Monday, February 6, 2023

auditory halluciantions

https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/decoding-the-voices-of-schizophrenia

Q: Where do the inner voices psychotics hear come from?

A: Psychotics actually hear their own inner voices in their heads that they think about so INTENTLY and REPEATEDLY.

Proof: in the 50's psychiatrist LOUIS GOULD used an EMG (electromyography) that measures MUSCLE ACTIVATION and proved that while psychotics are having auditory hallucinations, the EMG recordings increased vs. normal individuals.

Scientists believe psychotics who do not recognize their own voice have a DEFECT in the "RECOGNITION CIRCUIT" in the brain creating a mismatch between their own voice and the voices they hear. 

However, when they don't see anyone else speaking, they assume the voices come from inside their heads.

 

Thursday, December 29, 2022

antisocial narcissitic personality

source: forwarded email in 2016 by choncho s.

Understanding Duterte: What a psych report says

"Tough-talking" may be the most-used description for Davao city mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte, but it seems that his attitude and personality are caused by a psychological condition, according to court records.

Details on how Duterte thinks were made public after a report prepared by a psychologist was entered into as evidence in the annulment proceedings initiated by his former wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman.

A report prepared by Dr. Natividad Dayan, former president of the International Council of Psychologists, concluded that Duterte was suffering from "Antisocial Narcissistic Personality Disorder,” a condition characterized by "gross indifference, insensitivity and self-centeredness," "grandiose sense of self-entitlement and manipulative behaviors" and "pervasive tendency to demean, humiliate others and violate their rights and feelings."

Zimmerman filed a petition for declaration of nullity of marriage in 1998 before the Regional Trial Court of Pasig City, alleging Duterte’s psychological incapacity.

Zimmerman, who was married to Duterte since 1973, had been residing in Pasay City at that time after their marriage turned sour 10 years prior.

'MISERABLE AND UNHAPPY'

Duterte and Zimmerman separated in July 1998. However, their marriage turned for the worse 10 years prior and they started sleeping on separate beds as a result.

"Miserable and unhappy," that was how Zimmerman described her marriage with Duterte when she took the stand, under oath and in open court.

As narrated in a decision penned by Judge Pablo M. Roxas, which granted Zimmerman's petition for nullity of marriage, Zimmerman said that her marriage with the presidential aspirant was marred with the latter’s womanizing and volatile temper.

According to official court documents, Zimmerman testified that sometime after the birth of their second child, Sara, in 1978, a woman, who introduced herself as Duterte's mistress, confronted her to inform her of her husband's illicit liaisons.

During a confrontation with Duterte, the latter acknowledged the affair and said that it was only a scheme to get back at him since his affair with said woman had gone sour.

Zimmerman testified that Duterte's womanizing continued as he had several affairs with other women while he was a prosecutor. According to Zimmerman, Duterte's womanizing worsened when he became an OIC-vice mayor of Davao City, with the politician flaunting his other women and introducing them to his friends as "Mrs. Duterte."

When confronted again about his womanizing, Duterte told Zimmerman, based on court records, “Leave me alone. I know what I am doing."

PERSONALITY DISORDER

Dayan said in her psychological report that Zimmerman suffered a “Partner Relational Problem” caused by "severe stress during her marriage to Rodrigo," and that she will continue to suffer if she remained married to her husband.

The psychological assessment concluded that Duterte was "psychologically incapacitated to handle essential marital obligations." Moreover, Duterte's antisocial narcissistic personality disorder was found to have existed prior to his marriage to Zimmerman.

A clinical examination conducted on Duterte confirmed that he was suffering from “Antisocial Narcissistic Personality Disorder.”

Among the features of said personality disorder are "inability for loyalty and commitment, gross indifference to others' needs and feelings, heightened by lack of capacity for remorse and guilt."

For years, Duterte had been criticized for his alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City–and his apparent lack of remorse for it.

In more than one instance, Duterte admitted, perhaps in jest, to killing scores of individuals allegedly involved in criminal activities before they received their day in court.

The mayor previously admitted his links to the Davao Death Squad, which is allegedly responsible for summary executions of criminals in the city. He also warned he will kill up to 100,000 criminals if he is elected president.

In a television interview, Duterte was unapologetic about his actions and even dared the group to file a case against him in court.

"Ako, ako daw death squad? True, that's true," Duterte said on air.

He also said that instead of 1,000 dead criminals, the number might rise to 50,000 dead if he is elected president.

"Pag naging presidente ako, magtago na kayo. Yung 1,000 na ‘yan it would reach 50,000. I will kill all you [expletive] breaking the life of the Filipino miserable. Papatayin ko talaga kayo."

