# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You do not currently have access to this article.

Purchase

Subscription prices and ordering

Short-term Access

Relaxing Music Prevents Stress-Induced Increases in Subjective Anxiety, Systolic Blood Pressure, and Heart Rate in Healthy Males and Females - 24 Hours access

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Relaxing Music Prevents Stress-Induced Increases in Subjective Anxiety, Systolic Blood Pressure, and Heart Rate in Healthy Males and Females

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You do not currently have access to this article. Subscription prices and ordering Relaxing Music Prevents Stress-Induced Increases in Subjective Anxiety, Systolic Blood Pressure, and Heart Rate in Healthy Males and Females - 24 Hours access

# data[].attributes.headline
Why General Grievous is the best Star Wars character

# data[].attributes.subject
Why General Grievous is the best Star Wars character

# data[].attributes.headline
Interracial Adoption and Identity Crisis 

# data[].attributes.subject
Interracial Adoption and Identity Crisis 

# data[].attributes.headline
 Bipolar Disorder. How it affects young people's lives?

# data[].attributes.subject
 Bipolar Disorder. How it affects young people's lives?

# data[].attributes.headline
The abandonment effects for the babies's Psychological development and the mothely care as a protection factor

# data[].attributes.subject
The abandonment effects for the babies's Psychological development and the mothely care as a protection factor

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-166X2004000300006

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Os efeitos do abandono para o desenvolvimento psicológico de bebês e a maternagem como fator de proteção
The abandonment effects for the babies's Psychological development and the mothely care as a protection factor
IResidente, Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família/ Modalidade Residência, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88940-000, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. Correspondência para/ Correspondence to: E. BÖING
II Curso de graduação de Psicologia e Pós-Graduação de Psicologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Florianópolis, SC, Brasil

O objetivo deste artigo é descrever o trabalho de maternagem realizado com bebês deixados para adoção em uma maternidade. Rejeição, doença ou morte e pobreza da mãe/família apresentam-se como determinantes da entrega de um bebê para os cuidados institucionais. Vários estudos apontam os efeitos nocivos sobre a formação das crianças quando observadas num processo de separação dos pais e, em especial, da mãe. Essas crianças requerem assistência especializada para minimizar, tanto quanto possível, o prejuízo psíquico decorrente do abandono. Com base nos estudos que abordam essa temática, o serviço de psicologia dessa maternidade realiza com esses bebês a maternagem, objetivando suprir a carência de cuidados maternos e intervir através da palavra e do contato com o bebê. Longas rupturas com pessoas significativas e institucionalização prolongada agem como importantes fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento normativo da criança. A maternagem atua como fator de proteção para o desenvolvimento do bebê abandonado, promovendo saúde mental.

Palavras-chave: comportamento materno infantil; bebês; separação mãe-bebê; desenvolvimento psicológico; fatores de risco; fatores de proteção.

The purpose of this article is to describe the motherly care process carried out with babies who were let at the Maternity foster care service. Rejection, disease, death and poverty can be presented as the determinants for living the babies at the institutional care service by mothers and families. Several studies point out the harmful effects on the children's development when they are observed during the separation processes from the parents and, specially, from their mothers. These children require specialized assistance to minimize, as much as possible, the abandonment psychological consequences. Based on the studies that deal with this subject, the Maternity Psychological Service practices the motherly care with these babies, in order to supply the mother care privation using the influence of interaction through speech and hold held contact. Significant people long absences and an extended institutionalization period bring against the child development. The motherly care acts as a protection factor for the abandoned baby development, promoting mental health.

Key-words: maternal behavior (human), infants, holding, mother-baby separation, psychological development, risk factors, protection factors.

O objetivo do presente artigo é descrever o trabalho realizado pelo serviço de psicologia na maternidade do hospital da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina junto aos bebês abandonados e encaminhados para a adoção.

Ao nascer, o bebê é um ser indefeso e incapaz de sobreviver por meio de seus próprios recursos; o que lhe falta deve ser compensado e fornecido por um adulto cuidador. Para além dos cuidados de alimentação e higiene, vários autores ressaltam a necessidade do bebê de um contato afetivo contínuo advindo de uma figura constante - a mãe ou um cuidador substituto competente - com a qual estabelecerá relações de apego que vêm assegurar e favorecer seu desenvolvimento biopsicoafetivo (Spitz, 1979; Bowlby, 1984; Goldstein, Freud & Solnit, 1987; Bowlby, 1988; 1989; Winnicott, 1993; Szejer, 1999).

Por cuidador competente entende-se o indivíduo capaz de decifrar os sinais que a criança emite para então atendê-la nas suas necessidades desenvolvimentais (Santos da Silva, 2003).

O papel do vínculo afetivo no desenvolvimento do bebê

Spitz (1979, p.99) ressalta a importância do afeto na relação mãe-filho no aparecimento e desenvolvimento da consciência do bebê e a participação vital que a mãe tem ao criar um "clima emocional favorável", sob todos os aspectos, ao desenvolvimento da criança. Segundo o autor, são os sentimentos maternos que criam esse clima emocional que confere ao bebê uma variedade de experiências vitais muito importantes por estarem "interligadas, enriquecidas e caracterizadas pelo afeto materno". Tais experiências são essenciais na infância, pois, nesse período, os afetos são de altíssima relevância, maior do que em qualquer outro período posterior da vida, visto que, do ponto de vista psicológico, grande parte dos aparelhos sensório, perceptivo e de discriminação sensorial ainda não amadureceu; como conseqüência, a atitude emocional da mãe serve para orientar os afetos do bebê e conferir qualidade de vida à sua experiência.

A abordagem etológica do estudo do recém-nascido propõe que a criança vem ao mundo com os equipamentos sensorial, motor e de comunicação perfeitamente adaptados para a sobrevivência nas condições da espécie. Sua sobrevivência depende da proteção, atenção e cuidados prestados pelo adulto; nesse sentido, a relação de apego desempenha a função de garantir o recebimento desses cuidados. Baseado nessa abordagem e na teoria da evolução e da psicologia cognitiva, Bowlby (1989) desenvolveu a teoria do apego, que postula a existência de uma organização psicológica interna situada no sistema nervoso central, responsável pela formação e manutenção dos laços emocionais íntimos entre indivíduos. A propensão para estabelecer tais laços é considerada um componente básico da natureza humana, encontrando-se presente no neonato em forma germinal, e continuando na vida adulta e velhice, quando os primeiros laços persistem e são complementados por novos.

Além do motivo primordial de sobrevivência, Bowlby (1989) ressalta a influência no desenvolvimento da criança, em termos de saúde mental, da maneira como a criança é tratada por seus pais - sobretudo pelo cuidador principal que, em sociedades ocidentais, geralmente é a mãe.

A vivência de uma relação calorosa, íntima e contínua com a mãe ou mãe substituta perma-nente, ou seja, uma pessoa que desempenha, regular e constantemente, o papel de mãe, mostra-se essencial à saúde mental do bebê. É essa relação complexa, rica e compensadora com a mãe, nos primeiros anos de vida, enriquecida de inúmeras maneiras pelas relações com o pai e familiares, que a comunidade científica julga estar na base do desenvolvimento da personalidade e saúde mental (Bowlby, 1988).

Quando a criança é privada desse tipo de relação, sofre uma série de efeitos prejudiciais descritos por Bowlby (1988) de acordo com o grau de privação. A privação parcial pode gerar angústia, exagerada necessidade de amor; fortes sentimentos de vingança e, conseqüentemente, culpa e depressão. Como a criança pequena não sabe lidar com estas emoções, sua forma de reação a tais perturbações poderá resultar em distúrbios nervosos, em uma personalidade instável. A privação quase que total, observada, por vezes, em instituições de abrigos, creches, hospitais, aumenta a severidade dos danos no desenvolvimento psicoafetivo, denominada "hospitalismo"; sendo que a privação total, por sua vez, pode aniquilar a capacidade da criança de estabelecer relações futuras com outras pessoas.

Cabe lembrar o trabalho pioneiro de Spitz (1945), que comparou o desenvolvimento psicoafetivo de duas populações de crianças: filhos de mães delinqüentes em uma instituição penitenciária onde cada mãe, apesar de sua patologia, cuidava do filho durante o dia com o auxílio de uma enfermeira competente; e crianças criadas em orfanatos que recebiam cuidados de higiene e alimentação adequados, porém carecendo de qualquer contato humano caloroso durante grande parte do dia. Nesse estudo, observou-se a reação de "hospitalismo" na segunda população, aparecendo na primeira apenas após uma separação da mãe.

Lebovici (1987) afirma que a interação mãe-bebê - processo ao longo do qual a mãe entra em comunicação com o bebê, enviando-lhe certas "mensagens", enquanto que este responde a ela de acordo com seus próprios meios - funciona como protótipo primitivo para todas as relações ulteriores desse bebê.

Em uma revisão sobre as evidências relativas às influências adversas do cuidado materno inadequado durante a primeira infância no desenvolvimento da personalidade, Bowlby (1988) aponta estudos que apresentaram correlações consistentes entre a carência de um vínculo afetuoso saudável na infância e a delinqüência juvenil.

Outros autores, como Rutter (1971) e Zannon (1981), consideram outros fatores, aliados à separação da mãe, responsáveis pelo estresse e pelo prejuízo do desenvolvimento, como: a qualidade das relações anteriores com a família, a idade da criança, condições de estimulação ambiental e a qualidade do cuidado dispensado a ela durante o período de separação. Os autores ressaltam, também, que não se pode visualizar a separação apenas do ponto de vista da "díade mãe-criança", mas é importante considerar a interação da criança com outros membros da família.

Assim, pode-se dizer que a separação não é, em si, necessariamente, um fator a perturbar o desenvolvimento da criança, mas a separação aliada à ausência de condições favorecedoras do seu desenvolvimento, como descrito por Rutter e Zannon.

O abandono como fator de risco para o desenvolvimento

A definição de fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento inclui a dinâmica de interação de condições biológicas e ambientais que impedem o pleno desenvolvimento da criança (Sameroff & Chandler, 1975; Werner, 1986; Lewis, Dlugokinski, Caputo & Griffin, 1988; Bradley & Casey, 1992; Horowitz, 1992; Cicchetti & Garmezy, 1993; Laucht, Esser & Schmidt, 1997).

Albee (1982; 1984) ressalta que a noção de risco assim como a noção de proteção devem ser compreendidas segundo uma interação dos fatores da criança, da família nuclear e do ambiente mais amplo; enfatizando a separação das noções de risco, que deve ser reduzido, e de proteção, que deve ser aumentado. Nesse sentido, deve-se identificar os fatores de proteção e delimitar os mecanismos protetores que servirão como estratégias úteis de prevenção e intervenção remediativa frente aos eventos adversos. Assim, ao reduzir o impacto do risco, abrem-se oportunidades para o desenvolvimento (Rutter, 1987).

Em estudo longitudinal, Werner (1986) ressalta os efeitos positivos da qualidade da interação mãe-bebê para o desenvolvimento de crianças que sofreram risco perinatal, no sentido que a qualidade desse vínculo precoce potencializa a capacidade de resiliência dessas crianças. Entende-se por resiliência as diferenças individuais nas respostas das pessoas ao estresse e à adversidade que funcionam como fatores de proteção, seria, portanto, a capacidade de lidar adequadamente com as adversidades tirando delas proveito para o desenvolvimento (Rutter (1987). Os resultados do referido estudo vêm apoiar empiricamente o modelo transacional de desenvolvimento humano, que leva em consideração a bidirecionalidade da criança - efeitos do cuidador (Sameroff & Chandler, 1975; Bradley & Casey, 1992), considerando o balanço entre os fatores de risco de eventos estressantes na vida e fatores de proteção na criança e no ambiente cuidador que resultará na sua boa ou má adaptação.

Considerando a relevância do cuidado afetuoso contínuo por parte de uma figura constante que favoreça e proteja o desenvolvimento do bebê, com a qual ele estabeleça uma relação de apego, como pensar a condição de bebês abandonados e/ou entregues aos cuidados institucionais?

De acordo com Frassão (2000), o abandono de bebês e crianças caracteriza-se como um sintoma social, geralmente observado em famílias monoparentais, nas quais a pobreza se apresenta como um dos determinantes da entrega de crianças para os cuidados institucionais.

Estudos apontam os efeitos nocivos sobre a formação da criança quando observada num processo de separação dos pais e, em especial, da mãe (Spitz, 1979; Bowlby, 1988; Winnicott, 1993).

Bowlby (1984, p.23) descreve três estados da reação à separação manifestados pela criança: protesto intenso, seguido de desespero e desligamento. A ausência de cuidados maternos da própria mãe ou de uma substituta capaz, aliada a pessoas e eventos estranhos, conduz "à tristeza, à raiva e à angústia nas crianças com mais de dois anos de idade, bem como a reações comparáveis, embora não tão diferenciadas, nas crianças com menos de dois anos".

Goldstein, Freud e Solnit (1987, p.24), no trabalho com crianças que passam pela descontinuidade das relações, como aquelas que esperam pela adoção, descrevem os efeitos da separação até os 18 meses. Para os bebês, a mudança do cuidador "afeta o curso do seu desenvolvimento emocional", as alterações do familiar para o não familiar " causam desconforto, sofrimento, atraso na orientação do bebê e na sua adaptação ao meio". Ressaltam, ainda, as conseqüências a longo prazo, no sentido de que as ligações emocionais destas crianças "se tornam cada vez mais superficiais e indiscriminadas. Elas tendem a crescer como pessoas que não têm calor em seus contatos com seus semelhantes".

A intervenção junto aos bebês abandonados

Segundo Szejer (1994), o sofrimento, no sentido psicanalítico do termo, é um "sofrimento de palavra". Seja ele do corpo ou da mente, é sempre sofrimento simbólico e a necessidade da palavra enunciada se mostra tão real que, se não for satisfeita, o corpo pode ser afetado na sua integridade, ou seja, esse sofrimento pode se expressar através de sintomas. Anna Freud, Winnicott, Melanie Klein e seus sucessores estudaram e adaptaram a prática psicanalítica a crianças cada vez menores. Nessa direção, seguindo os passos de Françoise Dolto, que, pioneiramente, desenvolveu sua prática psicanalítica a partir do efeito da "palavra verdadeira" sobre os bebês, qualquer fosse a sua idade ou seu estado, Myriam Szejer deu início a seu trabalho e pesquisas com bebês em maternidades.

De acordo com Szejer (1994), quando uma palavra intimamente relacionada ao recém-nascido lhe é dirigida, define para ele seu lugar dentre os dados conflitantes de sua história. Sua hipótese consiste em imaginar que os efeitos desta palavra, permitindo-lhe memorizar certos elementos, vão ajudá-lo a adquirir referenciais necessários à simbolização de seu sofrimento até então encerrado em seu corpo.

Embora essa afirmação sobre o efeito da palavra seja controversa, há outros autores (Eliacheff, apud Szejer, 1994; Mathelin, 1999; Busnel, 1997a; 1997b) que, através da observação e relato de seus trabalhos e estudos com bebês, corroboram esta idéia sem, contudo, desprezar a relevância do afeto na interação com o bebê. Eliacheff, na sua prática de psicanálise com crianças de zero a três anos, afirma que fala diretamente com o bebê, traduzindo em palavras seu sofrimento revelado pelas suas expressões, conta a ele sua história de vida pré- e pós-natal de forma a permitir estabelecer conexões entre os "pontos de ruptura", e afirma, ainda, que o bebê entende o que lhe é dito, pois lhe é falado a respeito das experiências que viveu. Mathelin (1999, p.23) enfatiza o poder da "fala verdadeira" no corpo do bebê, afirmando que para viver o ser humano precisa inscrever-se numa fala; "caso se inscreva numa fala louca, fica louco". A etóloga Busnel (1997a) demonstrou, através de rigorosas experiências, a capacidade do bebê de responder à fala, à voz e ao afeto vinculado à linguagem.

Em que consistiria exatamente esta comunicação cuidador-bebê? Ou ainda, qual seria seu principal componente? Embora os autores supracitados enfatizem a importância da palavra, não se pode afirmar ao certo em que dimensão ela se encontra implicada nesse processo comunicacional, pois se deve considerar o afeto, a disponibilidade, a comunicação gestual, dentre outros fatores, necessários para o estabelecimento do vínculo. Nesse sentido, abre-se aqui a discussão de um campo que necessita ser mais bem pesquisado.

Mathelin (1999, p.44) ressalta a importância dos vários aspectos da comunicação com o bebê: o modo de tocá-lo, de responder ao seu olhar, de "endereçar-se ao bebê, enquanto humano endereçando-se a outro humano, habitado por seus afetos, pensamentos, desejos". Para a autora, é o "endereçamento ao outro, capturado na linguagem, que parece estar, para além das palavras, operando na criança".

Em uma conferência realizada pela Associação Brasileira para o Estudo do Psiquismo Pré e Perinatal (ABREP), Szejer foi questionada se a importância de sua intervenção com bebês estaria na palavra ou na forma como é dita, devendo-se, portanto, ao investimento afetivo. Respondeu, convicta, que o importante são as palavras, o que é dito, uma vez que os efeitos não advêm da voz da mãe, nem do vínculo afetivo, já que este não é estabelecido entre ambos, concluindo, assim, que o que lhes é dito é que produz os efeitos observados. Justificou-se pelo seu trabalho com recém-nascidos abandonados. Contudo, Szejer complementa a questão afirmando: "Eu me considero um ser humano e não posso dispensar o meu investimento afetivo. Como já lhes disse, não se trata de um trabalho científico com comprovações a serem verificadas. Trata-se de uma experiência humana na qual estou implicada com coração e alma, no decorrer da qual faço descobertas. E, se isso for do interesse de mais alguém, tanto melhor" (Szejer, 1997). A autora nos parece controversa, no entanto, quando enfatiza a importância do "investi-mento afetivo", além das palavras.

Por outro lado, Lebovici (1987), em conversas clínicas com mães e seus bebês, observou as diferentes reações do bebê (aparentemente em concordância com os elementos do discurso materno) e não acredita que o bebê seja sensível à significação das palavras da mãe, conferindo importância aos caracteres "prosódicos" do discurso materno, à intensidade sonora, à modulação dessa intensidade à medida que a mãe fala, seu ritmo, seu timbre. Além disso, afirma que outras mensagens podem ser transmitidas ao bebê, inconscientemente, sob a forma de modificação da postura e do tônus da mãe ao pegar o bebê nos braços e das trocas de posições que ela imprime.

Mathelin (1999) cita o trabalho de Masakowski (1996) que demonstrou a sensibilidade dos bebês aos afetos, pois no segundo dia de vida eles reagiam de forma diferente quando suas mães falavam-lhes de modo triste, alegre ou zangado. E, por outro lado, os bebês não reagiam se lhes fizessem ouvir as mesmas falas das mães por intermédio de um gravador que passava a fita ao contrário, o que fez com que os pesquisadores se interrogassem a respeito da capacidade dos bebês de compreender o sentido das palavras. Essa questão permanece ainda hoje um enigma e nada pôde ser comprovado cientificamente.

O que se pode concluir desses estudos é que essa intervenção psicológica se faz especialmente necessária no caso de bebês abandonados ou entregues aos cuidados institucionais, como forma de garantir que, ao menos uma vez, esses bebês ouçam sua verdadeira história, uma vez que o desconhecimento desta, segundo Szejer (1997), deixa "buracos mentais" que podem e são preenchidos muito freqüentemente por sintomas clínicos, por vezes de intensidade letal.

Para os bebês abandonados, o nascimento representa um corte radical em relação a tudo o que eles conhecem: a voz da mãe, os ruídos de seu corpo, a voz do pai, o ambiente familiar, enfim, tudo aquilo que permite a um recém-nascido se situar nos primeiros momentos de sua vida desaparece. "As palavras a ele dirigidas e que darão sentido àquilo que lhe é dado viver" podem promover o vínculo, afirma Szejer,e devem ser ditas ao bebê o mais precocemente possível, após a separação, e a partir de então, "... a criança poderá vir a ocupar seu lugar nessa história tão particular que a precede e a atravessa" (Szejer, 1999, p.43).

A passagem do hospital para a instituição de abrigo representa para o bebê a reatualização do "corte" vivido no nascimento quando fora separado de sua mãe. Quando os vínculos estabelecidos com os membros da equipe do hospital não são simbolizados no momento da transferência para o abrigo, ficam sujeitos a reaparecer sob a forma de sintomas clínicos posteriores (Szejer, 1997).

A partir dessa constatação, originou-se o projeto de assumir essas crianças "não apenas para uma maternagem adaptada mas também para uma acolhida de linguagem", de modo a oferecer-lhes a oportunidade de serem reconectadas à sua história passada, "única a poder dar sentido à projeção de seu futuro" (Szejer, 1997, p.148).

A maternagem realizada na maternidade do HU/UFSC

Com base nos autores que abordam a temática, o serviço de psicologia da maternidade desenvolve um trabalho denominado maternagem, que consiste no acolhimento dos bebês nascidos na instituição e abandonados ou entregues para adoção.

Por se tratar de um hospital-escola, a estagiária de psicologia, orientada por uma professora supervisora e uma psicóloga local, passa a maternar o bebê, tornando-se para ele uma figura constante e de referência até a passagem dos seus cuidados para a mãe adotiva.

O conceito de maternagem pode ser compreendido como o conjunto de cuidados dispensados ao bebê que visa suprir suas necessidades. Essas, por sua vez, são entendidas, segundo as definições de Winnicott (1999a; 1999b) como: necessidade de holding, que significa não apenas o ato de segurar o bebê, mas contê-lo física e emocionalmente; de handling, que diz respeito aos cuidados de manuseio do bebê; e, ainda, de "apresentação do objeto", sendo o próprio cuidador tido como "objeto libidinal" que satisfaz as necessidades do bebê. O cuidador, segundo o autor, deve ter a capacidade de perceber como o bebê está se sentindo, reconhecendo, assim, a sua subjetividade.

Essa maternagem distingue-se da intervenção realizada por Szejer (1997), que, assumindo uma postura psicanalítica, evita o contato afetivo com o bebê, atendo-se à intervenção através da palavra, em respeito à transferência e, quando necessário, após as sessões, ela pede a quem esteja com o mesmo que o embale e o acalme.

Por outro lado, na maternagem a que nos referimos neste artigo, a estagiária de psicologia, numa tentativa de minimizar os efeitos da privação da mãe, acolhe o bebê, interagindo com ele, oferecendo-lhe cuidados de higiene e alimentação e, sobretudo, contato afetivo através do olhar, do toque terno, de cantigas e da palavra. Palavras que vêm conferir sentido a tudo o que o bebê está vivendo, sobre sua origem, seu presente, perspectivas de futuro.

A respeito das conseqüências da ausência dessas palavras, diz Szejer,

... pedir a uma criança que se estruture sobre o não-dito é pedir que renegue uma parte de si mesma. Pois ela sabe muito bem o que vivenciou e, se sua consciência não lhe traz recordação explícita, seu inconsciente virá, através de sintomas inexplicáveis, testemunhar tudo ao longo de sua existência (Szejer, 1997, p.154).

Objetivos do trabalho de maternagem

A maternagem, enquanto intervenção psicológica, visa: a) suprir a carência de cuidados maternos dos bebês abandonados na materni-dade, oferecendo-lhes uma figura constante e de referência; b) estabelecer um vínculo afetivo com esses bebês; c) intervir através da palavra, do afeto, e da disponibilidade do cuidador, contando ao bebê sua história de vida e tudo o que lhe está acontecendo, assim como lhe oferecer perspectivas positivas de futuro; d) acompanhar, ininterruptamente, o bebê desde seu nascimento, seja no próprio hospital ou na instituição de abrigo para a qual seja encaminhado, até a passagem, gradual, para os cuidados da mãe, no lar adotivo.

Uma vez que esse serviço é oferecido pelo serviço de psicologia da maternidade, ele se inicia com o atendimento psicológico à mãe e/ou familiares presentes que manifestem desejo de entregar seu filho para adoção. É oferecida à mãe a escolha de ter ou não contato com o bebê.

No acompanhamento psicológico à mãe, respeitando o período de descanso após o parto, são abordadas as questões a respeito da decisão da entrega de seu filho para adoção. Investiga-se a rede de apoio de que a mãe dispõe, familiares, amigos, sua condição socioeconômica e sua história de vida como forma de elucidar as razões da decisão do abandono. Verifica-se sua convicção a respeito dessa escolha, jamais a induzindo ou a julgando, mas adotando uma abordagem compreensiva e de apoio emocional a essa mãe, que, sejam quais forem suas razões, no seu íntimo, sofre muito em deixar o filho.

Tão logo quanto possível deve-se iniciar a maternagem com o bebê. Num momento em que ele estiver desperto, a estagiária aproxima-se e apresenta-se. Em local reservado, segurando o bebê e posicionando-o de frente de modo a manter contato visual numa distância de aproximadamente vinte centímetros - distância adequada à acuidade visual do recém-nascido no primeiro mês de vida (Haynes et al., 1965, apud Lebovici, 1987) -, a estagiária fala-lhe a respeito do lugar onde ele está, sobre sua mãe, seus familiares e o motivo da separação, segundo as informações trazidas pela mãe em atendimento prévio. Verbaliza, para o bebê, o sofrimento pelo qual está passando, afirmando, também, que ele não ficará sozinho, que receberá carinho até que "chegue sua nova mãe".

Apesar de seguirmos uma abordagem analítica, sob vários aspectos, não nos preocupamos com princípios psicanalíticos de neutralidade ou de evitar a transferência e/ou contratranferência. Pelo contrário, estabelecemos uma relação afetiva íntima com o bebê e, conseqüentemente, ficamos vulneráveis a aspectos transferenciais por acreditarmos na vital importância dessa vivência afetiva para a saúde mental do bebê. Quanto aos nossos sentimentos transferenciais, trabalhamos com eles, pessoalmente e em supervisão.

Os contatos com o bebê são intensos, de algumas horas, diariamente. O acompanhamento cessa apenas quando a mãe substituta estiver apta a dar continuidade aos cuidados. A passagem para a outra figura cuidadora deve ser gradual, num período anterior e posterior à ida do bebê para o lar adotivo.

Para explicitar os resultados deste trabalho apresentaremos, a seguir, um estudo de caso. Considerando a intimidade implementada entre cuidador e criança, o estudo de caso será relatado na primeira pessoa do singular. Cabe ressaltar que, por motivos éticos, todos os nomes foram devidamente substituídos.

Atendimento psicológico à mãe

Numa manhã de terça-feira, dirigi-me ao quarto 226 da maternidade onde se encontrava Maria. Em seu prontuário, previamente consultado, constava que ela tinha 25 anos de idade e havia dado à luz um menino, quarto filho de sua quarta gestação, e manifestado a intenção de entregá-lo para adoção. Seu bebê recém-nascido encontrava-se na unidade neonatal, visto que nessa maternidade não há berçário e os bebês permanecem ao lado da mãe no alojamento conjunto. Maria não tivera contato com o bebê no momento do nascimento, disse ter assim preferido, pois sentia medo de não conseguir deixá-lo caso o visse.

Ao ser questionada sobre sua família, seus filhos e sua história de vida, contou-me que fora morar com seu companheiro aos 15 anos de idade, o pai de seus quatro filhos, quatro meninos: de dez, sete e três anos de idade e o bebê que acabara de nascer. Nos últimos anos seu marido, que era um "bom homem", segundo suas palavras, começou a beber, e junto da bebida vieram todas as conseqüências que destroem uma família. Maria e os três filhos foram, então, morar com seus pais.

Na casa de seus pais moram ainda alguns irmãos, todos trabalham na lavoura para sustentar a casa, inclusive seus filhos de dez e sete anos de idade, que madrugam para ir para a roça e estudam no período da tarde. Maria não conta com ajuda alguma do pai de seus filhos, por esse motivo, desde quando descobriu a gravidez, decidiu que o iria entregar para adoção, pois não poderia deixar de trabalhar para cuidar do bebê.

Quanto ao posicionamento da família frente a essa decisão, disse que seus pais concordaram, e que seu filho de dez anos lhe dissera: "Se for pra ele ter que trabalhar como a gente, então dá ele, mãe, prá uma família rica, prá ele poder brincar".

Mais tarde retornei ao quarto, Maria ficara de pensar sobre ver o bebê. Decidira não o ver, e falou: "Sei que jamais vou esquecer este pedaço meu, mas não tenho opção".

Perguntei-lhe se tinha vontade de deixar algo para o bebê, como o nome, alertando-a para a opção de não o fazer caso pensar a respeito fosse muito sofrido. Preferiu não pensar. Respeitei sua posição e despedi-me dizendo que voltaria na manhã seguinte antes de sua alta.

Início da maternagem com o bebê

Neste mesmo dia iniciei a maternagem com o bebê. Na sala de psicologia, posicionei-o de frente para meu rosto e apresentei-me a ele como uma amiga, dizendo-lhe, também, meu nome. Pausadamente e em tom suave contei-lhe sua história; que estava no hospital numa sala com outros bebês; que sua mãe estava num outro quarto e que eles não poderiam ficar juntos, que eu sabia que era sofrido para ele ficar longe dela e que sua mãe também estava sofrendo, pois gostava muito dele a ponto de entregá-lo para os cuidados de outra família, por achar que assim ele ficaria melhor.

Falei-lhe dos três irmãos, eram ainda crianças, mas já tinham que trabalhar e para que ele não tivesse uma vida assim, difícil, sua mãe achou melhor entregá-lo para uma outra família, pois "ela acha que você vai ser mais feliz com uma nova família".

Falei-lhe que demoraria um pouco para sua "nova mãe" chegar, mas que ela o desejava muito, e enquanto isso ele não ficaria sozinho, eu e outras pessoas cuidaríamos dele, seria eu quem lhe daria colo e carinho a maior parte do tempo.

De olhos bem abertos o bebê fitava ora meus olhos, ora minha boca, realizando movi-mentos faciais incluindo as sobrancelhas, por vezes, abria e fechava a boca. Ainda com ele nos braços disse que havia escolhido uma cantiga para ele, que eu a cantaria e ficaria com ele até que dormisse e voltaria na manhã seguinte.

Acompanhamento psicológico à mãe na alta hospitalar

Na manhã seguinte, dia da alta hospitalar de Maria, fui ao seu quarto ver como ela estava e fazer algumas orientações.

Por ter comentado que ficara pensando num nome, durante a noite, perguntei-lhe se havia mudado de idéia quanto a isso. Questionou sobre a mudança de nome na adoção e falei-lhe que, infelizmente, isso ocorre às vezes, mas lutaríamos para que seu nome permanecesse, pois isso era muito importante para ele. Maria olhou para sua mãe, disse que queria um nome bonito, citou alguns e escolheram "Gabriel", semelhante ao nome de seus outros três filhos.

Também falei para Maria a respeito do estado de sensibilidade emocional aumentada que a mulher apresenta até algumas semanas depois do parto. E, nessa situação específica, esta talvez se tornasse ainda mais aparente. Disse-lhe que seria importante se observar, conversar sobre seus sentimentos com alguém de confiança e se achasse necessário deveria procurar ajuda. Disse-lhe ainda que teria que saber lidar com as críticas de pessoas que não entendem e não conseguem se colocar no lugar dela; com um leve sorriso, confirmou com a cabeça. Despedi-me dizendo-lhe que poderia nos procurar ou mesmo telefonar quando julgasse necessário.

Seguimento da maternagem com o bebê

Nos dias em que Gabriel permaneceu no hospital, meu contato com ele foi bastante intenso. Eu me fazia presente todos os dias nos períodos das mamadas diurnas. Nesses momentos, além da alimentação, oferecia-lhe cuidados de higiene, conversava com ele, traduzindo em palavras seus prováveis sentimentos, dizia-lhe que seria muito amado pela sua nova mãe e que eu, como sua amiga, já gostava muito dele. Cantava sua cantiga, e dava-lhe bastante colo na "posição canguru", que se tornou sua posição de colo preferida. Nesta posição o bebê é contido verticalmente, de frente, na parte superior do tronco do cuidador.

A reação do bebê à interação

No quinto dia pela manhã, como de costume, fomos para um lugar mais reservado. De olhos bem abertos ele fitava meus olhos. Naquele dia o Gabriel seria transferido, então disse a ele que iria para o lar, lugar do qual já havia lhe falado.

Enquanto eu falava, pela primeira vez ele se mostrou agitado. Começou a se mexer e a chorar. Chorou muito, gritava movimentando bruscamente as pernas, os braços e a cabeça. Ele continuava gritando e chorando quando trouxeram mais 10mL de leite, já havia mamado 60mL, como de costume. Tomou tudo, rapidamente, e continuou a chorar gritando. Continuou nesse estado, ininterruptamente, por quase uma hora.

As pessoas ali presentes foram se afastando, pois um choro assim vai se tornando insuportável. Sentei-me, coloquei-o em "posição canguru", mas ele não se acalmava, fazia movimentos bruscos projetando seu corpo para trás. Nessa mesma posição, com uma mão nas suas costas e a outra segurando de maneira firme e suave sua cabeça, comecei a falar-lhe: "O que foi Gabriel, você não quer ir, é isso? Você está com medo, quer ficar aqui onde você já conhece as pessoas, não quer ir novamente para um lugar estranho, você se sente seguro aqui. Eu sei que é difícil. Mas eu vou junto com você, está tudo bem, eu vou te dar muito carinho e vamos cuidar de você".

Surpreendentemente, enquanto lhe falava, foi se acalmando, e parou de chorar. Então cantei sua cantiga e ele adormeceu. Permanecemos nessa posição por mais uma hora e meia, apesar de estar dormindo, durante todo esse tempo ele ainda suspirava.

Gabriel era um bebê tranqüilo, chorava apenas antes de mamar. Ficamos todos desconcertados com aquele choro, a médica pediu para examiná-lo assim que acordasse, porém, nenhum sintoma clínico foi constatado.

Foi uma reação bastante forte às palavras, não censuro a possível incredibilidade do leitor, confesso que eu mesma quase duvidei, cheguei a pensar em coincidência, lamentei não ter podido filmar todo o episódio para poder analisá--lo criteriosamente. Embora ciente das discussões controversas sobre o tema, busquei a confirmação nas palavras de Szejer:

Quando vou falar com esses bebês, trata-se sempre de uma situação muito perturbadora. Parece que a sua sensibilidade, a sua avidez pela palavra que pronuncio, é imensa. Alguns reagem a cada palavra como se cada uma delas viesse se inscrever em seu corpo. É comum vê-los se contorcendo de dor quando falo de separação; depois sorriem quando falo dos projetos que lhes dizem respeito (1997, p.157).

Trata-se de uma reação às palavras, ao contato afetivo ou a outra mensagem indecifrável? Não podemos afirmar ao certo, o fato é que o bebê sempre respondeu de forma expressiva às intervenções, o que também foi observado em todos os demais casos em que foi realizada a maternagem nesse hospital, levando-nos a crer que se estabeleceu uma comunicação e que alguma mensagem foi passada, de uma maneira ou de outra, dos cuidadores para os bebês e vice-versa.

A intenção neste momento é abrir esta discussão mais do que afirmar a forma mais adequada de se interagir e se estabelecer uma comunicação com o bebê que promova o seu desenvolvimento como um todo, isentando-o das seqüelas do abandono.

Szejer (1997) relata que muitos médicos no hospital onde trabalha requerem provas "científi-cas" de sua prática. Ela afirma não ser possível por não poder se situar no interior e no exterior ao mesmo tempo, e o que se pode contar como prova seriam as melhoras surpreendentes testemunhadas pelos que cuidam das crianças em hospitais e orfanatos.

Mathelin (1999, p.73), em depoimento semelhante, diz que o médico-chefe de sua equipe brinca com ela comparando a psicanálise à feitiçaria e conclui: "como poderia ele não se questionar, já que os efeitos da linguagem escapam a qualquer medida científica quantitativa-mente demonstrável".

Pela impossibilidade de obter uma comprovação científica desse fato é que colocamos em discussão qual seria o fator que provoca tais reações na criança. Seriam as palavras, como afirmam Szejer, Eliacheff, e Mathelin; o estabelecimento do vínculo afetivo, também considerado por Mathelin e enfatizado por Busnel; o tom e o timbre da voz e atitudes posturais inconscientes, como defende Lebovici, ou que outro tipo de mensagem chega até o bebê para que ele responda da forma como foi observado?

Pode-se demonstrar cientificamente o que o bebê recebe, por meio de seus órgãos sensoriais, mas a influência que isso exerce sobre o desenvolvimento do seu pensamento permanece inacessível uma vez que a ciência, até o presente momento, não possui meios de investigação do psiquismo do bebê, o que não quer dizer que este não exista ou não possa ser atingido por estímulo externo (Busnel, 1997b). Acreditamos ser essa a razão da grande maioria das publicações sobre intervenções psicológicas ou psicanalíticas com bebês (Szejer, 1994, 1997; 1999; Mathelin, 1999; Busnel, 1997a, 1997b) ser apresentada na forma de depoimentos e relatos de casos.

A ida para o lar - instituição de abrigo

Os funcionários do juizado não vieram buscá-lo nesse dia, o que me tranqüilizou, pois teria mais tempo para trabalhar com Gabriel a sua ida para o abrigo.

A partir de então passei a observar com cautela o prontuário, com o objetivo de verificar alguma possível ocorrência depois daquela manhã.

No dia seguinte, ao verificar o prontuário observei que Gabriel havia recebido 20mL de leite entre os horários das três mamadas vespertinas, sendo que em cada uma das quatro mamadas noturnas deram-lhe 80mL de leite. Questionei uma enfermeira a respeito da quantidade extra de leite e ela me respondeu que ele estava muito choroso.

