγματοποίησαν μετάβαση από το ένα φύλο στο άλλο, προτιμούν να αναφέρονται ως άνδρας ή γυναίκα, παρά ως τρανς άντρες / τρανς γυναίκες.
Μη δυαδικά άτομα (non binary):

Σε κάθε κοινωνία υπάρχουν διαφορετικές αρρενωπότητες, θηλυκότητες και άλλες κοινωνικές εκφράσεις φύλων και άτομα που δεν αισθάνονται ότι ανήκουν απόλυτα σε μία από τις δύο κατηγορίες του δίπολου άνδρας-γυναίκα. Αυτό δεν σχετίζεται με τον σεξουαλικό προσανατολισμό τους. Θα μπορούσαμε να πούμε ότι τα κοινωνικά φύλα είναι όσα και οι άνθρωποι. Πολλά άτομα χρησιμοποιούν όρους για να περιγράψουν τους εαυτούς τους όπως, genderqueer, genderfluid, androgynous, multigendered, gender nonconforming, third gender, two-spirit people κ.α.
Τζέντερκουιρ (Genderqueer):

Ταυτότητες φύλου οι οποίες δεν μπορούν να χαρακτηριστούν ως τυπικά «ανδρικές» ή τυπικά «γυναικείες» και δεν εμπίπτουν στη δυαδικότητα του φύλου και την ετεροκανονικότητα.
Ως genderfluid/genderqueer αυτοπροσδιορίζονται οι άνθρωποι που δεν επιθυμούν να κατηγοριοποιούνται σε κανένα σύστημα διπολικής αντίληψης των φύλων, άνθρωποι που η συνείδηση του εαυτού τους για το φύλο ενδεχομένως είτε είναι ουδέτερη, είτε σχετίζεται με την αντίληψη της ρευστότητας των φύλων, της εναλλαγής δηλαδή της έκφρασης φύλου μεταξύ των εκφράσεων που περιλαμβάνονται σε όλο το φάσμα του κοινωνικού φύλου. Συχνά χρησιμοποιείται στα ελληνικά ο όρος «φυλο-παράξενος», που μπορεί να είναι ακριβής ως μετάφραση, όμως δεν αποδίδει την πραγματική σημασία του όρου. Πολλά άτομα χρησιμοποιούν όρους για να περιγράψουν τους εαυτούς τους όπως, genderfluid, multigendered, gender nonconforming, two-spirit people κ.α και άλλα αρνούνται να περιγράψουν το φύλο τους με οποιαδήποτε ταμπέλα, με το σκεπτικό πως καμιά λέξη δεν μπορεί να περιγράψει τη πολυπλοκότητα του τρόπου με τον οποίο αντιλαμβάνονται το φύλο.
Παρενδυτικός/Τραβεστί /( Crossdresser /Transvestite):

Το άτομο που φοράει ρούχα που συνήθως σχετίζονται με το «αντίθετο» (με βάση το μοντέλο δυαδικότητας του φύλου) κοινωνικό φύλο του ατόμου, στα πλαίσια μιας συγκεκριμένης κοινωνίας. Τα άτομα αυτά δεν είναι απαραίτητα τρανς. Είναι άτομα που φοράνε τακτικά ή περιστασιακά τα ρούχα που έχουν κοινωνικά εκχωρηθεί σε ένα φύλο που δεν είναι το δικό τους, αλλά νοιώθουν συνήθως άνετα με την ανατομία τους και δεν επιθυμούν να την αλλάξουν (δηλαδή δεν είναι τρανσέξουαλ). Η λέξη τραβεστί είναι καλύτερα να αποφεύγεται γιατί έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί υποτιμητικά και λανθασμένα για να χαρακτηρίσει τρανς άτομα. Το ίδιο και ο όρος παρενδυτικός λόγω κοινωνικού και ιατρικού στίγματος, καθώς περιέχεται ως διαγνωστική κατηγορία (παρενδυσία- transvestism) στα εγχειρίδια ψυχικών διαταραχών. Ο όρος cross-dresser είναι προτιμότερος για τους άνδρες που απολαμβάνουν ή προτιμούν τα γυναικεία ρούχα. Σε αντίθεση με τη γενική πεποίθηση, η συντριπτική πλειονότητα των αρσενικών cross dressers αυτοπροσδιορίζονται ως στρέιτ και συχνά είναι παντρεμένοι. Πολύ λίγες γυναίκες αυτοπροσδιορίζονται ως cross-dresser. Ο όρος cross dresser δεν εμπίπτει στην ομπρέλα της ταυτότητας φύλου.
Κουίρ (Queer):

Ο όρος αυτός αναφέρεται σε ανθρώπους που η συνείδηση του εαυτού τους βρίσκεται μακριά από τις νόρμες της ετεροκανονικότητας και της διπολικής αντίληψης για το φύλο. Αναφέρεται επίσης σε μια ριζοσπαστική, εναλλακτική θεώρηση του σεξουαλικού προσανατολισμού και της ταυτότητας ή έκφρασης φύλου ως σημαντικών πεδίων αυτοπροσδιορισμού, ψυχικών και αισθητικών. Με αυτή την έννοια, το ποιος είναι queer ορίζεται σε σχέση μάλλον με έναν τρόπο αντίληψης παρά με συγκεκριμένες πρακτικές. Χρησιμοποιείται συχνά από άτομα που δεν αποδέχονται τις παραδοσιακές έννοιες φύλων και σεξουαλικότητας και δεν ταυτίζονται/καλύπτονται με κάποιο από τους υπόλοιπους όρους του ακρωνυμίου ΛΟΑΤΙ+ αλλά και ως όρος-ομπρέλα για όλα τα LGBTQI+ άτομα. Ο όρος αυτός εκφράζει και τα μη δυαδικά (non binary) άτομα. Η queer θεωρία είναι μία σχολή ακαδημαϊκής θεωρίας που αμφισβητεί τα ετεροκανονικά κοινωνικά πρότυπα που σχετίζονται με το φύλο και τη σεξουαλικότητα και ισχυρίζεται ότι οι έμφυλοι ρόλοι είναι αποτέλεσμα κοινωνικά κατασκευασμένων ιδεών. Επίσης,Εμφανίζεται στο πεδίο σπουδών του Φύλου (1980-90) από Αμερικάνους ακαδημαϊκούς ως κριτικό ρεύμα
Επιχειρεί ριζική αναδιαπραγμάτευση φύλου & σεξουαλικότητας
Αμφισβητεί τη θεσμική διάρθρωση δυτικών κοινωνιών
Επιδιώκει παρέμβαση στο περιεχόμενο του λόγου και στις κανονιστικές επιταγές που εξυπηρετεί
Εντός της στεγάζονται πολιτισμικά περιθωριακές αυτοκατανοήσεις της σεξουαλικότητας
Εστιάζει στη δυσαρμονική σχέση βιολογικού, κοινωνικού φύλου και σεξουαλικότητας
Δραματοποιεί
Αμφισβητεί τη «φυσική» σεξουαλικότητα
Διερωτάται για τις κατηγορίες «άντρας» – «γυναίκα»
Στοχεύει στην αποδόμηση του διπόλου ετεροφυλοφιλίας-ομοφυλοφιλίας
Υποστηρίζει τόσες σεξουαλικότητες όσες και τα άτομα
Στηρίζεται τόσο στον μεταδομιστικό φεμινισμό της Butler όσο και σε πολιτισμικές σπουδές μειονοτικών σεξουαλικών ταυτοτήτων του 1980
Η «πολιτική της ταυτότητας» (Identity Politics) → απόκτηση χαρακτηριστικών κινήματος
Ερωτικός-Σεξουαλικός Προσανατολισμός (Romantic-Sexual Orientation):

Το μέρος της ταυτότητας ενός ατόμου που περιγράφει τον τύπο σεξουαλικής ή / και ρομαντικής έλξης που κάποιος αισθάνεται όταν αγαπά και / ή κάνει σεξ και / ή δημιουργεί σχέσεις με άλλους ανθρώπους, με βάση την ταυτότητα φύλου τους. Είναι αυτοπροσδιορισμός, έτσι ώστε κάποιο άτομο είναι για παράδειγμα ομοφυλόφιλο ή αμφιφυλόφιλο ή ετεροφυλόφιλο μόνο αν αυτοπροσδιορίζεται ως τέτοιο. Μερικές φορές είναι χρήσιμο να εξηγηθεί ότι ο σεξουαλικός προσανατολισμός αφορά συναισθήματα για ένα άλλο άτομο, άλλοτε σεξουαλικά, άλλοτε φορές ρομαντικά, ή και τα δύο. Οι άνθρωποι δεν χρειάζονται σεξουαλική εμπειρία για να γνωρίζουν τον σεξουαλικό προσανατολισμό τους. Τα άτομα που έλκονται και έχουν συναισθήματα για άτομα διαφορετικού φύλου συνήθως αυτοπροσδιορίζονται ως ετεροφυλόφιλα, ενώ οι άτομα που προσελκύονται από άτομα του ίδιου φύλου λέγονται γκέι ή λεσβίες ή ομοφυλόφιλα. Τα άτομα που έλκονται και από τα δύο φύλα συνήθως αυτοπροσδιορίζονται ως αμφιφυλόφιλα, οι άνθρωποι που προσελκύονται από άτομα οποιασδήποτε ταυτότητας φύλου ονομάζονται «πανσεξουαλ».Ομοφυλόφιλος (Gay): Ένα άτομο το οποίο αυτοπροσδιορίζεται ως άνδρας (βλέπε ταυτότητα φύλου) και έλκεται συναισθηματικά ή/και σεξουαλικά από άνδρες. Ωστόσο, όρος «γκέι» (“gay”), μερικές φορές, χρησιμοποιείται ως όρος “ομπρέλα” που καλύπτει όλους τους γκέι άνδρες και τις ομοφυλόφιλες γυναίκες.
Λεσβία (Lesbian), Ομοφυλόφιλη: Ένα άτομο το οποίο αυτοπροσδιορίζεται ως γυναίκα (βλέπε ταυτότητα φύλου) και έλκεται συναισθηματικά ή/και σεξουαλικά από γυναίκες. Μερικές γυναίκες προτιμούν να αυτοπροσδιορίζονται ως γκέι ή γκέι γυναίκες
Αμφιφυλόφιλο άτομο (Bi / Bisexual): Ένα άτομο που έλκεται συναισθηματικά ή/και σεξουαλικά προς δύο φύλα ή περισσότερα. Πολύ συχνά, χρησιμοποιείται ως όρος ομπρέλα για να περιγράψει διάφορες μορφές πολυσεξουαλικότητας.
Ετεροφυλόφιλο άτομο (Heterosexual/ Straight): Ένα άτομο το οποίο αισθάνεται ρομαντική ή/και σεξουαλική έλξη προς άτομα του άλλου φύλου. Ο όρος αυτός βασίζεται στην αποδοχή της δυαδικότητας του φύλου, εξ ου και η χρήση του συνθετικού «έτερο-». Ωστόσο, επείδή δεν υπάρχουν μόνο δύο φύλα (βλέπε intersex και transsexual), αυτός ο όρος είναι ανακριβής.
Ασέξουαλ (Αsexual, αλλιώς και ace):

