Human Rights Violations, Psychological Damage and Caster Semenya

13 Aug 201213 Aug 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHC3 Comments

Most of us know Mokgadi Caster Semenya as the South African middle-distance runner who’s gender came into question after she blew away her competition during the women’s 800 meters at the 2009 World Championships with a then world record time of 1:55.45.

I remember when her gender came into question first in the media, then among my peers who insisted due to Semenya’s masculine appearance, voice and astonishing athletic feats, that she had to be a man, or at the minimum, not all woman.

The International Associate of Athletics Federation (IAAF) reported that they had to investigate Semenya after she made improvements in both her 800 and 1500 meter times by 8 seconds and 25 seconds respectfully, improvements in performance that usually arouse suspicions of performance enhancement drugs (PEDs) use. At this time, the IAAF also tricked Semenya and performed a gender test without her permission, something she confirmed during an interview with NBC before her Olympic race in London. Semenya stated that she knew she was being tested for PEDs, something she was used to, but didn’t know she was going through a gender test until the testing became more of a violation, poking and probing in areas she knew weren’t part of any PEDs test she had ever been through.

If this is true, which various sources confirm, it is a violation of her human rights. Furthermore, she had to seek the legal services of Dewey & LeBoeuf who are acting pro bono to make sure her legal, human and civil rights will not be further violated.

After more gender tests and speculation over her eligibility to compete as a woman, the IAAF finally cleared her in July 2010 to return to competition as a woman and has yet to release their findings from her gender tests. Since her medical records are private, it may never be known if much of the embarrassment and scrutiny Semenya was subjected to was all for nothing, but one would suspect that if the IAAF had enough evidence to suggest Semenya wasn’t “technically” a woman, they would have released it.

I have to imagine that this young lady, at the time this all began she was only 18, suffered imaginable psychological damages having the world not only question who she was as a person, but to be examined like an animal with the world waiting for the results.

Since returning to international racing Semenya hasn’t been her self. During her 800 race in the London Olympics she got silver after trailing most of the race and only running hard towards the end to secure a second place finish. Many commentators, sport analyst and spectators commented that Semenya seemed to lose the race on purpose, saying that she didn’t seem tired after the race, much like she had in an earlier international race where she got a silver. If this is true, it is sad, but can you see why someone who previously fell under world scrutiny after finishing first, would purposely opt out of being in that position again.

In an interview after the race, Semenya stated that her head just wasn’t into it. This is the Olympics, what professional athlete’s head is not into their Olympic event? Maybe one who had her human rights violated and was kept out of competition while the IAAF tried to verify her gender which indeed caused an untold amount of psychological damage.

In that same interview with NBC, Semenya asked the interviewer, Mary Carillo how she would feel if she was subjected to the same scrutiny while the world watched through a microscope and the interviewer had no response. Semenya stated “you might even think about taking a suicide” which to me suggests at some point, Semenya did indeed think about committing suicide. I am so glad that she was strong enough, confident enough and resilient enough to overcome that destructive and irreversible thought. Now if only her psychological damages can be healed enough where she can feel free to race at her best and win without fear of once against being cast into the world spotlight for anything other than being one of the best women 800 meters runners ever.

Popular Psychology

How to Resuscitate Your Life

30 Jul 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHCLeave a Comment

The other day as I was sitting in a CPR recertification class, I couldn’t help but to think how could I apply the principles of CPR to my daily life.

Compressions

In the CPR recertification class we were taught that compressions are the most important part of CPR, keeping the blood flowing through the body. That got me to thinking that when it comes to resuscitating your life, perhaps the most important thing is to find, or rediscover the things you love and actually do them.

Many of us have hobbies or things we love to do, yet often allow the stressors of daily life to rob us of those joys and before we know it, it’s been weeks, months and sometimes even years since we’ve done those very things we claim to love. As a result we often find ourselves feeling drained, burnt out and unhappy as our time is spent more and more with obligations and less and less with the things that actually make us excited about life. This leads many of us to feel like we have lost a part of ourselves and sometimes don’t even know who we are because the real us has been smothered by this other person who doesn’t have time to do the things that actually make our hearts beat with joy.

