Stress relief: how the “PEACE” method can help manage emotional responses to stressful situations

I have always been a crier. Whether I'm happy or sad, frustrated or shocked, tears have tended to be my go-to emotional response.

But throughout the pandemic, the tears dried up and I found myself turning to other coping mechanisms to deal with the daily stress and anxiety of lockdown.

When put under pressure, we all react in different ways, and some are healthier than others. But according to Amy Saltzman, MD, a holistic physician and mindfulness coach, in times of difficulty, our choices don't always decrease our stress. Sometimes, they actually increase it.

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Outside judge named to preside over cases in Arbery slaying | AP News

 A judge from outside the coastal Georgia community where Ahmaud Arbery was fatally shot has been appointed to preside over trial proceedings of the two men charged with Arbery’s murder, including one defendant with close ties to law enforcement.

Court documents filed in Glynn County show that Superior Court Judge Timothy R. Walmsley was appointed to the case after all five judges in the legal circuit where Arbery was killed recused themselves. Walmsley is based in Savannah, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of where the slaying occurred just outside the port city of Brunswick.

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Healthcare Fraud

Healthcare fraud involves wide-ranging illegal behaviors. It includes such activities as physicians who bill insurance companies or the government for services never provided, or that were unnecessary and, in many cases, harmful for the well-being of patients. Corporations are also involved in healthcare fraud, such as pharmaceutical companies that falsify clinical studies to get unsafe drugs approved for general population use. Healthcare fraud, similar to other white-collar crimes, has three general costs: financial, physical, and social. First, the United States is likely the largest financial victim of healthcare fraud in the world. 

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'The Ladder of the Law Has No Top and No Bottom': How Therapeutic Jurisprudence Can Give Life to International Human Rights

In the past two decades, therapeutic jurisprudence (TJ) has become one of the most important theoretical approaches to the law. But, there has, as of yet, been puzzlingly little written about the relationship between TJ and international human rights law. To be sure, there has been some preliminary and exploratory work on the relationship between TJ and international law in general, but virtually nothing on its relationship to international human rights law in a mental disability law context. 

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Science Says Your Brain Isn't Fully Developed Until You're This Age

While the age at which you legally become an adult is 18, your brain isn't fully developed yet. According to Insider, the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that helps with impulse control and that's still not completely done growing even when 18-year-olds are graduating high school and heading off to college, the military, working full-time, or backpacking across Europe. 

The Society for Neuroscience claims that the white matter in your brain doesn't peak until you are about 40 years of age. White matter is found deeper in the brain, while the gray matter is on the outside. White matter is made up of nerve fibers covered by myelin that serves to protect those neurons (via MedlinePlus). Maturity is connected to the prefrontal cortex, located at the front part of the frontal lobe. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for cognitive abilities and control, decision making, planning, problem-solving, and impulse control.

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WHY NEUROSURGEON MIKE EGNOR STOPPED BEING A MATERIALIST ATHEIST

Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor did another podcast with Arjuna Das at Theology Unleashed, "where Eastern theology meets Western skepticism." Among other things, Egnor talked about why he ceased to be an atheist as he learned more about science and its dependence on mathematics, which is not a material thing. A partial transcript follows, taking us down to 15 minutes, with notes (more in a further installment)

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Lincoln’s Uncertain Decision: Fort Sumter, 1861

On March 5, 1861, Abraham Lincoln, only president for a day, had to make a decision on what to do. Lincoln had a divided cabinet, a divided party, and a divided country. Half of his cabinet wanted war with the newly-formed Confederacy. The other half, led by William Seward, wanted peace.