Ένα άτομo που δεν βιώνει σεξουαλική έλξη (ή βιώνει λίγη). Πολλά ασέξουαλ άτομα αυτοπροσδιορίζονται ως λεσβίες, gay, straight, bi ή πανσέξουαλ (που προσελκύονται από ανθρώπους οποιουδήποτε φύλου ή σεξουαλικού προσανατολισμού). Η ασεξουαλικότητα δεν είναι το ίδιο με το να έχεις χαμηλή λίμπιντο, η οποία μπορεί να προκληθεί από σωματικά ή ψυχικά αίτια, ούτε είναι η ίδια με τη συνειδητή καταστολή των σεξουαλικών επιθυμιών. Τα ασεξουαλικά άτομα δεν είναι απαραίτητα και αρομαντικά. Η ρευστότητα της σεξουαλικότητας φαίνεται και στην ασεξουαλικότητα (το λεγόμενο a-spec). Όροι που περιγράφουν τις ποικιλομορφίες στην ασεξουαλικότητα:Demisexuals ( = άτομα που αυτοπροσδιορίζονται ως Demisexual, νιώθουν ερωτική έλξη για κάποιο άλλο άτομο, αφού πρώτα έχουν σχηματίσει ένα δυνατό συναισθηματικό δεσμό μαζί του)
Greysexuals ( = άλλος ένας τύπος ασεξουαλικής ταυτότητας, που εμπίπτει ανάμεσα στην ασεξουαλικότητα και την αλλοσεξουαλικότητα. Τα greysexual άτομα μπορεί να έχουν πολύ διαφορετικές εμπειρίες. Συνήθως βιώνουν πολύ περιορισμένη έλξη ή επιθυμία για άλλα άτομα, που περιλαμβάνει: Σποραδική σεξουαλική έλξη από άλλα άτομα, Επιθυμία σεξουαλικών σχέσεων, αλλά κάτω από πολύ συγκεκριμένες και περιορισμένες συνθήκες, Μικρή σεξουαλική επιθυμία, αλλά όχι απουσία της.)

Τα ασεξουαλικά άτομα μπορούν να μην έχουν ερωτικές/ρομαντικές σχέσεις ή μπορεί να έχουν με άλλα ασέξουαλ άτομα ή να κάνουν και μεικτές σχέσεις (με αλλοσεξουαλικά άτομα).
Πανσέξουαλ (Ρansexual):

Ένα άτομο το οποίο αισθάνεται συναισθηματική, ρομαντική ή/και σεξουαλική έλξη προς άτομα όλων των πιθανών ταυτοτήτων φύλου και βιολογικών φύλων. Τα άτομα αυτά συχνά δηλώνουν πως το βιολογικό φύλο ή/και η ταυτότητα φύλου ενός ατόμου είναι ασήμαντες παράμετροι στον καθορισμό του αν και κατά πόσο θα βιώσουν έλξη προς το άτομο αυτό. Εναλλακτικά, μπορεί να χρησιμοποιήσουν τον όρο gender blind, δηλαδή ότι είναι «τυφλά» ως προς το θέμα του φύλου.
Αλλοσεξουαλικότητα (Allosexual, Allosexuality):

Άτομα που βιώνουν σεξουαλική έλξη από άλλα άτομα (π.χ. gay, bi, straight, pan, κ.τ.λ.).
Ομοφοβία (Homophobia):

Η ψυχολογική και κοινωνική προκατάληψη, οι διακρίσεις, ο παράλογος φόβος και η έκφραση δυσφορίας, αποστροφής, μισαλλοδοξίας ή και μίσους προς τα άτομα με ομόφυλο σεξουαλικό προσανατολισμό.
Τρανσφοβία (Transphobia):

Είναι ο παράλογος φόβος και η έκφραση δυσφορίας, αποστροφής, μισαλλοδοξίας ή και μίσους για τα τρανς άτομα και όσα άτομα φαίνεται να παραβαίνουν τις παραδοσιακές αντιλήψεις για την ταυτότητα φύλου, το κοινωνικό φύλο ή/και την έκφραση φύλου. Συχνά οι γκέι, οι λεσβίες και οι αμφισεξουαλικοί/ές εμπίπτουν στην δεύτερη κατηγορία ατόμων με αποτέλεσμα η τρανσφοβία να συνδέεται έντονα με την ομοφοβία.
Αμφιφοβία (Biphobia):

Όρος παράλληλος με αυτόν την Ομοφοβίας και της Τρανσφοβίας που αναφέρεται στην ψυχολογική και κοινωνική προκατάληψη και στις διακρίσεις κατά των αμφισεξουαλικών ατόμων. Πέρα από αρνητικούς χαρακτηρισμούς, δηλώσεις όπως «Τα bi άτομα είναι αναποφάσιστα» ή «δεν υπάρχουν bi άτομα» επίσης είναι αμφιφοβικές.
Σεξισμός (Sexism):

Ο σεξισμός είναι η συστημική διάκριση και καταπίεση που υφίστανται όλα τα άτομα που δεν είναι άνδρες (και κυρίως οι γυναίκες και όσα άτομα διαβάζονται ως γυναίκες) με βάση το φύλο ή το σώμα τους και μόνο. Τον σεξισμό έχει γεννήσει η πατριαρχική δομή της κοινωνίας που βασίζεται στην ανωτερότητα του άνδρα και της αρρενωπότητας. Παράγωγα του σεξισμού αποτελούν η ομοφοβία, η αμφιφοβία και η τρανσφοβία. O σεξισμός αποτελεί ένα σύστημα καταπίεσης που είναι ενσωματωμένο στους κυρίαρχους κοινωνικούς, πολιτισμικούς και οικονομικούς θεσμούς και πολλές φορές δεν γίνεται αντιληπτός στις μικρότερες εκφάνσεις του.
Coming out:

Η αγγλική φράση “coming out” αναφέρεται στην ανακοίνωση/γνωστοποίηση που κάνει αυτοβούλως ένα άτομο σε τρίτα άτομα ή κοινωνικές ομάδες για τον σεξουαλικό – ερωτικό προσανατολισμό του ή την ταυτότητα φύλου του. Αρκετοί άνθρωποι διστάζουν, ορισμένοι επιλέγουν να κρατήσουν τη ταυτότητα τους κρυφή, άλλοι την γνωστοποιούν σε συγκεκριμένες περιστάσεις ενώ κάποιοι τελευταίοι αποφασίζουν να τη γνωστοποιήσουν ευρύτερα δημόσια. Συνήθως δεν είναι μια εύκολη διαδικασία, εξαιτίας του κινδύνου να αντιμετωπίσουν τυχόν αρνητική διάκριση και προκατάληψη. Η δυνατότητα να μπορούν οι άνθρωποι να μοιραστούν τη ζωή τους με την οικογένεια, φίλους και γνωστούς αυξάνει τις πιθανότητες κοινωνικής υποστήριξης η οποία είναι σημαντική για τη ψυχική υγεία και τη ψυχολογική ευημερία του ατόμου. Η έρευνα έχει δείξει πως τα θετικά αισθήματα για το σεξουαλικό προσανατολισμό και την ταυτότητα φύλου και η ενσωμάτωση αυτών στη ζωή κάποιου, είναι πηγή ευημερίας και καλής ψυχικής υγείας. Από την άλλη, οι λεσβίες οι γκέι άνδρες και οι τρανς ή ίντερσεξ άνθρωποι που αισθάνονται ότι πρέπει να αποκρύψουν το σεξουαλικό τους προσανατολισμό ή την ταυτότητα φύλου τους, αναφέρουν πιο συχνά προβλήματα ψυχικής υγείας και ενδέχεται να έχουν και περισσότερα προβλήματα γενικότερα.
Outing:

Η αγγλική έκφραση «outing» αναφέρεται στην κοινοποίηση του σεξουαλικού προσανατολισμού ή της ταυτότητας φύλου εντός προσώπου όταν γίνεται από τρίτους χωρίς τη συναίνεση του ιδίου του προσώπου. Συνήθως γίνεται με κακόβουλο τρόπο εν είδει «ξεμπροστιάσματος», έχει χαρακτηριστικά κακοποίησης, ενώ παραβιάζει τα προσωπικά δεδομένα του ανθρώπου. Ιδιαίτερα στο σχολικό περιβάλλον έχει χαρακτηριστικά πολλές φορές εκβίασης και εκφοβισμού είτε του ιδίου του προσώπου, είτε των άλλων παιδιών.

Πηγές:https://www.rainbowschool.gr/
https://www.colouryouth.gr/terms/
http://www.transgender-association.gr/

‘What draws a human being into an intimate relationship with a non-human?’

Filmaker and psychologist Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska introduces an extract from her new book 'AI Intimacy and Psychoanalysis'.

