#anxiety treatment Hong Kong

[healingwithhypnotic]

Anxiety Counselling in Hong Kong: How to Overcome Anxiety and Embrace a New Mindset

Anxiety is a prevalent mental health concern in Hong Kong, but it often goes untreated. Anxiety counselling can help individuals regain control over their lives by addressing underlying causes, identifying triggers, and developing effective coping strategies. With the right support, you can reduce anxiety symptoms and embrace a healthier mindset.

For more information, visit Anxiety Counselling in Hong Kong to learn how stress relief counselling can transform your mental health.

[marketsndata]

Global Inflammatory Bowel Disease Market Size, Share, Growth and Forecast 2031

Global inflammatory bowel disease market is projected to witness a CAGR of 5.15% during the forecast period 2024-2031, growing from USD 22.07 billion in 2023 to USD 32.98 billion in 2031. The market demand for Inflammatory Bowel Disease is anticipated to thrive drastically in the forecast years due to rising prevalence and the growing interest of investors and market players.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract. It includes two types: Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis causes swelling and sores in the colon and rectum. Moreover, Crohn’s disease affects the small intestine and large intestine, as well as the mouth, esophagus, stomach and anus. Common inflammatory bowel disease symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea (sometimes with blood), weight loss, rectal bleeding, fever, anemia, anxiety and depression. The diagnostic process for IBD involves multiple approaches. Clinicians typically start with a detailed medical history and physical examination. Some of the associated procedures include blood tests to evaluate anemia or inflammation, stool tests to exclude infection, and imaging studies such as CT scans or MRIs. The diagnosis is typically established through endoscopic procedures, namely colonoscopy, which permits direct visualization of the mucosal surfaces of the intestinal tract and tissue samples (biopsies) taken for further examination. For instance, as per a systematic review article published on 17 June 2024, reported that the incidence rate of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease in the European region is approximately 24.3 and 12.7 per 100,000, respectively. The annual incidence rates for Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease in North America were reported at 19.2 and 20.2 per 100,000 individuals annually. The incidence of IBD in Asia ranges from 0.5 to 3.4 per 100,000 individuals, signifying the dynamic changing face of this emerging disease condition in the region. Incidence has risen over the past 10–15 years in Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and India. The increase was more impressive in countries adopting a Western industrialized lifestyle.

Increase in the Prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The increase in the prevalence of Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease is anticipated to fuel the growth of the inflammatory bowel disease market. Increasing inflammatory bowel disease is now emerging as a public health problem that is increasingly taking over industrialized nations. Several causes exist for the increase in this disease, with one significant cause being lifestyle changes: diets high on processed foods and low in fiber negatively impact health and gut health. In addition, the hygiene hypothesis provides an insight revealing that lower exposure to infections in the childhood period shows increased risk factors for autoimmune diseases, such as IBD. An urgent need to do further research into causes and treatments of IBD is a critical reason for the greater number of diagnosed cases. Public education campaigns are also needed towards communities about IBD for early detection and proper management of the disease. Considering that more people are living with the burden of IBD, managing this chronic illness needs a collective effort by providers, researchers, and policymakers to give better care and support to affected patients. For instance, in April 2024, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ENTYVIO (vedolizumab) subcutaneous (SC) administration for the treatment in adults with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease (CD).

Advancements in the Treatment Options for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Advancements in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease include a wide approach to managing this chronic condition, such that patients are offered more effective and targeted therapies. Indeed, biologics, which target inflammatory pathways by specifically targeting cells, pathways, or molecules that contribute to inflammation, have revolutionized the management of this disease, from addressing underlying pathogenic mechanisms to the historical approach of symptom relief. Moreover, biologics like anti-TNF agents and integrin inhibitors have also proven useful in many patients’ induction and maintenance of remission. New small molecules and JAK inhibitors are also emerging as additional alternatives in some cases. Personalized medicine has also advanced the ability of doctors to treat individual patients according to their individual genetic makeup and disease characteristics, thus offering a better chance for positive outcomes. Continued research and clinical trials are discovering additional new therapeutic targets, as well as new combination therapies, promising higher efficacy and safety. For instance, on 19 February 2024, Pfizer Inc. received approval from the European Commission (EC) granting marketing authorization for VELSIPITY (etrasimod) to treat patients 16 years of age and older with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) who have had an inadequate response, lost response, or was intolerant to either conventional therapy or a biological agent. VELSIPITY is the first and only advanced oral ulcerative colitis treatment approved for use in patients 16 years of age.

Crohn’s Disease Segment to Dominate the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Market

The Crohn’s disease segment dominates the inflammatory bowel disease market due to the high prevalence and the specific need for treatment. Often, Crohn’s disease affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract and generally causes more severe and varied symptoms than ulcerative colitis does, so its requirements are more complex, thus dictating a wide range of treatment options, including biologics, immunosuppressants, and emerging therapies tailored according to the needs of the individual patient. Other drivers for the growth of this segment include improved diagnosis techniques and increased awareness. Research and clinical studies in Crohn’s disease continue to drive ongoing innovations and therapies that improve patient outcomes significantly, thus driving growth in the market. Also, with healthcare providers seeking more practical treatments for this chronic condition, the Crohn’s disease market is poised to capture a greater share of the inflammatory bowel disease market. For instance, on 18 May 2023, AbbVie Inc. received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for RINVOQ (upadacitinib) to treat adults with moderate to severely active Crohn’s disease.                                                                                                                          

North America Dominates Inflammatory Bowel Disease Market                          

North America dominates the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) market, primarily driven by a combination of high prevalence rates, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and significant investment in research and development. The incidences of ulcerative colitis in North America range from 2.2 to 19.2 cases per 100,000 person-years, and Crohn’s disease incidences range from 3.1 to 20.2 cases per 200,000 person-years. In the United States the prevalence of adult ulcerative colitis was 238 per 100,000 population and 201 per 100,000 population with data from a large study based on insurance claims. Inflammatory bowel disease is more prevalent in North America and Europe than in Asia or Africa. The region has a well-established healthcare system that makes it easier to administer new, advanced therapies such as biologics and emerging medications specifically designed to meet the needs of each patient. Well-organized awareness programs and support groups help facilitate earlier diagnosis and optimal management of the disease. For instance, on August 12, 2024, Celltrion USA, Inc. (Celltrion USA) received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for biosimilar adalimumab-aaty. Adalimumab-aaty is approved for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis. The treatment for self-funded employer plans was available in the U.S. from Costco Specialty Pharmacy on October 1, 2023.

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Future Market Scenario (2024-2031F)

The future market scenario seems promising for the inflammatory bowel disease market, influenced by factors that increase demand and investment in this market. The inflammatory bowel disease market is full of promise with the continuous advancement in research, technology, and options available for treatment. Moving into the future, with an increased understanding of the mechanisms driving IBD, more targeted therapies are emerging, such as biologics and small molecules targeting some of the pathways responsible for inflammation. In addition, the increasing incidence of IBD in emerging markets and globally will increase the patient population, which requires effective management systems. Improved diagnosis and early detection methods will ensure timely interventions, which will be beneficial to the patients and improve their quality of life. Other factors that will drive innovation in the field are stronger investment in research and more collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions. For instance, on 4 October 2023, Sanofi and Teva Pharmaceuticals announced a collaboration to co-develop and co-commercialize asset TEV’574, currently in Phase 2b clinical trials for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, the two types of inflammatory bowel disease.

Report Scope

“Inflammatory Bowel Disease Market Assessment, Opportunities and Forecast, 2017-2031F”, is a comprehensive report by Markets and Data, providing in-depth analysis and qualitative and quantitative assessment of the current state of global inflammatory bowel disease market, industry dynamics, and challenges. The report includes market size, segmental shares, growth trends, opportunities, and forecast between 2024 and 2031. Additionally, the report profiles the leading players in the industry, mentioning their respective market share, business models, competitive intelligence, etc.

Click here for full report- https://www.marketsandata.com/industry-reports/inflammatory-bowel-disease-market

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[themindtalk]

Exploring the Benefits of Hypnotherapy for Modern Mental Health Care

In today’s fast-paced world, mental health is a growing concern. While traditional therapies like CBT and medication are common, many are exploring hypnotherapy as an alternative evidence-based modality. Hypnotherapy uses guided hypnosis to promote positive behavioural and emotional changes. Its non-invasive nature and versatility make it a valuable tool for managing various mental health issues, particularly anxiety and stress. This article explores hypnotherapy’s principles, mechanisms, and notable applications in modern mental and physical health care related to stress.