In his inaugural address, Lincoln attempted to clarify his position regarding Fort Sumter and other federal property in the seceding states. Because the constitution attempted "to form a more perfect union," it follows, Lincoln argued, that the possibility that a state, on its own, could secede would render the constitution less perfect. "I therefore consider that, in view of the Constitution and the laws, the Union is unbroken" and "that the laws of the Union [will] be faithfully executed in all the States."  Lincoln considered this a "simple duty" that should "not be regarded as a menace" but as an obvious and stated purpose of the Union as expressed in the constitution. "In doing this there needs to be no bloodshed or violence; and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority," Lincoln continued. "The power confided to me, will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging to the government, and to collect duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion—no using force against, or among the people anywhere." Should a particular place prove utterly hostile to any federal presence in a region, Lincoln promised to forgo any federal presence....

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Kathleen Folbigg: Could science free Australian jailed for killing babies?

Imagine for a moment what it must feel like if, as a mother, you give birth to four children, one after another, each of whom, as infants, dies from natural causes over a 10-year period.

Then imagine being wrongly accused of smothering them all and being sentenced to 30 years in jail for four terrible crimes you did not commit.

That narrative is emerging as potentially the true story of Kathleen Folbigg, an Australian mother from the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales (NSW).

Branded at her trial in 2003 as "Australia's worst female serial killer", Folbigg has already spent nearly 18 years in prison after being found guilty of the manslaughter of her firstborn Caleb, and the murder of her three subsequent children, Patrick, Sarah and Laura.

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Is Buddhism science?

One of the greatest twists in the recent history of nonfiction came at the end of Sam Harris's The End of Faith (2004). The book gave physical form to the message-board atheism of the early internet and launched a publishing boom for religious skeptics, but its final chapter struck a different note. Harris, it turned out, is a self-described mystical seeker with a long history of pilgrimages and discipleships under various Eastern gurus. He concluded the book by evangelizing on behalf of a scientifically filtered Buddhism that can awaken us to "the intrinsic freedom of consciousness" and help us grapple with "almost every problem we have" as a species.

Despite his infidel reputation, Harris belongs to the religious current that David McMahan calls "Buddhist modernism." This is a global assortment of Buddhist movements formed under creative pressure from the dominant Western trends of the past few centuries, such as rationalism, Protestant anti-clericalism, and Romanticism. All of them sought to counter the judgment of the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer that Buddhism is fundamentally pessimistic. At the same time, they accepted Schopenhauer's claim that Buddhism is "the finest of all religions," exceptional for its intellectual acuity and faithfulness to the human experience. In fact, a major strand of Buddhist modernism argues that Buddhism, properly understood, isn't even a religion but a uniquely empirical way of life based on meditation — "a first-person science," as Harris once phrased it.

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International courts ‘more needed than ever’, 25 years after Srebrenica

The now-defunct war crimes tribunal that convicted Bosnian Serb leaders like Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic over the murder of 8,000 Muslim men and boys was hailed at the time as a new era of post-Cold War accountability.

Yet the numerous courts set up in its wake now face a litany of problems like low conviction rates, attacks by US President Donald Trump and antagonistic governments, and accusations of racism.

They also need to start giving justice to victims of a new generation of crimes such as the war in Syria, the repression of the Rohingya people in Myanmar and the persecution of the Uighurs in China, experts said.

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Brain Cells that Trigger Sugar Cravings and Consumption Identified

Most people enjoy a sweet treat every now and then. But an unchecked "sweet tooth" can lead to overconsumption of sugary foods and chronic health issues like obesity and type 2 diabetes. Understanding the biological mechanisms that control sugar intake and preference for sweet taste could have important implications for managing and preventing these health problems.

The new study, led by Matthew Potthoff, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience and pharmacology in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and Matthew Gillum, PhD, at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, focuses on actions of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). This hormone is known to play a role in energy balance, body weight control, and insulin sensitivity.

"This is the first study that's really identified where this hormone is acting in the brain and that has provided some very cool insights to how it's regulating sugar intake," says Potthoff, who also is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at the UI and the Iowa Neuroscience Institute.

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Lockdown surge in domestic violence

A national helpline set up for perpetrators of domestic abuse has reported a surge in calls by 25%.

The Respect phone line, which provides confidential advice to perpetrators about violence and domestic abuse, had a 26.86% increase in calls in the week starting March 30, compared with the week before.

