#who needs therapy when you can write a meta analysis of your own source

[camp-counselor-david]

I was wondering what bugged me about the season 4 Cameron Campbell redemption arc, and I think it finally clicked for me. (And yeah it's 95% David related)

Tw for talks of abuse under the read more.

(Spoiler warning for s3 & 4!)

My relationship (from a character standpoint) with Mr. Campbell is very iffy. He's meant for comedic relief, as is his treatment of David within the series.

Side note- I know that the wolf in "The Forest" being a metaphor for Campbell's abuse of David isn't technically canon even if it's pretty widely accepted by now, so I'll be excluding that part in my analysis.

Mr. Campbell goes through a lot of changes within the series. He starts out as sort of a criminal mastermind type. Self-serving, a blatant scammer, and someone who is seen abusing David in particular many times in the show, physically and verbally. That's not even mentioning the scene in "Jasper Dies in the End," where he attempts to murder a young David for witnessing Jasper's near-death experience. Despite this, David looks up to him and idolizes who he is as a person.

Up until when things peak in season 3, where it's revealed to David that he's not only a terrible person, but he has attempted to frame him for the camp being a scam. Season 3 handles Campbell the best in my opinion, up until the ending of "Camp Corp" where it's decided that Cameron Campbell is more of an idiot than a mastermind, so his new punishment is staying at the camp under David's watch.

Season 4 is where it takes a turn for the worse. As per usual, David is on board with the idea of redeeming Mr. Campbell and places faith in him changing for the better. This didn't bug me until the episode with the escape room where the series begins to explore a different side of Campbell. There, it's revealed that despite how awful as a person he was, he secretly has some type of heart! He still had feelings for the woman he ghosted for 17 years to the point of never once seeing another person in all of that time. Not only does that feel impossible to believe, but given how he acts when he's coming back from the club in "Keep the Change," it feels a lot more like a retcon to me. You're telling me that someone as greedy as him would make such a responsible choice when it comes to any of his personal relationships? In 17 years? While regularly being under the influence of alcohol and other drugs throughout that time period?

It felt like a quick "See? Mr. Campbell isn't actually that bad of a person!" To which I feel is not the right angle to take with his character, at least not so quickly. I understand that characters can have nuance. They can have good traits and still be bad people, but these traits have to line up with what makes sense for the character, and from my perspective, it didn't.

They then change the approach with Campbell and start making him a lot more reasonable of a person in the way he talks. "Time Crapsules" ending with an admittedly nice message from him about change using the camp itself as a metaphor for his own character growth, which becomes apparent in the last prominent Campbell episode, "St. Campbell's Day."

This is the episode that urks me the most. Since the very beginning, David has had full faith in Mr. Campbell. He spent time making excuses for him and going out of his way to prove that change is really possible. But (spoilers, sorry!!) then this episode features the very first time that David stands up against Mr. Campbell. He sees the fake holiday that he's making for presumably self-serving reasons and decides that Campbell is showing his old patterns again-- because why else would he make up a holiday revolving around making money?

David ruins the holiday by stealing the holiday supplies and reporting him to the presses as a con artist. Then, the show reveals that David was overreacting, and this was really pushed by the campers rather than Campbell himself. They wanted to raise funds for the camp to get new things like the outhouse, and David feels bad. Afterward, there's a happy moment where David apologetically fixes everything with the help of Gwen and QM, which is admittedly very sweet, and Mr. Campbell forgives David for jumping the gun and assuming the worst.

While I don't hate this, it just rubs me the wrong way that the one time David stands up against Campbell, he's punished by the narrative. He apologizes to Mr. Campbell, a thing that Campbell never properly does for David, the one who actually deserves it.

This episode could have been a good opportunity for there to be some reflection on how David, who vouched ceaselessly for his redemption, might have some mixed feelings on his abuser. Exploring this side of things more would have made this a better episode and overall a better arc for me rather than "Silly David!! You've ruined the one good thing he tried to do!".

The concept of David wanting to be happy about the changes but finding that part of him guiltily thinks that Campbell doesn't deserve it is something I really wish they explored a lot more.