Exploring the Benefits of Hypnotherapy for Modern Healthcare

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a form of guided hypnosis, typically conducted by a certified therapist, in which the patient is brought into a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility. In this trance-like state, the therapist can make suggestions designed to help the patient alter perceptions, emotions, or behaviors.

Notable Applications of Hypnotherapy for Stress and Anxiety-Related Disorders

Anxiety and Other Stress Responses

Anxiety and stress are among the most common mental health issues today, affecting a large swath of the Hong Kong population. Hypnotherapy has proven to be an effective method for managing these conditions.

As early as 2010, articles and studies highlighted the compelling evidence of efficacious management of situational anxiety with hypnosis (before exams, or medical procedures) and well as other anxiety-related disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and headaches. (Corydon, 2010). For example, a 2006 review of 11 studies showed “substantial therapeutic impact” on IBS (Whitehead 2006). More interestingly, the benefits may extend over time, at least for five years after the studies (Gonsalkorale, 2003).

Depression disorders

When it comes to depression, many studies showed a positive impact on many dimensions of wellbeing. For example, a study concluded that hypnosis positively impacts anxiety, depression, daily fatigue, and sleepiness in hemodialysis patients (Untas et al. 2013). Similarly, hypnosis has been shown to effectively alleviate depressive symptoms and lower inflammation markers levels in patients with lung cancer (Kusuma et al. 2024).

Benefits of Hypnotherapy

The ability of one therapy to effect changes at the physical and mental level is noteworthy and explains its use in European hospitals where patients will typically enjoy a few sessions of hypnosis before or during the medical intervention. As a non-invasive and medication-free option, the growing amount of research highlights improvements in many health aspects as well as long-term benefits.

Hypnotherapy’s effectiveness can vary greatly among individuals. The importance of working with qualified certified and evidence-based professionals cannot be overstated, as they possess the necessary training to tailor sessions effectively to each patient’s unique needs. Ethical considerations, such as obtaining informed consent and ensuring patient confidentiality, are paramount to maintaining trust and safety in the therapeutic relationship. Research-backed hypnosis techniques, supported by clinical studies, provide a reliable foundation for leveraging hypnotherapy in mental and physical health care.

Integrating Mind and Body with Hypnotherapy

Incorporating hypnotherapy into treatment plans has provided substantial relief from anxiety and stress for many individuals, underscoring its potential as a valuable tool in mental health care. Its growing acceptance in medical settings indicates significant opportunities for broader application in psychology. As the evidence base continues to expand, hypnotherapy’s role as a treatment modality is becoming increasingly recognized. This makes it a promising option for those seeking faster therapies to traditional mental health treatments. The positive outcomes experienced by patients highlight the need for further integration of hypnotherapy into comprehensive mental health care strategies.

[interbiz]

A Smooth Experience at Dr. Teri Yung’s Dental Clinic

As a parent, ensuring that your child receives the best possible care is always a top priority, especially when it comes to something as important as dental health. So, when my young son began experiencing discomfort due to a troublesome tooth, I knew I needed to find a dentist who could handle the situation with both expertise and a gentle touch. After hearing glowing recommendations from friends and reading numerous positive reviews, I decided to visit Dr. Teri Yung’s dental clinic in Hong Kong. From the initial consultation to the final treatment, our experience was seamless and reassuring, making what could have been a stressful ordeal smooth and worry-free.

The Decision to Visit Dr. Teri Yung

Dental issues in children can be particularly challenging. Not only do they need effective treatment, but they also require a dentist who understands how to work with kids, ensuring that they feel safe and comfortable throughout the process. When my son started complaining of pain in one of his teeth, I knew it was time to seek professional help. After considering several options, Dr. Teri Yung’s clinic stood out for its reputation for providing excellent pediatric dental care.

What initially attracted me to Dr. Yung was the feedback I received from other parents who had visited her clinic. They spoke highly of her gentle approach, her ability to communicate effectively with children, and her skill in handling even the most nervous little patients. With this in mind, I booked an appointment, hoping that Dr. Yung would be able to address my son’s dental issue with the care and expertise she was known for.

First Impressions: A Welcoming and Child-Friendly Environment

From the moment we stepped into Dr. Yung’s clinic, I could see why so many parents recommended it. The atmosphere was calm and welcoming, with a child-friendly waiting area that immediately put my son at ease. The staff were warm and approachable, making an effort to engage with my son and distract him from any anxiety he might have been feeling.

When we were called in for our consultation, Dr. Yung greeted us with a friendly smile and a calm demeanor. She spoke directly to my son, asking him how he was feeling and explaining what she was going to do in terms that he could easily understand. This immediate rapport made a huge difference, as my son felt more like a participant in the process rather than just a patient.

The Consultation: A Thorough and Reassuring Assessment

Dr. Yung began with a thorough examination of my son’s teeth, carefully assessing the problematic tooth that was causing him discomfort. She used gentle, kid-friendly language to explain each step to my son, ensuring that he was comfortable and informed throughout the process.

After the examination, Dr. Yung explained that my son had a cavity that needed to be treated promptly to prevent further pain and potential complications. She took the time to discuss the treatment options with me, outlining the pros and cons of each approach. What I appreciated most was her transparency and the way she involved both me and my son in the decision-making process, making sure we were both comfortable with the proposed treatment plan.

The Treatment: Smooth and Child-Centered

The treatment itself was scheduled for the following week. By this time, my son had developed a trust in Dr. Yung, which made the visit much less daunting for him. On the day of the procedure, Dr. Yung and her team were incredibly patient, explaining every step to my son in advance. They even allowed him to see and touch some of the instruments, which helped to demystify the process and reduce any fear he might have had.

Dr. Yung used local anesthesia to ensure that my son wouldn’t feel any pain during the procedure. She worked quickly and efficiently, but also with a level of care that ensured my son’s comfort throughout. At every stage, she checked in with him, asking how he was feeling and making sure he wasn’t scared or uncomfortable.

The treatment went smoothly, and Dr. Yung was able to address the issue without any complications. My son, who had been apprehensive before the appointment, left the clinic with a smile on his face, proud of himself for being brave and relieved that his tooth no longer hurt.

Post-Treatment Care: Ongoing Support and Guidance

After the procedure, Dr. Yung provided us with detailed aftercare instructions to ensure that my son’s tooth healed properly. She also took the time to talk to my son about the importance of good oral hygiene, using simple and engaging explanations that he could easily understand. This wasn’t just about treating the problem—it was about educating him on how to take care of his teeth moving forward.

In the days following the treatment, the clinic checked in with us to make sure everything was progressing well, which was a comforting and thoughtful gesture. My son had no complications, and his tooth healed quickly, just as Dr. Yung had predicted.

The Final Result: A Happy and Healthy Smile

The results of the treatment were excellent. My son’s pain was completely gone, and his tooth was restored to full health. More importantly, the experience left him with positive feelings about visiting the dentist, which is invaluable for future dental care.

As a parent, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Dr. Teri Yung and her team provided not just excellent dental care, but also the kind of compassionate, child-centered service that made the entire process as smooth as possible. They transformed what could have been a stressful and frightening experience for my son into a positive one, helping to build his confidence in taking care of his dental health.

Final Thoughts: Highly Recommended for Pediatric Dental Care

If you’re looking for a dentist in Hong Kong who specializes in pediatric care, I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Teri Yung. Her clinic is a shining example of how dental care for children should be—thorough, professional, and most importantly, gentle and reassuring. Dr. Yung’s expertise, combined with her ability to connect with young patients, makes her an exceptional choice for any parent seeking the best for their child’s dental health.

Thanks to Dr. Yung, my son’s troublesome tooth is no longer an issue, and he now has a healthy, happy smile. The entire experience was smooth from start to finish, and I am grateful to have found such a dedicated and caring professional to look after my son’s dental needs.

Dr. Teri Yung Dental

1001, Winway Building 50 Wellington Street Central, Hong Kong

[osteopath12]

Achieve Your Fitness Goals: Personal Trainer in Hong Kong Unveils the Perfect Blend of Exercise and Counseling at Our Osteopathic Centre

Welcome to our holistic approach towards health and well-being in the bustling city of Hong Kong! If you're on a quest to transform your fitness journey while addressing mental and physical aspects, you've landed at the right place. Our experienced personal trainers in Hong Kong are committed to guiding you through a tailored fitness plan, supplemented by counseling services, all within the welcoming ambiance of our Osteopathic Centre.

Unlock Your Potential with Personal Training in Hong Kong

Embarking on a fitness journey is not just about lifting weights or running on a treadmill; it's about understanding your unique requirements. Our skilled personal trainers in Hong Kong are here to assess your fitness levels, listen to your goals, and create a personalized workout plan that aligns with your aspirations.