The Respect phone line website recorded an increase in hits of 125% in the same period.

South Cheshire based My CWA (formerly known as Cheshire Without Abuse) wants local people from across the county to know that during the coronavirus pandemic they are not alone, and that there is still support for people struggling with conflict during lockdown.

CEO Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie explained: "This lockdown has exacerbated so many things for so many families and whilst there is a lot of help and assistance highlighted for victims of abuse, there has been less media surrounding any help for the perpetrators domestic abuse.

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Have you ever said, 'I know exactly how you’re feeling'? Quit it.

transform Through Therapy specializes in online group therapy, with a special focus on grief and caregiving. In this series, they will be talking about COVID-19 and the impact it is having on mental health.

It's a common reaction. Someone is going through a hard situation — loss, hardship, for all of us in one way or another, COVID-19 — and deep down, it's an uncomfortable thing to talk about. So a natural reaction is for us to try and empathize by saying, "I know what you mean."

We all do it. We feel like conversationally, we're giving them a big hug.

But it's not often taken that way.

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Hungary prepares to end legal recognition of trans people

Hungary's rightwing government looks likely to push through legislation that will end the legal recognition of trans people by defining gender as "biological sex based on primary sex characteristics and chromosomes" and thus making it impossible for people to legally change their gender.

Trans people and rights activists say the law, which has been introduced into parliament as attention is focused on the coronavirus pandemic, will increase discrimination and intolerance towards trans people. Many will try to leave the country, while those who do not have that chance will face daily humiliations.

"In Hungary, you need to show your ID to rent a bike, buy a bus pass or to pick up a package at the post office. It basically means coming out as trans to complete strangers, all the time. The good version is they are nice about it, but there are situations where people turn quite hostile," said Ivett Ördög, a 39-year-old trans woman living in Budapest.

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Virus-free. www.avg.com

Lumbini On Trial: Cunnigham and his frauds

There are compelling reasons for believing that the site of Lumbini is an extraordinary hoax. The details of its discovery in 1896 reveal a tale of deception and intrigue, which is now told for the first time.

At present, controversy continues to surround the location of Kapilavastu, the Buddha's native town, with both India and Nepal promoting bids for this historically significant site. The Indian claim is based on the finds made at Piprahwa, in Basti District, Uttar Pradesh; the Nepalese, by that of Tilaurakot and its surrounding sites, in the Western Tarai of Nepal. It is my intention in this paper, however, to demonstrate that neither of these claims can be considered as acceptable, and to show that equal doubt attaches to the present site of Lumbini also. I further propose to nominate what I consider to be the correct locations for these and other major Buddhist sites, and to give detailed evidence in support of these proposals.

An old French saying declares that to know a river you should know its source, and any attempt to assess the reliability of the present identifications should begin by taking a close look at the circumstances surrounding their discovery. Chief among the participants in those events - and in my view central to them all - was the notorious figure of Dr Alois Anton Fuhrer, a German archaeologist employed by the (British) Government of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh between 1885-98, and co-discoverer of the present Lumbini site.

Modern Indologists, while aware of Fuhrer's unsavoury reputation, have neglected to conduct any really close scrutiny of his activities, fondly believing that these have long since been satisfactorily catalogued and assessed, and that Fuhrer may be safely consigned to oblivion in consequence. Unfortunately, this is far from being the case. Fuhrer, in fact, drove a coach and horses through critical areas of Indological research, and his deceptions continue to have far-reaching consequences for world history to this day. He was a prolific plagiarist and forger (who worked, alarmingly, on the first two volumes of the Epigraphia Indica) and I have good reason to believe that his deceptions were sometimes condoned, even exploited, by the Government of the day, for imperial reasons of their own. Following Fuhrer's resignation in 1898, the Secretary to the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces remarked, in a letter to central Government, that 'His Honor fears it must be admitted that no statement made by Dr Fuhrer on archaeological subjects, at all events, can be accepted until independently verified'. Unfortunately, this verification was by no means as rigorous as one might perhaps have wished, as we shall shortly see.

