Article from: MyTreatment.com

What is Depression?

Depression is a treatable medical illness that causes a person to have a very low mood for an extended period of time. It interferes with one's ability to function in the home, work and social environment. Depression lasts longer and is more severe than a person's normal response to disappointment or failure. It is important to realize that depression is an illness and not a character flaw. In 15% of untreated cases depression can become so debilitating it leads to suicide. About 10% of the population in North America experience depression at any given time.



How do I know it is depression? (you do not like signs and symptoms)

People experiencing major depressive disorder report feeling five or more of the following symptoms, with depressed mood or no interest in normal activities being one of their symptoms.

Depressed mood
No interest in normal activities
Feeling hopeless, guilty, worthless, or helpless
Decreased sexual desire or pleasure
Decreased energy, feeling tired
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Restless or irritable
Sleeping too much or unable to sleep
Increased or decreased appetite with weight loss or gain
Psychomotor retardation (slowed down), agitation
Chronic pain or increase in somatic complaints not caused by illness or injury
Suicidal thoughts, feelings or attempts

Causes


What causes depression?

Research into the causes of depression is ongoing. There are several factors that can increase the risk of a person developing depression. These are both genetic and environmental in nature. However, it is important to realize that many people with risk factors never do develop this illness.

Risk factors include:
Family history
Social factors
Developmental factors
There are several neurotransmitters found in the brain that are important for maintaining a normal mood. When these chemicals get out of balance or become depleted depression can result. Three neurotransmitters that are often focused on are:

Norepinephrine
Serotonin
And dopamine
Sometimes, although not always, a stressful event might cause a person who is inclined to depression to develop an episode. As time goes on, with frequent episodes of illness, depression may be caused by relatively mild stressors or with no stressor present.



Depression Treatment

Treatment Goals

Why do we talk about treatment goals? Wouldn't everybody's goal be to get completely better? This is a very important question. Our first goal in all cases is to bring depression into remission. In other words we want to return people to their previous level of functioning before depression occurred. Unfortunately many people choose to settle for only partial improvement. Many people with depression prefer to settle for partial remission rather than increase the dose of their medication to achieve full remission. However, people who choose only partial remission have a higher likelihood of experiencing a relapse. They also have shorter depression free periods than people who choose full remission.

Our second goal is to prevent relapse. This is best done by:
Achieving full remission;
And by keeping the patient on medication for a long enough period of time to prevent relapse.
Many people choose to go off treatment soon after their symptoms have gone away. People who do this too soon often experience relapse. People who remain on medication treatment for a period of six months to one year after achieving remission have a much better prognosis. They have fewer relapses and longer periods of time between relapses.

It is recommended that people who have had two or more relapses of Major Depressive Disorder remain on medication treatment to prevent further relapses and to prevent relapses from becoming too severe, if they do occur.

A variety of treatments including medications and short-term psychotherapies have proven effective for depression.

Depression, even the most severe cases, is a highly treatable disorder. As with many illnesses, the earlier that treatment can begin, the more effective it is and the greater the likelihood that recurrence can be prevented.

The first step to getting appropriate treatment is to visit a doctor. Certain medications, and some medical conditions such as viruses or a thyroid disorder, can cause the same symptoms as depression. A doctor can rule out these possibilities by conducting a physical examination, interview and lab tests. If the doctor can eliminate a medical condition as a cause, he or she should conduct a psychological evaluation or refer the patient to a mental health professional.

The doctor or mental health professional will conduct a complete diagnostic evaluation. He or she should discuss any family history of depression, and get a complete history of symptoms, e.g., when they started, how long they have lasted, their severity, and whether they have occurred before and if so, how they were treated. He or she should also ask if the patient is using alcohol or drugs, and whether the patient is thinking about death or suicide.

Once diagnosed, a person with depression can be treated with a number of methods. The most common treatments are medication and psychotherapy.



Medication

Antidepressants work to normalize naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, notably serotonin and norepinephrine. Other antidepressants work on the neurotransmitter dopamine. Scientists studying depression have found that these particular chemicals are involved in regulating mood, but they are unsure of the exact ways in which they work.

The newest and most popular types of antidepressant medications are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), sertraline (Zoloft) and several others. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are similar to SSRIs and include venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta). SSRIs and SNRIs are more popular than the older classes of antidepressants, such as tricyclics–named for their chemical structure–and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) because they tend to have fewer side effects. However, medications affect everyone differently–no one–size–fits–all approach to medication exists. Therefore, for some people, tricyclics or MAOIs may be the best choice.

People taking MAOIs must adhere to significant food and medicinal restrictions to avoid potentially serious interactions. They must avoid certain foods that contain high levels of the chemical tyramine, which is found in many cheeses, wines and pickles, and some medications including decongestants. MAOIs interact with tyramine in such a way that may cause a sharp increase in blood pressure, which could lead to a stroke. A doctor should give a patient taking an MAOI a complete list of prohibited foods, medicines and substances.

For all classes of antidepressants, patients must take regular doses for at least three to four weeks before they are likely to experience a full therapeutic effect. They should continue taking the medication for the time specified by their doctor, even if they are feeling better, in order to prevent a relapse of the depression. Medication should be stopped only under a doctor's supervision. Some medications need to be gradually stopped to give the body time to adjust. Although antidepressants are not habit–forming or addictive, abruptly ending an antidepressant can cause withdrawal symptoms or lead to a relapse. Some individuals, such as those with chronic or recurrent depression, may need to stay on the medication indefinitely.

In addition, if one medication does not work, patients should be open to trying another. NIMH–funded research has shown that patients who did not get well after taking a first medication increased their chances of becoming symptom–free after they switched to a different medication or added another medication to their existing one.

Sometimes stimulants, anti–anxiety medications, or other medications are used in conjunction with an antidepressant, especially if the patient has a co–existing mental or physical disorder. However, neither anti–anxiety medications nor stimulants are effective against depression when taken alone, and both should be taken only under a doctor's close supervision.


What are the side effects of antidepressants?

Antidepressants may cause mild and often temporary side effects in some people, but they are usually not long–term. However, any unusual reactions or side effects that interfere with normal functioning should be reported to a doctor immediately.

The most common side effects associated with SSRIs and SNRIs include:

Headache–usually temporary and will subside.

Nausea–temporary and usually short–lived.

Insomnia and nervousness (trouble falling asleep or waking often during the night)–may occur during the first few weeks but often subside over time or if the dose is reduced.

Agitation (feeling jittery).

Sexual problems–both men and women can experience sexual problems including reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, or inability to have an orgasm.


Tricyclic antidepressants also can cause side effects including:

Dry mouth-it is helpful to drink plenty of water, chew gum, and clean teeth daily.

Constipation-it is helpful to eat more bran cereals, prunes, fruits, and vegetables.

Bladder problems–emptying the bladder may be difficult, and the urine stream may not be as strong as usual. Older men with enlarged prostate conditions may be more affected. The doctor should be notified if it is painful to urinate.

Sexual problems–sexual functioning may change, and side effects are similar to those from SSRIs.

Blurred vision–often passes soon and usually will not require a new corrective lenses prescription.

Drowsiness during the day–usually passes soon, but driving or operating heavy machinery should be avoided while drowsiness occurs. The more sedating antidepressants are generally taken at bedtime to help sleep and minimize daytime drowsiness.


FDA Warning on antidepressants

Despite the relative safety and popularity of SSRIs and other antidepressants, some studies have suggested that they may have unintentional effects on some people, especially adolescents and young adults. In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a thorough review of published and unpublished controlled clinical trials of antidepressants that involved nearly 4,400 children and adolescents. The review revealed that 4% of those taking antidepressants thought about or attempted suicide (although no suicides occurred), compared to 2% of those receiving placebos.

This information prompted the FDA, in 2005, to adopt a "black box" warning label on all antidepressant medications to alert the public about the potential increased risk of suicidal thinking or attempts in children and adolescents taking antidepressants. In 2007, the FDA proposed that makers of all antidepressant medications extend the warning to include young adults up through age 24. A "black box" warning is the most serious type of warning on prescription drug labeling.

The warning emphasizes that children, adolescents and young adults taking antidepressants should be closely monitored, especially during the initial weeks of treatment. Possible side effects to look for are worsening depression, suicidal thinking or behavior, or any unusual changes in behavior such as sleeplessness, agitation, or withdrawal from normal social situations.

Results of a comprehensive review of pediatric trials conducted between 1988 and 2006 suggested that the benefits of antidepressant medications likely outweigh their risks to children and adolescents with major depression and anxiety disorders.28 The study was funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health.

What about St. John's wort?

The extract from St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), a bushy, wild-growing plant with yellow flowers, has been used for centuries in many folk and herbal remedies. Today in Europe, it is used extensively to treat mild to moderate depression. In the United States, it is one of the top–selling botanical products.

To address increasing American interests in St. John's wort, the National Institutes of Health conducted a clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of the herb in treating adults who have major depression. Involving 340 patients diagnosed with major depression, the eight–week trial randomly assigned one-third of them to a uniform dose of St. John's wort, one–third to a commonly prescribed SSRI, and one–third to a placebo. The trial found that St. John's wort was no more effective than the placebo in treating major depression.29 Another study is looking at the effectiveness of St. John's wort for treating mild or minor depression.

Other research has shown that St. John's wort can interact unfavorably with other medications, including those used to control HIV infection. On February 10, 2000, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory letter stating that the herb appears to interfere with certain medications used to treat heart disease, depression, seizures, certain cancers, and organ transplant rejection. The herb also may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. Because of these potential interactions, patients should always consult with their doctors before taking any herbal supplement.


Psychotherapy

Several types of psychotherapy–or "talk therapy"–can help people with depression.

Some regimens are short–term (10 to 20 weeks) and other regimens are longer–term, depending on the needs of the individual. Two main types of psychotherapies–cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT)-have been shown to be effective in treating depression. By teaching new ways of thinking and behaving, CBT helps people change negative styles of thinking and behaving that may contribute to their depression. IPT helps people understand and work through troubled personal relationships that may cause their depression or make it worse.

For mild to moderate depression, psychotherapy may be the best treatment option. However, for major depression or for certain people, psychotherapy may not be enough. Studies have indicated that for adolescents, a combination of medication and psychotherapy may be the most effective approach to treating major depression and reducing the likelihood for recurrence.25 Similarly, a study examining depression treatment among older adults found that patients who responded to initial treatment of medication and IPT were less likely to have recurring depression if they continued their combination treatment for at least two years.21
Electroconvulsive Therapy

For cases in which medication and/or psychotherapy does not help alleviate a person's treatment–resistant depression, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be useful. ECT, formerly known as "shock therapy," once had a bad reputation. But in recent years, it has greatly improved and can provide relief for people with severe depression who have not been able to feel better with other treatments.