The tl;dr of this is that the Mr. Campbell redemption arc isn't a bad angle to shoot for! Some of it was handled decently, but the loose ends that we'll likely never see wrapped up leave a sour taste in my mouth. A few kind moments don't make up for around 14 years of abuse, and that's not even mentioning the death of Jasper as a consequence of Campbell's actions.

I love this show a lot, and this is by no means hateful towards it, I just feel a little put off by how they handle the Campbell-David stuff.

[things2mustdo]

Bigger muscles, fat-loss, and a heightened sex drive are probably the first things that come to mind when you think of testosterone. But did you know that your testosterone also determines your mental health? Or that it determines your risk tolerance and how you show up against competition? That’s right.

In this article, I’ll discuss 4 little-known benefits of having optimal testosterone levels. See which ones affect you and which ones don’t.

Sign #1 – Sharp memory

In this study, men with higher levels of testosterone scored significantly better on tests of visual and spatial memory. These results were mirrored in another study where researchers randomized 37 subjects to receive either a weekly dose of testosterone or placebo for 4-weeks. After 4-weeks, the men receiving testosterone treatments scored significantly better on tests of verbal fluency.

How does testosterone impact brain health?

Well, preclinical observations assert that testosterone protects brain cells against damage and decay. This is why brain fog, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating are some common symptoms of having sub-optimal testosterone. This is also why men with lower levels of T have an increased incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

To ensure that your brain maintains optimal health and function into old age, it’s important that you start taking the steps right now to achieve and maintain optimal testosterone levels for years to come.

Sign #2 – Positive outlook

Have those Monday blues turned into an everyday thing? If so, chances are that sub-optimal testosterone levels are a contributing cause. In this meta-analysis spanning over 16 scientific studies and more than 900 subjects, researchers came to the conclusion that testosterone exerts a significant positive impact on mood.

On the flip-side, low levels of testosterone have been found to be a major contributor to depression. And when depressed men are given testosterone treatments, they report significant improvements in mood.

All-in-all, your testosterone has a significant impact on your mood. If you feel like you’ve lost your zest for life, it’s important that you get your testosterone level measured to figure out your room for improvement moving forward.

Sign #3 – Increased risk tolerance

In this study, researchers brought in 154 subjects (78 men, 76 women) and had them engage in a gambling task. Blood samples were collected before the experiment. Across the board, both the men and women with higher levels of testosterone engaged in a greater amount of risk.

In this study on MBA students, the ones with the highest levels of testosterone chose the riskiest careers. And finally, in this study on financial traders it was revealed that a traders early morning level of testosterone accurately predicted his profits for the day. High risk equals high reward, and the traders willing to engage in the highest amount of risk also set themselves up for the greatest amount of profit.

Now, of course taking risks comes with a potential downside – that’s what makes it a risk – but without risk there is no growth. Taking risks is what’s allowed mankind to conquer the world, build nations, and even land on the moon. No great feat was ever accomplished without some element of risk being involved. What risk are you procrastinating on that has the possibility of taking your life to the next level?

Sign #4 – Competitive drive

In this study, men were brought in to compete in a rigged 1-on-1 competition. Blood samples were collected before and after each loss. Results revealed that the men who experienced a spike in testosterone after the loss were more likely to choose to compete again compared to the men who experienced a drop in testosterone.

In a study on university tennis players, it was revealed that the players with the highest pre-match testosterone levels reported the most significant positive effects on mood. Also, the post-match T-levels rose higher for the match winners compared to the match losers. Furthermore, the rise in T induced the winners to be even more focused and motivated for the next round of competition.

In biology, this is referred to as the winner-effect and it was first demonstrated in mice. Right off the bat, a smaller and weaker mouse is unable to overcome a larger and more dominant opponent. But, when a smaller mouse is allowed to win against a drugged mouse of similar size, his chances of overcoming the larger and more dominant mouse in the next round of competition increase – despite no improvement in fighting ability. The reason? Winning the first round of competition causes the mouse to experience a spike in testosterone, which increases his focus and drive for the next round.

The winner-effect occurs in humans as well. Overcoming obstacles and setting personal records induces a  testosterone increase which, in turn, makes us more focused and motivated in the next round of competition.