From strength training to cardiovascular exercises, our trainers blend various techniques to keep your sessions engaging and effective. The emphasis is not only on achieving short-term results but also on cultivating long-lasting habits that contribute to your overall well-being.

Counseling Services for a Holistic Approach

Understanding that mental well-being is integral to physical health, our services go beyond conventional personal training. We offer counseling in Hong Kong to address any mental barriers that might hinder your progress. Our qualified counselors provide a supportive environment to discuss stress, anxiety, or any emotional challenges you may be facing, ensuring a comprehensive approach to your health journey.

Osteopathic Centre: Integrating Body and Mind

Our Osteopathic Centre serves as the hub for your complete well-being. Osteopathy is a form of manual therapy that focuses on the musculoskeletal system to enhance the body's natural healing processes. Through osteopathic treatments, we aim to alleviate any physical discomfort or limitations you might be experiencing, promoting harmony between your body and mind.

Why Choose Us?

Tailored Approach: Personalized fitness plans and counseling sessions designed to meet your individual needs.

Qualified Professionals: Our team comprises certified personal trainers, experienced counselors, and skilled osteopaths.

Holistic Wellness: We believe in addressing both mental and physical aspects for a well-rounded health transformation.

Convenient Location: Located in the heart of Hong Kong, our Osteopathic Centre provides easy access for your sessions.

Ready to embark on a transformative health journey? Contact us today to book your consultation with our personal trainer in Hong Kong and experience the synergy of fitness, counseling, and osteopathic care. Your well-being is our priority!

[kayvanh123]

A potential treatment focus for depression involves the inhibition of aversive memory formation by a small molecule.

Depression stands as one of the most prevalent mental health disorders globally, yet existing antidepressants have not fully met the diverse needs of many patients. Recently, neuroscientists at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) have uncovered a small molecule that demonstrates efficacy in alleviating stress-induced depressive symptoms in mice by impeding the formation of aversive memories at a lower dosage. This discovery opens up a novel avenue for the prospective development of antidepressants.

Professor He Jufang, the Wong Chun Hong Chair Professor in Translational Neuroscience at CityU, emphasized the pressing need for more effective depression treatments, pointing out the limitations of conventional methods such as drug therapy with delayed onset and psychotherapy.

Earlier research had highlighted the connection between stress-induced changes in neural plasticity, particularly in the brain’s valence-coding systems, and mental health conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, and anxiety disorders. Depression was also associated with hyperactivation of the amygdala, although the underlying neural mechanisms remained unclear.

Professor He’s research group, specializing in memory formation and encoding, had previously identified cholecystokinin (CCK) as a key neuromodulator crucial for inducing long-term potentiation (LTP) – a sustained enhancement in neuronal communication fostering memory formation. Their investigation extended to the role of CCK and CCK-B receptors in mediating neuroplasticity and various forms of memory formation.

Building on these findings, the researchers hypothesized that CCK might facilitate aversive memory formation in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), contributing to the development of depression. In their latest study, they tested this hypothesis using diverse experimental methods and found that a CCK-B receptor antagonist called YM022 demonstrated an antidepressant-like effect by blocking neuroplasticity-induced aversive memory formation in mice.

Results from in-vitro recordings in the BLA showed a significant suppression of neuroplasticity with YM022. Behavioral tests further confirmed the antagonist’s efficacy, revealing reduced depressive behaviors in mice treated with the CCK-B receptor antagonist. Notably, YM022 exhibited anxiolytic effects at an extremely low dose (3.0 ug/kg), 3,000 times lower than the required dosage of current antidepressants.

Professor He highlighted these results as indicative of CCK-B receptors being a potential target for depression treatment, with YM022 emerging as a promising antidepressant candidate due to its remarkably small effective dose. The focus now shifts to understanding the precise mechanisms and potential side effects of CCK-B receptor antagonists, setting the stage for future clinical trials involving human subjects.

Remember, if you need further guidance or support, don’t hesitate to reach out to your mental health professional or contact us for assistance.

[the50-person]

Jul 2020-Apr 2022

Hello. I have returned.

You might be wondering why I suddenly disappeared for 2 years. Here’s what I’ve been up to:

1) The Hong Kong protests were taking a mental toll. I had a panic attack on Jul 2019 but I pushed on detailed coverage all the way till Jul 2020. Even though I didn’t write after that, I continued detailed reading and following of news until Jun 2021.

2) At the same time, I was doing a very important research project and writing a paper on my own from 2019-2020.

3) Then COVID hit and my country was affected, and we went on lockdown. I was completely occupied with keeping to all the deadlines, doing several high-level courses, working to support my family, surviving lockdown, handling my anxiety, healing from the traumatic content from the HK protests, and still consistently consuming more of such content.

4) I realised I was not ok. I felt guilty, but I knew that I had to take care of myself first before I could be in a state to help people. I focused on real life and achieving my life plans. If I have a professional job in real life, I can contribute more to people who need help, both financially and health-wise.

5) Jan-Apr 2020, I began preparing my applications for my masters and got acceptance finalised somewhere mid-2020. Then I began my assumed knowledge courses in the second half of 2020. At the same time, I was undergoing treatment for several health issues I had.

6) I began my masters in 2021. I began planning for this in second half of 2014 and this was my 6th year of my plan. I had studied linguistics, taken jobs and selected modules with the idea of eventually taking this path in mind.

7) Jun 2021, borders were closed and I was desperate to go to my place of study. From the second semester onwards, in-person placements were necessary. I went through a lot of barriers and departments and got all my documents, vaccinations, health checks, flights, accommodation etc all sorted.

8) Jul 2021, I flew and quarantined for 14 days before officially entering society once more. Moved into my current place and began the second semester. Covid got so bad at one point the travelling limit was 10km and even that eventually became 5km. The streets were dead. There were not enough supplies. I always stocked extra in case of a sudden dip.

9) 2022, second year and third sem. I am doing well. HK has been so quashed that you cannot say a lot of things about it anymore. A lot of HKers have gone to other places. There are many of them where I am, and every young HKer I have met is a yellow ribbon.

10) 沧海桑田。。。 物是人非。。。many people I once knew on Tumblr have left. But this is the origin of the50person and will continue as long as the site exists. 

[healingwithhypnotic]

Relieve Insomnia with Hypnotherapy: A Holistic Approach to Better Sleep in Hong Kong

Chronic insomnia can have serious effects on your quality of life, impacting concentration, mood, and even physical health. While lifestyle changes help some, others may benefit from hypnotherapy for insomnia, which uses relaxation and positive imagery to improve sleep. Backed by research, hypnotherapy has proven to be an effective, non-pharmacological solution. If insomnia is affecting your well-being, hypnotherapy in Hong Kong could be the answer.

For more details, visit Hypnotherapy for Insomnia.

[dillydedalus]

march reading

kinda forgot about this i guess. anyway feat. uh, magical ships, dubious mental health institutions (plural) & a parisian building with 99 rooms. 

the forever sea, joshua phillip johnson (forever sea #1) i firmly believe that more fantasy lit should be set on ships bc ships are inherently a sexy setting & you could have pirates which are extremely sexy. this has ships (and pirates) and also a sea made of grass? a magical plant sea on which ships sail via magical fires, so conceptually i’m very into it all. the plot is fine, but the protagonist kindred has a very bad case of Main Character Syndrome so prepare for mild annoyance throughout. also while i generally enjoy book magic vs wild magic i wish more works would treat them as two ends of a spectrum rather than ~book magic bad and boring, wild magic cool and *~natural*~. but overall i think this series has potential. 3/5

jagannath: stories, karin tidbeck ([partially?] translated from swedish by the author) really cool collection of sff stories by tidbeck, many of which veer into mild horror and some of which are influenced by swedish folklore and especially swedish fey stories. i enjoyed most of these a lot, especially the existential call centre horror story, the ‘god won’t let me die’ one, and a taxonomy of a cryptid that goes a little off the rails. 4/5

annette, ein heldinnenepos, anne weber a novel in verse about anne beaumanoir, a real person who was a résistance member during world war 2 and later supported the algerian national liberation front, for which she was sentenced to 10 years in prison (she escaped to tunisia and later algeria). she’s clearly a very impressive and interesting person & i conceptually enjoyed the idea of writing a modern hero(ine)’s epic, but i feel like the language could have been a bit more stylized to match the form. 3/5

salvage the bones, jesmyn ward (audio) bleak but ultimately hopeful novel about a black family in the days before and during hurricane katrina, although the focus is on the family dynamics, the 14-year-old narrator discovering that she is pregnant, and the kids trying to keep the puppies their dog china just had alive and well. enjoyed this, altho i did it a bit of a disservice but listening to it a lot of short chunks. 3.5/5