Before ECT is administered, a patient takes a muscle relaxant and is put under brief anesthesia. He or she does not consciously feel the electrical impulse administered in ECT. A patient typically will undergo ECT several times a week, and often will need to take an antidepressant or mood stabilizing medication to supplement the ECT treatments and prevent relapse. Although some patients will need only a few courses of ECT, others may need maintenance ECT, usually once a week at first, then gradually decreasing to monthly treatments for up to one year.

ECT may cause some short-term side effects, including confusion, disorientation and memory loss. But these side effects typically clear soon after treatment. Research has indicated that after one year of ECT treatments, patients showed no adverse cognitive effects.30
What efforts are underway to improve treatment?

Researchers are looking for ways to better understand, diagnose and treat depression among all groups of people. New potential treatments are being tested that give hope to those who live with depression that is particularly difficult to treat, and researchers are studying the risk factors for depression and how it affects the brain. NIMH continues to fund cutting–edge research into this debilitating disorder.

An overall assessment of the nation's largest real-world study of treatment-resistant depression suggests that a patient with persistent depression can get well after trying several treatment strategies, but his or her odds of beating the depression diminish as additional treatment strategies are needed. The conclusions from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study, funded by NIMH, were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry on November 1, 2006.


A combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication appears to be the most effective treatment for adolescents with major depressive disorder—more than medication alone or psychotherapy alone, according to results from a major clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study was published in the October 2007 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

FROM: http//www.purplepill.com/
ACID REFLUX DESEASE OR GERD

ABOUT ACID REFLUX DESEASE {GERD}
Your stomach is filled with acid that helps digest the food you eat. Your stomach is built to handle this acid. But your esophagus (the tube that carries food to your stomach) isn’t.

So when acid backs up into your esophagus—an event called "acid reflux"—it can cause the painful, burning sensation known as heartburn.

Nearly everyone has occasional heartburn. But if you have heartburn 2 or more days a week, despite trying to treat it and change your diet, you may have acid reflux disease. In short, acid reflux disease is frequent, recurring heartburn. Acid reflux disease is also known as GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The problem with acid reflux disease isn’t just the heartburn pain and discomfort. Over time, acid reflux disease can potentially cause serious damage to the delicate lining of your esophagus. About 1 in 3 acid reflux sufferers may have this condition, called erosive esophagitis. Only a doctor can tell if you have this damage.

WHAT IS ACID REFLUX DESEASE?

Acid reflux disease or GERD can happen when a valve does not close quite right. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. There is a valve at the lower end of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This valve opens to allow food and liquids to enter the stomach. It closes to keep acid and food in the stomach. Sometimes this valve does not close as tightly as it should, or it relaxes too often. This can cause stomach acid to get into the esophagus over and over again. The stomach is better equipped to handle acid than the esophagus. With continued exposure to stomach acid, the esophagus may become irritated and possibly damaged, a condition known as erosive esophagitis.

This exposure, for most people, may be the painful, burning feeling often called heartburn. Many people get heartburn on occasion. But persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (GERD).

Acid reflux disease (GERD) is often a chronic condition that can lead to serious complications over time. And since acid reflux disease (GERD) affects different people in different ways it's important to talk to your doctor. Only your doctor can diagnose acid reflux disease (GERD) and determine if there is any damage to your esophagus.

Heartburn–the most common of all GERD/acid reflux symptoms
The main symptoms of acid reflux disease, which is also known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), are:

heartburn
acid regurgitation (which is experienced as a sour, bitter taste in your throat)
Some people may also have other GERD or acid reflux symptoms, including:

hoarseness
chronic throat clearing
sore throat
persistent cough
Nighttime acid reflux symptoms can be more severe than daytime symptoms
When acid reflux occurs at night, you may experience the most common acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn and acid regurgitation and potentially other nighttime symptoms related to GERD such as:

Coughing or choking because of fluid or acid or bitter taste or food in the throat during the night
Heartburn or reflux when lying down
Awakening in the morning with heartburn or a sour or bitter taste in mouth

SYMPTOMS OF ACID REFLUX

The most common symptoms of acid reflux disease are:
Heartburn (a rising, burning feeling in the chest)
Sour or bitter taste
Difficulty swallowing

Other symptoms may include:
Upset stomach
Chest pain not related to the heart
Persistent cough
Hoarseness
Note: If you have chest pain, call your doctor immediately. It may be a sign of a life-threatening condition.


EATING WELL
Managing acid reflux disease doesn’t have to be about denying yourself. There are ways to work around acid reflux disease and still enjoy some of the foods you love.

Learn about trigger foods
Here’s the story on some common heartburn triggers that may—or may not—affect you. Of course, it’s best to avoid the foods that bother you.

High-fat foods tend to relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle, which usually stays tight to keep acid in the stomach and out of the esophagus. Also, foods with higher fat content digest more slowly; this leaves food and acid in the stomach much longer, increasing your chances of experiencing heartburn.

Tomatoes, citrus fruits, and onions are acidic and trigger heartburn in some people.

Mint, long thought to aid in digestion, tends to stimulate reflux in people with acid reflux disease.

Alcoholic drinks can damage the lining of the esophagus and the stomach. And fermented beverages, like wine and beer, also can increase the production of stomach acid.

Caffeinated drinks—including coffees, teas, sodas, and even hot chocolate—are a problem for some people with acid reflux disease. Even decaffeinated coffee, although better than regular coffee, is still acidic and can aggravate heartburn.

Sodas, even if caffeine-free, can trigger heartburn because they are carbonated.

Reintroduce favorite foods slowly
If you’ve avoided some favorite foods because they triggered heartburn—but want to try some of them again—you may be able to welcome them back, but proceed with caution.

FOLLOW THESE 4 STEPS
Reintroduce one trigger food at a time. If both tomato juice and orange juice caused you problems, try just one. Hold off on the other until you see how you respond to the first.
Try the trigger food in small amounts. If you tolerate it well, you can gradually increase the amount.
Try that food at different times of day. A food that triggered heartburn when eaten in the morning may have no effect if eaten later in the day.
Keep a record of your results. Jot down the food, amount, eating times and your body’s response. See what conclusion you can draw about the food item.

Consider meal timing and size

Eat your last evening meal or snack at least 3 hours before bedtime. Most of the food in your stomach is digested within 3 hours. Once food is digested, it cannot back up into your esophagus when you lie down

Have smaller meals. Eating large meals creates pressure in your stomach. This pressure can force acid from the stomach into your esophagus, causing heartburn or other acid reflux disease symptoms

CAUSES OF ACID REFLUX DESEASE
The LES muscle

The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is the “valve” between the stomach and the esophagus. The LES opens to let food pass into the stomach and closes tightly after food has passed. When the LES does not stay closed after the food has passed through, acid and stomach contents may back up (reflux) into the esophagus.


COMMON TRIGGERS
Certain foods can trigger heartburn. Some common triggers are:

Spicy foods
Fried foods
Fatty foods
Tomato-based foods (e.g., pizza, pasta sauce, salsa)
Citrus fruits and juices
Onions and garlic
Chocolate
Mint flavorings
Caffeinated drinks
Alcoholic drinks
Coffee and tea (caffeinated or decaffeinated)
Soda and other carbonated drinks


WEIGHT, STRESS,AND OTHER FACTORS
There are lifestyle factors other than food that can make heartburn worse, including:

Being overweight
Smoking
Stress
Overeating (eating too much at one time)
Wearing tight clothing that puts pressure on your stomach

DAMAGE FROM ACID REFLUX DESEASE

Stomach acid is harsh, and the lining of your esophagus is delicate. That’s why you feel pain—heartburn—when acid backs up (refluxes) into your esophagus. If acid reflux continues without being treated, it can cause tissue damage over time in the lining of the esophagus, resulting in a condition called erosive esophagitis (EE).

If EE is present, there are usually breaks or erosions in the lining of the esophagus. EE is a potentially serious condition, but if the right treatment is given, the erosions can heal.

What you should know about EE:

Only a doctor can tell if you have erosions in the esophagus and how serious they are. You can’t tell solely by how you feel
Even if your heartburn pain is only mild, you could have damage
If EE is not treated, it can lead to difficulty swallowing, bleeding, scarring, or other serious conditions


TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR ACID REFLUX DESEASE

When you have heartburn, there are many treatments you can get over the counter (without a doctor’s prescription). And while these may give you temporary relief, they may not be the best option for you. If you’re taking antacids more than twice a week, it could mean that the problem isn’t just heartburn, but may be a more serious condition—acid reflux disease. If you think you may have acid reflux disease, talk to your doctor about the best treatment option for you.

3Types of Treatments Includes:
Antacids
Antacids work by neutralizing stomach acid. They can provide fast relief from occasional heartburn, but the relief is usually short-term.

H2 blockers
H2 blockers reduce acid production in the stomach by blocking a signal that leads to acid secretion. They can help heal possible damage to the esophagus that may be caused by acid reflux disease.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
Proton pump inhibitors—like NEXIUM—are proven to be the most effective treatments for acid reflux disease. They work by turning off some of the “acid pumps” in the stomach’s acid-producing cells. Most PPIs are available only with a doctor’s prescription. NEXIUM can both relieve heartburn pain and heal possible damage to the esophagus that may be caused by acid reflux. Your results with NEXIUM may vary.

Ask your doctor which treatment option is best for you.

The Morrígan
by Danielle Ní Dhighe
Copyright © 1996, 1997 Danielle Ní Dhighe
All Rights Reserved - May be reposted as long as the above attribution and copyright notice are retained

The Morrígan is a goddess of battle, strife, and fertility. Her name translates as 'Phantom Queen,' which is entirely appropriate for Her. The Morrígan appears as both a single goddess and a trio of goddesses, which includes the Badb 'Vulture' and Nemain 'Frenzy'. The Morrígan frequently appears in the ornithological guise of a hooded crow. She is one of the Tuatha De Danann (People of the Goddess Danu) and She helped defeat the Firbolgs at the First Battle of Magh Tuireadh and the Fomorii at the Second Battle of Mag Tured.

By some accounts, She is the consort of the Dagda, while the Badb and Nemain are sometimes listed as consorts of Néit, an obscure war god who is possibly Nuada the Sky Father in His warrior aspect. It is interesting to note that another battle goddess, Macha, is also associated with Nuada.



