Hungry? Beware – reaching for the chips or soda could be at the root of your mental health. After all, we really are what we eat. As it turns out, recent studies have shown that diet and mental health are more closely linked than we realize.
These alarming statistics, coupled with the fact that the Western diet is often filled with junk food, made scientists wonder if the two were linked. Does nutrition affect the brain as much as it does the body? To find out, about ten years ago, researchers began to look into the relationship between diet and mental health.
Now researchers are even thinking that food allergies may play a role in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Most of the recent studies have revolved around the connection between a healthy diet and mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Although direct evidence connecting diet and mental health hasn't been found yet, currently there are trials in progress to obtain it.
Changing brain proteins and enzymes to increase neural transmitters, which are the connections between brain cells.
Increasing good gut bacteria. This promotes a healthy gut biome, which decreases inflammation. Inflammation is known to affect both cognition and mood.
Raising serotonin levels through various food enzymes, which improves mood.
We know that a nutrient-rich diet produces changes in brain proteins that improve the connections between brain cells. But diets that are high in saturated fats and refined sugars have been shown to have a "very potent negative impact on brain proteins," Jacka says.
It sounds logical that the foods that are best for the body would also be the ones that promote brain health. This is supported by the results from a large European study that showed that nutrient-dense foods like the ones found on the Mediterranean diet may actually help prevent depression.
Zinc – low levels of zinc can cause depression.
Omega 3s – may improve mood and do help improve memory and thinking.
Iron – iron-deficiency anemia plays a part in depression.
Eating nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, leafy greens, colorful vegetables, beans and legumes, seafood, and fruits will boost the body's overall health – including brain health. Both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which eliminates sugar, were found to significantly improve symptoms in the patients who took part in one study on diet and mental health.
Adding fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, pickles, or kombucha, to your diet can improve gut health and increase serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate sleep and stabilize mood. About 95% of serotonin is produced in the gut, so it is understandable that eating these foods can make you feel more emotionally healthy.
The next time you reach for the chips and soda, ask yourself if they are benefiting your brain. Then, grab some cultured yogurt or an apple instead. Remember – every bite counts!
Note: Dietary changes shouldn't substitute for treatment. If you are on medications for a mental health disorder, don't replace or reduce them with food on your own. Speak with your doctor about what you should eat, as well as what you shouldn't. Medications will work better in a healthy body than an unhealthy one.
For more information about the relationship between your diet and mental health, talk to the professionals at The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida help. Contact us or call us today at 561-496-1094.
We are only one month past the first anniversary of the shootings at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School and this past week we have all been saddened to learn of the suicides of two students who survived the attack. Additionally, the father of a child who was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook school shootings also died this week – apparently due to suicide. Is it possible that these deaths are the result of suicide contagion?
When the media reports that someone notable has died by suicide, it often seems that other suicides quickly follow – as if taking one's life somehow becomes "contagious." As an example, we saw this phenomenon last summer when Anthony Bourdain took his own life within days of Kate Spade's death. Now there are concerns that this most recent suicide cluster involving the Parkland students and the Sandy Hook father may have happened partly because of suicide contagion.
Suicide contagion is also known as the Werther Effect – a phrase coined by suicide researcher, David Phillips, in the 1970s. Werther was a character in a 1774 novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In the book, Werther kills himself after the woman he loves marries another man.
The book was blamed for numerous copycat suicides across Europe after its release. In this early example of suicide contagion, many of the victims died in a similar manner to the Werther character's death in the novel. Some were even found with copies of the book on or near their bodies.
There is strong evidence to suggest that suicides can occur in groups. Moreover, Phillips' research into clusters of suicides led him to conclude that copycat suicides rise when there is excessive media coverage of the suicide of notable figures.
Experts have long debated why suicide contagion occurs. Does the news coverage of a suicide cause other people to take their own lives or do they do so because they were already in a vulnerable state?
Either way, media guidelines for reporting these deaths have been in place in many parts of the world since the end of the twentieth century. The Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have both issued policies for how news reports should cover notable and celebrity suicides.
Nowadays, however, we have a new concern. In the twenty-first century, we rely less on standard media reporting (like radio, newspapers, or television reports) and depend more on online sources to find out what is happening around us.
In particular, young people get their news from the internet and social media, which can spread a topic far faster than news broadcasts and – unfortunately – can do so with no filtering.
In the case of the Parkland tragedy, we know that the first student to take her life was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She also suffered with survivor's guilt, as do many of the teens who were there that day. It can be devastating to know that you're still alive, but your friends will not reach the milestones that you will. Instead of being happy occasions, events like graduation or the first day of college are often very distressing for a survivor.
For young people between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is already the second leading cause of death and this is without factoring in the trauma of a massacre like the one in Parkland. Clearly, we need to talk more openly about suicide prevention.
Adults and peers can help prevent a death by watching for youth suicide signs and risk factors and asking direct questions.
The chances of suicide can also increase in someone who has recently had a financial loss, been diagnosed with a major physical illness, lost their job, or lost a close relationship.
The first step in suicide prevention is awareness that someone is considering suicide. The next step is determining whether intervention is needed immediately.
If you know someone is at risk, you can help them by using the Columbia Protocol suicide risk assessment. The Columbia Protocol was developed jointly by researchers from Columbia University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). In 2011, it was adopted by the CDC and today it is used worldwide to assess at-risk individuals.
The Columbia Protocol is a series of three to six simple, direct questions that you ask the person you are concerned about. The answers they give will provide enough information to know whether they need help and whether urgent action is needed (download the free Columbia Protocol toolkit now).
If your child or someone else you know tells you they are considering suicide, don't judge them. Instead, show compassion for their feelings. Next, get help from a mental health professional or a suicide crisis hotline. The crisis hotline is especially critical if the person is in immediate danger of attempting suicide.
Never leave someone alone if they are threatening suicide. If you believe they are in immediate danger, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) in the United States. The line is open 24/7.
If you are worried about yourself or a loved one who may be at risk for suicide, talk to the mental health professionals at The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida. Contact us or call us today at 561-496-1094.
For those who struggle with anxiety and insomnia, lying in bed at night can be dreadful. Before getting into bed for the night, many will describe allowing themselves to have a nice, relaxing evening. They may feel relatively low stress or little to no anxiety. But, as soon as the lights turn off for the night, the brain turns on with a vengeance. Now you're in bed, wide awake, worrying about any and every possible negative outcome in the days, weeks, months and even years ahead.
What's more, anxiety at bedtime often becomes anxiety about sleep. The focus then shifts to trying to sleep, which puts us in a frustrating paradox because sleep is an automatic process that we cannot force.
What's really keeping us awake at night? Why does our anxiety have such a propensity to attack us when we try to sleep?
Read the full post by our very own Dr. Brand here.
If you are suffering from anxiety, get help from our mental health professionals at The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida. To get answers to your questions or for more information, contact us or call us today at 561-496-1094.
Abusive Relationships – Are You Involved With A Narcissist?
A narcissist is usually described as someone who believes they are better than others. It's all about them. They think they know more about everything, are better looking, and have a better personality than those around them. They don't have much regard for others.
Narcissists feel they deserve special treatment because they are so special. Everything they do stems from their need for approval. Life is good as long as they get their "fix." But, those in a relationship with a narcissist often find that they unknowingly say or do the wrong thing, which sets off the narcissist's hostility – even in minor situations.
What Makes A Person A Narcissist?
When you are in a relationship with a narcissist, the beginning stages can be overwhelmingly romantic. Narcissists are often popular people who are charming and engaging. They'll "sweep you off your feet," causing you to overlook any red flags.
In a new relationships, narcissists will go out of the way to make you feel special by sending flowers and surprising you with thoughtful gifts. They'll flatter you and tell you how wonderful you are. They usually want quick intimacy and a commitment from you.
But, they are prone to grand ideas and exaggeration. They often have more than one intimate partner (even if they are in a long-term relationship) because they need more attention and admiration than one person can give them.
When something goes wrong, they lash out and their loved ones are generally their primary target. Narcissists have trouble holding positive feelings toward someone while they are angry at them. Thus, they become cold, withhold their love and attention, and sometimes become violent.
Their bullying and belittling is a way to cover up an underlying fear that they don't measure up. A narcissist must maintain superiority at all costs, even if it means putting down or insulting their loved one in public or striking them in anger.
A 2008 study by Stinson, et al., revealed that 6.2% of the U.S. adult population has NPD. The disorder is most common in males. It is thought to be caused by both genetics and biology, combined with the person's early home life and life experiences.
How Do You Get Away From A Narcissist?
Don't think that a narcissist will change if only you care about them enough – especially if the person has NPD.
No matter what you do, it will never be enough, last long enough, or be loving enough for them, unless the person can become more self-aware. But, it is a rare narcissist who digs deeply enough into their own shortcomings to change that much.