Já não havia mais como considerar uma possível coincidência, as palavras ditas a Gabriel a respeito de uma nova separação, ao sair do hospital para um ambiente estranho, desencadearam uma reação peculiar, não apenas pelo episódio da manhã, mas durante todo o dia em que continuou a manifestar um comportamento choroso atípico. É interessante ressaltar que Gabriel chorava e, conseqüentemente, recebia o leite extra, nos períodos em que eu - figura da qual recebia carinho e conforto - não estava presente.

Ao constatar isto, resolvi falar com Gabriel a este respeito. Ao acordar, troquei-o e dei-lhe o leite. Seguindo as mamadas da noite anterior, ele mamou 80mL. Falei-lhe que ele não precisava mamar tanto, não ia lhe fazer bem, que eu entendia que ele estava sofrendo por ter que deixar pessoas e um ambiente que ele já conhecia e se sentia bem, mas que era necessário. Assegurei-lhe de que não ficaria sozinho. Disse-lhe, também, que eu sabia que ele precisava de alguém o tempo todo junto dele, mas que por enquanto não era possível, que teria meu carinho nos horários de costume, mas que logo ele teria sua "nova mãe" que estaria com ele o tempo todo. Ouvia-me atentamente, olhando para meus olhos, sem se movimentar muito, apenas fazia expressões faciais com as sobrancelhas e reflexos de sorriso.

Através do prontuário, constatei que todas as mamadas posteriores neste dia e nos dias seguintes voltaram ao normal. No seu nono dia de vida, pela manhã, falei para Gabriel que iríamos para o lar. Mostrou-se um pouco agitado, permaneci com ele no colo até a chegada dos funcionários do Juizado de Menores, e ele se tranqüilizou. Despedimo-nos da equipe de saúde que também havia cuidado dele e fomos para o lar.

Levei-o em meu colo, ele dormiu logo que entramos no carro. Ao chegar, apresentei-me e apresentei Gabriel para as pessoas que cuidariam dele enquanto ele permanecesse ali. Mostrei-lhe seu quarto, dizendo que eu voltaria no dia seguinte.

Falei para a assistente social da instituição a respeito da maternagem, ela não apenas consentiu minhas visitas como aceitou meu trabalho com visível interesse. Relatei brevemente a história de Gabriel, e fiz algumas recomendações quanto ao leite, ao colo na "posição canguru", que se tornou preferida, e praticamente a única aceita pelo bebê, e, quanto ao berço, que era bastante grande, fiz um "rolinho" com uma coberta e com ele contornei o corpo do bebê para que se sentisse contido e seguro.

A maternagem na instituição de abrigo

Sempre que chegava, chamava-o pelo nome, dizia-lhe que estava ali para ficar um tempo com ele; dava-lhe a mamadeira mantendo contato visual; de olhos bem abertos fitava os meus enquanto eu retomava sua história, sua permanência ali e minha presença enquanto sua "amiga", e sobre sua nova família que estava por vir. Enquanto falava, ele emitia expressões movimentando as sobrancelhas, por vezes sorria. Em "posição canguru" cantava-lhe sua cantiga.

A localização da instituição tornou-se um obstáculo para minha ida diária, visto que eram necessários quatro passes de transporte coletivo, representando um ônus para o hospital. Apesar do empenho e dos esforços do Serviço Social da Maternidade, que solicitou auxílio, em duas ocasiões, do poder público municipal para a obtenção de passes, esses ainda foram insuficientes. Por esses motivos o acompanhamento de Gabriel passou a ser realizado em dias alternados, na última quinzena do primeiro mês; quatro vezes por semana no segundo e apenas duas vezes semanais no terceiro mês, com o objetivo de utilizar os passes por um período maior de tempo, visto que o processo de adoção se arrastava.

Depois de doze dias de acompanhamento diário e contínuo, Gabriel manifestou uma reação bastante forte na minha primeira ausência. Quando retornei, as cuidadoras disseram que no dia anterior ele dormia no máximo por uma hora e acordava chorando muito.

Com Gabriel no colo, em "posição canguru", chorando e gritando copiosamente, caminhei lentamente enquanto lhe falava: "Eu estou aqui com você. Você se sentiu sozinho, não é? (...) eu sei que foi difícil pra você eu não ter vindo ontem, você ficou sem colo, mas por enquanto tem que ser assim, vai ter alguns dias que eu não vou poder vir, (...) é por um tempo, logo você vai ter uma família, uma mãe que vai dar toda a atenção e carinho que você precisa."

Enquanto eu falava, ele foi se acalmando e parou de chorar, cantei-lhe sua cantiga, ele permaneceu em silêncio, de olhos bem abertos, por vezes, suspirava, ficamos assim por mais uma hora quando começou a sugar a mão. Dei-lhe a mamadeira e logo dormiu.

Minhas ausências continuaram sendo bastante significativas para Gabriel. A constatação da visível reação através de continuados e intensos comportamentos de choro a partir do momento em que a maternagem passou a ser realizada em dias alternados, por vezes, angustiou-me. Temia que minha presença e meu carinho tornassem-se imprevisíveis, incertos para ele, o que não era bom. Quanto ao seu choro, apesar de testemunhar seu sofrimento, apresentava-se como uma reação saudável, no sentido de representar um protesto, uma reivindicação do colo e carinho de que necessitava. Ele pedia porque vinha recebendo. Diferente do preocupante "conformismo adaptativo" exibido pelos bebês que "desistem" de pedir - através do choro - e confinam-se silenciosos nos seus berços.

Com o objetivo de minimizar os efeitos da minha ausência, providenciei um "cheirinho" para ele, uma fralda que colocava no meu pescoço enquanto lhe dava colo e depois deixava com ele, uma espécie de "objeto transicional" que lhe confortasse na minha ausência. Este termo "objeto transicional" é definido por Winnicott (apud Bleichmar & Bleichmar, 1992) como um objeto que representa a mãe, ou seja, seu objeto libidinal, e exerce uma função ao nível defensivo vinculado às angústias de separação. Outra providência tomada nesse sentido foi levar para as cuidadoras a cantiga do Gabriel por escrito e fixá-la no seu berço como forma de incentivá-las a cantar, visto que essa, talvez por ter sido cantada para o Gabriel desde seu primeiro dia de vida, tornou-se uma boa referência para ele, que sempre se acalmava ao ouvi-la.

Os dias foram passando, Gabriel permanecia bastante tempo acordado, o que possibilitava uma maior interação minha com ele. No pátio de recreação das crianças, tomávamos banho de sol, conversávamos, mostrava-lhe as árvores, os brinquedos. Gabriel, agora, já sorria com bastante freqüência.

Passou a ser visível para mim e para as cuidadoras o quanto Gabriel demonstrava reconhecer-me, procurando-me com o olhar ao ouvir minha voz. Ao direcionar-me a ele, respondia com o olhar fixo, movimentando os braços e as pernas, sorrindo, e logo começando a choramingar, o que era entendido por mim como pedido de colo.

Elaboramos um documento escrito requerendo a aceleração do processo de adoção junto ao Juizado, e inúmeros contatos telefônicos por parte do Serviço Social da Maternidade e do Abrigo visavam a esse mesmo fim, mas todas essas tentativas pareciam inócuas. A morosidade da justiça fez com que Gabriel completasse seu terceiro mês de vida na instituição de abrigo, à espera de seus pais prometidos, enquanto estes, por sua vez, esperavam-no sem ao menos saber quem ele era e onde estava.

O encontro de Gabriel com seus pais adotivos

Chegou o dia em que foi marcada uma visita dos possíveis pais adotivos ao lar. Tratava-se de um casal sem filhos, casados há 19 anos. Quando chegaram, a assistente social e eu conversamos um pouco com eles antes de apresentar-lhes o bebê. Mostraram-se bastante receptivos quanto ao trabalho de maternagem, valorizando-o muito.

Então uma das cuidadoras trouxe o bebê no carrinho. Quando o casal aproximou-se, Gabriel presenteou-os com um largo sorriso movimentando os braços, a mulher, agora sua mãe, segurou-o. Sentaram-se no sofá, falando com ele com entusiasmo e alegria, e o Gabriel, que normalmente estaria chorando - pois já havia passado da hora de mamar -, estava tranqüilo, sorrindo. Foi uma cena emocionante, um encontro há muito esperado por todos que ali estavam. Gabriel mamou nos braços de sua "nova mãe", interagiu bastante com o casal e adormeceu. Enquanto ele dormia, conversei longamente com sua mãe.

Quando Gabriel acordou, sua mãe buscou-o no carrinho e passamos a conversar com ele, ela o colocou em meu colo e falei para ele: "Olha, Gabriel, a sua mãe de quem eu sempre lhe falava, que também estava esperando por você, ela está aqui, veio conhecer você. Amanhã ela e seu pai vão levar você pra conhecer a casa deles que vai ser sua casa também, logo você vai ficar com eles. Aí você vai ter sua mãe só pra você, que vai lhe dar muito colo, carinho, e toda atenção que você precisa". Ao meu lado, enquanto eu falava, sua mãe confirmava minhas palavras.

A passagem dos cuidados de maternagem para os pais adotivos

Nos dois dias seguintes, os pais levaram o Gabriel para passar o dia com eles. No terceiro dia, fiquei com Gabriel e falei-lhe a respeito de nossa separação. Agora ele tinha uma família, um pai e uma mãe que cuidariam dele e o amariam muito, e ele iria para casa com eles. Disse-lhe, também, que eu havia gostado muito de seus pais e estava muito feliz por ele. Que ainda nos veríamos, pois iria até sua casa.

No final da tarde, os pais de Gabriel vieram buscá-lo, entreguei-lhes as fotografias, que havia tirado de Gabriel durante todo tempo, como forma de preservar sua história mais concretamente. Os pais mostraram-se dispostos a conservar sua história de vida, deixando-o sempre a par da verdade que lhe pertencia. Disse-lhes que era o melhor a fazer, que o conhecimento de Gabriel sobre sua história permitiria não apenas que ele fosse adotado como filho, mas que ele próprio viesse a adotá-los como pais. E ainda que um dia ele viesse a querer conhecer pessoas relacionadas a sua origem, o que é bastante natural, esse fato não mudaria, absolutamente, o vínculo afetivo entre eles.

Em visita domiciliar, após a ida do bebê para a casa dos pais adotivos, a mãe relatou comportamentos e situações que caracterizaram uma adequada adaptação do bebê ao novo ambiente e aos seus novos cuidadores. Disse que o bebê era bastante interativo, sorria, balbuciava, seguia-os com o olhar, que apenas chorava nas horas de mamar, para trocar a fralda e um "chorinho para dormir". Ressaltou que no primeiro dia o bebê dormira por bastante tempo, além do habitual, que ela e seu marido chegaram a ficar um pouco ansiosos pensando em acordá-lo para alimentá-lo, mas não o fizeram, pois ele dormia um sono bastante tranqüilo. Tal comportamento foi interpretado pela mãe com satisfação, pois julgou que o bebê se sentia seguro, em casa, e então relaxou e dormiu bem. Ao relatar vários momentos de interação entre o bebê e seus novos pais, sua mãe concluiu dizendo que sentia que o bebê realmente os havia adotado como pais.

Em acompanhamento posterior do bebê, aos seis meses, no ambulatório de pediatria, numa consulta de rotina, a mãe relatou que tudo corria bem em casa, Gabriel estava saudável, bastante "esperto" e interativo. Apesar de terem passado três meses desde meu último contato com Gabriel, ele demonstrou reconhecer-me, o que também foi observado por sua mãe. Permaneceu a maior parte do tempo da consulta no meu colo, sorridente, interagia bastante, tinha o olhar atento ao ambiente que o circundava.

O último encontro com Gabriel, até o presente momento, ocorreu na sua festa de aniversário de um ano. Gabriel caminhava alegremente por todos os lados, explorando o ambiente e interagindo com crianças e adultos, por vezes dirigia-se a seus pais chamando por eles. Pude observar, com grande satisfação, a integração de Gabriel na família adotiva.

Esforços foram somados para a manutenção da maternagem como fator de proteção para o desenvolvimento desse bebê, visando minimizar, tanto quanto possível, os efeitos danosos da falta de uma figura de apego que supra suas necessidades desenvolvimentais, promovendo sua saúde mental.

Dessa forma, foi possível que o cuidado para com o Gabriel fosse levado ao término, com êxito. Foi realizada, adequadamente, a passagem gradual dos cuidados para os pais adotivos. Observou-se, nesse processo de passagem, uma adaptação muito satisfatória do bebê com os pais adotivos e vice-versa. A interação afetiva mãe-bebê, observada em visita domiciliar posterior, mostrou uma mãe bastante sensível e responsiva às necessidades físicas e emocionais do bebê, e testemunhou a preservação da capacidade do bebê em estabelecer vínculos afetivos.

Não restam dúvidas de que as longas rupturas com as pessoas significativas e a institu-cionalização prolongada agem como importantes fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento normativo da criança. A maternagem vem atuar, portanto, como fator de proteção para o desenvolvimento do bebê abandonado, possibilitando a ele o recebimento do cuidado e carinho de que necessita, minimizando, tanto quanto possível, os efeitos devastadores para o seu desenvolvimento emocional causados pela total ausência de uma figura de apego.

Os bebês e crianças abandonados ou entregues para os cuidados institucionais contam apenas com o suporte social como fator de proteção para seu desenvolvimento. Esse suporte social vem da rede social de apoio incluindo recursos da comunidade e suas agências. A maternagem acima descrita é uma parte integrante do suporte social dessas crianças; contudo, essa prática atinge uma parcela ínfima de bebês que são abandonados. Para todas as demais crianças e bebês institucionalizados seria imprescindível a disponibilidade de maior número de cuidadores que pudessem atender de forma constante e personalizada às suas necessidades físicas e emocionais. E, sobretudo, faz-se necessário acelerar os processos de adoção por parte dos órgãos competentes responsáveis para que bebês e crianças institucionalizadas integrem-se em uma família o mais precocemente possível.

Com o relato desse caso, acreditamos ter contribuído com a comunidade científica no sentido de incentivar e incrementar o interesse dos pesquisadores da área de desenvolvimento humano pelo desenvolvimento precoce, mesmo tendo conhecimento do difícil acesso metodológico aos bebês nessa fase do ciclo vital.

Albee, G. (1982). Preventing psychopathology and promoting human potential. American Psychologis t, 37, 1043-1050. [ Links ]

Bowlby, J. (1984). Separação. Da trilogia apego e perda (v.3). São Paulo: Martins Fontes. [ Links ]

Goldstein, J., Freud, A., & Solnit, A.J. (1987). No interesse da criança? São Paulo: Martins Fontes. [ Links ]

Rutter, M. (1971). Parent-child separation: psychological effects on the children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 12, 233- 260. [ Links ]

Spitz, R.A. (1945). Hospitalism: an inquiry into the genesis of psychiatric condition in early childhood (I). Psychoanal Study Child, 1, 53-74. [ Links ]

Szejer, M. (1994). Uma psicanalista dirige-se aos recém-nascidos. Boletim Informativo ABREP, 2 (2), 1-5. [ Links ]

Recebido para publicação em 2 de fevereiro e aceito em 19 de outubro de 2004.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Os efeitos do abandono para o desenvolvimento psicológico de bebês e a maternagem como fator de proteção

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Os efeitos do abandono para o desenvolvimento psicológico de bebês e a maternagem como fator de proteção The abandonment effects for the babies's Psychological development and the mothely care as a protection factor IResidente, Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família/ Modalidade Residência, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

# data[].attributes.headline
How the Harlem Globetrotters is related to the racism in USA

# data[].attributes.subject
How the Harlem Globetrotters is related to the racism in USA

# data[].attributes.headline
How introvert people are seen by the society

# data[].attributes.subject
How introvert people are seen by the society

# data[].attributes.headline
Does vegetarianism really can change something?

# data[].attributes.subject
Does vegetarianism really can change something?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"If you do not create change, change will create you." ~Unknown
We are often resistant to change, and we don't realize that change itself is constant.

Even if you resist or avoid it, it will enter your life just the same. When you initiate the change yourself, it's pretty easy to adapt to it, since it's a wanted one.

But are the unplanned and unexpected changes bad? What if all changes were good by default?
I have been embracing change since a young age. During my life I have lived in five countries and in over twenty-five apartments, changed five schools and about five different careers.
At first it is a bit difficult and annoying, but after a while you get used to the change so much that if it doesn't come for a while, you end up moving the furniture at home in order to feel something changing.

Changes connected with moving from country to country impacted my personality. Thanks to them I became more flexible and open-minded. Now I understand cultural differences and appreciate diversity.

Each of the career shifts brought knowledge and new experiences. As a result, apart from the professional experience I learned how to resolve conflicts with difficult colleagues and how to work with unbearable bosses.

Career related changes brought self-confidence. All those changes led me to the realization of what I wanted to do with my life.

The biggest change in life occured when I got married. The change brought love, peace, and comfort into my life. As a result, a new me was born-me being a wife, mother, and happy woman.

Finally, the big change I initiated by quitting a good job and embracing the passion of writing made me truly happy and satisfied.
In general, when looking back, I realize that all the good things in my life are the results of changes that occurred in the past.
People usually avoid changes and prefer to stay in their comfort zones, but I am true believer that once you get the courage and take the first step to change, your life will become much better.

Below are just few benefits of change:

You grow and learn new things every time something changes. You discover new insights about diffferent aspects of your life. You learn lessons even from changes that did not lead you to where you wanted to be.

Frequent changes make you easily adapt to new situations, new environments, and new people. As a result you do not freak out when something unexpectedly shifts.

We all have things in our lives we'd like to improve-finances, job, partner, house, etc. All of us know that nothing will improve by itself. We need to do things differently to make that happen. Without change, there'd be no improvements.

From time to time changes make you re-evaluate your life and look at certain things from a different perspective. Depending on what the change is, it may also reinforce your life values.

Often we give up because we cannot accomplish the difficult task of making a huge and immediate change. That is when small changes become extremely valuable. One shift at a time, small changes will eventually lead you to the desired big one.

Not all changes lead you to pleasant periods of life. Unfortunately we do not live in fairy tale and sad things happen, too. Overcoming the tough period will make you stronger.

Changes trigger progress. Things move forward and develop because of the them.

One never knows what each change may bring. When you turn from your usual path there will be plenty of different opportunities waiting for you. Changes will bring new choices for happiness and fulfillment.

Each change is a turning page. It is about closing one chapter and opening another one. Changes bring new beginnings and excitement to life.

Remember the movie Stranger than Fiction? The main character Harold Crick does the same things in exactly same time for years. He leads a completely dull, extremely predictable, and uninteresting life. That is how your life would be without changes.

So next time you get the temptation to avoid or resist the change, aim instead to initiate the ones that will lead you to where you want be.

And remember-if there were no change, there would be no butterflies!
Old way, new way image via Shutterstock
See a typo or inaccuracy? Please contact us so we can fix it!

Did you enjoy this post? Please share the wisdom :)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Powerful Benefits of Change & Why We Should Embrace It

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Change can seem scary, but it has many benefits. Here are 10 reasons to embrace and create change in your life.

# data[].attributes.body
(Environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and vegan diet)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Introduction

It is well known that food choices are strong determinants of human health, but recently awareness has grown about the fact that the foods and beverages we produce, choose and consume may significantly affect the environment1,2,3. Since plant-based diets often emerge as nutritionally and environmentally advantageous4, a potential strategy to reduce both the rate of many human non-communicable diseases and prevent environmental deterioration might lie in promoting the consumption of plant-based instead of animal foods4,5,6,7,8.

The Mediterranean Diet (MD), which could be considered a plant-oriented dietary approach, appears able to face both health and environmental concerns. A MD regimen has been associated with reduced incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and has been shown to represent a valid preventative strategy towards certain cancers9,10,11,12,13. At the same time, MD has been described as a wise choice to reduce the environmental impact associated with food consumption3, 6, 14.

Despite the general agreement on the environmental impact of food1, there is a lack of information about the real influence of the whole diet not based on hypothetical intake on different indexes of environmental impact. Although greenhouse gas emissions have been extensively studied, the assessment of other indicators, such as water consumption and land use demand, have not been examined in relation to specific populations and actual dietary choices15. To improve evidence-based nutritional and environmental joint recommendations, more thorough research should be carried out to properly demonstrate the exact capability of dietary regimens on overall environmental impact5.

The extent to which real diet affect the environment has usually been analysed by applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method to single foodstuffs or food groups16, failing to reflect actual eating habits. Just like what happened in the framework of nutritional epidemiology, that has now leaped from a short-sighted focus on single dietary components to a more integrative approach focused on whole diets, the whole concept of environmental impact evaluation urgently needs to evolve toward a comprehensive approach17. LCA analysis is based mainly on dietary recommendations, hypothetical diets or average consumption of population groups18. However, previous studies have shown that compared with recommendations or model diets, food consumption based on recorded diets is usually associated with higher environmental impacts19. Therefore, using actual food intake data appears to be the best strategy to perform realistic, not theoretical, environmental evaluations18. In addition, using recorded dietary intake allows the exploration of more detailed associations between environmental impact factors and food groups, nutrients, and/or calories actually consumed by a person or a group of people19, 20.

Interdisciplinary research is needed to integrate both health and environmental variables in relation to human nutrition and, in this framework, the use and analysis of real, diets within a real-life setting should be encouraged and appears to be a crucial step for the evolution of nutrition ecology and for achieving behavioural changes4, 17, 21. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been so far conducted by considering, simultaneously, the three major environmental indicators of the agro-food system in the framework of different dietary regimens based on real food intakes. Previous studies only provided data for different food or food groups, meals, and dietary models, generally linked to a national population18, without taking into account real diets, or the variance existing within a whole population19. For these reasons, this study aimed (i) to explore the environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and vegan diets in a real-life context of an Italian population; (ii) to examine the inter-individual variability within each dietary group.

Methods

Subjects

Volunteers were recruited for a previous observational multi-centre study and were enrolled across four centres in Italy (Bari, Bologna, Parma, and Turin). A total of 153 apparently healthy adults (aged 18-60 years), recruited according to their self-reported habitual diets, completed the study: 51 omnivores (O), 51 ovo-lacto-vegetarians (VG), and 51 vegans (V). Inclusion and exclusion criteria, recruitment procedure, and characteristics of the subjects have been fully described by De Filippis and colleagues22.

The study protocol (registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02118857 on April 18 th, 2014) was approved by the Ethics Committees of Bari, Bologna, Parma, and Turin and carried out according to the International Conference on Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice guidelines. All the volunteers signed an informed consent at recruitment. Enrolled participants were instructed to fill in a 7-d weighed food record to obtain accurate information on food and beverages consumed the week after the visit with researchers.

Dietary information

Participants were asked to record all food and beverages consumed over 7 consecutive days using a weighed food record, as previously described22, 23, and to send the completed food record to the Department of Food Science of the University of Parma. Food and drink items consumed were divided into food categories, principally to control the accuracy of the enrolment of participants in one of the three diet groups, based on self-reported eating habits. The food database of the European Institute of Oncology24 was used to calculate daily energy and nutrient intakes. The Italian MD Index25 was used to evaluate the level of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, a measure of the participants' diet healthiness. This tool is a 11-unit dietary score specific for the Italian population and it attributes positive points to Mediterranean foods (e.g. pasta, Mediterranean vegetables, fruit, legumes, olive oil, and fish) and negative points to non-Mediterranean foods (e.g. soft drinks, butter, red meat, potatoes and alcohol). Ethanol received 1 point for intake up to 12 g/day; abstainers and persons who consumed more than 12 g/day received a 0.

Environmental impacts

Environmental impact analysis was carried out to analyse the degree to which differences in dietary choices affect the environment by using data calculated according to the LCA methodology, which takes into consideration all phases of food chain26. In particular, the environmental impact database of the Barilla Centre for Food and Nutrition27, 28 was used to evaluate environmental impact of the three dietary groups, taking into account three indexes considered to be the most representative of the agro-food system29: the carbon footprint (CF), the water footprint (WF), and the ecological footprint (EF). These three indexes account for the greenhouse gas emissions, the consumption of water resources, and the amount of biologically productive land/sea needed to produce a unit of food product, respectively. The CF (expressed as g CO ₂ eq./kg), WF (L/kg), and EF (global m ²/kg) of foodstuffs were weighed according to the actual consumption, as previously described30, and the mean daily CF (g CO ₂ eq./day), WF (L/day), and EF (global m ²/day) were calculated for each participants.

Statistics

Descriptive statistics and statistical analysis have been carried out using SPSS® statistics 21.0 software (IBM, Chicago, IL), and performed at P  < 0.05 of significance level. Daily energy and nutrient intakes, CF, WF, and EF are presented as mean and standard deviation, as the distribution of these variables was normal.

A one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey HSD test was employed to assess energy and nutrient intake differences among the three diet groups, and to evaluate the effects of each dietary approach, also by food groups, on CF, WF, and EF. Food group intakes and Italian MD score are presented as medians and interquartile range, as the distribution of these variables was invariably skewed from normality. To assess the differences in food group intakes and in the Italian MD score among the three dietary approaches, non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was performed, and, when significant, the pairwise multiple comparison was applied to define specific differences.

Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to achieve a better understanding of the characteristics of each diet group and to explore the inter-individual variability. In order to simplify the model, PCA was carried out considering energy and nutrient intakes, adherence to the MD pattern, and environmental impact indicators, without keeping into account food groups. PCA was carried out with varimax rotation to explore the relationship between environmental impacts and dietary factors in each dietary group. The same configuration was used to perform a second PCA, considering nutrient intakes, adherence to the MD, and environmental impact indicators adjusted by the energy intake. One-way ANOVA with Tukey HSD test was employed to evaluate differences in the scores of each principal component (PC) among dietary groups, for both PCAs.

Results

One hundred and fifty-three 7-d food records were collected. Participants belonging to the different diet groups were similar in terms of BMI, age, and gender (Table 1). Daily intakes of food and beverages, grouped in the same categories for the environmental impact analysis, and Italian MD score, as measured in the three diet groups, are reported in Table 2. As expected, VG and V were the highest consumers of vegetables and fruits (678.7 and 871.4 g/d, respectively), whereas O were the lowest (386.1 g/d). On the other hand, foods of animal origin (meat, fish, milk and dairy products, eggs, and animal fat) were significantly higher for O (357.3 g/d compared with 83.2 g/d for VG and as expected 0.0 g/d for V). The three dietary groups showed a medium to high level of adherence to the MD25, and MD score was significantly higher in the V group (7.0) and lower for the O group (4.0).

With respect to energy and macronutrient intake (Table 3), although energy intake was similar among the three diet groups, protein and carbohydrate intakes in O subjects were the highest and the lowest, respectively, while V and VG groups showed similar intakes. The highest fat intake was seen in the omnivores, while the lowest characterised vegans.

The analysis of the environmental impacts of the three diet groups revealed how the animal-based diet is considerably associated with a higher impact for each environmental indicator evaluated. Indeed, the O choice generated significantly worse CF, WF, and EF ( P < 0.001) when compared to the other diets (Fig. 1). No differences were found regarding the environmental impact when comparing VG and V groups.

Environmental footprints: Daily carbon ( a), water ( b), and ecological ( c) impacts expressed as average of 7-d food records (grams of CO ₂ equivalent/d, litres of H ₂O/d, and square meters of land/d, respectively). Values are means ± standard deviation of fifty-one independent measurements for each diet group. Different letters indicate significantly different values ( P < 0.001) as calculated by one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey HSD test among the three diet groups. O, omnivores; VG, ovo-lacto-vegetarians; V, vegans.

The contribution of each food group on all the three environmental indicators by diet groups is presented in Table 4. Although food of animal origin was not the category consumed in greatest quantity, it was the largest contribution to footprint values for the O group. Meat, fish, and other animal-based foods (i.e. eggs, milk and dairy products, and animal fat) made the largest contribution to the environmental footprints of the O group, while animal-based foodstuffs had an intermediate impact for the VG one. As expected, foods of animal origin were not represented in the V group. The contribution of the meat and fish category to the omnivorous diet was: 37% for the CF, 38% for the WF, and 44% for the EF. Other animal-based foodstuffs contributed by 22% and 26% to the CF, and by 26% and 31% to the EF of the O and VG groups, respectively, whereas they represented the 17% of the WF for both the O and VG groups. Conversely, the greatest part of the environmental impact of V and VG was attributable to the consumption of vegetable foods. The sum of the food categories "cereals and their derivatives" and "other vegetable-based foods" (e.g. vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and dried fruit, potatoes and other tubers, vegetable fat, and vegetable alternatives) accounted for 24%, 56%, and 84% of the CF, 31%, 69%, and 92% of the WF, and 21%, 58%, and 90% of the EF for the O, VG, and V groups, respectively. The smallest part of each environmental indicator was linked to sweets and desserts, and drinks.

When inter-individual variability was explored by applying PCA, two PCs explained 72% of the total variation (Fig. 2a). Almost 52% of the observed variability was explained by the first PC (PC1) that correlated positively with the environmental impact indexes EF, CF, and WF, total protein intake, total fat intake, and energy intake, while negatively with the Italian MD score. Principal component 2 (PC2) had high component loadings from the total carbohydrate intake, energy intake, and MD score.

Loading plot ( a) and score plot ( b) obtained from the PCA with varimax of the energy and nutrient intakes, adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, and environmental impact indicators for each diet group. ItMDsc, Italian Mediterranean Diet score; Energy, total energy; Carbs, total carbohydrates; Fat, total fat; Prots, total proteins; and CF, WF, and EF for carbon, water, and ecological footprint, respectively. O, omnivores; VG, ovo-lacto-vegetarians; V, vegans.

Individual scores of each PC were computed, clearly highlighting the differences existing among dietary choices ( P < 0.001 for both PCs), as well as within each diet group (% of variability at Supplemental Table S3) (Fig. 2b). The O group, with high scores for PC1 and low scores for PC2, was defined as a dietary choice with higher CF, WF, and EF values, higher consumption of proteins and fats while lower consumption of carbohydrates, and lower adherence to the Italian MD. On the contrary, VG and V groups, which resulted to be quite similar, showed negative PC1 scores and positive PC2 scores. This implies that VG and V groups are characterized by a lower environmental impact, a lower consumption of proteins and fats, a higher consumption of carbohydrates, and a higher adherence to the Italian MD. Inter-individual variability within every diet groups was mainly affected by the energy intake and the level of intake of carbohydrates (variability within PC2 was higher than variability within PC1, Supplemental Table S3). Variability among subjects within the O group was higher than that recorded for the VG and V groups (see dispersion at Fig. 2b and standard deviations for each PC at Supplemental Table S3). Moreover, it must be taken into account that some specific subjects within a particular group may have environmental impacts notably different from the other subjects belonging to the same group. Therefore, to overcome the effect that the energy density of a diet may have on the magnitude of the environmental impact of each subject, a second PCA was performed after normalizing each variable by energy intake of each subject. Results of this new PCA confirmed the same trend for each dietary group, as well as the high inter-individual variability within every group (Supplemental Fig. S1 and Supplemental Table S4). Besides noting the higher environmental impact of some VG and V when individually compared to some O (Supplemental Fig. S1b), the presence of two vegan participants having extremely high environmental impact values was particularly interesting. When delving into their nutritional data, these two subjects were characterized by the sole consumption of fruits.

Discussion

In order to explore the environmental impact of different dietary regimens, three dietary groups were selected: omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and vegan. The analysis of food patterns highlighted the definition of well-matched diet groups based on participants' self-reported eating habits.

Conversely to previous data of environment impact obtained on hypothetical diets and meals, the present results are based on recorded intakes and have the clear advantage of being realistic. The three dietary regimens were equivalent to one another for energy content, but differed from the custom diets designed in previous studies7, 28. As an example, the environmental impacts of different dietary patterns (omnivorous, vegetarian, and vegan) were assessed in Italy by designing a weekly well-balanced plan, with a daily average energy intake ranging between 2100 and 2300 kcal7. In another study dealing with the environmental impact of omnivorous, vegetarian and vegan diets, three weekly menus were designed, and the average energy intake resulted to be a little higher than 2000 kcal/d28. Recorded energy intakes were indeed higher than those hypothesised before, especially for O, and showed a remarkable variance within our study groups, but all fell within the reference values for Italian healthy adults31, 32 with a normal BMI. It should be noted that the mean energy intake of our population was similar to a designed dietary plan of 2400 kcal in which the environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and vegan diets were compared33. Despite these similarities on energy intake, modelling approaches referring to an average diet may produce unrealistic food combination and quantities, since eating patterns vastly differ among individuals34. Indeed, our three diet groups differed in their nutrient profiles. Specifically, carbohydrate intake was always matching the 45-60% of daily calories recommended for the Italian population31, 32, with the O and V groups close to the lower and the upper values, respectively. Total fat intake fell within the reference range of 20-35% of daily calories31, 35 only in the V group, while O and VG volunteers had fat intakes slightly over the recommended values. Protein intake was within the recommended 10-20% of daily calories36 for all the diet groups. When compared to dietary models, which are standardised to match the energy contribution for protein, lipid and carbohydrate with recommended values7, 28, our assessment revealed: 1) lower intakes of carbohydrates in the O and VG groups, 2) lower intakes of proteins in the VG and V groups, and 3) higher intakes of lipids in all the diet groups, especially for O and VG.

These differences between real and hypothetical diets underline the need to observe and analyse recorded dietary intakes in order to properly assess the environmental impact of dietary approaches. Only a few studies have assessed the environmental impact of actual dietary intake calculated on the basis of CF, WF, and EF simultaneously. Both Donati et al.30 and Germani et al.29 evaluated the carbon, water, and land footprints of the actual food intake of the Italian adult population, but without taking into account any differences in the dietary regimen. Data on the environmental impact of the Italian household consumption are consistent with our results for all the three environmental indicators29. Germani et al. also compared the actual Italian food consumption to a MD model, highlighting the lower value of the three indices in MD compared to the actual Italian diet29. Similar results were found in other studies, in which a shift of the Italian average food consumption towards a MD pattern resulted in a reduction of the food environmental impact on natural resources, especially on greenhouse gas emissions37 and water usage38. Indeed, in accordance with numerous studies, the MD emerges as a dietary regimen with beneficial environmental and health effects14, 29, 39, 40. Along with the nutritional profiles, the notable adherence to the MD revealed a general healthy eating pattern of our participants in all the three dietary regimens. These results are consistent with those previously reported by Benedetti et al.41 in which Italians appeared to have a moderately high level of adherence to the MD.

In addition to the MD, other predominantly plant-based diets appear environmentally better than meat-based ones21, 42, 43. Our results are consistent with those reports, since, in the present study, VG and V diets represent a clear environmental advantage with respect to the O one for all the three environmental evaluated indicators. This aspect, which is related to the biggest environmental impact generated by a greater consumption of animal products, had already been hypothesized7, 28.

However, the big differences highlighted when observing virtual scenarios are not so evident when taking into account real-life contexts. In particular, the V approach was not associated with significantly lower environmental footprints when compared to VG one. A likely explanation might be that, while unprocessed plant-based foodstuffs usually replace animal-based products in hypothetical vegetarian and vegan diets18, the real plant-based diets are instead characterised by industrially highly-processed plant-based meat and dairy substitutes (e.g. seitan burger and soy yoghurt). Some people opt for highly processed, high-fat products instead of nutritious plant-based foodstuffs44. Moreover, the lower energy density of plant-based foodstuffs results in a higher food intake for V with respect to VG (around 12.5% in terms of food weight), possibly explaining the lack of environmental benefits of a vegan diet in comparison with an ovo-lacto-vegetarian choice.

Comparison of the environmental impact of different populations remains very difficult, as data found in the literature vary widely among studies. Differences in geographical areas, data sources, and dietary assessment strategies could represent explanatory factors for this variability45. In the present study, as an example, CF equalled 3.96 ± 0.98, 2.60 ± 0.62, and 2.34 ± 0.50 kg CO ₂-eq per person/d for the O, VG, and V group, respectively, as assessed with a 7-d food record. Without considering the specific diet of the participants, the same parameter was 3.44 kg CO ₂-eq per person/d in the Italian INRAN-SCAI cohort (2313 subjects, aged 18-65 years) using a self-recorded 3-d dietary record29. Differences among European populations were detected in various studies resulting in: 3.24 kg CO ₂-eq per person/d for the UK-NDNS cohort (1491 subjects, aged 19-94 years), assessed through a 4-d food record46; 3.55 and 4.69 kg CO ₂-eq per person/d for women and men, respectively, of the INCA2 French cohort (2624 adults) recording a 7-d food record47; 3.87 kg CO ₂-eq per person/d for the Nederland EPIC cohort (40011 adults), measured through a food frequency questionnaire48; and 3.76 and 5.04 kg CO ₂-eq per person/d, if evaluated with a food frequency questionnaire or with a 7-d weighed dietary record, respectively, in 166 Sweden volunteers49.

Beyond the impact of dietary choices, variations in the average environmental impact of a particular diet or a population have been attributed to differences on individual choices50, gender51 or household structure52. In the present study, the high inter-individual variability registered within each dietary group is worth attention. In particular, it is interesting to note the presence of some VG and V subjects with individual values of environmental impact higher than some of the O study group. The high impact of these specific subjects was mainly attributed to a high consumption of proteins and fats, but energy intake also contributed. High meat consumption and high-fat vegetarian diets were hypothesized to require more land resources than other food choices53. Inter-individual variability was also conditioned by energy intake of each subject, which is associated with adequate nutritional needs and influenced by energy density of the diet. When impact data were adjusted by energy intake, as also reported by Soret et al.44, the analysis brought to light an extremely high environmental impact of some subjects, in particular fruitarians.

