Feelings Of Helplessness Research Articles

The High Cabal and the Lynch Mob: Exploring Conspiracism Through René Girard’s Scapegoating Theory

Conspiracy theories (CTs) and the communities who espouse them share several similarities with high-control (i.e., cultish) religious groups. CTs also serve as powerful vehicles for the disempowered and disenchanted to “speak truth to power.” Like many cultish groups, communities of self-identified “conspiracy researchers” frequently indulge in various forms of disinformation to assert their moral outrage and vindicate their feelings of victimhood, namely through distorting and mythologizing the past and scapegoating their perceived enemies. This essay explores the relationship between political paranoia, stigmatized knowledge, and feelings of helplessness through the lens of the French-American literary anthropologist René Girard’s theory of mimetic violence (also known as his scapegoating theory) and addresses some of the causes and solutions that can help those attracted to conspiracist explanations avoid the traps of cultish epistemology. Keywords: Conspiracy Theories, Scapegoating, Mimetic violence, René Girard, Cultishness, Paranoia, Stigmatized knowledge

Identity change metaphors in public blogs written by people living with dementia and their care partners.

Dementia and the associated stigma pose unique threats to the identity of persons with dementia, triggering attempts to cope with resulting identity changes. We explore identity change narratives and metaphors written by people with dementia and care partners in public blog posts. These metaphors reflect bloggers' motivation to adapt, adjust, and cope with identity change and their motives to challenge common misunderstandings of dementia as a complete loss of selfhood. We used the Social Identity Model of Identity Change (SIMIC) as a guiding framework. We developed a dementia model of identity change and found that bloggers engage in three motivational processes to cope with identity threats. Identity crisis is characterized by becoming aware of the dementia symptoms and their implications for identity. Identity stagnation involves feelings of helplessness and lack of motivation for capitalizing on old or new identities. Identity continuation and growth involves active coping with identity changes by maintaining old identities and developing new identities. These processes are reflected in distinct metaphors (e.g., the "going in circles" metaphor is reflective of identity stagnation). We documented how persons living with dementia maintain past identities and develop new identities that are uniquely reflective of their interests, social connections, and family ties. For instance, old and new identities are anchored in meaningful places-a café, town, or nature spaces-and family members are integral to identity continuation and growth. Finally, we documented a here-and-now identity, which is valued and reinforced in the context of close relationships with others. The current work underscores the importance of considering the multitude of identities that make an individual with dementia a person and therefore advocates for more nuanced conceptualizations of the self-away from a tragedy discourse about a complete loss of identity in people living with dementia.

Navigating Media Complexities: Israeli Arab Parents' Perspectives on Media Challenges and Mediation

Background: Children's exposure to digital media presents both opportunities and significant challenges, particularly for parents balancing traditional values with modern influences. This study aims to examine Arab parents' perceptions, strategies, and challenges in managing their children’s media exposure, shedding light on an increasingly critical aspect of parenting. Method: This is a qualitative phenomenological study employed semi-structured interviews with 12 Arabic-speaking parents of children aged 5–12. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: Parents voiced concerns about inappropriate media content and shared a mix of reactive and proactive mediation strategies. They reported feelings of helplessness due to technological gaps but emphasized the importance of professional guidance and community support. Conclusions: The findings highlight the necessity of culturally sensitive interventions that integrate traditional values with modern parenting practices, equipping families to navigate the complexities of digital media use effectively.

Brain receptor dynamics in early and adult life stress: Gateways to maladaptive coping strategies.