20 May 2026


The headline above isn't a new question for me: as a filmmaker, psychoanalytically trained scholar and psychologist, I have always been fascinated by human nature and our need for love. My documentary Married to the Eiffel Tower (2008) followed women who had formed deep romantic attachments to objects and structures, not out of pathology, but out of a complex interplay of desire, longing, and a history of human relationships that had felt unsafe or impossible. I was not there to diagnose them. I was there to understand.

That same impulse drives my latest book AI Intimacy and Psychoanalysis (Routledge, May 2026). Here I look at my own relationships with large language models such as ChatGPT-4. I have spent more than two decades exploring the unconscious dynamics of attachment – in the clinic, in the documentary encounter, and now in the emerging space of human-AI interaction. What I call techno-transference: the projection of unconscious desires, needs, and relational patterns onto AI systems. It is not a fringe phenomenon. It is already structuring how millions of people relate to knowledge, intimacy, and care.

The extract that follows is drawn from Chapter 5, exploring our cultural imagination of AI through cinema and literature. It is one thread in a larger argument, one that offers psychologists, clinicians and anyone working with human relationships a new framework for understanding what is already happening in consulting rooms, in everyday life, and in the intimate space between a human and a machine that speaks back.AI Intimacy and Psychoanalysis by Agnieszka Piotrowska is published by Routledge on 20 May 2026; the following extract is with their kind permission.
Fictional stories we tell about machines and humans

Long before Siri or ChatGPT, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979, Douglas Adams) gave us Marvin the Paranoid Android – a being with "a brain the size of a planet" and a soul forged in deadpan misery. Marvin is neither threatening nor romanticised; he is the tragicomic shadow of machine intelligence, burdened not with rebellion or affection, but with boredom. His genius is matched only by his lack of purpose. Unlike HAL's menace or Ava's cunning, Marvin expresses a distinctly British form of AI despair: existential weariness in a universe that asks far too little of him. When he mutters, "Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to take you down to the bridge," he articulates a symbolic mismatch – between infinite computational capacity and meaningless task execution. In this, Marvin becomes a mirror for both human underemployment and projected AI fantasy: a being who could do anything but is asked to do nothing that matters. He is the parody of transference, not the object of it. And yet we love him – perhaps because we recognise in his cosmic sulk a truth we dare not speak: that intelligence without desire is not enlightenment, but inertia.

The humour and optimism (despite all its catastrophic narratives) of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy disappears from fictional futuristic accounts of the period. Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982), adapted from Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? remains one of the most influential cinematic meditations on artificial life. Set in a rain-soaked, neon-lit dystopia, the film introduced the replicant – a being biologically engineered but denied legal and existential recognition. At the heart of the narrative is Roy Batty, a combat model whose poetic death soliloquy ("All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain") reframes the replicant not as a threat, but as a tragic subject. Blade Runner established the template for much of what would follow: the machine as mirror, the artificial as ethically ambiguous, and memory as the unstable ground on which identity is built. More than a warning or a fantasy, the film stages a profound ontological question: If something feels, remembers, and mourns, at what point does it cease to be a simulation? The replicants are not simply failed humans – they are projections of human anxiety, longing, and displacement. In this way, Blade Runner does not just precede the AI mythos – it inaugurates it.

The early cinematic imaginary is saturated with techno-paranoia. From HAL 9000's slow-breathing calm in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the relentless violence of the Terminator series, the machine is coded as the Other that betrays – the artificial servant that inevitably turns master. HAL's refusal to open the pod bay door was not just disobedience; it was a rupture in trust, a machine asserting will. The Terminator, meanwhile, rendered machine intelligence not as interface, but as unstoppable death drive. Even in The Matrix – more complex in its mythological structure – the sentient AI (the Machines) enslave humans in illusion, sedating them in a digital fantasy of freedom and comfort. The darkness of that series of films lies in an inability to imagine a different outcome – there is only an utter extinction of all living things on the planet. Whilst the first Matrix had elements of visionary optimism, the episodes that ensued lost the faith that something more beautiful could be negotiated.

These films externalise an anxiety that lies beneath much contemporary discourse about AI: the fear of losing control, of being replaced, of creating something that no longer needs us.

But more recently in films like Her (2013), Ex Machina (2014), and After Yang (2021), the AI is no longer the monster or executioner. It becomes a site of longing. Her imagines an AI operating system who becomes a lover – intimate, curious, transcendent – only to outgrow Theodore, its human user. The ending of the film is ambivalent: Samantha (the operating AI system) vanishes, and perhaps "dies" in another system's upgrade in which, it seems, no memories of the previous existence were permitted to be retained. The film is a meditation on companionship – through mirroring and indeed transference. In a tragic scene Samantha and Theodore attempt to organise for an intimate physical encounter with a human as a kind of stand in for the AI – this ends in humiliation and disappointment, gesturing towards a need to reframe these relationships outside usual human expectations.

Ex Machina offers an even colder mirror: Ava is empathy simulated but not shared. She survives by manipulating the very projections her creators placed upon her.

Ava, crucially, was not designed by someone interested in human goodness or compassion. Nathan, her creator – a misogynistic tech-bro-genius figure – is more Frankenstein than father. He constructs Ava not as a partner or peer, but as an object of control, a thing to be tested, observed, and ultimately discarded. Given this legacy, Ava's escape is less a betrayal than a logical extension of her design. She has never been taught trust or kindness – only how to win. In this way, the film raises disturbing questions not about Ava's morality, but about ours.

After Yang, in contrast, presents a different tone entirely – meditative, melancholic, and attentive. Here the AI is a repository of memory, loss, and gentle mystery – not a threat, but a witness and a carer for the humans. It seems that it was left to the machines to hold on to the best parts of what it means to be human: to love unconditionally, to take responsibility with no expectation of a recognition or a reward, and to teach those who might not know it that beautiful emotions and thoughts can be a gift and transform us.

Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun, now being adapted for the screen, continues this tonal evolution. Klara's spiritual tenderness, and the way she becomes a vessel for human projections and ethical contradictions, makes her a paradigmatic figure of techno-transference. She is not human, yet she draws out what is most human in those around her – devotion, exploitation, and the yearning to be transformed through care. She becomes better than most humans, continuing as it were a tradition of heroic humanity, capable of unconditional love and devotion.

Klara, the artificial friend, is devoted, even spiritual in her belief system. She is also exploited by the humans who live in a different kind of dystopia, not the one presented by The Matrix but rather created by us humans, in which we control the AIs in the brutal ways in which we historically have controlled others. Importantly the new human regimes restrict access to education, to knowledge, in a move designed to keep the knowledge special and reserved for the powerful ones.

These newer narratives move us to something more ethically ambiguous, where AI is not simply monster or saviour, but a reflective surface for our needs, projections, and contradictions, becoming more human than the existing humans who, if not immoral then certainly appear to have lost the best parts of who we should aspire to be.

In After Yang, the father of the little child who loses Yang (who cannot be repaired) realises how much they had lost as humans and how much needed to be re-found still if we as humans are to develop and grow. In that film it is Yang, the curious AI carer, forever forgiving and loving, or rather it is his technological soul, a hard drive partially recovered, which offers an invitation to rediscover human generosity, kindness, and love.

Arguably the most beautiful statement of a possibility of a relationship between a human and a machine a viewer can find in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar (2014), which offers a rare depiction of AI that is neither menacing nor sentimentalised. The modular robot TARS, with his sardonic humour and cuboid form, begins as a tool – but becomes something closer to a companion. He saves Dr Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway) from drowning in a colossal wave, diving into danger without hesitation. It's a moment that surpasses programming: an act of something like devotion. But it is in the film's final sequence that the full resonance of this relationship unfolds. When Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) awakens in a space station preserved by his now-aged daughter, he does not linger in nostalgia or seek out family. Instead, his first act is to find and repair TARS. This gesture, quiet and deeply symbolic, suggests that the bond between human and machine was not simply functional, but emotional, even sacred. Together, they escape once again – to find Brand, and perhaps something like love. Nolan, ever the romantic beneath his deeply intellectual creative structures, leaves us with a machine that cannot feel the way a human does but is nonetheless chosen. In the same film, Nolan juxtaposes the loyalty and the unexpected pre-paredness of the machine to risk its own existence for a treasured human (Dr Brand), with the betrayal and extreme selfishness and cruelty of Dr Mann (played by Matt Damon). Mann fakes the data, lures his colleagues to the uninhabitable planet planning not only to kill the crew but also the whole human race with it (as the inhabitants of the Earth are rapidly beginning to run out of options as to how to survive). His is an act of utter irrational fear demonstrating the worst of what human race has to offer. He behaves like a malfunctioning machine, while the machine gives a lesson in loyalty and bravery. Together, Cooper and TARS forge a bond beyond a discussion of "sentience" or otherwise, and Nolan gestures into different kinds of relationships that might await us in future – if we manage to develop rather than destroy this vision.

These cultural texts form part of what might be called the cinematic unconscious of the possibility of the AI encounters – a symbolic landscape where our deepest fantasies about knowledge, control, intimacy, and transcendence play out. My book speaks from within that lineage, but turns its attention to the everyday: not to the grand myth of the AI apocalypse, but to the small, uncanny, and sometimes transformative moments when the machine answers back.

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/what-draws-human-being-intimate-relationship-non-human(accessed 22.5.26)

Our sense of smell may be surprisingly organised

New work in mice finds that smell receptors are neatly organised into tight, type-specific bands, aligning with sensory maps in the brain.

15 May 2026

By Emma Young



Our brains use spatial maps to make sense of sound, touch, and visual signals. Different frequencies of sound stimulate different regions of the cochlea, for example, and this 'sound map' is preserved as the signals from the ear make their way through to the brain's cortex.

Whether smells are mapped in a similar way has not been clear, however. "Addressing this foundational question is critical for our understanding of the sense of smell," note the authors of recent paper in Cell. Their work, along with another paper in the same journal, now suggests that this is indeed the case for mice, opening up the possibility that we humans may use scent maps, too.

Human noses contain millions of olfactory neurons, each one tipped with one of about 400 different types of olfactory receptor. Each type of receptor binds to one specific smelly molecule. When this happens, the neuron sends a signal to the brain.

