Therapist Unlimited Blog

A recent medical study has shown that evolution is important in understanding and treating disease.
If recent recommendations are implemented, future physicians may soon be tested on evolution in medical entrance and licensing exams, says an international group of doctors and researchers.
The research has shown recent progress in applying evolutionary theory to a range of questions in medicine and public health, from why some people age slower and live longer than others, to why humans suffer from mental illnesses like autism and schizophrenia, to why we have higher rates of cancer than other species.
"There are many ways you can use evolution to improve medical care and medical research," said psychiatrist Randolph Nesse of the University of Michigan.
Nesse is one of a growing number of scientists who since the mid-1990s have been urging medical doctors and researchers to consider human health from an evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary training may benefit researchers in the lab, skeptics argue, but what use is evolution for everyday medical care in the clinic?
"In terms of immediate payoffs, right up at the top of the list are antibiotic resistance and cancer," said Stephen Stearns, a biologist at Yale University. Because of their rapid rates of reproduction, both bacteria and cancer cells quickly evolve resistance to the drugs we use to fight them. "Some develop resistance in just one or two years after drug release," explained Diddahally Govindaraju of the Boston University School of Medicine. "Antibiotic resistance and resistance to chemotherapy are problems that cause enormous suffering and death and also sky-high costs," added Stearns. "We can alleviate these problems if we manage the way we use chemotherapy drugs and antibiotics so as to slow or prevent the evolution of resistance."
Meanwhile in the world of infectious disease, techniques developed by evolutionary biologists - such as methods for reconstructing genetic relationships, or family trees - have been used to trace the origins of pathogens like flu, SARS, and HIV. By uncovering where these diseases came from and how they spread, public health officials can better prepare for outbreaks in the future.
Evolutionary thinking can also yield surprising medical therapies, the authors explain.
Throughout much of our history, for example, humans coexisted with beneficial bacteria and intestinal worms. Reduced exposure to these bugs due to improved hygiene leaves many with immune systems that don’t respond appropriately, scientists say. Research suggests we may be able to reduce our susceptibility to allergies, asthma, and many auto-immune diseases - from inflammatory bowel disease to multiple sclerosis - by giving patients "cocktails" of parasite eggs. "There are now 4000 people in a clinical trial to test the efficacy of worm eggs," said Stearns.
"It’s an insight that comes right out of left field," Stearns added. "Unless you were thinking about co-evolution of humans and their gut flora, you never would have thought you could treat an autoimmune disease by making the immune system think the body is inhabited by parasites."
Given the numerous ways evolutionary concepts can inform medical practice, the authors argue, it’s time to transmit those lessons to those best positioned to put them to use - future physicians. Though anatomy, physiology and biochemistry have long been mainstays of medical education, evolutionary biology is largely absent from the medical school curriculum, studies find. "No medical school in the United States offers evolutionary biology as a medical science, and most have no evolution at all in the curriculum," said Nesse.
In the final paper, Nesse, Stearns, Govindaraju, and 10 other physicians and researchers - including Jeffry Flier, the Dean of the Harvard Medical School - call for greater evolution education both before and during medical school. "We’re urging that evolutionary biology be recognized as something that all entering medical students should have a good grasp of," said co-author Peter Ellison of Harvard University.
"It’s a basic science like embryology and biochemistry and all the rest," added Nesse.
"We insist on students learning many of these basic sciences not because doctors need embryology everyday in the clinic, but because we want them to understand what’s going on in normal functioning and disease."
Their ideas may be gaining ground. This past summer, the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) published a joint report, titled Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians. The report calls for ambitious changes in the science content in the premedical curriculum and on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), including increased emphasis on evolution. "For the first time, the AAMC and HHMI are recommending that evolution be one of the basic sciences students learn before they come to medical school," Nesse explained.
If the recommendations take hold, future physicians may soon be tested on evolution in the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). "The MCATs are currently under review, and changes will be made in the next two years," said Stearns.
"Those recommendations will affect thousands of colleges and universities across the country," Stearns added.
"Pre-med students often say: ‘What on earth does this have to do with me? Fossils aren’t going to help me get into medical school,’" said biologist Jay Labov of the National Academy of Sciences. "But without an evolutionary perspective, a doctor’s tools are somewhat limited."

