Article : High Performance Public Speaking

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Some people find public speaking a chore, others have an abject fear for it and for a few it comes naturally. The people who find public speaking a natural skill are certainly in the minority with the majority of people struggling with at different levels with presenting. The good news is anyone can learn to be a first class presenter; it begins with state choice, and then how to use body language and tonality to engage your audience. There are ways to structure your content to make it interesting and easy for your audience to remember.  In this article I will outline the essential ingredient for high performance in presentations and that is state choice.

Article : High Performance Public Speaking

http://ift.tt/2uK4hwm

Some people find public speaking a chore, others have an abject fear for it and for a few it comes naturally. The people who find public speaking a natural skill are certainly in the minority with the majority of people struggling with at different levels with presenting. The good news is anyone can learn to be a first class presenter; it begins with state choice, and then how to use body language and tonality to engage your audience. There are ways to structure your content to make it interesting and easy for your audience to remember.  In this article I will outline the essential ingredient for high performance in presentations and that is state choice.

Americans are quitting smoking in higher numbers; study suggests e-cigarettes help

Americans are quitting smoking in higher numbers; study suggests e-cigarettes help

University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center researchers performed a population-level analysis of national surveys conducted from 2001 to 2015 and found that in the...

July 28, 2017 at 04:26AM

Smokers who receive CT lung screening are more likely to quit

Smokers who receive CT lung screening are more likely to quit

Smokers who undergo a CT scan of their lungs are more likely to quit than those who don't, concludes a trial led by Cardiff University.

July 25, 2017 at 04:11AM

An error occurred. - NPR

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Phoebe Bridgers was a major discovery at this year's SXSW — and, before that, the voice behind the tremendous EP Killer, released via Ryan Adams' label in 2015. Now, hers already feels like an indispensable voice. This year alone, Bridgers has toured with Conor Oberst, performed a South X Lullaby from an Austin hotel bed, and signed the label deal that will bring her first album, Stranger In The Alps, to the world on Sept. 22.

"Smoke Signals," the first song from that record, demonstrates so many of Bridgers' greatest gifts: the cool-yet-warm approachability, the languid grace of her arrangements, the gift for powerful phrasing and precise scene-setting. But that song's new follow-up, "Motion Sickness," showcases another side altogether, as Bridgers wraps her voice around a rich and rumbling midtempo rocker.

Amid references to an abandoned attempt at hypnotherapy, Bridgers crafts a vivid description of an unquiet mind, with an apt and evocative metaphor to drive it all home in the chorus: "I have emotional motion sickness / Somebody roll the windows down / There are no words in the English language / I could scream to drown you out."

Stranger In The Alps track listing

1. Smoke Signals
2. Motion Sickness
3. Funeral
4. Demi Moore
5. Scott Street
6. Killer
7. Georgia
8. Chelsea
9. Would You Rather
10. You Missed My Heart
11. Smoke Signals (Reprise)

Stranger In The Alps comes out Sept. 22 via Dead Oceans.

July 18, 2017 at 10:46AM

The Ketamine Breakthrough for Suicidal Children

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Initial research finds fast, dramatic benefits for a vulnerable population

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

July 18, 2017 at 10:09AM

“The future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed” — William Gibson

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Expo Day: MindMaze, SharpBrains, Watson Centre for Brain Health from SharpBrains

–> Learn more about the upcoming 2017 SharpBrains Virtual Summit: Brain Enhancement in the Digital Age (December 5-7th, 2017). The 2017 SharpBrains Virtual Summit will feature over thirty of the world’s top experts and innovators working on ways to enhance our brain health and performance in light of emerging neuroscience and digital technologies. Additionally, and for the first time, it will host a Brainnovations Pitch Contest to foster collaborative problem-solving between scientists, practitioners, technologists and entrepreneurs.

July 18, 2017 at 09:12AM

Brain Anomaly Tied to PTSD & Brain Injury in Vets

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A new study finds that veterans who developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) tend to have a larger amygdala — the part of the brain that helps regulate emotion — compared to veterans with mild TBIs who didn’t develop PTSD.

The findings were recently presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s Sports Concussion Conference in Jacksonville, FL.

“Many consider PTSD to be a psychological disorder, but our study found a key physical difference in the brains of military-trained individuals with brain injury and PTSD, specifically the size of the right amygdala,” said Joel Pieper, M.D., M.S., of University of California, San Diego.

“These findings have the potential to change the way we approach PTSD diagnosis and treatment.”

Together, the right and left sides of the amygdala help control emotion, memories, and behavior. Research has shown that the right amygdala controls fear and aversion to unpleasant stimuli.