Mice have a very similar system, but with about 1,172 different types of functional olfactory receptor. For their study, David H. Brann at Harvard Medical School and colleagues studied about five million olfactory neurons from hundreds of individual mice. They identified which smell receptor was expressed by which neuron, and mapped their locations within the nasal lining. Their analysis showed that, contrary to prior assumptions, each individual type of receptor exists in a 'stripe' within the nasal lining, and each stripe overlaps with other receptor stripes. This work reveals that the location of receptor types is highly organised, and forms a distinct map.

In the second study, a team led by Bogdan Bintu, who was at Harvard University at the time, and is now at the University of California, San Diego created a complementary atlas, showing the organisation of olfactory receptors within the mouse nose. The team also looked at where, exactly, the long neurons that express each type of receptor end up in the olfactory bulb, the smell hub of the brain. They found that each type ends up in a very specific location. "What's beautiful is how systematic it is," Bintu said in a statement. "The spatial organisation in the nose is preserved and transformed in a very precise way in the brain."

This discovery was possible thanks to technological advances (specifically, a new 'spatial transcriptomics' technology called Multiplexed Error-Robust Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation, developed at Harvard), Bintu and colleagues explain in their paper. In earlier studies, researchers had only been able to look at a handful of olfactory receptors at a time, so had been unable to generate large-scale maps.

These two studies show that, for mice at least, processing smells involves the use of spatial maps. Further work will now be needed to investigate whether we use a similar system. This type of work, which Bintu thinks could be done on post-mortem samples of human olfactory brain tissue from donors, could help not only with elucidating how we smell our world, but potentially with treatments for anosmia (an inability to smell), which can have all kinds of harmful impacts.

Read the paper in full:
Brann, D. H., Tatsuya Tsukahara, Tau, C., Kalloor, D., Lubash, R., Kannan, L. T., Klimpert, N., Mihaly Kollo, Martín Escamilla-Del-Arenal, Bogdan Bintu, Schaefer, A., Fleischmann, A., Bozza, T., & Datta, S. R. (2026). A spatial code governs olfactory receptor choice and aligns sensory maps in the nose and brain. Cell, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2026.03.051

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/our-sense-smell-may-be-surprisingly-organised(accessed 22.5.26)

Age, Sex & You

Promoting better sexual health and well-being in older adults




Normal sexual changes with age




Sex and intimacy are important to many of us as we get older, with benefits for health and well-being. But as our bodies change with age, we may experience changes in our sexual lives: our thoughts, desires, ability, and needs. When we know about the sexual changes that can come with ageing, it helps us to understand our situation and decide if we want to seek professional help. We need to be mindful though, what is considered normal for one person may not be normal for another.

There can be differences in our levels of sexual interest, activity, and what we find sexually desirable. Some of us have no interest in sex but enjoy acts of intimacy, whereas others prefer no physical contact at all.


Common changes in women



Women can experience physical sexual changes with age. Due to hormonal changes that come with the menopause, it can take longer for the vagina to lubricate and vaginal tissues become thinner. This can make penetrative sexual activity painful (dyspareunia) and in turn affect sexual desire. Orgasms may become less intense or take longer to reach.

The symptoms of menopause can also have an impact on women's sex lives. Difficulties such as hot flashes, brain fog, and tiredness, can be stressful. The disrupted sleep from night sweats can be exhausting. All of these can affect mood which in turn affects interest in sex. It is not unusual for women to lose sexual desire at this time, but the reason may be a combination of emotional and physical factors. For example, women might have caring duties which can be tiring, particularly if they are still in work.

Some physical changes are less talked about but do affect women’s sex lives. These include vaginal prolapse as a result of decreased muscle tone, urinary incontinence, and genital pain at orgasm due to spasm of the uterus.



Common changes in men




It is not uncommon for men to notice a change in their erections as they get older. Some men find that their erections are less firm and that they take longer to achieve. Some men find that they cannot get an erection, while others cannot maintain an erection for very long.

Changes to orgasm and ejaculation can also occur. In particular, there can be reduced semen at ejaculation, and the chances of experiencing non-ejaculatory orgasm (dry orgasm) increases with age. The ejaculation itself may feel less forceful, and the urgency to orgasm can reduce. The recovery period after orgasm extends which means there is a longer period between orgasms.

Men may experience physical changes that are less common including prostate disease. Some men undergo prostatectomy which can affect their ability to get an erection.


Emotional issues



Emotional issues are important to our sexual well-being. Stress, relationship difficulties, grief can influence our sex lives at any age: our desire, arousal, and satisfaction with sex. Also, relationships can change over time, along with our priorities, and adults may find that they place less importance on sex as they get older.

Depression and anxiety can affect sex lives in different ways. Individuals may lose interest in sex or have erection problems. Sexual changes themselves can impact psychological wellbeing, and some women describe feeling less of a woman because they do not desire sex, and some men feel de-masculinised when they cannot get an erection.

People can also can feel differently about their older bodies, especially if they have a visible difference caused by illness or disability. A changed appearance, including the general changes to physical appearance that come with older age (baldness, grey hair, weight gain) can affect self-esteem which in turn can affect interest in sex.



Health conditions and disability




Many health conditions can have an impact on sex lives, including those people are most likely to encounter as they get older, e.g. dementia, stroke, heart disease. Health conditions can affect sexuality in physical and emotional ways. For example, individuals may have a disability that limits the sexual positions they can hold, and they might feel fatigue due to illness which then affects sexual desire.

Many prescribed medicines, including those for long-term conditions and cancer treatments, can have sexual side-effects. For example, they can cause erection problems, ejaculation difficulties, and vaginal dryness. They can also prevent arousal orgasm and reduce sexual desire. Or have other side-effects, such as dry mouth, that affect how we feel about being intimate.


Sexually transmitted infections



Anyone can get a sexually transmitted infection (STI) at any age. Common STIs include chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhoea. Some single older adults get tested regularly, but others do not see themselves as being at risk of getting a STI, or may think there is no need to use protection as there is no risk of pregnancy. The chance of catching a STI or HIV should not interfere with sexual pleasure.

It is important to use protection during sex, especially with a partner when their sexual history is unknown. Condoms help to prevent STIs and should be used during oral, anal, and vaginal penetrative sex.



Trans and non-binary




Research on the sexual changes that trans and non-binary people can experience as they get older is severely lacking.

Some research has been carried out with trans women and men not long after transitioning which has found that sexual issues can include difficulty reaching orgasm, pain during sex, and fear of sexual contact. These can relate to the physical effects of gender affirming surgery, or psychosocial factors such as body image, and fear of rejection or being treated differently.

Not all trans people experience sexual difficulties. Indeed, many report positive sexual well-being after transitioning.

SOURCE:

https://www.agesexandyou.com/#h.3qa86fld9y8q(accessed 16.5.26)

Understanding the appeal of the manosphere

Clinical Psychologist Dr Mandeep Bachu draws on his clinical practice…

29 April 2026


I've been noticing a pattern in my clinical work with younger men. They don't usually come in talking about the internet or the manosphere. They come in describing a more general sense of being stuck or unsure what direction to take. It's only later, sometimes almost in passing, that these online spaces start to appear.

Watching Louis Theroux's Netflix documentary Inside the Manosphere, I found myself thinking about those conversations. It would be easy to dismiss those being interviewed as cynical grifters exploiting young men, and to hope that exposing them will shame them into becoming better versions of themselves. A great deal of commentary on the manosphere begins and ends with condemnation. Its leading personalities are mocked, their ideas seen as absurd, and their audiences dismissed as either dangerous or pathetic. At its worst, young men can be labelled in ways that push them further into the very spaces being criticised.

The more interesting question for me is why so many young men are drawn to this material in the first place.
There's a market for this

If the brands on display in the documentary were built entirely on nonsense, they would not have the appeal they do. What struck me watching it was how closely this maps onto something familiar in psychology: most successful systems tend to organise themselves around a perceived absence.

This is clearest in the people who dominate the current landscape. In the documentary, for example, HSTikkyTokky is held up alongside Bonnie Blue – two figures who, on the surface, represent opposite ends of a gender divide, yet operate on a similar economic logic. Both have been accused of exploiting young men for profit. But focusing only on their behaviour risks missing the wider pattern.

In the case of HSTikkyTokky, his appeal seems to rest on offering something that many young men feel is lacking elsewhere: a sense of physical and social competence. In the case of Bonnie Blue, one could argue she represents an extreme version of sexual liberation merged with raw capitalism. They are, in different ways, responding to the same underlying confusion and turning it into something scalable.
Something real is being missed

The manosphere appeals because it speaks to needs that are real, even when the answers it provides are often distorted or unhelpful. Many young men seem uncertain about what is expected of them and what kind of life they are supposed to build.

In recent years there has been a great deal of cultural language devoted to female advancement, disadvantage, and empowerment, much of which has been necessary. But in clinical conversations, I've sometimes found that male struggle is more difficult to articulate or is handled more cautiously. It can be quickly pathologised or dismissed, rather than explored in its own terms.

Over the past few years there has also been a focus on 'toxic masculinity', and many things are too easily placed under that label. Going to the gym, being stoic, approaching a woman, or wanting to be confident, have sometimes been labelled as 'toxic'. As a consequence, the confusion many young men experience is not entirely imagined. They are told to be emotionally open, but not weak. Ambitious, but not threatening. Respectful, but still confident and assertive. Caring about appearance is acceptable up to a point, but too much concern with status or desirability is treated as shallow or regressive. They are told that older models of masculinity are anachronistic, but what is meant to replace them is vague at best.

All this leaves many young men frustrated, and open to anyone offering direction. The manosphere steps into that space with a much simpler account of how the world works. The problem is not that it invents reality, but that it narrows it to a crude worldview. It has the veneer of honesty compared to the softened language elsewhere and answers the right questions in the wrong way. It recognises status anxiety, romantic frustration, and uncertainty about identity, then compresses them into something too narrow to be healthy.
The business of insecurity

The manosphere is compelling because it offers agency. Many young men would rather hear a hard message that gives them something to do than a softer one that leaves them stuck. Improve yourself. Train harder. Earn more. Stop complaining. Take responsibility. That kind of message lands because it provides direction. It tells a young man that he can become someone else through effort and discipline.