Testosterone is the fuel to your competitive drive and the winner effect is a feedback loop that feeds into this drive to make you more aggressive and dominant in each subsequent encounter.

The winner-effect could, however, easily go the other way. Each winning encounter could spike your testosterone levels to the point where your estimation of your abilities become exaggerated and impair your decision making. This is why media commentators have mentioned the winner-effect as a possible cause of the 2008 financial crisis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP6Th1Gi-lQ

Conclusion

Yes, testosterone determines your ability to gain muscle, lose fat, and express your sexuality but its true impact extends far beyond just these three areas. Your mental health, your outlook on life, your tolerance for risk, and your ability to show up against competition are all factors impacted by the amount of testosterone running through your veins. Maintain optimal testosterone levels and you’ll maintain your health, well-being, and virility well into old age.

https://www.returnofkings.com/163166/5-myths-about-testosterone-that-seriously-need-to-die

Testosterone is what makes a man, a man. In a society that’s increasingly lacking a positive masculine identity, testosterone has become a hot topic of discussion. Today, I will dispel five of the most common myths associated with the master male hormone.

Myth #1: Declining Testosterone Is Primarily a Result of Aging

Although older age is correlated with lower testosterone levels, aging is not the cause of low T.

I’m sure that you’ve read or heard about the, now famous, Massachusetts Male Aging Study. If not, here’s a quick recap: Researchers found that average testosterone levels in men across the American population dropped by 1.2-1.3% every year from 1987 to 2004 (1). Assuming that this trend has continued at the same pace, the average 40 year old in 2018 has 40% lower T-levels than the average 40 year old did in 1987. In other words, the generational decline in testosterone is taking place independently of age.

In another study, Australian researchers recruited 325 men between the ages of 40-97 with self-reported excellent health. Nine blood samples were collected from each participant over the course of 3-months. When looking at the data across the entire sample size, age had no effect on testosterone (2).

The lesson? You can maintain optimal testosterone levels, no matter how old you are.

Myth #2: Only Older Guys Have to Worry About Low Testosterone

Just like older men write off their “low T” as an inevitable part of aging, younger guys think that youth is what keeps them immune to it. The truth is guys as young as 20 are suffering from sub-optimal testosterone levels.

There is currently no published research on the decline of T in men under 30, but there’s no shortage of anecdotal evidence:

Scott had a total T-level of 273 ng/dL at the age of 25 (source).

Oskar had a total T-level of 297 ng/dL at the age of 18 (source).

At 24, my total testosterone level came out at 564 ng/dL. This is a level that falls well within what’s considered the “normal range”. Still, I could barely crawl out of bed each morning, I was skinny-fat, and my sex drive was nowhere to be seen. Since taking the steps to naturally optimize my T, all of these symptoms have completely disappeared.

Any man, regardless of age, can have sub-optimal T. I highly recommend that you have your blood work done at least once per year to get an idea of where you stand and where you need to be.

Myth #3: The Only Way to Increase Testosterone Is With Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)

Is TRT effective at raising T? Of course. Is it the only way to raise T? Hell no.

I naturally increased my total testosterone level from 564 ng/dL to 902 ng/dL and it was all by making simple changes in my diet and lifestyle. My beef with TRT comes down to the fact that it’s basically a band-aid approach. TRT addresses the symptoms of low T while completely ignoring the root cause of low T, which is usually a sub-optimal lifestyle.

When something as simple as sleeping more can boost T-levels by more than 60% (3), is it really wise to jump the proverbial TRT gun before taking the steps to optimize your lifestyle?

Now, I know that a lot of you have had great results with TRT. The thing is, though, that your body is still unable to produce testosterone. And with so much exogenous T coming in, your body has completely shut off its own natural production.

In other words, once started on TRT, you’re effectively chained to using the treatment for the rest of your life – or for as long as you care about getting a boner. Before trying to get a prescription for TRT, fix these 5 lifestyle factors.

Myth #4: Having High Testosterone Increases Your Chances of Developing Prostate Cancer

In the early 40s the medical community began to ascribe prostate cancer as a result of high testosterone. This assumption came from a single medical case study where a patient’s prostate cancer regressed after he was castrated.