For the study, researchers evaluated 89 current or former members of the military with mild traumatic brain injury. Using standard symptom scale ratings, 29 participants were identified with significant PTSD. The rest of the participants had mild traumatic brain injury without PTSD.

Using brain scans to measure the volume of various brain regions, the researchers found that subjects with mild traumatic brain injury and PTSD had 6 percent overall larger amygdala volumes, particularly on the right side, compared to those with mild traumatic brain injury only. No significant differences in age, education or gender between the PTSD and control groups were found.

The study also shows only an association and does not prove PTSD causes structural changes in the amygdala.

“People who suffered a concussion and had PTSD demonstrated a larger amygdala size, so we wonder if amygdala size could be used to screen who is most at risk to develop PTSD symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury,” said Pieper.

“On the other hand, if there are environmental or psychological cues that lead to brain changes and enlargement of the amygdala, then maybe such influences can be monitored and treated.”

“Further studies are needed to better define the relationship between amygdala size and PTSD in mild traumatic brain injury. Also, while these findings are significant, it remains to be seen whether similar results may be found in those with sports-related concussions,” said Pieper.

Pieper emphasizes that the current study focused on veterans with blast injuries, not those with sports-related concussions.

Source: American Academy of Neurology

July 18, 2017 at 09:10AM

Mice Study Links Depression Symtoms to Abnormal Brain Wiring

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A new study has linked specific wiring in the brain to distinct behavioral symptoms of depression.

University of California San Diego scientists found brain circuits tied to feelings of despair and helplessness and were able to alleviate and even reverse such symptoms in mice studies.

The research is published in the journal Cell.

“We took an approach of studying depression in the sense that different brain areas and circuits of the brain might mediate or contribute to very discrete aspects of depression,” said study first-author Daniel Knowland, a UC San Diego graduate student.

“For example, brain area A might contribute to loss of appetite, brain area B to social withdrawal and so forth.”

Senior author Dr. Byungkook Lim, an assistant professor in the Neurobiology Section, said the results require much more study and evaluation to be applied to humans with depression, but the new research in animal models provides solid grounding.

“This is one of the first studies providing clear evidence showing that different brain circuitry is involved in different types of depressive behavior with specific symptoms,” said Lim.

“Each area of the brain is different with distinct cell types and connectivity, so if we can confirm that one area of circuitry is more involved in a particular symptom than another, we may eventually be able to treat a depression patient more efficiently than treating everyone the same way.”

The researchers employed several tools to track brain pathways and specific areas of neurons involved in specific behaviors, including imaging techniques and social strategy behavioral models.

Two populations of neurons were identified in the brain’s ventral pallidum region (part of the basal ganglia) as key to underlying depressive behavior.

The new study found that specifically modifying pathways in these two areas in a mouse displaying depression led to improved behavioral changes similar to those of a healthy mouse.

More importantly, this study provides strong insight to understanding the interaction between several brain areas in depression.

Previous studies have mainly focused on the role of certain brain areas in isolation. Researchers in the new study were able to examine connections across multiple regions and how one impacted the other.

Source: University of California – San Diego

July 18, 2017 at 08:13AM

New Methods Help Predict Violent Behavior Among Individuals At Risk for Psychosis

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Researchers have developed a new screening battery which can predict violent behavior among individuals who may go on to develop psychosis.

In the study, investigators from Columbia University Medical Center followed young persons at clinical high-risk of developing psychosis and identified measures of violence potential.

Researchers believe the new metrics will be useful in predicting both the increased risk of future violent behavior and the actual development of psychosis.

The article, A Longitudinal Study of Violent Behavior in a Psychosis-Risk Cohort, by Gary Brucato, PhD, Ragy Girgis, MD and colleagues at Columbia University Medical Center, appears in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Researchers explain that public often has misconceptions about individuals with psychosis committing acts of violence. The reality is that persons with mental illness account for a very small proportion of violent crime in the U.S.

Nevertheless, studies have shown that people with psychotic disorders are more prone to acts of mass violence involving strangers or intrafamily violence if they have not received effective treatment.

“It is important that we acknowledge that violence can be fueled by mental illness and that steps be taken to identify those people who might be prone and treat them accordingly.

That is why these findings are so important as they demonstrate that screening people with sensitive instruments can detect which people in the incipient stages of mental disorders are at greatest risk of violence,” noted Jeffrey A. Lieberman, MD, professor and chair of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The study followed 200 individuals at high-risk of psychosis over a period of two years. Twelve (6 percent) of them reported acts of violent behavior in the six months before joining the study, fifty-six (28 percent) reported violent ideation at the time of entry into the study, and eight (4 percent) committed acts of violence during the two-year follow-up period.