ORIGINS
The origins of the Morrígan seem to reach directly back to the megalithic cult of the Mothers. The Mothers (Matrones, Idises, Dísir, etc.) usually appeared as triple goddesses and their cult was expressed through both battle ecstasy and regenerative ecstasy. Later Celtic goddesses of sovereignty, such as the trio of Éire, Banba, and Fótla, also use magic in warfare. "Influence in the sphere of warfare, but by means of magic and incantation rather than through physical strength, is common to these beings." (Ross 205)

Éire, a goddess connected to the land in a fashion reminiscent of the Mothers, could appear as a beautiful woman or as a crow, as could the Morrígan. The Dí;sir appeared in similar guises. In addition to being battle goddesses, they are significantly associated with fate as well as birth in many cases, along with appearing before a death or to escort the deceased. It is interesting to note that some sources present Éire and the Morrígan as half-sisters.

There is certainly evidence that the concept of a raven goddess of battle wasn't limited to the Irish Celts. An inscription found in France invoking Cathubodva, 'Battle Raven', shows that a similar concept was known among the Gaulish Celts.



SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE MORRÍGAN AND THE VALKYRIES
The Morrígan's role in the Irish cosmology is quite similar to the role played by the Valkyries in Norse cosmology. Both use magic to cast fetters on warriors and choose who will die.

During the Second Battle, the Morrígan "said she would go and destroy Indech son of Dé Domnann and 'deprive him of the blood of his heart and the kidneys of his valor', and she gave two handfuls of that blood to the hosts. When Indech later appeared in the battle, he was already doomed." (Rees 36)

Compare this to the Washer at the Ford, another guise of the Morrígan. The Washer is usually to be found washing the clothes of men about to die in battle. In effect, She is choosing who will die.

An early German spell found in Merseburg mentions the Indisi, who decided the fortunes of war and the fates of warriors. The Scandinavian Song of the Spear, quoted in Njals Saga, gives a detailed description of Valkyries as women weaving on a grisly loom, with severed heads for weights, arrows for shuttles, and entrails for the warp. As they worked, they exulted at the loss of life that would take place. "All is sinister now to see, a cloud of blood moves over the sky, the air is red with the blood of men, and the battle women chant their song." (Davidson 94)

An Old English poem, Exodus, refers to ravens as choosers of the slain. There are links between ravens, choosing of the slain, casting fetters, and female beings in many sources.

"As the Norse and English sources show them to us, the walkurjas are figures of awe and even terror, who delight in the deaths of men. As battlefield scavengers, they are very close to the ravens, who are described as waelceasega, 'picking over the dead'..." (Our Troth)

"The function of the goddess [the Morrígan] here, it may be noted, is not to attack the hero [Cúchulainn] with weapons but to render him helpless at a crucial point in the battle, like the valkyries who cast 'fetters' upon warriors...thus both in Irish and Scandinavian literature we have a conception of female beings associated with battle, both fierce and erotic." (Davidson 97, 100)



THE MORRÍGAN AND CÚCHULAINN
She appeared to the hero Cúchulainn (son of the god Lugh) and offered Her love to him. When he failed to recognize Her and rejected Her, She told him that She would hinder him when he was in battle. When Cúchulainn was eventually killed, She settled on his shoulder in the form of a crow. Cú's misfortune was that he never recognized the feminine power of sovereignty that She offered to him.

She appeared to him on at least four occasions and each time he failed to recognize Her.

1. When She appeared to him and declared Her love for him.

2. After he had wounded Her, She appeared to him as an old hag and he offered his blessings to Her, which caused Her to be healed.

3. On his way to his final battle, he saw the Washer at the Ford, who declared that She was "washing the clothes and arms of Cúchulainn, who would soon be dead."

4. When he was forced by three hags (which represent the Morrígan in Her triple aspect) to break a taboo of eating dogflesh.



THE ROLE OF THE MORRÍGAN
For modern Celtic Pagans, the role of the Morrígan in our religion is different than what it was for our ancestors. Most of us are not involved in life-or-death struggles on a daily basis. The Morrígan is an appropriate deity for strong, independent people, particularly those on a warrior path.



RITUALS FOR THE MORRÍGAN
Many devotees of the Morrígan have a permanent shrine set up in Her honor. They use such items as a bowl of brine and blood, a raven or crow feather, or even a piece of red cloth (to symbolize the Washer at the Ford). Some people use menstrual blood, which is very appropriate. Blood, especially menstrual blood, is a symbol of both life and death, fertility and war.

Rituals should be kept simple. Find something that symbolizes the Morrígan and meditate on it. When you feel Her presence, you may wish to offer Her something of value. This can be as simple as some ale or as difficult as spilling your own blood.

When I dedicated myself to Her, I meditated on a crow's feather and a candle flame. I called Her name until I could feel Her definite presence. When I offered myself to Her, the flame blazed up and filled the entire room and I felt that my offer had been accepted.



SOURCES
Davidson, H. R. Ellis. Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early Scandinavian and Celtic Religions. (Syracuse NY: Syracuse University Press, 1988)
Our Troth (Ring of Troth)
Rees, Alwyn and Brinley, Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales. (NY: Thames & Hudson, 1994)
Ross, Anne. Pagan Celtic Britain. (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1967)

Article Specs

Article ID: 12472

VoxAcct: 352181

Article from the WitchVox
Living In A Psychic World

Author: Terri Manus
Posted: August 17th. 2008
Times Viewed: 1,620

Psychic Attacks Anyone?

Have you had the pleasure or shall I say displeasure of being attacked by others but had no idea what to do to protect yourself or know how to send it back let alone stop it?

Having psychic abilities opens the door unfortunately to such things as psychic attacks as does jealousy from others who may use their gifts for destructive means. This is very common and something you need to come to terms with which means it's imperative for you learn to protect yourself at all times if you plan on developing psychic abilities. Those who attack never seem to realize what they send out always comes back!

Visitors/Energies?

Do you have a tendency to feel energies (I tend to pick up energies in a heart beat both living and deceased)? You might feel a pressure in your chest or get a head rush plus feel tightening in between your ears. There may also be a sense of coolness around you. Do you lack energy when you have had minimal activity to warrant such tiredness?

Have you ever questioned if in fact the thoughts you are having belong to you thus you naturally block them or find you're blocking them ongoing but you don't understand why? If you can answer yes then you have spirit energies around you and if you happen to be spirit sensitive well you might have attachments too. It's also not uncommon for mediums to have spirits come to them in order to test their resolve so it's imperative to learn (if you happen to be one) to clear your body and personal space of unwanted energies. If you don't you will only hinder your own personal psychic development progress.

Emotional Imprinting!

Have you ever walked into a building and had an eerie feel or experienced this feeling while walking into someone's home?

If there's a lot of trauma or fighting you will find emotional imprinting within that environment. If you also happen to be battling with a person outside of your home it's very possible to create a negative emotional connection, which can manifest into dark energy as a result of both of you having negative thoughts going back and forth.

This can be dealt with and cleared but its important to recognize that this imprinting can manifest into negative energy with a life of its own, (energy created by those involved) thereby, creating even further drama and maybe even worsen ones situation. You will first need to sever this connection then clear that dark energy in order to create harmony and balance once again within your life.

Having psychic senses is a birth right but not everyone cares to develop their natural abilities. If you are serious then practice makes perfect. The strongest psychics are still learning, as we are all spiritual beings constantly evolving.

As a medium you are able to connect to those who or stuck within the spirit realm which is usually a place of fog or darkness for them. Can you imagine going years or sometimes decades without realizing you're dead or just not knowing what to do while in this phase of your experience?

I have come across spirits who refuse to cross for whatever reasoning they still carry which could be based on several things but the main reason is mindset and past baggage that seems to ground them!

The key as a medium is to offer a source or solution to ending this fogginess or darkness. You offer them a continuation of their spiritual journey through light.

How do you prepare for such things?

The first thing one must do is ground, center and shield. You begin with a protection prayer (ask your angels, guides and gatekeeper to protect you now) then start with meditation. Then open your crown chakra, ask the creator to place his hand above your head encasing your entire body in white light (and create an egg sphere around you of light), then begin to astral travel into the spirit realm. You might see a road or tunnel, vibrant colors, it could start out as dark, grey, or foggy, then light should open up making things bright. You ask your highest vibrational guides to step forward and take you to the souls needing rescue then the work of a medium begins.

Working with those to resolve their personal issues is not easy but once you get them to that point of crossing, its truly a holy experience and one that puts you in direct linkage with god, just as they step into that light source.

All living things have energy so a medium will not only help humans to cross but animals, plant and trees, will also venture into that same light source right along with us!

What do you do to protect yourself should something go wrong?

You ask your doorkeeper to keep that energy at bay then you send it away!

How Do I come back Into My Body If I Need To?

All you do is first ask your gatekeeper to hold anything from coming back with you then walk back into your chakra and close it but make sure you don't see anything back with you. Then close everything down and bring yourself back and thank god for giving you such precious gifts!! Finish with grounding your energy then encase in White Light again, top up with your gatekeeper for adding protection instructing him/her to enfold you in their protection, and strengthen your egg sphere. I also add a psychic gold net around my sphere to absorb negativity throughout the day!

Having to deal with energies is a natural part of spiritual work. It's the learning to control what's around you or what comes to you that makes all the difference.

During my "opening" I experienced both positive and "negative energies". Did I initially think so negatively as to attract black strings that I have since learned to be entities, which would attach to my aura?

I think the answer lies within ones gift. I feel psychic abilities is like having a bright light glowing within the universe which in turn attracts all beings to this light. The stronger you develop your gifts the easier it is to protect yourself from the realms of the spirit world and some of the dark that comes with it. One needs to first understand the reality of angels and guides for the purpose of protection. They also need to have a very strong faith in Infinite Spirit (Divine Energy-Creator) while on this difficult journey! Working with Angels and Guides to relay messages is the safest way to receive them. I also request that my doorkeeper enfold my entire being keeping me protected and safe throughout the day particularly while meditating and connecting to my guides.

If some gifted psychics happen to look at the photos of serial killers, a child molester, victims of abuse, a mentally ill individual, they can possibly see attachments with some of these people. This is the direct result of the dysfunctional "ego", ones imbalance-darkness that lies within the root core of the individual. The saying goes "like attracts like" which is so very true. And, without any form of healing the soul that darkness still continues.

There's also a fine line between having psychic abilities and mental illness. One needs to be able to differentiate between the "real" and the "not" so real. It's having the sense to "know" the difference.

All mediums are psychic but not all psychics are mediums that give added complexity to ones gifts so one must truly know how to deal with them.

