It’s no use crying over spilt milk, or coffee B.P, the damage is done:

Spillage stories welcomed here and do we really believe that the spill has been contained or was it exaggerated from day one? Hmmmm I wonder….

In August, it seems that at work and other places are free zucchini’s everywhere.  Well, that is when they are at their best, but the usually grow more than what one person or one family can consume.  Therefore, this silly day was born in the United States where I live in sunny Southern California.

August 8th is National Zucchini Day or Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbors’ Porch Day.  This special day was formed due to overzealous planting of zucchini, citizens are asked to drop off baskets of the squash on neighbors’ doorsteps.

Top 20 List for successful sneaking of Zucchini or otherwise ridding yourself of unwanted surplus summer squash

1) Carefully place a dozen or more zucchini in a large, sturdy black plastic trash bag, then add a couple layers of unwanted clothing. Drive to nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army, hand over bag to nearest volunteer. Politely refuse any offered receipt. Leave quickly.

2) Look for out of the way places which have signs posted, “Clean Fill Wanted.”

3) Reserve 1/2 of the space in large, upright freezer, gather all available plastic containers & freezer bags. Drink a vat of your favorite caffinated beverage, in preparation for staying up round the clock to puree large quantities of zucchini. This can then be packaged neatly and artistically labeled: “For Zucchini Nut Bread Recipe.” These packages can be freely given, along with copies of recipe, to anyone on your Christmas list. [Ed. note: I solemnly promise that I will eventually post this recipe.]

4) Under light of full moon, either stark naked or wearing full army camouflage, carrying a machete or any garden implement, run amuck in your zucchini patch, cutting and slashing. Be sure to thank mother nature for her bounty before and after this cathartic experience.

5) Buy a large roll of freezer paper–the kind that sub shops use to, you know, wrap up their subs & other sandwiches. Then proceed to wrap each zucchini which has managed to grow to a foot or more in length. Next time your child has a fundraiser, send him or her out supplied with these phoney subs. Tell child to drop them off with neighbors or relatives and leave quickly. It’s advisable that a responsible adult hover nearby in a get-away car.

6) Gotta run! Time to order my seeds. Rest of top 20 list to follow soon! Send us some of your own ideas meanwhile! Info@wellcat.com.

SHARE SOME OF YOUR IDEAS OF COOKING WITH OR EATING ZUCCHINI OR WAYS TO GIVE THEM TO YOUR NEIGHBOR.

Caption:  “I know he stole my coffee…”

 How does caffeine effect you?

It appears that coffee addicts are merely staving off the effects of caffeine withdrawal they’re no more alert than people who regularly do without The millions of people who depend on a shot of coffee to kickstart their day are no more alert than those who are not regular coffee drinkers, say researchers.

A cup of coffee, suggests a study, only counteracts the effects of caffeine withdrawal that has built up overnight.

“Someone who consumes caffeine regularly when they’re at work but not at weekends runs the risk of feeling a bit rubbish by Sunday,” said Peter Rogers, who led the research at Bristol University. “It’s better to stick with it or keep off it altogether.”

Infrequent coffee drinkers who reach for an emergency hit fare no better, experiencing heightened feelings of anxiety – and withdrawal symptoms the next day.

How genetic differences may influence response was also examined. Blood samples were taken from 379 volunteers who were asked to avoid caffeine for 16 hours.

Read the rest of this entry »

A recent study published in Nature Neuroscience in mice suggests a physiological explanation for the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture. Adenosine, a neurotransmitter (a signalling compound around the body’s nervous system), is released in response to acupuncture & activate adenosine A1 receptors (proteins found in the membranes of pain conducting nerves) to elicit analgesia or pain relief. In Ed Yong’s brilliant blog Not Rocket Science he breaks the paper down & questions whether  the claims are over-stated – for instance stimulation of local areas, without acupuncture or needles per se, may also cause sufficient elevation of adenosine & resulting analgesia.

I left the following comment on Ed’s blog & thought it’d make an interesting topic here at GSTC:

‘On a broader sweep, it got me thinking about the placebo effect. I know this isn’t an original thought, but assuming that the placebo effect is significant in pain relief, then isn’t this a valid piece of a medical practitioner’s arsenal for treating patients? Or, in other words, is it right, ethically or Hippocratically, for a Dr. to knowingly defraud their patients with whatever works (yes, even homeopathy if the patient believes it works) to elicit a placebo effect? I’m not pro-alternative remedies, but if the placebo is a sufficiently strong effect isn’t it worth deliberately eliciting this response if it helps?’