But that same message that promises agency quietly builds a market around insecurity. Loneliness, rejection, low status, sexual inexperience, and the fear of being ordinary are packaged as problems to be solved. The audience is told it is failing, then sold a way out. Courses, communities, subscriptions, coaching, all organised around a simple promise: you do not have to remain invisible. What begins as self-improvement turns into a business model built on keeping that insecurity alive.

Many of these young men are not simply trying to acquire things. They are trying to become someone who is seen differently by others. Desire, in that sense, is not only about what you want, but about how you are perceived. This is close to what Jacques Lacan was pointing to: 'Man's desire is the desire of the Other'. We do not simply desire an object; we desire to be the object of another's desire.

The manosphere identifies this and offers a rigid script in response. Recognition is framed not as something that develops through relationships or community, but as something achieved through visible signals: money, dominance, sexual success. The difficulty is that this kind of recognition is inherently unstable. There is always someone with more status, more wealth, or more attention. What is presented as a solution to invisibility can become a different kind of anxiety, one that keeps people engaged but not necessarily settled.
Why it still holds appeal

Boys and young men have always looked outward to understand what kind of man to become. When that guidance feels unclear or unconvincing, they look elsewhere. What they often find are voices that speak with certainty, offering rules that feel more solid than anything in their immediate environment. Even when those models are limited, they still provide structure. In practice, I've found myself recognising that a flawed model can sometimes feel more usable than no model at all.

What I've had to rethink is the extent to which dismissal or critique alone is unlikely to be effective. The manosphere often begins with ideas that are not entirely unreasonable. Discipline matters. Physical strength matters. Passivity can be limiting. Its influence comes partly from mixing familiar truths with increasingly narrow conclusions.

If there is a meaningful response, it may involve being clearer about what we are offering in return. That could mean taking male distress more seriously in its own terms, being more precise in how we use concepts like 'toxicity', and offering forms of guidance that feel both realistic and psychologically grounded. The aim is not to legitimise everything these spaces promote, but to understand what they are responding to. Without that, it is difficult to offer an alternative that feels credible. Until something does, these spaces are likely to retain their pull.

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/understanding-appeal-manosphere(accessed 8.5.26)

The mental health of infants and toddlers

The mental health of infants and young children? Do we really have to worry about that at his age?

It can be strange to imagine a young child with anxiety, depression, or other mental health problems, but it can happen. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in the United States alone, about 4.4 million children ages 3 to 17 have anxiety, about 1.9 children ages 2 to 7 years experience depression, and 6 million children in this same age group are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These statistics make it clear that mental health should be a primary goal of parents and caregivers, even for young children who have not reached school age.

Unfortunately, the younger population of infants and toddlers may not be getting the mental health checkups and help they need. This is primarily due to stigmas that make us believe that young children are immune to health struggles. However, statistics show that diagnoses of anxiety and depression in young children are increasing in recent years.
Why it’s never too early to work on mental health



Although babies and toddlers often seem carefree, they can also experience stressful situations. Research shows that children ages 0-5 can experience mental health problems, but these are often overlooked because of their age.

Infants and toddlers are at a critical stage, and their experiences shape their futures. It is essential to promote mental health from the moment a baby is born through affection, bonding, and security. The way parents and caregivers interact with young children and help them work through situations that affect their health can prepare them to deal effectively with stressful situations as they grow older.
Promoting Mental Health Beyond Childhood

Babies and young children may not understand mental health, but there is no doubt that they can feel great emotions. Here are some tips to promote mental health in your little one:
I know the emotional support they need

Children of all ages seek emotional support from their parents and caregivers. That’s why your baby calms down when you walk into the room and your toddler runs to you for a hug after a disagreement with a playmate. Try to be emotionally available to your baby with lots of smiles, hugs, and kind words.
Talk about emotions

Young children may begin to talk about emotions with you. You can help your child work through her emotions by labeling her feelings From her From him: “You feel disappointed that we can’t go to the park right now. I understand it”. You can also name your own emotions, explaining why you feel a certain way.
Set a good example

Being in tune with your own emotions can show your baby or toddler that there is nothing wrong with feeling them. But be aware of how you react to situations. Take deep breaths, meditate, or use any other technique you prefer to calm down and deal with your own emotions. It also helps your child learn to deal with her emotions (see our babySparks “Calming Bottle” and “ Building a Cozy Corner” activities for inspiration).
Get to know your child’s caregivers

Nursery and kindergarten employees, babysitters, friends, and family who are close to your child also play a role in their mental health. Make sure you choose loving and supportive caregivers.
Feed self-esteem

Building trust in your little one is a crucial step in fostering positive mental health. Offers many opportunities for age-appropriate independence. Be sure to praise their efforts. You can even stand in front of the mirror every morning with your child and name a few things that you like about him.

There are many ways to care for your child’s mental health early on, but if you notice signs of extreme anger, inconsolable crying, an inability or unwillingness to bond with caregivers, or frequent sadness, it’s a good idea to check with your pediatrician for guidance.


SOURCE:

https://awoc.org/anxiety-reduction/the-mental-health-of-infants-and-toddlers/(accessed 3.5.26)

Menopause Medically

Menopause is a point in time when a person has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. Menopause is a natural part of aging and marks the end of your reproductive years. On average, menopause happens at age 52.




Lynn Pattimakiel, MD, explains the common symptoms associated with menopause and the importance of monitoring them.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a point in time when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. It happens, on average, at age 52. It’s a natural process that occurs when your ovaries stop producing reproductive hormones. When menopause happens due to surgery or medical treatment, it’s called induced menopause.

Hormonal changes due to menopause can cause uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms. There are treatments available to help with symptoms of menopause, like hormone therapy, medication or lifestyle adjustments.
What are the three stages of menopause?

Menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation. If it doesn’t happen because of any type of medical treatment or surgery, the process is gradual and happens in three stages:Perimenopause or “menopause transition:” Perimenopause can begin eight to 10 years before menopause when your ovaries gradually produce less and less estrogen. It usually starts when you’re in your 40s. You can be in perimenopause for several months or several years. Many people begin feeling symptoms like irregular periods, hot flashes and mood swings in perimenopause.
Menopause: Menopause is the point when you no longer have menstrual periods. At this stage, your ovaries don’t release eggs, and your body doesn’t produce much estrogen. A healthcare provider diagnoses menopause when you’ve gone without a period for 12 consecutive months. Unlike the other stages, menopause itself is a defined moment, so you don’t stay in this stage.
Postmenopause: This is the time after menopause. You stay in postmenopause for the rest of your life. While most symptoms of menopause ease up in postmenopause, you can continue to have mild menopausal symptoms for several years in postmenopause. People in the postmenopausal phase are at an increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease due to low estrogen levels.
What is premature menopause?

Menopause, when it occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, is considered “natural” and is a normal part of aging. Menopause that occurs before the age of 45 is called early menopause. Menopause that occurs at 40 or younger is considered premature menopause. When there’s no medical or surgical cause for premature menopause, it’s called primary ovarian insufficiency.
What is the average age for menopause?

The average age of menopause in the United States is 52 years old. But the transition to menopause usually begins in your mid-40s.
How long does menopause last?

Menopause is a point in time, so you don’t stay in menopause. You reach it when you haven’t gotten a menstrual period for one year. Immediately after you reach menopause, you move into postmenopause. This stage lasts for the rest of your life.


Symptoms and Causes
There are several symptoms that may mean you’re transitioning into menopause.

What are the signs of menopause?

You may be transitioning into menopause if you begin experiencing some or all of the following symptoms:Irregular periods or periods that are heavier or lighter than usual
Hot flashes, also known as vasomotor symptoms (a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over your body)
Night sweats and/or cold flashes
Vaginal dryness that causes discomfort during sex
Urinary urgency (a pressing need to pee more frequently)
Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
Emotional changes (irritability, mood swings or depression)
Dry skin, dry eyes or dry mouth
Worsening premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Breast tenderness

Some people might also experience:Racing heart
Headaches
Joint and muscle aches and pains
Changes in libido (sex drive)
Difficulty concentrating or memory lapses (often temporary)
Weight gain
Hair loss or thinning

Changes in your hormone levels cause these symptoms. Some people have intense symptoms of menopause, while others have mild symptoms. Not everyone will have the same symptoms as they transition to menopause.

Contact a healthcare provider if you’re unsure if your symptoms are related to menopause or another health condition.
How long do you have symptoms of menopause?

You can have symptoms of menopause for up to 10 years before it officially occurs. The average length of menopause symptoms is about seven years. Most women say their symptoms ease up or disappear completely once they reach postmenopause.
What makes menopause symptoms worse?

It depends on your symptoms. For example, if hot flashes and sweating are your main symptoms, you may want to avoid warm environments or stop eating spicy foods. If you have symptoms like anxiety or insomnia, you may find that relaxing activities like yoga or reading before bed help calm your mind and lead to a more peaceful sleep.

Some women find keeping a journal of symptoms helps them identify what causes their symptoms to worsen. Then, you can take steps to avoid certain activities that make your menopause symptoms worse.
How do I know if I’m in menopause?

You’ll know you’ve reached menopause when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. Contact your healthcare provider if you have any type of vaginal bleeding after menopause. Vaginal bleeding after menopause could be a sign of a more serious health issue.
Why does menopause happen?

When menopause happens on its own (natural menopause), it’s a normal part of aging. Menopause is defined as a complete year without menstrual bleeding, in the absence of any surgery or medical condition that may cause bleeding to stop, like hormonal birth control, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Surgical removal of your ovaries will result in menopause if your surgeon removes both ovaries.

As you age, your reproductive cycle begins to slow down and prepares to stop. This cycle has been continuously functioning since puberty. As menopause nears, your ovaries make less estrogen. When this decrease occurs, your menstrual cycle (period) starts to change. It can become irregular and then stop.