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Mind Reading and Mind Control Technologies Are Coming

The ability to detect electrical activity in the brain through the scalp, and to control it, will soon transform medicine and change society in profound ways. Patterns of electrical activity in the brain can reveal a person's cognition—normal and abnormal. New methods to stimulate specific brain circuits can treat neurological and mental illnesses and control behavior. In crossing this threshold of great promise, difficult ethical quandaries confront us.

MIND READING

The ability to interrogate and manipulate electrical activity in the human brain promises to do for the brain what biochemistry did for the body. When you go to the doctor, a chemical analysis of your blood is used to detect your body's health and potential disease. Forewarned that your cholesterol level is high, and you are at risk of having a stroke, you can take action to avoid suffering one. 

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What is particularly scary about the coronavirus? The chaos it has caused.

Unless you have been living in a well-ventilated cave with no internet, you have heard about novel coronavirus or COVID-19. While coronaviruses have been around for a long time, this newly discovered version has no cure and can be fatal, particularly to the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. While some may find this analogous to the flu, this novel virus is serious enough for some cities and even a country to quarantine their entire population in order to try to control the spread.

It has caused a global panic. While I have tried to stay calm, educate myself, and even joke about the virus, I must admit that it is starting to concern me.

I am not scared of the virus itself. I have done my best to minimize the chances of exposing myself to the virus. That means spending more time working from home. I have encouraged clients to send paperwork via email and the cloud. For those who prefer the old ways, I accept regular mail and offer to reimburse them for postage. Since this is tax season, I and other tax professionals have voluntarily self-quarantined ourselves for the next month and a half.

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Studying 'Split-Brain' Patients Taught Scientists Strange Things About the Brain

Some of the most amazing discoveries in neuroscience have come out of unusual brain conditions. For instance, Phineas Gage's devastating railway accident showed 19th-century scientists that the brain …

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‘Our sense of belonging within a legal system derives from our relationship to property, real or personal.’

The provocative title statement is approached from two perspectives in this critical discussion. In Part 1, the title statement strengths are reflected by the different ways that property rights have attracted such extensive England and Wales (EW) legal system attention. The accepted real and personal property definitions (as supplemented by modern-day Intellectual Property (IP) rights) lend seemingly compelling support to the view that property rights of all kinds dominate how individuals (persons and companies alike) are connected to the legal system. It is suggested that no sensible person can doubt that property-based relationships have been a core legal system feature for centuries (Choo, 2018, p.394).

In Part 2, an alternative, competing proposition is advanced that raises significant doubts concerning present day title statement accuracy. It has become apparent that human rights concepts are now a dominant (and seemingly pervasive) connection that many people rely upon when claiming a contemporary legal system 'sense of belonging'. European Convention on Human Rights 1950 (ECHR) Article 8 privacy and family life guarantees, Article 9 religious belief, and selected EW case law examples are used to support this human rights-based counter-argument. The different property based relationships that exist between the EW legal system and its society remain important. However, these Part 2 examples illustrate how human rights' universality ensures that anyone (including persons without any property rights to assert), can secure effective legal system recognition and rights enforcement in a much wider range of circumstances than more limiting property-based relationships.

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Psychology Around the Net: December 7, 2019

This week's Psychology Around the Net takes a look at what to do if you think your child is at risk for mental illness, why self-regulation is so important for people with ADHD, the symptoms of problematic smartphone use, and the mental and physical fatigue that often accompanies chronic illness, and more. 

 Does Mental Illness Run in Families?: What should you do if you suspect your child is at risk of developing a mental disorder — especially when mental illness runs in your family? According to psychologist Scott Bea PsyD, an important first step is helping your child build resilience, a personality trait that helps children deal with the emotions caused by their thoughts. He goes on to suggest simple steps parents can do to help their child be emotionally strong before any real symptoms emerge. 

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