We are all on a never-ending spiritual journey. As a medium, I believe that everything happens for a reason. The end result is to be stronger beings of light, develop pure connections to Infinite Intelligence, and create a never-ending linkage to the creator thus becoming the light worker we're meant to be!

We must be strong in what we do in order to be the most effective at using our gifts. This only comes through life lessons and development.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Footnotes:
Terri Manus


Copyright: teral Promotions. All rights reserved

Witches dispel myths of 'untraditional' religion
Nashua Telegraph (NH)/May 1, 2006
By Patrick Meighan
Nashua -- Sherrilyn Alden Bellavance saw it in the eyes of people who entered her downtown shop of "eccentricities and magick" in the days that followed Sept. 11, 2001.

Eddie Cyckowski felt it when he thrust aside the admonishments he heard inside himself, the product of decades of studying the Bible and listening to pulpit-pounding preachers, and crossed the threshold of Ancient Moon. He became a follower of Wicca, an Earth-centered religion, and a practitioner of witchcraft, the "science," as it's described, of using spells and rituals for empowerment or to influence your life.

Kim Jacobs faced it when she began her two-year study of shamanism at a New Age downtown art gallery.

"It" was the journey on a path toward enlightenment, or at least the start of a search for spirituality beyond traditional, mainstream religions. Of course, depending on one's belief system, "it" could be playing with the theological fires of damnation.

Jacobs, 27, of Hollis, used to catch that sort of grief from family, including a sister who once told her, "No question, you're going to hell." But her family's reaction has mellowed over time. Then again, Jacobs admits, "I sort of went out of my way to freak people out when I was in high school."

Spirits in the material world
While there is always an ebb and flow to spiritual searching, it seems to have been waxing since the terrorist attacks.

"A lot of people were coming in during the weeks that followed 9/11," Alden Bellavance said of her shop, Ancient Moon, at 107 W. Pearl St. "They'd look kind of lost, like they didn't know why they came in."

Some would ask, "I feel like I should do something. Is there a candle I should burn?"

Alden Bellavance added, "It was people who had not been here before, and I assume the same thing happened in churches. People didn't seem to know what to do."

Walking into Ancient Moon for Cyckowski was a case of taking a small step but making a giant leap. "I thought it was hell and doom," said Cyckowski, 51, of Merrimack. Not knowing what to expect, "It was really scary walking into the shop the first time," he said.

Among the Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists who make up the tapestry of the religious faithful in Greater Nashua, add these: witches, shamans, New Age healers and people who just see fit now and then to visit a palm reader, have their tarot cards read or light a candle at a homemade altar to work a little practical magic. Nontraditional beliefs flourish here - to the extent pagan religions that sometimes predate Christianity can be called nontraditional. It's hard to tally how many such believers there are locally, but it's a safe bet they're a minority that pales to the number of atheists, agnostics and those who don't give spirituality much thought at all.

Alden Bellavance estimates several hundred people have taken a witchcraft course with her since 1995. Of course, some were people simply curious about witchcraft, not true believers. She estimates about half to three-quarters of people who take a class continue on with some level of practicing witchcraft. "There will have to be at some point certain lifestyle changes if you go into the religion, just because you will need to find people to practice with to do celebrations," she said. "It's not as empowering or interesting to always do it alone."

Rather than being tucked away into little corners, pagans are among the city's movers and shakers. Alden Bellavance has run Ancient Moon for 16 years, 12 at its current location, cramped nondescriptly within a row of businesses a block from Main Street. Besides being a practicing witch and teacher of witchcraft classes, she's secretary of the city's Great American Downtown board of directors, which includes the mayor, The Telegraph's publisher and other prominent business owners.

Amethyst Wyldfyre, a shaman who owns a gallery that bears her name on East Pearl Street, has been active in downtown affairs and with the city's burgeoning arts scene. Wyldfyre played a large part with other artists and gallery owners in organizing the monthly Art Walk Nashua.

Although active in the city, pagans usually aren't going out of their way to make a point or call attention to themselves. "You will never see me picketing on City Hall steps for Wiccan rights," Alden Bellavance said. "That ain't going to happen."

Out of the broom closet At Ancient Moon, you'll find such services as hypnosis, Reiki, channeling, dream interpretation, palmistry, tarot, guided meditation, past-life regression and I-ching divination. You also can arrange to take Witchcraft I with Alden Bellavance and follow through to Witchcraft II and III. You'll find books to read, candles to burn, pentagrams and other jewelry to wear, little crystal angels and jade Buddhas to place on altars and dresser tops. What you won't find are cashiers who look and behave differently from those at any other retail shop.

"There are no bats hanging upside-down, and we're not flying around on brooms," Alden Bellavance said. She doesn't wear a pentagram, the traditional symbol of being a witch. That's too showy, she said.

Alden Bellavance's interest in witchcraft began in the 1980s when she saw an advertisement for a witchcraft class while visiting Salem, Mass. She took the class with her sister and mother, Lynne Karram, one of the owners of Ancient Moon and a palm-reader.

"I always had an interest in astrology and magical things, but again, like my customers here, I really didn't know what I was looking for," said Alden Bellavance, who is the shop's manager as well as an owner. "I was just intrigued. I liked the crystals, I liked the potions. I liked the idea of magic."

She has carefully structured the classes she now teaches and is careful about what she won't teach. "I take this quite seriously," she said. "I truly don't want to teach what I don't know." Wicca has lots of traditions, and there's a lot of misinformation about it, Alden Bellavance said. Its basic tenet is, "Do what you will, but harm no one," since the good or bad you send forth into the world comes back to you threefold.

Cyndi Redding is a writer of erotic romance novels. One of her books, titled "Out of the Broom Closet," is based on Ancient Moon and her experiences as a witch. Redding was in a dead-end job. "I wanted to feel I had a little power to do more," she said. She read "Power of the Witch" by Laurie Cabot, the official witch of Salem, Mass. Redding began "fooling around" with spells and rituals, she said, and in the process, "I scared myself." She said she felt a "presence," a spiritual entity she had somehow managed to invite into her life.

"This is not what I wanted to do," Redding said, adding she decided then, "If I'm really going to be a Wiccan, I better get further training and learn how to do this right." That's why it's important to study with someone who knows what they're doing, Redding said. "If you're going by a book, or God forbid, the Internet, you don't have anybody to bounce things off of," she said. Although she studied "the craft" with others, Redding is a solitary practitioner rather than belonging to a coven, which is a sort of congregation of witches. There's a practical reason for wanting to go it alone when it comes to rituals, she explained. "I can't imagine getting along with 13 women during a full moon when we're all ovulating," Redding said.

Emotional rescue
Laureen Johnson's foray into witchcraft was all about self-empowerment and "the ability to be in control" of her life. It took her two teenage sons a while to come to terms with their mother's budding interest, but they eventually came around, said Johnson, 47, of Mont Vernon. "They've seen the good, positive change in me," Johnson said. A phlebotomist who plans to attend nursing school, Johnson said candle magic has helped her center herself. "It's a way of directing your energy to make your dreams come true," she said. "You really feel like you had something to do with the outcome." Johnson said she's found Wicca to be "a very accepting form of spirituality." She added, "It helped put emotional chaos into perspective. What you put out there does come back to you."

For Jacobs, the two-year journey to becoming a shaman has been challenging. "You need to face all your fears, your scars, your prejudices, your concepts of right and wrong," Jacobs said. "It's almost like you need to reconstruct yourself." The process, which involves a detailed study of the medicine wheel, she said, is learning to let go of stuff "so you can be your true self."

Jacobs is a visual artist who attended the Rhode Island School of Design. She studies shamanism at Amethyst Wyldfyre gallery, where her paintings are displayed. "Shamanism is a practice that's pretty much worldwide with most traditional tribal cultures," she said. "There's a lot of different places in history where you can find a shaman. They're called different things," such as medicine woman and witch doctor, she said. "It's really a religious consultant and healer."

Pride and prejudice
Wiccans, healers, witches and shamans share a trait beyond their belief in an Earth-based faith: People either outright condemn them or approach them with cautious curiosity. Cyckowski has lived on both sides of the condemnation fence. A man who says he's been on a lifelong spiritual quest, Cyckowski was brought up Catholic and studied off and on with Jehovah's Witnesses from when he was a teenager through his 30s. Cyckowski's wife worked with the daughter of a man who worked at Ancient Moon and who was a witch. When he heard that, Cyckowski felt an emotion that made him uncomfortable. "That bothered me so much - I hated this man without meeting him because he's a witch," Cyckowski said.

Curious, and wanting to deal with his feelings, Cyckowski called the man and asked him about witchcraft. They talked on the phone for hours. Eventually, Cyckowski found himself drawn to witchcraft because he liked the sense of community he felt among practitioners. As a business owner, Alden Bellavance has been anything but evangelical, certainly not with friends and acquaintances at Great American Downtown. "There's always kind of like that strange curiosity," she said. You know, 'Oh, maybe I should come in for a reading.' But I will never try to entice them or put them on the spot."

Then there's the issue of the boundary some people can't bring themselves to cross at Ancient Moon, a shop Alden Bellavance describes as "a multitude of different businesses" under one roof. "It's very unusual to have people come in here, get readings, buy products and take classes," she said. Each area typically has its own set of customers, she said.

Customers often come in for a reading because of a specific issue, she said. "Maybe a relationship ends, and they're devastated," she said. Readers will sometimes say, "Maybe you'd like to get a candle that will help you with your self-esteem or make you feel better. Not necessarily witchcraft, but just self help." More often than not, the customer won't travel that road.

"Which is funny to me, that they will come in and have a reading, and then be offered a tool to enhance their healing, and not necessarily do it," Alden Bellavance said. "Some people want to get the information but don't necessarily want to run with it. That's kind of disappointing, because I believe that you do have the power to procreate change," she said. "I believe you have the ability to do that to some degree, at least."

Be Witched Priestesses teach the uninitiated about the world of Wicca
San Francisco Chronicle, October 29, 1999
By Sam McManis
Witches gather in a circle at Elayne Lockhart's apartment in Concord. It's neither a solstice nor a full moon, not a night of religious significance in the Wiccan world at all. They aren't even discussing upcoming plans for Samhain, the pagan New Year's Eve observance that nonbelievers celebrate as Halloween.

What brings these witches of Contra Costa together is educational rather than ceremonial concerns. They have come out of the broom closet, so to speak, to teach the uninitiated and the curious all about the enchanting world of witchcraft, Wicca, paganism and other forms of goddess worship. They won't cast spells on this night, merely dispel stereotypical depictions of this old-time religion that predates Christianity.

