When Should We Be Alarmed?

(problems) - (PANIC!) = solutions

When should we be alarmed? Never. Panicking never makes things better, only worse.

Recently on one of my professional discussion groups a woman asked:

"Why is the number of chilren [sp] diagnosed with Autism increasing? Are we becoming alarmed?"

I think her question was sincere but is flavored by the sort of sensationalism that  decades of local TV news has created in our culture. I love people who ask questions and certainly ask my fair share. That said, effective questions are ones that lead to clarity, not create chaos.

That said, this is the response I wrote to the woman on my board:

Becoming alarmed about autism does nothing. I think many people who are uninformed are becoming alarmed. But should we? I think not. Becoming alarmed does nothing but make a problem bigger.

What is the reason for increase in the diagnosis of autism? Unsure....and this is not my areas of expertise so I am hesitant to add much to this discourse. However, I think if you look at other conditions that are hard to diagnose--ADHD comes to mind but I am sure there are others--there is a rise in its diagnosis as well. I think as we refine our knowledge we have a higher degree of understanding about such conditions. So that is certainly one factor.

One thing I do know....there is no one cause. Mono-causality is a common mistake and an oversimplification of any problem or an attempt to find a solution. There are a variety of reasons and each needs to be examined calmly and in a consistent fashion.

Beware dear readers of anyone who uses fear or panic to sell their agenda, or products, or services. The only reason for panic that I can see is an increasing number of people are finding that creating fear and hysteria are a legitimate way to make a buck.

H1N1 Vaccine: The Facts About the Flu

(facts) - (fear) = sound choices

I had a pretty wonderful piece on how to avoid arguing with someone all ready to go when, at the gym, I saw this 60 Minutes story on the H1N1 vaccine.

Being so tired of all the fear mongering going around about this vaccine, I thought I would share this with my readers. I pick the sources of my information with the greatest of care; CBS News in general, and 60 Minutes in particular, are reputable and generally respected by the general public. I think their record of public service and quality reporting speaks for itself.

That said, listen to the people CBS selected to tell this story. Making decisions based on facts as opposed to fear is always the better choice.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

What Do You Get From Exercising JUST ONE TIME?

I have felt this oh so many times before, nice to see it proven...the very act of exercising can make you feel better about your body.

Men Happier Than Women? No Ship Sherlock

After watching this weekend's television I have decided that the world is a fairly safe place, at least for the moment. The reason being that CNN apparently has little to report, outside of a study saying the men are happier than women.

What makes this a surprise?

Women have less power in our society than men. Any time a group has less power they are less likely to be happy. Regardless of if the group is denied their rights by sex, gender, sexuality, economics or skin tone, the dominant segment is going to display a decided tendency to be more satisfied with their lives.

Yes, I recognize women have made strides in the social arena since the dark days pre-Betty Friedan. However, there is hardly equity between women and their far happier male counterparts. Anyone who doubts that fact needs to check out the makeup of the senate. Women are half the population--how many female senators are there? Or how about C.E.O.s--how many of them have duplicate chromosomes? Men still run the world...and smiles will fall on those in charge.

Also, consider the fact that women are far more in touch with their feelings than their male counterparts--which actually is another side effect of being second class. Those on the outside tend to show a much stronger ability to read the room and understand how the dominant group behaves and feels. Women think about feelings and attitudes as a function of survival. What would be the motivation for (most) men to be self-aware? When you run the show, you can stumble through life with little regard for others--making those in second place a lot less happy group. But if you have to respond to another group's demand, in this case those of men, the less powerful group is going to focus on what mood the men, as well as themselves, are in.

Smile and have a great Monday.

David Ezell is offering free introductory classes for people who want to transition their bodies or their ability to manage depression and anxiety holistically. Just click the link and register, as space is VERY LIMITED.