In their minds, everything that goes wrong is someone else's fault. In a relationship, they fault their significant other, although their loved one has no idea what they did wrong.
Tiptoeing around their outbursts isn't going to change them. Letting them rant won't pacify them. In order for them to change, they have to want to change – and a narcissist won't even be willing to try unless they can really understand and empathize with your pain.
Block them from your social media, block their phone number, and block the friends you have in common. A narcissist can't stand to lose, so they'll have no problem using any of these methods to win you back.
Don't go back, despite their pleas that they made a mistake or that this time will be different. For narcissists, it's all about winning. They'll say or do whatever it takes to get you back. But, if you go back, ultimately nothing will change and you'll go through the cycle of upset, pain, and leaving them again.
Concentrate on the future. You deserve to be in a healthy relationship. Don't worry about the narcissist or try to contact them. Once a narcissist realizes the relationship is truly over, they can move on with very little thought to the pain you are going through.
Don't beat yourself up over the relationship. Narcissists are great manipulators and deceivers. There is even a term – narcissistic trauma bonding – that explains why it can be so difficult to leave a relationship with a narcissist.
Learn from the relationship so you don't repeat the pattern with someone else.
Current treatment for NPD is talk therapy and group therapy. These modalities sometimes can help a narcissist learn to relate to others more compassionately. Additionally, mentalization-based therapy may help the person learn to analyze someone's behavior before misinterpreting it and reacting inappropriately.
The success of any therapy for narcissism relies on the person being able to acknowledge that they have a problem. Given a narcissist's inflated view of themselves and their general defensiveness, this can be challenging. In fact, to date there have been no randomized clinical trials examining the efficacy of any treatment for the disorder (Levy, et al).
For many people, the best thing they can do for themselves is to break away from the narcissist. If that isn't possible, seek therapy and get support to rebuild the self-esteem and confidence you have lost because of your abuse.
Seek out a mental health professional who has been specially trained in trauma recovery to aid in healing from narcissistic abuse. A therapist can help you learn to communicate effectively and set boundaries so the narcissist can no longer take advantage of you.
Important: if you are experiencing physical abuse, understand that it will continue or will get worse. Get help immediately by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
If you are involved with a narcissist, get help from our specially-trained trauma recovery mental health professionals at The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida. To get answers to your questions or for more information, contact us or call us today at 561-496-1094.
Frederick Stinson, Deborah Dawson, Rise Goldstein, S. Patricia Chou, Boji Huang, Sharon Smith, W. June Ruan, Attila Pulay, Tulshi Saha, Roger Pickering and Bridget Grant, "Prevalence, correlates, disability, and comorbidity of DSM-IV narcissistic personality disorder: Results from the Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions," Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 69, no. 7 (July 2008):1033–45, 1036.
People form countless relationships throughout their lives – with family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. We have the deepest connections with the people we love – these relationships help make us who we are. They contribute to our sense of identity and have the power to transform us, for good or bad. Because of this, the death of a loved one can create numerous psychological issues, including PTSD, particularly if the loss was tragic and unexpected.
We know that survivors often experience depression or anxiety after the death of someone close. We don't usually think about them having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it can also happen, especially after a catastrophic death.
By definition, PTSD can occur when someone has "experienced, witnessed, or been confronted with a terrible event." News of an unexpected death already brings up especially strong emotions because it catches us off guard. A tragic death magnifies those feelings.
Being frequently angry, tense, or jumpy.
Physical symptoms like heart palpitations, sweating, or hyperventilating.
Flashbacks of the trauma or dwelling on what the person might have gone through in their final moments.
Persistent avoidance of things or events that remind us of the person or place where the tragedy occurred.
Avoiding the emotions surrounding the death or event.
Changing their personal routine to avoid reminders of the event.
Distorted feelings of guilt; blaming themselves for the event.
Most of the time, people will slowly begin to recover from the initial shock and grief of a death. For those with PTSD, though, the symptoms dramatically affect their day-to-day life and they experience them for at least a month.
There are several effective treatment therapies for PTSD after the sudden or traumatic death of a loved one, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Sometimes medications are used in conjunction with these modalities.
A tragedy and the resulting trauma can alter your thinking as you try to process what happened. For example, you might feel overwhelming guilt as if you were somehow responsible for the event. Or you may feel detached from the world or from those you love.
These negative thoughts can cause you to avoid the things you normally enjoy or make you worry obsessively that you'll lose someone else in a similar manner.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches you to become aware of your beliefs and thoughts about the situation. Once you identify them, it gives you the skills to see whether there are facts to support those thoughts and how to let them go if there aren't. In short, CBT helps you manage your destructive beliefs so you can replace them with accurate views.
EMDR helps people process trauma on an emotional level. It has been shown to help PTSD sufferers heal faster than through traditional therapy. In fact, a study funded by the Kaiser Permanente HMO found that 100% of single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims were no longer diagnosed with PTSD after just six 50-minute sessions.
In PTSD, traumatic thoughts and memories work against the brain's healing process. Flashbacks, nightmares, and disturbing emotions cycle through the brain, keeping the ordeal in the forefront of the person's mind. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy can break that cycle.
EMDR uses bilateral (both sides of the body) stimuli to tap into the biological mechanisms the brain uses during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. The theory is that using REM while recalling the disturbing thoughts or memories of the trauma helps the brain process it naturally, allowing the mind to heal.
If you or someone you love has been suffering from PTSD following the traumatic death of someone close to you, talk to the mental health professionals at The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida help. To get answers to your questions or for more information, contact us or call us today at 561-496-1094.
Keyes, K. M., Pratt, C., Galea, S., McLaughlin, K. A., Koenen, K. C., & Shear, M. K. (2014). The burden of loss: unexpected death of a loved one and psychiatric disorders across the life course in a national study. The American journal of psychiatry, 171(8), 864-71.
When the nation mourned the passing of former President George H. W. Bush recently, the media covered every detail. We relived important moments in the President's life via televised tributes. Images of Sully, the President's faithful service dog, coursed across our screens as he lay at the base of the casket. Mr. Bush's funeral was streamed live in its entirety, making us all feel as if we were grieving together at the service as the world bid farewell.
Even though you likely never met Mr. Bush, you probably feel as if you knew him. The lives of celebrities and important figures are covered so extensively by today's media that we often feel a kinship with these people. Because of this, sometimes it can feel intensely personal when they pass away, triggering our own grief or bringing up latent emotions surrounding the deaths of our own loved ones.
Why Do We Mourn Celebrity Deaths?
It's normal to feel emotional after the death of someone famous. Even if you don't know them, you might go through a period of sadness and grief, or feel shock or anger at their loss.
Because of today's prevalent social media platforms, we know the most intimate details of the person's life. We can view pictures of them whenever we want to and can read their own thoughts in their online posts. This 24/7 accessibility makes us feel like we have a personal relationship with them. In other words, we identify with them, so we feel a bond and we grieve when they pass away.
The loss of a celebrity and the ensuing grief of their admirers is both natural and common. The depth of the sadness and loss a fan feels is influenced by the closeness of their perceived connection to the celebrity. In a sense, a fan might almost feel like they've lost a family member. The resulting deluge of social media tributes to the person only deepens their sense of loss.
Shock or feeling numb, having difficulty believing the person has passed away.
Difficulty eating or appetite changes that result in losing or gaining weight.
Feeling sad, lonely, empty, or despair over their loss.
Physical symptoms such as stomach upset, irritability, headaches or migraines.
Stop watching news coverage of the person's passing. Celebrities are larger than life, so they seem invincible. Watching endless recaps of their life on the news or reading about it on the internet can increase your distress. Instead, try to focus on something positive, which raises your optimism and makes you feel less discouraged.
Remember that the person's impact on your life is still with you even if they are gone. You can revisit those good memories by reading their books, listening to their music, or watching a show the celebrity was in. Collect and hold on to a few items of memorabilia that represent your connection to them, so that their impact on your life will remain.
Devote some time to mourn. Everyone processes grief in different ways. Give yourself time (and permission) to mourn the person. Connect with other fans of the celebrity, so you can share your feelings and feel supported.
Be aware that sometimes your reaction to a celebrity death may tie into your mourning for someone close to you. It isn't uncommon for a celebrity death to trigger emotions relating to the passing of someone we knew and loved. Society tends to frown on emotional displays, so you may not have been able to let go and publicly grieve for your loved one. The mourning of a celebrity is expected, however, which can free you to grieve the person you actually lost.
Maintain your regular routine. Patterns provide a sense of security and comfort when you are upset and grieving.
Seek help if it becomes too much. While it is natural to feel emotional about the loss of a celebrity, be aware of how long you take to move past your grief. If you are struggling, you may benefit from talking with a licensed mental health professional who specializes in grief counseling. It is especially important to do this if you find that you can't carry out the daily tasks of living, such as sleeping, eating, and other functions.