Though people are quite conscious of their depressed condition, they tend to deprive themselves with therapy because of stereotypical matter. Those who ado not understand the real purpose of therapy think that those who undergo it are already schizophrenics. It’s a lame judgment, but surprisingly, it affects depressed individuals.

First off, it is never shameful to undergo a psychotherapy. Even though the mentally-individuals go through such therapy, it never means that you are one of them when you decide to see a professional. There are some psychological problems that need to be solved, and definitely, that is something normal.

On the other hand, if, in case, you are not convinced with simple yet straight statements, here are some things you ought to know when psychotherapy is being conducted…. just to let you know that it is something you shouldn’t be doubting….

1. A confidential talk between you and your psychologist. What you discuss inside the room is strictly between you and your shrink. It will never be revealed to anyone else – even to your most trusted loved-one – because it is against their code of ethics. Confidentiality is a major matter among the psychologists, vowing to keep everything between them and their patients.

2. An overview of your personal background. Once you start giving them your trust and begin your psychotherapy, your shrink will start to ask you series of questions, some things about you – certain points in your past like childhood and adolescence, major events in life, devastating arguments, accomplishments, and the like. When these are answered, you psychologist will deduce your condition and later, will focus on the things you should work on.

3. Continuous session. Just a day of talk between you and your doctor will definitely not finish your issues. It takes time in order to discuss your problems one by one and provide cures for them. Furthermore, you shrink needs to keep track on your current state – to see if improvements are already taking place.

Once again, tons of tissue papers are piled in the trash can, filled with my tears. You see, I am a very emotional girl who gets deeply touched with almost everything. Show me a dead dog and I will weep like crazy. On the other hand, these days have been more emotional to me. My friend’s aunt just got coma. Visiting her with my friend made me realize what suffering looked like. No offense to my friend, but her aunt seemed quite lifeless. None of her body parts were responsive, except her head. All she can do is to make little glances and gentle moans to assure us that she’s understanding our talks.

Like me, my friend is emotional too. I know it’s really hard for her. And because I love her, I am also experiencing the same pain. God knows how poignant this can be, and I just can’t imagine what would I feel if that kind of situation struck my life. I just wish that would never happen.

Darn, even the thought of it is painful. But I realized that there are actually two things that I can call real suffering:

Losing someone you love. This is a living hell. You’d wish that it was you who’s dead, not the person you hold dearly. Nothing is as painful as staying alive without him/her by your side. Some people say that it’s okay because that person lingers in our soul. And I say that it’s nothing but a screwed up cliché to help us escape the fact that we lose something important that we will never gain.

Comatose. Clearly, my visit on my friend’s aunt influenced me on my perception about suffering. It’s a physical, psychological, mental, and emotional torture that affects both of the sick and his/her loved ones. If you had this, you’d wish you’re dead, because living in a world of corners, hospital machineries, and dextrose is a screwed up existence worse than hell. Furthermore, what would make you more hurt is seeing your loved one suffer because you are bed-ridden and idle, just waiting for Jack the Reaper to fetch you.

Do people find you annoying because of your lack of consideration? Well, you don’t really intend to offend them, it’s just that, you can’t understand their situations and end up saying horrible things instead of consoling them. And if you are getting sick of pissing them off, then it’s time to show them empathy. But if this word doesn’t ring a bell, then remember this short list very well…. for it will save you of losing your friends because of your lack of understanding:

1. Put yourself in their shoes. This is the best way to understand what your friends are going through. When they tell you their problems, try asking yourself, “What will I feel when it happens to me?” When you have the answer, then it’s the sign that you are starting to empathize.

2. Be open-minded. Bear in mind that people have different reactions towards various situations. Even if it irritates you, and even when you think that their problem is too shallow, you still have to understand them.