Breathing

The second part of CPR is breathing, and I take that to mean breathing life back into yourself. Sometimes it’s easy to just come home from work and do nothing because we are tired and before we know it, a whole year has passed by without us accomplishing many of our goals or developing our personal lives the way we would have wanted to. We have to find motivation and inspiration to actually live life, be active participates in life and not just participate in it passively. What is it you need to do to breath life back into yourself? Maybe it’s getting up and going for a walk instead of taking a nap, or calling a friend instead of texting. Maybe it’s registering for a class you’ve always wanted to take, but never find the time or motivation to actually do it. Our maybe it’s surrounding yourself with people you know will help breath life back into you.

AED

Lastly, if all else fails in CPR, an Automatic External Defibrillator may be required to try to shock the person back into life. Do you need a jolt? Do you need to jump in head first in order to get past your initially trepidation? I know a friend who was afraid of heights and he signed up to sky dive as a way to overcome his fear. I’m not suggestion something so drastic, but what I am suggesting is that you push yourself out of your comfort zone if you know the reward for that is worth it. I know overweight people who are afraid to join gyms because they think people will look at them. Truth is, most people in a gym could care less and will actually compliment them when they start seeing results. They could find encouragement there, make friends, find motivation, but they can’t get over that initial fear enough to even step foot into the gym. Do you need to push yourself through that door, step into that uncomfortableness, recognize and accept that you feel uncomfortable, but know that it will pass and you will be a better person because of it?

Here is a very short list of suggestions, I would like to hear more from you and you can always create your own personalized list. Now, go out and reclaim your life!

Eat some chocolate
Go for a walk
Take a three minute breathing space
Do something pleasureable
Meditate
Be mindful of yourself and surroundings (mindfulness is something we will talk about in another post)
Keep a gratitude journal
Go to a movie
Go for a walk
Call an old friend

Popular Psychology

What Your Dreams Are Trying to Tell You

6 Jul 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHC2 Comments

The other day a client came to me with anxiety over the dreams she had been having lately. They were unpleasant dreams about family members, both deceased and alive and left her scared to go to sleep each night. That got me to thinking more about dreams and what they are trying to tell us. I am not a dream analysis, but I will share what I believe and what I know from personal experience and from others experience.

Your Dreams are Trying to Tell You Something?

I truly believe that most of our dreams are not only trying to tell us something from our unconscious, but that they are actually trying to help us understand something. They are also often related to something that happened during the day. Perhaps an unpleasant interaction we had with someone and didn’t really give it much conscious thought, but our subconscious held on to it for whatever reason. As a matter of fact, unresolved issues, feelings and situations play a major part in our dreams. If you are angry with someone and haven’t dealt with it, that anger and those thoughts can find their way into your dreams and play themselves out.

Also certain things like smells or sounds can trigger things in our subconscious that play out during our dreams. Maybe you smelled a hint of a fragrance that reminded you of an old flame and you didn’t give it a second of conscious thought, but later that night you find yourself dreaming about him or her.

The bad part is that our dreams are often complicated, fuzzy or confusing which makes it hard to analyze some of them, but the feeling you have when you wake up from a dream is usually the key to understanding what the dream is trying to tell you and help you with. Did you wake up angry, sad, scared? That is usually the key to what the dream is trying to show and help you with.

Also, something I learned in a graduate school is that many dream analyst believe that EVERYTHING in the dream is YOU. They believe that if you dream about a dog getting hit by a car it was running away from, that it could mean you are afraid of something within yourself and are trying to run away from it. Interesting isn’t it?