Watching the national coverage of the passing of a famous person can trigger grief and feelings of loss. If you are having a hard time moving past the death of former President George H. W. Bush or another celebrity, the grief and loss treatment programs at The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida, can help. To get more information, contact us or call us today at 561-496-1094.
What is resilience? Resilience is something we all want, few of us practice and most of us have little idea as to what it is. We go through our lives in lock-step dealing with life's numerous pitfalls and challenges without an understanding of the impact that stress has on our bodies and psyche. Resilience represents an individual's ability to effectively tolerate life's stressors, to more effectively "go with the flow" so to speak. To be resilient means that even though we cannot avoid stress we have the capability of actively managing it.
So it becomes quite clear that there is value in better understanding this concept. More importantly, we need to develop the capacity of resilience. For some, resilience may be an inborn trait. These individuals are lucky enough to be born with nervous systems that automatically foster resilience while others may be born with nervous systems that overreact to stress. The pathological worrier when faced with a life challenge may intensify the stress reaction by catastrophic thinking that leads to unhealthy emotional and physiologic reactivity. Those of us with resilience traits should learn how to enhance them while those with limited stress-control capabilities need to find ways to develop such traits.
Simply speaking, resilience is multifaceted. It requires first that we make ourselves aware of how we journey through life. When we are stuck in traffic and find ourselves being late for a meeting or activity, how do we react to this potential stress. We have a choice of fretting over it to the point that our heart rate goes up, stomach acid gets released in larger quantities and our brain fires off alarm reactions. This type of stress further releases unhealthy bodily chemicals like free radicals, brain chemicals that signal danger. It is not uncommon for this to result in back and head musculature contraction leading to tension headaches and backaches. But we also have the choice of placing this stress in a more appropriate perspective by consciously acknowledging that we truly may have no control over the traffic situation, did not cause it and certainly have no way of clearing a path through bumper to bumper vehicles. This does not mean that we shouldn't feel badly about being late for our appointment and apologize when we get to our destination, but at the same time we don't need to get ourselves into a tizzy over this. We can further trouble shoot and adjust our departure time if this route is known for traffic jams. Just discuss highway travel strategy with anyone residing in the Los Angeles area!
Resilience is about reasserting locus of control in situations that appear to be beyond our control. A psychological term, locus of control refers to establishing a mindset of control despite the nature of the challenge facing us. This requires being cognizant of how we are dealing with the issue in front of us no matter how vexing it may be. It sounds so simple yet this concept is mastered by few of us. We tend to be engaged in a mindless dance through life without attending to the need to be "present", to attend to how we are reacting to each step of our travels. The task at hand is to regain the locus of control, to get back into the captain's seat of life and actively do the best we can under the circumstances.
In reality, resilience is multi-faceted. It is about balance and the conscious decision to attend to the myriad aspects of our daily life journey. There are some simple aspects to this balance. Attending to nutrition, adequate sleep, exercise, establishing a daily routine and maintaining social interactions comprise a core set of basics. Self awareness is an essential component of this balance. However, as indicated earlier in this discussion, self-awareness escapes many of us. For example, how many of us are aware of our breathing? How shallow or deep, rapid or slow? Do we breathe in or breath out through our nose or our mouth? Does it make a difference? Do we inhale by natural downward excursion of our abdominal diaphragm or through the expansion of our ribcage? Research decades ago revealed that diaphragmatic breathing is healthier because it allows for a more robust intake of air than that of ribcage breathing. In fact, a researcher identified what is called the Q reflex or Quieting reflex in response to diaphragmatic breathing. It is no accident that the ancients emphasized the importance of breath work and diaphragmatic respiration as the core of meditation that is today a critical component of Yoga meditation.
Healthy self-talk is another major aspect of resilience development. We all engage is self-talk. Unfortunately, much self-talk is negative and self critical. Becoming aware of this tendency is absolutely essential. It is one thing if the negativity is well earned. We should certainly own up to our mistakes and failures. However, it is more common for self critical thinking to not be based on the facts but emanate from a life of low self regard and confidence, much of it based on unhelpful childhood conditioning.
This brings us to the importance of pursuing mindfulness in our quest to develop resilience. Mindfulness requires attention to our present situation, not just a cursory approach but a comprehensive assessment of the here-and-now. It is much more than our motorist we previously discussed stuck in traffic reacting to being late by getting upset and wallowing in this negative state. It requires an active participation in the event, acknowledging the problem, recognizing the absence of realistic control over the traffic jam, the need to call ahead and alert our destination of the unfortunate circumstance while appropriately apologizing for this situation. Mindfulness also involves taking active responsibility for our self-talk and learning how to develop more effective filters for the negativity that invades much of our personal internal banter. This ability can be learned and must be practiced regularly to become more of an automatic process. The ability to clear one's mind of negativity becomes one of the finest gifts that we can provide for ourselves. Successful meditators will tell you about the bliss they encounter when they are able to empty their minds of non-essential thoughts.
Finally, we cannot have a discussion about resiliency without understanding the concept of emotional dysregulation. It turns out that the human psyche is composed of two operating systems. We are all aware of the two popular computer operating systems, one that runs Apple software and the other Microsoft software. The human operating system that we are most aware of is composed of words that result in language based communication. This particular system is based on logic. It is what this article utilizes as you read it. However, parallel to this operating system is one that is based on emotions. Emotions are not easily defined using words or language. Emotional expression is by its nature illogical. It is most important to understand that the operating system that governs emotions is extremely powerful and often gains control over our logical language-based operating system. Abusive relationships, addictive behaviors, impulsive and rash life decisions are examples of the dominance of emotions over logic.
Our challenge becomes one of regaining control over our emotional being. The first step in this process is to becoming mindful of our emotional production and not allowing emotions to run amok without conscious awareness. Once we can recognize problematic emotions we have the ability to modify and channel them in a more helpful manner. One can actually learn the skillsets necessary to control the emotional operating system and with practice incorporate them into our daily existence. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) a component of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been a major advance in addressing the painful human toll of emotional dysregulation.
The twenty-first century has its own unique challenges and stressors to say the least. World events, internet connectedness, social media pressures and information explosiveness make our reality more complex than ever before. Fear not, for even though one may not be born with innate resilience it is possible to nurture this capability. However, this is not a passive process. It requires hard work and introspection often involving the assistance of a trained mental health professional. The benefits of resilience are immeasurable and certainly worthy of our efforts and hard work. Good luck!
As reviewed in a past article, the field of Psychiatry is unique among medical specialties. At present, medical technology has yet to provide adequate imaging or laboratory testing that would allow for more objective assessment of a patient's symptoms and concerns. A person with chest pain, fatigue and a racing heartbeat can rest assured that a carefully designed testing protocol will clarify the nature of the problem. Cardiac enzymes, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray and even cardiac catheterization will provide objective evidence to either rule-in or rule-out a cardiac event. Or the severe sore throat that makes swallowing difficult can be objectively clarified by obtaining a throat culture and consequently help the physician chose an antibiotic if indicated.
So how to proceed with such limited biomedical test resources? The art of listening is the answer. Listening will not be successful unless the patient knows that he/she can freely tell their story. First, the patient needs to hear a simple question. "How can I be of help?" After their reply the telling of their story is most important. For this to be successful there needs to be an open and accepting attitude that promotes this storytelling.
Once the story begins to unfold it is often necessary to backtrack and clarify aspects of the story. The words that the patient use become critical. What one individual means by the word "anxiety" may be quite different from that of others. I have discovered that behind the initial complaint of "I am anxious" will often be a core depressive illness that has an anxiety component. It is not uncommon for major depressive illnesses to contain a whole host of anxiety symptoms.
What of the individual with a true primary anxiety disorder. It is not sufficient to accept the word anxiety at face value. That is because anxiety is a more complex disorder and cannot be explained by a single word. Simply speaking, anxiety can be best understood by two of its components. One is best described as "somatic" or physical. Symptoms can include rapid heartbeat, sweating, gurgling stomach, headaches, tight muscles, shortness of breath etc. This individual is persistently or episodically physically uncomfortable and restless. They feel like they do not have control over their bodily sensations.
The other major component of anxiety is more mental or "psychic". Such individuals spend excessive time with non-stop worrying. They get stuck with "what if this and what if that" thinking. They ruminate. They cannot turn off their brains. Sleep becomes difficult because of a busy head, Their thinking often is catastrophic, taking their worries down a path much farther than would be based on the current situation. Catastrophic thinking fuels the rumination and a vicious cycle ensues.
I am making a big deal of such language because treatment is often influenced by the specific type of anxiety. There are different medications to address somatic anxiety than that of psychic anxiety. Psychotherapies also differ depending upon the clarification of the anxiety explanation. So this is much more than a semantic intellectual exercise.
