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Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

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Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

which countries have a different system than individual doctors for primary care, and how is it better?

I think in most countries people don't have to ask their PCP for permission to see the proper specialist. I don't have much other basis for comparison because I don't think I've ever met any PCP more than once anyway.

The Canadian system absolutely requires a referral from your GP to see a specialist. And even in the US, when you do have insurance that allows you to see a specialist without a referral, there are some specialists who won’t see you without a referral anyway, I assume because they don’t want to deal with random people off the street.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#132

> Dr Pittenger says it is now clear that covid-19 infections can trigger psychosis, fatigue and other neuro-psychiatric symptoms. A misbehaving immune system is thought to be the culprit. The idea that schizophrenia may, at least sometimes, likewise be an auto-immune disorder is also under investigation. Until I got long covid(generally recovered now after 2 years), I couldn't comprehend this idea. I felt like I was…

Prior to getting into tech, I had an internship at the NY State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) where I did work helping people developing assessment tools for schizophrenic prodromes (people before they develop schizophrenia), as they were working on a predictive assessment questionaire. Basically they were looking for risk factors but also to predict who might actually develop the disease imminently among those at ri…

Related: "Treating the Prodrome", a discussion about early treatment of schizophrenia and some speculation about possible mechanisms. [1]

This sort of work is very exciting to me! Treating schizophrenia early seems like a win for everyone - less of an impact on the individual, less of a need for antipsychotics, and less societal impact.

I've also seen some speculation about a prodrome for major depression, with a period characterized by anxiety or agitation before a full episode. Early detection of psychiatric episodes seems like a really ripe approach.

[1] https://slatestarcodex.com/2018/09/20/treat-the-prodrome/

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#133
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>It makes you honestly question the idea of freewill. Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". Or, much more simply stated "You're not you when you are hungry".

> Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". You cannot control what you feel, but you can control your actions.

In theory that sounds great. Unfortunately the idea that humans are highly rational is over rated. We are first and foremost, for better or worse, emotional beings.

Your fame of mind (i.e., feelings) plays a role in decision making, which drives action.

In short, beliefs (to which emotions are connected) drive behavior.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#134

I woul look carefully to the pills that was subscribed to that infection.

Hmm? The mechanism discussed here is the immune system attacking human cells during an immune response to strep. What do pills have to do with that, and do you mean antibiotics or do you mean psychiatric medications?

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#135
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>It makes you honestly question the idea of freewill. Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". Or, much more simply stated "You're not you when you are hungry".

> Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". You cannot control what you feel, but you can control your actions.

I assume you have no bad habits?

Can you instantly get back to sleep?

You never snap at anyone?

Diet is 100% what you want it to be?

Exercise on time daily?

Read HN only as much as you know it benefits you?

Marine you’re the 0.0001% who has all this down but most don’t. I’m sure there are many other examples of how most people barely control our minds and actions.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". You cannot control what you feel, but you can control your actions.

You have clearly never met someone having a hypoglycemic event. It can absolutely change their personality, as significantly as a head injury.

The sound of breaking dishes in the kitchen, a trail of damaged but unopened candy wrappers, sitting on the floor next to the cabinets with their doors ripped off, with the sugar bowl half-spilled, thankfully recovering with some sugar under their tongue and no major bodily injury. Terrifying.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ancient religion and philosophy taught that habits influence desires far more strongly than desires influence habits. It is possible to want different desires (if you disagree, ask any recovering drug addict). So even conflicting desires can exist simultaneously on multiple planes of consciousness. A powerful way to change your desires to be what you want them to be is to change your habits.

Sure, but what motivates that change in habits? Does it spontaneously arise? Does is trace back to some other event? Neither of these illustrate a degree of freedom.

[deleted]

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#139
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>It makes you honestly question the idea of freewill. Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". Or, much more simply stated "You're not you when you are hungry".

> Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". You cannot control what you feel, but you can control your actions.

ADHD...

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#140
post #48

> Dr Pittenger says it is now clear that covid-19 infections can trigger psychosis, fatigue and other neuro-psychiatric symptoms. A misbehaving immune system is thought to be the culprit. The idea that schizophrenia may, at least sometimes, likewise be an auto-immune disorder is also under investigation. Until I got long covid(generally recovered now after 2 years), I couldn't comprehend this idea. I felt like I was…

>It makes you honestly question the idea of freewill. Not eating and getting low blood sugar can much more simply answer the question of "Do I have free will, or am I a subject of my internal chemical reactions". Or, much more simply stated "You're not you when you are hungry".

No, you are Danny Devito. Here eat a snickers.
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