Prahlad Jani, an Indian yogi of 83 years of age, claims that he has not eaten for the previous 70 years!

Do you believe him?

Recently a group of  some 30 doctors observed him over a two-week period in a hospital in the western India state of Gujarat.

“During the period, he neither ate nor drank and did not go to the toilet”, they reported.

Full story here

“We still do not know how he survives,” exclaimed neurologist Sudhir Shah. “It is still a mystery what kind of phenomenon this is.”

What is your opinion of fasting? A way to health…enlightenment…saving the world’s hungry…or madness?

How long could you go without food?

May is borderline personality disorder (BPD) awareness month and this is how it is experienced by those with BPD.  This diagnosis is difficult as there is so much stigma attached to it and it takes a real committment and a lot of patience for a therapist to provide services and for the patient to perservere.  Many therapist will not treat those with borderline personality disorder. I am diagnosed with this disorder and it is treatable, but takes a very long time.

The prevalence of BPD is about 2% of the general population. It is seen in 10% of psychiatric outpatients, and 20% of psychiatric inpatients. This disorder is more frequent in females (about 75%) than males. Emotional instability and impulsivity are very common in adolescents, but most adolescents grow out of this behavior. Unfortunately, for some, this emotional instability and impulsivity persists and intensifies into adulthood; thus they become diagnosed with this disorder. As with other mental disorders, the causes of borderline personality disorder are complex.

The name arose because of theories in the 1940s and 1950s that the disorder was on the border between neurosis and psychosis. But, that view doesn’t reflect current thinking. In fact, some advocacy groups have pressed for changing the name, such as calling it emotional regulation disorder.

Meanwhile, the cause of borderline personality disorder remains under investigation, and there’s no known way to prevent it. Possible causes include:

• Genetics. Some studies of twins and families suggest that personality disorders may be inherited.
• Environmental factors. Many people with borderline personality disorder have a history of childhood abuse, neglect and separation from caregivers or loved ones.
• Brain abnormalities. Some research has shown changes in certain areas of the brain involved in emotion regulation, impulsivity and aggression. In addition, certain brain chemicals that help regulate mood, such as serotonin, may not function properly.

Personality forms during childhood. It’s shaped by both inherited tendencies and environmental factors, or your experiences during childhood. Some factors related to personality development can increase your risk of developing borderline personality disorder. These include:

• Hereditary predisposition. You may be at a higher risk if a close family member — a mother, father or sibling — has the disorder.
• Childhood abuse. Many people with the disorder report being sexually or physically abused during childhood.
• Neglect. Some people with the disorder describe severe deprivation, neglect and abandonment during childhood.

Marsha Linehan theorizes that borderlines are born with an innate biological tendency to react more intensely to lower levels of stress than others and to take longer to recover. They peak “higher” emotionally on less provocation and take longer coming down. People with BPD are like people with third degree burns over 90% of their bodies. Lacking emotional skin, they feel agony at the slightest touch or movement. In addition, they were raised in environments in which their beliefs about themselves and their environment were continually devalued and invalidated. These factors combine to create adults who are uncertain of the truth of their own feelings.

I also agree with A.J. Mahari’s theory that compliments Linehan. Mahari states, “It is the core wound of abandonment in those who have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) that is the source of insecure or non-existent attachment that leads to the toxic and unhealthy ruptured relationships that have at their centre emotional enmeshment and an insatiable need for love. These broken relationships, often rupture under the weight of the child-like behaviour and needs of the borderline still searching for the much-needed unconditional acceptance, validation and love of a parent as the result of unmet early childhood developmental needs.

Most, if not all, borderline behaviour is driven directly or indirectly by fear of abandonment and the fear of re-experiencing the intolerable pain of your original core wound of abandonment. What feels like it keeps happening to you, is in fact, a triggered, dissociative, regressed re-experiencing of what initially happened to you in the very early and formative developmental years of your life.”  With borderline personality disorder your image of yourself is distorted, making you feel worthless and fundamentally flawed. Your anger, impulsivity and frequent mood swings may push others away, even though you yearn for loving relationships.