It is then most important to clarify the context of the individual's symptoms. The goal is to try to determine how much the person's difficulties are due to a reaction to a life situation. I have reviewed in past articles the difference between a core biologically-based psychiatric problem that definitely requires medication, a life based problem that would benefit from talking therapy and the hybrid situation in which a life stress induced problem triggers an underlying biological response that would require a combination of both types of treatment. One cannot get answers to such questions unless the dialog between physician and patient allows for a careful analysis of their story.
I have found that there is an added benefit of this approach. When a patient clearly knows that their physician is carefully listening and actively asking questions to clarify the specific aspects of their problem, a stronger therapeutic alliance develops. All too often I hear patients tell me that they were frustrated in the past with their doctor because they felt that he/she was not listening to them. This is so unfortunate because listening is a fundamental and easy process. Teasing apart the meaning of the words used in the story can be more challenging. Once the patient understands the importance of words, they can better appreciate the treatment plan and thus actively participate as a partner in the therapeutic process.
Since the cocaine scourge of the '70s and '80s and the ongoing tragedy of the opiate epidemic, the American public has become painfully aware of the societal impact of addiction. Because of the prevalence and lethality of fentanyl-laced opiate overdoses almost everyone knows of a family that has lost a loved one. And despite all the time, effort and money invested in eradicating tobacco we now have to confront the growing addiction to nicotine through the expanding use of nicotine vape pens.
The substance is used to elicit a positive reward state.
Physical dependence develops so that when ongoing use is not possible a withdrawal state ensues.
Tolerance to the substance develops over time so that increasingly higher dosages are required to both impart the "high" as well as avoid the development of active withdrawal.
Ongoing substance abuse occurs despite the dangers present. Most addicts will tell you that they are aware of the risks involved, including arrest, incarceration, the dangers of the environments visited to get the drug, fatal overdose or other non-fatal medical complications (like heart attacks from cocaine, liver disease from alcohol, HIV from intravenous use) and the deleterious impact on family, job, relationships and quality of life. It is as if there is a disconnection between the logical part of the brain and the addicted centers of the brain. More on this later.
On a practical level it is often helpful to restate the problem from another vantage point. Consider the traditional definition of alcoholism. Included in this definition is the need to consume alcoholic beverages upon awakening in ever increasing amounts to avoid alcohol withdrawal, continued imbibing despite the havoc created in one's life and the rationalization and/or denial employed when loved ones try to talk sense into the alcoholic. This understanding is important but I also contend that one can have an alcohol problem without meeting the alcoholism criteria. Consider the individual who comes home from work every day to consume several beers or a couple of hard liquor drinks. When asked about this custom one will often hear that it is a way to "unwind" and shake off the stress of the day. Why? What about identifying the stressors and attempt to minimize them. Eradicating the source of stress may not always be possible but learning how to more effectively cope with life stress is. Why not substitute time with loved ones/friends, go for a run, meditate, listen to music or see a mental health clinician? All too often in our society we reach for a pill, a drink or an illicit substance to relieve our discomfort. The individual identified here may not meet addict criteria but can be viewed as having a substance related problem. Because of the impact of this problem on one's life course and life quality, failure to address it becomes unfortunate. Societal acceptance of such maladaptive coping behavior is a big part of the problem, not too different from the common usage of sleeping pills in individuals who should instead directly address their insomnia.
The modern approach to addiction treatment began in the mid 1930's after meetings between Bill W. and a surgeon now known as Dr. Bob. Dr. Bob recognized alcoholism as a disease process and not merely a social or moral weakness. Out of this came Alcoholics Anonymous whose tenets, Big Book and twelve steps comprise the bulwark of addiction treatment to this day. The twelve step model is an important component in the clinical approach to the addict but it would be unfair to suggest that "one size fits all".
Classic AA considers the use of any mind-altering medication as taboo to the process of recovery. This is an understandable concept during AA's early years. However, as addiction science has advanced a more balanced approach is needed. Brain imaging, genetic advances and careful epidemiologic research have all contributed to a more holistic systems approach to recovery. We now know that there are individuals whose addiction has been the direct result of their genetic makeup. As suggested in a previous paper on a systems approach I suggested that there are some individuals whose genetic predisposition only results in clinical pathology when interacting with situational stressors that subsequently activates the biologic psychopathology.
This discussion would not be complete if we did not review the concept of addiction as self-medication. This refers to individuals who discover that the illicit drug or alcoholic beverage serves to reduce or eradicate painful or troublesome mental state symptoms. A classic example is that of social anxiety. Social anxiety disorders can be devastating to say the least and often start in the teenage years. So when a teen discovers at a party that an alcoholic beverage successfully controls the anxiety and for the first time allows the individual to socially interact without emotional constraints, alcohol becomes a necessary ingredient for future social endeavors. Unfortunately, dependence and tolerance ensue and leads to a whole host of new difficulties. Opiates and marijuana similarly modulate social anxiety or panic attacks. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) represents another example. When the impulsive, terribly restless and hyperactive young person with an inability to focus and control a busy head finds these symptoms almost normalized upon to exposure to recreational cocaine. In fact, cocaine might represent an effective ADHD treatment modality if it were not for its horrendous addiction potential, it's very short duration of action as well as to say the least, its illegality.
The above discussion introduces the concept of self-medication. Self-medication must be considered in all cases of addiction because once the core psychiatric problem is identified a more definitive treatment becomes possible. By stabilizing the underlying disorder the addictive process has a better chance of entering into an enduring recovery. This does not suggest that the twelve step approach is unnecessary. In fact, the combination of treatment addressing the non-substance abuse psychiatric disorder in conjunction with traditional recovery methods maximizes the outcome.
We now understand that the biology of addiction involves brain regions that get reprogrammed. As a consequence, these brain areas begins to act independently from the healthy rational parts of the brain that under normal circumstances keep us out of harm's way. These addiction centers are essentially highjacked by the drug and can successfully pathologically influence healthy brain areas. A critical goal of addiction treatment is to help the individual develop coping skills and capabilities that subsequently allow for ability to recover control over previously all powerful addiction centers.
As you can see, successful addiction treatment requires a careful multi-system and bio-psycho-social evaluation and treatment planning that serves as the foundation for a future free of drug abuse. Each person with the scourge of addiction deserves an individualized open-minded approach. Despite all the negative media attention that addiction has garnered, the future has never been brighter for treatment. Prevention remains the ultimate goal and an ongoing challenge.
I consider myself a well-trained mental health professional and as such an expert on human behavior. These days however, I find myself more and more at a loss pondering the amount of violence and hate visible in our world. This week I attended an interfaith vigil united to protest hate crimes and violence. It was uplifting to share in the community expression of mutual support, love and the need to heal. However, I left feeling that there still were no answers to the existence of such evil.
What motivates individuals to slaughter innocent people in "soft targets" like schools, theaters or houses of worship? Could it be genes at play? Family of origin pathology? Traumatic life situations? It is too simplistic to blame such behavior on a psychiatric disorder. Instead, I believe that we need to more closely example the societal influence that could spawn such tragic community events.
There appear to be some common factors among such violent individuals. They tend to be loners, self-absorbed, isolated, emotionally empty and socially estranged. They wrestle with an absence of self-worth and meaningfulness. Their antisocial actions often represent a rageful attempt to make a political point or express unmitigated bigotry. These are individuals who for the most part feel marginalized by society.
Emile Durkheim was a French social scientist who many believe was the father of modern sociology. Towards the end of the 19th century he was concerned about the prevalence of completed suicides in Paris. His carefully designed research uncovered some basic components inherent in these tragic events. He coined the term anomie that describes the sense of namelessness, lack of belonging and loss of identity often present in these individuals.
It is my belief that similar factors can be found in the murderous actions of the perpetrators of hate crimes. In many respects, the personality factors that create the self hate and negativity can be redirected outwards to others, whether it be religious beliefs, skin color or political ideology. The net result is violent acting out and tragic loss of life.
Trying to tackle the problem of preventing the development of such individuals may be an almost impossible task. However, I am most concerned about a societal development that has contributed to this process. I am referring to the explosive intrusion of social media and the internet. Don't get me wrong, there are numerous societal benefits of the internet and social networks. But there is a major downside and that is what I would like to clarify.
Social media has contributed to the development of anomie in many of its participants primarily because of the degree to which it interferes with natural face to face social interactions. Teens are losing the natural ability to maintain eye contact due to their preoccupation with screen contact. Group social interplay suffers as well. Sure, one will sees group of teens together but they are often preoccupied with their phone screens. To make matters worse, as I have written in the past, the wanton spread of traumatic life events on all aspects of media has profound impact on the psychological health of its innocent witnesses. We all know what it is like to watch the news on television, non-stop mayhem, murder and expressions of negative like events. When was the last time that you saw a program devoted primarily to positive heart-warming news or life events? Daily exposure to such negative stimulation does have an impact on our psyche and can lead to what I have labeled media- related post traumatic stress disorder.