 I do not want to commit a crime but if by chance, God will place me there, magbantay kayo. Yung 1,000, magiging 100,000. Dyan mo makita tataba yung isda sa Manila Bay. Dyan ko kayo itapon," Duterte said.

'IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION AND POOR JUDGMENT'

Results of Dayan's examination of Duterte showed that the mayor is likely to be "a highly impulsive individual who has difficulty controlling his urges and emotions. He is unable to reflect on the consequences of his actions."

"Immediate gratification of his [Duterte's] needs and desires is always expected; any delay can upset him a great deal," the assessment said.

The psychological assessment also found Duterte capable of destructive behavior and has poor capacity for objective judgment.

"Such lack of self-discipline often leads him to engage in unhealthy or destructive behaviors. However, he is not apt to see his behaviors as such, and instead sees these as merely exciting and challenging," the assessment found.

“As it is, he has poor capacity for objective judgment. He fails to see things in the light of facts, or at least from the point of view of most people. He interprets his actions solely from his own viewpoint, which is blemished by his personal needs, biases and prejudices,” it continued.

Duterte also tends to rationalize and justify his wrongdoings, according to the psychological assessment.

“For all his wrongdoings, he tends to rationalize and feel justified. Hence, he seldom feels a sense of guilt or remorse.”

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Schizophrenia may be due to an overactive immune system (2015 study)

 https://www.popsci.com/an-overactive-immune-system-might-cause-schizophrenia/?dom=tw&src=SOC

>Conclusion: "the authors found that people with schizophrenia (& those at highest risk for the disease to set it) may have OVERACTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEMS working in their brains."

>n = 56 healthy vs Schiz (51 million worldwide) & Hi risk

>method: MICROGLIA cells (protects brain & CNS from pathogens that attack it) injected with radioactive biomarkers that would stick to the cells and show up in scans

>result: those with schiz & hi-risk had MORE microglia cells activity in the brain



>why? Ho: since microglia cells also WEED OUT unnecessary brain connections, the overactive microglia might be TOO OVERZEALOUS, destroying connections that the brains need so that it no longer functions properly

>current knowledge: schiz onset is 16-30 y/o -- the brain just finished its 2nd big synaptic pruning during adolescence

                             : previous studies of schiz pxs indicate that IMMUNE SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION might be written into their genetic codes

>suggested possible treatment: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY agents to SUPPRESS microglial activity  

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

DSM history of Personality Disorders' inclusion

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_disorder




Thursday, September 1, 2022

self-injury definition

 https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/self-injury-survey/?ref

In this survey, we want to learn more about times when you’ve hurt yourself on purpose without wanting to die. When we say self-injury, we mean doing something that causes immediate pain or physical injury.

  • Self-injury includes things like cutting, burning, or scratching your skin*.
  • Self-injury does not include things that don’t cause immediate pain, like eating too much or too little, using drugs or alcohol, or over-exercising.
  • Self-injury also does not include things that cause immediate pain but are socially acceptable, like getting piercings and tattoos.
======================================================================
*i was struck by "SCRATCHING YOUR SKIN" :-) well, dermatitis is stress-related, but not technically speaking, self-harm but could it be called "micro self-harm"? :-)
oh, I've had service users who use sharp objects to scratch their skin as though writing on it! i think this is what is intended here...

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

t/c anorexia nervosa (my first case)

 30 aug 2022

18M HPI: 10 mos PTC started self-harming (4x) due to perceived inability to live up to parental expectations. thoughts prior to self-harm "I am fat" which is contrary to reality (saw him on video cam), leading to lowered appetite.

i thought of referring him to psychiatry but I found out it was one of our psychiatrists who referred him for psychotherapy, saying that his case is not psychiatric.

i was considering the possibility of body dysmorphic disorder (under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders), but criterion D rules out "concerns with body fat or weight". 

what i forgot to ask was criterion A. PHYSICAL weight loss* defined for adults as "less than minimally normal". B. is PSYCHOLOGICAL -- "intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat".

to code:

F50.01 restrictive type -- c/o diet, fast &/or excessive exercise

F50.02 -- c/o bing eating or purging

*severity is c/o BMI

Thursday, July 21, 2022

2 reasons for self-harm

07/20/2022 22F F33,2. F41.0, F43.10

she used to slash her wrist to overcome the psychological pain with the physical pain

later, she would do it just to feel something because of emotional & physical numbness

bx: OFW father in Saudi separated from mom when SU was 9 y/o; then, in senior high, it was mom's turn to be an OFW in Oman