Jessica, a petite redhead in an attractive pantsuit, is one of the curious. She looks around the room, wide-eyed and smiling at the sheer, well, normality of what she sees.

"Where are the pointy hats and the crooked noses and the green faces?" Jessica asks, laughing nervously. "Only one of you here is wearing black. This isn't what I expected."

The witches giggle, nod knowingly. These self-described priestesses have heard it all before, all that Grimms Fairy Tale hooey. They set Jessica straight. They tell her that witchcraft -- these practitioners, by the way, prefer to use the traditional term rather than the more New Agey name Wicca -- is a nature-based religion featuring many gods and goddesses. Far from being satanic, paganism honors the seasons and phases of the moon through ritual that, yes, occasionally involves magic.

But, they tell Jessica, spells are used for good, not evil. "So," Jessica sighs, "that means you won't teach me how to turn my ex-boyfriends into toads?"

Evil? Satanic?

Hardly. In truth, the two-hour gabfest turns out to be as tame as a PTA meeting, as casual and collegial as a bunch of moms yakking it up while their kids frolic in the park. If you were to run into these women in the checkout line at the grocery store, you couldn't tell them from all the other soccer moms with minivans.

The Witches Next Door
Lockhart, 41, has a chatty, girlish voice that belies her age. She has short red hair and wears a pink T-shirt and black stretch pants. RhosynTan of Lafayette (she declines to give her "secular" name because "I volunteer at a local high school") is married and has a 19-year-old daughter. She's a brassy blonde, as tart-tongued and funny as Lockhart is sweet.

And 30-year-old Jamie Kathan- Cole, of Concord, wears jeans and, seemingly, a permanent smile.

So much for stereotypes.

"We have jobs, we love kids, and a lot of us have them," Kathan-Cole says. "Being a witch, pagan or Wiccan means respecting the earth and preserving her as best we can. Part of the work a witch does is bringing balance, balancing ourselves with the universe around us."

Witches, too, seem to be all around us.

"There was a poll taken by a (metaphysical) store in Contra Costa about five years ago, to see how many pagans there were in the county," Lockhart says. "There were 3,000 who signed up. And it's probably twice as many now, since there are a lot of solitaries out there who aren't open about it. But they are out there."

Their problems are just like anybody else's. It's how they deal with those problems that may differ.

In June 1993, around the time of summer solstice, Lockhart thought it was time she got another man in her life. She had been divorced three years, had two kids and had only recently come out of the broom closet about her powers as a witch. It wasn't going to be easy.

So Lockhart went to the altar at her Concord apartment and sent out a spell for a man 10 years older than she, who was taller than 6 feet and who was like-minded and accepting of her witchcraft. Five months later, she met Dan, who fit all the criteria. Bewitched by one another, soon they were married.

Spelling It Out -- Positively
What, a skeptic might ask, is the difference between a spell and merely a secular wish or a Christian prayer?

"It's very similar," Lockhart says. "Magical spell work is, basically, energy. It's sending out something positive. You have to learn the proper ways. You do not demand your god or goddess to show up. You have to learn to work with your gifts, cultivate your divination and feel comfortable with them. It takes time."

Lockhart should know. She says she was initiated into traditional witchcraft -- passed down to family members who show the aptitude to carry on the tradition -- in 1967. She was 10, living with her grandmother on a cattle ranch off Marsh Creek Road in Clayton. Grandma, she says, was something of an eclectic sort.

"She was a healer, an herbalist, a midwife, a self-taught vet, a psychic who read cards and a Catholic," Lockhart says. "Living with her, it was all about balance and nature, which you see everyday living on a cattle ranch. That's where I developed powers of observing nature to know what's going to happen in the future."

It wasn't easy, being a child witch in the suburbs in the late '60s and early '70s.

"My grandmother would send me to catechism, and I'd keep coming up with questions to the nuns like, `Well, what about Mrs. God?' Even back then, I saw that (Christianity) was patriarchal."

Then there was relating with her schoolmates.

"You just don't go up to a kid and say, `Hi, I'm a witch,' " Lockhart says. "My problem in school was with my psychic gifts. I don't like to see anyone get hurt, so I'd say to kids, `Don't go out on the playground today because you'll get hurt.' They'd go, get hurt, then come back and harass me for it. I learned how cruel children can be. No matter where I went to school, I was always labeled a witch, even if they didn't know my background. Maybe they just saw something different in me. I was more mature than most kids, more open to things beyond the physical realm."

`Kids Seem To Handle It Better'
In high school, Lockhart met her first husband, who was part Native American. Later, before they got married, she told her first husband, a firefighter, that she was a witch.

"I'm not sure he really believed me at the time," she says. "While we were married, I practiced while he was at work or after the kids went to bed. My ex could understand my beliefs from a Native American point of view, but things didn't work out, and on our 13th wedding anniversary, we filed for divorce."

Lockhart's children -- a daughter, 23, and son, 19 -- knew about their mother's religious beliefs since childhood, but it wasn't until they became teenagers that she started making public appearances at workshops. "Kids seem to handle it better than adults," Lockhart says. "My son's friends in high school would say `cool' when they found out. What the craft teaches you is that whatever energy you send out is going to return to you. You are responsible for all your actions. When something goes wrong in your life, you have to look at yourself first. But everything's also connected to Mother Earth. When a woman is attacked somewhere, it hurts all women. If a male witch is attacked for his beliefs, it also hurts everybody."

Neither of Lockhart's children is an initiated witch, but she says they both have "healing gifts" they cultivate in different ways. "My son is more in touch with his Celtic side, and my daughter's drawn to her Native American side," she says.

Neither RhosynTan's husband nor her 19-year-old daughter practice the craft. "But (her daughter) is kind, generous, respects others, is compassionate, so I guess some of my values rubbed off on her," she says.

On RhosynTan's front porch are her religious "decorations," including grapevine wreaths with pentacles -- five-pointed stars -- woven in. She has a stone circle on her fireplace hearth ("looks like Stonehenge," she says) and gargoyle statues throughout the house.

"Keeps the Jehovah's Witnesses away," RhosynTan says, laughing.

An Early Calling
RhosynTan said she got the pagan calling at age 7 and her parents, though non-Pagans, did not discourage her. "Nothing mattered to them except whether you were a good person or not," she says. She's been a priestess since 1977 and heads a nematon (place made holy) called Awen-Celi Grove in Contra Costa.

She's known in the local pagan community for her outspoken nature. "I do not tolerate those who practice religions that seek to deliberately hurt others, that act out of or teach malice or hatred or that teach that there's only one right way. . . . I personally have nothing against Christians, so long as they are willing to be tolerant of my beliefs as well."

Six years ago, RhosynTan lost her job at a retail store, she says, because of a conflict with a co-worker who was a born-again Christian. "I consider myself lucky," she says. "I have known others who lost their children, friends, homes and families because they embraced a `benign' religious belief that is not one of the `acceptable' mainstream religions." Kathan-Cole, a solitary practitioner, grew up in a strict Protestant family in Concord and knows religious repression firsthand.

She said she also had a "Don't ask, don't tell policy" with her husband, a Catholic. Witchcraft has helped Kathan-Cole deal with the death of her infant son due to labor complications in 1996 and her divorce a year later. "My work as a witch is a healing path, but I'm not like some who deny there is a dark side to existence," she says. "The sun sets, death happens, life is not always pretty. But without the darkness, there could be no light. . .

. I just wish more people would understand that witches and pagans are out there working to heal the planet."

As the two-hour witches' forum breaks up, hugs are exchanged and Lockhart invites Jessica, one of the curious, to come back to another meeting. Jessica nods in acknowledgment, but adds with a smirk: "Yeah, but I'd still like to turn my ex-boyfriends into toads."

Norse Lawgiver In Walnut Creek Spells Out The Lay Of The Land
Don't call Steve Corum a warlock. He is a witch, the chief godhi (lawgiver) of an Asatru circle based in Walnut Creek. If you call him --or, for that matter, any priest in pagan or heathen traditions -- a warlock, it's considered highly offensive.

"Very derogatory," Corum says. "Warlock means oath- breaker." Seven years ago, Corum converted from Christianity to Asatru (meaning "speak the truth" in old Icelandic). This traditional Norse religion is similar to Wicca, says Corum. But he says it is decidely more male-centered.

"Most pagan religions are very feminine-heavy, but in Norse, we emphasize more the divine marriage between gods and goddesses," Corum says. "But we still give reverence to the old (religion). We're honest in our affairs with family, kindred. We believe in the Three Fold Law, that any negative spell you send out comes back to you three times negative." Corum says the Norse tradition differs from Wicca and other pagan religions in two respects:

Norse followers prefer to describe themselves as heathens, not pagans. Corum says they use the term to refer to those from Germanic cultures.
Norse followers are not pacificists. "We are peace-loving, but there are times when you have to draw blood," he says. "You don't go looking for conflict, but you don't back down. That's not what Wicca believes. It's more fuzzy-bunny, light, light stuff. We're hard-core warrior."
Witches Give Straight Answers To Common Questions
We asked witches in Contra Costa and Cheryl Cabot of the Witches' League for Public Awareness in Salem, Mass., to dispel assumptions about witchcraft, Wicca and paganism. Here are their answers:

Q: Is witchcraft a religion?

A: Yes. Witchcraft is protected under the U.S. Constitution and has been acknowledged by the Internal Revenue Service as a religion. Under Title VII, pagans and witches are protected from job and housing discrimination.

Q: Are witches worshipers of Satan?

A: No. Witches believe that nothing is evil and that all things contain divine energy. "Satan is a Christian construct," said RhosynTan, a witch from Lafayette. "We do not perform blood or fire sacrifice of any living thing."

Q: What do witches believe?

A: "Practitioners call witchcraft a pantheistic religion, believing that God and Goddess energy is contained in all things," Cabot writes. Witches "also become aware of the belief in one universal energy that is polar and balanced. It is the union of this polar masculine and feminine energy that creates the perfect whole."

Q: What does the witches' rede, "An it harm none, do as ye will" mean?

A: Says witch Elayne Lockhart of Concord: "This has been misinterpreted to read, `Do what you want as long as it harms no one.' Originally, it meant to find your will and purpose in life and to follow it as long as you harm none in the process."

Q: What is a spell?

A: "It's a thought, a projection or a prayer," Cabot writes. Wands are used in healing for directing energy, she says.

Q: How do witches celebrate Halloween?

A: Says Lockhart: "It's Samhain (pronounced sow-when), the Celtic New Year. It's a time we pay honor to our ancestors, those who have left us. It's also our New Year, so we make wishes, like for a new home, a better job, peace."

