Social media: Alone or together?
Posted: March 25, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cell phones, communication, social media, stress Leave a commentPushing a baby carriage the caretaker texts or talks on the phone instead of cooing the infant. Dining at restaurants, couples check emails, search the web, text, or tweet telling others what they are doing instead of talking with each other. In hallways at universities students collapse against the walls looking at their tablets or smart phones instead of meeting other students. In lecture halls students text or search the web instead of processing the class materials. In their cubicle at work employees email and text instead of walking over to the next cubicle to share information. On the sidewalk pedestrians text while being oblivious to the environment.
All new innovations and inventions have a positive and negative side (e.g., nuclear medicine and atomic weapons). When adopting the new social media and technologies, use the precautionary principle by respecting our evolutionary background. In-depth communication and sharing is healing and nurturing, thus create/demand enough time to explore and connect in actual face-to-face synchronous communication with family, friends and colleagues.
Most new technology has been met with naysayers until it has been integrated appropriately into our lives. Nevertheless, I am concerned how social media may substitute for actual communication. It may allow us to present our persona and hide our real self as our messages ping back and forth. This same asynchronous communication is also true for letter writing except that it takes much longer to receive feedback in return. The obvious difference between texting/tweeting and letter writing is the possible depth and length of the communication. The addictive social media communication may hinder social and emotional growth which is developed during actual face-to-face communication. Before deciding whether the social media causes harm –anything that is beneficial may also in excessive dosages cause harm– read Alison Gonik’ essay, The kid who wouldn’t let go of ‘the device’ which was published in the March 22-23, 2014 issue of the Wall Street Journal.
Although there are many advantages of the new digital devices, there may also be unintended consequences. These consequences are superbly explored by professor Sherry Turkle, founder and director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, in her book, Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other and in her Ted talk, Connected but all alone.
These concepts are also graphically illustrated in the video clip, The innovation of loneliness.
Surviving end-stage liver cancer with the Gorter treatment: A patient’s perspective
Posted: March 13, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cancer, dendritic cell, hyperthermia, liver cancer, remission 1 CommentWillem Kloosterboer describes his successful recovery of end-stage liver cancer with the Gorter protocol. The concepts and treatment protocol of this non-invasive treatment with hyperthermia and dendritic cell vaccination is described our book Fighting Cancer: A non-toxic approach to treatment. The short documentary is in Dutch with English subtitles.
Video link for this video: https://vimeo.com/63555498
Additional documentaries from cancer patients sharing their experience as they experienced total remission. All these patients were in the final & last stages of their disease and are now have lived for years and years cancer free. These patients are followed up every two years.
One of the remarkable documentary is of a boat tour through the Amsterdam canals with about 50 Dutch patients. These are all people who had stage four terminal cancer are interviewed while on the boat. It is heart warming to hear them say: “8 years ago I was told to have 2 to 3 months maximum to live and now I am cancer free since years and never thought I could make a boat trip like this at that time” To see the videos click on the following link:
https://vimeo.com/channels/mcctestimonials/page:1
Screens will hurt your children
Posted: March 11, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: ADHD, attention, cell phones, exercise, smart phones, tablets 2 CommentsWe park children in front of tablets, smartphone, computers and TVs. The visual and auditory stimulation captures their attention. It is a superb baby sitter. We substitute electronic displays for human attention.
To distract the baby at dinner in a restaurant, we hand the baby a smartphone. To have some private time, we let the child play games on the tablet. To reduce stress before dinner, we hand the child the tablet to watch video clips or play games. The short term benefits of letting handheld devices capture the child’s attention may have long term costs.
The child sits, sits and sits while being captured by the rapid changing visual scenes and auditory sounds instead of playing and enhancing motor development. The addictiveness of electronic devices occurs because we automatically attend to and are captured by rapidly changing stimuli—it is new and could be dangerous. This reaction to attend which is continuously evoked by the handheld devices may occur at the expense of developing self-directed attention.
The handheld devices expose the brain and dividing cells to electromagnetic radiation which can harmful. This is the radiation by which hand held devices communicates with connect cell phone towers or the server as it connects to the web.
From the precautionary principle and the numerous research studies, young children should limit the use of hand held devices. I totally agree with Cris Rowan’s superb blog, 10 Reasons Why Handheld Devices Should Be Banned for Children Under the Age of 12, which is reprinted below with her permission.
10 Reasons Why Handheld Devices Should Be Banned for Children Under the Age of 12
Cris Rowan pediatric occupational therapist, biologist, speaker, author
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Society of Pediatrics state infants aged 0-2 years should not have any exposure to technology, 3-5 years be restricted to one hour per day, and 6-18 years restricted to 2 hours per day (AAP 2001/13, CPS 2010). Children and youth use 4-5 times the recommended amount of technology, with serious and often life threatening consequences (Kaiser Foundation 2010, Active Healthy Kids Canada 2012). Handheld devices (cell phones, tablets, electronic games) have dramatically increased the accessibility and usage of technology, especially by very young children (Common Sense Media, 2013). As a pediatric occupational therapist, I’m calling on parents, teachers and governments to ban the use of all handheld devices for children under the age of 12 years. Following are 10 research-based reasons for this ban. Please visit zonein.ca to view the Zone’s Fact Sheet for referenced research.