Stress plays a significant role in the onset of numerous psychiatric disorders. Depending on individual resilience or stressor's nature, long-term changes to stress in the brain can lead to a wide range of behavioral symptoms, including social withdrawal, feelings of helplessness, and emotional overeating. The brain receptor molecules are key mediators of these processes, translating neuromodulatory signals into neuronal responses or circuit activity changes that ultimately shape behavioral outcomes. Here, I highlight several of my previous studies that reveal the pivotal role of receptor molecules in critical brain regions such as the nucleus accumbens, lateral hypothalamus, and lateral septum. I identified how mGluR5 signaling in the nucleus accumbens promotes stress resilience through pathways involving ΔFosB and SRF, while leptin receptor or glucocorticoid receptor signaling within lateral hypothalamic circuits contributes to stress eating. Additionally, I uncovered the role of dopamine receptor 3 signaling in the lateral septum in mediating the impact of early life stress on social behaviors. These findings underscore the functional relevance of brain receptor molecules in transducing stress-from early life through adulthood-into maladaptive coping behaviors. As druggable targets, these receptor-mediated pathways provide a critical foundation for developing targeted interventions to alleviate stress-related psychiatric symptoms.

Resistance Training and Sarcopenia-Related Quality of Life in Younger and Older Adults

ABSTRACT Introduction Older adults are at risk for sarcopenia, which can negatively impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Resistance training may improve HRQoL; however, data using sarcopenia-specific HRQoL assessments are lacking. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether HRQoL differs by age group (younger: age 20–29 yr; older: age 60–85 yr) and resistance training exercise status. Methods Participants (n = 76) were categorized into four groups based on age and whether they met the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for resistance training: younger resistance trained (YRT), younger not resistance trained (YNT), older resistance trained (ORT), and older not resistance trained (ONT). Participants completed the Sarcopenia and Quality of Life questionnaire (SarQoL®), which assessed total SarQoL® and seven domains: physical and mental health, locomotion, body composition, functionality, activities of daily living (ADLs), leisure activities, and fears. Results ORT and YNT were not significantly different on total SarQoL® and all seven domains (P ≥ 0.05), despite the age difference; small to medium effect sizes indicated that ORT had higher scores on four domains compared to YNT (d = 0.21–0.66). ORT scored higher than ONT on total SarQoL® and physical and mental health (P < 0.05); these effect sizes were large (d = 0.95 and 0.88, respectively). YRT scored higher than YNT on total SarQoL®, physical and mental health, functionality, ADLs, and leisure activities (P < 0.05) with large effect sizes (d = 0.86–1.13). Conclusion Findings suggest that resistance training may be an effective modality to attenuate age-related decline in HRQoL. Findings inform evidence-based practice for healthcare and fitness professionals working with older adults with concerns regarding feelings of weakness, loss of muscle mass, difficulty during physical effort, and feelings of frailty.

Trajectories and predictors of maternal eating behaviors across the first year postpartum: The role of women's childhood trauma in emotional, external and restraint eating.

The first year postpartum is a sensitive time for maternal eating behaviors including emotional, external and restrained eating, which have all been associated with negative health outcomes. Furthermore, among women with a history of trauma, the stress of the postpartum period and early parenting may replicate feelings of helplessness and overwhelm experienced during childhood trauma, which may further contribute to these eating behaviors. Although evidence has shown how mothers eat during this time has long-term implications for infants' eating and health, limited research has characterized eating trajectories and associations with women's history of childhood trauma exposure during this critical period. This exploratory study examined trajectories of emotional, external, and restrained eating across the first year postpartum and delineated associations with childhood trauma. Women (N=283) reported on emotional, external, and restrained eating across the first year postpartum (2, 6, and 12months), and on childhood trauma exposure, postpartum depression symptoms, breastfeeding, and pre-pregnancy body mass index. Results of latent growth curve modeling revealed that mother's emotional and external eating increased while restrained eating did not change across the first year postpartum. Furthermore, mother's exposure to childhood trauma was associated with greater increases in emotional eating across the first year postpartum but not with the external and restrained eating trajectories. Findings provide valuable information on the trajectories and risk factors for postpartum eating behaviors.

