Latest news with #OCD
Arab News
19 hours ago
- Climate
- Arab News
Tens of thousands displaced in Philippines as heavy rains set off severe flooding
MANILA: Torrential rains brought the Philippine capital Manila to a standstill on Tuesday, as heavy flooding displaced tens of thousands of people across the country. Monsoon downpours that began last week and intensified due to Typhoon Wipha have killed at least six people, displaced over 82,000, and affected more than 1.2 million others. Government offices and schools are suspended until at least Wednesday, as the heavy rain submerged around 500 areas in the Philippine capital region alone. 'The flooding varies in depth — from gutter-level to much deeper waters,' Don Artes, chairman of Metro Manila Development Authority, said at a briefing on Tuesday. The severe floods in Manila were partly triggered by the city's old drainage system. 'Our drainage system is also outdated — more than 50 years old — and too small for today's rainfall volume,' Artes said. Around 17,000 people remain in evacuation centers, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered state agencies to focus on disaster relief operations. 'The OCD (Office of Civil Defense) is now on red alert … The most heavily affected areas are Metro Manila, as well as the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, and Rizal,' OCD Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro IV said. Philippine authorities are bracing for more heavy rain, with the southwest monsoon expected to 'bring moderate to intense rains of up to 200mm within the next few days,' the Interior Ministry said in a statement, adding that preemptive evacuation has started in some areas. The national weather bureau, PAGASA, said it expects 'widespread incidents of severe flooding' with landslides until at least Wednesday in the Manila capital region, as well as the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite and Batangas. The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to extreme weather events, with an average of 20 tropical storms passing through the country every year. 'Flooding, especially during the southwest monsoon season, is getting frustrating and tiring,' Ryan Reyes Soriano, a 47-year-old resident of Malabon city, told Arab News. 'Formerly floods during the 80s up to the 90s were a cause for concern if they go up waist level. Now floods often go as high as a story if storms are bad, and that is a difference of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters).' Malabon, a coastal city located north of Manila, was one of the most severely affected areas in the capital region. Almost all of its 21 districts were submerged in floods, with some regions still inundated as of Tuesday afternoon. 'In some cases it's deep enough for a person to drown. Lucky if it's only knee-deep,' Soriano said. 'I went outside earlier, the water is still above my waist.'
GMA Network
a day ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
Bad weather on SONA? OCD says protocol will depend on Congress
''Of course, we will depend on the protocol ng Congress po if they will suspend iyong SONA. But kami po... we are closely coordinating with the PNP po na magkaroon tayo ng orderly conduct ng flow ng mga pupunta sa SONA,'' OCD's Raffy Alejandro said./File photo Office of Civil Defense (OCD) officer-in-charge Raffy Alejandro said Tuesday that the contingencies for President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address next week would depend on Congress. At a Palace press briefing, Alejandro was asked for the contingency measures in case there will be inclement weather during the President's fourth SONA, which is scheduled on July 28 at the Batasang Pambansa compound in Quezon City. ''Of course, we will depend on the protocol ng Congress po if they will suspend iyong SONA. But kami po... we are closely coordinating with the PNP po na magkaroon tayo ng orderly conduct ng flow ng mga pupunta sa SONA,'' Alejandro said. (Of course, we will depend on the protocol of Congress if they will suspend SONA. But we are closely coordinating with the PNP so we can have an orderly conduct for those who will be attending the SONA.) ''So, kami po, ang mga areas na surrounding Congress ay hinahanda pa rin natin in case na magkaroon ng hindi magandang weather. So, in the event po na—or magkaroon ng suspension ng work or classes, tuluy-tuloy pa rin naman ang ating mga emergency responders na naka-standby in case na kailangan ng assistance during the SONA po,'' he added. (We are preparing the areas surrounding Congress in case there will be inclement weather. So, in the event that there will be suspension of work or classes, emergency responders are on standby in case they need assistance during the SONA.) Days before the SONA, several parts of the country are experiencing rains even after tropical cyclone Crising (international name: Wipha) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility last weekend. Classes and government work have been suspended at least until Wednesday in Metro Manila and some provinces in Luzon and the Visayas due to the effects of the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat). Earlier, Marcos directed the suspension of pre-SONA preparations and tasked government offices to focus and ensure the safety of the public amid the bad weather. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
The hidden lives of autistic women