So what is one to do? I think that it is beholden on parents to limit screen time of all kinds and promote exposure to healthy and emotionally uplifting media experiences. It is time to reinforce the value of books. Family mealtime should be for conversation and not for watching the screen. Screen preoccupation in restaurants should become restricted. We need to educate parents about the negative impact of social media addiction. To be successful, grown-ups must also recognize that they are vulnerable to the pathological effects of negative media exposure and therefore need to adjust their behavior as well.
I know this is a tall order. But I truly believe that in the 21st century this is a major societal challenge that cannot be ignore. Thank you for taking the time to read this commentary.


Have you been thinking of making a list of places to visit over the next few years? ... miss scheduling time to see some of the most famous landmarks in the world.
How many of the 150 most famous landmarks in the world have you experienced ? Landmarks from six continents.
Are you ready for a wonderful virtual trip around the world? Today I've combined 100 most famous landmarks all over the world in a simple list for you.
Famous Places - GeoGuessr - Let's explore the world!
25 Famous Movie Scene Locations In Real Life Subscribe,like and leave your comments below!
The Most Famous Filming Location That You Never Heard Of..
From desert ghost towns and mines; to hidden metropolitan locations ; these are 8 Forgotten Abandoned Places in America 8.
We take a quick tour around Manhattan, taking in famous Marvel locations from the Sanctum Sanctorum to Avengers Tower.


As one of San Diego's premiere boutique purveyors of craft cannabis flower, Mutant Genetics was looking to build a brand in keeping with the caliber of their product.
The begin, Meristem creative team worked with Mutant to develop a cohesive and impactful visual identity, logotype, and visual style guide.
With the brand identity in place, the project moved on into production of business cards, product packaging, trade show booth materials, apparel, and the development of a website.


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What do introverts need to thrive in the future workplace?
Other parts of this series:
What does your future workforce expect from their future workplace?
What technologies will power the future workplace?
The rise of co-working spaces … and what comes next
Reimagining the workplace experience – how Accenture is working in the new
So far in this series, I've spoken about the future workforce and what they will need from the future workplace, as well as how technology can power this new workspace and enable people to work better.
But how can we make sure that these spaces address the needs of different types of workers, for example introverts and extroverts? How do we make sure that the future workplace is an inclusive space for all?
What do introverts need to excel in a future workplace?
In her TED Talk on the power of introverts, Susan Cain explores the value that they can bring to the workplace.
"Our most important institutions, our schools and our workplaces, they are designed mostly for extroverts and for extroverts' need for lots of stimulation. This is our loss for sure, but it is also our colleagues' loss and our communities' loss. And at the risk of sounding grandiose, it is the world's loss. Because when it comes to creativity and to leadership, we need introverts doing what they do best."
In her talk, she describes how her mother sent her off to summer camp with a bag full of books—a perfectly normal thing to do in her family. But when she got there she felt like she had to hide her books; like there was something wrong with her for not being as outgoing and rowdy as the other children.
Cain explains that introversion is different from shyness; it's about how you respond to stimulation, including social stimulation. While extroverts might crave a lot of stimulation, introverts may feel most alive and switched on in quiet, low-key environments. "So, the key then to maximizing our talents is for us all to put ourselves in the zone of stimulation that is right for us," she says.
This insight has a significant impact in the workplace, where most of us work in noisy, open-plan offices with no privacy. Cain further explains that introverts routinely get passed over for leadership roles, even though they make better leaders—they're more careful and more likely to let employees run with their own ideas instead of trying to control everything.
So, how do you create an environment that can get the most out of introverts, while not neglecting the needs of extroverts? Cain has some ideas:
Stop with the group work.
Encourage casual, chatty interactions around the coffee machine, but create spaces where people can have more privacy, freedom and autonomy at work.
Allow for moments to unplug and explore your own thoughts again.
Foster environments where people can be themselves and not feel pressured to fit in.
The last point ties in well with the Nike job description that I spoke about in my first post—how the focus has shifted from employees fitting into the workplace to finding a job that fits with your personality, skills and dreams.
In addition to making sure introverts get the right stimulation to thrive, it's also important to make sure that no one gets left behind in the fourth industrial revolution. As technology is disrupting the way we work, people are becoming more and more concerned that they will be replaced by machines. At Accenture, we're not about to let that happen.
Inclusive future of work—a call to action
To become an employer brand that attracts top talent, you need to be part of the drive to create an inclusive future where everyone is able to thrive in the workplace. Accenture's latest report entitled Inclusive Future of Work: A Call to Action challenges business leaders to think about how to build such a future.
At Accenture, we are creating "new skilling" pathways for an inclusive future of work—a future in which all workers have the motivation, means and opportunity to thrive in the digital economy. To that end, we are collaborating across the enterprise to close the current knowledge and action gap in communities around the world.
The most pivotal question is this: How do we support vulnerable workers as they transition to new career pathways?
We conducted a series of around 60 ethnographic interviews with workers, over 30 expert interviews, a series of design workshops, and survey data analysis of more than 14 000 workers and 1 200 employers—which helped us to develop a framework of four solution spaces (see the figure below).
These workforce interventions will enable workers vulnerable to digital disruption to:
Envision new career pathways built on their strengths and the confidence to get there;
Expand access to relevant learning inside and outside of work to future-proof their skills;
Experience new roles and build work history by putting skills into practice; and
Empower themselves and each other to pursue lifelong learning through mutual support, mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning.
In my next post, I'll talk about how digital workplaces are bringing life to a new way of working, and how we're building digital workspaces at Accenture. To learn more about building an inclusive future of work, read the full report here.
To find out more about digital HR in financial services or to join us at the Change Directors Forum and People Innovation Forum in London, please contact me here or on Twitter @knott_nic.
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Nicole Knott
Managing Director - UK/Ireland HR Technology Consulting
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The project scope consists of a 500,000 +/- sf single-story industrial tilt-up industrial distribution building to be constructed in Tracy, California. The building is anticipated to include a metal deck roof supported on open-webbed steel joists and girders and a 36-foot clear height. As an option, the roof may consist of a panelized timber framed roof spanning to open-webbed steel joists and girders. The project includes office areas but does not include mezzanine construction. Minor site structures such as trash enclosure is included. Proposal assumes conventional foundations and no special foundation requirements due to liquefaction or other special geotechnical conditions.


Send AimLynnBoo a private message.
HI.. names Aimee! I am a blue eyed beauty, lol thats what i hear all the time atleast by my WONDERFUL man =) I like to chill when i am not at work.. hang with the boo.. and just try to make it in this world one day at a time.... i still have some great friends even tho i have lost touch with some, i like to just think of all the wonderful memories made with them all! I <3 to laugh.... that is my all time fav thing to do... and being a dork! lol Ok enough about me!


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Libya, David Cameron's "Iraq"? Damning Report Shreds Another War Monger.
By Felicity Arbuthnot
Global Research, September 18, 2016
Region: Europe, Middle East & North Africa
Theme: Crimes against Humanity, US NATO War Agenda
In-depth Report: NATO'S WAR ON LIBYA
Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron is consistent in just one thing – jumping ship when the going gets tough. He announced his resignation in the immediate wake of the 23rd July referendum in which Britain marginally voted to leave the EU, a referendum which he had fecklessly called to appease right wing "little Englanders", instead of facing them down.
He lost. The result is looming financial catastrophe and the prospect of unraveling forty three years of legislations (Britain joined the then European Economic Community on 1st January 1973.) No structure was put in place for a government Department to address the legal and bureaucratic enormities should the leave vote prevail. There is still none.
Cameron however committed to staying on as an MP until the 2020 general election, vowing grandiosely: "I will do everything I can in future to help this great country succeed", he said of the small island off Europe which he had potentially sunk, now isolated from and derided by swathes of its continental neighbours – with the sound of trading doors metaphorically slamming shut reverberating across the English Channel.
David Cameron has now jumped again, resigning unexpectedly and immediately as an MP on Monday 12th September, giving the impression that he was not in agreement with certain policies of his (unelected) successor, Theresa May. He stated: "Obviously I have my own views about certain issues … As a former PM it's very difficult to sit as a back-bencher and not be an enormous diversion and distraction from what the Government is doing. I don't want to be that distraction." What an ego.
Over the decades of course, the House of Parliament has been littered with former Prime Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers who have remained constituency MPs without being a "distraction."
DEVASTATING INDICTMENT
The following day the real reason for his decision seemed obvious. Parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee released their devastating findings on Cameron's hand in actions resulting in Libya's near destruction, contributing to the unprecedented migration of those fleeing UK enjoined "liberations", creating more subsequent attacks in the West – and swelling ISIS and other terrorist factions.