1. Rapid brain growth
Between 0 and 2 years, infant’s brains triple in size and continue in a state of rapid development to 21 years of age (Christakis 2011). Early brain development is determined by environmental stimuli or lack thereof. Stimulation to a developing brain caused by overexposure to technologies (cell phones, internet, iPads, TV), has been shown to be associated with executive functioning and attention deficit, cognitive delays, impaired learning, increased impulsivity and decreased ability to self-regulate e.g. tantrums (Small 2008, Pagini 2010).
2. Delayed Development
Technology use restricts movement, which can result in delayed development. One in three children now enter school developmentally delayed, negatively impacting literacy and academic achievement (HELP EDI Maps 2013). Movement enhances attention and learning ability (Ratey 2008). Use of technology under the age of 12 years is detrimental to child development and learning (Rowan 2010).
3. Epidemic Obesity
TV and video game use correlates with increased obesity (Tremblay 2005). Children who are allowed a device in their bedrooms have 30% increased incidence of obesity (Feng 2011). One in four Canadian, and one in three U.S. children are obese (Tremblay 2011). 30% of children with obesity will develop diabetes, and obese individuals are at higher risk for early stroke and heart attack, gravely shortening life expectancy (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2010). Largely due to obesity, 21st century children may be the first generation many of whom will not outlive their parents (Professor Andrew Prentice, BBC News 2002).
4. Sleep Deprivation
60% of parents do not supervise their child’s technology usage, and 75% of children are allowed technology in their bedrooms (Kaiser Foundation 2010). 75% of children aged 9 and 10 years are sleep deprived to the extent that their grades are detrimentally impacted (Boston College 2012).
5. Mental Illness
Technology overuse is implicated as a causal factor in rising rates of child depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, attention deficit, autism, bipolar disorder, psychosis and problematic child behavior (Bristol University 2010, Mentzoni 2011, Shin 2011, Liberatore 2011, Robinson 2008). One in six Canadian children have a diagnosed mental illness, many of whom are on dangerous psychotropic medication (Waddell 2007).
6. Aggression
Violent media content can cause child aggression (Anderson, 2007). Young children are increasingly exposed to rising incidence of physical and sexual violence in today’s media. “Grand Theft Auto V” portrays explicit sex, murder, rape, torture and mutilation, as do many movies and TV shows. The U.S. has categorized media violence as a Public Health Risk due to causal impact on child aggression (Huesmann 2007). Media reports increased use of restraints and seclusion rooms with children who exhibit uncontrolled aggression.
7. Digital dementia
High speed media content can contribute to attention deficit, as well as decreased concentration and memory, due to the brain pruning neuronal tracks to the frontal cortex (Christakis 2004, Small 2008). Children who can’t pay attention can’t learn.
8. Addictions
As parents attach more and more to technology, they are detaching from their children. In the absence of parental attachment, detached children can attach to devices, which can result in addiction (Rowan 2010). One in 11 children aged 8-18 years are addicted to technology (Gentile 2009).
9. Radiation emission
In May of 2011, the World Health Organization classified cell phones (and other wireless devices) as a category 2B risk (possible carcinogen) due to radiation emission (WHO 2011). James McNamee with Health Canada in October of 2011 issued a cautionary warning stating “Children are more sensitive to a variety of agents than adults as their brains and immune systems are still developing, so you can’t say the risk would be equal for a small adult as for a child.” (Globe and Mail 2011). In December, 2013 Dr. Anthony Miller from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health recommend that based on new research, radio frequency exposure should be reclassified as a 2A (probable carcinogen), not a 2B (possible carcinogen). American Academy of Pediatrics requested review of EMF radiation emissions from technology devices, citing three reasons regarding impact on children (AAP 2013).
10. Unsustainable
The ways in which children are raised and educated with technology are no longer sustainable (Rowan 2010). Children are our future, but there is no future for children who overuse technology. A team-based approach is necessary and urgent in order to reduce the use of technology by children. Please reference below slide shows on www.zonein.ca under “videos” to share with others who are concerned about technology overuse by children.
Problems – Suffer the Children – 4 minutes
Solutions – Balanced Technology Management – 7 minutes
The following Technology Use Guidelines for children and youth were developed by Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist and author of Virtual Child; Dr. Andrew Doan, neuroscientist and author of Hooked on Games; and Dr. Hilarie Cash, Director of reSTART Internet Addiction Recovery Program and author of Video Games and Your Kids, with contribution from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric Society in an effort to ensure sustainable futures for all children.