This was it. This was where years of research and self-doubt had brought me; years of switching from pill to pill and doctor to doctor. It had been almost a decade of collecting diagnoses like BPD, PTSD, MDD, GAD, OCD, ADHD, Anorexia Nervosa. Here I finally was, my eyes glued to a long list of my symptoms I had compiled on the note app on my phone, bouncing my leg as I waited to see my new psychologist. I had decided against adding subheadings and printing the list at the last moment so I could add to it if I remembered more symptoms. And simply because I enjoy making lists. (Imagine sharing that with a classroom when your teacher asks what your hobbies are on the first day of school. Spoiler: you don't. You lie, and because you're bad at lying you end up saying something stupid like, 'I like sleeping.') The list was as long as the years of wondering why I felt more alone in rooms full of people, screaming at myself in the mirror to 'just be normal,' carving neat parallel lines into my flesh until 'the right amount' of blood had trickled down my forearm. After what felt like hours (it was 20 minutes), the doctor opened the door to her office, and I was ushered in. She nodded at me and handed me a stack of forms to fill. Not off to the best start, but I sped through them hoping we'd get to talk once I did my assigned work (I've always been a diligent student). Then she collected them from me and ushered me right back out the door – well she tried to. I took this as my cue to finally speak. 'I'd like to get tested for autism --' She cut me off, laughing. 'You can't be autistic, you're normal.' Normal? What was that supposed to mean? 'But I have a whole list of symptoms on my phone if you want to take a look--' Apparently, this was funny, too. 'There's no need for that,' she laughed, waving a hand in dismissal while the other opened the door for me. I felt myself flare up with anger, but I knew there was no point in arguing as I drifted out of her office on autopilot. This wasn't the first time I'd been told this. But this was the first time a licensed medical professional had laughed in my face while saying it. I really thought this time would be different. I thought if I prepared enough and tried to unmask, someone other than my roommate would finally believe me. I couldn't shake the feeling that if I had been a little white boy rambling about trains, this encounter would have taken a completely different turn. This is not an isolated occurrence, and not just for me, but for most autistic women all over the world. Only eight per cent of girls with autism are diagnosed before the age of six, while 25 per cent of boys with autism are diagnosed before this age. Eighty per cent of women remain undiagnosed at age 18. These statistics do not convey the true intensity of the situation as they only consider autistic women who are eventually officially diagnosed, while most autistic women go their whole lives not receiving a diagnosis from a doctor. Many of us self-diagnose while others are still searching for answers for why they feel different from others. Understanding autism According to Dr Victoria Milner, a trainee clinical psychologist from King's College London who investigates barriers to diagnosis and support for autistic women and girls, 'Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that is characterised by differences and challenges with social interaction and communication, in addition to restricted and/or repetitive behaviours and interests.' It can affect nonverbal communication, like reading and enacting 'appropriate' body language. 'Your face might seem expressionless even though you're feeling things. And a lot of autistic people find it hard to predict what other people, particularly non-autistic people, might say, think or feel and what the consequences might be,' said Robyn Steward, an autistic person, researcher and author of The Experiences of Late-diagnosed Women with Autism Spectrum Conditions: An Investigation of the Female Autism Phenotype. Autistic people also tend to take things literally, sometimes including idioms and figures of speech, because we have a very direct, straightforward communication style that may be interpreted as blunt or rude by allistics (non-autistic people) who are not as prone to just saying exactly what they mean. For instance, when she was a child, Steward's mother asked her to put the bread in the toaster. 'Five minutes later,' Steward recounted, 'she asked me if the toast was done and I was like, 'No, because you didn't tell me to press the button.'' Steward had followed her mother's instruction but didn't understand what she meant (to toast the bread). Many autistic people experience sensory differences, which could be taking in too much or not enough sensory information from one or all their senses. This can result in under-stimulation or overstimulation. We may engage in stimming, repetitive routines or try to find or create silence to cope with this. A majority (75 to 90 per cent) of autistic people have special interests, usually on narrow topics, that they intensely focus on. Since autism is a spectrum, not everyone displays it in the same way or to the same extent. Different autistic people may have different struggles and different strengths. Female autism phenotype Women often present their autism in a way that differs from their male counterparts. This is often referred to as the female autism phenotype. There is no biological reasoning for this, but more so a social one, as Steward explained, 'I would be more inclined to say that perhaps there's more of a feminine presentation of autism and a masculine one because I don't think your gender or biological sex necessarily determine how autism presents.' According to Dori Zener, director of a mental health and peer support agency that works with neurotypical and autistic helpers to help individuals with their mental health, 'Some people say there's no such thing as a female autism phenotype. It's more like internalised autism versus externalised autism.' Due to the way society conditions women to be obedient, get along with others, and suffer in silence, women tend to internalise their autistic traits more and more often than cis men. This tends to make their autism invisible to those around them and sometimes even to themselves. In fact, autistic women camouflage and mask three to four times more than men. 