Individuals with BPD seem to have a much higher stigma than individuals with other disorders even within the mental health community and there is debate as to whether or not they are treatable. Many professionals will not treat people with BPD or must limit the number of patients. In order for treatment to be successful, it requires a significant commitment from the therapist and patient. My personal belief is that people with BPD can be treated. I, for one, have been receiving treatment and am near a point where I will no longer meet the criteria.

But, it has been a long time of much tumultuous and extremely painful hard work for both my therapist and I. There were times when I think both of us wanted to quit. Persons with BPD are often described, by the DSM as deliberately manipulative and difficult with extreme inner pain and turmoil, powerlessness and defensive reactions with extremely limited coping and communication skills. My translation, they take tremendous energy, extra attention, consistent limit-setting, terminate treatment prematurely and may return, and have a love/hate relationship with the therapist. But, there is hope.

And, I, for one, am getting there; however, it has taken a very long time and much commitment and painful work. I can see why people “give up” treatment. But, the reward for sticking it out is priceless. Well, really not priceless…therapy and medication is expensive, but that is a whole other issue. Don’t even get me started.

Below is a Polyvore collage that I put together expressing how having a borderline personality disorder sometimes feels for me.  I know the image is difficult to see, but if you click on the link below the picture you will be able to see it more clearly.

Borderline Personality Disorder by ClinicallyClueless on Polyvore.com

CC here writting from Southern California.  In the United States, it is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  I didn’t want to bring everyone down by focusing my posts on these two extremely important issues.  However, I wanted to do a post that I rarely see and that is about male sexual assault and not just children, but men.  For women, it is very difficult to speak up about being sexually assaulted, but for men it is significantly harder.  When they do speak up, they are really not taken seriously or their emotional damage is hardly ever addressed.  They receive little support because most services are for men although this is changing somewhat.  

From the National Center for Victims of Crime, they define sexual assault by the following:  Sexual assault takes many forms including attacks such as rape or attempted rape, as well as any unwanted sexual contact or threats. Usually a sexual assault occurs when someone touches any part of another person’s body in a sexual way, even through clothes, without that person’s consent. Some types of sexual acts which fall under the category of sexual assault include forced sexual intercourse (rape), sodomy (oral or anal sexual acts), child molestation, incest, fondling and attempted rape. Sexual assault in any form is often a devastating crime. Assailants can be strangers, acquaintances, friends, or family members. Assailants commit sexual assault by way of violence, threats, coercion, manipulation, pressure or tricks. Whatever the circumstances, no one asks or deserves to be sexually assaulted.

Adult men seem to be the forgotten victims of sexual assault due to some of what I stated above.  I found little information regarding adult male sexual assault, but tons of information regarding women and children (boys and girls).  But, there are some resources.  One reason is the myth  instilled through masculine gender socialization and sometimes referred to as the “macho image,” declares that males, even young boys, are not supposed to be victims or even vulnerable. We learn very early that males should be able to protect themselves. , strength, and knowledge. A cultural bias maintains that males cannot be victims. Males are expected to be confident, knowledgeable, and aggressive. To be a victim means one is an inadequate male.

The same misconceptions apply to men and some to women as well.  Male victims of sexual abuse struggle with issues of homosexuality as most offenders are male. Their homophobia plus their confusion and fear encourage silence.  If a boy receives money for sex; he is less likely to be perceived as a victim; If a boy has a homosexual orientation, he is often blamed for the “seduction” of the older male, instead of being acknowledged as a legitimate victim of sexual abuse;  molestation by an older female is often viewed positively as a kind of “initiation rite” into manhood;  cultural pressure encourages participation while denying feelings; male victims of sexual abuse, more than female victims, may fear loss of freedom and independence if the sexual abuse should be made public;  fear of reprisals from the offender plays a role in under-reporting;  when boys are victimized, they tend to be blamed more for their abuse and are viewed as less in need of care and support; boys fear negative judgment by family and friends; and embarrassment and/or confusion prevent male victims of sexual abuse from disclosing.  This information is from Male Survivor website.

For more information and support go to Male Survivor, Butler County Rape Crisis Center or RAIIN.

Please share your experiences personal or someone you know.  All comments are welcome, but please be considerate of the fact that adult males are victims and maybe reading this post. Don’t further myths and cause shame and emotional harm by your comments.

Welcome ‘Irish Coffee’  – our latest writer to get amongst it at GO! Smell the coffee so top o’ the mornin’ to all.