Even bad and scary dreams are trying to help us understand or show us something. Lucky some dreams aren’t confusing and are quite easy to understand. Because dreams can be so fleeting and eluding, it is a good idea to keep a dream journal next to your bed so that you can capture those dreams while they are fresh and analyze them later.

Emotional Detachment

27 Jun 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHC2 Comments

I was speaking with a friend of mine today who is also a fellow counselor when we got on the subject of emotional detachment. It wasn’t until then that I had a sort of “aha moment” and realized that even just the word detachment gives me an ill feeling and saying it feels like I am saying a four letter word.

See, I have an issue with detachment, it’s one of my flaws. I often hold onto people (and things) far too long out of fear of letting go, even when letting go and detaching is exactly what’s needed to free myself and the other person.

I know from my clinical work that many other people also suffer from detaching from bad relationships, bad friends, bad family members and bad situations for many of the same reasons I do. Some people I’ve counseled are so attached to toxic relationships that they can never truly realize their potential if they don’t learn to detach. What ends up happening for me and countless others who stay in situations/relationships that they should have let go is a build up of resentment, anger, and often times decreased self-esteem and self-efficacy.

Detaching can be hard and confusing because there isn’t always a right or wrong time to do it. If we detach from a person too soon we may feel like we didn’t try hard enough to make it work or that we gave up too easily. There is often unclear lines between not trying enough and trying too hard. And sometimes there are control issues at play. We don’t detach from a person or situation because we are trying to control that person or situation. For example, a woman may have a hard time detaching from an abusive husband because she really loves him, thinks that if he just calmed down and quit drinking he’d be an awesome person, so she stays in that volatile situation trying to change/control him although detaching from him would serve her better. A man may stay with a cheating wife who disrespects him over and over because he thinks he can “make her” love him and only him.

And then there are people who detach too easily, never allowing themselves or others the opportunity to nurture relationships and situations. You have to be listen to your heart and know when it’s time to let go, even if letting go is the last thing you want to do.

Detachment to me often times feels wrong even when it’s right and that is something I have to work on. It makes me stay in bad relationships and friendships far too long thinking that detachment is betrayal and telling someone “I don’t care about you any more”. In reality, detachment is a form of self-care and we all need to know how to care of ourselves and be responsible for ourselves and let other people be responsible for themselves. Detachment is also a form of setting healthy boundaries and not allowing others to take advantage or hurt us and vice-versa.

Detachment is not a bad word or a bad thing to do when it becomes apparent that it is what’s needed. Detachment doesn’t mean that you don’t care about the other person, but that you do care enough about yourself that you won’t allow yourself to keep getting hurt, used or neglected, and that you care enough about the other person to let them go. Sometimes we have to detach ourselves from people we like or even love. Setting yourself and setting someone else free is sometimes the best gift you can give to yourself and that person.

Detachment is easier from some than for others. If you want more information on detachment and letting go, check out The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie. It is one of my favorite books.

Abnormal Psychology, Popular Psychology

On Asperger’s Disorder

17 May 201217 May 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHCLeave a Comment

In the 1940s, a pediatrician working in a clinic in Vienna named Hans Asperger treated several patients who displayed similar symptoms. However, because his work was conducted during World War II, none of it was seen amongst the English-speaking world so it wasn’t until the 1980s that his work was discovered by the English-speaking community and was translated in 1991 by Uta Frith. The characteristic first described by Hans Asperger became known as Asperger’s Disorder.

What Is Asperger’s Disorder?

Just like all of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, children with Asperger’s have trouble relating to others. In some children this means that they do not like interacting with others, or that they do enjoy interacting with others but lack the non-verbal skills (i.e. eye contact, smiling, facial expression, touching) necessary to have full interaction. Having a two way conversation with a child with Asperger’s is often very difficult because they have trouble understanding figures of speech, sarcasm, subtle suggestions and often take speech very literally. These children are also often unaware of their own behavior and can’t relate to other children at their developmental level.