"Cameron blamed for rise of ISIS", thundered The Times headline, adding: "Damning Inquiry into Libya points finger at former PM." The Guardian opined: "MPs condemn Cameron over Libya debacle" and: "Errors resulted in country 'becoming failed state and led to growth of ISIS.' "
The Independent owned "I": "Cameron's toxic Libya legacy", with: "Former PM blamed for collapse in to civil war, rise of ISIS and mass migration to Europe in Inquiry's scathing verdict" and "Cameron ignored lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan …"
The Independent chose: "Cameron's bloody legacy: Damning Report blames ex-PM for ISIS in Libya."
No wonder he plopped over the side.
The Report is decimating. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee concluding: "Through his decision-making in the National Security Council, former Prime Minister, David Cameron was ultimately responsible for the failure to develop a coherent Libya strategy."
The disasters leading to that final verdict include the UK's intervention being based on "erroneous assumption" an "incomplete understanding" of the situation on the ground, with Cameron leaping from limited intervention to an: "opportunist policy of (entirely illegal) regime change", based on "inadequate intelligence."
Once Gaddafi had been horrendously assassinated, resultant from the assault on his country: " … failure to develop a coherent strategy … had led to political and economic collapse, internecine warfare, humanitarian crisis and the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) in North Africa."
After his death, Gaddafi's body, with that of his son, Mutassim, was laid out on the floor of a meat warehouse in Misrata. ("I", 14th September 2016.)
"We came, we saw, he died", then Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton told the media, with a peal of laughter. (1) Just under a year later US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three US officials were murdered in Benghazi. Payback time for her words, taken out on the obvious target?
Muammar Gaddafi, his son Muatassim and his former Defence Minister were reportedly buried in unmarked graves in the desert, secretively, before dawn on 25th October 2011. The shocking series of events speaking volumes for the "New Libya" and the Cameron-led, British government's blood dripping hands in the all.
The UK's meddling hands were involved from the start. France, Lebanon and the UK, supported by the US, proposed UN Security Council Resolution 1973.
Britain was the second country, after France, to call for a "no fly zone" over Libya in order to: "to use all necessary measures" to prevent attacks on civilians. "It neither explicitly authorised the deployment of ground forces nor addressed the question of regime change or of post conflict reconstruction", reminds the Committee.
Moreover: "France led the international community in advancing the case for military intervention in Libya … UK policy followed decisions taken in France." Former Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder confirmed to the Committee: "Cameron and Sarkozy were the undisputed leaders in terms of doing something." (Emphasis added.)
The US was then "instrumental in extending the terms of the Resolution" to even a "no drive zone" and "assumed authority to attack the entire Libyan government's command and communications network."
On the 19th March 2011, a nineteen nation "coalition" turned a "no fly zone" into a free fire zone and embarked on a blitzkrieg of a nation of just 6.103 million (2011 figure.)
All this in spite of the revelation to the Committee by former UK Ambassador to Libya Sir Dominic Asquith, that the intelligence base at to what was really happening in the country: "… might well have been less than ideal."
Professor George Joffe, renowned expert on the Middle East and North Africa, noted: "the relatively limited understanding of events" and that: "people had not really bothered to monitor closely what was happening."
Analyst Alison Pargeter: 'expressed her shock at the lack of awareness in Whitehall of the "history and regional complexities" of Libya.'
Incredibly Whitehall appeared to have been near totally ignorant as to the extent to which the "rebellion" might have been a relatively small group of Islamic extremists.
Former Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Richards was apparently unaware that Abdelhakim Belhadj and other Al Qaeda linked members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group were involved. "It was a grey area", he said. However: "a quorum of respectable Libyans were assuring the Foreign Office" that militant Islam would not benefit from the rebellion. "With the benefit of hindsight, that was wishful thinking at best", concluded his Lordship.
"The possibility that militant extremist groups would attempt to benefit from the rebellion should not have been the preserve of hindsight. Militant connections with transnational militant extremist groups were know before 201l, because many Libyans had participated in the Iraq insurgency and in Afghanistan with al-Qaeda", commented the Committee. (Emphasis added)
Iraq revisited. Back then it was the "respectable" Ahmed Chalabi, Iyad Allawi and their ilk selling a pack of lies to the seemingly ever gullible, supremely unworldly Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Much was made by William Hague, Foreign Secretary at the time and by Liam Fox, then Defence Secretary, of Muammar's Gaddafi's threatening rhetoric. The Committee pointed out that: "Despite his rhetoric, the proposition that Muammar Gaddafi would have ordered the massacre of civilians in Benghazi was not supported by the available evidence."
Further, two days before the 19 nation onslaught: 'On 17 March 2011, Muammar Gaddafi announced to the rebels in Benghazi, "Throw away your weapons, exactly like your brothers in Ajdabiya and other places did. They laid down their arms and they are safe. We never pursued them at all."
Subsequent investigation revealed that when Gaddafi's forces re-took Ajdabiya in February 2011, they did not attack civilians. "Muammar Gaddafi also attempted to appease protesters in Benghazi with an offer of development aid before finally deploying troops."
Professor Joffe agreed that Gaddafi's words were historically at odds with his deeds: "If you go back to the American bombings in the 1980s of Benghazi and Tripoli, rather than trying to remove threats to the regime in the east, in Cyrenaica, Gaddafi spent six months trying to pacify the tribes that were located there. The evidence is that he was well aware of the insecurity of parts of the country and of the unlikelihood (that military assault was the answer.) Therefore, he would have been very careful in the actual response…the fear of the massacre of civilians was vastly overstated."
In June 2011 an Amnesty International investigation failed to find corroborative evidence of mass human rights violations by government troops but did find that: "the rebels in Benghazi made false claims and manufactured evidence" and that: "much Western media coverage has from the outset presented a very one-sided view of the logic of events …"
CONDEMNATION; AIDING ISIS
The Committee wrote damningly:
We have seen no evidence that the UK Government carried out a proper analysis of the nature of the rebellion in Libya. It may be that the UK Government was unable to analyse the nature of the rebellion in Libya due to incomplete intelligence and insufficient institutional insight and that it was caught up in events as they developed.
It could not verify the actual threat to civilians posed by the Gaddafi regime; it selectively took elements of Muammar Gaddafi's rhetoric at face value; and it failed to identify the militant Islamist extremist element in the rebellion. UK strategy was founded on erroneous assumptions and an incomplete understanding of the evidence.
Moreover: "The deployment of coalition air assets shifted the military balance in the Libyan civil war in favour of the rebels", with: "The combat performance of rebel ground forces enhanced by personnel and intelligence provided by States such as the UK, France, Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates." Lord Richards informed that the UK "had a few people embedded" with the rebel forces.
Arms and tanks were also provided to the rebels by members of the "coalition" in contravention of Resolution 1973.
Was the aim of the assault regime change or civilian protection? Lord Richard said: "one thing morphed almost ineluctably in to the other."
The Committee summarized: "The UK's intervention in Libya was reactive and did not comprise action in pursuit of a strategic objective. This meant that a limited intervention to protect civilians drifted into a policy of regime change by military means." (Emphasis added.)
The Cameron-led UK government had "focused exclusively on military intervention", under the National Security Council, a Cabinet Committee created by David Cameron.
The Committee's final observation is:
We note former Prime Minister David Cameron's decisive role when the National Security Council discussed intervention in Libya. We also note that Lord Richards implicitly dissociated himself from that decision in his oral evidence to this inquiry. The Government must commission an independent review of the operation of the NSC … It should be informed by the conclusions of the Iraq Inquiry and examine whether the weaknesses in governmental decision-making in relation to the Iraq intervention in 2003 have been addressed by the introduction of the NSC.
Cameron who said he wanted to be "heir to Blair" seems to have ended up as just that, pivotal cheerleader for the butchery of a sovereign leader, most of his family, government and the destruction of a nation.
Muammar Gaddafi inherited one of the poorest nations in Africa . However, by the time he was assassinated, Libya was unquestionably Africa 's most prosperous nation. Libya had the highest GDP per capita and life expectancy in Africa and less people lived below the poverty line than in the Netherlands. Libyans did not only enjoy free health care and free education, they also enjoyed free electricity and interest free loans. The price of petrol was around $0.14 per liter and 40 loaves of bread cost just $0.15. Consequently, the UN designated Libya the 53rd highest in the world in human development. (2)
End note: David Cameron jumped ship yet a third time – he refused to give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
The full text of the Committee's findings: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmfaff/119/11905.htm#_idTextAnchor023
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/clinton-on-qaddafi-we-came-we-saw-he-died/
http://www.countercurrents.org/chengu120113.htm
Copyright © Felicity Arbuthnot, Global Research, 2016
Articles by: Felicity Arbuthnot


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Humans of Film Amsterdam
Scroll down to discover how filmic images impact the lives of people that I encounter on the streets of Amsterdam. One story at the time and every now and then a film review of an upcoming film.