A focus on a specific population, even though participants belong to four geographically distant areas in Italy, and the fact that seasonality, farming and cattle rearing typology, and food production methods were not taken into account for the environmental impact evaluation should be considered the main weaknesses of this study. In addition, the environmental database used presents some intrinsic limitations. Although it is regularly updated and based entirely on public data and information from scientific literature, it cannot be considered complete. As a consequence, data related to food subgroups and not to the single food item were used. Correspondence among specific foodstuffs and the subgroup to which these foods were assigned, as well as the environmental impact values for each food subgroup, are provided at Supplemental Tables S1 and S2, respectively. The WF of fish and seafood were not available and the environmental data on coffee and tea were not easily attributable because linked to dry powder and not to ready-to-use products. Nevertheless, this is the first study to evaluate simultaneously the carbon, water, and land impact of real recorded and weighed food intakes in groups, although not large, of O, VG, and V.

To reach an environmentally sustainable solution, animal-based foodstuffs should be partially replaced with fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals, according to nutritional guidelines. At the same time, observations regarding inter-individual variability are of critical importance as the generic definition of every dietary pattern may dramatically conceal the impact of individual choices on environmental footprints. This emphasizes the need for thinking not only in terms of dietary group but also of individual dietary habits, irrespective of dietary choice. These aspects should be considered before launching equivocal messages to the general population through the media, and/or underpinning certain dietary choices.

Dietary recommendations in terms of environmental impacts deserve further studies, considering, for instance, the choice of locally grown and seasonal products as well as agricultural and processing techniques. Health status should be also included in this multifactorial scenario dealing with food choice, energy intake, and environmental impact. This holistic approach, merging health preservation and disease prevention with environmental sustainability in the dietary habits framework should be pursued. Educating people to make little changes in their dietary behaviours could be a key action towards this common goal.

References

1. 2.
Amine, E. et al. Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases: report of a Joint WHO/ FAO Expert Consultation (World Health Organization, 2002).

2. 6.
De Marco, A., Velardi, M., Camporeale, C., Screpanti, A. & Marcello, V. The Adherence of the Diet to Mediterranean Principle and Its Impacts on Human and Environmental Health. Int J Environ Prot Pol 2, 64-75 (2014).

3. 16.

4. 20.
Hallström, E. & Börjesson, P. Meat-consumption statistics: Reliability and discrepancy. Sust Sci Pract Policy 9, 37-47 (2013).

5. 24.
Gnagnarella, P., Salvini, S. & Parpinel, M. Food composition database for epidemiological studies in Italy. European Institute of Oncology http://www.bda-ieo.it/ (accessed 12 October 2015).

6. 26.
ISO E. 14040: 2006. Environmental management-Life cycle assessment-Principles and framework. European Committee for Standardization (available at: http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=37456) (2006).

7. 27.
Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition. Double Pyramid: Healthy Food for People, Sustainable for the Planet (Parma, 2011).

8. 28.
Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition. Double Pyramid 2015: Recommendations for a Sustainable Diet (Parma, 2015).

9. 31.
SINU. Livelli di Assunzione di Riferimento di Nutrienti ed energia per la popolazione italiana - IV Revisione (SICS, 2014).

10. 32.
EFSA. Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for energy. EFSA J 11, 3005-3117 (2013).

11. 34.
Thompson, S. et al. A balance of healthy and sustainable food choices for France, Spain, and Sweden (LiveWell for Life, 2013).

12. 35.
EFSA. Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol. EFSA J 8, 1461-1568 (2010).

13. 36.
EFSA. Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for protein. EFSA J 10, 2557-2623 (2012).

14. 37.

15. 38.

16. 39.
Serra-Majem, L. & Medina, F. X. Chapter 4 - The Mediterranean diet as an intangible and sustainable food culture in The Mediterranean Diet (eds Preedy, V. R. & Watson, R. R.) 37-46 (Academic Press, 2015).

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research program PRIN 2010-2011 (grant number 2010WZ2NJN).

Author information

Affiliations

1. Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy

Alice Rosi

, Pedro Mena

, Nicoletta Pellegrini

, Erasmo Neviani

, Donato Angelino

, Furio Brighenti

, Daniele Del Rio

& Francesca Scazzina

2. Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

3. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

4. Faculty of Science and Technology, Libera Università di Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy

Raffaella Di Cagno

& Marco Gobbetti

5. Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, Parma, Italy

Luca Ruini

& Roberto Ciati

6. MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge, CB1 9NL, United Kingdom

7. The Need for Nutrition Education/Innovation Programme (University of Cambridge) C/O MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge, CB1 9NL, United Kingdom

Contributions

A.R. analysed data, performed statistical analysis, and wrote the paper; P.M. performed statistical analysis and wrote the paper; N.P. designed research, provided the nutritional data and contributed to manuscript revision; S.T., E.N., I.F., R.D.C., and M.G. designed research and provided the nutritional data; L.R. and R.C. provided the environmental database; J.M., D.A., F.B., and D.D.R. contributed to manuscript revision; F.S. designed research and had primary responsibility for final content.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicoletta Pellegrini.

Ethics declarations

Competing Interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Download citation

Further reading

Alejandro Blas

, Alberto Garrido

, Olcay Unver

& Bárbara Willaarts

Science of The Total Environment (2019)

Christophe Béné

, Peter Oosterveer

, Lea Lamotte

, Inge D. Brouwer

, Stef de Haan

, Steve D. Prager

, Elise F. Talsma

& Colin K. Khoury

World Development (2019)

Ujué Fresán

& Joan Sabaté

Advances in Nutrition (2019)

F. Vieux

, L. Privet

, L.G. Soler

, X. Irz

, M. Ferrari

, S. Sette

, S. Raulio

, H. Tapanainen

, R. Hoffmann

, Y. Surry

, H. Pulkkinen

& N. Darmon

Journal of Cleaner Production (2019)

Papier

, Tong

, Appleby

, Bradbury

, Fensom

, Knuppel

, Perez-Cornago

, Schmidt

, Travis

& Key

Nutrients (2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and vegan diet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Food and beverage consumption has a great impact on the environment, although there is a lack of information concerning the whole diet. The environmental impact of 153 Italian adults (51 omnivores, 51 ovo-lacto-vegetarians, 51 vegans) and the inter-individual variability within dietary groups were assessed in a real-life context.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Conceito no aprendizado do esporte | Unisport Brasil

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A integração de crianças e adolescentes na sociedade através do esporte é uma ação crescente nos últimos tempos e que vem dando certo. Nesse cenário, basquete e inclusão social são dois fatores que combinam, visto que o esporte é de fácil acesso e pode ser jogado entre poucas ou muitas crianças.

Se você deseja saber um pouco mais sobre o basquete e como ele ajuda na inclusão social, continue lendo o post e descubra!

A história do basquete

Entre as diversas teorias a respeito do surgimento do basquete, a mais aceita diz que o esporte foi criado no ano de 1891, nos Estados Unidos, por solicitação de um grupo de estudantes que não podia praticar esportes ao ar livre devido ao frio.

Os meninos pediram ao professor de Educação Física, James Naismith, que criasse uma atividade que eles pudessem praticar em um local fechado, e que posteriormente pudesse também ser jogada no verão. Assim, surgia o basquete.

No começo do século XX, o esporte começou a ser praticado em diversos países, chegando ao Brasil em 1896 através do norte-americano Augusto Shaw. No ano de 1904 ocorreu a primeira participação do basquete nas Olimpíadas, como esporte demonstração. Em 1936, nos Jogos Olímpicos de Berlim, ele entrou de vez no cenário olímpico mundial.

Atualmente, milhões de pessoas espalhadas pelo mundo todo jogam basquete, sendo que a prática já substituiu o futebol como esporte mais popular na Austrália e Ásia, e está perto de passar o futebol em número de praticantes no mundo todo.

O Basquete no Brasil

O Brasil foi uma das primeiras nações a conhecer o basquete e o norte-americano August Shaw é o responsável por trazê-lo. August foi convidado para lecionar na faculdade Mackenzie College de São Paulo e, junto com a sua bagagem, trouxe também uma bola de basquete. As mulheres tiveram contato com o basquete primeiro, pois, devido ao grande sucesso do futebol na época, a novidade ficou em segundo plano para os homens.

O local do Brasil a adicionar o basquete na escola é disputado entre Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo, cada qual alegando ter sido o pioneiro. A primeira seleção do país surgiu em 1922 e, em 1941, nasceu a Confederação Brasileira de Basquete.

As regras básicas do basquete

O basquete é um esporte de fácil acesso, pois possui regras simples e pode ser jogado em diferentes lugares, bastando ter uma bola e uma cesta. O jogo é disputado com 10 atletas, sendo 5 de cada time. A duração da partida é de 40 minutos corridos, divididos em 4 tempos de 10 minutos cada.

Basicamente, os jogadores só podem se deslocar quicando a bola e o objetivo principal é avançar em direção à cesta e marcar o ponto. Os arremessos de fora da área demarcada valem 3 pontos, e dentro do grande círculo valem 2. Já o lance livre tem 1 como pontuação.

O esporte e o desenvolvimento

O esporte é uma excelente maneira de promover o desenvolvimento na infância e na adolescência. Aqueles que são submetidos a jogos esportivos nos primeiros anos de vida possuem um desenvolvimento cognitivo e motor maior do que as pessoas que são sedentárias.

Além disso, o esporte nessa fase da vida é uma ótima forma para que haja o desenvolvimento social, visto que, nessa idade, grande parte dos jogos é disputada em equipe, fazendo com que as crianças e adolescentes tenham que conviver em grupo desde cedo.

Basquete e inclusão social

Muitas pessoas, se fossem definir o esporte, diriam que ele é um jogo em que todos os envolvidos buscam chegar à vitória. Apesar de essa definição ser bem aceita, o significado do esporte pode ser muito mais amplo, sendo, por exemplo, uma ferramenta perfeita para a inclusão social, visto que grande parte dos jovens não têm oportunidade de realizar uma atividade esportiva.

Na esfera social, o treinamento tem um papel pedagógico e influenciável na formação do indivíduo, já que trabalha com diversos fatores que contribuem para o desenvolvimento adequado. Confira a seguir como o esporte ajuda na inclusão social.

A disciplina proposta no esporte

Ao se comprometer com uma atividade física que envolve outras pessoas, treinamentos, horários e respeito, os jovens aprendem a ter disciplina. Essa característica é de grande valia para toda a vida, e pode ser utilizada positivamente na vida profissional e social.

O desenvolvimento de habilidades individuais

A prática esportiva, principalmente na infância e nos primeiros anos de vida, garante um melhor desenvolvimento de diversas habilidades motoras. É importante comentar que tais habilidades, quando desenvolvidas na infância, têm uma chance muito mais elevada de ser aprimorada ao longo da vida.

Veja a seguir as principais habilidades que o basquete pode proporcionar àqueles que o praticam:

O trabalho em equipe

Durante toda a vida, as pessoas precisarão conviver em sociedade e, por isso, é necessário aprender desde cedo que não se está sozinho no mundo. Participar de um esporte coletivo é uma ótima maneira de colocar esse aprendizado para funcionar.

No basquete, a equipe em quadra é formada por 5 atletas. Somam-se a eles os jogadores que ficam no banco de reservas, além do treinador e demais membros da comissão técnica, que variam de acordo com o time.

O convívio no grande grupo em prol de um objetivo maior é importantíssimo, pois mostra que não importa o quão boa uma pessoa seja em alguma tarefa, ela necessita de outras para que a missão se complete. Sendo assim, os jovens aprendem a não ser egoístas e a dar valor para todas as outras pessoas, pois cada uma tem um papel especial na sociedade.

Promover a inclusão social através do esporte é uma oportunidade que todos os jovens deveriam experimentar. Muitos atletas profissionais de sucesso, inclusive, são oriundos de projetos sociais.

Utilizar basquete e inclusão social é também uma excelente área para os profissionais de educação física, que têm a oportunidade de exercer a profissão e, ao mesmo tempo, promover a cidadania.

Agora que você já aprendeu sobre basquete e inclusão social, deixe um comentário no post e compartilhe a sua experiência nesses dois assuntos!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Como o basquete ajuda na inclusão social?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A integração de crianças e adolescentes na sociedade através do esporte é uma ação crescente nos últimos tempos e que vem dando certo. Nesse cenário, basquete e inclusão social são dois fatores que combinam, visto que o esporte é de fácil acesso e pode ser jogado entre poucas ou muitas crianças.

# data[].attributes.body
(Vegetarian Diets: Planetary Health and Its Alignment with Human Health)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ABSTRACT

To maintain planetary health, human activities must limit the use of Earth's resources within finite boundaries and avoid environmental degradation. At present, food systems account for a substantial use of natural resources and contribute considerably to climate change, degradation of land, water use, and other impacts, which in turn threaten human health through food insecurity. Additionally, current dietary patterns, rich in animal products and excessive in calories, are detrimental to both population and planetary health. In order to resolve the diet-environment-health trilemma, population-level dietary changes are essential. Vegetarian diets are reported to be healthy options. Most plant-sourced foods are less resource intense and taxing on the environment than the production of animal-derived foods, particularly meat and dairy from ruminants. This review article explores simultaneously the environmental sustainability of vegetarian diets, and its alignment with people's health. In general, the progression from omnivorous to ovolactovegetarian and vegan diets is associated with increased environmental sustainability. Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from vegan and ovolactovegetarian diets are ∼50% and ∼35% lower, respectively, than most current omnivore diets, and with corresponding reductions in the use of natural resources. Concomitant health benefits could be obtained by shifting from current dietary patterns to sustainable vegetarian diets. Thus, there seems to be an alignment of health and environmental outcomes for vegetarian diets. Although this shows the human health and environmental sustainability benefits of vegetarian diets in high-income countries, questions remain about the challenges in other contexts and the political will to promote meat-free diets as the social norm.

Introduction

Interconnection of the food system with planetary and human health

"Planetary health" is the state of the Earth's natural systems or the safe environmental limits within which humanity can flourish. Exceeding planetary boundaries can lead to a state less conducive to human development (i.e., negatively affecting the quality and the sufficiency of food and water) ( 1). At present, the overall size and economic activity of mankind is exceeding the sustainable capacity of the natural world. According to Rockstrom et al. ( 2), 3 biophysical thresholds of natural systems have been already crossed: climate change, biodiversity loss, and biogeochemical flows of nitrogen and phosphorous. Soon the planetary limits for global freshwater use, change in land use, and ocean acidification will be reached ( 2). In turn, climate and environmental changes have affected food production by decreasing agricultural yields and increasing food insecurity in some regions of the world ( 3, 4). To maintain planetary health, human activities should limit the use of Earth's resources and avoid environmental degradation. With this objective, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggested some targeted measures such as reducing the net emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 45% by 2030, in order to achieve the goal of zero net emissions by 2050 ( 5).

Among all sectors, the food system accounts for a substantial use of natural resources and is a major contributor to the environmental degradation of planet Earth. It contributes 20-30% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions, accounts for 70% of all freshwater use, and is a major source of water pollution ( 6). About 80% of the world's deforestation is related to the food system; and this sytem is the leading cause of changes in land use and biodiversity loss ( 7). Without corrective measures, the environmental impact of the food system could increase by 50-90% in 30 y, reaching levels that are beyond the planetary boundaries ( 8).

Although the food system delivers enough food to feed the world's population, the current global dietary patterns result in about half of the world's population being either malnourished, with hunger and micronutrient deficiencies, or eating poorly, resulting in obesity and its associated comorbidities ( 9- 11). All of these conditions contribute to early mortality. Thus, the food system, along with dietary choices, concurrently and unfavorably affect the health of individuals and populations as well as the natural environment. Hence, the use of the term "diet-environment-health trilemma" to draw attention to the quandaries created by these apparently unrelated entities ( 12).

A growing body of literature is exploring 3 approaches to address these challenges: 1) improvements in agricultural technology; 2) reductions in food losses and waste along the supply chain; and 3) shifting food choices and diet patterns of individuals and populations. In recent years, most of the emphasis has been on improving the efficiency of production-to produce more food with less environmental impact. Agricultural and technologic improvements can achieve significant natural resource savings and environmental protection ( 8). However, this measure alone does not seem to be sufficient, and changes in individual eating habits are also deemed necessary ( 8).

In wealthy societies, >30% of all the purchased food is wasted ( 13). Besides the direct gas emissions of the wasted food in the landfills, reducing food waste would result in a reduction in food production and hence corresponding reductions in land, water, and other inputs.

The environmental impacts of population-level food choices are substantial. The type and the amount of food people consume directly affects the type and quantity of food produced. The increased adoption of the Western diet is expected to further damage the environment, and adversely affect the health of the population ( 14). The potential effect of changes in food choices on environmental sustainability has long been known ( 15), but has received less research consideration perhaps due to the inherent difficulty of changing food habits. In fact, among the 3 approaches proposed above, changes in food choices and diet patterns of individuals and populations have the potential to contribute the most to the reduction of GHG emissions ( 8).

Sustainable diets: the role of food choices

In 2010, the FAO indicated that other aspects of the diet, apart from its nutritional value, should be considered, such as its environmental sustainability. A "sustainable diet" is defined as a pattern "with low environmental impact which contributes to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems ... nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources" ( 3).

In general, plant-based dietary patterns are associated with health benefits. Vegetarian diets (meat-free dietary patterns) are associated with reduced risks of many health conditions. Vegetarians have lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, obesity, coronary heart diseases, and other noncommunicable diseases, and greater life expectancy ( 16- 18). The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetics Association) has recognized that a well-planned vegetarian diet is healthful and nutritionally adequate, being appropriate for human growth and development. Meat-free diets are suitable not only in the prevention but also in the treatment of many diseases ( 19- 21).

In contrast to the large body of literature assessing the relation between diet and health, there is just a small although emerging body of literature assessing the relation between foods, dietary patterns, and environmental sustainability ( 22). The environmental impact and use of natural resources in the production of foods differ greatly. Animal-derived foods, particularly meat and dairy from ruminants, are resource intense and more taxing on the environment compared with the production of most plant-based foods ( 23, 24). Figure 1 presents the GHG emissions attributed to the production of several foods. As we move up in the trophic chain, the GHG emissions embodied in food production increase several fold. Other environmental impacts also vary widely between plant- and animal-sourced foods. The production of 1 kg of beans requires 3.8 m ² of land, 2.5 m ³ of water, 39 g of fertilizer, and 2.2 g of pesticide; however, the production of the same amount of beef requires 52 m ² of land, 20.2 m ³ of water, 360 g of fertilizer, and 17.2 g of pesticide, i.e., ∼8-14 times more resources are needed to produce the beef ( 24). Differences in the use of resources are observed not only by weight of foods, but also by their protein content. Comparing 1kg of protein from beef and beans, beef protein requires 18, 10, 12, and 10 times more land, water, fertilizers, and pesticides ( 24). However, individual foods are not consumed in isolation, but in different combinations and proportions within dietary patterns ( 22, 25, 26). Only recently have studies aimed to assess the effects on the environment of whole diets ( 27).

The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on Planetary Health suggested that dietary changes have the potential to improve both people and planetary health ( 28). Due to the well-studied connection of vegetarian diets and health, and that plant-derived foods are more environmentally sustainable, meat-free diets have been proposed as an option to replace current prevailing dietary patterns, and thus address the diet-environment-health trilemma.

Therefore, the objective of the current article is to review the latest evidence for the environmental sustainability of vegetarian diets. Furthermore, we advance the present state of knowledge through the assessment of the alignment of health and environmental outcomes of vegetarian dietary patterns.

Methods

The current study is a review of the literature dedicated to the sustainability of vegetarian diets. Articles included in this review were identified through conventional keyword searching strategies with the use of PubMed, and sustainability-related journals and books. Every effort was made to include all relevant literature published from 2000 to October 2018; however, some articles may have inadvertently been omitted. Our work was exclusively focused on estimating the relative differences of 3 environmental impacts (GHG emissions, land use, and water use) by shifting dietary intake from the currently consumed omnivore diets in high-income countries (taken as the reference diet) towards vegetarian dietary patterns. We also took into consideration as reference diet the projected dietary pattern of a country according to actual consumption tendencies. We did not include in this review any studies where data on the current diet was not reported and thus comparisons with the vegetarian diets were not possible. One or more dietary scenarios could be reported in a study, and each of these scenarios was considered as an independent value when conducting the estimations. Only the articles that reported both people and planetary health outcomes at the same time were taken into consideration when assessing the alignment between these 2 domains. Both theoretic and real vegetarian diet scenarios were included in this review. The theoretic dietary scenarios are those diets that have been designed or modeled with the use of mathematical resolution of some given parameters. Real vegetarian diet scenarios are self-selected vegetarian diets actually consumed by individuals.

We included as vegetarian diets both ovolactovegetarian (meat- and fish-free, but consumption of eggs and dairy products) and vegan (total absence of animal-derived foods). Other dietary patterns-such as flexitarian (vegetarian diet with occasional meat consumption) and pescatarian (lack of meat, but fish consumption)-have been sometimes considered as vegetarian diets but were not included as they are not flesh free.

Results

The environmental sustainability of vegetarian diets

Positioning vegan diets as more environmentally sustainable than ovolactovegetarian diets based on results derived from separate investigations may not be the best approach because of the use of different reference diets and environmental footprint data. However, centering the comparison on the findings of those studies that assessed both types of vegetarian diets, we detected a remarkable consistency in the direction of the reported findings: the fewer animal products consumed, the more sustainable the diet is.

Despite this consistency, it should be noted that any environmental benefits would ultimately depend on the specific foods included in a diet. A recent study advised that it is essential to assess the sustainability of vegetarian diets according to the specific foods actually consumed by the individuals, not by the average nominal diets, because high interindividual variability exists among the diets of vegetarians ( 30). In fact, not all vegetarian diet scenarios reported in the literature yielded favorable environmental outcomes when compared with the reference diets. For instance, if beef or lamb, foods with a high environmental impact, are replaced by larger quantities of dairy (cheese or butter), the environmental impact gains may be reduced or eliminated ( 40). Or if meats in the reference diet are replaced isocalorically with vegetables grown in high-energy-demand greenhouses or out-of-season fruits flown from afar, any GHG emissions offsets could be reversed ( 63). It has also been reported that the water used to obtain calorie-equivalent amounts of nuts, fruits, and vegetables could be higher than several animal-based foods ( 46, 64). Hence, the diets of some vegetarians could have higher environmental impacts than those of some omnivores.

Alignment of health and environmental outcomes of vegetarian dietary patterns

According to the existing literature, when compared with currently consumed dietary patterns, vegetarian diets are deemed healthier ( 16- 21) and more ecofriendly ( 12, 29- 62). However, the assessment of the alignment of health and environmental outcomes can only be done from reports that address both parameters at the same time.

Beyond this remarkable correspondence in the direction of the healthiness and environmental sustainability of adopting vegetarian diets in general, as discussed in the previous section, the sustainability and likewise the healthiness of diets would depend on the specific combination of foods. Vieux et al. ( 76) showed that unhealthy products such as sugars and salty snacks may have a lower environmental impact per calorie compared with fruits and vegetables, which were associated with higher GHG emissions. This observation suggested that depending on the food groups in the diet, health and environmental dimensions can either match or be discordant.

More research is timely as the number of studies reporting simultaneously on the environmental and health outcomes of vegetarian diets is very limited and no strong conclusion can be derived with the current evidence. Nevertheless, all individual studies, as well as previous reviews and the current review, indicate that adopting diets that replace animal-derived food (especially red meat) with plant-based products (i.e., fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds) provide both planetary and population health benefits.

Gaps in knowledge

The field of sustainable diets and environmental nutrition is still in its infancy. Much more investigation is needed on healthy and sustainable dietary patterns. Until recently, the primary focus has been on GHG emissions, which is considered a good marker of most environmental footprints. These emissions strongly correlate with energy inputs, water use, land use, water eutrophication, nitrogen release, and air acidification ( 78, 79). However, scientists should assess other environmental factors, such as ozone layer depletion or biodiversity loss, to obtain a more complete understanding of the sustainability of dietary patterns.

Most of the research on diet sustainability has been conducted in high-income countries ( 80). Are the data similar in low- and middle-income countries? Some data indicate that GHG emissions of foods in low-income countries are lower. In India, investigators found emissions of 0.72, 0.12, and 0.025 kg CO ₂ equivalents/kg of fish, rice, and potatoes were emitted, respectively; however, emissions in high-income countries are closer to 3.49, 2.55, and 0.18 kg CO ₂ equivalents, respectively, a many-fold increase ( 23, 81).

The FAO reported that industrialized livestock production is unsustainable ( 6). However, more research is needed on the sustainability of livestock produced in small-operation family farms where animals are integrated into the functions of the farm and consumed as food at the end of their productive lifecycles. This is of relevance for rural populations in low- and middle-income countries where eliminating meat could adversely affect these population's marginal nutritional status.

In societies where daily meat consumption is the social norm, aspiring to drastically reduce meat consumption is a challenging endeavor. Research is needed to better understand the cultural and socioeconomic factors that influence change in dietary patterns. This represents appreciating determinants, enablers, and barriers in reducing meat consumption or even eliminating it from the diet ( 82). This research will inform suitable policies for healthy and sustainable eating specific to each society and at the appropriate level, according to the Nuffield intervention ladder ( 83).

The defining common characteristic of vegetarian diets is the absence of meat. This simple definition does not offer much insight into what foods constitute most vegetarian diets. Depending on the mix and proportion of plant foods-and in some instances, animal-derived foods such as dairy and eggs-the degree of sustainability and healthfulness will vary accordingly. Most analyses on the environmental and health outcomes of vegetarian diets have focused on averaged dietary patterns. Thus, it is possible that those averages hide important differences among specific vegetarian diets according to these 2 issues, as previously highlighted in this paper. Research is needed on the food mix of vegetarian diets to optimize their environmental sustainability and salutary effects.

Conclusions

The aggregate dietary decisions a society makes have a large influence on climate change and other environmental impacts. There is consensus that global transitioning towards a more plant-based diet is essential for maintaining planetary boundaries. Furthermore, vegetarian diets appear to simultaneously offer population and planetary health benefits. In brief, population-level vegetarian patterns have the potential to contribute to the solution of the pressing diet-environment-health trilemma ( 84). Nevertheless, more research is needed in various contexts to optimize meat-free diets to achieve maximum health and environmental impact benefits. A better understanding of the cultural and socioeconomic contexts will inform effective policy prescriptions.-3

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ahmed Al Abdrabalnabi for his technical support. Both authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Notes

Published in a supplement to Advances in Nutrition. This supplement was sponsored by the Harding-Buller Foundation of Ohio. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsors. Publication costs for this supplement were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and are not attributable to the sponsors or the publisher, Editor, or Editorial Board of Advances in Nutrition.

Author disclosures: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Supplemental Table 1 is available from the "Supplementary data" link in the online posting of the article and from the same link in the online table of contents at https://academic.oup.com/advances/.

References

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Vegetarian Diets: Planetary Health and Its Alignment with Human Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
To maintain planetary health, human activities must limit the use of Earth's resources within finite boundaries and avoid environmental degradation. At present, food systems account for a substantial use of natural resources and contribute considerably to climate change, degradation of land, water use, and other impacts, which in turn threaten human health through food insecurity.

# data[].attributes.body
1 (The movies)-https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Grievous
2 (The TV series)-
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Grievous/Legends
3 (Grievous's greatest accomplishments in a summarized way)-
https://aminoapps.com/c/star-wars/page/blog/general-grievous-greatest-accomplishments-canon/v4Fn_u1VJ73kBQwvJ3aWaJRLL75LBw#:~:text=General%20Grievous%20devised%20a%20plan,t%20warned%20about%20the%20attack.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Have you heard the saying, "September is the new January"? If you have school age kids, you get this. With children returning to school in a few weeks it feels like a new year is starting. There are so many changes...new school, new grade, new friends and new routines. You would think that after years of doing this during our childhood, we would be familiar with change and not resist it. Yet many still need to learn to see the positive side of change.

Change continues to happen throughout our lives. As I help my children start their new school year, I'm thinking about all the change we go through in life and how I feel about it. We change houses, jobs, relationships, ages, routines and seasons. We even change our identity as we change from child to adult to spouse and to parent.

Change is the only constant in life.
Heraclitus

The only thing constant about change is that it will come. Change is inevitable and it is up to us to decide how we handle the change. Will we embrace it or resist it? My natural instinct is to be resistant to change. I am someone who likes routine and I'm not fond of surprises. I like things planned and predictable. So how, then, can I learn to embrace change? The answer is to look at the positive side of change and see the good that can come from it.

The positive side of change

There are many benefits to change. While not all change is welcome or planned in our lives, we can still benefit from change if we learn to look at the positive side. Here are just 3 of the positive effects of change (click here to read more):

1. Change helps us grow

One thing that change will often do is push us out of our comfort zone. Some people love to be pushed and to try new things, but others (like me) find a lot of "comfort" in our comfort zone. We would rather not leave our safe space. However, when we have to adapt to something new, we can experience personal and professional growth. We often learn strengths and abilities we didn't know we had.

2. Change makes us adaptable

When we meet change with a positive attitude, we learn to let go of our set ways and become flexible. We learn to adapt to new people, new environments, new roles and new situations. In the long run, being flexible leads to more happiness and less stress.

3. Change brings opportunities

Every change and every alteration, big and small, brings opportunities to our lives. When change comes we have the opportunity to learn something new ( more on the benefits of learning something new here), become someone new or feel something new. We have the opportunity to set goals for a new chapter of our lives. If we learn to anticipate these opportunities and look for them in the midst of change, we can turn the situation into something positive.

Control your perspective on change

Expect change

As years go by I get less and less resistant to change. I've learned that change will always come, sometimes welcome and sought after and other times forced upon me, but always a reality. When I change my attitude and expect change, I am less thrown off by it.

Build upon past experiences

When I look back on my experiences and see the positive effects of changes in my life, it builds confidence in me. I use past transitions as templates and learning experiences. The more I go though and view as a learning experience, the more confident I become in my ability to handle whatever life throws at me.

Resist fear

Often we don't know how we will be changed or how we will feel on the other side of transitions and we become fearful of change. That fear can keep us from experiencing new things and growing as a person. We should try to resist this fear of the unknown and take comfort in the fact that it is a part of life and part of moving forward.

As I watch my children get ready for a new year at school, I want to give them this advice: embrace all the change. Instead of focusing on all that is different and resisting the changes, look for the positive. New classmates brings new opportunities for friendships and new teachers bring variety and different styles of learning. A grade older means different responsibilities and ways to grow. And as I send them off I will think about what the new school year means for me and I, too, will try to embrace change.

Challenge for this week:

If you resist change, try these three steps to help you embrace it.

First, anticipate changes that might be coming in the next 6 months to 1 year of your life. Prepare for the possibilities by acknowledging that they might happen and consider how you might react.

Second, think back to times in your life when you've gone through significant change. Remember how you handled it. Is there anything you learned from that and want to do differently next time? Can you identify any positive things that happened as a result of that change?

Finally, use the anticipation of change and past experience to remove fear. Change your perspective to try and view the positive side of change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learn to see the positive side of change - Choose to See Good

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Have you heard the saying, "September is the new January"? If you have school age kids, you get this. With children returning to school in a few weeks it feels like a new year is starting. There are so many changes...new school, new grade, new friends and new routines.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
O transtorno bipolar (antigamente denominado doença maníaco-depressiva) inclui períodos de intensa euforia e excitação (mania) alternados com períodos de depressão e desespero. O humor pode ser normal entre esses dois períodos.

As crianças podem passar rapidamente de um estado entusiasmado, feliz e ativo para um estado deprimido, retraído e letárgico ou cheio de raiva e violência.

Os médicos baseiam o diagnóstico nos sintomas e no resultado de exames psiquiátricos.

O diagnóstico do transtorno bipolar nas crianças pequenas é muito controverso.

O tratamento pode incluir medicamentos estabilizadores do humor para tratar a mania, antidepressivos para tratar a depressão e psicoterapia.

As crianças normalmente têm oscilações de humor razoavelmente rápidas, e passam de felizes e ativas para taciturnas e retraídas. Essas alterações raramente indicam um distúrbio da saúde mental. O transtorno bipolar é muito mais grave do que essas alterações normais do humor, e os humores duram muito mais, com frequência semanas ou meses.

O transtorno bipolar é raro em crianças. No passado, o transtorno bipolar costumava ser diagnosticado quando crianças pequenas (entre quatro e 11 anos de idade) apresentavam irritabilidade intensa muitas vezes por dia. Ao contrário, a opinião moderna é que essas crianças têm um transtorno disruptivo da desregulação do humor.

O transtorno bipolar normalmente começa durante meados da adolescência ou no início da idade adulta. O transtorno bipolar em adolescentes é semelhante ao transtorno bipolar em adultos.

A causa é desconhecida, mas a tendência para desenvolver o transtorno bipolar pode ser hereditária. Anomalias químicas no cérebro podem estar envolvidas. Nas crianças com o transtorno, o estresse pode desencadear um episódio. Além disso, alguns outros distúrbios, como uma glândula tireoide hiperativa ou o transtorno do déficit de atenção com hiperatividade (TDAH), podem causar alguns sintomas semelhantes. Determinados medicamentos e toxinas no ambiente (por exemplo, chumbo) podem causar sintomas parecidos.

A pesquisa recente também indica que há um aumento no risco de desenvolver certos distúrbios psicóticos (como transtorno bipolar e esquizofrenia) em adolescentes que usam produtos de cannabis. Esse risco aumentado não é explicado por fatores genéticos. Existe a preocupação de que a recente legalização da maconha possa dar aos adolescentes (e pais) uma falsa sensação de segurança acerca do uso dessa substância.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transtorno bipolar em crianças e adolescentes (doença maníaco-depressiva) - Problemas de saúde infantil - Manual MSD Versão Saúde para a Família

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
O transtorno bipolar (antigamente denominado doença maníaco-depressiva) inclui períodos de intensa euforia e excitação (mania) alternados com períodos de depressão e desespero. O humor pode ser normal entre esses dois períodos. As crianças podem passar rapidamente de um estado entusiasmado, feliz e ativo para um estado deprimido, retraído e letárgico ou cheio de raiva e violência.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Basquetebol é uma modalidade esportiva coletiva que nasceu em 1891, na Associação Cristã de Moços (ACM), em 1891, fundada pelo professor de Educação Física, James Naismith.

Ele foi criado no inverno, como uma alternativa, com o objetivo de ser uma modalidade que possibilitava ser praticada por muitas pessoas indoor, explica o personal trainer Florio Joaquim Silva Filho, graduado e mestre pela Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

O esporte apresenta diversos benefícios para a saúde, tanto fisicamente quanto psicologicamente. Vamos conhecer quais são os benefícios do basquete, como praticá-lo e os prós e contras da atividade.

Como jogar

O basquete pode ser jogado no 5×5 - time com 5 pessoas e também no 3×3 - time com 3 pessoas. Em algumas fases do jogo, ele é defesa, e em outras transição e ataque.

Cada jogo tem sua particularidade: na defesa é importante proteger para não tomar a cesta; no ataque a finalidade é atacar para fazer a cesta.

Na defesa, existem alguns fundamentos de movimentos mais específicos como o rebote, a roubada de bola, os deslocamentos, e o toco, que acontece quando um jogador impede o arremesso de um adversário ou desvia o curso de uma bola.

Já no ataque, os fundamentos são o passe, o arremesso e o drible, sendo este último o mais importante durante o ataque de um time, que acontece quando você tem a posse de bola e conduz até fazer a cesta.

Em relação à pontuação, são três tipos: lances livres valem um ponto; a maior parte dos pontos que acontecem são os dois pontos, dentro da chamada linha dos três pontos, que fica a 7 metros de distância do aro; e ainda os três pontos, que fica para fora da linha dos três pontos.

Benefícios do basquete

Como já foi dito, os benefícios do basquete são inúmeros, tanto para o corpo quanto para a mente.

"Por ser uma modalidade coletiva, tem um componente forte de cooperação, de trabalho em equipe, parte social muito forte", aponta o profissional Florio Joaquim Silva Filho.

Ele envolve diversas capacidades do corpo como:

Força;

Velocidade;

Mudança de direção;

Flexibilidade;

Habilidades motoras, como a coordenação;

Tempo de reação;

Controle de bola;

Agilidade manual, para a execução dos movimentos;

Parte cardiorrespiratória.

Os benefícios desse esporte são muito parecidos independente da faixa etária, mas exerce grande influência na infância e na adolescência. Isso porque há mais oportunidade de praticar nessas idades, além de ser uma fase de formação do indivíduo, podendo ensinar muito.

O especialista explica que o basquete ajuda o indivíduo a ter disciplina, promove competição e superação do esforço, além dos benefícios fisiológicos:

Promove a saúde cardiovascular, porque aumenta a frequência cardíaca, deixando o coração forte, ajudando na circulação sanguínea;

Ajuda a queimar calorias, uma vez que mantém o corpo em movimento, gastando energia;

Melhora o desempenho acadêmico, porque ajuda na concentração, no pensamento rápido, na tomada de decisão;

Desenvolve a coordenação motora e cognitiva;

Melhora a consciência corporal e espacial;

Deixa o corpo mais forte, porque é um tipo de treinamento de força.

Riscos e cuidados

O basquete é uma modalidade que envolve muito tem contato, assim como outros esportes como o futebol. Por isso, os riscos que ela oferece são maiores, explica Florio.

As lesões mais comuns são as torsões de joelho, justamente porque envolve mais saltos e mudanças de direção, que são movimentos que favorecem o entorse.

"Entretanto, vale ressaltar que o basquete não é uma modalidade lesiva, mas se machucar é possível, assim como é em todas as práticas esportivas", aponta.