Children with Asperger’s also often have unusual behaviors and interests. Some children become almost obsessed with an object or ideal to the point that they exclude everything else. For example, a young man I worked with was very interested in sports and would talk you to death about sports, but only sports and if you tried to talk to him about anything unrelated to sports he would just go back to talking about sports. In other children, they may have extreme reactions to simple changes to their environment (i.e. movement of furniture or objects) or routine.

While all children with Asperger’s have impairment in social and behavior functions, the degree of impairment differs in each child. To be diagnosed with Asperger’s the symptoms have to be severe enough that it impacts their life (i.e. school functioning, family function, or social life).

How Does Asperger’s Differ from Autistic Disorder?

Asperger’s differs from Autistic Disorder in that there are no significant delays in cognition or language development. Many children with Asperger’s have difficulty with non-verbal communication, hand eye-coordination and may appear clumsy. Some children with Asperger’s have an exceptional vocabulary and may speak earlier than expected. Because children with Asperger’s appear to develop normally, they usually aren’t diagnosed before the age of five while children with Autistic Disorder are generally diagnosed earlier. Some people reach all the way to adulthood without being diagnosed with Asperger’s, whereas children with Autistic Disorder generally aren’t expected to live independently.

Risk for Other Issues

Children with Asperger’s Disorder are often also diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. They are also at a higher risk for Obsessive-Compulsive disorder. Undiagnosed children with Asperger’s often experience depression and social isolation, especially in their adolescent years when peer interactions and relationships become more important.

Diagnostic Criteria (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV)

I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

(A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
(C) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people, (e.g.. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
(D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

(II) Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(A) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(B) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
(C) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
(D) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
(III) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

(IV) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (E.G. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

(V) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction) and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

(VI) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.”

I Think My Child May Have Asperger’s Disorder, What Do I Do?

If you think your child has symptoms of Asperger’s Disorder, contact your physician, school psychologist or a licensed psychologist to initiate an evaluation. Thorough medical, family and developmental histories will be taken, as well as interviews with the family and child as well as behavioral observations to help determine if a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder is correct.

All of the interventions and prognosis for Asperger’s Disorder are basically the same for all the other Pervasive Developmental Disorders and you can find those on my post about Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

Resources

Attwood, Tony. (2006) The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support

(OASIS) http://udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/

Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD): http://card.ufl.edu/

Abnormal Psychology, Popular Psychology, Uncategorized

On Autistic Disorder

16 May 201216 May 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHCLeave a Comment

In my years in the field of mental health, I’ve had the privilege to work briefly with children who had Autistic Disorder. That brief time gave me a tremendous amount of respect for these children, those who work with them regularly as well as the parents who care for them around the clock. The degree of impairment in each child was sometimes drastically different. Some didn’t move from the same spot all day, staring out into space and rocking back and forth while others were very mobile and verbal (even if I couldn’t understand a word they were saying). Most of them were very rigid however in appearance, behavior and psychomotor activity.

If you haven’t done so already, you may want to read the post I wrote on Pervasive Developmental Disorders in order to get a better understanding of Autistic Disorder and all of the other Pervasive Developmental Disorders under the Autism Spectrum.

Autistic Disorder shares a lot in common with all the previously discussed Pervasive Developmental Disorders and is sometimes referred to as early infantile autism or childhood autism. To add to the confusion of labeling, some professionals use Autistic Disorder to describe all five of the pervasive developmental disorders (Autistic Disorder, Rett’s Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger’s disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) under the Autistic spectrum.

Brief Introduction to Autistic Disorder

Autistic Disorder is four times more common in boys than in girls. Children with Autistic Disorder have a moderate to severe range of communication, behavior problems and socialization abilities. Many of them also have mental retardation. It is also thought to be high genetic.

Like all of the other Pervasive Developmental Disorders, parents of children with Autistic Disorder normally notice signs within the first two to three years of life. They usually develop gradually, but sometimes the child will develop normally at first and then regress.