Nederlands/Dutch
HoFA in the media
LGBTQ Humans of Amsterdam
Humans of Film Festival
Film Review: Lost City of Z (2016).
Feargal Agard April 22, 2017 October 5, 2017 English/Engels, Film Review
Rating: – 3/5.
Author: André Siemens | Runtime: 141 min. | Director: James Gray | Year: 2016.
What a film! This film made me curious from the start. I had never heard of the biography of Percy Fawcett. So with a fresh mind, I headed to the cinema. When the film ended, it had me silent for a moment. The film went more into depth than its genre would make you expect. It kept me engaged and curious for more throughout the film. The film left me believing that there's still magic out there.
The lost City of Z takes place at the beginning of the 20th century and tells the story of the legendary adventurer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam). He's employed to use his cartography skills in a conflict zone that regards rubber, a valuable resource. With his help it can be decided where the border between Bolivia and Brazil lies. During his stay he experiences the beauty of the Amazon as well as its cruelties and the locals that live there. When he discovers particular pottery in the jungle he reports back claiming that he encountered the remains of a possible lost civilization that might have been more advanced than his own. He is met with ridicule, also because of his past. His father left him with a legacy that has brought shame to his last name. Even though his own achievements are commendable, the past haunts him. His fellows are in total disbelief that another civilization (El Dorado) could have existed that was more sophisticated than their own civilization. Especially since they consider the locals in South America as 'savages'. Percy Fawcett is determined to return to the Amazon. With the support of his wife and son he continues his dangerous journey as the world watches.
The lost City of Z is directed by James Gray (The Immigrant, Two Lovers, We Own the Night) and the screenplay was written by Gray as well. The story is based on the book of the same name written by David Grann about the true life story of one of the world's most famous adventurer of the 20th century. The film takes us through several stages of Percy Fawcett's (Charlie Dunnam) life from expedition to expedition and even to a warzone where he is accompanied by Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson). As the film progresses we see his obsession growing over his desire to find the lost city in the Amazon. A nice aspect of the film was that it is immediately visible in which era the film was set. The clothing –which was on point- said it all, but also the feel. No need for dates. And of course as it progressed so did the attires change throughout the film which was really beautiful to see. I do have to say that I wasn't really convinced with Charlie Hunnam's accent. I'm a person who is really in to accents and it felt odd to see him try a 'cockney' accent, which at some points was really watered down. The film stars Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Robert Pattinson (Cosmopolis), Tom Holland (Captain America: Civil War) and Sienna Miller (Foxcatcher).
The film is graded as an action/adventure, but while analyzing the stunning shots of the Amazon jungles. It becomes noticeable that there is an underlying hidden theme that in my opinion seems just as important. Nature is displayed in a very mesmerizing way within those shots. It made us experience what the main character felt, enchanted by nature. Being a fan of nature, it worked for me. Somewhere it thematically came off as part of the film's dualist notion of civilization and nature, western civilization in disbelief of 'savages' in nature that could have had a more advanced civilization and Fawcett being the one the mediator between those two. Percy is presented as the kind of person who views the attitude of the society that he grew up in and struggled with, as narrow minded. He himself sees the sophistication of these so-called 'savages'. They utilize their environment to their advantage by not taking more than they need. Slowly but surely he sees the shortcomings of his own society. It was a nice surprise that the main character opened his mind to another culture and in doing so may have been ahead for his time. As I came to understand, this was completely the point of the director and I felt that it gave thought provoking meaning to this film. This film succeeded to make me feel annoyed with the narrow mindedness of the people and I really connected with Percy Fawcett's struggle as he made brave attempts to change their minds.
I would definitely recommend this film, mostly because of the underlying themes that contain an interesting message. So, if you're interested in a thought provoking film with some action, definitely a lot of adventure, nature, jungles and an enchanting mystery of a lost Amazonian civilization. You should really go and see this film.
In Dutch theatres as from the 27th of April 2017.
Genre: Action, adventure, biography | Language: English | Dutch Distributor: The Searchers
All rights of this film and the pictures displayed are owned and reserved to the righful owners.
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Amazon, Charlie Hunnam, David Grann, El Dorado, Humans of Film Amsterdam, James Gray, Lost City of Z, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, The Immigrant, The Searchers, Tom Holland
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Published by Feargal Agard
Graduated with a Masters of Arts at the University of Amsterdam. A lover of film, travelling and escapism. A fan of Art house, Indie, fantasy, foreign, innovative & classical films. View all posts by Feargal Agard


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Dangerous Liaisons: Some Fine Performances But Play Doesn't Come Alive
Jim Tommaney September 16, 2013 7:00AM
The set-up:
Under the title, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, this 1985 play by Christopher Hampton won the Laurence Olivier Award as Best New Play. It was adapted from the 1782 novel of the same title by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, and made into an acclaimed film in 1988 with Glenn Close and John Malkovich, under the anglicized title used here, Dangerous Liaisons. It chronicles the devious machinations of two scheming aristocrats, Viscount Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, who use seductions and intrigue to pay off slights, real or imaginary.
The execution:
The play is intended to be sophisticated, a look behind a silken curtain at the evil of mankind, exposing its selfish, self-aggrandizing behavior, cruel and careless of others. We need to see the smooth, polished veneer of civilization, before we see the rot at its core, what Harold Pinter called "the weasel under the cocktail cabinet". Unfortunately, the cast and direction fall seriously short of creating such a world, though there are some fine individual performances.
Amy Warren portrays the evil Marquise, and she is excellent. She knows the rhythmic speech pattern of witty repartee, and has the intelligence to understand what is being said. Lisa Wartenberg plays Madame de Tourvel, who resists the advances of the viscount, and she finds the complexity in her troubled defense of virtue. And Erica Bundy plays the courtesan Emilie, providing beauty and charm.
The other female roles fare less well. Adrienne Shearer plays Cecile Volanges, young and fresh from a convent, but her behavior seems giddy rather than youthful. Her mother (Erin Kidwell) resorts to fluttering a fan and over-acting to create a personality, and Julie Oliver as Madame de Rosemonde plays her with many gestures of age but little of the authority expected from a well-to-do hostess.
Nick Reid plays Azalan, the viscounts's valet, and creates an over-the-top vivid persona, riveting in its daring. It's out-of-sync with the rest of the play, but is vastly entertaining. Dustin Salinas plays Le Chevalier Raphael Danceny, and as a music teacher in Act One seemed ill at ease and skittish, but was better in later scenes. Anthony Torres played a footman, Daniel Bevan played a majordomo, and CarrieLee Sparks portrayed a maid.
The viscount is played by Tom Stell, artistic director of Obsidian Art Space, and seldom has a skilled actor been so miscast. Stell has been powerful and nuanced in a series of previous roles, many of them blue-collar, but here is hopelessly wrong for this stylized drawing-room drama. His line readings are flat, without enthusiasm, intonation, or charm, and he inexplicably seems to want to project sincerity, while the role calls for deliberate, but persuasive, insincerity. The viscount is meant to be un homme fatale, an irresistible man, but this not what we see on stage.
The play is directed by Ron Jones, who hasn't created the desired ensemble acting that can make the world of the play seem plausible. And he failed to help Stell find the character of the viscount - since this is the leading role, the play never really comes to life. A variety of minimal set changes were handled adroitly, often to sprightly music, the sound was excellent, the costumes were elaborate, and some of the furniture seemed authentic and graceful.
The verdict:
A sophisticated, award-winning drama loses its charm as the protagonist is seriously miscast, though some individual performances shine brightly.
Dangerous Liaisons continues through September 28, from Obsidian Art Space, 3522 White Oak. For information or ticketing, call 832-889-7837 or contact www.obsidianartspace.org.
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MaxCDN is a awesome content delivery service and if you are very worried about your website speed then do give MaxCDN a try and see the difference.
Website speed plays a very important role in popularity and user experience of any website and increasing website or blog speed is a big issue for all webmasters and bloggers. There are many techniques and methods by which you can increase website speed and today I will review MaxCDN service which help me in speeding my website.
Website Speed depends upon lots of factors like server hosting hardware, website theme, plugins, codes, website location etc. and one of the important technique to increase website speed is through content delivery network (CDN).
CDN services are playing important role in increasing the website speed, by providing a cache version of a website or blog from the nearest located server to the user location. In this way the user browses your website in a very fast way.
MaxCDN is an out of box CDN service provider and has covered more than 90 countries with their CDN service. Below are some of its features.
With MaxCDN EdgeSSL technology, your website traffic is safe and fast, it automatically blocks the SPAM traffic and you may also see some decrease in SPAM comments. Their Origin Shield POPs, which is placed globally, protect your orientation from request overload, giving you the full benefit of MaxCDN CDN.
Real time working is very important, whether it is reporting or something else. Reporting has been one important factor while analyzing about a website or blog. And if you are on MaxCDN network, you get real time reporting.