Alguns cuidados são fundamentais em relação ao esporte. O profissional de Educação Física dá algumas dicas para que seja possível evitar problemas:

Usar tênis de cano alto, que possui um material diferente por causa dessas mudanças de direção, ajuda a evitar lesões;

Trabalhar a parte cardiorrespiratória do corpo por fora também ajuda, porque durante o basquete a frequência cardíaca se eleva muito, então é importante ter um coração saudável;

Protetor no tornozelo é opcional, varia de indivíduo para indivíduo, mas pode ser utilizado para evitar lesões na região;

Aquecer e alongar as articulações e o músculos também ajuda a evitar lesões e permite um melhor desempenho;

Manter o corpo sempre hidratado, antes durante e depois da partida.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Benefícios do basquete: esporte ajuda o físico e a mente

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Basquetebol é uma modalidade esportiva coletiva que nasceu em 1891, na Associação Cristã de Moços (ACM), em 1891, fundada pelo professor de Educação Física, James Naismith. Ele foi criado no inverno, como uma alternativa, com o objetivo de ser uma modalidade que possibilitava ser praticada por muitas pessoas indoor, explica o personal trainer Florio Joaquim Silva Filho, graduado e mestre pela Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
O é uma vertente musical surgida do termo Rock and Roll. Originou-se nos Estados Unidos na segunda metade do século XX, alcançando seu auge nos anos 70 e 80.

O gênero é fruto de uma combinação de diversos tipos de música, principalmente a música negra, que com o passar do tempo, desdobrou-se também em outros subgêneros.

Hoje em dia ganhou o mundo e mobiliza grande número de pessoas que apreciam a vertente, tendo até uma data em sua homenagem, o Dia Mundial do Rock, em 13 de julho.

Origem do Rock: a semente do estilo musical

O surgimento do rock aconteceu nos EUA como consequência da mistura de outros estilos musicais, com enfoque no jazz, folk, country e rhythm and blues.

As primeiras experimentações ocorreram ainda na década de 40, sobretudo em seus últimos anos, mas foi nos anos 50 que a vertente ganhou contornos mais nítidos.

Os nomes que se destacaram nessa primeira fase foram: Jackie Brenston, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Preston, Little Richard, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry (esse considerado por muitos como o "pai do rock") e outros.

Apesar de quase sempre esquecidas, é importante pontuar a atuação das mulheres nesse contexto. Nomes como Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Memphis Minnie, Aretha Franklin e demais mulheres tiveram enorme importância para a história do rock.

O rock através das décadas

Nos anos 50 surge uma figura que viria a ser considerada mais tarde como "rei do rock", era Elvis Presley. O rapaz branco vindo da cidade de Memphis, no Tennessee, cantava no coro da igreja quando criança e recebeu influência do blues, vertente musical de origem negra.

Elvis Presley é considerado o "rei do rock"

Elvis, imitando o estilo de músicos negros, deu ao rock visibilidade com uma postura "rebelde", aliando à sonoridade empolgante uma dança provocativa, tanto que foi chamado de Elvis, The Pelvis.

É importante salientar que, por conta de sua pele branca, Elvis teve maior espaço na mídia da época e foi melhor aceito pela sociedade conservadora americana.

Ainda na década de 50, com as inovações tecnológicas, a guitarra elétrica foi criada, dando um carácter eletrizante para os concertos de rock e vindo a ser um instrumento essencial para o gênero.

Nos anos 60 aparecem novos nomes na cena e o rock ganha ainda mais o coração do público.

Têm destaque nesse momento: The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, além das bandas The Beatles e Rolling Stones, que fizeram um sucesso estrondoso, ganhando fãs no mundo todo.

O roqueiro Jimi Hendrix foi um grande nome no cenário musical dos anos 60

No último ano dessa década acontece o Festival Woodstock entre 15 e 18 de agosto na cidade de Bethel, em Nova Iorque. Esse festival foi marcante na trajetória do rock'n'roll, apresentando músicos importantes da época.

Os anos 70 foram marcados pelo aparecimento de bandas como Queen, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Black Sabbath, Ramones, The Clash, Sex Pistols, David Bowie, The Runaways (banda exclusivamente feminina).

Nessa fase, os shows eram monumentais, com grande público enchendo enormes locais.

Nos anos 80 o comportamento e estética visual que imperavam eram bastante excêntricos, trazendo muito brilho, penteados e roupas exageradas.

No meio musical não foi diferente, as bandas apresentavam essa ousadia e as que têm destaque são: Bon Jovi, Van Halen, New Order, The Cure, Pretenders, Roxette, e muitas outras.

Já na década de 90, o estilo de rock que despontou foi o grunge, um rock alternativo vindo de Seattle.

A banda de maior sucesso na época foi Nirvana, mas tiveram outros nomes importantes como Pearl Jam, R.E.M, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Offspring, Green Day.

Nos anos 2000 o rock perdeu um pouco de força por conta da crescente onda pop. Ainda assim, tiveram espaço bandas como Evanescence, The Strokes, Interpol, Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, e outras.

As características marcantes do Rock

A palavra rock é uma derivação do termo em inglês rocking and rolling, que pode ser entendido como "balançar e rolar", sugerindo uma dança com conotação sexual. Assim, o rock já surge com uma aura transgressora e rebelde.

Mais do que um tipo de música, também tornou-se um estilo de vida, influenciando várias gerações.

São muitos os subgêneros que se formaram e cada um tem características próprias. Entretanto, podemos dizer que algumas são recorrentes, como:

Atitude rebelde e impositiva;

Ritmo contagiante;

Autenticidade;

Caráter contestador;

Envolvimento do público.

Instrumentos comuns no rock

Normalmente as bandas de rock contam com 4 ou 5 integrantes, sendo que a base para a sonoridade das músicas é feita a partir de uma guitarra elétrica, bateria, baixo elétrico e teclado ou sintetizadores digitais.

Há ainda algumas bandas que aliam outros instrumentos, como flautas transversais, saxofone e gaita, o que enriquece ainda mais as canções.

Os diversos estilos de rock

Como foi dito, muitos tipos de rock surgiram, com variadas características, agradando um público diverso. Veja quais são esses estilos:

O rock no Brasil e os seus principais representantes

No Brasil, o rock também teve grandes nomes. Aqui, o estilo musical começou a ganhar força no início dos anos 60.

A primeira representante do gênero foi Celly Campello, com um rock bem inocente. No mesmo estilo surge o movimento de Jovem Guarda, tendo Wanderléa, Roberto Carlos e Erasmo Carlos como ícones.

Mais tarde surgiram bandas que se tornaram verdadeiros clássicos - reconhecidas mundialmente - como Os mutantes, formada em 1966, e Secos e Molhados, já da década de 70. Outro nome importante dessa época é Raul Seixas.

Capa do primeiro álbum de Mutantes, lançado em 1968

Nos anos 80 foi a vez de dançar junto com Blitz, Barão Vermelho, Legião Urbana, Titãs, Kid Abelha, dentre outras, como o Sepultura, estilo de rock mais pesado.

Os anos 90 foram marcados por nomes como Charlie Brown Jr, Nação Zumbi, Angra e Cássia Eller. Já nos anos 2000 fizeram sucesso Los hermanos, Pitty, Fresno, NX Zero e outras.

Atualmente o rock brasileiro apresenta muitas misturas, mesclando estilos, assim como no mundo todo.

Conheça os principais Gêneros musicais brasileiros.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rock: a origem e história do Rock and Roll

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
O Rock é uma vertente musical surgida do termo Rock and Roll. Originou-se nos Estados Unidos na segunda metade do século XX, alcançando seu auge nos anos 70 e 80. O gênero é fruto de uma combinação de diversos tipos de música, principalmente a música negra, que com o passar do tempo,...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's not necessarily the first question I get, but it always comes up. On tour for my book, published in 2018, an audience member asked if I, a Korean American adoptee, am "still close" to my adoptive parents. When I said yes, they followed up, as if in disbelief: "So, you and your family are really OK?"

An interviewer wanted to establish right off the bat that I had "never felt unloved" by my white family "in spite of" my race. Another inquired as to how often we see each other. I've had people tell me they were "relieved" - even "pleasantly surprised" - to find that my book is "not angry or bitter". At a reading, someone wondered if my parents were offended by any of the sentiments I had expressed around my transracial adoption: feelings of racial isolation and confusion, exacerbated by a childhood spent in overwhelmingly white spaces; a suppressed but stubborn curiosity about my birth family; the slow-to-evolve conviction that I needed to find a way to grasp for more knowledge, more truth about my personal history, than my adoptive family could offer me. (Before I could answer, my mother, who was sitting in the front row, piped up heroically: " No, we weren't offended!")

Sometimes, when I confirm that my family and I are not estranged, the person questioning me will visibly relax, as if consoled to learn that I genuinely love the people who raised me. But what if I had another kind of story to tell? Suppose we had conflicts we couldn't reconcile, as many families do? Suppose I was angrier; suppose we weren't in contact; suppose I didn't eventhink of them as my family any more?

I now recognize some number of these exchanges for what they are: requests for reassurance, little tests I have to pass if I want to be perceived as anything other than a resentful adoptee, an ungrateful daughter, an angry person of color. My esteem for my white family, the strength of my connection to them, is what makes me feel safe, relatable, approachable to some. This, it turns out, is the price of admission, the prerequisite for whatever authority they are willing to grant me when it comes to talking about my own experience.

Not long ago, a woman who had read my book emailed to tell me to face the facts: my birth parents hadn't wanted me. That I had complex emotions about my adoption, she said, was "an insult" to my adoptive family. "I feel so sorry for your good parents," she wrote.

That word, "good", and all that it implies, is fascinating to me. As an adoptee, I've been asked to make this distinction over and over: only one family can be "good". Only one family can be "real". So I must choose between the white adoptive parents that have been regularly portrayed (by others) as selfless saviors, and the Korean immigrant family that, by default, has been relegated to illegitimacy, selfishness, otherness. And if I am not prepared to choose and love only my white family and forswear all others, then I am unworthy of any family's love.

In America, it's often considered worse to call someone racist than to say or do something that is actually racist

For a long time, the weight of other people's expectations made it far more difficult to consider how I really felt about my identity and the meaning of family. I believed I had to be a good adoptee: thankful, loyal, content. This pressure transracial adoptees might feel to be "good" can be directly linked to the belief that people of color should shrug off damaging, dehumanizing racism rather than call it out - that it's our responsibility to not show anger, to reassure white people at any cost, to place their comfort over our own humanity. The presumption that transracially adopted people will express nothing but unqualified gratitude, feel nothing less than total comfort within the white supremacist frameworks we are exposed to, is fully consistent with the pattern of how race is thought about and talked about in this country: in America, it's often considered worse to callsomeone racist than to say or do something that is actually racist.

Because I moved in entirely white circles as a child, I acquired a kind of instinctive understanding of whiteness, if not white privilege itself. I was in my late 20s before I really began to interrogate the ways in which I had been uniquely positioned, as a transracial adoptee, to adapt and make myself more palatable to white people. I started to wonder who I might have become otherwise, and how my adoption and subsequent proximity to whiteness could be used to bolster the pernicious racism at the heart of the colorblindness myth - how it could even be wielded against other people of color.

It took so long for me to realize that love for my family didn't have to mean staying silent, that I had a right to my anger. I am still not always confident in owning it, but now, at least, I can recognize when it is just, even necessary.

When I was in my early 20s, a white man told me that transracial adoptions like mine were "the best way to fight racism". I was in the midst of my own "good adoptee" campaign at the time, but I still found his statement shocking. I knew that I'd experienced plenty of racism as a Korean American adoptee, and that having a white family was no kind of inoculation - usually it just meant that I faced those battles alone. As much as they loved me, my family could not always understand or help me fight a form of prejudice they had never experienced.
Confronting racism is not about the needs and feelings of white people | Ijeoma Oluo
I still meet a lot of people who want the story of transracial adoption to be a simple, comforting one: it's an antidote to racism; proof that love conquers all. When you grow up being told how lucky you are to have been adopted, how "blessed" you are that your parents "took you in" and "brought you up as a Christian, in a country that actually values girls and women", how freely can you talk about your feelings of abandonment or anxiety, your deep curiosity about your lost heritage, your encounters with bigots, the losses and pain you carry?

There is, of course, no singular, universal adoption experience: some of us are very close to our adoptive parents and some of us aren't. Some of us might want to connect with our birth families and our cultures of origin, and some might not. We need to complicate the stories and notions around transracial adoption: what adoptees go through and how we are allowed to feel about our experiences, how race is relevant to our lives. We must listen to transracial adoptees and make room for their perspectives, including the ones that make some uncomfortable - because when it comes to the wellbeing of adopted people and their families, the truth will serve far better than even the most comforting of lies.

Nicole Chung is the author of All You Can Ever Know and the editor-in-chief of Catapult magazine

Topics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stories of transracial adoptees must be heard - even uncomfortable ones | Nicole Chung

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's not necessarily the first question I get, but it always comes up. On tour for my book, published in 2018, an audience member asked if I, a Korean American adoptee, am "still close" to my adoptive parents. When I said yes, they followed up, as if in disbelief: "So, you and your family are really OK?"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Six keys to leading positive change: Rosabeth Moss Kanter at TEDxBeaconStreet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ao ouvir "Sweet Georgia Brown", do Brothers Bones, muitas pessoas devem reviver memórias de infância e lembrar do Harlem Globetrotters. Eles são conhecidos por suas personalidades marcantes, força atlética e incríveis habilidades na quadra de basquete. Há mais de 90 anos, eles têm alegrado e divertido famílias ao redor do mundo. Mas nem sempre foi assim.

A maioria das pessoas conhece o brilho, o glamour e as habilidades fenomenais dos Globetrotters, mas poucos sabem sobre o racismo que eles sofreram desde seu início, em 1927, até a era dos direitos civis, nos anos 1960. Os membros da equipe, como muitos outros afro-americanos, foram vítimas das duras leis de Jim Crow, que impuseram a segregação racial.

NBA na ESPN
A ESPN mais uma vez transmite a temporada, que começa em 17 de outubro, e também a pré-temporada da NBA, já com o duelo entre Los Angeles Lakers e Sacramento Kings no próximo dia 8. No dia 10, o próprio Chicago Bulls estará nas telas da ESPN quando duelará com o Cleveland Cavaliers.
A organização tem sido peça fundamental do entretenimento familiar em todo o país. Sua criatividade e espetáculo nas quadras animaram gerações de fãs e tiveram um impacto duradouro na cultura esportiva americana.

Os jogadores divertiam as pessoas, mas eram lembrados muitas vezes de sua condição de homens negros e, por isso, passavam pelas mesmas situações que afligiam outros afro-americanos. Após o fim dos jogos de basquete, eles eram proibidos de comer em certos restaurantes, impedidos de se hospedar em hotéis exclusivos para "brancos" e foram até mesmo injustamente acusados de roubo. O início dos Globetrotters esteve recheado de provações que os jogadores tiveram que superar.

Todos os membros dos Globetrotters que jogaram durante o período de Jim Crow podem contar histórias de suas lutas.

Curly Neal, jogador dos Globetrotters entre 1963 e 1985, é um dos membros mais famosos da equipe. Ele recebeu o prêmio Legends, em 1993, por sua grande contribuição para o sucesso e desenvolvimento dos Globetrotters. Neal escreveu um artigo de opinião para o jornal "USA Today", no qual lembrou de um dos vários incidentes raciais pelos quais a equipe passou:

"Ainda me lembro de ouvir essa história do grande Tex Harrison. Cinquenta e nove anos atrás, os Harlem Globetrotters tinham acabado de jogar diante de 18 mil torcedores no norte da Flórida, a maioria deles brancos, e foram comer algo em um restaurante. Eles não puderam entrar no restaurante. Disseram que eles não poderiam comer lá. Eles decidiram ir a um hotel próximo. Mas não foram aceitos. Mais tarde, eles descobriram que um chimpanzé que fazia publicidade para um boliche local ficou hospedado em uma suíte grande e luxuosa."

O gentil Lou Dunbar, que entrou para os Globetrotters em 1977 depois de jogar basquete semiprofissional com o Houston Rockets, contou que famílias negras hospedavam a equipe quando eles não conseguiam encontrar um hotel.

Mas o Globetrotter Hallie Bryant, que recebeu o prêmio Legends, em 2009, lembra que teve que apelar quando a equipe não conseguiu encontrar um hotel ou uma casa de família negra em Nebraska.

"Quando a equipe jogou em uma cidade de Nebraska que só tinha 'hotéis para brancos', tivemos que dormir na prisão do condado. Nós tivemos que dormir muitas vezes em beliches, e os quartos não tinham calefação", disse Bryant, que passou 27 anos nos Globetrotters como jogador, porta-voz oficial e diretor da equipe.

E com hotéis separados para negros e brancos, os Globetrotters tiveram que dobrar o número de jogos, por que o público estava dividido.

"Eles tinham que jogar para dois públicos diferentes: o público branco e [depois] eles tinham que atravessar a pista e jogar para o público negro", disse Dunbar.

Enquanto eram tratados como cidadãos de segunda classe em casa, no exterior os Globetrotters eram tratados como a realeza.

"Parte da grande ironia de sua história era que, quando viajavam para o exterior, eram tratados como reis. Ficaram nos hotéis mais elegantes de Paris, Roma e Londres. Conheceram o papa, reis e rainhas. Jogaram para uma plateia que tinha Juan e Eva Peron", conta Ben Green, autor de "Spinning the Globe: The Rise, Fall, and Return to Greatness of the Harlem Globetrotters", ao "The Undefeated". "Depois, eles voltavam para casa e não podiam ficar em um hotel. Não podiam pedir um hambúrguer. Uma vez em casa, todo o racismo, todo o preconceito nos EUA caía em cima deles. Tenho certeza de que isso os assustava."

Infelizmente, a discriminação racial que os Globetrotters sofria não se limitava ao Sul. Dunbar se lembra de um incidente em Santa Barbara, na Califórnia, no qual ele e seus companheiros de equipe Ovie Dotson e Jimmy Blacklock foram parados pela polícia.

O ano era 1983, e a equipe tinha acabado de voltar da Austrália. Os três jogadores saíram para passear no centro da cidade - eles pararam para tomar sorvete e foram a uma joalheria. Eles chamaram um táxi quando se preparavam para voltar ao hotel. No caminho para o hotel, ouviram sirenes. O táxi parou.
Enquanto o taxista parava, eu olhei para trás e vi que eles estavam em um carro não identificado. Um deles tinha aberto a porta e estava pegando uma pistola. Eu coloquei os braços para cima imediatamente. Poucos segundos depois, olhei para a minha direita e vi um beco, ali havia mais policiais com armas apontando para nós", conta Dunbar. "Um dos caras pegou um megafone e disse para o motorista do táxi, 'Escute, tire as chaves do contato e as jogue para fora do carro'." O taxista disse: "A chave não sai". Um dos rapazes no banco de trás disse: 'Ei, eles não te ouviram'. 'As chaves não saem', repetiu o taxista." Eles responderam: 'Olhe, abra a porta do carro por fora com a mão direita e saia do carro'. Depois eles disseram para os caras no banco de trás fazerem a mesma coisa: abrir a porta, andar até o meio da rua e se deitar no chão. Eu estava no banco da frente. Eles me disseram para sair do carro pelo lado do motorista e fazer a mesma coisa. Conforme saí, eu estava de chinelos naquele dia e um deles caiu. Eu disse: 'Bom, não quero sofrer um acidente'. Eu saí com um pé calçado e outro descalço. Me fizeram deitar na rua e vieram outros policiais para nos algemar. Eu tenho 2,10m de altura, devia pesar uns 100 quilos naquela época. Este policial devia ter 1,65m e ele estava tentando me levantar no meio da rua com as minhas mãos algemadas atrás das costas. Eles colocaram cada um de nós em um carro de polícia, separados. Perguntei ao sujeito: 'Você pode me dizer o que nós fizemos?' Ele respondeu: 'Fique quieto, depois conversamos'.
Depois ficamos sabendo que houve um roubo em uma cidade vizinha, Montecito, que fica bem ao lado de Santa Barbara. Três negros de altura média roubaram uma joalheria. Eu tenho 2,10m, Toby Dawson tem 1,95m e Jimmy tem 1,87m, quase 1,90m. Essa foi a descrição que deram. Eles gravaram tudo, um repórter nos contou: 'Seguimos esses caras desde a sorveteria. Corremos com as câmeras quando vocês pegaram o sorvete'. Eu disse: 'Sério?' Eles estavam com um cara da joalheria, ele olhou para nós no carro da polícia e disse que não éramos as pessoas certas".

O papo de que "você corresponde à descrição" foi contado outra vez. Não havia como confundir a descrição de três homens normais com a de três jogadores altos de basquete.

Os Globetrotters devem seu sucesso à comunidade negra. Mas o apoio, que era forte quando a equipe estava começando, diminuiu nos anos 1960.

"Na década de 1960, eles eram chamados de 'Al Capones'. Havia muito ressentimento por parte do movimento de direitos civis, eles pensavam que os Globetrotters só jogavam para o público branco e reforçavam os estereótipos dos atletas negros", disse Green.

"Eles deixaram de jogar basquete e eram vistos como palhaços", acrescentou. "Eu acho que esse foi um dos motivos que os levaram à decadência."

Muitas pessoas na comunidade negra os viam como comediantes e acreditavam que eram "palhaços" para plateias brancas. Entre 1970 e 1972, começaram a ser exibidos desenhos animados dos Harlem Globetrotters, e muitos membros da equipe que apareciam na série, inclusive Dunbar, que era conhecido por seu penteado afro, apareceram como convidados no desenho do Scooby Doo. Produzido pela Hanna-Barbera e pela CBS Productions, o desenho exibido nas manhãs de sábado foi um fracasso. Eles foram chamados de "vendidos" e acusados de "só falar bobagem".

Como resultado da diminuição do apoio, os Globetrotters sofreram dificuldades financeiras graves e estiveram à beira da falência no início dos anos 1990. Mannie Jackson, ex-membro da equipe e vencedor do prêmio Legend, comprou os Globetrotters em 1993. Jackson se tornou o primeiro afro-americano a ser dono de uma grande empresa de esportes e entretenimento.

Segundo o site dos Globetrotters, Jackson conseguiu transformar a equipe, resgatando a organização quase falida e restaurando seu papel como um dos times mais admirados e conhecidos no mundo, ao mesmo tempo em que conseguia aumentar a receita em cinco vezes e levar o número de fãs para níveis quase recordes.

De acordo com o site da equipe, Abe Saperstein fundou os Globetrotters em 1926, e eles jogaram seu primeiro jogo em 7 de janeiro de 1927, em Hinckley, Illinois. Desde então, os Globetrotters encantaram mais de 144 milhões de fãs em 122 países e territórios em todo o mundo, apresentando o esporte para muita gente. Pioneiros na popularização das enterradas, dos contra-ataques rápidos, dos pivôs e armadores e das combinações de passes. Os Globetrotters entraram para o hall da fama do basquete no Naismith Memorial em 2002.

NBA na ESPN

"Ao derrotar o Chicago Bruins em 1940, os Globetrotters ganharam seu primeiro campeonato mundial de basquete. Em 1948 e 1949, os Globetrotters surpreenderam o mundo por duas vezes derrotando o campeão mundial Minneapolis Lakers. Eles eram influentes e rapidamente foram aclamados como a melhor equipe de basquete do mundo, mostrando que os afro-americanos poderiam se destacar em um nível profissional", diz o site.

Acredita-se que as vitórias dos Globetrotters sobre o Minneapolis Lakers levaram à criação da NBA, integrando as ligas. O primeiro jogador afro-americano a assinar um contrato profissional na NBA foi a estrela dos Globetrotters Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton, contratado pelo New York Knicks.

"Acho que há uma conexão direta entre essas coisas. Quando os Globetrotters vencem a melhor equipe por dois anos seguidos, está na hora de integrar as ligas", disse Green.

David Stern, ex-presidente da NBA, contou no documentário "Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed The World" que, quando ele começou a viajar pelo mundo para divulgar a NBA, o nome Harlem Globetrotters ainda estava totalmente associado ao basquete na maioria dos países.

Os Globetrotters criaram um legado profundo no esporte e na história negra. O nome Globetrotters é universal.

"No mundo todo, quando você fala nos 'Harlem Globetrotters' ,as pessoas ficam felizes. Tenho um anel com a inscrição 'Harlem Globetrotters Legends'. Quando eu chego em um lugar diferente, eles veem o anel dos Globetrotters e [falam] 'Globetrotters!!! Globetrotters!!!', mesmo quem não sabe falar inglês repete isso", conta Bryant.

Em 1985, os Globetrotters marcaram seu nome na história ao contratar Lynette Woodard, ganhadora da medalha olímpica de ouro e Globetrotter Legend. Ela foi a primeira mulher americana a jogar para uma equipe masculina de basquete profissional. Depois de duas temporadas com os Globetrotters, em 1997, Woodard foi contratada pelo Cleveland Rockers, da WNBA, e no ano seguinte se transferiu para o Detroit Shock. Ela recebeu o prêmio Globetrotter Legend em 1996 e entrou para o Hall da Fama do Basquete em 2004.

Embora o impacto dos Globetrotters no basquete tenha sido grande, eles também influenciaram bastante a sociedade em geral.

"Os Globetrotters foram os principais divulgadores do basquete em todo o mundo", disse Green. "Eles se apresentaram na América do Sul, Europa e Ásia, lugares que nem sequer conheciam o basquete. Por causa deles, guerras civis pararam e greves foram interrompidas. O país inteiro enlouquecia por causa deles".

Sua influência atingiu o mundo todo. Neal fez um resumo apropriado sobre o legado dos Globetrotters em sua coluna de opinião:

"Os Harlem Globetrotters estavam - e continuarão - na vanguarda da quebra de barreiras raciais neste país. Seja jogando no Madison Square Garden lotado ou alegrando o incrível povo da cidade de Flint, em Michigan, durante sua atual crise hídrica, os Globetrotters marcam presença.

Mesmo que não fossemos bem recebidos em restaurantes e hotéis, sempre fomos bem recebidos nos ginásios pelas pessoas que queriam se divertir.

É por isso que, quando vejo o que já mudou neste país, não lamento pelo que ainda está errado. Penso em tudo que já foi feito e como uma equipe de basquete, cuja única missão é divertir as pessoas, fez parte disso.

Os Globetrotters abriram o caminho para esses jogadores entrarem na NBA. Devido a isso, torcedores e jogadores têm uma dívida de gratidão com os Globetrotters, além de um imenso carinho. Ao longo de todas as suas lutas e provações, eles ainda encontraram uma maneira de divertir e manter um legado que durará por séculos.

Dunbar ainda faz parte da equipe hoje, nas funções de diretor e treinador. Ele recebeu o prêmio Legend em 2007.

Desde o começo, o time teve alguns dos melhores atletas negros do mundo. Era a única forma de eles mostrarem seus talentos, por que os esportes profissionais não estavam abertos para os negros. Quando aconteceu a integração, os Globetrotters passaram ser uma equipe diferente, mais voltada para o entretenimento do que para a competição. Eles são artistas do basquete que conseguem divertir a plateia juntando basquete e comédia.

Com jogadores como Wilt Chamberlain, Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins, Earvin "Magic" Johnson e Bob Gibson do beisebol, os Globetrotters derrubaram barreiras e levaram à integração da NBA. Eles mostraram à América branca sua importância. Hoje, os Globies têm plateias repletas de crianças e pais que amavam a equipe quando eram crianças também.
*Sharon Brown é repórter de basquete no "The Undefeated", site parceiro da ESPN. Edição de Gustavo Faldon e Ricardo Zanei. O conteúdo original, em inglês, pode ser acessado em "The Harlem Globetrotters were often victims of racism off the court and behind the scenes".

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Harlem Globetrotters: uma história de alegria em quadra em meio ao preconceito escancarado fora dela

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ao ouvir "Sweet Georgia Brown", do Brothers Bones, muitas pessoas devem reviver memórias de infância e lembrar do Harlem Globetrotters. Eles são conhecidos por suas personalidades marcantes, força atlética e incríveis habilidades na quadra de basquete. Há mais de 90 anos, eles têm alegrado e divertido famílias ao redor do mundo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Ganhar dos Harlem Globetrotters é como atirar no Papai Noel." A frase é creditada a Red Klotz, responsável, na década de 1950, pelo "adversário oficial" do time-demonstração, os Washington Generals. E dá a dimensão do quanto os Globetrotters são amados pelos fãs de basquete no mundo.

Fundado em 1926, o time que é símbolo dos valores americanos estará de volta ao Brasil em setembro, onde tem um público cativo, conquistado nas muitas visitas anteriores. O desafio da marca hoje é continuar lucrativa e relevante, mesmo com a idade avançada.

Em tempo: Klotz sabia do que estava falando. Ele foi fundador, jogador e técnico dos Generals, extintos em 2015, adversários que eram parte do show que correu o mundo. E reza a lenda que o time, criado para perder, teve um único triunfo ao longo de dezesseis mil confrontos. Foi em 1971, no estado do Tennessee, com uma bola de Klotz no último segundo.

"O Brasil é um mercado muito importante para os Globetrotters", garante o presidente da equipe, Howard Smith. "O país é berço de alguns dos melhores jogadores do planeta e a paixão dos fãs pelo basquete permite que a gente possa voltar a nos apresentar aí", ele completa. Nos últimos noventa anos, os Harlem Globetrotters tornaram-se queridos graças a turnês mundiais de exibição que misturam, ainda hoje, basquete e espetáculo. Foram 144 milhões de espectadores em 122 países e territórios, segundo a contabilidade oficial.

Por aqui, eles estiveram pela primeira vez em 1951, e voltam agora para a décima-oitava visita no fim de setembro, com apresentações marcadas em São Paulo, Belo Horizonte e Rio. A essência é a mesma de sempre. "Os fãs podem esperar ver de perto o único time profissional de basquete com homens e mulheres na mesma quadra, curtir a nossa particular linha de quatro pontos e ganhar fotos e autógrafos das nossas estrelas. Serão duas horas de entretenimento que ficarão na memória das pessoas", garante Smith.

O executivo, com experiência em televisão e passagem por canais como Nickelodeon e MTV Europa, fazia parte do time da Herschend Family Entertainment, a principal empresa de entretenimento temático do país, que comprou o time de basquete em 2013. Ano passado, no aniversário de 90 anos dos Harlem Globetrotters, Smith assumiu a direção como parte de um projeto de rejuvenescimento da marca, que inclui hoje cerca de cerca de 450 eventos ao vivo por ano e a expansão dos quase dois milhões de fãs nas redes sociais. "A principal fonte de receita dos Globetrotters são a venda de ingressos, de produtos com a nossa marca e os patrocínios, e a popularidade crescente do time tem criado oportunidades de crescimento nas três áreas", garante Smith.

A imagem da marca no mundo é um grande trunfo para alcançar esse crescimento. "Ainda que o time tenha sido fundado nos Estados Unidos, ele é amado no mundo inteiro, é o time do coração de torcedores em Nova York e em São Paulo, uma marca que transcende barreiras de cultura ou de língua", entusiasma-se Smith. Em outras palavras, aquele time que o jogador que o derrota se sente assassinando o bom velhinho.

Esse amor global, no entanto, não é garantia de que Smith vai conseguir manter uma marca nonagenária ainda vibrante e, principalmente, atual. Ele acredita que só há um caminho para isso. "Inovar, sempre. Por nove décadas, estivemos na linha de frente da evolução do basquete, popularizando a ponte-aérea, inventando a linha de quatro pontos e sendo responsáveis por enterradas em tabelas de mais de três metros e meio de altura", lista Smith, lembrando que eles foram o primeiro time a misturar homens e mulheres na quadra.
Um bom negócio fora das quadras
A empresa não divulga os números, mas no ano em que foi vendido, o time do Harlem Globetrotters tinha uma receita estimada em 40 milhões de dólares, cerca de 12% maior que a do ano anterior. O lucro operacional era estimado em 10 milhões de dólares, quase o dobro de 2008. A missão do CEO que Smith substituiu, Kurt Schneider, era justamente tornar a empresa mais saudável para ser negociada pelo fundo de privaty equity Shamrock Capital Advisors, dono de 80% da marca. Shamrock, fundado em 1978 como braço de investimentos da Disney, tinha então estimados 700 milhões de dólares sob a sua administração.

O fundo havia comprado sua parte dos Globetrotters em 2005, por 70 milhões de dólares, do ex-jogador Mannie Jackson, que continuou dono dos 20% restantes. Em 2013, as duas partes venderam o time para a Herschend. O valor pago não foi revelado, mas fontes estimam que a nova dona do time desembolsou algo em torno de 100 milhões de dólares pela equipe. Parece bastante dinheiro, mas, a título de comparação, qualquer franquia de segundo escalão da NBA custa, no mínimo, quatro vezes mais. Para o New York Times, um porta-voz da Herschend declarou, no ano da compra, que um sinal da saúde financeira dos Globetrotters era o fato da empresa ter batido, no ano anterior, o recorde de receita de sua história, sem entrar em detalhes.

A comparação com os valores da NBA não é gratuita. Durante pelo menos quatro décadas, quando a liga profissional de basquete norte-americana não tinha o alcance mundial que tem hoje, o símbolo do basquete americano no mundo foram os Globetrotters, e só eles. A equipe foi fundada em 1926 por Abe Saperstein, em Chicago, a mais de mil quilômetros do bairro nova-iorquino que o batizou.

O nome servia para reforçar a identidade racial do time, uma vez que o Harlem era o mais importante centro de cultura negra do país. Como um time regular, os Globetrotters ganharam o primeiro mundial de basquete em 1940, mas, para além da glória, eles nunca perderam a perspectiva de ter papel fundamental na integração dos negros no esporte e na sociedade norte-americana.

Um jogador do time, Nathaniel Clifton, foi o primeiro negro a assinar contrato com a NBA, indo jogar no New York Knicks em 1950. Naquele ano, o time embarcou nem sua primeira turnê mundial, quando se apresentou para 75.000 fãs em Berlim e começou a moldar a vocação de embaixadores do esporte pelo mundo. "Nos apresentamos em todas as arenas da NBA pelo país, mas somos empresas diferentes. Ambos trabalhamos para aumentar a popularidade do basquete, mas nosso estilo de jogo e de entretenimento nos diferencia deles", pontua Smith.

Um destes diferenciais foi a integração das mulheres em times mistos.

Em 1985, a medalhista olímpica Lynette Woodward se juntou aos Globetrotters e tornou-se a primeira mulher a jogar num time masculino. Ela também ajudou a pavimentar o caminho para a fundação da liga feminina, a WNBA, que só nasceria nos anos 1990. Desde Lynette, foram quinze jogadoras a fazer parte do Harlem Globetrotters, e a tendência é que esse número siga crescendo. "Independente do gênero, procuramos jogadores e jogadoras para o nosso time que tenham três características: grandes atletas, grandes animadores de plateia e que tenham grandes corações", resume Howard Smith.
Ícone de uma cultura
Um dos segredos da imagem do capitalismo americano no mundo são as instituições que o representam, independente de governos. Entre 1956 e 1978, em plena vigência da Guerra Fria, o setor responsável por questões culturais e educacionais do Departamento de Estado norte-americano escalou os maiores músicos do jazz para se apresentar oficialmente em áreas chamadas "de influência". Sob a supervisão direta do então secretário John Foster Dulles, Dave Brubeck foi parar, entre outros países, na Polônia e no Irã. Benny Goodman não pegou atalhos e se apresentou em Moscou em 1962. Louis Armstrong, o principal nome do estilo nascido nos Estados Unidos, excursionou pela África e fez shows históricos no Rio, então capital federal, em novembro de 1957 - a recepção em sua homenagem no Palácio Laranjeiras reuniu Pixinguinha, Dorival Caymmi, Sivuca, Elizeth Cardoso e, claro, o presidente Juscelino Kubitschek.

A missão dos "embaixadores do jazz" era reforçar a ideia de que o estilo musical representava a democracia americana: era feito por pessoas extremamente talentosas, capazes de obter bons resultados a partir do improviso e, o mais curioso, era multirracial. Lembrança infelizmente atual, vale registrar que, em 1957, nos Estados Unidos, negros só podiam sentar em lugares designados para negros - o ato que supostamente encerraria o racismo oficial em locais públicos, empregos e sindicatos só seria publicado em 1964.

Inserido nesta tradição nacional, o time do Harlem Globetrotters, portanto, não viajou a 144 países somente a passeio. Com papel fundamental na integração racial por meio do esporte, ele tornou-se um símbolo dos mesmos valores representados pelos jazzistas mais ou menos na mesma época -os Globetrotters inclusive se apresentaram na União Soviética antes de Goodman, em 1959.

Questionado se a impopularidade de um presidente como o atual, Donald Trump, atrapalha a receptividade a um time símbolo dos Estados Unidos, Howard Smith tergiversa: "Independente de raça, cor ou política de um país onde jogamos, estamos ali no papel de Embaixadores da Boa-Vontade, preparados para unir as pessoas por meio do esporte e do entretenimento", despista.

É inegável que, depois de um período de grande sucesso nos anos 1970 e 1980, quando viraram programa de TV e desenho animado, os Harlem Globetrotters foram atingidos pelo crescimento da popularidade da NBA no mundo. Estrelas como Meadowlark Lemon e Curly Neal não encontraram substitutos enquanto a liga de basquete, sob a direção de David Stern, começou a ocupar lugar de destaque na indústria do entretenimento. No começo dos anos 1990, os Globetrotters chegaram a flertar com a falência, segundo a imprensa norte-americana. O plano de recuperação incluiu voltar a ter estrelas de primeira grandeza na equipe e ensinar palavras na língua local para os jogadores durante as turnês mundiais, para reforçar o carinho do público fora dos Estados Unidos.

Howard Smith pegou uma empresa diferente da que esteve em crise nos anos 1990, mas tem o desafio de falar para uma geração digital. "A nossa marca e a natureza das nossas estrelas parecem sob medida para as mídias sociais", registra. "Investimos pesado em plataformas digitais e nos organizamos como empresa para maximizar o potencial nesses meios. Nossos fãs e seguidores nas redes sociais dobraram nos últimos dezoito meses", completa Smith.

