Decision due on conjoined twins
November 30, 2008
Doctors will discuss plans to operate on conjoined twins Faith and Hope
Doctors will decide on Tuesday whether to operate and separate a pair of newly-born conjoined twins.
Laura Williams, 18, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, gave birth to the girls, named Faith and Hope, at University College Hospital, London on Wednesday.
Romanians vote in national poll
November 30, 2008
Voters can choose individual candidates as well as party lists for the first time
Romanians are voting in the country’s first parliamentary elections since joining the European Union in 2007.
Betancourt makes Colombia return
November 30, 2008
Ingrid Betancourt is expected to visit other Latin American countries
Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt has made a surprise visit to Colombia for the first time since she was dramatically freed five months ago.
Riots ‘kill hundreds in Nigeria’
November 30, 2008
Vanessa Heaney reports on the violence in Nigeria
Hundreds of people are reported to have been killed in central Nigeria after Christians and Muslims clashed over the result of a local election.
Autumn Tests 2008
November 30, 2008
England (3) 6
Pens: Flood, Armitage
New Zealand (12) 32
Tries: Muliaina 2, Nonu Con: Carter Pens: Carter 5
Conrad Smith and Richie McCaw (right) celebrate one of Mils Muliaina
England were made to pay for their indiscipline as New Zealand comfortably secured a ‘grand slam’ of the home nations on their autumn tour.
Autumn Tests 2008
November 30, 2008
Wales (15) 21
Tries: Williams, Byrne Con: Jones Pens: Jones 2 Drop-goal: Jones
Australia (10) 18
Tries: Chisholm, Ioane Con: Giteau Pen: Giteau Drop-goal: Giteau
Autumn Tests 2008
Wales celebrated their first southern hemisphere scalp in 12 games as the Grand Slam winners beat Australia in a thriller at the Millennium Stadium.
Tensions rise over Thai blockade
November 30, 2008
Protesters occupy Bangkok
Tensions continued to rise in Bangkok as thousands of anti-government protesters occupied the city’s two main airports for a sixth day.
Minister ‘quits’ over Mumbai attacks
November 30, 2008
Protests in Mumbai over the handling of the attacks
Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil has submitted his resignation taking “moral responsibility” for the Mumbai attacks that killed nearly 200 people.
Deal with the trauma of terrorism
November 30, 2008
Mother of hotel management student and trainee of Taj Hotel, Gautam Gosain is consoled by family members, who was killed by terrorists in Mumbai, in Faridabad on Thursday. (Photo PTI)
In one of the most violent terror attacks on the Indian soil, Mumbai came under an unprecedented night attack. Needless to say, the senseless
There are different responses to such traumatic events. Most survivors have intense feelings, but they recover from the ordeal; however, people who have had previous traumatic experiences or who lack support from friends and family face more difficulty in getting their strength back. We get experts to provide you with tips on how to deal with such emotional trauma
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bombings and shootings have caused turmoil and confusion among the people of Mumbai.
Emotional Trauma
“Psychiatric trauma or emotional harm is essentially a normal response to an extreme event. It involves creation of emotional memories about the distressful event that are stored in structures deep within the brain. And if we have direct exposure to the traumatic event there is higher risk of emotional harm, ” says Abinav Rajavat, a psychiatrist.
Dr. Megha Hazuria Gore, clinical psychologist, Max Health Care explains “Primarily, it’s a situation that makes us feel helpless and out of control. So we need to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. Talk to your near and dear ones and don’t isolate or withdraw yourself from the entire scenario. Even if you cannot find a solution, just having a discussion would help you relieve most of your emotional vacuum.”
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
“It is a very difficult situation for everyone, not just the families of the victims. Even people who have witnessed the attack may be vulnerable to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). People with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and memories and feel emotionally numb, in some cases they can even become mute.
People with PTSD may feel restless easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in activities that once entertained them, have trouble feeling affectionate, be irritable, become more aggressive, or even become violent. They avoid situations that remind them of the original incident, and anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult. Most people with PTSD continually relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. Flashbacks comprise of images, sounds, smells, or feelings, and are often initiated by normal occurrences, such as a door slamming or a car backfiring on the street. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again.
Not every traumatized person develops full-blown or even minor PTSD. Symptoms begin within 3 months of the incident but occasionally emerge
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years afterward. They must last more than a month to be considered PTSD. The course of the illness varies. Some people recover within 6 months, while others have symptoms that last much longer. In some people, the condition becomes chronic.
To get over the trauma, one should engage in healthy behaviours and enhance their ability to cope with excessive stress. The victim should take out some time off from the demands of daily life by pursuing hobbies or other activities,” advises Dr. Jeetendar Nagpal, a psychiatrist.
The victim can join a self-help or support group and sharing their problems and achievements with others. Talking on the Internet with a trusted friend or member of a religious support group can also provide support. Stress management techniques and meditation can help people with anxiety disorders calm themselves and may enhance the effects of therapy. The family is very important in the recovery of a person. Ideally, the family should be supportive, but not help perpetuate their loved one’s symptoms. Family members should not trivialize the disorder or demand improvement without treatment.
Other tips include reducing stress by using relaxation techniques (for example, breathing exercises, positive imagery), actively participating in treatment as recommended by professionals, increasing positive lifestyle practices (for example, regular exercise, healthy eating, distracting oneself through keeping a healthy work schedule)
How Children and Adolescents React to Trauma
“Reactions to trauma may appear immediately after the traumatic event or even weeks later. Loss of trust in adults and fear of the event occurring again are responses seen in mostly children and adolescents who have been exposed to traumatic events. Other reactions vary according to age. Early intervention to help children and adolescents who have suffered trauma from violence or a disaster is critical. Parents, teachers, and counsellors can do a great deal to help these youngsters recover”, explains Anu Srivastava, a psychiatrist.
Watching the Gory Sight
Dr. Megha Hazuria Gore cautions, “If watching gruesome scenes repeatedly on news channels bothers you too much, then don’t get obsessed with the television. Keeping yourself stuck to one source of information will only make you emotionally weak. Don’t narrow down your focus to traumatic things; rather involve yourself in other meaningful activities.”
People who have witnessed such incidents
“People who are victims of emotional trauma are vulnerable to everything and feel quite helpless. They become insomniacs, are anxious about life, demonstrate withdrawal symptoms, suffer from a severe loss of appetite, have great difficulty in concentrating and focusing on the job in hand, suffer from extreme mood swings and bouts of depression. We should always take care to communicate with the victim who is going through this trauma, share his experience in whatever ways he feels comfortable with you,” guides Dr. Samir Parikh, a psychiatrist.
“For those who have witnessed such incidents or have faced a direct impact on their life, please visit a professional counsellor, as regular friends and relatives might not be able to understand the situation from their perspective. Venting grievances and experiences to a professional will ensure the much needed support, “explains Dr. Megha Hazuria Gore.
Britney Spears takes to stage again
November 30, 2008
Spears, who is very determined to get her life back in order, wore a top hat and a black see-through body stocking as she sang and danced to her latest hit ‘Womanizer’ at the awards in Germany, reports News.com.au.
The Toxic singer looked her best as she performed her quick dance moves that were a far cry from her performance on the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.
Spears was also honoured as the Best International Pop Star by the German media, and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld presented her with the statue, which resembles a shining gold deer.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Britney Spears takes to stage again