Since then, a meta-analysis of 18 studies involving 5,091 patients with prostate cancer and 11,930 controls has reported that there is no link between endogenous testosterone levels and prostate cancer (4).

Myth #5: High Testosterone Makes You Angry

This is a myth mostly peddled by effeminate SJWs and feminists, but it could not be further from the truth. In a study of adolescent boys, researchers found that the boys with the highest levels of T were considered the most socially adept amongst their peers.

And the boys with lower levels of T? They were the ones most prone to the expression of aggressive behavior. They were also failing in school and unpopular with their peers.

Researchers concluded that testosterone levels are positively correlated with social success rather than with physical aggression (5). In another study, men suffering from low T were given testosterone treatments after which they experienced a significant reduction in tension and anger (6). All of this brings us to the conclusion that it is in fact low T that leads to the expression of negative emotions.

This shouldn’t be surprising given the fact that depression is a known side-effect of low T (7) and that anger, hostility and irritability are frequently observed in men diagnosed with depression (8). Could it be that low testosterone is a contributing factor to the expression of toxic masculinity? That low testosterone is contributing to the violent outbursts of anger we so commonly see in the news?

Conclusion

Age is not an excuse. Prescriptions aren’t your only option. High testosterone won’t give you prostate cancer and it won’t make you angry. The fact that you’re reading this right now means that you’re unplugged from mainstream consciousness.

As such, don’t fall for these mainstream myths. Take charge of your hormonal health and become the man you can be.

https://www.returnofkings.com/68664/3-reasons-low-testosterone-is-dangerous-for-your-health-and-what-you-can-do-about-it

The following article was sponsored by Bill Hamzi

Some of the common signs of low testosterone are fatigue, lethargy, erectile dysfunction, creaky joints, irritability, depression, difficulty concentrating, and loss of muscle mass combined with weight gain. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you may need to get your testosterone checked. In fact, there is an ongoing low testosterone epidemic in many Western countries: 50% of men over age 40 have low testosterone, and that skyrockets to 80% of men over 50. Most men are not aware of this, accepting these symptoms as “getting old.”

I personally started having symptoms including erectile dysfunction when I hit 30. My personal low testosterone horror story then ensued and left a shattered marriage in its wake. Fortunately, my story has a happy ending.

I got on a proper Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) regimen, and my erections are back, stronger as ever. I dropped 30 pounds. I bedded more than a dozen young nubile women this year alone, with no “technical difficulties” whatsoever. I have more energy now at age 35 than ten years ago. My mind is sharper as ever.

I’ve been through hell and back, and lived to tell the tale. I wrote a book about my experience, and how men can combat low testosterone without wasting precious time and money: The No Nonsense Guide To Testosterone Replacement Therapy.

By now, it should be clear what low testosterone can do to a man. But it gets worse: Low testosterone is not just an inconvenient malady to bull through. It is a very real and insidious medical condition that, at best, severely stunts your masculine potential. At worst, it ruins lives, destroys relationships, rips families apart, and ultimately increases your risk of heart attack, diabetes, brittle bones, and cancer. Here are three surprising reasons low testosterone is dangerous for your health:

1. Erectile Dysfunction Is The First Warning Sign Of Heart Disease

You may have heard that testosterone increases the risk of heart attacks. This is completely false. It’s a myth and I blow it to smithereens in Part 3 of my book. The longer your testosterone remains low, the higher your risk of heart attacks climbs every year.

Let me explain: heart disease begins when arterial plaque build up begins. It starts out slow, just a few little buildups along the arteries. A little plaque here and there is no big deal and won’t impede any blood flow through the biggest arteries.

But, the blood vessels in the penis are extremely tiny compared to the big coronary arteries around the heart. A “little plaque” within those narrow vessels may just be enough to gum up the works during a hot date. While blood flow remains perfectly unimpeded through the rest of the body, blood flow through the tiny penile capillaries may not be optimal even with smallest bits of plaque. So a “little plaque here and there” may seem like no big deal, UNTIL it starts affecting you in the bedroom.