Early behavioral and cognitive interventions are essential in helping children with Autistic Disorder learn to improve their skills of self-care, communication and socialization. Most children with the disorder will never live independently as adults and while there is no cure, they have been reported cases of children who have appeared to recover from it.

Diagnostic Criteria for Autistic Disorder

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) uses these criteria to aid in the diagnosis of Autistic Disorder.

Six or more items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):
1. 1. qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
    1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
    2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
    3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
    4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity
1. qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:
  1. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
  2. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
  3. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
  4. lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level
1. restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
  1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
  2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
  3. stereotyped and repetitive motor manners (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
  4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.
The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett’s Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

For more information visit http://www.autismspeaks.org

Abnormal Psychology, Popular Psychology

Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents

10 May 201210 May 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHC3 Comments

Often times bipolar disorder is thought of as an illness that effects mostly young adults, and while the average age of bipolar disorder is around the age of 21, younger children and teens can also be effected with the disorder, sometimes referred to as pediatric bipolar disorder.

Working in a high school with students who mostly have anger problems, I hear a lot of them talking about their “mood swings” and some of them even call themselves “bipolar” although they have never been officially diagnosed. But almost everyone has mood swings from time to time, so what exactly is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder (sometimes called manic-depressive disorder) is a brain illness characterized by episodes of intense mood swings and behaviors known as mania (high energy, elated, impulsive, etc.) and depression that are usually high or low and shift, generally over days or weeks, and sometimes even blend (mixed episodes). It is not the same as the normal ups and down adolescents and teens go through, it is much more severe.

Early onset bipolar disorder happens in adolescence and the early teenage years and may be more severe than bipolar that develops later in life. There was a time in the past when most experts did not believe that bipolar disorder could happen in childhood, but research shows that at least half of bipolar disorder cases start before the age of 25. Children with bipolar disorder often have co-occurring disorders such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders.

Symptoms

Adolescents and teens exhibiting a manic episode of bipolar disorder may:

Feel very happy and act silly in a way that is unusal
Talk really fast about a lot of different things
Have a short temper
Do risky things (i.e. jumping off of things, dashing in front of cars)
Have trouble sleeping, yet not feel tired
Have trouble staying focused
Talk and think about sex more often (if they are sexually active they may actively seek out sexual encounters)

Adolescents and teens exhibiting a depressive episode of bipolar disorder may:

Sleep too little or too much
Be very sad/depressed
Complain about various pains such as stomach and headaches
Eat too little or too much
Feel very guilty
Be overly emotional and/or sensitive
Have little energy or interest in doing anything
Think/talk about suicide and/or death

Treatments

Treatments for bipolar disorder include medications and psychotherapies including family therapy (it is important that parents taking care of a child with bipolar disorder, just like any other illness, take the time for self-care in order to be healthy and effective caregivers themselves). There is a concern that many children are being over diagnosed with bipolar disorder since in children, bipolar disorder can also look like other disorders such as severe mood dysregulation or temper dysregulation disorder, and some children may not have a disorder at all but be expressing another, normal biopsychological response to life stressors. While there is no way to prevent bipolar disorder, there is ongoing research trying to find a way to delay the onset of symptoms in children with a family history of the disorder.

I currently see 69 adolescents and adults for various reasons and only about three or four I would seriously evaluate for bipoloar disorder and two I have diagnosed with it. One of them is a 15 year old female and her parents are currently in denial of the seriousness of her illness, yet don’t understand why she isn’t getting better although I’ve had to Baker Act (Florida’s statue for involuntary examination of an individual where they are kept up to 72hrs in a hospital for their saftey) due to suicidal thoughts and self-injury. I’ve also referred them repeatedly for medication evaluations, but again, her parents are in denial and think her issue is all behavioral and not a real illness like bipolar disorder. I have another 15 year old girl I diagnosed with bipolar disorder and she is now on medication (Trilecta) and seeing me for cognitive behavioral therapy and is doing a lot better.