Ele imagina conquistar novos territórios nas próximas décadas. "Em vinte anos, estaremos comemorando nosso aniversário de 112 anos e espero que a gente consiga chegar na Antártida, só falta ela. E que a gente mantenha o recorde de maior tempo sem perder da história por mais vinte anos", conclui o executivo, bem-humorado. Uma ajuda extra está garantida. Entre os dez eleitos da galeria de Globetrotters Honorários, que incluem a atriz Whoopi Goldberg e o líder sul-africano Nelson Mandela, em 2015 juntou-se ao time o Papa Francisco. O argentino, que ganhou a camisa 90, foi o segundo sumo pontífice a ser escalado, uma vez que João Paulo Segundo já havia recebido a 75 em 2000. Ou seja, proteção não há de faltar.
Os Harlem Globetrotters fazem quatro apresentações em São Paulo (30/09 e 01/10, duas por dia), uma em Belo Horizonte (05/10) e três no Rio (uma 06 e duas 07/10). Ingressos entre 80 e 380 reais em ticketsforfun.com.br

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Harlem Globetrotters: uma marca que luta contra o tempo | Exame

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Ganhar dos Harlem Globetrotters é como atirar no Papai Noel." A frase é creditada a Red Klotz, responsável, na década de 1950, pelo "adversário oficial" do time-demonstração , os Washington Generals. E dá a dimensão do quanto os Globetrotters são amados pelos fãs de basquete no mundo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Quem são os Harlem Globetrotters, time que espalha sorrisos por onde passa - Jovem Pan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Harlem Globetrotters, o time de basquete dos EUA que leva alegria ao mundo inteiro com performances espetaculares

Você conhece os Harlem Globetrotters? Se você foi uma criança durante o final dos anos 80 e começo dos anos 90 deve lembrar dos desenhos, que fizeram muito sucesso no Brasil. Entretanto, bem antes do desenho estrear, "o time de basquete mais famoso do Mundo" - como são chamados - já percorria o planeta para levar alegria a crianças e adultos com seu excepcional e único modo de jogar basquete.

A equipe, sinônimo de excelentes habilidades de basquete e entretenimento familiar, foi criada em 1926 por Abe Saperstein, em Chicago, Illinois (EUA). A primeira apresentação aconteceu na cidade de Hinckley, do mesmo estado, no dia 7 de janeiro de 1927.

Saperstein, dono, técnico e promotor do time no final da década de 1920, escolheu o Harlem como nome da equipe por ser um bairro considerado centro da cultura Afro-Americana na época. Mesmo assim, os Globies não jogaram em Nova York até 1968.

A história começou a mudar a partir de 1940, ano em que o time conquistou seu primeiro Campeonato Mundial de Basquetebol, após derrotar o Chicago Bruins. Mais para o final da década, surpreendeu a todos ao vencer o mais famoso time de basquete na época, o Minneapolis Lakers (hoje Los Angeles Lakers). Com isso, mostrou ao mundo que os afro-americanos podiam ter um destaque de nível profissional já que, até então, negros não jogavam na NBA.
Os Globies ganham o mundo
No ano de 1950, o jogador dos Globies, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton, tornou-se o primeiro atleta afro-americano a assinar um contrato - com o New York Knicks - e a jogar na principal liga de basquete dos Estados Unidos, a NBA. No mesmo ano, começaram as turnês internacionais da equipe, com primeira parada em Portugal. Um ano depois, eles desembarcaram pela primeira vez no Brasil para uma partida contra um combinado das equipes de Flamengo e Fluminense. Terminaram a década com uma viagem à União Soviética, onde fizeram nove partidas em Moscou a convite de Vasily Gricorevich, diretor do Estádio Central Lênin. Uma surpresa, já que EUA e URSS tinham uma relação conturbadas na época.

O Vaticano também se tornou ponto de parada quase que obrigatório para os Globetrotters. Em 1963 houve uma apresentação para seu menor público, que contava com o Papa Paulo VI. A partir disso, outros oito Papas assistiram ao time de Harlem, incluindo o Papa Francisco.

No fim da década de 80 e começo da de 90, os Globies continuaram a quebrar alguns paradigmas. A medalhista olímpica de ouro, Lynette Woodard, juntou-se ao time, tornando-se a primeira mulher a jogar em uma equipe masculina profissional, ajudando a abrir caminho para a liga feminina de basquete americana, a WNBA. Na mesma época, Mannie Jackson, ex-Globetrotter, comprou a equipe, tornando-se o primeiro afro-americano a possuir uma franquia de esportes/entretenimento.

Em 1996 outro marco: a primeira equipe de basquete profissional a jogar na África do Sul depois do Apartheid, com um país livre e democrático. As apresentações totalizam US$ 1,5 milhão para o Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.

"O time de basquete mais famoso do Mundo" fez, em 2006, um passeio histórico pelo Oriente Médio, incluindo o Iraque, de 21 dias. Durante a turnê, houve um jogo a bordo de um porta-aviões americano, o Eisenhower, no Golfo Pérsico.

Além de levar alegria para dentro das quadras, os Globetrotters também realizam diversos trabalhos fora delas. Conhecidos como "Embaixadores da Boa Vontade", também percorrem o mundo combatendo o bullying, visitando pessoas hospitalizadas e incentivando crianças a praticarem esportes e a frequentarem a escola.

Ao todo, são 122 países e territórios, em seis continentes, e mais de 144 milhões de fãs. Os jogadores venceram mais de 26.000 jogos, sendo 2.411 de forma consecutiva, e perderam apenas 345 até hoje.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Quem são os Harlem Globetrotters, time que espalha sorrisos por onde passa - Jovem Pan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Você conhece os Harlem Globetrotters? Se você foi uma criança durante o final dos anos 80 e começo dos anos 90 deve lembrar dos desenhos, que fizeram muito sucesso no Brasil. Entretanto, bem antes do desenho estrear, "o time de basquete mais famoso do Mundo" - como são chamados - já percorria o planeta para...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A imaginação do ser humano é capaz de criar inúmeros fatos e situações que poderão ou não acontecer na realidade. Com base nisso, podemos dizer que essa imaginação pode trazer reações positivas ou negativas para a pessoa que está criando todas essas questões.

Nesse sentido, as pessoas acabam desenvolvendo o sentimento de medo em relação ao que esteve criando em sua mente, principalmente quando está diante de grandes mudanças em sua vida. Posso dizer com propriedade que todo esse ciclo não é algo favorável para o desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional de qualquer tipo de indivíduo. Entenda o porquê!

Qual o melhor caminho

para a felicidade?

Qual o melhor

caminho

para a felicidade?

×

Querida pessoa, as pessoas têm medo da mudança por uma simples questão: a mudança é uma incógnita, ou seja, é algo desconhecido. Com toda certeza, por ser algo que pode acontecer, a pessoa ainda não viveu o que está por vir, por isso, a dúvida, a insegurança e o medo são sentimentos frequentes quando se fala em mudança. Saiba que este é um processo que pode surgir em qualquer área da vida de uma pessoa; ela pode vir configurada em um emprego novo, uma nova vizinhança, pode ser que a mudança esteja na saída de uma condição social para outra, em um relacionamento novo ou apenas um estado civil diferente do atual. Várias coisas podem acontecer a qualquer momento, e o fato de mudar, de sair da zona de conforto, é que causa o sentimento de medo. Por isso, mesmo sabendo que as pessoas têm medo da mudança, e que esse medo pode ser fruto de sua imaginação, podemos dizer também que o medo da mudança pode surgir da falta da imaginação, afinal, nossa mente pode criar coisas positivas também, não é mesmo?! O novo pode ser inovador, motivador, pode trazer esperança e estímulo. Porém, sabemos que o ser humano tende a direcionar seus pensamentos às coisas negativas, por isso, muitas vezes, o medo surge justamente daí. Seguindo por essa lógica, eu como Master Coach Senior e Trainer, digo que o pensamento positivo é capaz de te levar muito além, não há medo que resista aos pensamentos positivos. Pense nisso!

Não tenha medo da mudança

Depois de compreender porque as pessoas têm medo da mudança, chegou hora de conhecer formas para aceitá-la com um pouco mais de pensamento positivo. Como falei anteriormente, o pensamento positivo é capaz de auxiliar as pessoas a alcançarem seus objetivos com mais rapidez. Essa afirmativa é muito bem explicada em formações como a de Psicologia Positiva que o Instituto Brasileiro de Coaching oferece.
Além do pensamento positivo, outras estratégias também podem ser usadas para ajudar neste processo de aceitação das mudanças, já que pequenas ações positivas, quando colocadas em prática, são capazes de fortalecer a mente e as emoções das pessoas que têm medo de mudança. Veja algumas delas abaixo:

Confesse a si mesmo que tem medo de mudanças;

Pense positivo;

Defina seus objetivos;

Converse sobre o seu medo;

Trace um plano e coloque-o em ação;

Tenha calma e cautela;

Não tenha dúvidas, se for preciso mude seu foco.

Todas essas atitudes, entre muitas outras, podem ajudar você a enfrentar seu medo em relação a uma determinada mudança. Assumir que tem receio de alguma coisa é o primeiro passo para que esse caminho tome uma direção certa. Depois disso, pense que tudo vai dar certo, pense em todas as coisas positivas que poderão acontecer quando você estiver passando por esta transformação que tanto teme e que tem tirado seu sono. Fazendo isso, a chance de você começar a se adaptar às novas mudanças será muito maior.

Você é uma pessoa feliz? Quer uma ajuda pra descobrir?
Acesse nosso Termômetro e descubra como anda sua Felicidade!

As mudanças e seus pontos positivos e negativos

Vamos aprofundar um pouco mais nossos conhecimentos sobre este tema, pois acredito que abordá-lo vai oferecer a você, leitor, grandes esclarecimentos, para lidar cada vez melhor com as transformações que surgirem em sua jornada evolutiva. Assim, eu convido você, agora, a conhecer quais são os pontos negativos e os positivos que as mudanças podem trazer para a sua vida. Confira:

Pontos negativos

Você pode ficar confuso quando falo em pontos negativos que as mudanças podem oferecer, ainda mais depois de ter mostrado o quanto é benéfico pensar positivo quando elas surgem. A questão é que um dos pontos mais negativos que as mudanças podem trazer diz respeito justamente ao pensamento negativo, que pode acabar te paralisando e impedindo que você aproveite as oportunidades que venham a surgir com as transformações que acontecem em seu caminho. Além do pensamento negativo e do medo, outros pontos que as mudanças podem causar, e que não tão benéficos para a sua vida, caso não sejam bem administradas, são: a ansiedade, o estresse, e até mesmo as doenças que surgem por causas emocionais.

Diante disso, é fundamental tomar todo tipo de cuidado, pois este medo de mudanças pode acabar gerando consequências inimagináveis para quem sofre com situações assim. Dessa forma, se você se identifica com estas questões que levantei até o momento, é fundamental refletir sobre o que você pode fazer por si mesmo, para que não caia neste tipo de armadilha da sua própria mente.

"Mas e se essa mudança causar algo negativo em minha vida?" Você pode se questionar quanto a isso, e esse questionamento é completamente natural que aconteça; porém, entenda que caso algo dê errado ou não saia como o esperado, novos planos poderão ser feitos e seguidos, como citei mais acima, não tenha dúvidas e não hesite em mudar o seu foco se for preciso.
O mesmo vale para todas as outras dicas mencionadas. Se cada uma delas forem verdadeiramente seguidas, você saberá que a mudança que sua vida sofrerá terá muito mais chances de serem positivas do que negativas.

Pontos positivos

E falando em pontos positivos, vamos pegar dois exemplos comuns: a sua saída de um relacionamento ruim pode sim apresentar muito mais pontos positivos do que negativos, acredite nisso e comece a imaginar em todas as possibilidades você vai poder vivenciar quando estiver sem aquela pessoa que te prendia, que sugava suas energias, que cobrava algo que você jamais poderia dar. Veja essa mudança como uma porta para sua liberdade e felicidade. Outra mudança que pode ser um grande ponto positivo é ter um filho, por exemplo. Essa com certeza é uma mudança extraordinária, já que ter um filho é algo para a vida toda, e com certeza é uma das transformações que mais podem causar medo e ansiedade nas pessoas.

Entretanto, imaginar que em poucos meses você vai segurar em seu colo um serzinho que foi gerado por você, que tem a possibilidade de ser seu companheiro pelo resto da vida, entre outros grandes benefícios que a chegada de um filho pode trazer, faz com que você tenha a oportunidade de ser muito mais otimistas com relação a esta realidade.

Pensar nas possibilidades negativas faz parte do processo, contudo é fundamental compreender que sempre existirão momentos de dificuldades, porém, essa e outras mudanças que você terá de enfrentar serão mudanças que de alguma forma trarão grandes e maravilhosos pontos positivos para a sua própria evolução e crescimento.

Coaching e o medo de mudanças

Muitos assuntos são trabalhados durante as sessões de Coaching entre coach e coachee, alguns deles são: autoconhecimento, autoestima, performance profissional, desenvolvimento pessoal, relacionamentos, comportamentos e outros. Posso dizer, com toda certeza, que o Coaching consegue trabalhar todas essas questões que podem influenciar negativamente no modo como você enxerga todas as mudanças que ocorrem em sua vida. Assim, antes de finalizar, quero compartilhar com você uma dica poderosa: que você conheça a formação em Coaching mais completa do país e que vai transformar a maneira como você enxerga as experiências que vive.

A formação Professional & Self Coaching - PSC, através de técnicas e ferramentas que o Coaching oferece, consegue eliminar suas crenças limitantes dando vez as suas mais belas habilidades e aptidões. Serão elas que darão a você, a força para seguir em frente sem o medo que te assombra. Toda e qualquer mudança exige preparo, cautela, controle e inteligência emocional para que os pontos positivos se sobressaiam com relação aos pontos negativos, e é através do Coaching que você pode conseguir tudo isso. Tome grandes decisões e esteja preparado para grandes mudanças. Trabalhe seu controle emocional e sua capacidade de aceitar melhor as transformações e experiências de sua vida com a ajuda do Coaching.

Como foi possível observar ao longo do texto, tudo não passa de uma grande questão de ponto de vista. Ou seja, a forma como você enxerga as coisas que lhe acontecem, mesmo que sejam situações as quais você não estava esperando, como mudanças bruscas e repentinas, faz com que você viva com mais qualidade de vida, ou com que seja sempre assombrado pelo medo, e venha a sofrer com possíveis doenças emocionais.

Tenho um convite especial. Quer se conhecer melhor?
Clique aqui e aprenda muito mais sobre si mesmo!

Sendo assim, é fundamental que você treine o seu cérebro para ser otimista, para enxergar cada vez mais o lado positivo das situações, mesmo que sejam situações ruins, pois é isso que vai te transformar em uma pessoa mais tranquila, que leva a vida com mais leveza e que está sempre preparada para lidar com os mais diversos tipos de mudanças que venham a acontecer, uma vez que todas elas são inevitáveis.

Experimente mudar a sua postura e forma de ver o mundo ao seu redor e veja como a sua vida vai melhorar consideravelmente.

Use o espaço abaixo para deixar um comentário, dúvida ou sugestão. E se fizer sentido para você, curta e compartilhe esse conteúdo em suas redes sociais.

Copyright:306053711 - https://www.shutterstock.com/pt/g/photocreo

*Esse conteúdo não é fonte para veículos jornalísticos ou matérias para imprensa, para utilização ou referência por favor entre em contato conosco.

Relacionados

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Por que as pessoas têm medo da mudança? - Portal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A imaginação do ser humano é capaz de criar inúmeros fatos e situações que poderão ou não acontecer na realidade. Com base nisso, podemos dizer que essa imaginação pode trazer reações positivas ou negativas para a pessoa que está criando todas essas questões.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AS DORES DA ADOÇÃO - por Luiz Schettini Filho

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
EDUCACAO-FISICA

14/05/2015

O basquete é surpreendente não apenas pela sua rapidez e amplitude de progressão, como também pela atração que desperta. Promove a competição e a superação do esforço, favorecendo assim o enriquecimento individual e coletivo.

Tem a capacidade de desenvolver o interesse pela iniciativa e responsabilidade, promove o espírito de equipe e o autocontrole emocional, características tão importantes para a existência e a convivência de uma pessoa em grupo.

A prática do basquete e a vida em sociedade promovem uma integração extremamente benéfica, como você pode observar nos itens abaixo:

- No basquete existe uma obediência às regras e na vida em sociedade ocorre uma adaptação às normas de convivência social.

- No basquete a derrota passa a ser um estímulo para novas conquistas, o que é importante na vida em sociedade, já que é importante buscar superar desafios que se apresentam no cotidiano.

- No basquete há o espírito em grupo, da mesma forma que viver na coletividade é primordial em nossa sociedade.

- No basquete o praticante procura constantemente melhorar a sua performance primordial na sociedade atual, para que haja uma melhora na qualidade de vida.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
EDUCACAO-FISICA 14/05/2015 O basquete é surpreendente não apenas pela sua rapidez e amplitude de progressão, como também pela atração que desperta. Promove a competição e a superação do esforço, favorecendo assim o enriquecimento individual e coletivo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For many students, the years of college and university are when many of us move away from the comfort of our homes. Studying in an unfamiliar setting where we are constantly being challenged personally and professionally; allowing us a chance to grow and learn more about ourselves. To further develop as a student, one of the best things that you can do for yourself is to study abroad in a foreign country on exchange. Intimidating and overwhelming as this decision may be, it will definitely be one of the best decisions you will ever make as a young adult and you will not regret it. Here are 8 reasons why you should go on exchange:

1. New environment and culture

Unlike short term vacations, studying abroad is the perfect opportunity to fully immerse yourself in a completely new environment and culture. Over several months, you will be able to explore the country you are studying in while experiencing life as a local on a day-to-day basis. In addition to this, you will likely learn a lot about the country's culture and way of life, which could be significantly different from what you are familiar with back home.

2. Education

By studying abroad, you will be given the opportunity to experience and learn more about a different education system in a classroom environment within a mixture of local and exchange students. Studying in a different country allows you to take courses of interest that you may not have otherwise been able to take at your home institution. As a Commerce major studying in Hong Kong, my marketing and management courses have allowed me to better understand how business is conducted in East Asia. Many of our professors have extensive experience working in their fields in Asia, allowing us to gain a first-hand perspective. Many of the courses offered at your exchange institution will allow you to obtain a global perspective of your study and broaden your knowledge overall as you apply what you've learned to other aspects of your education and life.

3. Professional Development

If you ever have considered working abroad after completing your studies, exchange is the perfect opportunity to expand your network globally while connecting with locals and fellow exchange students. During your studies abroad, you will likely be required to work with a combination of local and exchange students, allowing you to grasp a better understanding of how to work effectively with people from various backgrounds. With this in mind, did you know that only approximately 10% of Canadian post-secondary students study abroad? Adding your studies abroad onto your resume/CV will certainly help you stand out to a recruiter amongst other applicants, given that they may be interested in learning more about your time abroad. They will acknowledge that you have experience working with and in different cultures, which will prove a valuable skill in your professional life.

4. Personal Development

While studying abroad, you will constantly find yourself in situations outside of your comfort zone, in which you will truly learn more about yourself and your surroundings. By doing so, you are likely to return home a lot more comfortable with uncertainty and eager to take more risks as you learn to make the most out of new and unexpected situations. Furthermore, your ability to adapt will always be challenged as you study at your host institution and also while traveling to nearby countries as cultures and customs can vary significantly.

5. Opportunities to Travel

Going on exchange means it is likely that you will be in a country where it is relatively easy to travel to neighbouring countries during long weekends or school breaks. You will be able to travel around by a short train or plane ride to nearby countries for a fraction of what you would have paid if you were to fly from your home country. Additionally, it is most likely that these times that you travel will be during low season, meaning that your travel and accommodation expenses will be a lot cheaper and less busy than if you were to travel during your summer or winter school breaks.

6. New language

If you are interested in learning or improving your language skills, studying abroad will give you the opportunity to learn and practice a new language where you can apply your skills on a daily basis. Additionally, you will be able to befriend locals at your host university and practice and improve your language skills along the way. Knowing a few simple phrases or being conversationally fluent will certainly go a long way!

7. New long lasting relationships

Chances are, there will be many exchange students studying at the same university as you. Given this, many of those students will also be experiencing the new country's culture and travels for the first time. These new experiences and adventures are bound to bring you closer as you grow together throughout your studies abroad. Without a doubt, these experiences will allow you to form long lasting friendships with students around the world as you reflect on your travel memories years down the road.

8. You're still young

Realistically, being in college/university means that you are still young and have so much ahead of you. There is so much of the world to see and experience, and I promise you will not be able to do so from the comfort of your home. Perhaps you are worried about missing a specific term or internship; you will always have these opportunities to work and have a ton of responsibilities for the rest of your life. But when else will you ever have the chance to travel for a long period of time while meeting other students from around the world? Studying abroad is the opportunity of a lifetime and I urge you to go ahead and give it a try. I am positive you will not regret it - university is an essential time to learn about yourself and grow personally as well as professionally. As Andre Gide once said, "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." It is time to leave the comfort of your home and explore the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For many students, the years of college and university are when many of us move away from the comfort of our homes. Studying in an unfamiliar setting where we are constantly being challenged personally and professionally; allowing us a chance to grow and learn more about ourselves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A few weeks ago, I wrote Clearing the Clouds: How to Cope with Panic, where I delved into the financial aspects of running my own business and shared some of the tactics I'd been using to make the most of a difficult time. Since then, I've had the great fortune to be connected with a number of companies and opportunities. (It's amazing what a little bit of time can do!) I'm thrilled about the opportunities that have come my way, but with new opportunities comes change - and, even when change is positive, it can be difficult to cope with.

Change is an inevitable fact of life, but knowing that doesn't make it easier to deal with if you're a fan of routine and consistency. Even positive change - like an exciting new job opportunity, going to a new school, or moving to a new place - can be a challenge. And, in some ways, positive change can be more challenging in some ways. One, because it's often something you've chosen, which can make you wonder, Am I doing the right thing? And, two, because the change is good, it can be even more difficult to address the less-than-positive emotions that might come with it. You might feel as if you should only be excited and optimistic when you might, in fact, be feeling a little anxious or scared, too.

No matter how good a change might be, I always find myself feeling overwhelmed and anxious about it. Here are some of the best ways I've found for coping with these feelings so I can make the most of the good things coming my way!

KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

One of my most popular blog post is 7 Benefits of Being Open-Minded, and that always makes me so happy because I think it's so important to keep an open mind, no matter what you're going through. When it comes to coping with change - positive or negative - and open mind is essential. You never know what's going to happen, and being open to anything will make everything you encounter, good and bad, easier to cope with. When facing positive change, it's tempting to imagine all the ways things could go wrong, but I've found that combatting these thoughts with positive possibilities (or even just a "let's see what happens!" mentality) really helps.

CONTEMPLATE THE PAST.

I know, this isn't usually my go-to advice, but I've found it really helpful to look back at changes I've faced in the past and reflect on what they brought to my life. For example, when I went from my first to second job, I was really nervous about the change, but it led to so many great opportunities and one of the best friendships of my life. Had I not accepted that job and been brave enough to choose change, I would have missed out on so much. Contemplating the past changes not only helps you recall the positive aspects of life that have happened as a result of changes, but it'll also remind you that you've conquered change before. You're braver than you think!

PRACTICE LETTING GO.

Nothing is forever. Even if you're like me and you love your routines, you won't always have them (no matter how much you might want to!). Positive change is the perfect time to practice letting go, a skill you'll need throughout your life, in good times and in bad. Things are going to change, but you don't have to always think of this as a bad thing. Rather than focusing on what you'll have to change, use positive change as an opportunity to figure out what you can change. Letting go of routines can be a really wonderful thing, and one of the best times to practice letting go is when you're in the midst of a positive change. Also, focusing on choosing to let go instead of having to let go is super helpful.

EMBRACE THE UNCOMFORTABLE.

Change, even of the good variety, is uncomfortable. Like most people, I generally try to avoid being uncomfortable. But, if I'm honest, the times when I grow and learn and experience the most are the times when I force myself out of my comfort zone. So, instead of thinking, Ugh, I'm so out of my element right now. I wish I was doing what I'm used to doing, I try to shift my mindset and think, This isn't what I'm used to, but what can I learn from it? How do I actually feel about it? Sometimes I find that, when I ask myself this question, I realize that I'm not actually uncomfortable, but, instead, think I should be uncomfortable so I've made myself feel that way. The mind is powerful, and if you choose to embrace being uncomfortable, you'll most likely find that it's not actually as unsettling as you told yourself it was.

DON'T STRESS ABOUT STRESSING.

One of the most important things I've been doing lately is reminding myself that, when it comes to times of change, it's okay to be a little stressed. It's not okay to make it worse by stressing about the fact that I'm stressing. See, when it comes to good change, we often tell ourselves that we should be happy and not stressed. As a result, we may make the stress worse by thinking we shouldn't be experiencing it. But change, no matter where it comes from, is unsettling. It shakes up our lives, even if it's the good kind of shake-up. And it's okay (and normal!) to feel stressed. Instead of resisting stress, I've been striving to face the feelings head-on, and doing so has made them so much easier to cope with!

If you're going through change - either the good or the bad kind - I hope these tips will help you make the most of your situation. If you have any additional tips or advice for going through times of change, I'd love hear them in the comments section below!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Tactics for Conquering Positive Change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A few weeks ago, I wrote Clearing the Clouds: How to Cope with Panic, where I delved into the financial aspects of running my own business and shared some of the tactics I'd been using to make the most of a difficult time.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Chuck Berry, em 1968, e sua mágica performance.
(Michael Ochs/Getty Images)

Muito se fala sobre a origem negra do Rock. O que é a mais pura e incontestável verdade. Mas poucos sabem dizer o que é o Rock'n'Roll, como nasceu e o que aconteceu em seu surgimento e desenvolvimento. Reparem que começo o parágrafo dizendo "Rock" e posteriormente digo "Rock'n'Roll". Não foi acaso, viu? Esse texto pretende ser um pequeno e resumido guia sobre esse capítulo do grande livro da música negra criada no século XX.
Antes do Rock'n'Roll
Costumo dizer que o Blues é a essência de toda a música negra norte-americana criada nos séculos XX e XXI. O Blues, até o final da década de 1930, era basicamente rural, feito com violão acústico e instrumentos percussivos. Às vezes tocado no piano. Com o êxodo dos negros - à procura de empregos - para os grandes centros urbanos, a vida ganhou outro ritmo. A cidade era mais barulhenta, mais rápida e exigia dos músicos equipamentos como microfones e amplificadores em suas guitarras elétricas (os violões ficaram de lado) para serem ouvidos. O cotidiano mudou e a música também. Desse novo ritmo de vida, da necessidade de novos equipamentos e, principalmente, a partir de um desejo de criação insaciável desses jovens negros surgia um novo gênero: o Rhythm & Blues (hoje simplificadamente chamado de R&B). Durante a década de 1940, esse novo gênero se desenvolveu e produziu novas vertentes, também conhecidos como subgêneros, ou seja, diferentes tipos de R&B foram criados ao longo dos anos seguintes.
O Rock'n'Roll...
...é um desses subgêneros, e nada mais é do que uma vertente do Rhythm & Blues. Simples assim: é sua faceta mais veloz e frenética, desenvolvida e consolidada a partir da segunda metade da década de 1940. Seriam Chuck Berry, Little Richard e Fats Domino, certamente alguns dos seus maiores nomes. Mas respondendo às perguntas que iniciam o artigo: o Rock'n'Roll não foi criado por uma pessoa só. Nem por duas. Ele é resultado de diversas experimentações musicais feitas dentro comunidade negra, por inúmeros músicos e bandas. Nomes menos conhecidos como Ike Turner, Wynone Harris, Jackie Wilson, The Coasters etc não são menos importantes do que a trindade formada por Chuck, Richard e Domino. Embora não possa ser caracterizada como Rock'n'Roll, certas músicas de Sister Rosetta Tharpe - repletas de riffs de guitarra bastante característicos - ainda no início dos anos 1940, também influenciariam o que se consolidou musicalmente como o Rock'n'Roll.

Pré-Rock'n'Roll: a influência dos riffs de Sister Rosetta Tharpe. (Chris Ware/Getty Images)

Diferente do que se costumava ver no Blues, as performances ousadas eram uma obrigação para os rock'n'rollers. Com apresentações absurdamente performáticas, sexys e dançantes, essa vertente do Rhythm & Blues acabou por dificultar a vida de bluesmen mais "tradicionais" como, por exemplo, BB King, que não tinham como elemento em seus shows o uso de sua própria corporeidade de forma dançante e contagiante. Dançar, ajoelhar, se deitar, abrir espacates e abusar dos movimentos dos quadris era algo comum para qualquer um desses rock'n'rollers. A canção "Rocket 88" é comumente referida como o primeiro Rock'n'Roll gravado, por conter todos os elementos que caracterizariam o estilo.
Os Brancos no Rock'n'Roll
No início dos anos 1950, donos de rádios e executivos de gravadoras percebiam um vertiginoso crescimento do interesse de jovens brancos pelo Rhythm & Blues e, mais especificamente, pela vertente Rock'n'Roll do gênero. Os shows dos músicos negros, além da enorme plateia negra, começaram a contar com a presença sempre crescente de jovens brancos. Isso preocupava cada vez mais a sociedade branca. Autoridades como políticos, chefes de polícia, além de associações de pais e outras personalidades influentes na comunidade branca, se manifestaram explicitamente contra o Rock'n'Roll. Em palavras deles mesmos, a música dos " niggers " (expressão usada para ofender negros) era "animalesca e vulgar, claramente uma forma de fazer os homens brancos e seus filhos descerem ao nível dos negros".

"Embora não possa ser caracterizada como Rock'n'Roll, certas músicas de Sister Rosetta Tharpe - repletas de riffs de guitarra bastante característicos - ainda no início dos anos 1940, também influenciariam o que se consolidou musicalmente como Rock'n'Roll".

O desespero cresceu ainda mais com o surgimento de figuras como Elvis Presley e Bill Haley, homens brancos fazendo música negra e com apresentações inspiradas no estilo de performance dos rock'n'rollers negros, que difundiram esse som para um público branco ainda maior (público que os artistas negros ainda não eram capazes de alcançar, por conta do racismo). Obviamente, fizeram muito mais sucesso, ganharam muito mais dinheiro e prestígio com a música negra do que os próprios artistas negros do período. Para além disso, a sociedade branca sofreu um fenômeno inédito. Pela primeira vez, os jovens brancos não ouviam a mesma música que seus pais ouviam e não se vestiam do jeito que seus pais se vestiam. Esse tipo de "má-influência" que os negros exerciam gerou proibições de shows e da execução do Rock'n'Roll em muitas rádios.
Rock Music
Rock'n'Roll e Rock são coisas diferentes. Como disse anteriormente, o Rock'n'Roll é uma vertente do Rhythm & Blues. O Rock seria o que se seguiu ao passar dos anos, já desvinculado do papel de subgênero e se tornando um gênero próprio, com suas próprias vertentes/subgêneros. Keith Richards, guitarrista dos Rolling Stones, no documentário "Keith Richards: Under The Influence", sobre sua vida, confirma essa teoria. Segundo ele, o Rock seria uma decorrência da transformação que o Rock'n'Roll sofreu quando jovens brancos o adotaram como música deles. Muitos outros estudiosos da cultura musical pensam da mesma maneira. O Rock tem sua origem no Rock'n'Roll, mas já não seriam sinônimos.

Na década de 1960, bandas como The Beatles fariam sua própria interpretação de artistas e bandas negras como Fats Domino e The Isley Brothers. Enquanto isso, as também inglesas The Rolling Stones e The Yardbirds buscariam suas inspirações no Blues elétrico de Muddy Waters e Howlin' Wolf, chegando até ao resgate do Blues feito nos anos 1930, de nomes como Skip James e Robert Johnson. Esses jovens consolidariam o Rock como um gênero amplo, que a cada ano ganhava mais e mais ramificações. Além de toda a raiz e base firmada nos conceitos musicais do Rock'n'Roll, o Rock continuava bebendo na fonte da música negra.
Nos anos 1960, o fenômeno Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall Hendrix foi um dos divisores de água na música. Sua carreira como artista e frontman durou apenas entre os anos de 1966 e 1970. Sua genial habilidade como compositor, instrumentista e experimentador de inúmeras sonoridades e texturas musicais - de alto teor psicodélico - foi definitiva para a música mundial. No Rock, gerou padrões estéticos seguidos até hoje. Nos gêneros negros contemporâneos a ele, como o Funk, o Jazz Fusion e o Soul, foi igualmente influente. É impossível pensar o que seria o trabalho de Sly & The Family Stone e Parliament sem sua influência. Assim como é impossível imaginar o rumo que as carreiras do veterano do jazz Miles Davis e do prodígio Stevie Wonder, de 1969 pra frente, teriam tomado sem as influências de Hendrix.

Para além da música, o estilo impecável do artista também impactou profundamente toda a forma de se vestir dos artistas da música pop norte-americana e inglesa (consequentemente, influenciando o mundo todo, já que eram influenciados pela a cena musical dos Estados Unidos e Inglaterra). O que muitos não sabem é que, antes de sua carreira autoral, Jimi Hendrix foi um conhecido guitarrista do circuito de R&B e posteriormente de Soul Music. Emprestou seu talento às gravações e apresentações ao vivo de nomes como Little Richard e The Isley Brothers. Sua essência e amplo conhecimento nesse tipo de sonoridade traçou as novas direções do Rock, confirmando que a influência abundante e direta da comunidade negra nesse gênero continuava fortíssima.
O Hard Rock e o Punk nos anos 1970
Uma das bandas mais importantes da história da Irlanda, Thin Lizzy, teve como líder, principal compositor e frontman um homem negro. Improvável, mas real. Naquele tempo, era um dos pouquíssimos negros vivendo no país. À frente da banda, Phil Lynott teve importante papel na formação do Hard Rock e também do Heavy Metal no início dos anos 1970. Inspirado por Jimi Hendrix, viu que era possível para um negro entrar nesse gênero, que na época já era completamente dominado por brancos.

Também diretamente influenciados por Hendrix e sua psicodelia, a banda Black Merda (a última palavra é um trocadilho para "murder", em referência ao assassinato de jovens negros nas ruas) gravou dois discos e alguns singles, mas não teve muito sucesso. Já Love, banda aclamada no underground do Rock e liderada por Arthur Lee, alcançou um destaque maior, fazendo um Folk Rock tipicamente sessentista e, posteriormente, ficando mais psicodélica, sendo mais influenciada pela Soul e Funk Music, na primeira metade da década de 1970.

"...é impossível imaginar o rumo que as carreiras do veterano do jazz Miles Davis e do prodígio Stevie Wonder, de 1969 pra frente, teriam tomado sem as influências de Jimi Hendrix".

Já a agressividade e crueza do Punk, que se consolidou em 1976, antecipadas por três irmãos negros (Bobby, David e Dannis Hackney) de Detroit, e sua banda Death, ainda em 1974. Há cerca de 10 anos foram redescobertos, tiveram suas músicas relançadas e ganharam o status de visionários, que enxergaram de forma muito precisa a estética musical que futuramente seria chamada de Punk Rock.
O Hardcore Punk e o Glamour dos anos 1980
Quatro caras de pele escura e dreadlocks tocando o Punk Rock mais agressivo possível. Bad Brains foi uma das bandas fundadoras do Hardcore Punk e uma das mais influentes de toda a cena do Rock durante essa década. Som cru e de formato desconstruído, do Hardcore aos Reggaes - eles eram Rastafari, sim! Convertidos após assistirem a um show de Bob Marley em sua passagem pelos Estados Unidos. Lançaram discos com sonoridade incrível, tendo participação não só na criação do Hardcore Punk, mas também na criação de uma nova tendência, que ganhou a alcunha de Metal Alternativo. Na Inglaterra, a dupla AR Kane, apesar de pouco conhecida, é pioneira na criação do Shoegaze, uma ramificação do Indie Rock.

Os super astros Michael Jackson e Prince também gravaram canções de Rock ao longo de seus trabalhos nos anos 1980, deixando sua marca pela música mundial. Bebendo dessa fonte, surge também o talentoso Terence Trent D'Arby, já no final da década.

Agora, vamos voltar um pouquinho? Observe o quanto a androginia de Little Richard nos anos 1950 teve impacto numa geração inteira de artistas negros nos anos 1980, incluindo os citados Michael, Prince e Terence.
As Cores e o Retrô dos anos 1990
Andando pela estrada percorrida pelos Bad Brains, outros quatro jovens negros de dreadlocks aparecem, mas dessa vez usando roupas coloridas ao estilo The Fresh Prince. Eram os Living Colour, com um discurso contundente e direto sobre negritude. Numa comparação conveniente, foram uma espécie de Public Enemy do Rock. Em sua excelência técnica instrumental, que os permitia misturar muita coisa do Jazz às diferentes sonoridades do Hard Rock e Metal, também trouxeram colaborações com rappers e artistas de outros cenários.
Fazendo a ponte entre o Rock e as formas modernas e antigas da música negra, Living Colour. (Mick Hutson/Redferns)
No mesmo período, emerge o sujeito que se transformaria no único negro no Rock a conseguir uma posição no mainstream da indústria musical por um longo período e a faturar tanto dinheiro quanto as estrelas brancas. Esse sujeito é Lenny Kravitz, que trouxe a psicodelia e baladas de Rock dos anos 1970 com o Soul e o Funk do mesmo período. Como multi-instrumentista, compositor, cantor e produtor, ganhou status de estrela da música (além de sua atuação no cinema, vale lembrar). Hoje, merecidamente, permanece consagrado. Mas, infelizmente, ainda é o único.