Pengaruh Efikasi Diri dan Optimisme terhadap Kecemasan pada Mahasiswa Tahun Pertama

Anxiety is an emotional reaction characterized by feelings of discomfort, tension, and concern about situations that are considered dangerous, both objectively and subjectively, which are often accompanied by physiological symptoms as well as feelings of helplessness and uncertainty without a clear cause.the subjects in this study were first-year students totaling 134 subjects who represented the population. The sampling technique used in this study was probability sampling with simple random sampling. The data collection method in this study uses psychological scales, namely the anxiety scale, self-efficacy scale, and optimism scale in Likert form. Judging from each X variable, stated self-efficacy predicts anxiety significantly while optimism cannot predict anxiety significantly. Self-efficacy and optimism have a very strong negative relationship with anxiety in first-year students at Islamic University 45 Bekasi..

Learned Helplessness, Resilience, and Time Perspective in Ukrainian and Israeli Citizens Amid Prolonged Warfare: Social and Neurobehavioral patterns

The incessant, incomprehensible war in Ukraine and Israel inevitably determines everyday uncertainty and chronic stress, which significantly affect the mental health, well-being and functioning of the civilian population. This study examines the problem of studied helplessness, resilience and understanding of life in the context of the perception of a temporary perspective among Ukrainian and Israeli citizens. The study highlights the possibility of using the “Unified Framework for Integrated Psychological Assessment and Intervention,” which combines metacognitive, neuropsychological and psychodynamic approaches. This framework is proposed as the most important strategy for meeting the complex psychological needs of people in war-affected areas. By applying this comprehensive framework, mental health professionals can develop more thoughtful and effective support systems, increase resilience, encourage future-­oriented thinking, and mitigate feelings of helplessness, ultimately improving the well-being of a person living in a prolonged environment.

“His tears, his hope, his fear”: fathers’ experiences during the Holocaust as reflected in art and literature

ABSTRACT The article presents a comparative analysis of three works created by Jewish fathers during the Holocaust: Yitzhak Katzenelson's poem “The Day of My Great Tragedy,” Bedřich Fritta's illustrated book for his son Tommy, and Rubin Ben Shem Feldschuh's children's book Between the Walls of the Ghetto. Using frameworks from micro-history, gender studies, and the history of emotions, this study investigates the evolving dynamics of father-child relationships, paternal identity, and the role of memorialization under the extreme conditions of the Holocaust. The works analyzed reveal consistent themes of emotional connection, education, and the fathers' struggles to maintain their roles as protectors and educators despite their inability to shield their children from the atrocities surrounding them. In Katzenelson's work, fatherhood is portrayed as a cornerstone of his identity, with his family's destruction leading to a personal and artistic transformation. Fritta's book embodies a father's hopes for his child's future after the war, using art as instruction and solace. Feldschuh's novel addresses the challenges of fatherhood in Ghetto, emphasizing the father's role as an educator and reflecting feelings of guilt and helplessness. In conclusion, the article posits that fatherhood during the Holocaust, as represented in these artistic works, transcended mere survival and protection, evolving into an act of emotional resilience and a way to preserve both personal and collective memory.

Wrestling with complexities of rural school contexts: Learning from Deputy principals’ leadership experiences

South African communities may be viewed in three categories – rural, semi-urban and urban. These communities are unequal in terms of infrastructure and economic opportunities, among other things. The inequities among the communities extend to schools as microcosms of communities. Schools in urban areas enjoy inter alia better infrastructure, reasonable resources and fundraising opportunities, while schools in rural areas suffer from problems such as poor infrastructure, lack of resources, and high poverty rates. This paper reports on a narrative inquiry that focused specifically on the effects of rural school complexities on the leadership practices of deputy principals. The findings revealed contextual complexities, including, a feeling of helplessness due to the inadequacy of resources, overwhelming workloads, and dealing with learners from below the poverty line households. These complexities constrain the leadership exercised by deputy principals and necessitate a continuous push-back reaction. Thus, the findings also show practices through which the deputy principals defy the complexities of rural school contexts.