As a result of the study evaluation, the study staff provided treatment and took preemptive action for ten additional individuals whose thoughts had developed into plans for violent acts.

The results of the study showed that both thoughts of violence and recent violent behavior were associated with future incidents of violence, which occurred within an average of seven days of when the person developed psychotic symptoms.

Only information contained in the description of the person’s symptoms predicted the violent behavior, and not direct questions of “whether you want to hurt anyone”.

The authors suggest that this is likely why prior studies of violence in mental illness did not predict violent behavior.

The direct question “have you had thoughts of harming anyone else?,” elicited zero responses of violent ideation from any of the 200 participants. However, the indirect question “have you felt that you are not in control of your own ideas or thoughts?” elicited reports of violent ideation from 56 individuals.

Also, the targets of the violent thoughts at the beginning of the study were not those that the person subsequently attacked. This suggests that the attacks may have been impulsive and opportunistic rather than planned, and the result of the person’s psychotic symptoms.

“These individuals feel that they themselves are not having violent fantasies, “said Dr. Gary Brucato, clinical psychologist and researcher in the department of psychiatry and first author on the paper. “They feel that the thoughts they are having are intrusive and not their own. Since they are not convinced that these thoughts are real, they tend not to report them or consider them meaningful.”

A variety of factors, including alcohol and drug abuse, failure to take antipsychotic medications regularly, younger age, and psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations have been shown to have some effect on the risk of violence among people with psychosis.

Earlier research has also indicated that the period around the time of a first psychotic episode is a time of high risk for violent behavior, and that violent behavior peaks at this time.

“These findings indicate that pre-symptomatic individuals at-risk for psychosis should be screened for violent ideation, and, importantly, demonstrate how to do the screening effectively,” said Ragy Girgis, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and senior author on the paper.

“We hope this finding and means of assessment will move the field to develop a more nuanced understanding of violent ideation in the context of psychotic symptoms. Much like suicidal ideation in depression, destigmatizing the experience of violent ideation in the attenuated phase of psychosis will allow patients to freely report it.”

Source: Columbia University/EurekAlert

July 18, 2017 at 07:24AM

Is Guaranteed Income for All the Answer to Joblessness and Poverty?

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Experts disagree, but a number of experiments could offer insight

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

July 18, 2017 at 06:54AM

I’ve Been Camping It Up!

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I’m back in the office after a few days away camping with my wife, children, some great friends and our dogs. I love it, I just love it. We walked the dogs through forests and saw some of the best views of Dorset I have ever encountered, we ate far too much, we drank far […]

The post I’ve Been Camping It Up! appeared first on Adam Eason.

July 18, 2017 at 06:46AM

Mind over matter: Hypnotherapist works to help heal diseases, illnesses - Colorado Springs Gazette

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Right off, some people think David Thomson is a quack.

Case in point, Ohio resident Nick Sass' recovery from pancreatitis became a case study at a teaching hospital in Detroit. But Sass withdrew from the research project because staff wouldn't believe how he beat the disease.

It was mind over matter, he says.

"I'm a pretty hard sell - I'm a retired lieutenant colonel Marine - but this is an interesting approach and something that absolutely needs to be explored," Sass said.

Thomson, also a retired Marine and former defense contractor, conducts advanced medical hypnotherapy from his office in Colorado Springs. It's a specialized field that focuses on the connection between mind and body.

He's not a doctor and doesn't make diagnoses, prescribe drugs or perform surgeries.

He also doesn't claim to cure people.

He helps people heal themselves.

"I'm a guide," he says. "I help people get to a goal."

Those who have used Thomson's skills view him not as an imposter, but rather as a genius.

"It seems incredulous to people. They look at me like I'm telling a science fiction story," said Denton Mitchell, a retired systems engineer and Navy veteran who lives in California.

Denton said that under hypnosis, he has overcome the effects of a stroke, a longtime heart arrhythmia and a debilitating lung condition called mesothelioma.

"It's a very solid tool," Mitchell said. "It's been verified medically that I am much better off health-wise." But doctors stop short of confirming what such patients say is the reason for their improvement.

The American Medical Association does not approve hypnosis as a legitimate therapy for medical or psychological purposes.

In Colorado, doctors can refer a patient to hypnotherapy - if the patient requests it. Thomson requires a physician's referral for clients who, from his work, are able to reduce or eliminate medications they are taking.