There are other ways to display empathy with the people around you. Just remember that the key to empathizing is “understanding.”

How can I possibly smile when the person I valued the most left me? It was not like a break-up where I could still get back my girl from a sincere and passionate persuasion. This was loss – something that would not allow me to gain something as its exchange.

I saw my beloved sister died right before my eyes. I saw how a careless drunk driver took her breath and soullessly left her like she was just a damn cat. It was tragic, but she managed to smile as her last memory. I never understood it, and from then on, I never knew what happiness meant. I never even remember the last time I did that gesture on my face. My sister was everything to me. And now that she’s gone, I didn’t know how to move on….

It has been five years and every month, I visited her, with that memory that appeared like a nightmare to me. No matter how much I hated it, I knew I had to live, even when the only thing that I had was solitude. Nothing could bring her back from the grave; even the life of the damned man who took her away wouldn’t be able to do that. At the back of my mind, I knew accepting her death would be the answer for this. On the other hand, it seemed that for someone like me, who hasn’t stopped grieving, would find it the most difficult to do.

Being the kindest person I’ve ever known, my sister never wanted me to visit her with a pathetic look in my face. I knew it was the last thing she wanted to have. So, I, with only a small amount of hope left, struggled to smile before her grave. Besides, loss was quite different from throwing something away. And I was certain that I haven’t thrown her memories. With this, I would have a reason to do that cheerful gesture that I used to forget…. I guess that would be my start.

They say that acceptance would be the hardest thing for someone who has lost the most important thing in his life. It took me five years to cope with the death of my sister, finding acceptance as the toughest challenge in my life. And as I take another time to visit her grave, I finally manage to smile, finally understanding what her smile meant.

This is a blog for people who are hiding in the shadows, depriving themselves from this “silver lining” and scared from the inner-monsters that kept them extremely down. The words written here might be speaking your feeling…. because my existence used to be a phantom. However, my words are not meant to bury your flesh deeper, but to share the changes I already started.

I understand why I denied myself a psychological therapy even when I knew I really needed one. People had a way of jumping into conclusions in the most foolish way, thinking that you’ve gone mad or have become a complete psychopath once once you start seeing a shrink. I, being one of these idiots, thought of the same way. I also had this burden of believing that my situation was shameful, so I kept on concealing it myself even if I knew it would hurt me more. Thus, I deprived myself for getting a help from a professional, making my depression even worse.

As I expected, things have become worse. I didn’t know how to stand up, because my self-worth has stopped me from doing so. I guess this was the result of being abused by the person who used to be the dearest for you. Believing in every word he said was only natural, especially when you valued him in the most overwhelming way. It was a wonderful feeling at first, but little by little it became poignant. But because I valued him with every inch of my flesh, I remained silent just to keep him, even though it hurt me – sexually, physically, emotionally. And so, here I was, a person who no longer had a self-worth.

But something happened. On that day, my mother found out about this burden. I had a self-journal as the only medium to somehow ease this pain and she had read about everything. I guess it was more painful for her, knowing her daughter, the girl she had hopes for, was crashed by a guy who didn’t seem to have a soul. She was open-minded, unlike us who thought that psychological therapy only belonged for the psychopaths. Understanding my needs, she encouraged me to undergo a therapy with a professional. And it was then…. it was then when I finally gathered my courage to face my inner-demons that had been haunting me for a long time.

It wasn’t easy at first. Opening yourself to a stranger, even if she’s a psychiatrist was difficult. But I knew I had to speak, otherwise, everything would turn pointless. As I went on with my story, my doctor realized that I had chronic depression, meaning I have been clinically depressed for a years. She then gave me several assignments aimed for the betterment of my condition and prescribed me a medicine called Zoloft, an anti-depressant.

I am still undergoing to this therapy. I would be a complete fool if I said that I am healed. This sadness, lack of self-worth, low self-esteem, and a feeling of solitude are still here. Nevertheless, there are changes. Thinking that it’s not shameful to undergo a psychological therapy is one. That it is alright to feel this way. And that changes can still be done, even in the people felt hopeless and lost.