Is ADHD a fairytale?
What a blessed couple of weeks! Although having loads of the usual pressures, our dream to launch Goldilocks and The Bear Foundation became a reality (see our splash page http://www.gb4adhd.co.za/, or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/gb4adhd/ . This led to extensive media coverage and also radio interviews! During these interviews I became once again aware of the amount of stigma, misconceptions, and myths surrounding the diagnosis of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the treatment thereof – the cause being either a lack of information and knowledge, or misinformation. So let me address some of these myths: Myth 1: ADHD is a new [...]
Finding the blue bird of happiness
Early during 2016 I read the book “The happiness project” (Rubin, 2009) in which the author went in active pursuit of happiness. In this book she chronicles her adventures over the course of a year in which she “tested” the wisdom of ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about being happier. According to current research, in the determination of a person’s level of happiness, genetics account for about 50%; life circumstances (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, income, health, occupation and religion) account for 10% to 20%; and the remainder is a product of how a [...]
Fat pharms: does your medication make you fat?
Not a day in my practice goes by without a patient complaining about their weight gain. So often the antidepressants are blamed. The simple answer is that weight is a straightforward mathematical calculation: you can only gain weight if you consume more kilojoules than what you burn, and vice versa. But is it really so simple?
The self-esteem conundrum: those who need it, don’t have it; and those who have it, don’t need it (or do they?)
Not a day in my practice goes by where parents do not raise their concern about their child’s poor self-esteem, a mother complains of her feelings of worthlessness, or a top-student or highly successful businessman confesses his or her insecurities. What is self-esteem? Why is self-esteem so elusive? Do we even need self-esteem? Can we improve it? […]
When happiness fades: the poop-out effect
“The medication doesn’t work anymore,” is a sentence I often hear. But why would your medication stop working? Is it even possible? The answer is yes. Bacteria can get resistant against antibiotics and when we become addicted to something like painkillers, sleeping tablets, or alcohol, our body develops a tolerance for these and you find yourself in a situation where you require more in order to obtain the same effect. […]
“Time-out” for adults
In today’s rushed life if you’re not mindful of the fast pace of life and the pressure you encounter on a daily basis, you will most likely end up in the wilderness of burnout: a place of emotional exhaustion, disengagement, and decreased performance. A powerful way to avoid experiencing burnout is to practice good self-care regularly. […]