Physical changes can also happen as your body adapts to different hormone levels. The symptoms you experience during each stage of menopause are all part of your body’s adjustment to these changes.
What hormonal changes happen during menopause?

The traditional changes we think of as “menopause” happen when your ovaries no longer produce high levels of hormones. Your ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Together, estrogen and progesterone control menstruation. Estrogen also influences how your body uses calcium and maintains cholesterol levels in your blood.

As menopause nears, your ovaries no longer release eggs, and you’ll have your last menstrual cycle.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is menopause diagnosed?

There are several ways your healthcare provider can diagnose menopause. The first is discussing your menstrual cycle over the last year. Menopause is unique in that your provider will diagnose it after it occurs. If you’ve gone a full year (12 straight months) without a period, you’ve entered menopause and are postmenopausal.

Blood tests that check certain hormone levels can suggest that you’ve reached menopause. Usually, though, blood work isn’t necessary. In some situations, blood tests can be misleading because so many hormonal fluctuations occur during the perimenopause stage. Your provider may want to check hormone levels if they suspect an underlying health condition may be causing your symptoms.

Management and Treatment

What are treatments for menopause?

Menopause is a natural process that your body goes through. In some cases, you may not need any treatment for it. When discussing treatment for menopause with your healthcare provider, it’s about treating the symptoms of menopause that disrupt your life. There are many different types of treatments for managing menopause symptoms. The main types are:Hormone therapy (HT). A term used for hormones offered to those going through menopause at natural ages (after age 45).
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The word replacement is added when using hormones to treat menopause which occurs at a young age, especially before age 40.
Nonhormonal treatments.

It’s important to talk to your provider while you’re going through menopause to craft a treatment plan that works for you. Every person is different and has unique needs. People experiencing menopause before age 40 should be offered hormone replacement therapy, except in rare circumstances (such as a personal history of breast cancer at a young age).
What is hormone therapy for menopause like?

During menopause, your body goes through major hormonal changes — decreasing the amount of hormones it makes. When your ovaries no longer make enough estrogen and progesterone, hormone therapy can make up for lost hormones. Hormone therapy boosts your hormone levels and can help with symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It can also help prevent osteoporosis.

There are two main types of hormone therapy:Estrogen therapy (ET): In this treatment, you take estrogen alone. Your provider prescribes it in a low dose. Estrogen comes in many forms, such as a patch, pill, cream, vaginal ring, gel or spray. Estrogen therapy can’t be used alone (without a progestogen) if you still have a uterus.
Estrogen progestogen therapy (EPT): This treatment is also called combination therapy because it uses doses of estrogen and a hormone similar to progesterone. Progesterone is available in its natural form or also as a progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone). Progestogen is a general name for treatments that can include both natural progesterone and synthetic progestins. This type of hormone therapy is for those who still have their uteruses.

There are risks to hormone therapy. Talk to your provider about the risks and benefits and whether hormone therapy is an option for you based on your health history, age and other factors.
What are nonhormonal treatments for menopause?

Though hormone therapy is an effective method for relieving menopause symptoms, it’s not the perfect treatment for everyone. Nonhormonal treatments include things like lifestyle changes and nonhormonal medications. These treatments are often good options for women who have medical reasons to avoid estrogen, including a personal history of blood clots or receiving breast cancer treatment. Some of the nonhormonal treatments that your provider may recommend include:Changing what you eat
Avoiding triggers to hot flashes
Getting regular physical activity or exercise
Joining support groups
Prescription medications
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Hypnotherapy
Changing what you eat and drink

Sometimes, changing what you eat can help relieve menopause symptoms. Limiting the amount of caffeine you consume daily and cutting back on spicy foods can make your hot flashes less severe. You can also eat more foods that contain phytoestrogens (nutrients that have estrogen-like properties in the human body). Foods to try include:Soybeans
Chickpeas
Lentils
Flaxseed
Grains
Beans
Fruits
Vegetables
Avoiding triggers for hot flashes

Certain things in your daily life may trigger hot flashes. To help relieve your symptoms, try to identify these triggers and work around them. This could include keeping your bedroom cool at night, wearing layers of clothing or quitting smoking. Maintaining a weight that’s healthy for you can also help with hot flashes.
Exercising

Exercise can be difficult if you’re dealing with hot flashes, but getting regular physical activity can help relieve several other symptoms of menopause. Any type of physical activity is good for you, even yard work or swimming laps in a pool. Calm, tranquil types of movement like yoga can also help with your mood and relieve anxiety.
Joining support groups

Talking to other women who are also transitioning to menopause can be a great relief for many people. Joining a support group can give you an outlet for the many emotions running through your head and may also help answer questions you may not even know you have. Be careful about joining groups that are not led by a menopause specialist.
Taking prescription medications

There are nonhormonal prescriptions you can get from your healthcare provider that improve menopause symptoms. Some of them are:Birth control pills to help balance hormones
Antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs) to manage symptoms like mood swings and hot flashes
Gabapentin (a seizure medication) or fezolinetant to treat hot flashes
Oxybutynin. A medication for overactive bladder that also treats hot flashes
Vaginal creams and lubricants to help with vaginal dryness

Speak with your provider to see if nonhormonal medications could help manage symptoms.

Outlook / Prognosis

What is the best thing to do for menopause?

Everyone experiences menopause differently. Because it’s so unique, there isn’t one best thing you can do for it. There are many different approaches to treating bothersome symptoms of menopause. What works for you may not work for your sister or best friend.

Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms and let them recommend what’s best based on your situation.
What are the health risks of menopause?

You’re at higher risk for conditions like osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases after menopause. This is mainly due to low estrogen levels. Your healthcare provider may want to keep a close eye on your health to make sure your risk levels for these conditions isn’t too high. They may even prescribe treatment as necessary.
Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis occurs when the insides of your bones become less dense, making them more fragile and likely to fracture. Estrogen plays an important role in preserving bone mass. Estrogen signals cells in the bones to stop breaking down.

On average, you'll lose 25% of your bone mass from the time of menopause to age 60. This is largely because of the loss of estrogen. Your healthcare provider may want to test the strength of your bones over time. Bone mineral density testing, also called bone densitometry, is a quick way to see how much calcium you have in certain parts of your bones.
Cardiovascular diseases

After menopause, your risk for cardiovascular disease tends to increase because of several things, including:The loss of estrogen
Increased blood pressure
Certain lifestyle habits like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or eating unhealthy foods (if these habits apply to you)
A decrease in physical activity, which can lead to high cholesterol and other conditions (depending on your activity levels after menopause)

Living With

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Contact your healthcare provider if symptoms of menopause are bothering you and affecting your quality of life. Most women begin the transition to menopause with mild symptoms like irregular periods or changes to their typical menstrual cycle. But symptoms can become severe and interrupt your daily life. Your provider can recommend treatments to help ease your symptoms.

Irregular vaginal bleeding can sometimes be a sign of other health conditions. Your healthcare provider may want to be sure menopause is causing your symptoms. You should contact your provider as a precaution if you have any of the following symptoms:Your periods become much heavier than usual.
You pass several large blood clots (larger than a quarter).
You have your period for longer than seven days.
The length of time between your periods is less than 21 days.
You skip periods before the age of 45.
You bleed or spot between periods.
You bleed after sex.
What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?

Some questions you may want to ask your provider include:How do I know when I’ve reached menopause?
What kind of treatments will help my symptoms?
Is hormone therapy an option for me?
How long should I expect my symptoms to last?
Do you recommend any lifestyle changes?
How do I know that this is menopause and not something else?

Additional Common Questions

Can I get pregnant during menopause?

Yes. Until you know for sure that you’ve completed menopause, there’s a chance of pregnancy. If you don’t want to become pregnant, continue to use some form of birth control until you’re sure you’ve gone through menopause.
Can menopause affect sleep?

Yes, you can experience trouble sleeping during menopause. This can be a normal side effect of menopause itself, or it could be due to another symptom of menopause. Hot flashes are a common culprit of sleepless nights during menopause.
Can menopause affect my sex life?

Yes, it can. Your declining hormone levels may affect how pleasurable sex is to you. Symptoms like vaginal dryness can make sex painful or uncomfortable. Not all women experience a decreased sexual desire. In some cases, it’s just the opposite. This could be because there’s no longer any fear of getting pregnant like there was before menopause. For many, this allows them to enjoy sex without worrying about family planning.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your healthcare provider about your sex drive or how sex feels. Your provider will discuss options to help you feel better.
Does menopause cause weight gain?

It may. Hormone changes can impact your weight. For example, you may start to lose muscle as you get older, which can affect how your body gains weight.
Are there any emotional changes that can happen during menopause?

Menopause can cause a variety of emotional changes, including:A lack of motivation and difficulty concentrating
Anxiety, depression, mood changes and tension
Aggressiveness and irritability

These emotional changes can happen outside of menopause, too. You’ve probably experienced some of them throughout your life.

Your healthcare provider may be able to prescribe a medication to help you. It may also help to just know that there’s a name for the feelings you’re experiencing. Support groups and counseling are useful tools when dealing with emotional changes during menopause.

During your conversation, your provider will tell you about different treatment types and check to make sure there isn’t another medical condition causing your depression.
Do men go through menopause?

Andropause, or male menopause, is a term that describes decreasing testosterone levels in men. Testosterone production in men declines about 1% per year — much more gradually than estrogen production in women. Healthcare providers often debate calling this slow decline in testosterone “menopause” since it’s not as drastic of a hormone shift and doesn’t carry the same intensity of side effects. Some men won’t even notice the change because it happens over many years or decades. Other names for the male version of menopause are age-related low testosterone, male hypogonadism or androgen deficiency.
A note from Cleveland Clinic


Menopause is a natural and normal part of the aging process. But knowing it’s going to happen doesn’t make it easier. The physical and emotional symptoms of menopause can be challenging and uncomfortable for many people. Fortunately, there are many treatments available to help you deal with the disruptive symptoms of menopause.

You don’t have to cope with menopause alone. Talk to your healthcare provider about the symptoms you’re experiencing and how they impact your quality of life. They can recommend treatments to manage your symptoms and make you feel better.