MaxCDN also gives you ability to purge your cache in real time and enable SSL options instantly i.e. in real time.
MaxCDN gives you different package options to choose with affordable pricing as per your need. Most basic MaxCDn plan start from $9 for 100GB bandwidth/mo for 2 websites and for additional 1GB bandwidth you will have to pay 8 cents, which is not bad.
If you are planning to use a CDN service for many of your websites (under 7), then you can choose from their 500GB, 1TB and 5TB plan and you will have to pay $39, $79 and $299 receptively.
Above were just starter plans and if you have greater bandwidth requirement, then you can go with MaxCDN high volumes plans, which offer 10TB, 50TB, 150TB and 350TB bandwidth/month. And if you are not satisfied with these plans, then you can also ask for custom plans as per your need.
Above is usage overview for our blog and as you can see maximum percentage of paged served is through cache, i.e. 83.48% and non cache traffic is only 16.52%, so you can have an idea how important is CDN service for your website/blog.
You can configure MaxCDN with any type of website whether it is HTML, PHP, ASP, etc.
We run our blog on WordPress, so sharing how you can easily configure MaxCDN with your WordPress. If you are already using W3Total Cache than configuring MaxCDN is even more easy.
Once you have created a pull zone for your website in MaxCDN, then you will have to only configure your W3Total Caches.
Go to CDN setting from the performance tab on the left side of your WordPress dashboard and enter your Authorization Key. If you are having problem in entering your key, just click Authorize and you will be redirected to MaxCDN website, now just choose your API and all set.
Here is a full tutorial by MaxCDN on how you can easily setup maxCDN on WordPress with W3 Total cache plugin and information about Origin Shield by MaxCDN.
From the day I am using MaxCDN, I have seen great performance on my website speed and also good speed score in Google and pingdom tool.
Earlier, my site was slow when I used to test it in speed analyzing tools (tested on Google Page speed and Pingdom), but after using W3total cache and my speed score was increased but I was not so satisfied and tried to check speed with CDN.
Now, after using MaxCDn service, I am happy with my website speed. Now my site load much faster than earlier from various regions.
Though, I am still working on increasing my website speed and looking for more ways to increase it.
If you want to increase website speed to give a good user experience, then I will recommend you to use MaxCDN service and see the difference.
If you are already using MaxCDN services or other CDN services, do let me know the service provider name and your experience with it. Hope you like the article and will show your love by sharing the article on your social network.
Thanks for sharing your views and we will check keycdn also and will try to review it.
I'm using CloudFlare from last 2 years. There service is also awesome. But there is no doubt that, MaxCDN is one of the best content delivery network.
I agree with you. They provide best CDN service.


Might as well get Valentines started early with this cool mixtape from Babel-Ish taking in Tarraxo House, R&B, Hip Hop and other stuff.
NOVA [VOL.3] | Valentine Special| is OUT NOW!
NOVA is a series of mixtapes mixed by Eclectic DJ & Producer Babel-Ish. As an Eclectic DJ, Babel-Ish' main goal is to select tracks from various styles and combine those elements in one mix. Basically he wants to share his story through these mixtapes. Each edition is timeless and so are the tracks included in the NOVA series.


As a high school teacher at a great school, I have to admit that I have one major beef with most high school curriculums: they teach plenty of complicated ideas, but many of them won't be useful to you when you're older.
They do a disservice to their students by avoiding some life enhancing concepts that are as easy to grasp as 4th grade math.
Those life-changing concepts relate to money and I'm about to reveal a giant conspiracy. No, I'm not going to tell you that aliens serve coffee at Starbucks, or that Barack Obama has a genetic mutation allowing him to read minds and grow gills.
But I am going to tell you that when you start working, and investing money, a whole team of dedicated financial writers, financial advisors, CNN television personalities and suave investment salespeople (who may inebriate you with free dinners, birthday emails and Christmas cards) are going to try telling you that investing is complicated.
And I have evidence to prove it.
First, however, let's get down to something inspirational. Assume, on the day you were born, that your grandparents started to save $2 per day, planning to give you the proceeds on your 40th birthday. Assume also, that they invested it in the U.S. stock market, earning 9.96 percent per year–the average return on the U.S. stock market over the past 100 years. How much money do you think would be handed over to you, if they invested that $2 a day?
Think about this for a second. They would have saved $2 per day, for 365 days a year, multiplied by 40 years. That comes out to $29,200 saved. Cool. But that's not including the miracle of compounding interest.
If that money was compounded at the stock market's 100 year average return, your grandparents would be handing over $319,599.17 on your 40th birthday.
If you didn't learn about the miracles of compound interest in school, then you have every right to scream and holler. Not learning this could cost you a wealthy future. A middle class wage earner, for instance, could learn about this at an early age, and grow far wealthier than the average doctor. And I should know.
As a school teacher who amassed more than a million dollars before my 40th birthday, I'm an example of someone who invested early (I started at 19) and let the miracle of compounding interest work its magic.
And the same thing could benefit you.
For this kind of historical investment return (9.96% per year) you would have needed to buy a product that owned virtually every stock on the U.S. stock market—just one product that holds thousands of stocks within it. No trading. No watching the economy. No watching the silly folks on CNBC Squawk Box.
Sometimes, your money would have made more than 9.96%. During some years, it would have lost money. But on average, this would have been your return, if you earned the 100 year stock market average.
If you invested in a single product that owned all of the stocks on the Australian, Canadian, British or German stock markets, your results would have been similar, over a lengthy period of time, so these gains have little to do with picking one country to invest in over another.
But very few people earn the investment returns that the stock market offers because they get tricked into feeding a self-serving industry. Most of the people you know (most of the adults in your life) get fleeced by financial professionals, without even knowing it.
It's easy to beat 90 percent of professional investors without doing any research; without following the stock market; without watching talking heads on financial TV; and without even caring.
Academic research suggests that the financial service industry is mostly a giant scam.
Most of the people trying to "help" you make money are putting their own interests ahead of yours. And because we don't learn about money in school, the majority of us get taken to the cleaners. Sure, we can still make money by investing with the average investment professional, but at the end of the day, we'll likely end up with half—or less than half—of what we truly deserve. I caught on to this scam at an early age, which allowed me to grow wealthy.
But you didn't learn this in school. And your parents didn't learn this in school.
And that's a major flaw of our school system.
Then there's the great man himself: Warren Buffett.
I'm passionate about teaching you how to beat the vast majority of professional investors at their own game—so you can eventually grow rich. The strategy for doing so is well-known among Ivy League economists and Nobel Prize winners in economics. In fact, it's academically irrefutable as a way to give you the greatest statistical chance of success in the stock market. But few financial advisors will want you knowing this!
In part, my frustration with this inherent lack of awareness led me to write Millionaire Teacher, The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School. Follow the strategy in my book and you'll beat the vast majority of investment professionals over your lifetime, allowing you to grow wealthy…even if you're earning a middle class salary.
The book is receiving great reviews, and pre-order discounts are available through Amazon.com. and at a variety of other online booksellers on the John Wiley & Sons link.
You won't need anything more advanced than 4th grade math skills. And you won't need to study the stock market or the economy.
You won't need any kind of financial background to understand my book. I designed it that way. I want to teach you the nine rules of wealth that you should have learned in school. And I know that you'll enjoy reading about them.
"Life is simple… if you allow it to be."
You are right that investing is often similar. People who believe that it is difficult, create a self-fulfilling prophesy where they are spun round and round.
My father, for example, is excellent in mathematics. He grew up as a farmer and always had to calculate amounts of seed or fertilizer needed for the acreage, and had to tally weights of trucks and loads etc. He studied physics at university. Now he works for a drug manufacturer and is always dealing with chemical recipes.
Put a dollar sign in front any of those numbers, and he fidgets.
Funny thing about the fidgeting when dollar signs get put in front of numbers. I love the imagery.
Many things about the way the money industry and its communications are structured keep investors from being empowered to make the best decisions for themselves. But speaking of school — what about parents? To date, my biggest financial regret is that NOBODY — neither school nor my parents — ever taught me basics such as, "as soon as you can, buy a home, don't rent." Or even –try to put away a little money every month. I don't really know why my parents never talked about this stuff. At some level, I think money issues were actually considered in poor taste and to personal to talk about, even among family members. And there was a big misconception that in terms of one's financial future, education mattered above all.
As a result, I didn't buy into the real estate market until my mid thirties, when the bubble was at its height. I didn't start saving until then either. I still suffer the consequences every single day.
I think you're right Sharon. Money matters have often been considered culturally poor taste, conversationally. But then too many people remain in the dark.
But I want to talk about all three, and doing so is healthy, I think.
Your parents might also have been reluctant to talk about money because they were unsure about it. They might have done what they did, simply because everyone else was doing it too.