regeneration, pat barker (regeneration trilogy #1) set mostly at a military hospital for soldiers with shell shock during world war 1, this novel explores the existential horror of war, psychological treatment (& the horrible absurdity of treating traumatised men just enough so that you can send them straight back to Trauma Town), and the meeting between siegfried sassoon & wilfred owen. i find i don’t really have much to say about it, but it is very, very good. 4/5

how to pronounce knife, souvankham thammavongsa a short story collection mainly about refugees and migrants from laos to canada, many focusing on parent-child relationships and being forced to work in low-paid jobs, often ones that are damaging to their health. the stories are very well-observed and emotionally nuanced and detailed, but with 14 mostly very short stories, the collection as a whole felt a bit samey, which i guess is something i often experience with short story collections. 3/5

faces in the water, janet frame horrifying semi-autobiographical novel about a young woman stuck in new zealand’s mental health system, moving to different hospitals but mostly from ward to (more depressing) ward in the 40s/50s. while there is a shift in attitudes during her stay that sometimes makes the wards more tolerable, mostly the patients are neglected, abused, and the threat of electric shock therapy and lobotomy always hangs over them. 3/5

the upstairs house, julia fine fuck why did i read so many books about mental health conditions this month??? this is another entry in my casual ‘motherhood as horror’ reading project, in which a new mother develops post-partum psychosis & imagines the modernist children’s book writer she’s writing her dissertation on and her poet sometimes-lover haunting her and her child (margaret wise brown & michael strange, who are real people i was utterly unaware of). this does pretty good on the maternal horror front, but i wasn’t entirely sold on the literary haunting. 2/5

1000 serpentinen angst, olivia wenzel a very interesting novel about a woman struggling with grief over her brother’s suicide, an anxiety disorder, the (non)state of a (non)relationship and discrimination/marginalisation based on her identity as a black, east-german, bi woman (while also being, as she notes, financially privileged). much of the novel is written in a dialogue between the narrator and an unnamed (& probably internal) interlocutor, which was p effective for a novel more focused on introspection than much of a plot. 3/5

atlas: the archaeology of an imaginary city, dung kai-cheung (tr. from chinese by the author, anders hansson, bonnie mcdougall) fictitious theory about a slightly-left-of-reality version of hong kong and how maps (re)construct the city, very heavy on the postmodern poststructuralist postcolonial (and some other posts, i’m sure). in many ways my jam. unfortunately my favourite parts of this were the author’s preface and the first part (fictitious theory of mapping alternate hong kong); the rest felt very repetitive and not particularly interesting, altho i’m sure i was also just missing a lot of cultural context. 2.5/5

under the net, iris murdoch .........i liked the other two murdochs i’ve read (the sea, the sea & a severed head) quite a lot so either i was not in the mood for her very peculiar style of constructing novels and characters or, this being her first novel, she just wasn’t in full command of that peculiar style yet but man this was a slooooooooog. don’t stretch out your modern picaresque with an incredibly annoying narrator over more than 300 pages iris!!!! 2/5 bc this probably has some merit & i just wasn’t into it

the impossible revolution: making sense of the syrian tragedy, yassin al-haj saleh (tr. from arabic by i. rida mahmoud) collection of articles and essays saleh (a syrian intellectual & activist who spent 16 years in a syrian prison) wrote from 2011 to 2015, analysing the reasons for, potential and development of the revolution, as well as some background sociological discussion on the assads’ regime. very interesting, very dense, very depressing. wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as a first read on the topic tho. 3/5

angels in america: millenium approaches & perestroika, tony kushner the page to tumblr darling quote ratio in this is insane (”just mangled guts pretending” and so on) and also it just really slaps on every level. also managed to get me from 0 to crying several times. brilliant work of theatre, would love to see it staged (or filmed). 4/5

life: a user’s manual, georges perec (german tr. by eugen helmlé) 99 chapters, each corresponding with a single room in a parisian apartment block; some chapters are basically ‘here’s the room, here’s a long list of objects in the room, that’s it bye :)’, some are short insights into the lives of the people living there, some (the best, mostly) are long, absolutely wild tales that are sometimes only tangentially connected to the room in question. why are the french like this. 61/99 rooms 

sisters in hate: american women on the front lines of white nationalism, seyward darby (audio) nonfiction about women’s role in white nationalist hate movements, mainly based on the stories of three women who are or have been involved with various contemporary american alt-right/racist/neonazi hate groups, while also looking at general social trends and the history of white women’s role in white supremacy. interesting and engaging if you’re interested in this kind of thing. if you’re both politically aware and internet poisoned, it’s probably not much that is completely new to you but still worth reading. 3/5

starting in april i will be Gainfully Employed (ugh) & thus probably not read as much or read even more bc i have no energy for anything else 

[hong-kong-art-man]

Eason Chan Sings To Promote Mental Well Being. My Personal Sharing Too: Shall We Talk? 

Mental health is about how we, driven by our brain, act and react cognitively, behaviourally and emotionally. In other words, it affects how we think, feel and behave in our daily life. Every day, most of us stay fit and normal: we can sleep, wake up, work, talk to friends, recognize our family members and know the way home. All are taken by us for granted. The absence of a mental disorder, in reality, can be a luxury for some people suffering. When our mental health is in trouble, it harms our daily living, relationship with others and even physical health such as insomnia. Looking after our mental health and avoiding conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety will be very important if we want to preserve the ability to enjoy life.

I have chaired the Mental Health Review Tribunal in Hong Kong for more than 2 years. I went to the following places almost once a week. The Tribunal is an independent body established to safeguard the rights of mental patients being detained in mental hospitals such as Castle Peak Hospital, mental wards of ordinary hospitals such as Kowloon Hospital and mental prison such as Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre. We hear cases which are either applications by the patients or referrals by an institution in respect of detainees and will decide if such persons can be discharged from the institutions back to community. The Tribunal listens to many parties including a patient, his family members, the treatment doctor and responsible social worker. Many factors are taken into account and the fundamental consideration is: will the discharge constitute a danger, or a risk of such danger, to the safety and health of the patient himself or protection of the public?

Happiness of a mental patient, after getting well and the discharge, can easily be shared by the Tribunal. The worst thing is that we cannot share, as much as we want to share, the pain of a patient who is still required to receive medical treatment and unable to return home. The saddest moments are when the patients did not realize the circumstances that they were facing. For some severe mentally retarded inmates, they would likely spend the rest of their lives in mental hospital.

Hong Kong is getting more and more apathetic as a society. There is nothing warmer than someone who goes out to make life kind for others. If you can go out and make some good things happen, you will fill Hong Kong with hope, and will also fill yourself with hope because your life is more meaningful than others. It is sad to know that a large number of people in Hong Kong are mentally suffering. How can a man or woman in the street join our meaningful cause? You can contribute in 3 ways:

(1).     We all possess a powerful tool to aid someone: listening. For a mental patient or man experiencing symptoms of a mental health crisis, an empathetic listener can be calming and healing. When we listen, we try to imagine what it feels like to be the person in front of us.

(2).     Negative stereotypes are often associated with mental illness. We should stop labelling a mental patient. The labelling is a cruelty to those afflicted and their relatives. While we dislike discrimination against ourselves, we must learn to recognise that mental illness is just a common health issue that you and I may face at any time.

(3).     When your relative or friend is confused and fraught with emotions, you should push him to seek the perspectives of a doctor or social worker. ‘Ask for help’ is a must because mental illness may get worse or become out of control quickly. 

In July 2020, Hong Kong Government launched a public awareness campaign called ‘Shall We Talk’ with the objective of promoting better understanding about mental health and eliminating stigmatization towards persons with mental health needs. The campaign spokesman is the popular singer Eason Chan who said that he suffered from the depression disorder in 2012.

Learning a few common types of mental health problems is useful. The following is not an exhaustive list:

(1).     mixed anxiety and depressive disorder—like being over-worried, persistently down and difficult to fall asleep.

(2).     psychosis—like having hallucinations in perception and delusions in thinking.

(3).     depression—like feeling worthless or desperate and at the same time, losing interest in things that one used to like.

(4).     anxiety disorder—like anticipating an impending danger or being in a state of constant panic.

(5).     autism—like having difficulty in social interaction and repetitive behaviours.

(6).     bipolar disorder—like displaying depressive and manic symptoms simultaneously.

(7).     ADHD—like hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention.

Mental health is important for everyone. When you know anyone is facing a mental health challenge, just tap him or her on the shoulder and utter softly, “My friend, you are not alone! Shall we talk?”