Fainting

According to statistics, every third person on Earth has fainted at least once in their life, and for 25 % of them, short-term loss of consciousness occurs repeatedly. Scientifically, fainting is called a «syncope» state (the word «syncope» comes from the Greek syn meaning «with, together» and koptein — «to cut off, tear off»), and is characterized by a short-term loss of consciousness against the background of transient hypoperfusion of the brain and a drop in muscle tone. The duration of loss of consciousness is usually 20–30 seconds, after which people come to their senses on their own. After fainting, feelings of general weakness, overexhaustion, and fatigue are possible; for elderly people, the occurrence of retrograde amnesia is typical. In the vast majority of cases, syncope is of reflex origin, and only about 15 % of fainting is associated with pathology of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. Notably, in some cases the cause of syncope cannot be established [4].

THE MOTIF OF IMMOBILITY IN PETERSBURG STORIES BY NIKOLAI GOGOL: SEMANTIC INVARIANT AND ITS VARIANTS

The article examines the motif of immobility in the works of Nikolai Gogol on the material of Petersburg stories and highlights the main prerequisites for the author’s creation of semantic invariants of immobility (“petrification”, “stiffness” and “numbness”). The issues under consideration are poorly studied, the number of works devoted to the motif of immobility is small, and the range of sources on which the analysis is based is limited. As a result, the semantic variability of the motif of immobility is not fully clarified. Thanks to the expansion of the range of sources and new observations, the “petrification formula”, a term introduced by Yuriy Mann, receives additional characteristics. The selected options are considered in different contexts, which make it possible to determine the semantic variability of the static state of Nikolai Gogol’s characters. Among the most common prerequisites for the motif are feelings of high emotional intensity, including fear, admiration, surprise, suffering and helplessness. The study reveals the paradox and ambivalence of Nikolai Gogol’s portrayal of heroes, since cases of Gogol recreating opposing emotions through identical forms of immobility are recorded. There is also a semantic enrichment of the motif of immobility through the description of eyes and gaze, sounds or silence, open mouth and other elements. The author comes to the conclusion that the motif of immobility, associated with various emotional states of the characters, is an essential element of Nikolai Gogol’s artistic world, enhancing the depth and expressiveness of the narrative.

Psychoeducation Using Symbol Modeling Techniques for Enhancing the Subjective Well-Being of Long-Distance Marriage Couples

Long-distance married couples tend to experience anxiety, stress, unhappiness, delayed problem resolution, difficulty finding time together, and feelings of helplessness without their partner. However, previous psycho-educational interventions have not utilized JP-]symbolic modeling techniques and have not specifically focused on long-distance marriages. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of psycho-education using symbolic modeling techniques in enhancing the subjective well-being of long-distance married couples. An experimental matching control study design was used with 16 participants, divided into 8 in the experimental group and 8 in the control group. The subjective well-being scale was used as the instrument for data collection. Data analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon signed Rank Test and the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results of the study show that psycho-education using symbolic modeling techniques is effective in enhancing the subjective well-being of long-distance married couples. Psycho-educational interventions with symbolic modeling can be used to help long-distance married couples achieve wellbeing, making their marriages more meaningful.

My child's medication journey: A parent's view.