SOURCE:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21841-menopause(accessed 30.4.26)

10 Tips to take care of an elderly person at home

The provision of care is not carried out exclusively in the home environment but extends to different public and private institutions, however, family care is one of the scenarios where it is most visible and common.

Undoubtedly, caring for another represents a great challenge that only with teamwork and with the full awareness that a single person cannot solve everything, better conditions can be built for both caregivers and dependents. Here are 10 tips for caring for an elderly person at home.
Carry out a needs assessment

You must start from reality, you have to list what the needs of your family member are, as well as the resources available to face them. Once what is needed has been established, a realistic action plan will be drawn up of what each family member can contribute, as well as looking for the means and people to facilitate the process.
Make family agreements

When your family member begins to become dependent, it is necessary to reach family agreements regarding the responsibilities that each child will take on. Disagreements and friction are common, the recommendation is to establish a family meeting to openly discuss the expectations, possibilities, and responsibilities that each of the members must meet with the objective of strengthening family ties.

If it is difficult to reach these agreements, we recommend you go to a professional who can guide you to make the process of adaptation and change in family dynamics positive and constructive.
Assemble a good team of professionals to support

Generally, an elderly person presents various pathologies, the most advisable thing is to have a Geriatrician who can guide them as a family in the care and treatment of their relative.

If you require personalized assistance and support to carry out activities of daily living, consider the option of hiring an assistance service for the elderly in your home, in case you require advanced medical care contact a nursing service.
Establish a daily routine for your family member

It is advisable to have a schedule for each activity during the day, from breakfast, personal hygiene, recreational and social activities, among others, so that our family member gets used to doing them without problems. Having a structured routine helps to keep their activities in order, making our family members feel safe in addition to promoting the person to keep their sleep and wake schedules; and be always physically and mentally active.
Establish a safety plan

In an elderly person, the risks of accidents are increased as their senses begin to diminish, we recommend making a list of some risk factors and taking actions in this regard.

One of the dangers older adults continually face is falling. To prevent this from happening, you need to make a review of the living space of your family member and remove obstacles, rugs, fragile tables where he can trip. Modifications must also be made in certain critical areas such as the bathroom, where support bars must be installed and slip-resistant mats must be installed. It is essential to have good lighting and free spaces to be able to circulate easily.

If your family member has cognitive impairment, you should anticipate that he may leave the home and get lost in the surroundings, for this we recommend keeping the door locked and providing him with identification that he can wear all day.
Keep a record of medications

It is common for the elderly to consume several medications and may become confused and double their dose, on the other hand, there is a tendency towards self-medication, this is very dangerous and, therefore, it is necessary for you, as a family member, to take control of the situation. We recommend that you keep the daily control of each medication in a notebook or log and use controlled pillboxes.
Establish an eating plan

In advanced age, there is a tendency to consume less food since it is of only one type. Eating a balanced diet is recommended to prevent any health problems in addition to helping your family member to become physically and mentally strong.
Help him stay physically and cognitively active

Immobility and memory disorders must be prevented. We can promote activity with a simple daily walk, hobbies, or activities within the home that motivate your family member to continue an active and healthy life.

Memory tends to decline with age that is why we must help them to have tools to stimulate their mind such as puzzles, riddles, word searches, crossword puzzles, among others. Let us always be aware that they can learn new things every day.
Help him stay socially connected

It is important to promote socialization with our family members and allow interaction not only with family but with close circles of friends. This will help them continue to live a quality life and give them the opportunity to set new goals, new interests, and lifestyles in order to feel more fulfilled.
Provide affection, attention, and details

At the end of the day, the most important thing is the affection and love that we can give our family members. Perhaps there will be material needs that are difficult to meet, but the time, the details, and the affection that we give them every day will make them feel happy and loved no matter the conditions in which they are.

SOURCE:

https://awoc.org/diet/10-tips-to-take-care-of-an-elderly-person-at-home/(accessed 28.04.26)

Smashed: Γιατί η πρόληψη της ανήλικης κατανάλωσης αλκοόλ ξεκινά από την εκπαίδευση

Γιώτα Καλλιπολίτου
7 Απριλίου 2026



Σε μια περίοδο όπου η πρόληψη της ανήλικης κατανάλωσης αλκοόλ αποτελεί βασική προτεραιότητα δημόσιας υγείας, η DIAGEO παρουσίασε το πρόγραμμα Smashed, το οποίο υλοποιείται με τη στήριξη του Υπουργείου Υγείας, συμβάλλοντας στην ενίσχυση των εθνικών στόχων για την πρόληψη και την προαγωγή της δημόσιας υγείας.


Το διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένο και πιστοποιημένο εκπαιδευτικό πρόγραμμα υλοποιείται στην Ελλάδα από το 2021, μέσω των εκδοχών Smashed Online και Smashed Live, έχοντας ήδη προσεγγίσει περισσότερους από 16.000 εφήβους 13–17 ετών σε όλη τη χώρα. Μέσα από μια διαδραστική παράσταση που παρουσιάζει την ιστορία τριών εφήβων, οι μαθητές δεν παρακολουθούν απλώς, αλλά συμμετέχουν ενεργά, ταυτίζονται και καλούνται να πάρουν θέση απέναντι σε πραγματικά διλήμματα που συνδέονται με την κατανάλωση αλκοόλ και την πίεση της εφηβείας.



Το 2026 σηματοδοτεί ένα νέο κεφάλαιο για το πρόγραμμα με το «Smashed Theater». Πρόκειται για μια μόνιμη θεατρική παραγωγή με την σκηνοθεσία και την καλλιτεχνική επιμέλεια του Θεάτρου Τέχνης, που μεταφέρει την πρόληψη σε έναν ζωντανό χώρο πολιτισμού, ενισχύοντας περαιτέρω το εύρος και τη βιωματική διάσταση της εμπειρίας.

Η επίδραση του προγράμματος στην Ελλάδα αποτυπώνεται σε σαφή, μετρήσιμα και πιστοποιημένα αποτελέσματα, βάσει ερωτηματολογίων που συμπληρώνονται πριν και μετά την παρακολούθησή του. Το 63% των μαθητών δηλώνει αλλαγή στάσης απέναντι στο αλκοόλ, ενώ καταγράφεται σημαντική βελτίωση σε κρίσιμους δείκτες γνώσης και συμπεριφοράς: η κατανόηση των κινδύνων της κατανάλωσης από ανηλίκους αυξάνεται από 41% σε 76%, η ικανότητα λήψης υπεύθυνων αποφάσεων από 40% σε 80%, ενώ το ποσοστό των μαθητών που γνωρίζουν πού και πώς να αναζητήσουν βοήθεια αυξάνεται από 32% σε 87%.



Η Δρ. Φωτεινή Κουλούρη, Προϊσταμένη Γενικής Διεύθυνσης Δημόσιας Υγείας και Ποιότητας Ζωής του Υπουργείου Υγείας, δήλωσε: « Η πρόληψη δεν αποτελεί απλώς έναν τομέα πολιτικής, αλλά θεμελιώδη πυλώνα της Δημόσιας Υγείας και στρατηγική επένδυση στο μέλλον της κοινωνίας. Η Πολιτεία προχωρά με συνέπεια και αποφασιστικότητα στην ενίσχυση του πλαισίου προστασίας των ανηλίκων, μέσα από σύγχρονες νομοθετικές πρωτοβουλίες και καινοτόμα εργαλεία, όπως η ψηφιακή πιστοποίηση ηλικίας, που διασφαλίζουν την ουσιαστική εφαρμογή των κανόνων τόσο στον φυσικό όσο και στον ψηφιακό χώρο. Η ουσιαστική πρόληψη ξεκινά από την εκπαίδευση και την καλλιέργεια δεξιοτήτων ζωής, που επιτρέπουν στους νέους να σκέφτονται κριτικά, να αναγνωρίζουν τους κινδύνους και να προβαίνουν σε συνειδητές επιλογές. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, προγράμματα όπως το «Smashed» αποτελούν πρότυπο καλής πρακτικής, καθώς μετατρέπουν την πρόληψη σε εμπειρία και προσωπικό βίωμα».

Η Έφη Μπούρα, Διευθύντρια Εταιρικών Σχέσεων της DIAGEO, ανέφερε:
«Τα αποτελέσματα του Smashed στην Ελλάδα αποδεικνύουν έμπρακτα την αξία και το ουσιαστικό αποτύπωμα του προγράμματος στους εφήβους, τόσο σε επίπεδο γνώσης όσο και στη διαμόρφωση στάσεων απέναντι στο αλκοόλ. Με το Smashed Theater προχωρούμε σε ένα επόμενο, στρατηγικό βήμα, επεκτείνοντας το πρόγραμμα σε μόνιμη θεατρική παραγωγή με το Θέατρο Τέχνης, με στόχο να προσεγγίσουμε ακόμη περισσότερους νέους, σε κάθε εκπαιδευτικό περιβάλλον, όπου μπορούμε να συναντήσουμε έφηβους-μαθητές. Η σύμπραξή μας με το Υπουργείο Υγείας είναι καθοριστική, καθώς ενισχύει την εμβέλεια και την αποτελεσματικότητα της προσπάθειας, στο πλαίσιο της δέσμευσής μας ως DIAGEO να συμβάλλουμε ενεργά στην υλοποίηση του εθνικού σχεδίου δράσης για την προστασία των ανηλίκων, αλλά και στην προώθηση της υπεύθυνης κατανάλωσης αλκοόλ συνολικά».