MLee

[Announcement In the Public Interest] https://youtu.be/oXzuN2jikp0

[Appeal Video] https://youtu.be/qVeZOKqULZA

[Music Video] https://youtu.be/0OAeMI0KWLU

[newstfionline]

Thursday, February 25, 2021

COVID-19 cases falling (nearly) everywhere (Foreign Policy) New COVID-19 cases and deaths have dropped worldwide for the sixth consecutive week, according to figures compiled by the World Health Organization. The WHO recorded 2.4 million new cases last week, a drop of 11 percent compared to the previous week. The 66,000 deaths last week represented a 20 percent decline. Five out of the six WHO regions now show a consistent downward trend in new cases, although the trendline in the Eastern Mediterranean region remains flat due to continued case increases in Iran and Iraq.

Not to be sniffed at: Agony of post-COVID-19 loss of smell (AP) The doctor slid a miniature camera into the patient’s right nostril, making her whole nose glow red with its bright miniature light. “Tickles a bit, eh?” he asked as he rummaged around her nasal passages, the discomfort causing tears to well in her eyes and roll down her cheeks. The patient, Gabriella Forgione, wasn’t complaining. The 25-year-old pharmacy worker was happy to be prodded and poked at the hospital in Nice, in southern France, to advance her increasingly pressing quest to recover her sense of smell. Along with her sense of taste, it suddenly vanished when she fell ill with COVID-19 in November, and neither has returned. Being deprived of the pleasures of food and the scents of things that she loves are proving tough on her body and mind. Shorn of odors both good and bad, Forgione is losing weight and self-confidence. “Sometimes I ask myself, ‘Do I stink?’” she confessed. “Normally, I wear perfume and like for things to smell nice. Not being able to smell bothers me greatly.” A year into the coronavirus pandemic, doctors and researchers are still striving to better understand and treat the accompanying epidemic of COVID-19-related anosmia—loss of smell—draining much of the joy of life from an increasing number of sensorially frustrated longer-term sufferers like Forgione.

Biden to order sweeping review of U.S. supply chain weak spots (Washington Post) President Biden on Wednesday will formally order a 100-day government review of potential vulnerabilities in U.S. supply chains for critical items, including computer chips, medical gear, electric-vehicle batteries and specialized minerals. The directive comes as U.S. automakers are grappling with a severe shortage of semiconductors, essential ingredients in the high-tech entertainment and navigation systems that fill modern passenger vehicles. Biden’s executive order, which he is scheduled to sign this afternoon, also is aimed at avoiding a repeat of the shortages of personal protective gear such as masks and gloves experienced last year during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. The president’s order, which had been anticipated, represents the partial fulfillment of a campaign pledge. But mandating a government study will be the easy part. Extensively modifying U.S. supply lines and reducing the country’s dependence upon foreign suppliers—after decades of globalization—could prove difficult and costly.

U.S. seeks to return to U.N. human rights body (Reuters) The United States will seek election to the U.N. Human Rights Council later this year, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, marking the Biden administration’s latest international re-engagement. Blinken, addressing the council by recorded video, said that President Joseph Biden’s administration would work to eliminate what he called the Geneva forum’s “disproportionate focus” on U.S. ally Israel. The council, set up in 2006, has a stand-alone item on the Palestinian territories on its agenda every session, the only issue with such treatment, which both Democratic and Republican administrations have opposed.

Freedom of speech the real issue in Spain (Washington Post) Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in some of Spain’s largest cities every night for a week, often clashing with police. In Barcelona on Saturday, authorities said they detained 38 people and recorded injuries among 13. The anger of the young protesters is centered on the arrest of a man who until recently was an obscure figure: Pablo Rivadulla, a rapper better known by his stage name, Pablo Hasél. But the demonstrations are about far more than one man’s arrest, speaking to growing concern inside and out of Spain about the effect of the country’s anti-terrorism laws and lèse-majesté statutes circumscribing the freedom of expression.

Covid inspires 1,200 new German words (The Guardian) From coronamüde (tired of Covid-19) to Coronafrisur (corona hairstyle), a German project is documenting the huge number of new words coined in the last year as the language races to keep up with lives radically changed by the pandemic. The list, compiled by the Leibniz Institute for the German Language, an organisation that documents German language in the past and present, already comprises more than 1,200 new German words—many more than the 200 seen in an average year. It includes feelings many can relate to, such as overzoomed (stressed by too many video calls), Coronaangst (when you have anxiety about the virus) and Impfneid (envy of those who have been vaccinated). Other new words reveal the often strange reality of life under restrictions: Kuschelkontakt (cuddle contact) for the specific person you meet for cuddles and Abstandsbier (distance beer) for when you drink with friends at a safe distance. The words also capture specific moments during the pandemic. For example, Balkonsänger (balcony singer) is someone who sings to people from their balcony, which was popular during the spring lockdown. Hamsteritis, referring to the urge to stockpile food, was also commonly used at the start of the crisis.

China uses patriotism test to sweep aside last outlet for Hong Kong democracy (Washington Post) Serving as a district councilor in Hong Kong means addressing everyday concerns such as pest control, traffic issues and helping elderly residents pay bills. One of the few perks of the modest office is having a say, alongside tycoons and Beijing loyalists, in choosing Hong Kong’s leader. On Tuesday, Hong Kong’s government announced that anyone running for these local positions will need to be a “patriot”—meaning they must swear loyalty not to their constituents but to Beijing and the Communist Party—as China moves to quash the territory’s last avenue of democracy. The changes, which are expected to be introduced to the legislature—where there is no viable opposition—next month and become law soon thereafter, will trigger the expulsion of several young pro-democracy councilors, even if they read the oath as instructed. Disqualified candidates will be barred from running in any elections for five years. With Tuesday’s announcement, the councils, the only fully democratic body in Hong Kong, fall in line with China’s broader reshaping of a city once known for its boisterous political culture as democratically chosen representatives are replaced with Beijing loyalists.

The Mekong River (Nikkei Asia) There are 60 million people who live along the lower Mekong River, and they were in for a rough surprise in early January when China drastically cut the discharge from the Jinghong Dam in Yunnan Province. The “tests”—which were slated to end January 24—entailed cutting the flow of the river from 1,900 cubic meters per second to just 1,000 cubic meters per second, but the final day of tests came and went and the volume is still down. That this occurred in the middle of the dry season was particularly rough for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, countries that depend on the river. China has begun to draw international ire over their management of the river, which it has built 11 large dams on.

A Digital Firewall in Myanmar (NYT) The Myanmar soldiers descended before dawn on Feb. 1, bearing rifles and wire cutters. At gunpoint, they ordered technicians at telecom operators to switch off the internet. For good measure, the soldiers snipped wires without knowing what they were severing, according to an eyewitness and a person briefed on the events. The data center raids in Yangon and other cities in Myanmar were part of a coordinated strike in which the military seized power, locked up the country’s elected leaders and took most of its internet users offline. Since the coup, the military has repeatedly shut off the internet and cut access to major social media sites, isolating a country that had only in the past few years linked to the outside world. The military regime has also floated legislation that could criminalize the mildest opinions expressed online. So far, the Tatmadaw, as the Myanmar military is known, has depended on cruder forms of control to restrict the flow of information. But the army seems serious about setting up a digital fence to more aggressively filter what people see and do online. Such a comprehensive firewall may also exact a heavy price: The internet outages since the coup have paralyzed a struggling economy. Longer disruptions will damage local business interests and foreign investor confidence as well as the military’s own vast business interests.

Iraq’s struggling Christians hope for boost from pope visit (AP) Nasser Banyameen speaks about his hometown of Qaraqosh in the historical heartland of Iraqi Christianity with nostalgia. Before Islamic State group fighters swept through the Nineveh Plains in northern Iraq. Before the militants shattered his sense of peace. Before panicked relatives and neighbors fled, some never to return. Iraq’s Christian communities in the area were dealt a severe blow when they were scattered by the IS onslaught in 2014, further shrinking the country’s already dwindling Christian population. Many hope their struggle to endure will get a boost from a historic visit by Pope Francis planned in March. Among the places on his itinerary is Qaraqosh, where this week Vatican and Iraqi flags fluttered from light poles, some adorned with the pope’s image. Francis’ visit, his first foreign trip since the coronavirus pandemic and the first ever by a pope to Iraq, is a sign that “You’re not alone,” said Monsignor Segundo Tejado Muñoz, the undersecretary of the Vatican’s development office. “There’s someone who is thinking of you, who is with you. And these signs are so important. So important.”