Com sucesso estrondoso, principalmente na segunda metade dos anos 1990, as bandas de New Metal misturavam a sonoridade pesada e distorcida com o Rap, não nos deixando esquecer que a música negra paralela ao Rock continuaria a ser fonte de inspiração para várias das inovações no gênero.
Dos anos 2000 até hoje
Se para alguns a influência negra na criação do Rock só poderia ser dar dentro de um contexto de protesto e contestação, a realidade segue nos mostrando que os negros imprimem na música um sentido de mundo único. Artistas como Benjamin Booker, Gary Clark Jr. e Curtis Harding, além de bandas como Algiers (liderada por Franklin James Fisher) e Ho99o9, mostram que não só a raiz do gênero é negra, como também a comunidade negra está envolvida no desenvolvimento do Rock até os dias de hoje.
E o Brasil nessa história? O Manguebeat de Chico Science e sua Nação Zumbi. (Fred Jordão)
Apesar de não fazer parte da linha cronológica de desenvolvimento do gênero, o Rock brasileiro existe e tem muita importância em nosso país. Importantes também foram os negros que fizeram parte dessa história. Em menções honrosas, podemos citar alguns fenômenos: no final dos anos 1960, tivemos o Rock psicodélico, brasileiro e peculiar da banda Os Brazões. Já no final dos anos 1970 forma-se a Restos de Nada, primeira banda de Punk Rock do Brasil, metade negra e metade branca. Clemente, membro fundador da banda, posteriormente integrou os Inocentes, que fez sucesso em meados da década seguinte. Nos anos 1990, Chico Science & Nação Zumbi criaram uma nova estética musical, sendo um dos fenômenos mais impactantes da história da música brasileira. Com grande destaque no mainstream da década seguinte, a musicalidade e a discografia cheia de hits da banda O Rappa reafirma a indissociável negritude do gênero.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
O ROCK'N'ROLL, O ROCK E OS NEGROS - Revista O Menelick 2° Ato

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Chuck Berry, em 1968, e sua mágica performance. (Michael Ochs/Getty Images) Muito se fala sobre a origem negra do Rock. O que é a mais pura e incontestável verdade. Mas poucos sabem dizer o que é o Rock'n'Roll, como nasceu e o que aconteceu em seu surgimento e desenvolvimento.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Games Are Like For Someone Who Doesn't Play Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The 5G mobile network has been switched on in some UK cities and has led to questions about whether the new technology poses health risks.

So what are the concerns, and is there any evidence to back them up?

What's different about 5G?

As with previous cellular technologies, 5G networks rely on signals carried by radio waves - part of the electromagnetic spectrum - transmitted between an antenna or mast and your phone.

We're surrounded by electromagnetic radiation all the time - from television and radio signals, as well as from a whole range of technologies, including mobile phones, and from natural sources such as sunlight.

5G uses higher frequency waves than earlier mobile networks, allowing more devices to have access to the internet at the same time and at faster speeds.

These waves travel shorter distances through urban spaces, so 5G networks require more transmitter masts than previous technologies, positioned closer to ground level.

What are the concerns?

The electromagnetic radiation used by all mobile phone technologies has led some people to worry about increased health risks, including developing certain types of cancer.

However, the WHO together with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all radio frequency radiation (of which mobile signals are a part) as "possibly carcinogenic".

Eating pickled vegetables and using talcum powder are classed in the same category.

Alcoholic drinks and processed meat are in a higher category because the evidence is stronger.

For this study, rats' whole bodies were exposed to radiation from mobile phones for nine hours a day every day for two years, starting before they were born.

A senior scientist on the study said "exposures used in the studies cannot be compared directly to the exposure that humans experience when using a cell phone", even for heavy users.

Dr Frank De Vocht, who helps advise the government on mobile phone safety says "although some of the research suggests a statistical possibility of increased cancer risks for heavy users, the evidence to date for a causal relation is not sufficiently convincing to suggest the need for precautionary action".

However, there is a group of scientists and doctors who have written to the EU calling for the rollout of 5G to be halted.

Radio waves are non-ionising

The radio wave band - used for mobile phone networks - is non-ionising, "which means it lacks sufficient energy to break apart DNA and cause cellular damage," says David Robert Grimes, physicist and cancer researcher.

Higher up the electromagnetic spectrum, well beyond those frequencies used by mobile phones, there are clear health risks from extended exposure.

The sun's ultra-violet rays fall within this harmful category, and can lead to skin cancers.

There are strict advisory limits for exposure to even higher energy radiation levels such as medical x-rays and gamma rays, which can both lead to damaging effects within the human body.

"People are understandably concerned over whether they might elevate their risk of cancer, but it's crucial to note that radio waves are far less energetic than even the visible light we experience every day," says Dr Grimes.

"There is no reputable evidence," he says "that mobile phones or wireless networks have caused us health problems."

5G technology requires a lot of new base stations - these are the masts that transmit and receive mobile phone signals.

But crucially, because there are more transmitters, each one can run at lower power levels than previous 4G technology, which means that the level of radiation exposure from 5G antennas will be lower.

What about heating dangers?

Part of the 5G spectrum permitted under international guidelines falls within the microwave band.

Microwaves generate heat in objects through which they pass.

However, at the levels used for 5G (and earlier mobile technologies) the heating effects are not harmful, says Prof Rodney Croft, an adviser to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

"The maximum radio frequency level that someone in the community could be exposed to from 5G (or any other signals in general community areas) is so small that no temperature rise has been observed to date."

Limits to exposure

The UK government says "while a small increase in overall exposure to radio waves is possible when 5G is added to the existing network, the overall exposure is expected to remain low".

The frequency range of the 5G signals being introduced is within the non-ionising band of the electromagnetic spectrum and well below those considered harmful by the ICNIRP.

"The exposure that 5G will produce has been considered in great depth by ICNIRP, with the restrictions set well below the lowest level of 5G-related radio frequency that has been shown to cause harm," says Prof Croft.

The WHO says electromagnetic frequency exposures below the limits recommended in the ICNIRP guidelines do not appear to have any known consequence on health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Exposure from mobile networks including 5G fall well below limits set by international regulators.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
IT IS NO secret that steaks and chops are delicious. But guzzling them incurs high costs for both carnivorous humans and the planet. Over half of adults in both America and Britain say they want to reduce their meat consumption, according to Mintel, a market-research firm. Whether they will is a different matter. The amount of meat that Americans and Britons consume per day has risen by 10% since 1970, according to figures from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation.

People who want to eat less livestock-but who can't quite bring themselves to exchange burgers for beans-might take inspiration from two recent academic papers. A study published this week by scientists at Oxford University and the University of Minnesota estimates both the medical and environmental burdens of having an extra serving per day of various food types. The health findings were sobering. Compared with a typical Western adult of the same age who eats an average diet, a person who guzzles an additional 50g of processed red meat (about two rashers of bacon) per day has a 41% higher chance of dying in a given year.

Meat has an even starker impact on the environment. Compared with a 100g portion of vegetables-the standard serving size considered in academic papers-a 50g chunk of red meat is associated with at least 20 times as much greenhouse-gas emitted and 100 times as much land use. Averaged across all the ecological indicators the authors used, red meat was about 35 times as damaging as a bowl of greens.

However, a newly converted vegetarian who replaces every 50g of beef she usually eats with 100g of kale would soon be famished. A standard portion of greens contains far fewer calories than a slab of meat. So an aspiring herbivore would have to eat far more servings of salad than the number of burgers she has forsaken.

Earlier this year a group of academics, based mainly at Johns Hopkins University, simulated the environmental effects of such substitutions. They used consumption and trading data from 140 countries to estimate which foodstuffs people might switch to in order to help the planet, and came up with several hypothetical diet plans. These would allow people to achieve the recommended amounts of energy and protein in various ways.

Giving up meat makes a big difference. For instance, compared with an American who eats 2,300 calories of a typical mix of foods, one who became vegetarian would knock 30% off their annual greenhouse-gas emissions from eating. But dairy, produced by methane-emitting cows, is still costly. Environmentally conscious omnivores can get similar reductions in their carbon footprints by cutting out milk and cheese.

A better option still would be go to vegan for two-thirds of meals, while still occasionally indulging in animal products. Doing so would cut food-related greenhouse-gas emissions by nearly 60%. Absolute veganism, unsurprisingly, is the most environmentally friendly. Die-hard leaf-eaters can claim to have knocked off 85% off their carbon footprint.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How much would giving up meat help the environment?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
IT IS NO secret that steaks and chops are delicious. But guzzling them incurs high costs for both carnivorous humans and the planet. Over half of adults in both America and Britain say they want to reduce their meat consumption, according to Mintel, a market-research firm. Whether they will is a different matter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Susan Cain: Susan Cain: O poder dos introvertidos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Em uma cultura onde ser sociável e extrovertido é valorizado como nunca, pode ser difícil, até vergonhoso, ser introvertido. Mas, como Susan Cain argumenta nesta apaixonante palestra, introvertidos trazem ao mundo habilidades e talentos extraordinários e devem ser encorajados e reconhecidos.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nicole talks about being timid from an eye opening point of view. She shares the power of being a bit bashful in an amazing new way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
From ‘devil’s child’ to star ballerina | Michaela DePrince | TEDxAmsterdam 2014

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Susan Cain: Susan Cain: O poder dos introvertidos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Em uma cultura onde ser sociável e extrovertido é valorizado como nunca, pode ser difícil, até vergonhoso, ser introvertido. Mas, como Susan Cain argumenta nesta apaixonante palestra, introvertidos trazem ao mundo habilidades e talentos extraordinários e devem ser encorajados e reconhecidos.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summary

Bipolar, or manic-depressive, disorder is a frequent, severe, mostly recurrent mood disorder associated with great morbidity. The lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder is 1·3 to 1·6%. The mortality rate of the disease is two to three times higher than that of the general population. About 10-20% of individuals with bipolar disorder take their own life, and nearly one third of patients admit to at least one suicide attempt. The clinical manifestations of the disease are exceptionally diverse. They range from mild hypomania or mild depression to severe forms of mania or depression accompanied by profound psychosis. Bipolar disorder is equally prevalent across sexes, with the exception of rapid cycling, a severe and difficult to treat variant of the disorder, which arises mostly in women. Because of the high risk of recurrence and suicide, long-term prophylactic pharmacological treatment is indicated. Lithium salts are the first choice long-term preventive treatment for bipolar disorder. They also possess well documented antisuicidal effects. Second choice prophylactic treatments are carbamazepine and valproate, although evidence of their effectiveness is weaker.

Recommended articles Citing articles (0)
View full text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bipolar, or manic-depressive, disorder is a frequent, severe, mostly recurrent mood disorder associated with great morbidity. The lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder is 1·3 to 1·6%. The mortality rate of the disease is two to three times higher than that of the general population.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
W. Ray Crozier
School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, email: Crozier@Cardiff.ac.uk

Paper presented at the British Education Research Association Annual Conference, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh,
11-13 September 2003

Abstract

Research has shown that shy students participate less frequently in class, are less likely to volunteer contributions, and give shorter and less elaborate answers to questions. Differences between shy and less shy children extend to their performance on standardized tests of vocabulary. The findings of two studies undertaken in British schools are presented; in each study participants were rated for shyness by their class teachers. The first study (of 10-year-olds) found that shy children's test performance was influenced by the form of the test - they performed less well when the test was administered individually relative to the same test being administered to the whole class in a group setting. A second study asked children (aged 5-9 years) to sort and describe a set of pictures. The stories of shy children were briefer with shorter mean length of utterances and less linguistic diversity, and this difference was obtained even when the influence of vocabulary test scores was statistically controlled. The findings suggest that shy children's responses are constrained by their concerns about evaluation and do not necessarily reflect underlying differences in competence. The paper discusses the implications of this research for the classroom.

Introduction

The past 20 or so years have witnessed a surge of research into shyness and related concepts of social withdrawal and behavioral inhibition. Most impetus has been provided by Jerome Kagan's research into a category of temperament that he has labelled behavioural inhibition to the unfamiliar, defined in terms of a child's initial reactions to unfamiliar people, objects, and contexts (Kagan, 1998). Despite the wide range of types of situations that can be unfamiliar, and hence provoke these reactions, research has emphasized social unfamiliarity. Encounters with unfamiliar adults or children play a large part in the assessment of inhibition. Outcome measures in empirical studies include children's reticence and hesitation in making spontaneous contributions to conversation and their tendency to 'hover' at the edge of social situations, and also ratings of shyness made by parents or by observers of the child's behaviour.

Research within other theoretical frameworks has also investigated shy and socially withdrawn behaviour in children (Rubin et al, 2002). Despite conceptual and definitional uncertainties in this field, there are consistencies and regularities in findings among studies even if they utilize somewhat different terminology and measures.

The aim of this paper is to consider the influence of shyness upon children's behaviour in school. This has not been the focus of systematic research and there tend to be isolated and scattered studies of various aspects of school life. The paper focuses on one factor that has been consistently identified - the shy child's reticence. It reviews evidence within school contexts before concentrating on children's performance on standardized tests of vocabulary.

Shyness and reticence in school

The most consistent difference between shy children and their less shy peers is that they speak less. Differences between inhibited and uninhibited children in reactions to unfamiliar adults are evident at a very early age - one-to-two year old inhibited children are quiet and timid when they meet an unfamiliar adult in the laboratory and they tend to respond in this way throughout the childhood years. At 21 months inhibition is represented by 'long latencies to interact with, or immediate retreat from, the unfamiliar people or objects; proximity to the mother; and cessation of play or vocalization' (Kagan, et al, 1987, p.1460). Quietness, in the sense of reluctance to talk spontaneously to an unfamiliar adult (measured in terms of latency to a first utterance or to a specified number of utterances or in terms of total number of utterances), is evident throughout the childhood years whenever shy children encounter adults or other children (see Crozier, 2001, for a review). Shy children are also more likely to have shorter turns in conversation, defined in terms of mean length of utterance.

Are these trends also evident in school? The classroom differs from laboratory assessments which involve novel settings and encounters with unfamiliar adults or peers. While new classes and teachers are initially unfamiliar, children eventually establish routines and get to know their teachers and fellow students. It can be difficult to know how to behave in the laboratory - for example in the assessment technique designed by Asendorpf (1994) an unfamiliar adult involves the child in a 'slow interview' and deliberately introduces long pauses in order to shift the brunt of sustaining the interaction to the child. School situations are more 'scripted'; also there are many reasons for not volunteering or failing to answer questions that are not a matter of shyness.

Nevertheless, empirical studies show that shy children tend to be quieter in class. Gersten (1989) found that children identified as inhibited at 21 months were more likely to be solitary and less likely to participate in social interaction when they were later in kindergarten. This tendency was not restricted to the beginning of the school year but was also evident during the course of the year. Differences between shy and less shy children are evident during playtime in school, in the classroom, before school begins and during break time. For example, Asendorpf and Meier (1993) recorded the verbal behaviour of second-grade children throughout the day - the children wore a small portable microcomputer that picked up and recorded their vocalisations. Shy children spoke significantly less in lessons as well as break time and this was most pronounced in the 10-minute period before the start of the first lesson.

Evans (1987) recorded the language of children during 'sharing time' sessions in kindergarten, where individual students take turns to tell the teacher and classmates about things they have done or seen. Shy children introduced fewer topics, spoke fewer words about each topic, and their mean length of utterance was shorter. Their contributions were simpler and tied to objects that they had brought with them and they were less likely to develop a story about the object. Shy children volunteered less information. They were more likely to offer no response or only a minimal answer to teachers' questions and this tended to elicit further teacher questions and result in a stilted conversation. Jones and Gerig (1994) interviewed a sample of thirty American sixth-grade students who had been identified as 'silent' on the basis of systematic observations of their behaviour in class. These students were interviewed about their reasons for being silent. A majority (72 per cent) described themselves as shy and half of them (50 per cent) lacked self-confidence. The students expressed fears about making mistakes in front of their peers, about being the centre of attention, and about being laughed at or embarrassed. They liked working alone or in small groups and preferred classes where it would be unlikely that they would be asked questioned or otherwise be the centre of attention.

Reticent behaviour impacts on others. There is evidence that teachers are sensitive to student's shyness. In a study of 5-year-old pre-school children Coplan and Prakash (2003) identified children who initiated few interactions with teachers. These children were rated as more anxious by teachers. Children and adults interpret quietness as evidence that a child is shy and this can lead to labelling of the child and expectancies for future behaviour. Studies of adults show that quietness can lead to initial impressions that a shy individual is less intelligent (Paulhus & Morgan 1997) and the shy frequently complain about being perceived by others as rude, conceited or lacking in effort or interest in others.

A longitudinal study reported by Asendorpf (1994) found that those inhibited children who were judged by their teachers as less socially competent and who obtained lower scores on an intelligence test were more likely to remain inhibited over time, a trend that can be interpreted in terms of the children having less access to positive coping styles.

Alternatively, it may be the outcome of less satisfactory interactions with teachers. There is evidence that children's reticence can induce unsatisfactory patterns of interaction. Evans and Bienert (1992) suggested that teachers found the silences and minimal responses of shy children uncomfortable and coped with their discomfort by producing further questions; however, this had the effect of producing even more minimal responding as the teacher began to control the conversation rather than create the conditions for dialogue. In general, children were less fluent when the teacher asked direct questions (those that could be answered yes or no, and those prefaced with 'how' or 'wh-' words - 'who', 'why', 'where', 'when', 'what'). They were more fluent when the teacher adopted a more conversational style, elaborating upon the child's contributions and introducing his or her own observations.

Shyness and tests of vocabulary.

Differences in verbal behaviour between shy and less shy children are not restricted to naturally occurring social situations in the classroom but are also reported on standardized tests of language development. A literature review by Evans (1993) concluded that shy children within the age range 3 to11 years perform more poorly than their peers on standardized language assessments, including tests of vocabulary. These tests are of interest for several reasons. First, they make valuable assessments of children's language and communication development. For example, a study of a sample of 20-month-old children reported by Bornstein and Haynes (1998) concluded that 'the vocabulary competence construct appears to have predictive validity for later child cognition' (p. 668). Scores on a standardized test (the Reynell Developmental Language Scales) correlated highly with verbal behaviour as observed in an interview and as rated by psychologists and by mothers on the basis of children's language at home; they also predicted the children's verbal and non-verbal intelligence at age 48 months. Second, scores on these tests correlate with assessments of social competence. Bornstein and Haynes (1998) report a significant correlation between a mother assessment of social competence and Reynell scores. Studies of children with specific language impairment show that early language problems predict social difficulties (see Farmer, 1997, for a brief review and findings of an association between vocabulary test scores and children's competence in play with peers). Third, vocabulary may moderate the link between shyness and adjustment difficulties. Coplan and Armer (in press) reported that in a sample of 5-year-olds that shyness (rated by parents at the beginning of the school year) was associated with teacher ratings of asocial behaviour and less perceived competence made later in the year; shyness was not related to any of these variables among children with higher expressive vocabulary.

Evans suggests that two factors contribute to reticence - the child's appraisal of unfamiliar or evaluative situations and his or her language competence. She argues that shy children 'may be less mature in the expressive and pragmatic domains of language development' (1987, p.179). She hypothesizes that they are less competent than their peers because their reticence has impeded the development of communicative skills. It is possible that reticence, in turn, is linked to characteristics of the shy person's home that are less conducive to the development of vocabulary, for example, less social stimulation, less conversation, or access to a smaller social network of friends and acquaintances.

However, a standardized test of the child's abilities is itself a social situation. Bornstein and Haynes (1998, p. 655) note that 'assessing children in such a structured way is seemingly equal and fair, but performance may reflect at least in part the testing method as well as motivation and personality characteristics of the child...Every parent has lamented his or her youngster's not saying (or doing) something with a stranger that the same child says (or does) often with the parent alone.' A test with an unfamiliar examiner is a novel and evaluative social encounter where the child is a conspicuous participant and his or her ability to say and do the right thing is the focus of the adult's attention. It might be expected that such a situation would be likely to elicit the anxiety and self-consciousness that is characteristic of shyness.

There is little direct evidence of the effects of language competence and apprehension about being tested. There exists some indirect evidence. Statistically significant differences are not found on all tests and inspection of the pattern of findings is suggestive. Shy children tend to perform more poorly than their peers on assessments of language production including tests of expressive vocabulary but the tendency is less marked on assessments of language reception including tests of receptive vocabulary (see Evans, 1993 and Crozier, 2001, for reviews). Although these tests might be assessing different aspects of language development they also make different demands on the testee. The child has to articulate the answer in tests of expression but need only point to the correct answer in receptive tests.

Two competing explanations can be derived about shy children's performance on tests of vocabulary. The first, which can be called the 'vocabulary-competence hypothesis', proposes that differences on test scores reflect stable underlying differences in competence and predicts that test performance should be relatively constant across different conditions of testing. The second explanation, which can be labelled the 'anxiety-performance hypothesis', is based on extensive findings that shyness is more likely in settings that are interpreted by the individual as evaluative or ego-threatening, in novel situations, and in interactions with strangers, unfamiliar people or authority figures. Cognitive tests administered by researchers would seem to meet criteria for settings likely to elicit shyness. The second hypothesis gives rise to the prediction that performance will be influenced by test administration conditions that make salient factors predisposing to shyness. I examine this issue in the first of two studies to be described here.

Study 1. Conditions of testing and performance

Shy and less shy children were administered a test of expressive vocabulary (the Crichton test) in one of three conditions: individually tested with an oral response; individually tested with a written response; tested within the classroom as a member of the class, with a written response. The basic comparison was between individual face-to-face administration and testing in a group setting within the classroom where the child is not singled out for attention but is tested alongside his or her peers and is unaware that he or she is the particular object of research attention. Addition of the second face-to-face condition was influenced by a proposal by Broberg et al (1997) that shyness would be more likely to influence performance when an oral rather than a written response is demanded. It was also designed to control for potential confound, the difference in response mode between the individual and group conditions.

A final feature of the design was that shy children were compared with a sample of the other children in their class. In many previous studies extreme groups were formed - the most shy and the most sociable or talkative in the class - and it is not possible to determine whether shy children perform worse than their peers or sociable children perform better; comparison of mean standardized scores with the test norms offers some support for the latter position. In this study shy children were selected on the basis of teacher ratings. Teachers were asked to consider the class as a whole and to nominate two boys and two girls whom they regarded as most shy. The comparison group was formed by identifying, for each shy child nominated, the pupil in the same class of the same gender closest in the register who had not been nominated. Following this selection of participants, the teacher rated all eight children on a set of nine items, four chosen from the Teacher Ratings Form of the EAS Temperament Survey and five reticence items from the study of vocabulary test performance reported by Evans (1996). Details of tests, procedure results and references can be found in Crozier & Hostettler (2003). The main findings can be summarized as follows.

Overall, the shy children tended to have lower scores than their peers on the vocabulary test, but inspection of the data for each condition separately shows that the differences were smaller (and statistically non-significant) in the group test condition than in the two individual face-to-face conditions. The performance of the less shy participants remained relatively stable across conditions, but the relative performance of shy participants was best in the group condition and poorest in the face-to-face written condition. The finding that significant differences between shy and less shy children are obtained in both face-to-face tests does not support the specific hypothesis advanced by Broberg et al (1997) to the effect that shy children would perform better only when the required response was written rather than spoken. It is not possible from these data to explain this difference; it implies that writing under the eyes of the tester might have been more stressful than uttering the answer.

These differences between conditions support the hypothesis derived from the anxiety-performance account and imply that shy children are more comfortable when they are tested among their peers than when they are singled out for individual attention. A sense of being the focus of attention is an important factor in shyness, a recurrent finding in studies of childhood (and adult) shyness. Of course, less shy children may also be more comfortable in the more anonymous group condition, but the results suggest that shy children's performance varies to a greater extent according to condition and is more influenced by the form of administration of the test.

The tendency across the data set as a whole is for shy children to perform more poorly than do their peers. For example, shyness ratings correlate significantly with the vocabulary test (r = -.26), and with standardized tests of language (-.32), and standardized arithmetic (-.34) administered previously by the school. If one restricts attention to the comparison sample, the same pattern emerges (shyness ratings correlate with vocabulary: -.35; standardized language, -.43; standardized arithmetic, -.36; all P <. 001). These trends are compatible with research reviewed by Evans (2001) who reported that quiet-withdrawn children and those high in communication apprehension tend to have lower school grades. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the impact of shyness upon academic attainment.

This study has suggested that shy children's performance on cognitive tests is influenced by factors that make evaluation of performance salient. The findings imply that differences in test scores are not due solely to differences in competence. A second study examines whether differences in vocabulary test performance are sufficient to explain children's responses to a task that demands more extensive input from the child.

Study 2: Vocabulary scores and analysis of children's narratives

A sample of 40 children (10 boys and 10 girls aged five to six years and 10 boys and 10 girls aged eight to nine years) undertook two tasks. The first was the Short Form of the British Picture Vocabulary Scale. This comprises 32 stimulus words and test item plates. On each test item the stimulus word is read aloud to the child who has to point to which of four line drawings best shows the meaning of the word. In the second task, children were presented, in succession, with two jumbled sets each comprising five cartoon drawings. The child was asked to re-arrange the pictures so that they made a story. One set concerned a kitten running out of the house into the road and being rescued and in the other set children break a window while playing a ball game. After children had arranged the pictures they were asked to tell the story aloud in their own words. The researcher gave only minimal prompts to remind the child of the task. Completing the task successfully is simple; the aim is to provide a stimulus for the child to tell the story.

Children were identified as shy or not shy by their teachers, who also rated each child on a 10-point scale for shyness. Teachers were provided with a definition of shyness based closely on items from the teachers' version of the Buss-Plomin temperament scale (details of procedure and results are reported by Crozier & Perkins, 2002).

Responses were tape-recorded and subsequently transcribed and coded using the SALT computer program (Miller & Chapman, 1998). The two stories were combined for purposes of scoring. This involves segmenting each transcribed protocol into separate 'speaking turns' and utterances. The SALT Manual defines utterances in terms of 'thought completion' and recommends that rising and falling intonation and the presence of pauses serve as guides to their identification. Transcriptions and coding were undertaken by two coders working independently and coming together at the end to resolve any disagreements. These procedures were carried out blind to the children's shyness status and the researcher who tested the children and interacted with the teachers took no part in the transcription, coding, or analysis stages.

Shy children obtained significantly lower scores on the BPVS than non-shy children. Three measures of story-telling performance are analyzed by means of the SALT program: mean scores for the total number of words uttered, the number of different word roots (the number of different lexical items), and mean length of utterances (an index of complexity of speech). Shy children scored significantly lower on all three measures - they spoke less, had shorter mean length of utterances, and had fewer lexical items. In order to test the hypothesis that differences on the SALT measures would still be found when differences in BPVS were controlled for, partial correlations were computed between shyness ratings and the three measures, controlling for BPVS scores. All three partial correlations were significant.

Discussion

In summary, the stories of non-shy children were significantly longer and their vocabulary was more varied as indexed by the number of different word roots. These measures represent only limited aspects of children's language but they have been used in earlier research into shyness and reticence and they have been shown to correlate with other measures of children's language development as tested by psychologists and as rated by mothers (Bornstein & Haynes, 1998). The finding that these differences could not be explained by individual variation in receptive vocabulary, even though shy children had lower vocabulary scores than their less shy peers, implies that shyness influences story telling performance over and above their language competence. The findings are compatible with the view that children do not do themselves justice when tested individually and have to articulate responses. The within-participants comparisons are consistent with the findings of the first study we reported, where shy children performed less well when tested individually, particularly when writing their answers in front of the tester, than their shy peers who were tested in a group condition.

The findings also confirm that shyness affects verbal behaviour in situations that are more structured than routine conversations. There was a focus for the conversation and a readily available response to the interviewer's prompts. The pictures to be described remained in front of the children and made no demands on memory. It is not likely that they did not know the answer or were afraid of giving an incorrect one. They were not required to express opinions or to disclose personal information about themselves.

The findings of both studies caution us to be careful in interpreting children's test scores and to be aware of personality characteristics that influence their performance. Research has shown that shy children have greatest difficulties when they face novel situations and those where they think they are being evaluated. Test situations involve both of these conditions and are likely to elicit social anxiety, which tends to result in silence and slowness to respond to questions. Even if children are encouraged to respond, their shyness might result in them setting a more stringent criterion for uttering their answers for fear of the embarrassment of making a mistake and they might prefer to say that they do not know the answer (even if the answer they have in mind is correct) than to make a response that would be seen by the unfamiliar adult as foolish. Further research needs to examine the influence of the form of testing.

This research is also important given the greater emphasis in contemporary schools on testing young children, and schools are obliged to attach a greater premium to assessment. There is a need for research into the temperamental or personality factors that influence children's verbal behaviour in test situations, particularly if the abilities of a substantial number of children are being underestimated. Research should also look at strategies that teachers can use to encourage shy children to respond.

There was a tendency for shyness to correlate significantly with measures of school attainment. Even though the coefficients are moderate and explain little variance in test scores they are still meaningful and suggest that shyness does have an impact on academic success (Rosenthal et al, 2000). There exists some evidence of links between shyness and intelligence test scores, attainment measures, teacher-rated intelligence and academic performance (Evans, 2001) but this has scarcely been explored. Contemporary theories of learning emphasize the importance of social interaction for learning, including the contribution of students' active participation in discussion. This suggests the value of exploring the educational significance of shyness and reticence - characteristics that may cause teachers few problems or draw attention to a student's behaviour but that might influence their achievement and adjustment.

References

Asendorpf, J. B. (1994). The malleability of behavioral inhibition: A study of individual development functions. Developmental Psychology, 30, 912-919.

Asendorpf, J. B. & Meier, G. H. (1993). Personality effects on children's speech in everyday life: Sociability-mediated exposure and shyness-mediated reactivity to social situations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 1072-1083.

Bornstein, M. H. & Haynes, O. M. (1998). Vocabulary competence in early childhood: Measurement, latent construct, and predictive validity. Child Development, 69, 654-671.

Broberg, A. G., Wessels, H., Lamb, M. E., & Hwang, C. P. (1997). Effects of day care on the development of cognitive abilities in 8-year-olds: A longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 33, 62-69.

Coplan, R. J. & Armer, M. (in press). 'Talking yourself out of being shy': Shyness, expressive vocabulary, and socio-emotional adjustment in preschool. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly.

Coplan, R. J. & Prakash, K. (2003). Spending time with teacher: Characteristics of preschoolers who frequently elicit versus initiate interactions with teachers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 18, 143-148.

Crozier, W. R. (2001).
Interpersonal Perspectives on Individual Differences Volume 2: Self-Perception, pp. 53-76. Westport, CT: Ablex.
Crozier, W. R. & Hostettler, K. (2003). The influence of shyness on children's test performance. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 317-328.

Crozier, W. R. & Perkins, P. (2002). Shyness as a factor when testing children. Educational Psychology in Practice, 18, 239-244.

Evans, M. A. (1987). Discourse characteristics of reticent children. Applied Psycholinguistics, 8, 171-184.

Evans, M. A. (1993). Communicative competence as a dimension of shyness. In K. H. Rubin & J. B. Asendorpf (Eds.), Social Withdrawal, Inhibition and Shyness in Childhood, pp. 189-212. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Evans, M. A. (1996). Reticent primary grade children and their more talkative peers: verbal, nonverbal, and self-concept characteristics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 739-749.

Evans, M. A. (2001). Shyness at home and in school. In W. R. Crozier & L. E. Alden (Eds.), International Handbook of Social Anxiety, pp. 159-183.Chichester, Sussex: Wiley.

Evans, M. A. & Beinert, H. (1992). Control and paradox in teacher conversations with shy children. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 24, 502-516.

Farmer, M. (1997). Exploring the links between communication skills and social competence. Educational and Child Psychology, 14, 38-44.

Gersten, M. (1989). Behavioral inhibition in the classroom. In J. S. Reznick (Ed.), Perspectives on Behavioral Inhibition, pp. 71-91. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Jones, M. G. & Gerig, T. M. (1994). Silent sixth-grade students: Characteristics, achievement, and teacher expectations. The Elementary School Journal, 95, 169-182.

Kagan, J. (1998). Biology and the child. In N. Eisenberg (Ed.), Handbook of Child Psychology, 5th edition, Volume 3: Social, Emotional and Personality Development, pp. 177-235. New York: Wiley.

Kagan, J., Reznick, J. S., & Snidman, N. (1987). The physiology and psychology of behavioral inhibition in children. Child Development, 58, 1459-1473

Miller, J. & Chapman, R. (1998). SALT: Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts. Madison, WI: Language Analysis Laboratory, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Paulhus, D. L. & Morgan, K. L. (1997). Perceptions of intelligence in leaderless groups: The dynamic effects of shyness and acquaintance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 581-591.

Rosenthal, R, Rosnow, R. L., & Rubin, D. B. (2000). Contrasts and Effect Sizes in Behavioral Research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Rubin, K. H., Burgess, K., & Coplan, R. J. (2002). Social withdrawal and shyness. In P. K. Smith & C. Hart (Eds.), Blackwell's Handbook of Social Development, pp. 329-352. Oxford: Blackwell.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
W. Ray Crozier School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, email: Crozier@Cardiff.ac.uk Paper presented at the British Education Research Association Annual Conference, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, 11-13 September 2003 Abstract Research has shown that shy students participate less frequently in class, are less likely to volunteer contributions, and give shorter and less elaborate answers to questions.

# data[].attributes.headline
why is “black lives matter” such an important movement in our society? 

# data[].attributes.subject
why is “black lives matter” such an important movement in our society? 

# data[].attributes.headline
Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History 

# data[].attributes.subject
Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
By Larry Buchanan, Quoctrung Bui and Jugal K. Patel

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History (Published 2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Recent polls suggest that about 15 million to 26 million people in the U.S. have participated in recent protests.

# data[].attributes.headline
WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT

# data[].attributes.subject
WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Following on from the insightful words of our Chair, Chief Guide and CEO, as Girlguiding Advocates we want to stand in solidarity with our Black allies and educate our members on the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.

What is the Black Lives Matter movement?

The Black Lives Matter movement began as a hashtag in 2012, following the death of a Black 17-year-old in the USA named Trayvon Martin. However, the movement only gained real momentum in 2016 as regular instances of police brutality were caught on camera and uploaded to social media providing the cause with necessary media attention. As a result, 2016 saw worldwide protests using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and campaigning for an end to racism across the world.

Racism has occurred through White nations using their power to deny Black people of equality, dignity, and freedom, and results in unjust treatment. This systemic racism can be broken down into overt and covert. Overt racism relates to more visible forms of racism such as police brutality, hate crime, and disproportionate incarceration. Covert racism relates to the unconscious biases that we all have. Further reading can be found in these articles from The Independent and The Guardian.

What's sparked this renewed attention in 2020?

Last week, the death of George Floyd, a Black man from the USA who died as a result of police brutality, was filmed and has since gone viral on all social media platforms.

Following the video, the Black Lives Matter movement was reignited. Many people, both in the USA and across the world, have been protesting for all of the police officers involved in the death of George Floyd to be charged with murder, as well as protesting against police brutality in general. Some of his last words were 'I can't breathe', and this has been reiterated worldwide.

His death is not in isolation: Black Americans Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor also died this year as a result of racism. Similar to 2012 and 2016, the world is protesting for the Black Lives Matter movement. This has resulted in widespread media attention, celebrity endorsement, and a global reflection on institutionalised racism and how we must do better as an international community.

Why this is relevant to us all in the UK

There is an underlying conceptual belief within the UK that racism does not exist. A key reason for this is the continued comparative drawn with the USA whereby the UK does not actively appear to be as racist as it does not engage in the same level of overt racism - this includes forms of police brutality, hate crimes, and use of racial slurs. Institutionalised racism has been entrenched in the UK, affording White privilege and disparity against Black people. This institutional and structural racism is clearly evident throughout history - for instance the 1968 'Rivers of Blood' speech made by Enoch Powell, the National Front, the Windrush scandal and recurring slogans of 'stop immigration and start repatriation' following the Brexit referendum.

This deep-rooted racism displays itself through many forms such as microaggressions. This is referred to by lawyer and political and women's rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu as the 'weaponisation of whiteness', and it is incumbent across all key areas including the UK's economic structure, justice system, academic institutions, and the workplace.

The UK regularly sees disproportionate treatment from the police against Black people: for example, a recent statistic shows that a Black person is 28 times more likely to be searched than a White person. Equally, the cases of Sarah Reed, Sean Rigg, and Mark Duggan, to name but a few, show that the UK police force have engaged in brutal force.

Our way of life in the UK - social , economic, cultural, political - is predicated on underlying racist views. This is what we mean by structural racism. If the majority of UK citizens took an unconscious bias test, what would the result be? It could possibly show that many citizens would associate Black people with criminality or would suspect Black people as less likely to do their job to the same standard as White people. This must change.

Showing solidarity and the importance of allyship

Black lives matter - now and always. Critics of the movement have tried to argue that the title should be ' All Lives Matter'. However, this misses the point of the movement. No one questions whether White lives matter - society has accepted that as a given.

Black lives, on the other hand, are the ones questioned and in danger. Their lives need fighting for. Saying that Black lives matter does not make non-Black lives matter any less. Another way to look at the movement title is: Black Lives Matter Too.

Unless Black lives matter, all lives will not matter and therefore the campaign to end racial injustice will never be achieved. You must be an ally and support the message of Black Lives Matter, otherwise you too are part of the problem.

It's crucial that everyone shows their support and solidarity. You cannot expect the Black community, a community which has suffered for so long, to be the only ones trying to solve a problem that they did not create in the first place. Structural racism has a profound impact on the mental health of all Black people. It is only through coming together and joining forces that we can begin to ensure a better quality of life for Black people. Everyone must play a role in the fight.

White people need to recognise and understand their privilege, a privilege that they're not often made to think about but exempts them from the hardship of life that comes with being Black. White people then need to use this privilege to speak out and take action in order to better society. And by that, we do not mean only posting a black square on social media, tagging 10 friends, and calling it a day. Awareness is great, but it is not enough. Those with privilege need to stand with the oppressed and fight for the oppressed. We all collectively need to take real, tangible action to help the current and future generations.

What can we do now?