Q: What about candy and costumes?

A: Says Lockhart: "That's just Santa Claus-type of stuff."

Q: What's the symbolism of a witch's broom?

A: Cabot writes it is "used for sweeping any harmful energies from the area. . . . Of course, on the practical side, you can use it to sweep your

Like Magic, Witchcraft Charms Teenagers
New York Times, February 13, 2000
By Ruth La Ferla
NEW YORK -- Occupying a place of honor in Emn Haddad-Friedman's bedroom in Brooklyn is a trunk. "Just a box really," Haddad-Friedman said, one that doubles as an altar, providing a perch for such items as a pair of candlesticks, an incense burner, a cast-iron cauldron and, she said wryly, sometimes her cats.

A solitary practitioner of Wicca -- a name for modern witchcraft -- Haddad-Friedman has, in the parlance of the craft, lately "come out of the broom closet." She displays the symbols of her beliefs in full view of friends and family members, who have come to regard them, she said, with mild bemusement.

Haddad-Friedman, a senior honor student at an alternative high school in Manhattan, practices witchcraft as time permits. "My best rituals are spontaneous," she said. "I'm 17, I'll be going to college; I've got a life to live." She never fails, however, to acknowledge a full moon with a skyward glance and a wave.

Falynn Trayer, also 17, is similarly breezy about her witchcraft. "I have no set rituals," she said. Trayer is the daughter of a Wiccan author, who uses the pen name Silver RavenWolf. "If I want a better grade at school, I may ask the god and goddess for their help, burn a candle -- something like that," she said.

She is utterly diligent, however, about wearing her pentacle, the five-pointed star enclosed within a circle that is the symbol of Wicca, displaying it outside her clothes. There was a time, she said, when her icon alarmed classmates and teachers at her high school in south-central Pennsylvania, who thought that they detected about it a faint whiff of sulfur. "They used to look at my pentacle and call me names," Trayer said. "Now, they see it and want to know more." She usually obliges with a brief explanation, but stops short of describing the subtler mysteries of her faith. "Every religion has its secrets," she said.

Trayer and Haddad-Friedman are members of a movement gaining an ardent following among teen-agers, mostly girls, who are in part captivated by the glossy new image of witches portrayed on television shows and in the movies. No longer the hideous, wart-covered crone of folklore and fairy tale, witches in hit television shows like "Charmed," starring Shannen Doherty, and the 1996 movie "The Craft," a favorite with teen-agers at video stores, are avatars of glamour, power and style.

Other youthful adherents of Wicca, seeking an alternative path to spirituality, are attracted by the craft's lack of structure and dogma. Wiccans, as they have been known since Gerald Gardner, an English high Wiccan priest, popularized the faith in the 1950s and '60s, have no codified beliefs or essential texts. Practitioners are unified primarily by their belief in a dual divinity: a god and goddess. They also share a reverence for the natural world, which they see as permeated with powerful energy that may be tapped through rituals or magic for healing or success in work or love.

Generally meeting in covens, which anoint their own priests and priestesses, Wiccans chant and cast or draw circles to invoke their deities, mainly during festivals like Samhain and Yule, which coincide with Halloween and Christmas, and when the moon is full. Few are willing to discuss what they call their faith openly with strangers, for fear of being stigmatized. Fewer still seek converts, perhaps because there is no need. In recent years, this once largely underground practice has come out in the open, its numbers climbing strongly since 1986, when a federal appeals court ruled that Wicca was a legal religion protected by the Constitution.

Estimates of the movement's size in the United States vary from 100,000 to about 1 million, the latter figure cited by Fritz Jung, who with his wife, Wren Walker, created the Witches' Voice, a Web site at www.witchvox.com. Teen-age Wiccans, who tend to worship alone or to meet in small, informal groups, are the hardest to track. While there is no definitive count, 35 percent of the total visitors to the Witches' Voice -- or close to 5,000 of them -- are under 18, said Jung, who tracks their ages. "So Ya Wanna Be a Witch?" the company's Web page for teen-agers, has drawn 175,000 visitors in the last two years, he said.

Judging by the popularity of Web sites aimed at teen-agers (some 320 are listed on Witchvox alone), and by the small army of television producers, movie makers, magazine editors and booksellers now promoting the Wiccan lifestyle, the craft has cast a powerful enchantment on the high-school and college-age population.

"The contemporary witch is the beautiful 25 year old that you see on TV," said Jami Shoemaker, the publicist for Lllewellyn Worldwide, the St. Paul-based publisher of RavenWolf's books "Teen Witch" and "To Ride a Silver Broomstick."

The pert, comely and often sultry Wiccans of recent movies, including "Practical Magic," and of television hits like "Sabrina, the Teen-age Witch," "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" and "Charmed," are cast as slender Circes.

The three fetching Wiccan siblings of "Charmed," broadcast Thursday nights on the WB network, wear skin-baring sweaters and coral-slicked lips as they dispatch demons, exuding a wholesome randiness all the while. Their candid sexuality, played against their otherwise genteel demeanors, has made "Charmed" the No. 2 rated show on the network among viewers 18 to 34. Magazines, too, have heeded the pagan's siren call. A recent issue of Jump, a monthly for teen-age girls, featured a fashion layout on "goddess style" -- an update on hippie exoticism. The magazine refrains from discussing witchcraft directly lest it alienate some readers, said its editor, Lori Berger, but it peppers its pages with features on astrology, herbal cures and color therapy -- witches' stock in trade. "In our reader surveys, those stories just score though the roof," Berger said. "There's a sense of magic that girls get from this that is very empowering."

Booksellers have been particularly enterprising in trading on witchcraft's appeal to the lovelorn: the Borders bookstore on 57th Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan has dedicated no less than 21 feet of shelf space to Magical Studies, including titles like "The Little Book of Love Spells" (Andrews McNeel, 1997) and "Titania's Wishing Spells: Love" (William Morrow, 2000). In the last year, even cosmetics makers have capitalized on Wicca. MAC, a hip small brand, introduced a collection called Earth Goddess, and recently expanded it to include fragrances it calls "potions."

"These products are not about sorcery," maintained Michelle Feeney, MAC's vice president for global communication. But it is hard to miss the witchy message in the advertisements. Asphalt Flower, a pungent oil, is described as "a harmony of dark blossoms, perversely empowered by dense woody notes." More than a cosmetic for the soul, witchcraft is a lodestone for the defiantly unconventional and the would-be hip, who stream into Manhattan shops like Morgana's Closet on West 10th Street, which sells pendulums for divining, tarot cards and moonstone rings; and into Enchanted Childe on Orchard Street, where tightly laced frocks with bell-shaped sleeves recall the singer Stevie Nicks, a favorite of Wiccans, who took to the stage in the 1970s trailing wispy scarves, her face illuminated by a hundred candles. But to focus on Wicca's trappings is perhaps to miss its impact as a faith on sincere seekers. They burn incense, consecrate candles, chant and draw "magick" circles in the air. Simone Magaletta, 21, a junior at New York University and a self-taught aspiring Wiccan, maintains that learning the craft has influenced her profoundly. "It has made me more determined to make something of myself," she said. "And taught me to live in a more positive way."

The craft is "especially appealing to the young people who want to be active participants in their own spiritual lives," said Wren Walker of the Witches' Voice.

Witchcraft is also a magnet for feminists, who identify with its female deity, and for environmentalists drawn by the reverence for nature. It also exerts a pull on the eccentric, the sensitive and the socially disconnected. Wicca "empowers the marginalized," said John K. Simmons, a professor of religious studies at Western Illinois University, who has studied contemporary witchcraft. "It appeals most of all to the intelligent, poetic young woman who is not necessarily going to go out for cheerleader or date the captain of the football team."

Such pursuits hold little charm for a 15-year-old Wiccan in from Roseville, Calif., a town near Sacramento, who is one of many teen-age witches who list their e-mail addresses on the Witches' Voice. Asking to be identified only as Tuesday, her on-line name, she said in an e-mail message: "I still read these childhood favorites, 'The Young Wizard' series by Diane Duane and so many others I can't begin to list them." Her rituals are mostly spontaneous, she added. "I'll draw the blinds up and sleep in the light of the full moon if I can. I also try to pray daily at my altar. I light the big red candle and kneel before I do math and English homework."

Friends sometimes tease her, she went on, humming snatches of "Black Magic Woman" in her presence and asking her to turn their teachers into frogs. She tries to take their taunts in stride and to cope with her mother's disapproval as well. "My mother thinks that this is weird," Tuesday wrote. "Wiccans to her are not to be trusted. She tells me that this is a temporary thing that she and my father must discuss. They're considering not allowing me to practice in our house."

Wicca appeals most to middle-class kids, mostly girls, who live in rural areas and suburbs, said Andres I. Perez y Mena, an assistant professor of anthropology at Long Island University in Brooklyn. "They have few distractions and even less control over their lives, and they practice sorcery to exert power over their existence." But, he added, "Rituals and cauldrons aren't a substitute for social action."

They are, however, potent symbols of rebellion. "The witch stands outside the notion of acceptable behavior; she challenges the power structure, she's dangerous, she's angry," said Phyllis Curott, a lawyer, Wiccan priestess and the author of "The Book of Shadows" (Broadway Books, 1999), in which she describes her discovery of the craft.

Although Wicca portrays itself as a positive creed, it remains the bane of some parents, educators and clergymen, who are concerned or even alarmed by its associations with black magic and demons. Wiccans are not to be confused with the black-cloaked, hardware-festooned Goths and Satanists, other subcultures popular with teen-agers that are obsessed with death and invoke the devil in their rites. Wiccans reject Satan as a fiction devised by man. "There is no black magic or white magic, there is only magic," maintained Lady Armida, a Wiccan priestess, who is the owner of Enchanted Childe.

Ignoring such disclaimers, some school officials have sought to root out the Wiccans in their midst. At Lincoln Park High School in Lincoln Park, Mich., a Detroit suburb, Crystal Seifferly, a 17-year-old honor student, was told not to wear a pentacle. But in a court case decided just over a year ago, the American Civil Liberties Union successfully argued that the school's prohibition violated her First Amendment rights.

When they emerge from the "broom closet," young Wiccans like Haddad-Friedman of Brooklyn, who dresses primarily in black and paints streaks of color in her long, tar-black hair, still draw comments and quizzical looks from teachers and strangers. Recently, a teacher stopped her in the school hallway, Haddad-Friedman recalled, and asked with concern, "Are you all right?" "Some people -- strangers in the street -- even tried to get me to go to counseling," she added.

To some degree, such anxieties are understandable. There is no overlooking witchcraft's charisma for self-styled rebels.