Technology Use Guidelines for Children and Youth
Please contact Cris Rowan at info@zonein.ca for additional information. © Zone’in February
Follow Cris Rowan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/zoneinprograms
Medication can reduce functional health in schizophrenia-we must do long term follow up
Posted: March 8, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: medication, Quality of life, Schizophrenia Leave a commentIn the late 19th and early 20th century, numerous people with schizophrenia recovered and lived functional lives without receiving pharmaceutical treatment (Whitaker, 2011). The spontaneous recovery has changed since advent of barbiturates and the use of antipsychotic medications. With medication, the initial schizophrenic crises can be more easily managed– patients have less disruptive symptoms although they slow down and often life in a mental fog. Now there is new doubt about the efficacy of long term use of antipsychotic medication treatment as reported by science writer Clare Wilson in her New Scientist article, “Rethinking schizophrenia: taming demons without drugs”. She point out that there have been no long term comparative outcome studies between continued drug treatment and stopping drug treatment except for observing the increase in serious side effects such as tardive dyskinesia.
Psychiatrist Wunderlink and colleagues (2113) in the Netherlands have just published an outstanding controlled study. They showed that when the people were assigned to either a medication or stopped medication group, the stopped medication group did nearly twice well over the long term. In the short term, the stopped medication group had a higher relapse rate. However, at the end of seven years they showed significant lower relapse rate and double the rate of having functional lives (e.g., holding down a job and looking after themselves) than the group that continued to take medication as shown in figure 1 and 2.
Figure 1. Long term study showing the benefit of minimal or no drugs after the initial schizophrenic episode as compared to continued medication. From: Wilson, C. (2014). Rethinking schizophrenia: taming demons without drugs. New Scientist, 221(2955), 32-35; based upon the published research by Wunderink, et al, 2013.
Figure 2. Long term out of the ability to hold down a job or look after themselves. Those who were assigned to the minimal or no drug group had a significant improvement in functional recovery. From: Wilson, C. (2014). Rethinking schizophrenia: taming demons without drugs. New Scientist, 221(2955), 32-35; based upon the published research by Wunderink, et al, 2013.
This study points out the importance of not generalizing from short term benefits which are so often augmented by active placebo factors. As the Dutch study showed, there is more harm than benefit from long term medication use in the treatment of schizophrenia. Similar results have also been reported in long term use of sleeping medication—it increases mortality risk by 25%. Long term chronic medication may cause different outcomes than for short term crises use. When medication is taken over an extended period of time, the body will adapt to achieve homeostasis. Namely, it will reduce or increase endogenous neurotransmitters or receptors to compensate for the increase presence of the drug. When the medication is withdrawn, the symptoms are now worse because the neurotransmitter or receptor have been changed and they takes time to regenerate. This process is similar to having a caffeine withdrawal headache. Drinking caffeine, induced vasoconstriction, the body compensates by reducing its own vasoconstriction. Then, when caffeine is stopped, the blood vessels dilate too much and a headache results. It usually resolves itself in a few days as the body rebalanced.
The reported results that the minimal or no drug group did so much better confirms the observations that numerous people with schizophrenia in the late 19th century and early 20th century could regain functional recovery unlike what occurred after the use of antipsychotic medication treatment (for more discussion on this topic see the superb book by Robert Whitaker, Anatomy of an Epidemic.
Finally, this post is a reminder to doubt the benefits of medication for ongoing long term use based upon short term studies.
REFERENCES
Whitaker, R. (2011). Anatomy of an epidemic: Magic bullets, psychiatric drugs, and the astonishing rise of mental illness in America. Random House.r
Entrepreneurship, work and life balance: a must read
Posted: March 4, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Book, entrepreneurship, resilience, startups Leave a commentI am very proud that my son just published his novel, Uncommon Stock. It’s a fictional thriller about two entrepreneurs starting a new technology company.
One of the most powerful pieces of the book that resonated with me was its focus on resilience, the ability to bounce back after a setback/disaster, with total commitment towards achieving a specific. For young students searching for a career, parents of children who are striking out on a career, teachers who counsel students on career choices and clinicians who help clients learn work/life balance and enhance health, they may be unaware of the dynamic emotional and commitment struggles that underlie successful entrepreneurship.
Uncommon Stock explores many of these themes and how they impact our next generation of leaders. Once I started the book, I was captured and did not put it down. When I finished I realized that not only was it a great entertainment for my plane ride, it also gave me remarkable insight in the trials and tribulations of my students and many young adults who are the new Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.
It is a must read for any student thinking about striking out on their own and creating a business. Every business major should own a copy. Finally, it provides constant insights for adults who teach or counsel young people and parents trying to understand their children. Plus, it’s perfect entertainment for a rainy afternoon.
The book is now available from Amazon and other major retailers. Your can also download a free excerpt here.
the peper perspective 