Medical hypnotherapy practitioners are few, Thomson said, because there are few teachers. A small network across the nation works "under the radar," he said, adding, "We don't have to be trained in each disease or disorder; the person's mind tells us what can be done and how to do it."

Thomson is a paramedic and was two weeks from finishing pre-med studies when he was called to active duty in the military.

He studied medical hypnotherapy and has been practicing for 12 years. He is publishing a book in the fall, "Hypnotherapy: The Real Alternative Medicine."

The book examines 39 cases in which Thomson says his techniques helped diabetics get off insulin, sufferers of debilitating migraines find relief and other healings.

"Doctors say this is great, and then I never hear from them again, or they call it spontaneous remission and blow it off," Thomson said.

He says he can work on "just about anything" relating to physical and mental afflictions, including cancer, diabetes, genetic abnormalities, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, auto immune diseases and neuropathy.

Using the mind-body interplay, Thomson says, broken bones can heal from the inside out, white blood cells can become sharks that wipe out cancer cells, and damage to organs such as the kidneys, liver and pancreas can be repaired.

Seven years ago, when he was 44, Sass lay in an intensive care unit with 8 percent functionality of his pancreas. He also appeared to be showing signs of cancer under his armpit.

Today, at 51, Sass said his pancreas is 70 percent functional, he has no cancer, and he's able to work and play baseball.

He credits Thomson for his recovery.

"This doesn't work for everybody, but people should give it a chance," Sass said. "David has had a lot of successes."

How it works

Believing that nearly all diseases and illnesses have an emotional beginning, through a past experience that festers in the subconscious, Thomson guides clients under hypnosis to regress to that beginning.

"We help the person deal with whatever was happening at that time and resolve it," Thomson said.

It could be sexual molestation, physical abuse, family strife, a traumatic injury, a car crash or other difficult situations.

Thomson then relies on images that come to the client's mind to understand what's wrong with the body and help it rebuild damaged parts.

Some people see diseases or injuries as colors, he said. For others, it's like looking through a microscope. Thomson said one girl who had broken her arm spoke of small gnomes carrying caulking guns to repair her bone.

The residue of Mitchell's stroke appeared to him under hypnosis as dark scales in his brain.

"It started out very unclear, washing a car sort of thing, but eventually became very detailed, structural-looking images that would come to mind, and we worked on removing the scales," he said. "Eventually, it was gone."

Mitchell, who is in his mid-70s, said he had been treated at a hospital for a stroke in 2004. Neurological tests a few years ago showed he had never had a stroke, he said.

"To me, that was very validating. I had medical proof on both ends that I had a stroke, and then no evidence of having had a stroke," he said.

The practice allows access to the subconscious mind, which Thomson says is the computer that makes the body hum and reveals valuable information about illnesses and solutions.

"We put to sleep the conscious side of the mind, the rational thinking that says, 'I can't do something,' and we communicate with that part that runs your body's functions."

Regressing to a time before the disease gives a mental blueprint of how the body looked, and Thomson works to restore that setup - using the power of the mind.

"He's not a miracle worker; he's an aid to helping you heal your body," said Robbin, whose 14-year-old daughter was born with a rare genetic disorder that affected her metabolic system.

The Kentucky mother, who asked that her family's last name not be used, said her daughter would get sick at age 3 for no apparent reason, with strep throat, vomiting and dehydration.

She was hospitalized every three weeks for six months, Robbin said.

When her daughter was 7, Robbin took her to see Thomson.

"He guides you in a very particular way that helps you dial back to a time when you didn't have that issue and reset your body to that time," she said. "It's really cool."

Thomson identified a tube in the girl's pancreas with a leaking hole that was upsetting her digestive system.

Robbin went through the sessions with her daughter, to help her reinforce positive images after the hypnosis.

"As we sealed up the tube, she stopped taking all the medicine," Robbin said. "Our doctor was leery. We were cautious for a couple of years, but all her metabolic levels came back to normal."

Her daughter is off medications and has not been hospitalized for several years.

"How sweet is this," Robbin said. "It's amazing."

Willingness vital

Skepticism is tied to fear, Thomson said, as people are afraid of the unknown.

But hypnosis is a natural state of intense focus that people enter every day when they daydream or lose track of time because they're thinking about something, for instance.

The subconscious mind wants to protect the body. So if a child falls offs a swing when he's 5, then tumbles down a set of stairs a few years later, he might develop a fear of heights. Those repressed emotions and experiences can later emerge as physical or mental diseases, Thomson said.

"Everything gets locked in your mind and builds up over time," he said. "So we go back and take out the time of the fall."