Testosterone has a profound effect on a man’s lipid profile by increasing fat metabolism and optimizing endothelial function. Low testosterone decreases fat metabolism, impairs endothelial function, reduces the production of HDL, a good cholesterol. These cascading effects allow LDL, a bad cholesterol, to increase as well as enlarge LDL particle size. This promotes arterial plaque in many men beginning as early as age 20 to 25. In fact, recent studies (like this and that) show that by raising your testosterone from below 350 to over 550, you decrease your heart attack and stroke risk by over 30%!

2. Lower Testosterone Levels Increases Risk Of Prostate Cancer

The testosterone-causes-prostate-cancer is a widely-believed myth that has been disproved by recent studies. In fact, the lower your testosterone levels are, the higher your risk for prostate cancer. Recent studies thoroughly debunk this long-standing myth. A report in the Urology Times by Wayne Kuznar also asserts that there is no link between TRT and prostate cancer.

As Dr. Yassin puts it, we’ve experienced a “paradigm shift in the last decade that testosterone replacement therapy does not cause or increase the incidence of prostate cancer.” Prostate cancers are sensitive to changing concentrations of testosterone when the testosterone levels are very low. However, once the prostate tumor is saturated with testosterone, adding more testosterone will have little, if any effect, on the tumor growth.

In addition, nearly 45% of men with hypogonadism had prostate cancer in Dr. Yassin’s study, “meaning that hypogonadism offers no protection against prostate cancer. Patients with lower testosterone values had higher staging and higher [prostate cancer grade] scores,” he said. Furthermore, his study concludes that testosterone replacement therapy is safe in hypogonadal men.

3. More Men Are At Risk Of Osteoporosis Due To Low Testosterone

The fact that we have lower testosterone than our own grandfathers shows how sad the state of affairs are today. To make matters worse, osteoporosis is becoming an increasingly important public health problem. The main cause of osteoporosis in men is testosterone deficiency, according to this WebMD article. A NIH publication also lists low testosterone as one of the causes of osteoporosis in men.

An essential hormone to support bone density is estrogen, and in men, some testosterone converts to estrogen in order to maintain strong bone mass and density. When testosterone falls too low, there isn’t enough testosterone to be converted to estrogen, so bones begin to weaken. Given that testosterone usually decline by 1% per year in aging men, it is not surprising that bone mineral density also declines by 1% per year as per this study.

As a young man, osteoporosis may be one of the last things in your mind right now, but with low testosterone levels left unchecked, you can look forward to a future of unexplained fractures, being confined to a wheelchair, and watching your retirement savings get drained by a constant stream of five-figure medical bills. Sustaining your testosterone at healthy levels help maintain strong bone density to support an increased muscle mass, along with experiencing a myriad of other immediate benefits. Multiple birds with one stone.

How I Fixed My Low Testosterone

Now, you cannot just walk into a doctor’s office, get on testosterone, and be done with it. So many men do TRT all wrong, making their condition even WORSE than before they started.

First, some doctors may not order all the necessary prerequisite baseline tests before starting their patients on TRT, or will they adequately monitor patients on TRT. This is a grievous mistake that may mask other health problems or root causes of low testosterone until it’s too late. Second, many men are on ineffective and/or expensive forms of TRT such as gels or patches. Third, many men are dosing testosterone incorrectly, potentially causing their estrogen levels to climb to unhealthy levels, leading to man-boobs or an enlarged prostate. These problems arise from doctors who don’t really know what they are doing with respect to TRT:

In my book, I explain how to do it the right way, and make it work for YOU. Indeed, one of the hardest parts of getting on a TRT protocol that works is finding a good doctor who knows what he is doing. Here’s a brief recap of what you get from my reading my book:

A thorough explanation behind low testosterone levels: causes and symptoms.

Lists of blood tests to help you and your doctor make a full diagnosis and treatment plan.

Options for your TRT regimen, and how to tailor them to yourself individually.

How to navigate a broken healthcare system to find the best TRT doctor for you.

Your TRT Toolbox: An information-packed system to manage your own TRT.

The No-Nonsense Guide to Testosterone Replacement Therapy is currently available on Amazon, and will soon be available in other electronic formats as well as in print. Also visit TRT Guide for more information on Understanding Lab Tests, and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for periodic updates on the book’s availability, new studies on testosterone, and how TRT has been working for many men around the world.