 I’m updating the old coffee badges in an attempt to make this place a worthy site to visit as part of your valuable time online.

Irish Coffee is a 26 year old male from Ireland. Currently writing up four years of research in Systematic Theology, while considering launching a career in life coaching. When it comes to recreation,  he is also drawn to books, but this time to the sort of books that read him. When he’s had his fill of the books, he enjoys playing or watching soccer, running, meditating, and travelling. He relishes all sorts of challenges, physical and mental.  However, the greatest challenge he faces, the one which he just cannot seem to overcome, and yet the one which brings him the most joy – is the challenge of knowing himself!

Welcome to GO! Smell the coffee : Irish coffee! Discuss…..

Are you stressed now?  I am.  When I first saw this many, many, many years ago while in college, we were shown a 15 minute segment of it.  Our professor suggested that if it was too much for us that we could put our heads down or leave and stay by the building if you were still having problems.  I ended up with some others outside.  The music is by Philip Glass.

The Hopi word Koyaanisqatsi (English pronunciation:  KOY-ah-nis-KAHT-see) means “crazy life, life in turmoil, life out of balance, life disintegrating, a state of life that calls for another way of living.”  This film entilted Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance.

The films director Godfrey Reggio stated that the Qatsi films are intended to simply create an experience and that “it is up [to] the viewer to take for himself/herself what it is that [the film] means.” He also said that “these films have never been about the effect of technology, of industry on people. It’s been that everyone: politics, education, things of the financial structure, the nation state structure, language, the culture, religion, all of that exists within the host of technology. So it’s not the effect of, it’s that everything exists within [technology]. It’s not that we use technology, we live technology. Technology has become as ubiquitous as the air we breathe…”

I decided to use this piece to introduce you to National Stress Management Day which is traditionally on April 16,  the day after taxes are due in the US.  Other  countries have this day and in the US it is actually the whole month.

Stress is the normal emotional, physical and cognitive reaction to events that make you feel threatened or sets you life out of the normal balance . There are two types of stress, eustress and distress.  Eustress is the “good type of stress” like weddings, birthday celebrations vacations etc.  distress is the “bad type of stress,” such as, divorce, death, work, etc.  However, both evoke the same type of bodily reactions (fight or flight)  which is mostly based in our perception of the stressor. 

Everyone experiences stress which in not inherently a “bad” thing.  It spurs the flight or fight resonse, so you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, and stress can save your life. I am generally able to handle emergency situation with ease and am able to direct and take control to direct people. It is afterward that I can really feel the stress.   Stress is what helps you cope with a during a presentation or contentious meeting at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you’d rather be watching TV.

After a certain point, stress becomes detrimental to you health, mood, productivity, relationship and quality of life. The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you’d rather be watching TV. 

But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, your thinking and your quality of life.  Stress can have significant damaging effects. 

From ChangingMinds.org.

Symptoms of emotional and cognitive stress include: 

• Feeling irritable
• Feeling frustrated at having to wait for something
• Feeling restless
• Unable to concentrate
• Becoming easily confused
• Having memory problems
• Thinking about negative things all the time
• Negative self-talk
• Having marked mood swings
• Eating too much
• Eating when you are not hungry
• Finding it difficult to concentrate
• Not having enough energy to get things done
• Feeling you can’t cope
• Finding it hard to make decisions
• Having emotional outbursts
• Generally feeling upset
• Lack of sense of humor

Physical symptoms of stress include:

• Muscle tension
• Low back pain
• Pains in shoulders or neck
• Pains in chest
• Stomach/abdominal pain
• Muscle spasms or nervous tics
• Unexplained rashes or skin irritations
• ‘Pounding’ or ‘racing’ heart
• Sweaty palms
• Sweating when not physically active
• ‘Butterflies’ in stomach
• Indigestion and ‘the gurgles’
• Diarrhea
• Unable to sleep or excessive sleep
• Shortness of breath
• Holding breath

Below is a short video of way of coping with stress.  I would also add meditation, prayer, minfulness, breathing exercises, doing something for yourself (a warm bath, deep breathing exercises and taking time out from the stressors of daily life…go enjoy the moment or just simply relax and have fun…NOT something you feel like you have to do)

Do Tell…What do you do to help you cope with stress.  Any and all comments and questions welcomed.