This article discusses the personal experiences of the parents regarding their child's medication journey. Parents can play a vital role in their child's overall mental well-being, ensuring they receive the care and support they need. To navigate these difficult circumstances, it is crucial for parents to maintain open lines of communication with their child as well as with the health care professionals involved in their care. Professionals should be aware that parents' perspectives toward mental health medication can evolve over time, influenced by the experiences and challenges faced by both child and family. Excluding parents from their child's treatment limits the potential for a comprehensive and holistic treatment approach. By recognizing the value of parental input, health care professionals can create a collaborative environment that maximizes the chances of finding the most suitable treatment strategy. It is important for health care professionals to engage families in a respectful and empathetic manner, recognizing the challenges they face. Providing them with the necessary support and guidance can help reduce feelings of helplessness and ensure their active involvement in their child's mental health journey (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Recurrent Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of the serious complications that is often found in pediatric cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Diabetic ketoacidosis mostly occurs in patients with low glycemic control. Currently, many studies are assessing risk factors for recurrent ketoacidosis, including young age, male gender, patients with comorbidities (psychiatric diseases, alcohol or substance abuse, other chronic diseases), and patients with socioeconomic factors. The incidence of recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis in children and adolescents is becoming more frequent. Risk factors that often trigger the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis are important to understand to reduce the incidence of recurrent DKA. Case Presentation: This study reported a 17-year-old adolescent patient with a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus who had recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis. Patients come with complaints of nausea and vomiting, accompanied by a feeling of weakness. The results of the blood glucose test were 565 mg/dL. In urinalysis, a reduction of glucose was obtained (+3), and ketonuria with urinary ketones was obtained with a result of +3. A blood gas analysis showed a blood pH of 7,367 mmHg with HCO3 of 16.6 mmol/L and PCO2 of 28.6 mmHg. The initial management of the patient was given a loading of 0.9% NaCl fluid as much as 500 cc/hour for 2 hours, then 0.9% NaCl fluid as much as 500 cc mixed with KCL 10 meq at a rate of 75 ml/hour. The patient was also given an insulin drip to correct blood glucose levels in the form of 5 IU of insulin diluted with 0.9% NaCl, as much as 50 cc. During treatment, the patient's condition tends to stabilize, and the patient is discharged from the hospital by continuing with routine treatment with subcutaneous insulin. Conclusion: Diabetic ketoacidosis is one of the complications with high morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. There are several risk factors associated with recurrent DKA in patients. Known risk factors for DKA allow health workers to prevent the occurrence of a recurrence of DKA.

The lifeworld of families of mental health care users in rural South Africa: A phenomenological study.

In recovery-oriented mental health care, family members of mental health care users form part of the caring team. Families are expected to care for mental health care users without support in the under-resourced rural Vhembe district in South Africa. This study aims to describe the lifeworld of family members caring for mental health care users in rural areas to inform the development of a support programme. Purposive sampling was used to select 16 family members from eight community health centres in the Vhembe district. A qualitative approach, using a descriptive phenomenological design, was adopted to conduct unstructured interviews that were transcribed, translated and analysed using a descriptive method. Family members continuously contemplate their responsibilities. Endless concerns and stress result in forgetfulness and physical problems such as insomnia, hypertension and pain. Family members feel powerless and helpless when there is no improvement and support from community resources. Fear of being violated, embarrassed and stigmatised by community members results in social isolation and depression. Caregiving is burdensome in poorly resourced areas. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness Psychosomatic and depressive symptoms relate to the lack of effective community support which are likely to result in compromising the care they provide. The results call for the Department of Health to strengthen community mental health services and for health care professionals to provide supportive interventions based on the needs of mental health care users and their families.

Effect of the Braille method on the psychological health of blind people

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the Braille learning method and the psychology of blind children. Cases and Methods: The study was conducted at Um Alrabeaen Institution for blind and purblind people in June to July 2022. The depression scale was applied during a semi-structured interview with parents of blind children using the modified Hamilton scale, which consisted of eight items (sadness, laziness, suicide, psychological anxiety, other anxiety features, insomnia, confusion, and general body symptoms) using a three-Likert scale. The total sample size was 24, eight children as cases and 16 as controls. The inclusion criterion was blind children aged 8–13 years attending braille courses. The exclusion criterion was mentally retarded children. Results: This study showed that 16 (66.7%) of the blind children complained of depression, feelings of helplessness, inability, listlessness, loss of interest and slow thinking, trouble sleeping, interrupted sleep, and physical anxiety, although these symptoms were more prevalent among the control group but not statistically significant. Depression was observed more frequently in males than in females (p = 0.003). Blind children suffering from trouble sleeping and interrupted sleep were commonly observed among the control group (14, 87.5%) with no difference between males and females. Depression and feelings of helplessness, inability, listlessness, loss of interest, and slow thinking were observed in 12 (75.0%) blind children. The least reported symptom was the child waking up earlier than usual and not being able to sleep again (10, 6.25%), with no difference between males and females. Conclusion: Braille courses for blind children had a positive effect on their psychological aspects.

Exploring the factors associated with difficulties in extracting tablets or capsules from press-through-package sheets.