But he said he doesn't make clients do anything they don't want to do under hypnosis.

"A person's mind is still functioning normally and can communicate with the therapist," he said.

The person must be a willing participant for the process to be effective.

"We're talking about people's deepest fears and problems, and they have to open up that can of worms and deal with everything," Thomson said.

Hypnosis has been around for centuries and started getting a bad rap in the 1700s as being too much on the fringe, associated with the occult and mysticism, and later, hokey entertainment.

Hypnotherapy today is most often used to help people stop smoking, lose weight or manage pain.

Dr. Di Thompson, a psychiatrist and medical director of behavioral health for Centura Health, which operates Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in Colorado Springs, practices hypnotherapy on cancer patients to help them with chemo-related nausea, needle phobia, pain and anxieties.

"There is a lot of research that shows hypnotherapy can be appropriate for pain syndromes, hot flashes, headaches and back pain," she said. "We know it can be helpful for a variety of medical issues, but it is not the end-all for treatment."

Thompson said she would be hard-pressed to say hypnotherapy can cure diseases.

"It can be a treatment for certain symptoms, but it's not a cure for a condition," she said.

'Not a panacea'

The success rate of advanced medical hypnotherapy depends on the client's motivation and desire, said Thomson.

Terminal cancer patients do well, he said, because they desperately want to get better.

"Those with a fighting spirit are usually the ones that survive," he said.

Mitchell said he contracted his lung condition from asbestos in submarines. Doctors wanted to remove the lower part of his lungs.

Over several months of hypnotherapy sessions, Mitchell's mind "encased the asbestos in his lungs" and created small holes for better oxygen exchange, Thomson said.

"My lungs are clear," Mitchell said. "The VA clinic said I'm doing fine, and my lung capacity is good."

Whether the practice will be recognized by mainstream medicine is debatable.

"It took them 20 years to accept the MRI machine," Thomson says.

Still, chiropractic care, acupuncture and nutritionists have become more widely acknowledged in recent years as alternative therapies.

"It's becoming more accepted," Dr. Thompson said of hypnotherapy. "But it's not a panacea. If it was, I would be spending all my time just hypnotizing people. If that's how we could cure people, it would be a perfect way to do it without side effects."

Precisely, Thomson says.

July 18, 2017 at 06:43AM

Diet Can Slow or Speed Brain Aging

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New research suggest dietary patterns may either decrease or increase inflammation in the brain, a condition that influences brain aging.

Investigators from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) believe the brain-healthy effects of a Mediterranean-type diet and similar dietary patterns may be due to nutrients that decrease inflammation in the brain and slow brain aging.

The findings, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London, may explain why older people who consume this type of diet have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Several studies have shown that adhering more closely to a dietary pattern that emphasizes fish, poultry, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and moderate amounts of alcohol—versus red meat, high-fat dairy products, and saturated fats—has a protective effect against Alzheimer’s disease,” said neuropsychologist and epidemiologist Yian Gu, PhD.

In the recent study, Gu and colleagues at CUMC found that increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers were associated with more brain atrophy.

“We wanted to learn about the underlying mechanism for these effects, so we investigated the possibility that the nutrients contained in these dietary patterns may prevent damaging inflammation in the brain, which may, in turn, protect against brain aging,” she said.

In the current study, Gu and colleagues examined the relationship between frequent consumption of various nutrients and levels of two key inflammation markers (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6), neuron-rich gray matter volume, and cognitive performance in 330 elderly adults who did not have dementia.

They discovered that elderly adults who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, folate, and vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, D, and E had lower levels of inflammatory markers, more gray matter, and better visuospatial cognition than those who consumed fewer of these nutrients.

The study also suggested that having larger, better preserved brain gray matter might be one of the reasons why those who consume more of these nutrients have better cognition.

“This study suggests that certain nutrients may contribute to the previously observed health benefits of some foods, and anti-inflammation might be one of the mechanisms,” Gu said.

“We hope to confirm these results in larger studies and with a wider range of inflammatory markers.”

Source: Columbia University Medical Center

July 18, 2017 at 06:41AM

Best of Our Blogs: July 18, 2017

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How do you prepare for difficult situations? Whether an upcoming test, presentation or event with a toxic family member, we usually avoid thinking about it. But preparing can mean the difference between leaving the situation victorious or feeling like a victim and failure.

Don’t wait for your next uncomfortable event to prepare. You can start with small tasks and gradually increase the difficulty. Small exercise sessions can eventually lead to overcoming bigger obstacles.