Syria’s economic woes (NYT) In a private meeting with pro-government journalists, President Bashar al-Assad was asked about Syria’s economic meltdown: the currency collapse that has gutted salaries, the skyrocketing prices for basic goods and the chronic shortages of fuel and bread. “I know,” he said, according to two people with knowledge of the discussion. “I know.” But he offered no concrete steps to stem the crisis beyond floating this idea: Television channels should cancel cooking shows so as not to taunt Syrians with images of unattainable food. As the 10-year anniversary of Syria’s civil war looms, Mr. al-Assad’s most immediate threats are not the rebel factions and foreign powers that still control large swaths of the country. Instead, it is the crushing economic crisis that has hobbled the reconstruction of destroyed cities, impoverished the population and left a growing number of Syrians struggling to get enough food. Food prices have more than doubled in the last year. The World Food Program warned this month that 60 percent of Syrians, or 12.4 million people, were at risk of going hungry, the highest number ever recorded.

The Deadliest Middle East Construction Project Since The Pyramids (The Guardian) On December 2, 2010, FIFA announced that Qatar would host the 2022 World Cup —- a first for a Middle East nation. Over the next ten years, thousands of migrant laborers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka came to Qatar to work on the elaborate preparations for the world’s biggest football tournament. Sadly, during that period at least 6,500 of those workers died, according to an analysis by the Guardian. The findings were compiled from government sources, and mean that an average of 12 migrant workers from the five South Asian nations have died each week since the announcement was made. The total death toll is significantly higher because the figures don’t include deaths from other countries like the Philippines and Kenya that send large numbers of workers to Qatar. Also not included are deaths occurring in the final months of 2020. More deaths have undoubtedly occurred since preparations for the 2022 tournament continue.

The value of housework (Foreign Policy) In a landmark ruling, a Beijing divorce court has ordered a man to pay his wife for five years of unpaid housework during their marriage. The award does not amount to much, roughly $1,100 dollars per year, but marks a new era in Chinese divorce law after the government introduced a new civil code. Under the new code, an aggrieved spouse is entitled to seek compensation if they shouldered more domestic responsibilities—with no prenuptial agreement necessary. The case follows a similar one in Argentina in 2019, when a divorce court ordered a husband to pay his wife of 27 years $179,000 in recognition of her unpaid domestic work. According to Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) figures, Chinese women spend roughly four hours per day on unpaid work—with their U.S. counterparts clocking in nearly the same amount. American men are closer to closing the gap than Chinese men, however. American men spending about 2.5 hours per day on unpaid labor, while Chinese men spend just 1.6 hours.

[bonesandblood-sunandmoon]

Article from The Atlantic “This Is Not a Normal Mental Health Disaster” (posted July 7th, 2020). Excerpt:

In any case, the full extent of the fallout will not come into focus for some time. Psychological disorders can be slow to develop, and as a result, the Textbook of Disaster Psychiatry, which Morganstein helped write, warns that demand for mental-health care may spike even as a pandemic subsides. “If history is any indicator,” Morganstein says of COVID-19, “we should expect a significant tail of mental-health effects, and those could be extraordinary.” Taylor worries that the virus will cause significant upticks in obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, and germaphobia, not to mention possible neuropsychiatric effects, such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

The coronavirus may also change the way we think about mental health more broadly. Perhaps, Schoch-Spana says, the prevalence of pandemic-related psychological conditions will have a destigmatizing effect. Or perhaps it will further ingrain that stigma: We’re all suffering, so can’t we all just get over it? Perhaps the current crisis will prompt a rethinking of the American mental-health-care system. Or perhaps it will simply decimate it.

Shared in entirety under the cut for those who can’t access it:

This Is Not a Normal Mental Health Disaster by Jacob Stern

If SARS is any lesson, the psychological effects of the novel coronavirus will long outlast the pandemic itself. 

The SARS pandemic tore through Hong Kong like a summer thunderstorm. It arrived abruptly, hit hard, and then was gone. Just three months separated the first infection, in March 2003, from the last, in June.

But the suffering did not end when the case count hit zero. Over the next four years, scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong discovered something worrisome. More than 40 percent of SARS survivors had an active psychiatric illness, most commonly PTSD or depression. Some felt frequent psychosomatic pain. Others were obsessive-compulsive. The findings, the researchers said, were “alarming.”

The novel coronavirus’s devastating hopscotch across the United States has long surpassed the three-month mark, and by all indications, it will not end anytime soon. If SARS is any lesson, the secondary health effects will long outlast the pandemic itself.

Already, a third of Americans are feeling severe anxiety, according to Census Bureau data, and nearly a quarter show signs of depression. A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that the pandemic had negatively affected the mental health of 56 percent of adults. In April, texts to a federal emergency mental-health line were up 1,000 percent from the year before. The situation is particularly dire for certain vulnerable groups—health-care workers, COVID-19 patients with severe cases, people who have lost loved ones—who face a significant risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. In overburdened intensive-care units, delirious patients are seeing chilling hallucinations. At least two overwhelmed emergency medical workers have taken their own life.

To some extent, this was to be expected. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse, child abuse, and domestic violence almost always surge after natural disasters. And the coronavirus is every bit as much a disaster as any wildfire or flood. But it is also something unlike any wildfire or flood. “The sorts of mental-health challenges associated with COVID-19 are not necessarily the same as, say, generic stress management or the interventions from wildfires,” says Steven Taylor, a psychiatrist at the University of British Columbia and the author of The Psychology of Pandemics (published, fortuitously, in October 2019). “It’s very different in important ways.”

Most people are resilient after disasters, and only a small percentage develop chronic conditions. But in a nation of 328 million, small percentages become large numbers when translated into absolute terms. And in a nation where, even under ordinary circumstances, fewer than half of the millions of adults with a mental illness receive treatment, those large numbers are a serious problem. A wave of psychological stress unique in its nature and proportions is bearing down on an already-ramshackle American mental-health-care system, and at the moment, Taylor told me, “I don’t think we’re very well prepared at all.”

Most disasters affect cities or states, occasionally regions. Even after a catastrophic hurricane, for example, normalcy resumes a few hundred miles away. Not so in a pandemic, says Joe Ruzek, a longtime PTSD researcher at Stanford University and Palo Alto University: “In essence, there are no safe zones any more.”

As a result, Ruzek told me, certain key tenets of disaster response no longer hold up. People cannot congregate at a central location to get help. Psychological first-aid workers cannot seek out strangers on street corners. To be sure, telemedicine has its advantages—it eliminates the logistical and financial burdens of transportation, and some people simply find it more comfortable—but it complicates outreach and can pose problems for older people, who have borne the brunt of the coronavirus.

A pandemic, unlike an earthquake or a fire, is invisible, and that makes it all the more anxiety-inducing. “You can’t see it, you can’t taste it, you just don’t know,” says Charles Benight, a psychology professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs who specializes in post-disaster recovery. “You look outside, and it seems fine.”

From spatial uncertainty comes temporal uncertainty. If we can’t know where we are safe, then we can’t know when we are safe. When a wildfire ends, the flames subside and the smoke clears. “You have an event, and then you have the rebuild process that’s really demarcated,” Benight told me. “It’s not like a hurricane goes on for a year.” But pandemics do not respect neat boundaries: They come in waves, ebbing and flowing, blurring crisis into recovery. One month, New York flares up and Arizona is calm. The next, the opposite.

That ambiguity could make it harder for people to be resilient. “It’s sort of like running down a field to score a goal, and every 10 yards they move the goal,” Benight said. “You don’t know what you’re targeting.” In this sense, Ruzek said, someone struggling with the psychological effects of the pandemic is less like a fire survivor than a domestic-violence victim still living with her abuser, or a traumatized soldier still deployed overseas. Mental-health professionals can’t reassure them that the danger has passed, because the danger has not passed. One can understand why, in a May survey by researchers at the University of Chicago, 42 percent of respondents reported feeling hopeless at least one day in the past week.  

A good deal of this uncertainty was inevitable. Pandemics, after all, are confusing. But coordinated, cool-headed, honest messaging from government officials and public-health experts would have gone a long way toward allaying undue anxiety. The World Health Organization, for all the good it has done to contain the virus, has repeatedly bungled the communications side of the crisis. Last month, a WHO official claimed that asymptomatic spread of the virus is “very rare”—only to clarify the next day, after a barrage of criticism from outside public-health experts, that “we don’t actually have that answer yet.” In February, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Americans to prepare for “disruption to everyday life that may be severe,” then, just days later, said, “The American public needs to go on with their normal lives,” then went mostly dark for the next three months. Health experts are not without blame either: Their early advice about masks was “a case study in how not to communicate with the public,” wrote Zeynep Tufekci, an information-science professor at the University of North Carolina and an Atlantic contributing writer.