Where to go for Help?

As always, your family doctor or mental health professional should be able to direct you to the proper source of help for your child. If not, look up a doctor or mental health facility in your area to have your child evaluated and treated if necessary. If you know someone who is in crisis do not leave them alone, instead get them help, go to an emergency room or call 911 if it is necessary to keep them safe from themselves. If you are in need of help, the same applies and you can also call a free suicide hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8225). Also, www.thebalancedmind.org . Their “Library” section has terrific information on pediatric bipolar disorder as well as an excellent checklist to help you monitor your child’s behavior.

Abnormal Psychology, Popular Psychology

Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections

7 May 20128 May 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHCLeave a Comment

There is a growing hypothesis that there exist in a small subset of children, a form of rapidly forming obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or tic disorder known as PANDAS.

PANDAS is an acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. According to research, these children literally go from “normal” to “abnormal” in the matter of hours. Parents are usually able to pinpoint the exact time and day their child’s behavior changed in the forms of tics (erratic movements or vocalizations), emotional irritability, bed wetting and lose of previous learned motor skills. This is thought to follow exposure to the strep virus (i.e. a strep throat) and appears to be some type of autoimmune reaction.

PANDAS was first proposed during observations and clinical trials by the US National Institute of Health and was verified by further clinical trials, where children, after having been exposed to the streptococcal virus, developed rapid, sudden and dramatic OCD and tic disorder symptoms. There isn’t a 100% cause and effect between streptococcal and PANDAS, or even clear evidence that PANDAS is a separate disorder from Tourettes/OCD, so research is ongoing. Because of this, PANDAS is not yet, or may never be considered a complete disease on it’s on, and there is some discussion that it should be called PANS, an acronym for Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome to further include not just the sudden onset of tics and OCD symptoms following exposure to a previous infection, but the sudden onset in children regardless of a previous infection or not.

What if I Think My Child Has PANDAS and is There a Cure?

Your family doctor or psychiatrist will be able to access and diagnosis whether your child has PANDAS or not. Treatment for PANDAS right now are the same as the treatment for Tourettes and OCD which include cognitive behavioral therapy and medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). As research grows and the PANDAS hypothesis is either further confirmed or denied, other therapies and medication options will become available, but as of right now, there is no cure other than to try to reduce and control the disturbing and undesirable symptoms of PANDAS.

There seems to be a link between previous childhood exposure to infections such as strep throat, to the development of PANDAS, but there isn’t a 100% certain link and you shouldn’t worry too much that exposure to infection in childhood will lead to life long, neuropsychiatric problems. However, there seems to be growing evidence that in some children, this is the case and like with every child, if you notice sudden changes in your child, such as decrease in previous learned motor skills, increased irritability, tics (vocal and/or physical), difficulty sleeping, difficulty eating or any other unusual behaviors, it is very important to have your child seen by a doctor or specialist to not only rule out PANDAS, but also other diseases and pervasive developmental disorders such as Autism, Aspergers and childhood disintergrative disorder.

For more information on PANDAS visit http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/pdn/web.htm

Abnormal Psychology, Popular Psychology

Is Your Child’s Oppositional Behavior ‘Normal’?

4 May 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHCLeave a Comment

Oppositional behavior is often a normal part of childhood, especially around the ages of two to three years of age and early adolescence. Often oppositional behavior occurs when the child is hungry, tired, stressed or irritated. During these periods they may defy their parents, teachers, other caregivers, argue, talk back and be disobedient. These behaviors may be upsetting to parents, but they usually aren’t too upsetting because they fall into the “normal” realm of oppositional behavior expected in childhood. But when does openly defiant, uncooperative and hostile behavior become abnormal and a need for serious concern? When it stands out when compared to other children of the same age and developmental level and when it is so consistent, frequent and disruptive that it affects the child’s personal, school and family life. That’s when normal oppositional behavior becomes Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) present with an ongoing pattern of defiant, hostile and uncooperative behavior towards authority figures that seriously interferes with the child’s daily life in the form of getting in trouble at school frequently or having to be disciplined regularly. Some symptoms of ODD are:

Spiteful attitude and revenge seeking
Often being touchy or easily annoyed by others
Excessive arguing with adults
Frequent temper tantrums
Often questioning rules
Deliberate attempts to annoy or upset people
Active defiance and refusal to comply with adult requests and rules
Mean and hateful talking when upset

Usually these symptoms are exhibited in multiple settings such as at school or at home, although they may be more present in one or the other. While the causes of ODD are unknown, one to sixteen percent of school-aged children/adolescents have it. Parents with children who have ODD often say that their child was more rigid and demanding from an early age compared to their other children who didn’t have ODD. It is widely expected that a combination of psychological, biological and social factors contribute to the development of ODD.

What To Do If You Think Your Child Has ODD

If you think your child has ODD, they will need a comprehensive evaluation that will include checking for other disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder), learning disabilities and anxiety disorders. If these disorders are also present in your child, they will have to be treated as well because it is nearly impossible to treat ODD without also treating any other coexisting disorders. Some children with ODD can go on to develop conduct disorder, which is a much more pathological and destructive disorder.

Treatments for ODD

They are many treatments for ODD that include Parent Management Training Programs which help parents manage the child’s behavior. Individual therapy where the child can learn anger management skills. Family therapy to help the overall family communicate and work more effectively together. Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills Training and Therapies to assist with problem solving and negativity. Social Skills Training to increase flexibility and improve social skills, increase tolerance and decrease frustration with peers.

Medication in some cases is helpful when ODD symptoms are extreme or very distressing or if they coexist with other disorders such as ADHD.

Since ODD children can be very difficult, parents of children with ODD need help, support and understanding. They need self care in the forms of:

Take a time out if you are being extremely stressed by your child and support your child if they decide to take a time out to prevent from getting more upset
Maintain interest in other things besides your child
Pick your battles with your child
Build on the positives, reinforce desired behaviors
Manage your own stress
Set up age appropriate rules and consequences for your child
Don’t be afraid/embarrassed to ask for help

Most children at different stages in their development will exhibit oppositional behavior, that is normal, but when it becomes abnormal, it’s important to know when and who to turn to for help. The Oppositional Defiant Disorder Resource Center (www.aacap.org) is a great resource and a great place to start if you want to know more about ODD.

Popular Psychology

Letting the Dead Die this Easter Sunday

7 Apr 20127 Apr 2012by Torey C. Richards, LMHC3 Comments

Holding on to Dead Stuff

One of the reasons we get cheated out of the most our lives can be is because we hold on to too much dead stuff. Dead relationships, dead jobs and dead dreams.

This Easter, the resurrection, no matter what religion (or no religion) you believe in, can have significant meaning for all of us. Perhaps you are married to something that is dead or holding on to a dream that is dead. Too many of us are holding on to death.

Many of us have dreams that need to die. It’s not the most pleasant thought, but holding on to a dream that will never come to fruition holds us back from realizing the dreams that can and have already come true. It can’t happen until you let that dream die.

A new great relationship can’t happen until you let your old relationship die. You’re tied to something dead.

Your dream job might be right around the corner, but it’s hard if not impossible to get to it if you are holding on to your dead job.

What’s in Your Life that Needs to Die?

This Easter, and periodically afterwards, I want you to examine what is it in your life that needs to die. Maybe it’s a fantasy. Maybe you’re holding out for the perfect person and you’re missing so many other terrific people because you won’t let that fantasy die. This Easter is all about resurrection. Let what is dead go so that you can make room in your life for everything that is waiting to be raised.

Easter represents the the new life we all can find by living in the truth. Let what needs to die die so that this Easter Sunday, and everyday forward, you can be free to be all you were meant and born to be.