"I was a big metal head, with the chains, the leather jacket, the whole nine yards, and I wanted to become a Satanist," said Chris, 24, who prefers to be identified by his first name only. Leaning on a counter stocked with rainbow-colored incense powders at Enchanted Childe, where he works, he recalled discovering witchcraft instead, while a teen-ager. He calls it an uplifting path to inward transformation, but he frequently hears from people "who are getting into the craft because they want to be feared," he said. "You know -- they imagine people will take one look at their pentacle and rush to get out of the way."

FIBROMYALGIA DIAGNOSIS
For many people with fibromyalgia, getting a diagnosis isn't easy. For some, it may take years of going from doctor to doctor. In fact, it can take an average of a year and a half and three doctors for people with fibromyalgia to get an accurate diagnosis. The process can be frustrating. However, research has shown that getting a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, along with education about it, is an essential first step in better managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia.


Why is making the diagnosis so difficult?

Making the diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be hard because there is no specific test for it. Your doctor can't see it on an x-ray or do a blood test. Instead, he or she relies on your symptoms.

But fibromyalgia symptoms can vary a great deal from one person to the next. And they can be similar to those of many other conditions. For example, some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia can look like those of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hyperthyroidism, and lupus. Your doctor may do tests to see if these other conditions are causing your symptoms.


Using criteria to make the diagnosis

The American College of Rheumatology has developed criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Your doctor may use these to help in your diagnosis. These include:


Pain all over the body (that is, on both the right and left sides of the body and above and below the waist) for at least 3 months
Pain in at least 11 of the 18 tender-point areas of the body when pressed mildly but firmly on these areas
Other signs or symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as fatigue, disturbed sleep, and morning stiffness


Location of the 18 tender points for diagnosis of fibromyalgia. From the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

These guidelines are helpful, but there is still a lot of opportunity to better understand the condition. Some doctors believe that you can have fibromyalgia even if you don't have pain in 11 tender points. Others say that as long as you have widespread pain, you don't need to have tender points.


Tips for working with your doctor to get a diagnosis

The sooner you get a diagnosis, the sooner you may be able to better manage your symptoms. Here are some things you can try:


Ask questions. Ask your doctor why he or she is doing each test. When you know the reasons, you'll understand the process better
Keep records. Take notes at each appointment, and ask for the results of each test. That will keep you from having to start the process all over again if you need to see a new doctor
Find a health care professional. Many health care professionals have experience managing fibromyalgia. Some may have more than others. Try to find one who will work with you as a partner
Take an active role in the partnership. Learn as much as you can about fibromyalgia. Be open with your questions and concerns, and ask your doctor to do the same with you. That's the way to have a true partner

Key point to keep in mind: Do all you can to take an active role in your diagnosis.

POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FIBROMYALGIA
When you have a lifelong condition like fibromyalgia, it makes sense that you may want to know what causes it. Experts have a number of theories about what causes fibromyalgia, but they do not yet know its exact cause. It’s likely that a number of factors may trigger and contribute to fibromyalgia.


Where fibromyalgia may start

Heredity. Like many diseases, fibromyalgia may run in families. So it is likely that some people are born with genes that increase their risk of getting it. It can start at any time, but there may be some events that trigger fibromyalgia in those who are more likely to get it.


Triggers of fibromyalgia

Accidents and injuries. Fibromyalgia may be triggered by an injury or trauma.

Infection. Some infections may present with similar symptoms as fibromyalgia. Some that may be linked to fibromyalgia include hepatitis C, Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus, and Lyme disease.

Autoimmune disorders. These disorders occur when the body’s immune system sees its own tissues as foreign and attacks them. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are examples of autoimmune disorders.

Key point to keep in mind: It’s likely that several factors may play a part in causing fibromyalgia. Or, in some people, none of these factors may apply

SYMTOMS OF FIBROMYALGIA
The symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary from mild to severe and may go on for a long time and should be discussed with your health care professional. Fibromyalgia is not considered to be life-threatening, and its symptoms may not necessarily get worse with time. Although fibromyalgia cannot be cured, many people with fibromyalgia are able to manage their symptoms with proper treatment.


Pain is the main symptom

The main symptom of fibromyalgia is pain all over the body for more than 3 months. It is common for people to experience achy muscles that feel tender to the touch and morning stiffness. The pain of fibromyalgia is a "deep" muscle pain and may be felt as:


Aching
Radiating
Shooting
Gnawing
Burning
Exhausting
Nagging

The pain may not always be the same. For some people with fibromyalgia, the pain and stiffness are worst when they wake up, improve during the day, and increase again at night. But others have all-day, non-stop pain. For many, the pain gets worse with physical activity, stress, or anxiety. Fibromyalgia patients may be more sensitive to light and temperature.

Along with overall pain, people with fibromyalgia have many specific parts of the body that are tender to the touch, also known as tender points. These include:


Front and back of the neck
Mid to upper back of the shoulders
Upper chest
Elbows
Upper buttocks
Hips
Knees




Fibromyalgia "tender points" from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.


Other symptoms you may experience


Disturbed sleep. People with fibromyalgia often sleep lightly and wake up during the night. They also often wake up feeling tired and unrefreshed
Fatigue. People with fibromyalgia may often feel tired throughout the day
Mood changes. Some people with fibromyalgia report that they feel "blue" or "down." Others report feeling anxious
Problems with thinking. Some people with fibromyalgia say that they often feel confused, can’t concentrate, and have memory lapses. These problems have been referred to as "fibro fog"

Key point to keep in mind: Fibromyalgia differs from person to person. The most common complaint is chronic widespread pain. Beyond that, no two people with fibromyalgia have exactly the same signs and symptoms.



MANAGING FIBROMYALGIA
Living with fibromyalgia can be a challenge. But there are some things that may help you manage it, including lifestyle changes, exercise, and medication. You should work closely with your doctor, be actively involved in your treatment, and talk about which steps might help you.


Learn about fibromyalgia

The more you know about fibromyalgia, the more able you will be to find ways to manage your condition. Studies show that intensive education may help to manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia.


Exercise for better health

Studies show that many kinds of gentle exercise can ease the pain of fibromyalgia. You may want to try:


Walking
Jogging
Water aerobics
Stationary bicycling

Always check with your doctor before you start any exercise program. Start slowly and listen closely to your body. It's important not to overdo it. High-intensity exercise (like vigorous swimming) or long exercise sessions may make fibromyalgia symptoms worse. You can start with as little as 5 minutes of exercise a day and work your way up.


Take some simple steps to better sleep

If you find that you are sleeping poorly, you're not alone. With fibromyalgia, pain and poor sleep happen in a circle, with each worsening the other. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to help yourself sleep better. The National Fibromyalgia Association, the National Pain Foundation, the National Sleep Foundation, and other expert organizations recommend the following steps in general to help people sleep:


Stick to a sleep schedule. If you go to bed at the same time every night, your body will get used to falling asleep at that time. So choose a time and stay with it, even on weekends
Keep it cool. When a room is too warm, people wake up more often and sleep less deeply. According to the National Sleep Foundation, studies show that you're likely to sleep better in a room that's on the cool side. So try turning down the thermostat and keeping a fan on hand
As evening approaches, cut out the caffeine. Caffeine has a wake-up effect that lasts, so it's best to avoid it well before bedtime. That includes not just coffee, but also tea, colas, and chocolate
Avoid alcohol before bed. That "nightcap" may make you sleepy at first. But as your blood alcohol levels drop, it has the opposite effect, and you may find yourself wide awake
Exercise in the afternoon. Afternoon exercise may help you sleep more deeply. But exercising before bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep
Nap if you need to, but be brief. If you're so tired that you must take a nap, set the alarm for 20 minutes. Snooze any longer and you may have trouble falling asleep at night
Make your room a relaxing refuge. Treat yourself to comfortable bedclothes and snuggly pajamas. Consider a white-noise machine or fan so you can fall asleep to a soothing background sound
Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Reading helps some people fall asleep. So does listening to soft music. Do whatever works for you. But try to follow the same routine every night, to signal your body that it's time for bed


Get help in coping

Fibromyalgia is not "all in your head." Still, long-term, painful conditions like fibromyalgia can affect your emotional well-being. A type of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy has been found to be helpful in some people with fibromyalgia.

Cognitive behavioral therapy was developed to help us see how our thoughts affect how we feel and what we do. Studies show that in some people with fibromyalgia, cognitive behavioral therapy can improve pain severity and function.

Key point to keep in mind: Getting support and having someone to talk with can make a real difference in your management of fibromyalgia.

http://www.fibrocenter.com/content/home.jsp

Migraine Headache
Understanding Migraine and Headache is very important as many are affected by Migraines and simply don't know how to handle them.

Migraine is a neurological syndrome that causes headaches. It is literally a common condition that is more common to affect women population than men.
The typical migraine headache only generally affects only one side and has pulsating feeling that can last from four to seventy two hours.

Aside from the throbbing pain in the head, migraine sufferers also complain of nausea and vomiting. They also exhibit sensitivity to light and noise.
Accordingly, one third of those who suffer from migraine had experience of having a preceding aura. Auras exhibited are like a strange light or unfavorable smell.

There are some foods or events that trigger the migraine. For some chocolates, cheese and alcohol can trigger an episode of migraine while for some stress or menstruation is their biggest trigger.

The exact cause of Migraine is still unknown but the general theory of its cause is the disorder that affects the serotonergic control system. Genetic factors is also a big factor that contributes to migraine likewise hormonal level is also a plus factor that is why more women are affected by migraines than men.

Migraine treatment starts with simple painkillers and anti-emetics for the nauseous feeling of migraine sufferers.

If the migraine got worse, doctors may consider preventative drugs.


What Are Migraine Headaches
Migraine is a neurological disorder that generally involves recurring headaches. Other symptoms may occur with the headaches. Migraines are often classified based on whether they include an early symptom called an aura. Most migraines do not have this aura stage.

Migraine headaches affect about 11 out of 100 people. They are a common type of chronic, recurring headache. They most commonly occur in women and usually begin between the ages of 10 and 46. In some cases, they appear to run in families.

A migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by stress, food, or some other factor. The exact chain of events is not known. However, it seems to involve various nerve pathways and chemicals in the brain. These changes affect the flow of blood in the brain and surrounding membranes.