The White House, for its part, has repeatedly contradicted the states, the CDC, and itself. The president has used his platform to spread misinformation. In a moment when public health—which is to say, tens of thousands of lives—depends on national unity and clear messaging, the pandemic has become a new front in the partisan culture wars. Monica Schoch-Spana, a medical anthropologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told me that “political and social marginalization can exacerbate the psychological impacts of the pandemic.”

Schoch-Spana has previously written about the 1918 influenza pandemic. Lately, she says, people have been asking her how the coronavirus compares. She is always quick to point out a crucial difference: When the flu emerged in America at the end of a brutal winter, the nation was mobilized for war. Relative unity prevailed, and a spirit of collective self-sacrifice was in the air. At the time, the U.S. was reckoning with its enemies. Now we are reckoning with ourselves.

One thing that is certain about the current pandemic is that we are not doing enough to address its mental-health effects. Usually, says Joshua Morganstein, the chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster, the damage a disaster does to mental health ends up costing more than the damage it does to physical health. Yet of the $2 trillion that Congress allocated for pandemic relief through the CARES Act, roughly one-50th of 1 percent—or $425 million—was earmarked for mental health. In April, more than a dozen mental-health organizations called on Congress to apportion $38.5 billion in emergency funding to protect the nation’s existing treatment infrastructure, plus an additional $10 billion for pandemic response.

Without broad, systematic studies to gauge the scope of the problem, though, it will be hard to determine with any precision either the appropriate amount of funding or where that funding is needed. Taylor told me that “governments are throwing money at this problem at the moment without really knowing how big a problem it will be.”

In addition to studies assessing the scope of the problem, which demographics most need help, and what kind of help they need, Ruzek told me researchers should assess how well intervention efforts are working. Even in ordinary times, he said, we don’t do enough of that. Such studies are especially important now because, until recently, disaster mental-health protocols for pandemics were an afterthought. By necessity, researchers are designing and implementing them all at once.

“Disaster mental-health workers have never been trained in anything about this,” Ruzek said. “They don’t know what to say.”

Even so, the basic principles will be the same. Disaster mental-health specialists often talk about the five core elements of intervention—calming, self-efficacy, connectedness, hope, and a sense of safety—and those apply now as much as ever. At an organizational level, the response will depend on extensive screening, which is to the mental-health side of the pandemic roughly what testing is to the physical-health side. In disaster situations—and especially in this one—the people in need of mental-health support vastly outnumber the people who can supply it. So disaster psychologists train armies of volunteers to provide basic support and identify people at greater risk of developing long-term problems.

“There are certain things that we can still put into place for people based on what we’ve learned about what’s helpful for PTSD and for depression and for anxiety, but we have to adjust it a bit,” says Patricia Watson, a psychologist at the National Center for PTSD. “This is a different dance than the dance that we’ve had for other types of disasters.”

Some states have moved quickly to learn the new steps. In Colorado, Benight is helping to train volunteer resilience coaches to support members of their community and, when necessary, refer them to formal crisis-counseling programs. His team has also worked with volunteers in 31 states, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Colorado’s approach is not the sort of rigorously tested, evidence-based model to which Ruzek said disaster psychologists should aspire. Then again, “we’re sitting here with not a lot of options,” says Matthew Boden, a research scientist in the Veterans Health Administration’s mental-health and suicide-prevention unit. “Something is better than nothing.”

In any case, the full extent of the fallout will not come into focus for some time. Psychological disorders can be slow to develop, and as a result, the Textbook of Disaster Psychiatry, which Morganstein helped write, warns that demand for mental-health care may spike even as a pandemic subsides. “If history is any indicator,” Morganstein says of COVID-19, “we should expect a significant tail of mental-health effects, and those could be extraordinary.” Taylor worries that the virus will cause significant upticks in obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, and germaphobia, not to mention possible neuropsychiatric effects, such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

The coronavirus may also change the way we think about mental health more broadly. Perhaps, Schoch-Spana says, the prevalence of pandemic-related psychological conditions will have a destigmatizing effect. Or perhaps it will further ingrain that stigma: We’re all suffering, so can’t we all just get over it? Perhaps the current crisis will prompt a rethinking of the American mental-health-care system. Or perhaps it will simply decimate it.

In 2013, reflecting on the tenth anniversary of the SARS pandemic, newspapers in Hong Kong described a city scarred by plague. When COVID-19 arrived there seven years later, they did so again. SARS had traumatized that city, but it had also prepared it. Face masks had become commonplace. People used tissues to press elevator buttons. Public spaces were sanitized and resanitized. In New York City, COVID-19 has killed more than 22,600 people; in Hong Kong, a metropolis of nearly the same size, it has killed seven. The city has learned from its scars.

America, too, will bear the scars of plague. Maybe next time, we will be the ones who have learned.

[osteopath12]

It's great that you're acknowledging the importance of managing life's challenges and seeking support when needed. If you're specifically interested in counseling services at an osteopathic center in Hong Kong, it's important to clarify whether the center offers counseling services in addition to their osteopathic treatments.

Osteopathic centers primarily focus on osteopathic medicine, which is a form of complementary and alternative medicine that emphasizes the holistic approach to health and wellness. While some osteopathic centers may provide a range of services that include counseling or psychological support, their main expertise usually lies in osteopathic treatments, which involve physical manipulation and hands-on techniques to improve bodily function.

If you're looking for counseling services specifically in Hong Kong, you might want to consider contacting mental health clinics, counseling centers, or individual therapists who specialize in providing counseling or psychotherapy. These professionals would be equipped to address your emotional and psychological well-being and help you navigate life's challenges.

To find counseling services in Hong Kong, you can follow the steps outlined in my previous response, tailored to your search for mental health professionals rather than focusing on osteopathic centers.

Remember that seeking support is a positive step towards taking care of your overall well-being. Whether it's through counseling, osteopathic treatments, or a combination of different approaches, the goal is to help you lead a fulfilling and balanced life.

[my-infp-world]

Mental Health Awareness

This is important. I cannot stress how important this is. I can not begin to understand your pain and I won't pretend I know exactly what you're going through, just like you wouldn't know what I go through. The shadows that we have all stem from darkness and while they may be different sizes and shapes and show in different ways, they're all valid pain. You are not less worthy of help because your pain is different from another person's pain.

Do not compare your pain, your worries, your trials to anyone else's. You do not need to be a certain mindset, race, gender, age, sexuality, class, status, to feel pain. You are important and your pain is valid no matter the degree. If you need help, do not feel like you are unworthy of it. There are people willing to help and who want to help. YOU are important. YOU are worth it. I promise. It may not seem like it. It may not feel like it.

Just remember that we all know how to hide behind a smile and some of us have gotten way too good at it. It's okay to ask for help. I'm not saying it's easy to follow this advice. I struggle with it too. You don't have to do it directly either if that makes it easier for you. You don't have to explain yourself. Even something as simple as asking for someone to send you something to make you smile, to have a movie night, to go out for coffee, a weekend trip even just to the next city over. Small steps can make big differences. 

You’re not being selfish by looking out for your health. Don't let others belittle your pain. It's not just something everyone can just wish away or power through. Everybody deals with things differently. Mental health is important. YOUR mental health is important. You're not being weak, you're not being overdramatic. You don't need to wait until it's at its worst. You can talk to a friend or a professional at any point, it's never too early and it's never hopeless.

This needs to be normalized and not stigmatized. No one should be looked at as lesser of a person if they're dealing with any level of this at all. Look out for your friends and family too. You may think they know how important they are to you but that's not always the case. Sometimes that's something that needs to be heard every once in a while. They aren't your responsibility, no, but you can help if you want. What seems like a small gesture to you, may mean something huge to someone else.

If you're waiting for a sign for someone to tell you to reach out and ask for help or to not do something dangerous. That's what I'm doing now. Please don't give up.