If you have an upcoming event with a toxic relative, for example, rehearse what to say and how to protect yourself first with a loved one, and then with a toxic co-worker.

Working your way up from what you initially perceived as impossible will eventually lead you to what’s possible.

3 Sneaky Techniques Covert Narcissists Use to Disarm and Demean You
(Recovering from a Narcissist) – See which manipulative tactics that seemingly innocent and humble narcissist is using on you.

What No One Ever Told You About Sex Addiction
(Childhood Emotional Neglect) – It’s the addiction you’re vulnerable to if you’ve been neglected as a child.

10 Hidden Ways a Group Abuses an Individual
(The Exhausted Woman) – Group abuse looks different than individual abuse. Here are the ways your family, workplace or even your church are hurting you.

I Was Complicit in My Own Narcissistic Abuse
(Narcissism Meets Normalcy) – It’s the reason why you continue to abuse yourself even after you’ve separated from a narcissistic person.

Redefining Narcissism as a Love Deficit
(Neuroscience & Relationships) – This will change the way you view the narcissist in your life.

July 18, 2017 at 06:38AM

I’ve Been Camping It Up!

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I’m back in the office after a few days away camping with my wife, children, some great friends and our dogs. I love it, I just love it. We walked the dogs through forests and saw some of the best views of Dorset I have ever encountered, we ate far too much, we drank far […]

The post I’ve Been Camping It Up! appeared first on Adam Eason.

July 18, 2017 at 06:36AM

Hard-core players of violent video games do not have emotionally blunted brains

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By Christian Jarrett

No sooner had the American Psychological Association released their 2015 task force report supposedly confirming that violent video games make players aggressive than the criticisms of the report started pouring in, of bias and bad practice. On the issue of whether violent games breed real-world aggression, there’s not much that you can say for certain except that there’s a lot of disagreement among experts. So of course, one more study is not going to settle this long-running debate.

But what a new paper in Brain Imaging and Behaviour does do is provide a good test of a key argument made by the “violent games cause aggression” camp, namely that over time, excessive violent gameplay desensitises the emotional responsiveness of players. Using brain scanning to look for emotional desensitisation at a neural level, Gregor Szycik at Hannover Medical School and his colleagues in fact found no evidence that excessive players of violent video games are emotionally blunted.

The researchers conducted two studies, each of which compared 14 excessive players of violent first-person shooter games (such as Call of Duty and Battlefield) with 14 controls who never played violent games. The average age of the participants was 22 to 23 and they were all male. The violent video game players really did invest a lot of time shooting people on-screen: in the first study, they averaged 4.9 hours violent game-play per day, and in the second study they averaged 4.6 hours daily play. They’d also been playing these games since they were six years old, on average.

The two studies were very similar: the participants lay in a brain scanner and looked at a range of emotionally positive, negative and neutral photos, most of which came from the well-used International Affective Picture System. The negative images in this series are pretty grim and include things like dead bodies or graphic, violent attacks. The positive images include cute animals, and an example of a neutral image would be a natural vista.

Looking at emotional pictures led to larger increases in brain activity compared with neutral pictures, just as you’d expect, especially in neural regions responsible for emotional processing. But the key finding is that this effect didn’t vary by group: the violent video game players showed just as much neural sensitivity to the emotional pictures as the control participants. This was true even when the researchers relaxed the statistical parameters (to make it easier to find a group difference), when they lumped all the data together from the two studies, and when they zoomed in on the amygdala, a part of the brain that plays an important role in emotional processing.

“Our results suggest [a need] to rethink the desensitisation hypothesis,” the researchers said. They added that this does not mean there are no consequences to playing violent video games: for instance, one possibility is that playing violent games affects how players act in response to emotional stimuli, rather than how their brains initially process such stimuli.

These findings build on earlier research that’s shown it’s important not to make sweeping statements on this topic: for instance, the psychological effects of violent video gameplay could depend on the character you play (Superman or the Joker, for example), and the goals of the game, and in some instances violent play could even lead to enhanced moral emotions. The new results also follow similar findings from the same research group published earlier this year using slightly line drawings of emotional versus neutral situations.

—Excessive users of violent video games do not show emotional desensitization: an fMRI study

Image: Visitors stand in front of the ‘Call of Duty’ stand at the Gamescom 2016 gaming trade fair August 17, 2016 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images)

Christian Jarrett (@Psych_Writer) is Editor of BPS Research Digest

July 18, 2017 at 04:39AM

Women exposed to smoke while in womb more likely to miscarry

Women exposed to smoke while in womb more likely to miscarry

Women exposed to cigarette smoke while in their mothers' wombs are more likely to experience miscarriage as adults, according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.