There are many ways you can get involved and help the cause:

Educate yourself - start with books or blog posts, like this one, to understand your own privilege and the struggles of others. Recognise any unconscious biases and seek to challenge them through actively engaging with resources.

Participate in a protest or voice your political opinion - use your voice to affect change and ensure that the life of George Floyd and other Black people mean something. Use your social media platform to spread the message. You can even contact your local MP! Only engage in protests if it is safe for you to do so.

Start the conversation and speak up - listen to stories and challenge the behaviour, words, or conduct of other people. Try to get to the root of the problem. Recognise microaggressions and speak up.

Sign online petitions (many can be found on Change.org) and donate to relevant organisations. Some of the key current ones are ensuring all four officers involved in the George Floyd death are charged and transforming the UK education system to ensure it covers the UK's institutionalised racism.

Support UK anti-racist charities such as Black Lives Matter UK and Show Racism the Red Card.

Support Black-owned businesses.

If you're tired of hearing about racism so much over the past days, just think how tired Black people must be from facing it constantly.

People should not have to die for those outside of the Black community to feel enraged, upset, and angered. Racism is never ok. To be treated with respect and to be able to live, to breathe... these are fundamental human rights. Equality, liberty, and dignity are human rights to all - regardless of racial background.

We need to use our voices, not just today, but all of the time.

We need to educate ourselves and those around us, not just today, but all of the time.

We need to be more than not racist; we need to be anti-racist, not just today, but all of the time.

Following the wise words of George Floyd's daughter, Gianna who stated that 'Daddy changed the world', we call on all members to carry on making that change.

'Silence is violence'. Taking action is the answer. Together, we must create a world where Black Lives Matter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why we need to talk about the Black Lives Matter movement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Following on from the insightful words of our Chair, Chief Guide and CEO, as Girlguiding Advocates we want to stand in solidarity with our Black allies and educate our members on the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.

# data[].attributes.body
https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/54556011/Device-to-Device_Communications_for_5G_IoT.pdf?1506553183=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DDevice_to_Device_Communications_for_5G_I.pdf&Expires=1596472746&Signature=Kvj3RvWXp-mLWX-oQiZvIdMW1x5Tn7X5N-aUscKLxV2RKP9UBVVFoMnECeEL0imGzBr0EI6SVt~CqGmA7qg5bxZ3dVXvXsdf6ggPC~Y5L3IWNoNbP5FaNVKQj2wZg2vPVkOE6gOEtuA6gN3oMoby2q9qtasePdwWfcdFtLlk8uoozpeRVmXhiLm3k1kvr4CGkQopnDy9DG7l0fGxj7eoAVmI0TrLr63aWnUeP5-syq5qaAJLngtfaOpFKr~HUAPcI~t~NQcHXw47E6KAu4vDDUJCa80uvnqHki6vjRm22A8Nk-JhTScAzynlxHunrIsIbtWDgE9it8wGO-7fwGvNgg__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here's our process.

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness marked by extreme shifts in mood. Symptoms can include an extremely elevated mood called mania. They can also include episodes of depression. Bipolar disorder is also known as bipolar disease or manic depression.

People with bipolar disorder may have trouble managing everyday life tasks at school or work, or maintaining relationships. There's no cure, but there are many treatment options available that can help to manage the symptoms. Learn the signs of bipolar disorder to watch for.

There are three main symptoms that can occur with bipolar disorder: mania, hypomania, and depression.

While experiencing mania, a person with bipolar disorder may feel an emotional high. They can feel excited, impulsive, euphoric, and full of energy. During manic episodes, they may also engage in behavior such as:

Hypomania is generally associated with bipolar II disorder. It's similar to mania, but it's not as severe. Unlike mania, hypomania may not result in any trouble at work, school, or in social relationships. However, people with hypomania still notice changes in their mood.

During an episode of depression you may experience:

Although it's not a rare condition, bipolar disorder can be hard to diagnose because of its varied symptoms. Find out about the symptoms that often occur during high and low periods.

Men and women are diagnosed with bipolar disorder in equal numbers. However, the main symptoms of the disorder may be different between the two genders. In many cases, a woman with bipolar disorder may:

be diagnosed later in life, in her 20s or 30s

have milder episodes of mania

experience more depressive episodes than manic episodes

have four or more episodes of mania and depression in a year, which is called rapid cycling

experience other conditions at the same time, including thyroid disease, obesity, anxiety disorders, and migraines

have a higher lifetime risk of alcohol use disorder

Women with bipolar disorder may also relapse more often. This is believed to be caused by hormonal changes related to menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause. If you're a woman and think you may have bipolar disorder, it's important for you to get the facts. Here's what you need to know about bipolar disorder in women.

Men and women both experience common symptoms of bipolar disorder. However, men may experience symptoms differently than women. Men with bipolar disorder may:

be diagnosed earlier in life

experience more severe episodes, especially manic episodes

have substance abuse issues

act out during manic episodes

Men with bipolar disorder are less likely than women to seek medical care on their own. They're also more likely to die by suicide.

There are three main types of bipolar disorder: bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymia.

Bipolar I

Bipolar I is defined by the appearance of at least one manic episode. You may experience hypomanic or major depressive episodes before and after the manic episode. This type of bipolar disorder affects men and women equally.

Bipolar II

People with this type of bipolar disorder experience one major depressive episode that lasts at least two weeks. They also have at least one hypomanic episode that lasts about four days. This type of bipolar disorder is thought to be more common in women.

Cyclothymia

People with cyclothymia have episodes of hypomania and depression. These symptoms are shorter and less severe than the mania and depression caused by bipolar I or bipolar II disorder. Most people with this condition only experience a month or two at a time where their moods are stable.

When discussing your diagnosis, your doctor will be able to tell you what kind of bipolar disorder you have. In the meantime, learn more about the types of bipolar disorder.

Diagnosing bipolar disorder in children is controversial. This is largely because children don't always display the same bipolar disorder symptoms as adults. Their moods and behaviors may also not follow the standards doctors use to diagnose the disorder in adults.

Many bipolar disorder symptoms that occur in children also overlap with symptoms from a range of other disorders that can occur in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

However, in the last few decades, doctors and mental health professionals have come to recognize the condition in children. A diagnosis can help children get treatment, but reaching a diagnosis may take many weeks or months. Your child may need to seek special care from a professional trained to treat children with mental health issues.

Like adults, children with bipolar disorder experience episodes of elevated mood. They can appear very happy and show signs of excitable behavior. These periods are then followed by depression. While all children experience mood changes, changes caused by bipolar disorder are very pronounced. They're also usually more extreme than a child's typical change in mood.

Manic symptoms in children

Symptoms of a child's manic episode caused by bipolar disorder can include:

acting very silly and feeling overly happy

talking fast and rapidly changing subjects

having trouble focusing or concentrating

doing risky things or experimenting with risky behaviors

having a very short temper that leads quickly to outbursts of anger

having trouble sleeping and not feeling tired after sleep loss

Depressive symptoms in children

Symptoms of a child's depressive episode caused by bipolar disorder can include:

moping around or acting very sad

sleeping too much or too little

having little energy for normal activities or showing no signs of interest in anything

complaining about not feeling well, including having frequent headaches or stomachaches

experiencing feelings of worthlessness or guilt

eating too little or too much

thinking about death and possibly suicide

Other possible diagnoses

Some of the behavior issues you may witness in your child could be the result of another condition. ADHD and other behavior disorders can occur in children with bipolar disorder. Work with your child's doctor to document your child's unusual behaviors, which will help lead to a diagnosis.

Finding the correct diagnosis can help your child's doctor determine treatments that can help your child live a healthy life. Read more about bipolar disorder in children.

Angst-filled behavior is nothing new to the average parent of a teenager. The shifts in hormones, plus the life changes that come with puberty, can make even the most well-behaved teen seem a little upset or overly emotional from time to time. However, some teenage changes in mood may be the result of a more serious condition, such as bipolar disorder.

A bipolar disorder diagnosis is most common during the late teens and early adult years. For teenagers, the more common symptoms of a manic episode include:

being very happy

"acting out" or misbehaving

taking part in risky behaviors

abusing substances

thinking about sex more than usual

becoming overly sexual or sexually active

having trouble sleeping but not showing signs of fatigue or being tired

having a very short temper

having trouble staying focused, or being easily distracted

For teenagers, the more common symptoms of a depressive episode include:

sleeping a lot or too little

eating too much or too little

feeling very sad and showing little excitability

withdrawing from activities and friends

thinking about death and suicide

Diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder can help teens live a healthy life. Learn more about bipolar disorder in teenagers and how to treat it.

Bipolar disorder can have two extremes: up and down. To be diagnosed with bipolar, you must experience a period of mania or hypomania. People generally feel "up" in this phase of the disorder. When you're experiencing an "up" change in mood, you may feel highly energized and be easily excitable.

Some people with bipolar disorder will also experience a major depressive episode, or a "down" mood. When you're experiencing a "down" change in mood, you may feel lethargic, unmotivated, and sad. However, not all people with bipolar disorder who have this symptom feel "down" enough to be labeled depressed. For instance, for some people, once their mania is treated, a normal mood may feel like depression because they enjoyed the "high" caused by the manic episode.

While bipolar disorder can cause you to feel depressed, it's not the same as the condition called depression. Bipolar disorder can cause highs and lows, but depression causes moods and emotions that are always "down." Discover the differences between bipolar disorder and depression.

Bipolar disorder is a common mental health disorder, but it's a bit of a mystery to doctors and researchers. It's not yet clear what causes some people to develop the condition and not others.

Possible causes of bipolar disorder include:

Genetics

If your parent or sibling has bipolar disorder, you're more likely than other people to develop the condition (see below). However, it's important to keep in mind that most people who have bipolar disorder in their family history don't develop it.

Your brain

Your brain structure may impact your risk for the disease. Abnormalities in the structure or functions of your brain may increase your risk.

Environmental factors

It's not just what's in your body that can make you more likely to develop bipolar disorder. Outside factors may contribute, too. These factors can include:

extreme stress

traumatic experiences

physical illness

Each of these factors may influence who develops bipolar disorder. What's more likely, however, is that a combination of factors contributes to the development of the disease. Here's what you need to know about the potential causes of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder can be passed from parent to child. Research has identified a strong genetic link in people with the disorder. If you have a relative with the disorder, your chances of also developing it are four to six times higher than people without a family history of the condition.

However, this doesn't mean that everyone with relatives who have the disorder will develop it. In addition, not everyone with bipolar disorder has a family history of the disease.

Still, genetics seem to play a considerable role in the incidence of bipolar disorder. If you have a family member with bipolar disorder, find out whether screening might be a good idea for you.

A diagnosis of bipolar disorder I involves either one or more manic episodes, or mixed (manic and depressive) episodes. It may also include a major depressive episode, but it may not. A diagnosis of bipolar II involves one or more major depressive episodes and at least one episode of hypomania.

To be diagnosed with a manic episode, you must experience symptoms that last for at least one week or that cause you to be hospitalized. You must experience symptoms almost all day every day during this time. Major depressive episodes, on the other hand, must last for at least two weeks.

Bipolar disorder can be difficult to diagnose because mood swings can vary. It's even harder to diagnose in children and adolescents. This age group often has greater changes in mood, behavior, and energy levels.

Bipolar disorder often gets worse if it's left untreated. Episodes may happen more often or become more extreme. But if you receive treatment for your bipolar disorder, it's possible for you to lead a healthy and productive life. Therefore, diagnosis is very important. See how bipolar disorder is diagnosed.

One test result doesn't make a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Instead, your doctor will use several tests and exams. These may include:

Physical exam. Your doctor will do a full physical exam. They may also order blood or urine tests to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.

Mental health evaluation. Your doctor may refer you to a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. These doctors diagnose and treat mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder. During the visit, they will evaluate your mental health and look for signs of bipolar disorder.

Mood journal. If your doctor suspects your behavior changes are the result of a mood disorder like bipolar, they may ask you to chart your moods. The easiest way to do this is to keep a journal of how you're feeling and how long these feelings last. Your doctor may also suggest that you record your sleeping and eating patterns.

Diagnostic criteria. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is an outline of symptoms for various mental health disorders. Doctors can follow this list to confirm a bipolar diagnosis.

Your doctor may use other tools and tests to diagnose bipolar disorder in addition to these. Read about other tests that can help confirm a bipolar disorder diagnosis.

Several treatments are available that can help you manage your bipolar disorder. These include medications, counseling, and lifestyle changes. Some natural remedies may also be helpful.

Medications

Recommended medications may include:

mood stabilizers, such as lithium (Lithobid)

antipsychotics, such as olanzapine (Zyprexa)

antidepressant-antipsychotics, such as fluoxetine-olanzapine (Symbyax)

benzodiazepines, a type of anti-anxiety medication such as alprazolam (Xanax) that may be used for short-term treatment

Psychotherapy

Recommended psychotherapy treatments may include:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy. You and a therapist talk about ways to manage your bipolar disorder. They will help you understand your thinking patterns. They can also help you come up with positive coping strategies.

Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation is a kind of counseling that helps you and your loved ones understand the disorder. Knowing more about bipolar disorder will help you and others in your life manage it.

Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy

Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) focuses on regulating daily habits, such as sleeping, eating, and exercising. Balancing these everyday basics can help you manage your disorder.

Other treatment options

Other treatment options may include:

Lifestyle changes

There are also some simple steps you can take right now to help manage your bipolar disorder:

keep a routine for eating and sleeping

learn to recognize mood swings

ask a friend or relative to support your treatment plans

talk to a doctor or licensed healthcare provider

Other lifestyle changes can also help relieve depressive symptoms caused by bipolar disorder. Check out these seven ways to help manage a depressive episode.

Some natural remedies may be helpful for bipolar disorder. However, it's important not to use these remedies without first talking with your doctor. These treatments could interfere with medications you're taking.

The following herbs and supplements may help stabilize your mood and relieve symptoms of bipolar disorder:

Fish oil. A 2013 study shows that people who consume a lot of fish and fish oil are less likely to develop bipolar disease. You can eat more fish to get the oil naturally, or you can take an over-the-counter (OTC) supplement.

Rhodiola rosea. This research also shows that this plant may be a helpful treatment for moderate depression. It may help treat depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder.

S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe). SAMe is an amino acid supplement. The research shows it can ease symptoms of major depression and other mood disorders.

Several other minerals and vitamins may also reduce symptoms of bipolar disorder. Here's 10 alternative treatments for bipolar disorder.

If you or someone you know has bipolar disorder, you're not alone. Bipolar disorder affects about 60 million people around the world.

One of the best things you can do is to educate yourself and those around you. There are many resources available. For instance, SAMHSA's behavioral health treatment services locator provides treatment information by ZIP code. You can also find additional resources at the site for the National Institute of Mental Health.

If you think you're experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder, make an appointment with your doctor. If you think a friend, relative, or loved one may have bipolar disorder, your support and understanding is crucial. Encourage them to see a doctor about any symptoms they're having. And read how to help someone living with bipolar disorder.

People who are experiencing a depressive episode may have suicidal thoughts. You should always take any talk of suicide seriously.

If you think someone is at immediate risk of self-harm or hurting another person:

Call 911 or your local emergency number.

Stay with the person until help arrives.

Remove any guns, knives, medications, or other things that may cause harm.

Listen, but don't judge, argue, threaten, or yell.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, get help from a crisis or suicide prevention hotline. Try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

When it comes to managing a relationship while you live with bipolar disorder, honesty is the best policy. Bipolar disorder can have an impact on any relationship in your life, perhaps especially on a romantic relationship. So, it's important to be open about your condition.

There's no right or wrong time to tell someone you have bipolar disorder. Be open and honest as soon as you're ready. Consider sharing these facts to help your partner better understand the condition:

when you were diagnosed

what to expect during your depressive phases

what to expect during your manic phases

how you typically treat your moods

how they can be helpful to you

One of the best ways to support and make a relationship successful is to stick with your treatment. Treatment helps you reduce symptoms and scale back the severity of your changes in mood. With these aspects of the disorder under control, you can focus more on your relationship.

Your partner can also learn ways to promote a healthy relationship. Check out this guide to maintaining healthy relationships while coping with bipolar disorder, which has tips for both you and your partner.

Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness. That means you'll live and cope with it for the rest of your life. However, that doesn't mean you can't live a happy, healthy life.

Treatment can help you manage your changes in mood and cope with your symptoms. To get the most out of treatment, you may want to create a care team to help you. In addition to your primary doctor, you may want to find a psychiatrist and psychologist. Through talk therapy, these doctors can help you cope with symptoms of bipolar disorder that medication can't help.

You may also want to seek out a supportive community. Finding other people who're also living with this disorder can give you a group of people you can rely on and turn to for help.

Finding treatments that work for you requires perseverance. Likewise, you need to have patience with yourself as you learn to manage bipolar disorder and anticipate your changes in mood. Together with your care team, you'll find ways to maintain a normal, happy, healthy life.

While living with bipolar disorder can be a real challenge, it can help to maintain a sense of humor about life. For a chuckle, check out this list of 25 things only someone with bipolar disorder would understand.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What's Bipolar Disorder? How Do I Know If I Have It?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here's our process. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness marked by extreme shifts in mood. Symptoms can include an extremely elevated mood called mania.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Does your child go through extreme changes in mood and behavior? Does your child get much more excited or much more irritable than other kids? Do you notice that your child goes through cycles of extreme highs and lows more often than other children? Do these mood changes affect how your child acts at school or at home?

Some children and teens with these symptoms may have bipolar disorder, a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and day-to-day functioning. With treatment, children and teens with bipolar disorder can get better over time.

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes people to experience noticeable, sometimes extreme, changes in mood and behavior. Sometimes children with bipolar disorder feel very happy or "up" and are much more energetic and active than usual. This is called a manic episode. Sometimes children with bipolar disorder feel very sad or "down" and are much less active than usual. This is called a depressive episode.

Bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic-depressive illness or manic depression, is not the same as the normal ups and downs every child goes through. The mood changes in bipolar disorder are more extreme, often unprovoked, and accompanied by changes in sleep, energy level, and the ability to think clearly. Bipolar symptoms can make it hard for young people to perform well in school or to get along with friends and family members. Some children and teens with bipolar disorder may try to hurt themselves or attempt suicide.

Most people are diagnosed with bipolar disorder in adolescence or adulthood, but the symptoms can appear earlier in childhood. Bipolar disorder is often episodic, but it usually lasts a lifetime.

Signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder may overlap with symptoms of other disorders that are common in young people, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct problems, major depression, and anxiety disorders. Diagnosing bipolar disorder can be complicated and requires a careful and thorough evaluation by a trained, experienced mental health professional.

With treatment, children and teens with bipolar disorder can manage their symptoms and lead successful lives.

What causes bipolar disorder?

The exact causes of bipolar disorder are unknown, but several factors may contribute to the illness.

For example, researchers are beginning to uncover genetic mechanisms that are linked to bipolar disorder and other mental disorders. Research shows that people's chance of having bipolar disorder is higher if they have a close family member with the illness, which may be because they have the same genetic variations. However, just because one family member has bipolar disorder, it does not mean that other members of the family will have it. Many genes are involved in the disorder, and no single gene causes it.

Research also suggests that adversity, trauma, and stressful life events may increase the chances of developing bipolar disorder in people with a genetic risk of having the illness.

Some research studies have found differences in brain structure and function between people who have bipolar disorder and those who do not. Researchers are studying the disorder to learn more about its causes and effective treatments.

What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?

Mood episodes in bipolar disorder include intense emotions along with significant changes in sleep habits, activity levels, thoughts, or behaviors. A person with bipolar disorder may have manic episodes, depressive episodes, or "mixed" episodes. A mixed episode has both manic and depressive symptoms. These mood episodes cause symptoms that often last for several days or weeks. During an episode, the symptoms last every day for most of the day.

These mood and activity changes are very different from the child's usual behavior and from the behavior of healthy children and teens.

Children and teens having a manic episode may:

Show intense happiness or silliness for long periods of time.

Have a very short temper or seem extremely irritable.

Talk fast about a lot of different things.

Have trouble sleeping but not feel tired.

Have trouble staying focused, and experience racing thoughts.

Seem overly interested or involved in pleasurable but risky activities.

Do risky or reckless things that show poor judgment.

Children and teens having a depressive episode may:

Feel frequent and unprovoked sadness.

Show increased irritability, anger, or hostility.

Complain a lot about pain, such as stomachaches and headaches.

Have a noticeable increase in amount of sleep.

Have difficulty concentrating.

Feel hopeless and worthless.

Have difficulty communicating or maintaining relationships.

Eat too much or too little.

Have little energy and no interest in activities they usually enjoy.

Think about death, or have thoughts of suicide.

Can children and teens with bipolar disorder have other problems?

Young people with bipolar disorder can have several problems at the same time. These include:

Misuse of alcohol and drugs. Young people with bipolar disorder are at risk of misusing alcohol or drugs.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children and teens who have both bipolar disorder and ADHD may have trouble staying focused.

Anxiety disorders. Children and teens with bipolar disorder also may have an anxiety disorder.

Sometimes extreme behaviors go along with mood episodes. During manic episodes, young people with bipolar disorder may take extreme risks that they wouldn't usually take or that could cause them harm or injury. During depressive episodes, some young people with bipolar disorder may think about running away from home or have thoughts of suicide.

If your child shows signs of suicidal thinking, take these signs seriously and call your child's health care provider.
If you think your child is in crisis and needs immediate help, call 911. You also can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1‑800‑273‑TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. These services are confidential, free, and available 24/7.

How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?

A health care provider will ask questions about your child's mood, sleeping patterns, energy levels, and behavior. There are no blood tests or brain scans that can diagnose bipolar disorder. However, the health care provider may use tests to see if something other than bipolar disorder is causing your child's symptoms. Sometimes health care providers need to know about medical conditions in the family, such as depression or substance use.

Other disorders have symptoms like those of bipolar disorder, including ADHD, disruptive mood regulation disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and anxiety disorders. It also can be challenging to distinguish bipolar disorder from depression that occurs without mania, which is referred to as "major depression." A health care provider who specializes in working with children and teens can make a careful and complete evaluation of your child's symptoms to provide the right diagnosis.

How is bipolar disorder treated?

Children and teens can work with their health care provider to develop a treatment plan that will help them manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. It is important to follow the treatment plan, even when your child is not currently experiencing a mood episode. Steady, dependable treatment works better than treatment that starts and stops.

Treatment options include:

Medication. Several types of medication can help treat symptoms of bipolar disorder. Children respond to medications in different ways, so the right type of medication depends on the child. This means children may need to try different types of medication to see which one works best for them. Some children may need more than one type of medication because their symptoms are complex. Children should take the fewest number of medications and the smallest doses possible to help their symptoms. A good way to remember this is "start low, go slow." Medications can cause side effects. Always tell your child's health care provider about any problems with side effects. Do not stop giving your child medication without speaking to a health care provider. Stopping medication suddenly can be dangerous and can make bipolar symptoms worse.

Psychosocial Therapy. Different kinds of psychosocial therapy can help children and their families manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Therapies that are based on scientific research-including cognitive behavioral approaches and family-focused therapy-can provide support, education, and guidance to youth and their families. These therapies teach skills that can help people manage bipolar disorder, including skills for maintaining routines, enhancing emotion regulation, and improving social interactions.

What can children and teens expect from treatment?

With treatment, children and teens with bipolar disorder can get better over time. Treatment is more effective when health care providers, parents, and young people work together.

Sometimes a child's symptoms may change, or disappear and then come back. When this happens, your child's health care provider may recommend changes to the treatment plan. Treatment can take time, but sticking with the treatment plan can help young people manage their symptoms and reduce the likelihood of future episodes.

Your child's health care provider may recommend keeping a daily life chart or mood chart to track your child's moods, behaviors, and sleep patterns. This may make it easier to track the illness and see whether treatment is working.

How can I help my child or teen?

Help begins with the right diagnosis and treatment. Talk to your family health care provider about any symptoms you notice.

If your child has bipolar disorder, here are some basic things you can do:

Be patient.

Encourage your child to talk, and listen to your child carefully.

Pay attention to your child's moods, and be alert to any major changes.

Understand triggers, and learn strategies for managing intense emotions and irritability.

Help your child have fun.

Remember that treatment takes time: sticking with the treatment plan can help your child get better and stay better.

Help your child understand that treatment can make life better.

How does bipolar disorder affect caregivers and families?

Caring for a child or teenager with bipolar disorder can be stressful for parents and families. Coping with a child's mood episodes and other problems-such as short tempers and risky behaviors-can challenge any caregiver.

It is important that caregivers take care of themselves, too. Find someone you can talk to or consult your health care provider about support groups. Finding support and strategies for managing stress can help you and your child.

Where do I go for help?

If you're not sure where to get help, your doctor, pediatrician, or other family health care provider is a good place to start. A health care provider can refer you to a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, who has experience treating bipolar disorder and can evaluate your child's symptoms.

You can learn more about getting help and finding a health care provider on the National Institute of Mental Health website. Hospital health care providers can help in an emergency. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has an online tool to help you find mental health services in your area.

I know someone who is in crisis. What do I do?

If you know someone who might be thinking about hurting themselves or someone else, get help quickly.

Do not leave the person alone.

Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

Call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the toll-free TTY number at 1-800-799-4TTY (4889). You also can text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741) or go to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website.

What should I know about clinical trials?

Clinical trials are research studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the future.

Researchers at NIMH and around the country conduct clinical trials with patients and healthy volunteers. Talk to your health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you. For more information, visit the NIMH Clinical Trials webpage.

Reprints

This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from NIMH. Citation of NIMH as a source is appreciated. To learn more about using NIMH publications, please contact the NIMH Information Resource Center at 1-866‑615‑6464, email nimhinfo@nih.gov, or refer to our reprint guidelines.

For More Information

MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) ( En español)

ClinicalTrials.gov ( En español)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No. 20-MH-8081
Revised 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Does your child go through extreme changes in mood and behavior? Does your child get much more excited or much more irritable than other kids? Do you notice that your child goes through cycles of extreme highs and lows more often than other children?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Subscribe to Journal

Get full journal access for 1 year

$65.00

only $65.00 per issue

All prices are NET prices.
VAT will be added later in the checkout.

Rent or Buy article

Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.

All prices are NET prices.

Additional access options:

References

1. 2
Goodwin, F. & Jamison, K. Manic-Depressive Illness: Bipolar Disorders and Recurrent Depression. (Oxford Univ. Press, 2007).

Google Scholar

2. 3
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, DSM-5. (American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013).

3. 4
World Health Organization. The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders: Diagnostic Criteria for Research (DCR-10). (WHO, 1993).

4. 38
Google Scholar

5. 53
Konopaske, G. T., Lange, N., Coyle, J. T. & Benes, F. M. Prefrontal cortical dendritic spine pathology in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. JAMA Psychiatry 71, 1323-1331 (2014). This article provides some of the first evidence of dendritic spine loss in post-mortem human brain tissue in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorders.

6. 58
Kraepelin, E. Manic-Depressive Insanity and Paranoia (E. & S. Livingstone, 1921).

Google Scholar

7. 63
Hibar, D. P. et al. Cortical abnormalities in bipolar disorder: an MRI analysis of 6503 individuals from the ENIGMA Bipolar Disorder Working Group. Mol. Psychiatry https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2017.73 (2017). In this study, the ENIGMA international consortium in neuroimaging reveals brain regions that may be affected in patients with bipolar disorders and clinical factors that are related to reduced cortical surface in this condition.

8. 75
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. (American Psychiatric Press, 2000).

9. 89
Yatham, L. et al. Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT)/ International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) 2018 guidelines for the management of patients with bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord. (in the press).

10. 90
PubMed Central Google Scholar

11. 96
Yildiz, A., Nikodem, M., Vieta, E., Correll, C. U. & Baldessarini, R. J. A network meta-analysis on comparative efficacy and all-cause discontinuation of antimanic treatments in acute bipolar mania. Psychol. Med. 45, 1-19 (2014).

Google Scholar

12. 113
McGirr, A., Vöhringer, P. A., Ghaemi, S. N., Lam, R. W. & Yatham, L. N. Safety and efficacy of adjunctive second-generation antidepressant therapy with a mood stabiliser or an atypical antipsychotic in acute bipolar depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials. Lancet Psychiatry 3, 1138-1146 (2016). This article presents a meta-analysis of the effects of adjunctive second-generation antidepressants on mood stabilizers or atypical antipsychotic treatments. The authors find a small benefit in the reduction of depressive symptoms in the short term but an increased risk of treatment-emergent mania or hypomania in the long term.

13. 139

14. 147
[No authors listed.] The World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL): position paper from the World Health Organization. Soc. Sci. Med. 41, 1403-1409 (1995).

15. 163
Vieta, E. et al. Early intervention in bipolar disorder. Am. J. Psychiatry https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17090972 (2018). This paper is a review of the controversial topic of the management of early stages in bipolar disorders.

16. 171
Sampaio-Junior, B. et al. Efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation as an add-on treatment for bipolar depression: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.4040 (2017).

Download references

Acknowledgements

E.V. is grateful for the support received from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (PI 12/00912), integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-funded by ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); Centro para la Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Secretaria d'Universitats i Recerca del Departament d'Economia i Coneixement (2014_SGR 398), the Seventh European Framework Programme (ENBREC); and the Stanley Medical Research Institute. M.B. is supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Principal Research Fellowship (GNT1059660) and has received grants from the US NIH, the Australian Cooperative Research Centre, the Simons Autism Foundation, the Cancer Council of Victoria, the Stanley Medical Research Foundation, the Medical Benefits Foundation, Beyond Blue, Rotary Health and the Geelong Medical Research Foundation. T.G.S. receives funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG; SCHU 1603/5-1 and SCHU 1603/7-1), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF; 01ZX1314K, 01EE1404H and 01EE1404H), and the Dr Lisa Oehler Foundation (Germany). A.F.C. is supported by a research fellowship award from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; Brazil). T.S. has received grant funding from the Stanley Medical Research Institute and Palo Alto Health Sciences Services. J.R.C. has received federal funding from the US Department of Defense, the US Health Resources Services Administration and the US National Institute of Mental Health. K.G. has received grant support from the Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation and the Cleveland Foundation. K.W.M. is supported by the Lundbeck Foundation Fellowship (R21520154121). I.G. is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (Juan Rodés Contract (JR15/00012) and a grant (PI16/00187)), integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-funded by ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación and FEDER.

Author information

Affiliations

1. Bipolar Disorders Unit, Hospital Clinic, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Eduard Vieta & Iria Grande

2. IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Michael Berk

3. Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and the Centre for Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

Michael Berk

4. The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

Michael Berk

5. Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany

Thomas G. Schulze

6. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

Thomas G. Schulze

7. Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA

Thomas G. Schulze

8. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Thomas G. Schulze

9. Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany

Thomas G. Schulze

10. Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

André F. Carvalho

11. Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

André F. Carvalho

12. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Bipolar and Depression Research Program, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

Trisha Suppes

13. Bipolar and Depression Research Program, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA

Trisha Suppes

14. Mood and Anxiety Clinic, The Mood Disorders Program, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

Joseph R. Calabrese & Keming Gao

15. University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA

Joseph R. Calabrese & Keming Gao

16. Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Kamilla W. Miskowiak

17. Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Kamilla W. Miskowiak

Contributions

Introduction (E.V.); Epidemiology (M.B.); Mechanisms/pathophysiology (T.G.S., A.F.C. and I.G.); Diagnosis, screening and prevention (T.S.); Management (J.R.C., K.G. and I.G.); Quality of life (K.W.M.); Outlook (E.V.); and Overview of Primer (E.V.).

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eduard Vieta.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

E.V. has received grants and honoraria from AstraZeneca, Ferrer, Forest Research Institute, Gedeon Richter, GlaxoSmithKline, H. Lundbeck, Janssen, Otsuka, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Sunovion and Takeda. M.B. has received research grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, the Meat and Livestock Board, Mayne Pharma, Novartis, Organon, Servier and Woolworths. M.B. has also acted as a speaker for AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, H. Lundbeck, Janssen-Cilag, Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi Synthelabo, Servier, Solvay and Wyeth and has served as a consultant to AstraZeneca, Bioadvantex Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, H. Lundbeck, Janssen-Cilag, Merck and Servier. T.S. has received grant funding from Elan Pharma International, Merck and Sunovion and has received personal fees from AstraZeneca, CMEology, Global Medication Education, H. Lundbeck, Medscape Education, Merck and Sunovion, and has received royalties from Jones & Bartlett Learning and UpToDate. J.R.C. has received grant support from Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cephalon (now Teva Pharmaceutical Industries), Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, H. Lundbeck, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Janssen, Pfizer, Sunovion and Takeda. J.R.C. has also served as a consultant, advisory board member and speaker for Abbott Laboratories, Allergan, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cephalon (now Teva Pharmaceutical Industries), Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, H. Lundbeck, Janssen, Merck & Co., Otsuka, Pfizer, Repligen, Servier, Solvay, Sunovion and Takeda. K.G. has been on a speakers' bureau and an advisory board of Sunovion and has received grant support from AstraZeneca. K.W.M. has received consultancy fees in the past 3 years from Allergan and H. Lundbeck. I.G. has consulted for Ferrer and has been a speaker for Ferrer and Janssen-Cilag. T.G.S. and A.F.C. declare no competing interests.

About this article

Cite this article

Vieta, E., Berk, M., Schulze, T. et al. Bipolar disorders. Nat Rev Dis Primers 4, 18008 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2018.8
Download citation

Further reading

Isabella Pacchiarotti

, Giorgio D. Kotzalidis

, Andrea Murru

, Lorenzo Mazzarini

, Chiara Rapinesi

, Marc Valentí

, Gerard Anmella

, Susana Gomes-da-Costa

, Anna Gimenez

, Cristian Llach

, Giulio Perugi

, Eduard Vieta

& Norma Verdolini

Psychiatric Clinics of North America (2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bipolar disorders are characterized by acute episodes of mania or hypomania and depression. Psychosis can occur in some patients, and cognitive symptoms, including deficits in executive function and memory, are frequent. In this Primer, Vieta et al. discuss the epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and management of bipolar disorders.

# data[].attributes.headline
Dance and how does it can change your life!

# data[].attributes.subject
Dance and how does it can change your life!

# data[].attributes.body
What is Dance?

# data[].attributes.body
The Types of Dances

# data[].attributes.body
How does it dance change your life?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dance allows people to be more active, socialize and develop creative and physical skills. Just a few of the benefits increased exercise dancing can give you are; reduced stress levels, improved relaxation, stronger bones & muscles, weight control and a healthier brain!
The CDC recommends that children and adolescents do at least 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day. This can easily be met by adding dance classes into your weekly routine. Increasing your daily exercise is only one benefit, there are TONS more! Like making new friends, participating in a creative, beautiful and unique art form, learning dance technique, expressing emotion and working in a group.

Dance can also open new opportunities in terms of future careers. There are numerous professions in dance from dancing, teaching, and choreography. In addition to this, people work in the dance industry as; community dance performers, promoters, producers, designers, publicists, technicians, physiotherapists, medical and alternative practitioners, therapists, writers and academics.

Dancing also develops skills that can translate to many non-dance career paths. The confidence gained through achievements in dance builds social skills, increases self esteem and the ability to communicate well in a group.

1. Keep the body and the brain active... DANCE ... this is vital for people of every age

2. Dance improves strength and flexibility, keeping muscles and joints healthy

3. You meet new people and make friends with people who have similar interests

4. Dance helps you learn about your body, improving your posture and balance

5. Dancing releases endorphins and helps to reduce stress levels

6. Dance can offer insight into other cultures, either through the dance style itself or meeting new people

7. Dance can lead to new career opportunities, or help build vital communications skills needed in every profession

8. Dance helps to increase your self esteem and confidence through mastering new skills

9. Dance offers a creative outlet for people to express their personalities in a safe environment

10. Dance is a fun way to open up new possibilities, keep healthy and enjoy yourself

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dance allows people to be more active, socialize and develop creative and physical skills. Just a few of the benefits increased exercise dancing can give you are; reduced stress levels, improved relaxation, stronger bones & muscles, weight control and a healthier brain!

# data[].attributes.body
How dance saved my life

# data[].attributes.body
And finally my favorite dance style, contemporary!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sam Smith - Fire On Fire - Michael Dameski & Maddie Ziegler

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Should Hate Speech Be Censored? [POLICYbrief]

# data[].attributes.body
Facebook censoring hate speech is a "dangerous proposition" says a First Amendment lawyer, because the social media giant with more than 2 billion users is exercising its power to decide who gets to speak and who doesn't get to speak.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lawyer: censorship by Facebook is 'dangerous '

# data[].attributes.body
The following video has great information on how dictators use censorship to manipulate the population.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Game Theory: How to Overthrow a Dictator (Far Cry 6)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Music Research in Medical/Dental Treatment: Meta-Analysis and Clinical Applications *

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Abstract. This article is a comprehensive analysis and application of music therapy research in the general field of music in medicine, and consists of a thoro

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As musicians, we are carriers of influence, whether or not we are aware of it and whether or not we intend to be. The sound and messages we release through our art form directly impact our listeners in powerful ways. This is especially true of the youth and adolescents of our society, who are still extremely malleable to the world around them. I remember sitting in the car with my two little cousins, ages five and eight, when "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk came on the radio. They both started singing every word at the top of their lungs. And when Katy Perry sang during the Super Bowl halftime show, the kids at the party sang nearly every lyric verbatim, putting me to shame because I didn't know all the lyrics, and I'm aspiring to be a pop artist. It began to shock me just how acutely youth are being impacted by the music they listened to, and how much attention they're paying to the music being played around them.

I believe that those who really love and care about music are the ones who grew up listening to songs that touched them and spoke to them in a profound way. I remember being in middle school when the music I listened to defined so much of my identity. As professional musicians, it's no doubt that so many of us can identify with music being a keen agent in shaping the person we have become over the years. Thus, in return, it's almost our unspoken job to create a sound that will be amplified to the next generation, impacting them and impacting our society in return. If we can gain a more comprehensive awareness of how our art form is making a difference around us, we will undoubtedly become better musicians - musicians with a purpose.