Exploring factors related to difficulties in extracting tablets or capsules from press-through-packages is essential for optimizing the dosage form. To achieve this, the involvement of patient insight is important. In the present study, the preferences of patients regarding drugs that are difficult to extract from their packaging were collected using an electronic medication notebook ('harmo®') based on dispensing data. We found that approximately 30% of respondents had difficulty removing tablets or capsules from their packaging, with 125 specific drugs identified as 'hard to push out'. Independent factors related to 'hard-to-push-out' drugs were female sex and feeling of weakness in the hands or fingers. Furthermore, several 'hard-to-push-out' drugs had characteristics such as a spherical shape or small major axis or small major axis drug-to-pocket size ratio. The findings of this study may help improve the quality of drug packaging, thus enhancing the patients' medication experience.

Pedagogical Presence as a Mediator of Tertiary Students’ Unconscious Conflicts During Learning

This paper explores the notion of presence pedagogy in the private higher education sector, drawing on contributions from social constructivism and psychoanalysis, specifically the concept of affective containment. Higher education is a space that, by its nature, invokes feelings of defensiveness, uncertainty, weakness and anxiety in students, who arrive in the tertiary space carrying their own unconscious conflicts that interact with the external world. These unconscious processes culminate in behaviours and interactions that influence learning and relational dynamics with their educators. This theoretical paper presents an explanation of the unconscious, but observable processes that neoliberal students transition through in the learning process and offers a position that can usefully serve educators in negotiating and containing these unconscious processes. This paper offers the argument that presence pedagogy can be usefully employed as a method for the educator to perform the role of ‘container’ of these unconscious processes. Presence pedagogy is conceptualized as an educator’s capacity to be reassuring and attentive to their students and draws on relational practices such as an ethics of care to enact appropriate psychological and pedagogical care for the student in learning contexts. This paper proposes that presence pedagogy can usefully mediate students’ unconscious conflicts to settle into a productive place of learning, where the tensions between inner worlds and external demands are contained by the educator and adapted into meaningful learning experiences. By dovetailing an ethics of care with core constructivist tenets, educators can simultaneously hold the student, and the line, forging productive learning experiences while maintaining boundaries and professionalism. In so doing, the student is ‘contained’, and anxieties are mediated to facilitate a learning experience in which anxiety is tolerated and processed by both student and educator. This is not an easy task, nor without risks and limitations, but this paper offers imaginings of how a presence pedagogy might be enacted in a contact private tertiary environment to meaningfully engage with students’ unconscious conflicts in the learning space.

Unilateral Vestibular Hypofunction in an Adolescent: Case Report and Literature Review

Objective − The report presents a case of an adolescent girl with vertigo resulting from unilateral vestibular hypofunction, diagnosed after extensive pediatric and otorhinolaryngological evaluations.Case Report − A seventeen-year-old female adolescent sought medical assistance at the pediatric emergency hospital service on several occasions within one year due to feelings of weakness and darkened vision occurring during abrupt standing, exposure to heat, and stress. Symptoms were initially attributed to school obligations, low blood pressure, and the menstrual cycle. After an episode that also involved a brief loss of consciousness, an extensive neurological evaluation was conducted, excluding epileptogenic causes. Subsequent diagnostic procedures included evoked visual potential tests, psychological assessments, laboratory blood tests, thyroid hormone assays, and Borrelia burgdorferi serology, all yielding normal results. Finally, otorhinolaryngological examinations were performed, including pure tone audiometry, tympanometry, video head impulse tests, videonystagmography, and vestibular evoked myogenic potential tests. These tests indicated symptoms arising from unilateral labyrinthine hypofunction of the inner ear. The patient underwent vestibular rehabilitation, resulting in symptom resolution and confirmed functional recovery.Conclusion − Diagnosing vertigo in adolescence is challenging, as impaired balance can manifest as a symptom of various diseases. Presentation with atypical symptoms for peripherally caused balance disorders complicates diagnosis. Otorhinolaryngologists and audio-vestibular diagnosticians play pivotal roles in establishing accurate diagnoses.