July 18, 2017 at 04:25AM

Dr. Steve G. Jones Creates New Virtual Reality Hypnosis to Help Patients Achieve Their Goals - PR Web (press release)

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PR Web (press release)

Dr. Steve G. Jones Creates New Virtual Reality Hypnosis to Help Patients Achieve Their Goals PR Web (press release) Dr. Steve G. Jones, a board certified clinical hypnotherapist, is proud to announce virtual hypnosis sessions for patients who are attempting to overcome personal challenges and achieve their goals. Virtual reality hypnosis is a natural extension of ...

July 18, 2017 at 03:25AM

Dr. Steve G. Jones Creates New Virtual Reality Hypnosis to Help Patients Achieve Their Goals - PR Web (press release)

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Dr. Steve G. Jones

"Clinical hypnotherapist Steve G. Jones is among the best in the world.” -Dr. Joe Vitale - Star of "The Secret"

New York, New York (PRWEB) July 18, 2017

Dr. Steve G. Jones, a board certified clinical hypnotherapist, is proud to announce virtual hypnosis sessions for patients who are attempting to overcome personal challenges and achieve their goals. Virtual reality hypnosis is a natural extension of Jones’ normal hypnotherapy sessions, but adds a layer of cutting edge technology to enhance the patient's experience.

“This is a visual experience that enhances existing programs that help people with a variety of conditions,” stated Dr. Jones. “With advancements in technology, the timing felt right to create a virtual reality experience that encompasses all of a patient’s senses. This leads to a completely immersive session that can provide even more benefits to help patients overcome any condition that is preventing them from living the life they desire.”

The idea behind virtual reality hypnosis is to engage patients with arresting visuals that draw them into a world of relaxation and calm. This sets the stage for Dr. Jones’ power of suggestion, which is the foundation to help overcome challenges such as taking tests, phobias, weight loss issues, anxiety, anger management, smoking and overall wellness. Patients can watch Dr. Jones’ virtual reality hypnosis sessions by putting their mobile device in a virtual reality viewer, which can be purchased online or at any electronics store.

Dr. Jones’ Virtual Reality Hypnosis is just the latest innovation that he has created to expand his services. Jones, who has been practicing since 1986, and has authored more than 22 books, offers custom hypnotherapy CDs and MP3s that are designed to meet each patient’s unique challenge. He also offers live phone hypnosis sessions and private hypnosis sessions.

About
Dr. Jones is a full member of the American Psychological Association, the National Guild of Hypnotists and the International Registry of Professional Hypnotherapists. He is also a nationally recognized motivational speaker, and is currently studying the effectiveness of his test-taking CDs among college students. He has traveled extensively, teaching hypnosis in Europe, America and Asia. Learn more here: http://ift.tt/2qSZubO

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July 18, 2017 at 03:12AM

Hypnosis Training Video #505: What Successful Hypnosis Pros Have In Common

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Cal Let’s You In On His “Success Code” for the Hypnosis Business

Avoid the Single Biggest Mistake Hypnotists Make That Leads to Business Failure

Discover the Mindset That Almost Guarantees Success

Hello Hypnotists!

Would you like to discover what it really takes to succeed? In this “All Cal” episode, I have a heart-to-heart talk with you. I let you in on the factors behind almost every successful hypnosis practice. I will let you in on the mindset, the best partner you can have, how to program your brain for hypnosis business success, and how to avoid what is probably THE biggest mistake that hypnotists make when they try to get a hypnosis business started or to take an existing practice to the next level.

• Click to be Notified of New Hypnosis Training Videos Like this One.
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BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS

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    • Let’s get together at the National Guild of Hypnotists Convention in Marlborough, Massachusetts, August 11-13, 2017! It is the largest and friendliest hypnosis event in the world!

      I want to meet you in person, so say “hello” at the convention.

      I will be speaking and teaching on the following topics:

      • “Quantum Leap” Hypnosis Success With A Systematic Approach—5-PATH®! (2 hours)
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      Remember to Become a VIP MEMBER OF THIS SITE – It’s FREE – Let’s stay in touch! Get instant access to all of Cal’s FREE hypnosis training videos and get notified when new videos are published. Click Here Now.

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      Please tell your hypno-friends about these free hypnosis and hypnotherapy training videos. Thanks!

      Let’s do GREAT things together!
      Cal Banyan

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      The post Hypnosis Training Video #505: What Successful Hypnosis Pros Have In Common appeared first on Hypnosis Training by Cal Banyan Including Live Training, Videos & More.