Migraine is one of the most common diseases of the nervous system. In developed countries migraine affects about 10-15% of people.
A migraine is a type of headache that usually happens in episodes or "attacks".
It may feel like it is throbbing or pulsating and may be located on one side of the head.
The pain may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound. It may be so severe that the patient has to lie down in a darkened room and wait for it to pass.
Some migraine sufferers have a warning 'aura', lasting up to 1 hour before the headache starts, which often causes problems with eyesight; for example, flashing lights, zig-zag lines and blank spots when trying to concentrate on something. Such attacks preceded by an aura are called 'classical' and account for about only 20% of migraines.
Migraines without aura are called 'common' and account for about 80% of migraine attacks.
Some people also suffer from other warning symptoms, such as numbness or tingling on one side of the face, around the mouth or down one arm.
There are also other types of migraine that are less common than the ones described above.

Migraine headaches are a neurological syndrome that causes painful headaches. It is literally a common condition that is more common to affect women population than men.

The typical migraine headache only generally affects only one side and has pulsating feeling that can last from four to seventy two hours.

Aside from the throbbing pain in the head, migraine sufferers also complain of nausea and vomiting. They also exhibit sensitivity to light and noise.

Accordingly, one third of those who suffer from migraine had experience of having a preceding aura. Auras exhibited are like a strange light or unfavorable smell.

There are some foods or events that trigger the migraine headaches. For some chocolates, cheese and alcohol can trigger an episode of migraine while for some stress or menstruation is their biggest trigger.

The exact cause of migraine headaches is still unknown but the general theory of its cause is the disorder that affects the serotonergic control system. Genetic factors is also a big factor that contributes to migraine likewise hormonal level is also a plus factor that is why more women are affected by migraines than men.

Migraine headaches treatment starts with simple painkillers and anti-emetics for the nauseous feeling of migraine sufferers.

If the migraine got worse, doctors may consider preventative drugs. In addition if the foods are the triggers of migraine, doctors will advise the patient to avoid the triggering foods to prevent the attack of the migraine.

Migraine Treatment
There is no cure for migraine. The goal is to control the symptoms and prevent further attacks.

Rest in a quiet, darkened room. This will often reduce the severity of the symptoms. Drink fluids to prevent dehydration, especially if vomiting occurs.

Several medications may help relieve symptoms. However, the effectiveness of migraine medications is highly variable in different people. If a medication has been effective in relieving a previous migraine, it may be tried before others.

Over-the-counter medicines may help reduce pain if they are taken early in the headache. If these are ineffective, talk to your doctor about other options.

Ergotamine tartrate preparations constrict the arteries of the head and may be used alone or in combination with other drugs such as caffeine (Cafergot), phenobarbital, or Fioricet.

Propoxyphene or other medications that relieve pain or inflammation may provide relief for some people. Nausea should be treated early with Reglan, Compazine, or other anti-emetics.

Some medicines can prevent migraines. These include propranolol, amitriptyline, ergonovine, cyproheptadine, clonidine, methysergide, calcium channel antagonists, valproic acid, carbamazepine, topiramate (Topamax), and many others.

Several medications may need to be tried before you find one that works. A class of drugs known as triptans can relieve a migraine once it starts. Various triptans can be injected, taken as a pill, or dissolved under the tongue.

There's really no known cure for migraine treatment but there are some medications that can decrease the severity of the attack of the migraine. There are also some preventive drugs that can be used to prevent the migraine attack. Medically, there is some evidence that aspirin when taken along with drugs that helps with nausea like metoclopramide may decrease the symptoms of migraine.

Ideally, identifying what triggers your migraine may help you avoid the migraine attack. Triggers for different people varies as some individual may react to a certain trigger like red wine which other people may not but may have a sudden attack if they have eaten chocolates.

The first medicine that is used for migraine treatment is acetaminophen like Tylenol and NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, naproxen sodium and ibuprofen.

Some physicians prefer that their patients try the NSAIDs as part of initial treatment before they allow their patients to use preventive drugs because preventive drugs have greater side effects.

The most common drugs that are used for migraine treatment are:

NSAIDs or Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin
Triptans - these are the first common medicine to stop migraine attack
Midrin - combination of the drugs of acetaminophen, dichloralphenazone and isometheptene
Ergotamine derivatives like Cafergot but these medications may not give positive results like other medications for migraine.
The most common preventive drugs for migraine are:

Calcium channel blockers - decreases the constriction of the blood vessels
Beta Blockers - Relax the blood vessels
Anticonvulsants
Antidepressants
Other therapies that may be useful for migraines are:

Acupuncture
Biofeedback
Relaxation techniques
Taking vitamin B2
But before taking any alternative therapies, make sure to consult your doctor about it


Migraine Home Remedies
Rest in a quiet, darkened room. This will often reduce the severity of the symptoms. Drink fluids to prevent dehydration, especially if vomiting occurs.

Biofeedback and relaxation training. Drug therapy for migraine is often combined with biofeedback and relaxation training. Biofeedback refers to a technique that can give people better control over such body function indicators as blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, muscle tension, and brain waves. Thermal biofeedback allows a patient to consciously raise hand temperature. Some patients who are able to increase hand temperature can reduce the number and intensity of migraines. The mechanisms underlying these self-regulation treatments are being studied by research scientists.

"To succeed in biofeedback," says a headache specialist, "you must be able to concentrate and you must be motivated to get well."

A patient learning thermal biofeedback wears a device which transmits the temperature of an index finger or hand to a monitor. While the patient tries to warm his hands, the monitor provides feedback either on a gauge that shows the temperature reading or by emitting a sound or beep that increases in intensity as the temperature increases. The patient is not told how to raise hand temperature, but is given suggestions such as "Imagine your hands feel very warm and heavy."

"I have a good imagination," says one headache sufferer who traded in her medication for thermal biofeedback. The technique decreased the number and severity of headaches she experienced.

In another type of biofeedback called electromyographic or EMG training, the patient learns to control muscle tension in the face, neck, and shoulders.

Either kind of biofeedback may be combined with relaxation training, during which patients learn to relax the mind and body.

Biofeedback can be practiced at home with a portable monitor. But the ultimate goal of treatment is to wean the patient from the machine. The patient can then use biofeedback anywhere at the first sign of a headache.

A migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by stress, food, or some other factor. Being aware of what might trigger your migraine could be helpful in reducing the number of times you are affected by a migraine attack.

Migraine attacks may be triggered by:

Allergic reactions
Bright lights and loud noises
Relaxation after a period of physical or mental stress
Prolonged muscle tension (or tension headache)
Lack of sleep
Smoking or exposure to tobacco smoke
Missed meals
Specific foods
Alcohol
Menstrual periods
Birth control pills
Foods that have been associated with migraine in some people include those containing the amino acid tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, some beans), chocolates, nuts, peanut butter, fruits (avocado, banana, citrus fruit), onions, dairy products, baked goods, meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats), foods containing monosodium glutamate (an additive in many foods), and any processed, fermented, pickled, or marinated foods.

There are some effective migraine home remedies that you can do to decrease the severity and frequency the attack of your migraine.

Here are some effective migraine homes remedies that may help you deal with your migraine:

Manage and deal your stress effectively. Migraine headaches are very common when you are under stress so it is important that you find healthy ways to deal with it.
Relaxation techniques may help you in decreasing the stress and the tension present in your muscles.
You may want to start a headache diary where you can jot down the foods that you have eaten prior your migraine attack.
Avoid what triggers your migraine attack. If your migraine attack is due to alcohol, then you have to stop drinking alcohol. If your migraine trigger is food like chocolates, it is recommended that you avoid eating chocolates.
If you have depression or anxiety. You have to consult your doctor for proper treatment of your condition.
Have a regular pattern of sleeping habits as lack of sleep may add to the severity of your pain.

http://www.womentowomen.com/womenshealth/menstrualmigraines.aspx?id=2&campaignno=headache&adgroup=ag5migraine&keywords=migraine+headache+remedy

SAFETY TIPS FROM THE MOUTH OF TEENS !!
(The Real Experts)...

While we have more extensive safety tip lists in Parry's book, here is a summarized version of the tips we thought were most important!

As Teenangels, safety is our biggest concern. So here are some tips and ideas that we and others have to share. Some of the best suggestions come from TEENS, just like you!

If you have a safety tip or story of something that has happened to you and how you handled it, please send it to us. We would love to hear from you! Email Teenangels.


Thoughts for Parents, Teens & Kids from the Teenangels

Parents... Don't be afraid of the Internet. It's an extremely useful tool & can't be dismissed because it is new & sometimes confusing. The Internet can be an excellent way for you & your children to bond & share a common interest. Be open with your kids & get involved. Most of all, learn all that you can about being safe, keeping your child safe, & taking advantage of the Internet's myriad uses. Tell your children not to be afraid to come to you with problems of any kind.

Teenagers...Although the Internet is a great way to meet new people, do research, and chat with friends, there are dangers. Be aware of these dangers. Always use common sense. Although you may think that bad things won't happen to you, they most certainly can. Be open with your parents about what you do online. Don't meet people offline that you met online! Make sure a site is secure and trustworthy before giving in your personal information. Obey the law and don't steal music, motion pictures and software! Balance the time you spend online and offline. Remember your friends in real life and don't take them for granted. Go outside & enjoy life beyond cyberspace.


Kids... While it's great to chat with people in kid-safe chat rooms online, you should spend time with friends in real life. School, family, & friends should always come before the Internet. Always tell your parents about what you do online. Let them sit with you, & teach them about the Internet. When they do sit with you, don't get mad at them. Just know they care about you & don't want to see you hurt in any way. Always remember that people online don't always tell the truth. Don't give out a lot of information about yourself. If anything bad ever happens to you on the Internet, always tell your parents or someone you trust. Always remember that it's never your fault.


JOIN US PLEASE !!!
If you are interested in joining Teenangels, we need to find a local chapter near you, or form a new one for your group. We'll need a teacher or parent willing to be trained in online safety to oversee & supervise the Teenangels in the local chapter. Each Teenangel must also have a signed parental consent letter & letter of good standing from your school.

WiredTeens & WiredKids also need parental snail mail consent.

We also need a letter from your school. The letter should state that you are in good standing with the school.

This is one of the ways that we verify you are who you say you are & not an adult masquerading as a child.

This letter should be on a school letterhead & can be obtained from the Guidance counselor or Principal. Safety for our kids & teens & all members is of extreme importance to us.

Thank you for your interest & we look forward to hearing from you soon. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us!

Teenangels Volunteer Form

Download (PDF File) the form for your printer.

You must print this form out & have your parent/guardian sign & mail it to the following address:

Wiredkids Inc.
P.O. Box 3803
Jersey City, NJ 07303
U.S.A.

Thanks...
We look forward to working with you!

If you have not heard from us, please e-mail Teenangels so that we can check on the status of your application.