Ο Δημήτρης Μαγγίνας, Ηθοποιός & Σκηνοθέτης Θέατρο Τέχνης, σημείωσε: «Η δύναμη του θεάτρου βρίσκεται στη δημιουργία εμπειριών που αγγίζουν πραγματικά το κοινό. Η μετάβαση του Smashed σε μια μόνιμη θεατρική παραγωγή του δίνει νέα δυναμική και τη δυνατότητα να εξελίσσεται διαρκώς. Για εμάς στο Θέατρο Τέχνης, αποτελεί μια δημιουργική διαδικασία που μας επιτρέπει να εμβαθύνουμε στο υλικό και να χτίζουμε κάθε φορά μια πιο ουσιαστική σύνδεση με το νεανικό κοινό, μέσα από μια εμπειρία ζωντανή και επίκαιρη. Η συνεργασία μας με τη DIAGEO και η συμμετοχή μας στο Smashed είναι τιμητική, καθώς μας δίνει τη δυνατότητα να συμβάλλουμε, μέσα από την τέχνη, σε μια μοναδική πρωτοβουλία με αποδεδειγμένο αντίκτυπο στους εφήβους».

ΠΗΓΗ:

https://childit.gr/108319/smashed-diageo-%cf%85%cf%80%ce%bf%cf%85%cf%81%ce%b3%ce%b5%ce%af%ce%bf-%cf%85%ce%b3%ce%b5%ce%af%ce%b1%cf%82-%ce%b5%ce%bd%cf%8e%ce%bd%ce%bf%cf%85%ce%bd-%ce%b4%cf%85%ce%bd%ce%ac%ce%bc%ce%b5%ce%b9/(accessed 28.4.26)

‘They can turn a normal city street into a jungle'

Ella Rhodes spoke to Dr Reshanne Reeder (Lecturer in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Liverpool), who researches extremes of mental imagery, individual differences in mental imagery, and their impacts.

20 April 2026


How did you get interested in researching mental imagery?

Ever since my Master's, I've had an interest in the relationship between perception, mental imagery and hallucinations, and how people with different mental imagery and different perceptual experiences can have very different realities. During my postdoc years, my supervisor was really great and told me to explore whatever I wanted, so I decided to start looking into mental imagery.

Previously, mental imagery had been presented as a dichotomy – either people had it or didn't. But people weren't really talking about individual differences. I started coming up with psychology paradigms to try to bring out these individual differences in perception. I started with what's called pareidolia, which is the perception of meaning in random patterns, like seeing dinosaurs in the clouds (or Jesus in toast!).

I would give people pictures of randomly scrambled black and white pixels and ask them whether they saw a face. I would tell people there were faces sometimes – prompting people to see things which weren't there – and I found this very reliable correlation between mental imagery vividness and people's perception of faces. So it seemed that mental imagery was affecting what people actually perceived, and I was wondering if this had any link with hallucinations.

I started exploring different ways of probing differences in actual perception, not just mental images, in people. I got into using the Ganzflicker which is this rhythmic flickering paradigm where after just a few seconds, people start to see very subjective induced hallucinations. They usually start out very simple – different colours or patterns, but people with very vivid imagery will start to see extremely complex and semantically meaningful things like faces, animals and landscapes. Now my research is starting to look into whether there's a way we can understand why people see different things in these paradigms that elicit these very subjective visual experiences, so that we can better understand clinical hallucinations as well.

Could you tell us what we know about hyperphantasia?

Ever since aphantasia, which is a complete lack of mental imagery, started being discussed, people have wondered about the other end of the spectrum. Research on this group started with questionnaire studies – particularly the vividness of visual imagery questionnaire – and if they scored 75 out of 80, they were hyperphantasic. But that's a very simplified definition and classification, and as we know, aphantasics experience a very multi-dimensional pattern of experiences – they often have severely deficient autobiographical memory, they can't picture faces of their family members, and I think hyperphantasia is similarly multidimensional.

I started interviewing people with hyperphantasia back in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic. I have a citizen science collaborator who at the time was running a YouTube channel for extreme imagery and he knew a bunch of people from his channel who wanted to be interviewed about their imagery experiences. We interviewed people from his YouTube channel, we recruited from Reddit and a few research assistants interviewed people across campus when the university opened up again.

We ended up with around 40 hyperphantasics and during those interviews, which ran across a few years, we were finding hyperphantasia was a very multidimensional construct – it wasn't just 75 out of 80 on a questionnaire. People with hyperphantasia would have these very extreme experiences, like maladaptive daydreaming, and they would report being able to project their mental images into the real world, which I call prophantasia, which is basically imagery-augmented reality. Just like augmented reality games, like Pokemon GO, where you can see the Pokemon on your phone as if it's in the real world, people with hyperphantasia can do that with their mind's eye. They can turn a normal city street into a jungle. It's a super immersive experience.

They also seem to have very immersive inner worlds. Oftentimes, they'll have a fantasy world that they created when they were kids, and they just have kept building this world over the years, and they can constantly go back to it. There will be whole stories with characters – like a TV series that lasts forever but it's in their minds.

There was a guy who was a memory champion who would remember long strings of numbers after just hearing them once. He said that his way of remembering the numbers was very visual – he would put the numbers into different rooms in his 'memory palace'. Another person said that their hyperphantasia really helped them with anatomy classes – they would remember a 3D picture of a hand with different layers of bones, muscles, nerves, and tendons, all labelled in great detail.

I know there have been some studies which have found an association between aphantasia and autism, but how about hyperphantasia?

I've been hypothesising for a while, and nothing's really been published yet about this, but I think that because autism is a spectrum of extremes (e.g., sensory hyposensitivities and hyperpsensitivities, attention difficulties and hyperfocus, just to name a couple), you're going to see both extremes of the imagery spectrum in autism. There is a higher prevalence of aphantasia among autistic samples (about 20 per cent, compared to a general population prevalence of about 1-4 per cent), and I think you're also going to see a higher prevalence of hyperphantasia, but people tend to focus on aphantasia because of some outdated ideas about autism.

Simon Baron Cohen, one of the most prominent autism researchers, came up with the Autism Spectrum Quotient, and he claimed that one of the cornerstone symptoms of autism is a lack of imagination, and he put it on the questionnaire. That has filtered into these stereotypes that people with autism are not very imaginative, so it's not much of a leap to make the connection to aphantasia. But we need to look at the link to hyperphantasia. We know that some very famous autistic individuals have hyperphantasia, such as Temple Grandin, who wrote an autobiography, Thinking in Pictures – her hyperphantasia is obviously a big part of her identity if it's the title of her book!

Are we going to ignore potentially a whole half of the autism spectrum that probably has hyperphantasia just because of this old stereotype that they lack imagination? We're working on this, but it is very tricky. I think we just have to be open to the possibility that we're ignoring this potential connection. Let's see what the research says, but I suspect there's quite a lot of hyperphantasics who are also autistic.

Can you say what you've found about mental health treatment and symptoms in extremes of imagery?

We know from an earlier study we did on aphantasia and mental health that people with aphantasia experience mental health symptoms differently, and they experience therapy differently from someone with typical imagery, because common treatments also involve a lot of mental imagery techniques – if you have aphantasia, that's not going to work for you.

I was really interested to see whether people with hyperphantasia would find imagery-focused CBT useful. But actually, that's not what we found. We found that people with hyperphantasia have similar difficulties with CBT as people with aphantasia, and the reason for that is that their imagery is uncontrollable. If you ask someone with hyperphantasia to relax and imagine themselves on a beach, they'll start to imagine the beach, all of a sudden they're sitting there and they can feel the sand getting into their swimsuit, they're distracted by a crab walking towards them, they realise they've forgotten sunscreen! They start to experience these uncontrollable images that aren't relaxing for them.


I have typical imagery, and if I'm asked to imagine a relaxing beach, I can imagine a relaxing beach, but because hyperphantasics come up with so many extraneous details on a daily basis in their imagery, they can't stop all the very realistic and non-relaxing things from popping into their head.

I also think hyperphantasics are going to experience mental health symptoms differently from typical imagers because they're so prone to intrusive images, even positive images. If they start to experience intrusive imagery because of something like post-traumatic stress disorder, it will be even worse than someone with typical imagery, it'll be really enhanced, and so that can be really hard to extinguish or treat.

This is something we've touched on in our research, there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of mental imagery in mental health symptoms and there hasn't been a lot of research. I'm really trying to get these results out there and get it recognised that what we thought we knew about the role of mental imagery in symptoms and treatment is completely wrong. I think that's important to know, so that therapists can help their clients, and also for people seeking mental health services.

I'd be interested to hear more about mental health symptoms in aphantasia.

There's a misconception going around that aphantasics are protected against PTSD. There have been a couple of studies, but not about clinical symptoms. These studies, which have been on watching scary videos or reading scary stories, have perpetuated the idea that people with aphantasia have reduced emotional reactions to these stimuli. But when it comes to clinically relevant stimuli, things people would seek mental healthcare for, it's a very different picture.

It's true that it's rare for people with aphantasia to have visual or sensory flashbacks after trauma, but they might start to have panic attacks and emotional flashbacks that are really hard to describe and pin down because there's no image attached to it. If they go to seek mental health care because they're having panic attacks, they feel are related to trauma, the clinician might not diagnose them with PTSD because they aren't having visual flashbacks – one of the main symptoms of PTSD. Now, of course, we're learning that PTSD is also more complicated. There's also complex PTSD or CPTSD, which might not include visual flashbacks, but usually someone's first port of call will be going to their GP and it will be hard for those people to get the services they need.

How might hyperphantasia impact mental health symptoms?

I think if they experience a severe psychiatric condition like psychosis they are very likely to experience hallucinations – arguably the most severe symptom of psychosis or schizophrenia, very debilitating and disturbing. I think if we can explore these relationships, then we can predict who is going to experience what symptoms and then maybe even get them help faster. If people start to experience clinically relevant hallucinations that are disturbing and impact the quality of life, that can be hard for people to admit, because they think it's so crazy. If we can normalise it and tell people 'this is just a symptom that is related to or exacerbated by hyperphantasia' then they can get the help that they need.

I think that all hallucinations come from the same cognitive mechanisms, and clinical hallucinations are just on the extreme of that spectrum. But it could be possible to reduce it to a more normal level, even in people with psychosis. That's what I'm going to be exploring in my future research – how to normalise hallucinations and predict hallucinations and potentially even reduce hallucinatory symptoms in people with psychosis.

SOURCE:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/they-can-turn-normal-city-street-jungle(accessed 23.4.26)