July 18, 2017 at 02:30AM

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NLP NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 231

Congratulations Sydney!!! Another incredible group of students have completed the 3-Day Modern Hypnosis Certification Training and are set to share their new found set of skills within a diverse range of contexts from corporate to community!

In Las Vegas the NLP Master Practitioner Training students are in the home stretch now with 4 days left and are in the process of completing their full personal breakthrough sessions! Up next for the USA is the NLP Trainer’s Training. This is where our students progress to the Trainer level and, once completed, become certified trainers of NLP equipped with the tools to teach others the remarkable and transformational skills of NLP.

If this is your next step, contact the offices (US 1-888-440-4823 / AU 1-800-133-433) now and secure your spot!!!

Get Rid of Powerlessness Once and For All – Why do so many of us, otherwise intelligent and capable people, remain directionless, unsatisfied and without a true passion? Discover how individuality, self empowerment and purpose are possible in this week’s first article by Dr. Adriana James.

Surprising Findings… or Maybe Not – Independent thought…personal choice…and the mind’s ability to ask meaningful questions…these are just some of the points of discussion in this week’s second article by Dr. Adriana James. Read on to uncover more on the current hot topic, Critical Thinking.

Introduction written by Fini Todd @ Sydney Office.

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Your New Articles, Hints & Tips

Get Rid of Powerlessness Once and For All

by Dr. Tad James

I’ve written a number of different articles on the nature of mind manipulation which leads to lack of power, choice, decision, and overall an attitude of aimlessness in life.

I have met many young and middle aged people who asked me “I don’t know what my purpose in life is, what do you think it is?”

Now, think with me for a moment: they are asking me what is the purpose of their life! What’s that telling you? What is the presupposition here?…(Read More)

Surprising Findings… or Maybe Not

by Dr. Adriana James

Several students shared these three articles with me and although they are not unique – I’ve seen hundreds of these articles in the last few years – I had to pass them along in the context of thinking and thinking about thinking which, as most of you know, has occupied our attention lately.

We’ve been talking a lot about thinking… critical thinking that is. These three articles rise the implicit choices one could make in spite of the global business agenda. Now, I am not a medical doctor and I have no opinion about medications and if you have a medical condition you should consult your doctor.

I am simply talking here about the power of the mind to think critically or… not...(Read More)

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July 17, 2017 at 11:39PM

Get Out the Crayons: Study Shows Doodling Boosts Your Brain Power

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A few years back, I came across an old box that held notebooks from my college courses. As I leafed through the pages, I smiled at my prolific use of the margins as a space for doodling. A new study shows that in the act of doodling, rather than simply wasting ink, I was giving my brain a boost.

The pilot study published in The Arts in Psychotherapy out of Drexel University measured blood flow to the prefrontal cortex using fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy).¹ Led by Girija Kaimal, EdD, authors of the study looked at how three types of drawing; doodling around a pre-drawn circle, coloring in a mandala, and free drawing on a blank sheet of paper, affected the area of the prefrontal cortex associated with our brain’s reward system.

Participants were given three minutes with each type of drawing, followed by 2 minutes of resting with their eyes closed. The study involved both self described artists and those who did not consider themselves artistic.

Findings showed that blood flow increased when participants were engaged in any of the creative self-expression conditions, and it dropped back down during the rest periods. There was not a significant difference in the reward center activation for ‘artists’ and ‘non-artists’.

Though small, the study supports “the hypothesis that self-perceptions of creativity would improve following the sequence of drawing tasks,” and it indicates “that even a short series of creative self-expression or art-making tasks completed in approximately 15–20 min can result in individuals perceiving themselves as having good ideas and being able to solve problems.”

The study offers hope for those looking for a way out of addictive behaviors, eating disorders, and mood disorders; and for those trying to help them. It shows that a relatively simple and safe tool such as drawing has the potential to light up our brains in a way that can offer an effective path towards freedom from such unhealthy patterns.

I find myself taking a second look at the empty pages of my journal, and considering the colored pencils that have come home from school in my kid’s packs. I like the idea that the mere act of creative expression, regardless of how it looks when I’m finished, has the potential to leave me feeling alert and alive, and maybe even inspired.

Reference:

1. Kaimala, G., Ayaza, H., Herresb, J. Dieterich-Hartwella, R., Makwanaa, B., Kaisera, D. H., & Nassera, J. A. (2017). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of reward perception based on visual self-expression: Coloring, doodling, and free drawing. The Arts In Psychotherapy, 55, 85-92. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2sGuY7d

This post courtesy of Spirituality & Health.

July 17, 2017 at 04:35PM