Cultural impact

The popular music of our day reflects the culture of our day. We can see the fingerprints of a certain generation in the lyrics and sound of that time. One recent and almost outrageous example of this is the song "#SELFIE" by the Chainsmokers. It's a pretty spot-on commentary about the youth and media culture of our day. And in this present age, culture is changing far more frequently than ever before, reflecting styles of music that are evolving and birthed just as rapidly. Interestingly, it wasn't always so.

"There were times and places - in the Europe of the Middle Ages, as an example - where music might remain largely the same for hundreds of years," writes Selwyn Duke in " Influential Beats: The Cultural Impact of Music." "And it is no coincidence that in medieval times something else also remained quite constant: culture. It is clear to me that changes in music hew closely to changes in society's consensus worldview. This explains why musical tastes change so quickly today: With no dominant cultural stabilizer, such as the Catholic Church (whose medieval influence is undeniable); the ability to transmit ideas worldwide at a button's touch via modern media...society is prone to continual arbitrary change."

In other words, culture and music flow together. What our parents used to dig, kids of today would deem as lame. And in a few years, the music we think is cool now will probably be outdated. It's nothing against the music. It's just a representation, a manifestation of what's constantly changing around us. With that said, we need to be very aware of our modern day culture, but more importantly, we need to be intentional about the cultures we want to create and cultivate with our music.

Moral impact

Merriam-Webster defines morality as "beliefs about what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior." A quick Google search on the impact of music on morals will yield many results on the negative impact it has on society, especially in the realm of rap and hip-hop music. But in all styles of music nowadays, there are a plethora of songs with lyrics that glorify sex, drugs, and violence. While research can't concretely link the cause-and-effect behavior of listening to these songs with directly inducing this type of behavior, many researchers and people agree that it surely encourages it.

I believe that morals and behavior, especially in teens, aren't completely steered by the lyrics they're listening to, because there are so many factors to building a moral compass. However, music can definitely play a significant role in determining what seems to be right or wrong, okay or not okay, and good or bad. Because of this, we need to become wary about the messages that we are putting out with our songs, but to take it a step further, what if the songs we wrote intentionally carried positive messages? What if they became anthems that declared hope and joy, triumphs over weaknesses, courage and love? We would have the influence to empower the hearts and minds of the next generation, and that is something to truly take hold of.

Emotional impact

This is probably the most identifiable and direct impact music has on people in society. It makes us feel a certain way. Music sets moods and creates atmospheres. And as humans, we're so behaviorally influenced by the way we feel. That's why we throw on an upbeat playlist while we're working out, put on jazz on a romantic date, or get up and dance when a four-on-the-floor beat is going down. When I wake up in the morning, I know exactly what songs to play to get me focused and ready for what's up ahead in my day. Now that's powerful.

Music has the potential to change a mood, to shift an atmosphere, and to encourage a different behavior. In fact, the average American listens to four hours of music each day! Just imagine what kind of an impact music is having on our emotions throughout the day, whether we consciously realize it or not. With emotional impact, the most important thing to consider is: What am I feeling, and how do I want my listeners to feel when they hear this song? Because what you're feeling will help determine what your listener will feel, and that carries a lot of weight.

So in short, music has the power to culturally, morally, and emotionally influence our society. Thus, the more intentional we become with the sounds, messages, and moods we create and release through our music, the more powerful we will become in making deep positive impacts. We have the mandate and authority as artists and musicians to change the world around us because of the influence we carry, and that truly makes music something worth dedicating a life to.

Belinda Huang is a contributing writer for Sonicbids. She is a music production & engineering major at Berklee College of Music and is a staff writer for their online newspaper, The Berklee Groove.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Kind of Impact Does Our Music Really Make on Society?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As musicians, we are carriers of influence, whether or not we are aware of it and whether or not we intend to be. The sound and messages we release through our art form directly impact our listeners in powerful ways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A song doesn’t have to have a message to change society. Race relations, gender equality, and identity politics have all been shaped by music.

# data[].attributes.headline
Timeline of black deaths caused by police

# data[].attributes.subject
Timeline of black deaths caused by police

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
George Floyd: Timeline of black deaths and protests

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A look back at the deaths of black Americans since the emergence of Black Lives Matter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Censorship | Definition, History, Types, & Examples

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Censorship, the changing or suppression or prohibition of speech or writing that is deemed subversive of the common good. It occurs in all manifestations of authority to some degree, but in modern times it has been of special importance in its relation to government and the rule of law.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In the nearly three weeks since videos surfaced of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, thousands have participated in the Black Lives Matter protests. In Los Angeles, Athens, Tel Aviv, Sydney, and Mexico City, protestors have left their homes and taken to the streets amid the coronavirus pandemic to honor Floyd, to stand against racism, and to demand justice for others killed by the police. Here are powerful photos from those protests, from multi-lingual signs to Compton Cowboys on horseback.

To support the Black Lives Matter movement, you can also donate your travel rewards points to groups fighting for racial justice and spend your money at Black-owned bookstores and Black-owned restaurants throughout North America.

Linnea Rheborg

Stockholm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Powerful Photos of Black Lives Matter Protests Around the World

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the nearly three weeks since videos surfaced of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, thousands have participated in the Black Lives Matter protests.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Por Rafael Brito de Sena
O que faz um adolescente gostar de um esporte que não é tão popular entre seus pares, mas que muda a vida daqueles que praticam? Não é do futebol que falamos e sim o basquete, criado nos Estados Unidos em 1891 por James Naismith e difundido mundialmente. O conceito é simples: bola ao cesto. E esse conceito que André Bittencourt, junto com mais três amigos, teve a ideia de criar o Snakers Family Basketball, um grupo, ou família, como o próprio André define, que leva o basquete para as ruas de Porto Alegre e aproxima as pessoas em torno da bola laranja.

As transmissões da NBA (liga americana) e NBB (liga brasileira) em rede nacional ajudam a propagar o esporte pelo Brasil. Canais de esporte da TV fechada veiculam cinco, seis jogos por semana, o que chama atenção de uma população que consome quase exclusivamente futebol. Esse foi um dos assuntos dessa entrevista.
André, como o basquete entrou na tua vida?
O basquete entrou na minha vida através de um convite de um amigo meu. Ele me convidou, pois tinha mais contato com o basquetebol. Eu nunca tive uma experiência até os meus 14 anos, eu nunca tive contato e ele me convidou e comecei a jogar.

Na primeira vez que eu fui, era uma resistência, porque eu não gostava tanto de basquete assim. Mas, conforme eu fui jogando, acho que a questão do círculo de amizade que a gente teve foi o que me motivou a ficar lá, continuar jogando e depois criar o que a gente tem hoje, que é o grupo dos Snakers, onde a gente joga. Foi assim o meu primeiro contato com o basquete.
Sobre os Snakers, como surgiu esse projeto, como tiveram a ideia de criar?
Foi tudo meio espontâneo, as coisas foram acontecendo. No início éramos quatro amigos, e a partir daí nós fomos agregando, convidando amigos, colegas meus, vizinhos, que moravam perto da Praça Rachel Wolfrid, que ficava de fácil acesso para eles e nós fomos jogando. Isso até 2014, onde foram agregadas pessoas de outras regiões de Porto Alegre, e pra chegar onde chegou hoje, nós levamos os Snakers para outra praça, na Vicente da Fontoura (Praça Adair Figueiredo) um local bem mais centralizado, com mais fluxos de pessoas. O pessoal passava, olhava uma movimentação diferente, uma galera que joga basquete, acaba se identificando e agregando. Criou um grande círculo de amizade a partir disso e se consolidou o que apelidamos de Snakers, o pessoal que gosta de jogar basquete e que não necessariamente tenha um "dom", de conhecer fundamentos.
E como chega as pessoas pra começar a jogar com vocês?
O pessoal chega "cru", quer jogar, e estamos dispostos a trabalhar isso pra eles também, questão dos fundamentos, de jogo. Quando eu entrei na Instituição (IPA), comecei a fazer parte do Grupo Universitário de Basquete e foi aqui que comecei essa ter uma vivência maior com o basquete. E a partir daí, na área da Educação Física, comecei a tentar aplicar uma certa didática com o pessoal (do Snakers). E como fomos agregando outras pessoas que já tinham experiência maior, uma bagagem maior com o basquete, começamos a criar essa metodologia. Víamos alguém que gostava de basquete e íamos ajudar a crescer e motivar a participar cada vez mais no esporte.
Qual tua avaliação do projeto, o crescimento dele desde a criação?
Apesar de estar afastado duas, três semanas por conta da faculdade, o grupo, pode parecer muito clichê, mas eu considero como uma família mesmo, porque o pessoal que agregou realmente curte, não só o jogo. Por exemplo, um dos integrantes era uma pessoa que apenas gostava de basquete ele assistia NBA, mas nunca jogou. Então ele foi convidado por outro integrante, começou a jogar e teve uma evolução incrível, pois ele evoluiu fundamento por fundamento, se dedicava, ele via que estava evoluindo e se engrandecia e a se começou a se envolver mais com o grupo.
Qual nome desse integrante?
Guilherme, hoje ele é formado em jornalismo e nós comentamos que ele é quem nos passa todas as informações da NBA, pois ele está ligado nas noticias. E o Guilherme é um exemplo de que o basquete tem um viés de vínculo muito grande. Pra mim, que até nem gosto de falar isso, mas o pessoal brinca, me apelida de "Boss" (chefe), porque os Snakers vieram comigo e com o Rafa num período que fizemos a migração para a outra praça melhor localizada. Hoje eu vejo o grupo como uma família, o pessoal gosta do basquete, da companhia um dos outros, sempre se ajudando, conversando durante a semana, seja para falar de basquete, como nos playofss da NBA como em um viés mais descontraído. É um local saudável pra prática de esportes e pra convivência.
E sobre times, como funciona, por idade, uma equipe geral?
Na verdade, é tudo uma coisa só, não temos uma definição. A não ser quando fazemos algum evento, como o campeonato interno, que organizamos um final de semana, deve acontecer em setembro, e fazemos da seguinte maneira: são times com três e colocamos um jogador iniciante mesclando com intermediários e com quem já tem certa experiência. Fazemos essa divisão pra tentar equilibrar os times, deixar o campeonato competitivo, mas saudável para que ninguém se sinta desmotivado. Mas fora isso, todo domingo que jogamos é mesclado, sorteamos os times na sexta e nos organizamos dessa maneira para os jogos.
E como tu vê o basquete em Porto Alegre, tem muitos lugares para a prática? Outros grupos além dos Snakers?
A criação dos Snakers foi a partir de uma ideologia, quando eu não tinha tanto domínio sobre o basquete, eu não via o esporte forte, com uma expressão tão grande. Hoje, pela vivência que eu tenho, acho que deu uma evoluída, mas talvez por eu ter nesse tempo de basquete, que comecei realmente a praticar, a conhecer pessoas que acabaram jogando e não ficaram, campeonatos pelo IPA onde conheci mais gente que está envolvida com o basquetebol, eu sinto que hoje Porto Alegre tem um grande número de pessoas que praticam e gostam, além dos Snakers. Existe outras "tribos" que jogam na Redenção, que já eram bem conhecidas antes de pensarmos em criar o projeto. Uma representatividade dentro dos clubes, num viés mais competitivo, e talvez a NBA nesses últimos dois, três anos, acho que ganhou uma força maior em termos de divulgação. E eu vi muitos novos adeptos ao basquete, um pessoal que é mais do futebol e que dizia que não jogava basquete, mas que acompanhava a NBA, que sabe quem é o LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry... Isso torna o basquete mais evidente.
E sobre times, como funciona, por idade, uma equipe geral?
Na verdade, é tudo uma coisa só, não temos uma definição. A não ser quando fazemos algum evento, como o campeonato interno, que organizamos um final de semana, deve acontecer em setembro, e fazemos da seguinte maneira: são times com três e colocamos um jogador iniciante mesclando com intermediários e com quem já tem certa experiência. Fazemos essa divisão pra tentar equilibrar os times, deixar o campeonato competitivo, mas saudável para que ninguém se sinta desmotivado. Mas fora isso, todo domingo que jogamos é mesclado, sorteamos os times na sexta e nos organizamos dessa maneira para os jogos.
E como tu vê o basquete em Porto Alegre, tem muitos lugares para a prática? Outros grupos além dos Snakers?
A criação dos Snakers foi a partir de uma ideologia, quando eu não tinha tanto domínio sobre o basquete, eu não via o esporte forte, com uma expressão tão grande. Hoje, pela vivência que eu tenho, acho que deu uma evoluída, mas talvez por eu ter nesse tempo de basquete, que comecei realmente a praticar, a conhecer pessoas que acabaram jogando e não ficaram, campeonatos pelo IPA onde conheci mais gente que está envolvida com o basquetebol, eu sinto que hoje Porto Alegre tem um grande número de pessoas que praticam e gostam, além dos Snakers. Existe outras "tribos" que jogam na Redenção, que já eram bem conhecidas antes de pensarmos em criar o projeto. Uma representatividade dentro dos clubes, num viés mais competitivo, e talvez a NBA nesses últimos dois, três anos, acho que ganhou uma força maior em termos de divulgação. E eu vi muitos novos adeptos ao basquete, um pessoal que é mais do futebol e que dizia que não jogava basquete, mas que acompanhava a NBA, que sabe quem é o LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry... Isso torna o basquete mais evidente.
O grande número de transmissões na TV (ESPN e SporTV) ajuda a aumentar a quantidade de pessoas que gostam de basquete?
Acredito que sim, porque um tempo atrás somente a ESPN transmitia, e era um canal um inacessível pra muita gente, e a SporTV também consegue chegar a pessoas que não tinham tanto acesso. Por exemplo, tem um pessoal com um projeto muito bom na Restinga que antes não tinham acesso a um jogo da NBA e hoje tem, comentam, conversam sobre quem está melhor quem não está. Então acredito que tenha sido um ponto positivo a SporTV ter acesso as transmissões e alguns eventos, como a NBB, que acredito ter muito a melhorar, mas que, com "passos de formiga" vai construindo algo bem bacana.
E sobre o crescimento do NBB e de times no Rio Grande do Sul?
Nesses últimos três anos eu vejo uma evolução bem interessante no NBB e inclusive com um time do Rio Grande do Sul, o Caxias do Sul, o que pro nosso estado é uma força que às vezes não prestamos muita atenção, mas que é de um grande fundamento para nós, para o basquete gaúcho.
Memorial
A entrevista foi realizada no ginásio do Instituo Porto Alegre (IPA), onde André treina com a Equipe de Basquete. Além disso, ele cursa Educação Física, onde se formará ao final do ano.

O contato para a realização da entrevista foi rápido, pois conheço o André a alguns anos. A conversa foi descontraída, já que o assunto é de interesse de ambos, o que levou a uma entrevista leve e informativa.

Além disso, pude conhecer um pouco mais o projeto Snakers Family Basket. Já tinha visto fotos no perfil do André no Facebook e Instagram, mas não conhecia a fundo como funcionava, a criação, onde jogam. Foi uma boa entrevista, uma conversa tranquila. Sou uma pessoa que gosta muito de esportes, acompanho algumas ligas americanas (Futebol Americano, Basquete, Beisebol) e uma conversa sobre um desses esportes é bem instigante e animador para mim, já que posso falar sobre um tema que não tem grande espaço na mídia quando comparamos com futebol e que merece mais oportunidade de crescimento.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
O basquete como estilo de vida e de mudança na sociedade

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Por Rafael Brito de Sena O que faz um adolescente gostar de um esporte que não é tão popular entre seus pares, mas que muda a vida daqueles que praticam? Não é do futebol que falamos e sim o basquete, criado nos Estados Unidos em 1891 por James Naismith e difundido mundialmente.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cowspiracy - A Conspiração da Vaca | Legendado PT-BR

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Contribuidores dos projetos da Wikimedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rock and roll – Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nota: Este artigo é sobre o estilo musical dos anos 1940-1960. Se procura o gênero musical posterior, veja Rock. Para outros significados, veja Rock and roll (desambiguação).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Discurso emocionante do jogador de basquete Kevin Durant

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cannabis can be found in various forms, and the health benefits of cannabis is ever growing, here Tara Leo of CaliExtractions gives us an insight regarding the diverse benefits of the plant.

Cannabis contains CBD which is a chemical that impacts the brain, making it function better without giving it a high along with THC which has pain relieving properties. Both substances can be extracted and enhanced for use through short path distillation. Users can get the following health benefits of cannabis:

Relief of chronic pain

There are hundreds of chemical compounds in cannabis, many of which are cannabinoids. Cannabinoids have been linked to providing relief of chronic pain due to their chemical makeup. Which is why cannabis' by-product such as medical cannabis is commonly used for chronic pain relief.

Improves lung capacity

Unlike smoking cigarettes, when smoking cannabis in the form of cannabis your lungs aren't harmed. In fact, a study found that cannabis actually helps increase the capacity of the lungs rather than cause any harm to it.

Help lose weight

If you look around, you will notice that the avid cannabis user is usually not overweight. That is because cannabis is linked to aiding your body in regulating insulin while managing caloric intake efficiently.

Regulate and prevent diabetes

With its impact on insulin, it only makes sense that cannabis can help regulate and prevent diabetes. Research conducted by the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC) has l inked cannabis to stabilise blood sugars, lower blood pressure, and improve blood circulation.

Fight cancer

One of the biggest medical benefits of cannabis is its link to fighting cancer. There is a good amount of evidence that shows cannabinoids can help fight cancer or at least certain types of it.

Helps treat depression

Depression is fairly widespread without most people even knowing they have it. The endocannabinoid compounds in cannabis can help in stabilising moods which can ease depression.

Shows promise in autism treatment

Cannabis is known to calm users down and control their mood. It can help children with autism that experience frequent violent mood swings control it.

Regulate seizures

Research conducted on CBD has shown that it can help control seizures. There are ongoing studies to determine the effect cannabis has on individuals with epilepsy.

Mend bones

Cannabidiol has been linked to helping heal broken bones, quickening the process. According to Bone Research Laboratory in Tel Aviv, it also helps strengthen the bone in the process of healing. This makes it tougher for the bone to break in the future.

Helps with ADHD/ADD

Individuals with ADHD and ADD have trouble focusing on tasks at hand. They tend to have problems with cognitive performance and concentration. Cannabis has shown promise in promoting focus and helping individuals with ADHD/ADD. It is also considered a safer alternative to Adderall and Ritalin.

Treatment for glaucoma

Glaucoma leads to additional pressure on the eyeball which is painful for individuals with the disorder. Cannabis can help reduce the pressure applied on the eyeball providing some temporary relief to individuals with glaucoma.

Alleviate anxiety

While Cannabis is commonly known to cause anxiety, there is a way around that. Taken in monitored dosage and in the proper way, cannabis can help alleviate anxiety and calm users down.

Slow development of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is one of many that is caused by cognitive degeneration. As we age, cognitive degeneration is almost unavoidable. Cannabis's endocannabinoid contains anti-inflammatories that fight the brain inflammation that leads to Alzheimer's disease.

Deal with pain linked to arthritis

Cannabis is now commonly found as creams and balms which are used by individuals that have arthritis. Both THC and CBD help sufferers deal with the pain.

Helps with PTSD symptoms

PTSD doesn't just affect veterans but any individual that goes through a trauma. As cannabis is legalised the impact it has on helping treat individuals with PTSD is being studied. Cannabis helps control the fight or flight response, preventing it from going into overdrive.

Helps provide relief to individuals with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis can be painful, and cannabis is known to provide relief for it. Multiple sclerosis leads to painful muscle contractions and cannabis can help reduce that pain.

Reduces side effects linked to hepatitis C and increase the effectiveness of treatment

The treatment for hepatitis C has numerous side effects that include nausea, fatigue, depression, and muscle aches. These can last for months for some hepatitis C sufferers. Cannabis can help reduce the side effects caused by the treatment while making it more effective at the same time.

Treats inflammatory bowel diseases

Individuals with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can find some relief with the use of cannabis. THC and cannabidiol are known to help enhance immune response while also interact with cells that play a vital role in the functioning of the gut. Cannabis helps block off bacteria and other compounds that cause inflammation in the intestines.

Helps with tremors associated with Parkinson's disease

For those that have Parkinson's disease cannabis can help reduce tremors and pain while also helping promote sleep. It has also shown to improve motor skills in patients.

Helps with alcoholism

Another one of the many health benefits of cannabis is that there is no doubt cannabis is much safer than alcohol. While it may not be 100% risk-free, it can be a smarter way to curb alcoholism by substituting it with cannabis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Health benefits of cannabis that everyone should know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cannabis contains CBD which is a chemical that impacts the brain, making it function better without giving it a high along with THC which has pain relieving properties. Both substances can be extracted and enhanced for use through short path distillation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are few subjects that can stir up stronger emotions among doctors, scientists, researchers, policy makers, and the public than medical marijuana. Is it safe? Should it be legal? Decriminalized? Has its effectiveness been proven? What conditions is it useful for? Is it addictive? How do we keep it out of the hands of teenagers? Is it really the "wonder drug" that people claim it is? Is medical marijuana just a ploy to legalize marijuana in general?

These are just a few of the excellent questions around this subject, questions that I am going to studiously avoid so we can focus on two specific areas: why do patients find it useful, and how can they discuss it with their doctor?

Marijuana is currently legal, on the state level, in 29 states, and in Washington, DC. It is still illegal from the federal government's perspective. The Obama administration did not make prosecuting medical marijuana even a minor priority. President Donald Trump promised not to interfere with people who use medical marijuana, though his administration is currently threatening to reverse this policy. About 85% of Americans support legalizing medical marijuana, and it is estimated that at least several million Americans currently use it.

Marijuana without the high

Least controversial is the extract from the hemp plant known as CBD (which stands for cannabidiol) because this component of marijuana has little, if any, intoxicating properties. Marijuana itself has more than 100 active components. THC (which stands for tetrahydrocannabinol) is the chemical that causes the "high" that goes along with marijuana consumption. CBD-dominant strains have little or no THC, so patients report very little if any alteration in consciousness.

Patients do, however, report many benefits of CBD, from relieving insomnia, anxiety, spasticity, and pain to treating potentially life-threatening conditions such as epilepsy. One particular form of childhood epilepsy called Dravet syndrome is almost impossible to control but responds dramatically to a CBD-dominant strain of marijuana called Charlotte's Web. The videos of this are dramatic.

Uses of medical marijuana

The most common use for medical marijuana in the United States is for pain control. While marijuana isn't strong enough for severe pain (for example, post-surgical pain or a broken bone), it is quite effective for the chronic pain that plagues millions of Americans, especially as they age. Part of its allure is that it is clearly safer than opiates (it is impossible to overdose on and far less addictive) and it can take the place of NSAIDs such as Advil or Aleve, if people can't take them due to problems with their kidneys or ulcers or GERD.

In particular, marijuana appears to ease the pain of multiple sclerosis, and nerve pain in general. This is an area where few other options exist, and those that do, such as Neurontin, Lyrica, or opiates are highly sedating. Patients claim that marijuana allows them to resume their previous activities without feeling completely out of it and disengaged.

Along these lines, marijuana is said to be a fantastic muscle relaxant, and people swear by its ability to lessen tremors in Parkinson's disease. I have also heard of its use quite successfully for fibromyalgia, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, and most other conditions where the final common pathway is chronic pain.

Marijuana is also used to manage nausea and weight loss and can be used to treat glaucoma. A highly promising area of research is its use for PTSD in veterans who are returning from combat zones. Many veterans and their therapists report drastic improvement and clamor for more studies, and for a loosening of governmental restrictions on its study. Medical marijuana is also reported to help patients suffering from pain and wasting syndrome associated with HIV, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease.

This is not intended to be an inclusive list, but rather to give a brief survey of the types of conditions for which medical marijuana can provide relief. As with all remedies, claims of effectiveness should be critically evaluated and treated with caution.

Talking with your doctor

Many patients find themselves in the situation of wanting to learn more about medical marijuana, but feel embarrassed to bring this up with their doctor. This is in part because the medical community has been, as a whole, overly dismissive of this issue. Doctors are now playing catch-up and trying to keep ahead of their patients' knowledge on this issue. Other patients are already using medical marijuana, but don't know how to tell their doctors about this for fear of being chided or criticized.

My advice for patients is to be entirely open and honest with your physicians and to have high expectations of them. Tell them that you consider this to be part of your care and that you expect them to be educated about it, and to be able to at least point you in the direction of the information you need.

My advice for doctors is that whether you are pro, neutral, or against medical marijuana, patients are embracing it, and although we don't have rigorous studies and "gold standard" proof of the benefits and risks of medical marijuana, we need to learn about it, be open-minded, and above all, be non-judgmental. Otherwise, our patients will seek out other, less reliable sources of information; they will continue to use it, they just won't tell us, and there will be that much less trust and strength in our doctor-patient relationship. I often hear complaints from other doctors that there isn't adequate evidence to recommend medical marijuana, but there is even less scientific evidence for sticking our heads in the sand.

Image: robotboot/Getty Images

About the Author

Peter Grinspoon, MD, Contributor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today, marijuana is being reevaluated on a cultural and legal level after being considered an illegal substance for decades.

Recent research reports a majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use. As such, many states have legalized marijuana for either medical and recreational purposes, or both.

Still, some researchers and lawmakers want to see more scientific evidence supporting specific benefits of marijuana. Aside from more research, there are concerns that marijuana's potential risks could outweigh its benefits in some cases.

Curious about whether the benefits behind this substance are all they're talked up to be? We break down some of the most researched benefits as well as a few considerations.

Just as synthetic drugs can help some conditions and not others, marijuana isn't a one-size-fits-all line of treatment. It's thought that marijuana's benefits come from some of its compounds called cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD).

CBD is one of the most widely studied cannabinoids in marijuana. CBD is also found in another related plant called hemp.

One major difference between CBD and marijuana is that the former only contains a trace amount of the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This compound is best known for its hallucinogenic effects on the brain.

Cannabis plants may contain up to 40 percent CBD. CBD is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects on the central nervous system. This can translate to multiple benefits in the body.

Still, there remains concern over the effects of THC in traditional marijuana. This is due to the fact that it can have stimulating or depressant effects in some people, which may lead to other side effects.

Thus, when considering marijuana for any medical condition, your doctor will likely assess whether the anti-inflammatory benefits outweigh any psychological risks.

Currently, there are two synthetic versions of marijuana. Doctors prescribe them for the treatment of severe epilepsy and chemotherapy side effects.

The following list of marijuana benefits are some of the most commonly discussed in scientific research, as well as anecdotally.

Pain management

The cannabinoids in marijuana may reduce pain by altering pain perception pathways in the brain. This may be helpful to treat conditions that cause chronic pain, such as:

It may also minimize cancer treatment side effects, like loss of appetite.

In some instances, medical marijuana is reported to help replace the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, which can have negative side effects.

Reduced inflammation

CBD in marijuana is thought to help reduce inflammation. In theory, this may benefit inflammatory conditions, such as:

Crohn's disease

irritable bowel syndrome

rheumatoid arthritis

Decreasing inflammation in the body can also improve overall health.

Neurological and mental disorders

Due to its effects on the limbic system, doctors sometimes prescribe marijuana to treat the following neurological and mental health conditions:

anxiety

epilepsy

multiple sclerosis

Parkinson's disease

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Tourette syndrome

Sleep management

The relaxing effects of marijuana may help improve sleep disorders, such as insomnia. And improved sleep may also occur when pain is reduced from marijuana usage.

Marijuana is said to have opioid-like effects on the central nervous system. However, it poses much fewer risks than synthetic opioids. It's also not considered as addictive as other substances.

Those are two reasons why many advocates are pushing for marijuana legalization, so patients can have safer options for pain management. In fact, some people use marijuana as a way to treat opioid addiction.

Still, the potential risks of marijuana need to be considered in equal measure. Below are some of the side effects you should discuss with your doctor:

Hallucinogenic effects. Marijuana may cause mild hallucinations, poor motor skills, or altered perceptions of reality. For these reasons, certain activities may be unsafe after using marijuana, such as operating heavy machinery. Do not drive after using marijuana. Not only is it unsafe, but it is illegal in every state to drive after using marijuana - even in states in which marijuana use is legal.

Depressant-like effects. Marijuana may cause depressant effects, similar to those seen with alcohol use. You may feel calm and relaxed but also have issues with coordination and concentration. Some people may also feel depressive symptoms as a side effect.

Stimulating effects. Marijuana may boost mood, but it may also cause hyperactivity, rapid breathing, and increases in both blood pressure and heart rate. These effects aren't as common in marijuana compared to depressant effects.

Other side effects. These may include bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, and increased appetite.

It's important to know that the side effects of marijuana can vary between people. You may not know your exact experiences until after you've used it.

As of January 2020, 11 states as well as Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana, and 33 states have legalized it for medical use. However, marijuana itself is still considered illegal under federal law.

So, what does this mean if you're interested in using marijuana for medical purposes?

First, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of marijuana for your condition.

Next, look up the laws in your state. Even if marijuana is legal in your state, you could be prosecuted for using it if you travel to a different state where it's not legal. Plan accordingly to avoid any legal issues.

It's also important to distinguish the difference between marijuana and CBD.

Hemp-derived CBD products (with less than 0.3 percent THC) are legal on the federal level but are still illegal under some state laws.

Marijuana-derived CBD products are illegal on the federal level but are legal under some state laws.

Check your state's laws and those of anywhere you travel. Keep in mind that nonprescription CBD products aren't approved by the Food and Drug Administration and may be inaccurately labeled.

Marijuana is perhaps one of the most contentious topics today, both from a legal and health perspective.

More research on the benefits of marijuana for your health is needed for both sides of the debate to come to an agreement on its use in medical and recreational settings.

In the meantime, if you're interested in the potential benefits of marijuana for your own health, it's important to reach out to a doctor first. They can help guide you through the benefits versus any potential risks, as well as the legalities behind obtaining a medical marijuana card, depending on where you live.

Never try any drug or substance to treat a medical condition on your own. This includes plant-based sources like marijuana.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Are There Benefits of Marijuana for Medical Use?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Today, marijuana is being reevaluated on a cultural and legal level after being considered an illegal substance for decades. Recent research reports a majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use. As such, many states have legalized marijuana for either medical and recreational purposes, or both.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The School of Public Policy and Management offers to its best students a great opportunity to become a participant of an Exchange program for a semester at one of the universities partners . This year 7 best second-year GGL students took part in the Exchange Program.

Elena Drozdova, Alina Serykh and Aleksandr Nikolashvili have chosen the Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada while Mark Melamed, Alfred Markelov, Pavel Zharkov and Kirill Skoropupov decided to take a semester at Leiden University in The Netherlands.
First of all, welcome back guys! It's been 6 months we haven't seen you and this probably was a very pleasurable and productive time for each of you! Tell me about your impressions of the semester spent abroad. How do you think it was useful for you?
Elena Drozdova (Canada): Actually, I don't have enough words to share the admiration and excitement which overflow me after this wonderful trip. I can say that it's one of the most impressive, incredible, and unforgettable experiences in my life! Personally for me, it was quite challenging and because of this even more fascinating, as we had to adapt to the new conditions of life across the ocean from the home-country sufficiently fast, also, we had to get used to new types of tasks and requirements at the university; but all these details made the experience I gained from the semester even more amazing. It goes without saying these 4 months spent abroad were very useful for me as I gained a lot of life and learning experience: I improved my writing skills a lot, as we had to write several research papers on various serious issues; I realized that it's possible to combine studying the programs of two universities simultaneously. Moreover, it was a great chance to compare the way of getting education at Canadian university to the one we get in Russia as well as to challenge myself to have high enough scores with this new, unusual and sometimes quite difficult educational system. Hence, this experience was an invaluable contribution to self-development both in education and everyday life.

Mark Melamed (The Netherlands): Frankly speaking, it is difficult to find exact words to describe the whole spectrum of feelings, emotions and thoughts that this experience brought for all of us and me particularly. I had explored in-depth all the educational, social and domestic features of the life of a student at Leiden University and ordinary EU citizen. This experience truly changed my mind and overall perception of life and education abroad

Alfred Markelov (The Netherlands): Hi! Indeed, I've enjoyed the exchange period tremendously, it was very challenging yet rewarding. I can certainly say I've learnt a lot, particularly when it comes to working with academic sources and conducting research. Moreover, spending a semester abroad gave me an opportunity to reflect on the current global affairs.
Some people find it difficult to venture to leave the home country and study abroad. Why did you decide to take part in the exchange program? What attracted you the most in Canada / The Netherlands?
Alina Serykh (Canada): I have been dreaming to study abroad since I remember myself, so when an opportunity to move to Canada for a semester was offered to me, I didn't have any doubts. I never actually thought about visiting Canada before, so it was mostly like "if not now, then when?". Canada is an amazing country, and I never had any regrets about the choice I made. Of course, leaving home might be challenging, however, it is one hundred percent worth it.

Pavel Zharkov (The Netherlands): I was attracted by the opportunity to see how people of different nations share experiences and live with each other. I wanted not only to get the knowledge provided by the Leiden University, but also to learn about the culture of different people through live communication with representatives of other nations.

Kirill Skoropupov (The Netherlands): Many students study in their home towns and therefore are still living with parents or other relatives. Studying abroad offers you the chance to see what it means to manage those chores that a responsible adult deals with every day. Afterwards you become more independent, especially because you must do all that in a foreign environment and deal with different people and mentalities. When you come back home everything will be a piece of cake.
You've spent a whole semester in Carleton University / Liden University. How was organized your educational process? What were the things you liked the most about it? What was the most challenging thing for you?
Elena Drozdova (Canada): The thing I liked most in the organization of the educational process was that we had the special app and the web-site where we could track the changes in the timetable; where we could check the home tasks; and where there were all the lecture materials available. Moreover, it was comfortable for me that mostly classes started after middays, and we spent only 3-4 hours at the university. However, such an educational system implies spending much time for self-education: reading books, going through review questions, making additional notes, doing the exercises in study-guides, etc. I think, the most challenging thing for me was to push myself to work on research papers, start preparing for the exams, and to keep calm when it seemed something went wrong or I run out of valuable ideas or when we were about to fail the deadlines (fortunately, in the end we were able to do everything on time).

Mark Melamed (The Netherlands): The Dutch approach to education is totally different from Russian. If here we have three to four lessons per day, there the same number is per week! It might be seen that you have a lot of free time, but most of it you are expected to study. For example, for one of the subjects, we used to have 20 hours of work in class and 140 hours of self-study. It was the hardest thing to realize and get used to. Another challenge for me was the special requirements towards the format of writing and the quality of work with scientific resources. We were simply not aware of the number of strict standards that you need to satisfy to perform well. Nevertheless, the seriousness of the work contributes to the deep understanding of a subject which is an undisputable advantage of such an approach.
Let's talk about your everyday life outside the university. How was organized your accommodation? Did you cook for yourselves or did you eat out? Was it hard for you to live on your own?
Kirill Skoropupov (The Netherlands): Our accommodation was provided by the university, myself and others were given single studio apartments. It consisted of integrated living room with the kitchen and utilities. The cooking was mostly performed by myself, which helped me to learn a crucial survival skill for the future. Living alone sometimes feels like a blessing and sometimes a curse. It has it's own merits and demerits. Though merits are good and gives you happiness. Living alone lets you know yourself, discover your own self and the other worthy experiences of life.

Elena Drozdova (Canada): As the process of getting accommodation on campus was quite difficult we decided to rent a house for the three of us, so that to be sure that everyone is having a comfortable place to live. We lived in a lovely house in a very nice and calm district not very far from Carleton University. Speaking about eating, personally I usually had a breakfast, which I cooked for myself, at home and then I had dinner either at university or somewhere else, so I can say that I distributed my 'dinner-times' for eating out and cooking for myself nearly equally. Actually, it was not hard for me to live on my own, as, being not from Moscow originally, I've already been living alone for the first year of studying at university, so I got used to live on my own.
Exploring a new country is always very adventurous. You get to know more about the culture and the way of life of the locals, you find some interesting places to visit, you make new friends. Tell me about your personal experience. How did you spend your free time? What places did you visit? Did you like the local food?
Aleksandr Nikolashvili (Canada): Everyone in Canada is very friendly, also there is a large number of migrants, who are also quite nice and approachable. There are lots of places to visit in Canada, if you find time for it. The must visit place is, obviously, the Niagara Falls, which we visited during the reading week. However, you should take into account that although Ottawa is the capital, there is not much to do in the city, which is good for the purpose of studying if you think about it. It reminds a luxurious version of Russian countryside. On the other hand, Toronto, which we also visited, is full of life, lights and interesting places. As for the local food, it is not something really special - basically same things you can find anywhere else, but they do add bacon in everything (and then call it a Canadian "something"). Have you ever tried Caesar salad with bacon instead of chicken? And a must try, concerning the food is a thing called Poutine, google it.

Mark Melamed (The Netherlands): Oh, the Netherlands are wonderful! I managed to travel a lot across the country, but the small and fabulous town of Leiden took my heart. Did you know that there are poems written on the walls of houses across the town, starting from Omar Khayyam and ending with Marina Tsvetaeva? It looks especially magically on Christmas, when the canals are frozen, the town is covered with lights and you may feel the smell of firs, cinnamon and mulled wine (or glühwein) on every corner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
School of Public Policy and Management, RANEPA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The amazing experience of being an Exchange Student

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The School of Public Policy and Management offers to its best students a great opportunity to become a participant of an Exchange program for a semester at one of the universities partners . This year 7 best second-year GGL students took part in the Exchange Program.

# data[].attributes.body
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_exchange_program#:~:text=A%20student%20exchange%20program%20is,study%20outside%20their%20home%20country