List Of International Suicide Hotlines

Argentina: +5402234930430

Australia: 131114

Austria: 142; for children and young people, 147

Belgium: 106

Bosnia & Herzegovina: 080 05 03 05

Botswana: 3911270

Brazil: 188 for the CVV National Association

Canada: 1.833.456.4566, 5147234000 (Montreal); 18662773553 (outside Montreal)

Croatia: 014833888

Denmark: +4570201201

Egypt: 7621602

Estonia: 3726558088; in Russian 3726555688

Finland: 010 195 202

France: 0145394000

Germany: 08001810771

Holland: 09000767

Hong Kong: +852 2382 0000

Hungary: 116123

India: 8888817666

Ireland: +4408457909090

Italy: 800860022

Japan: +810352869090

Mexico: 5255102550

New Zealand: 0800543354

Norway: +4781533300

Philippines: 028969191

Poland: 5270000

Portugal: 21 854 07 40/8 . 96 898 21 50

Russia: 0078202577577

Spain: 914590050

South Africa: 0514445691

Sweden: 46317112400

Switzerland: 143

United Kingdom: 08457909090

USA: 18002738255

Veterans' Crisis Line: 1 800 273 8255/ text 838255

USA specific resources:

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) provides information on prevention, treatment and symptoms of anxiety, depression and related conditions (240-485-1001)       

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) provides information and referrals on ADHD, including local support groups (800-233-4050)

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) provides information on bipolar disorder and depression, offers in-person and online support groups and forums (800-826-3632)

International OCD Foundation provides information on OCD and treatment referrals (617-973-5801)

National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (NCEED) provides up-to-date, reliable and evidence-based information about eating disorders (800-931-2237)

Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA) offers Schizophrenia Anonymous self-help groups and toll-free teleconferences (240-423-9432)

Sidran Institute helps people understand, manage and treat trauma and dissociation; maintains a helpline for information and referrals (410-825-8888)

Treatment and Research Advancements for Borderline Personality Disorder (TARA) offers a referral center for information, support, education and treatment options for BPD (888-482-7227)

Finding Treatment

HelpWhenYouNeedIt.Org over 350,000 listings for social services, mental health, substance use, legal and financial assistance.

Psychology Today offers a national directory of therapists, psychiatrists, therapy groups and treatment facility options

SAMHSA Treatment Locator provides referrals to low-cost/sliding scale mental health care, substance abuse and dual diagnosis treatment (800-662-4357)

Suicide And Crisis

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention provides referrals to support groups and mental health professionals, resources on loss, and suicide prevention information (888-333-2377)

The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides 24/7 crisis intervention, safety planning and information on domestic violence (800-799-7233)

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline connects callers to trained crisis counselors (800-273-8255)

more here: https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-HelpLine/Top-HelpLine-Resources

[wolfliving]

“Quarantinology” from Strelka

https://strelkamag.com/en/article/quarantinology-hyperfunctional-logics-for-the-locked-down-city

What will cities look like in the aftermath of Covid-19? What does the stress test of mass quarantine reveal about emerging dynamics in contemporary urbanism, from the platformization of public space to the new communalism of the precariat? Quarantinology is one answer to this question: a catalog of logistical interventions that explores the history of the quarantined city and speculates about its future. (...)

FUTURE QUARANTINE URBANISM

The 2020 pandemic lit the fuse for an implosion of public into private space, reconfiguring the human habitat at such speed it is as though the combustion engine or the Internet had materialized overnight. More of the city’s infrastructure than ever before is vying for physical and mental space within the home. The full apparatus of professional life—from coffee runs and stationery cupboards to brainstorms in virtual “break-out rooms”—must find its place alongside childcare, the ever-growing drip-feed online entertainment, and the gym. Medical diagnosis and treatment have exited the hospital to become yet one more browser tab. The stockpiling of toilet paper in private (ware)houses might signal the fragility of supply chains but it also reveals the inability of information delivery systems to metabolize anxiety in a moment of crisis.

Yet Western architecture has been preparing for mass un-wellness—to varying degrees of success—since Vitruvius argued all architects should study medicine in ancient Greece. In X-Ray Architecture (2014), historian Beatriz Colomina draws a line between tuberculosis and modernism. It was, she argues, the inclusion of wipe-clean metal and glass in sanatorium design that inspired the skeletal obelisks with which the period is most often associated. Mies van der Rohe, whose Glass Skyscraper for Friedrichstrasse, Berlin, resembles the light and shade of lungs under inspection, was an avid collector of x-ray images. The period’s architectural legacy can be mapped onto areas where TB did the most damage: in cities such as Paris, for example, where close to one in three people were thought to have contracted the disease.

What might a map of Covid-19 mortality reveal and what might it produce? What are the factors that distinguish these locations and how will they develop in response? The assumption that density produces worse outcomes is complicated by “successful” quarantines in Seoul and Hong Kong (successful at least in comparison with the sprawling suburbs in parts of western Europe and the US). There are clearly other variables at play: the availability of testing, the number of free hospital beds, medical staff, and equipment to protect them. But as designers, we should notice urban models that allow non-commingling flows to persist while minimizing risk.

Quarantintology is one attempt to answer this question: a catalog of logistical interventions that builds upon the history of quarantine to speculate about the city in an age of pandemics. Designed to resemble a deck of cards, Quarantinology asks how dual-use and mixed typologies—from disaster urbanism in Japan to Berlin’s Tempelhof Airfield (at once an airport and a park and a refugee shelter)—could produce a future in which we do not need to place homeless people in empty parking spaces. It asks which aspects of social life can be enhanced within the metaverse—from love and sex to music festivals and workspaces—intensifying the results to see how weird things could get. It addresses central concerns about surveillance, real estate, industrial design, and the city-as-platform, accepting contradiction and eccentricity as a condition of its method.

For example, if warehouses, lofts, and other post-industrial refits were a necessity that became an aspirational lifestyle for millennials in the 2000s and 2010s, “Cubicle Communalism” imagines opportunities for the precariat in the downtown offices abandoned by the shift to remote work. Instead of inhabiting single bedrooms in shared houses, why not cubicles in former office spaces? Elsewhere, “Military Lazarettos” considers a role for hospital ships owned by Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Peru, Russia, the USA, and Vietnam in containing future outbreaks, while “Designer Vegetables” models the impact of another pandemic—Panama Disease—already underway. “Radical Harvests” applies the delivery systems pioneered by Meituan Dianping in Wuhan to the food supply at scale. Where the “Amazon of services” installed contactless lockers and a ticketing system that included health reports from workers, it asks if this could extend to names, salaries, employee benefits, and carbon footprints, incorporating the full cost of importing labor across borders in a new labeling standard intended to expose hypocrisy and falsification in the supermarket aisles....

[lifecbdasia-blog]

6 Benefits of CBD Oil

Cannabidiol or CBD oil is a product derivative of cannabis. It is derived from the chemical naturally present in marijuana plants. As you might question the ‘high’ aspect of CBD oil Hong Kong, we’re here to tell you that it doesn’t cause any intoxication. 

CBD products are made from a different type of cannabinoid, which is different from the intoxicating THC cannabinoid. There’s some debate about the use of CBD oil due to its origin from marijuana. However, people realize their effective health benefits. 

What Are The Benefits Of Using CBD Oil Hong Kong?

Let's delve deeper into the six medical benefits of CBD oil:

Relieves Pain

CBD oil can help the brain’s receptors manage pain. Studies show there are visible benefits of using cannabis after chemotherapy. CBD products Hong Kong like Nabiximols (Sativex) is an approved drug used in the UK and Canada to treat multiple sclerosis pain. CBD can help relieve the pain symptoms caused by chronic pain, arthritis, muscle pain, and spinal cord injuries.

Good Treatment for Epilepsy

Research is still new regarding the effectiveness of CBD oil Hong Kong as a possible treatment for epilepsy. Moreover, it has shown a remarkable decrease in seizures after prolonged use. Anti-seizure properties of CBD oil certainly maybe still debatable due to the average results from a 2016 Trusted Source study. Research is still ongoing to gauge the possible side effects of CBD oil treatment for epilepsy patients.

Can Combat Neurodegenerative Disease Symptoms

Neurodegenerative diseases cause the brain’s receptors and nerves to atrophy over time. Researchers are studying the CBD products Hong Kong use for treating multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease. Then again, CBD oil can reduce inflammation, which can worsen the neurodegenerative disease symptoms.

Prevents Cancer Cell Growth

CBD law Hong Kong allows the use of CBD oil for cancer patients. There are some studies like NCI which support the claim that cancer cell growth can be minimized. CBD helps reduce the reproduction of some kind of tumor cells, alleviates cancer treatment side effects, and helps ease cancer symptoms. 

Eases Anxiety

CBD oil Hong Kong shop can help you effectively cope with anxiety. It targets the brain's receptors, which produces serotonin, which is the happy chemical. There are several early studies on animals that have shown that CBD can reduce stress, improve PTSD symptoms, decrease increased heart rate, and induce sleep in insomnia cases.

Helps in Acne Management

CBD products Hong Kong can help reduce inflammation in the whole body. A study found that CBD oil prevented the sebum production in the sebaceous glands. Consult your dermatologist before you choose CBD products for your acne treatment solution. 

To sum it up!

The benefits of using CBD oil Hong Kong certainly outweigh the potential side effects. However, it is still advisable to consult your physician before you consider CBD as a treatment option. 

There need to be more human-centric studies to support the effectiveness of CBD oil as a viable option for treatment for various ailments.