'Masking is, unconsciously or consciously, hiding autistic traits to fit society's expectations. On measures of self-report for autistic traits, women have scored themselves higher than when an external assessor is rating them,' said Sarah Murphy, a trainee clinical psychologist and one of the authors of a recent publication about seeking autism diagnosis for women in Australia. 'Girls being quiet and keeping to themselves is often associated with being a good girl and might not be picked up on as different to what's typically expected, compared to a boy growing up with similar traits,' she added. Why we fail to see autistic women Mariam's* ability to mask was one of the fundamental reasons obtaining a diagnosis was difficult. 'Being a woman, that too from a religious minority, would make me be a people pleaser in most social settings,' said the 29-year-old from Karachi who was diagnosed with autism last year. This internalising of emotions often leads to the development of mental illnesses and unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm. In comparison to the externalised hyperactivity, agitation, and breakdowns that autistic men are more likely to portray, these internalised manifestations of autism in women allows them to fly under the radar. Autistic women don't tend to see themselves in the media, and neither do the people around them. This includes parents, teachers, pediatricians, and general physicians: the people we rely on to refer a child to a psychiatric expert for said diagnosis. 'There is evidence that shows when presented with a vignette of an autistic character, teachers are more likely to suggest the character is autistic if they are told the character is male, compared to when they are told the character is female,' said Dr Milner. 'An autistic girl may be considered 'shy' when she experiences difficulty making friends, whereas an autistic boy is more likely to be recognised as having social difficulties and subsequently be offered support,' she adds. This leads to many autistic women, myself and Mariam included, straight-up being told that we 'can't be autistic.' This gender bias is present in the world of research and health care itself. According to Murphy, our conceptualisation of autism historically has been around male dominated samples, researchers, and doctors and it is based on these populations that our diagnostic assessment tools have formed. 'In the past, there was a theory that autism was like this extreme version of the male brain which doesn't necessarily hold water. But I think that says a lot about how we think about autism and gender,' she said. One of my favourite parts of being autistic is my special interests. I love how I can focus my undivided attention on them for hours at a time on a regular basis (despite my ADHD) and be able to derive pure joy just from learning more about the topic or even just hearing someone mention it in passing. My special interests, however, are also part of the reason my autism manages to remain undiagnosed. The special interests experienced by autistic women are more commonly relational in nature, compared to more physical or mechanical interests experienced by autistic boys and men (sorry to bring up trains again). Similarly, there is some evidence to show that autistic girls' interests are more often similar in topic to their non-autistic peers, but their intensity and duration may be what sets them apart from 'neurotypical' interests. 'I always kept socially acceptable special interests like food, cinema/filmmaking, makeup,' shared Mariam. 'So, an autistic girl might be really interested in Barbies, but the way that they engage with them is different. They might line them up around their bathtub as opposed to playing with them and interacting with them,' said Zener. Autistic women may also have a person such as a celebrity like Taylor Swift as their special interest but because women who are interested in such things are often dismissed and stereotyped as 'crazy fangirls,' it makes it hard to pick up on the difference between being a fan and having a special interest. ' Nearly 80 per cent of women with autism are misdiagnosed – often with conditions such as borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and anxiety. Some of these labels are helpful because they help shed light on a part of the picture. But other labels can be harmful and can dissuade women from seeking the services and support that we really need. Doctor's lack of knowledge about autism in women and even autism in general in Pakistan can also manifest in other ways. 'The misconception that my therapist had about autistic people that they don't have empathy delayed my diagnosis. When actually I'm hyper empathetic because of autism,' said Mariam. Her stimming has often gone under the radar and not qualified as such because it is subtle, such as skin picking or knuckle cracking. Most doctors recognise the more obvious stimming displayed by men. Importance of early diagnosis A lot of the dangers that come with getting a late diagnosis stem from psychiatric professionals being unable to provide their patients with the proper care because they don't know they're autistic. Even if autistic women are not misdiagnosed with other conditions, not receiving an autism diagnosis increases their chances of developing depression and anxiety disorders, due to the isolation and negative self-perception that comes with not being understood and going through life thinking there is something fundamentally 'wrong' with us. 'When you know you have autism and you can be part of the autism community, that can really help, because (autistic) people older or more experienced than you can point you towards resources and information,' said Steward. Being diagnosed and learning about autism has allowed her to heal old wounds. 'All my lifelong struggles finally make sense now,' she says. Stigma hurts, misdiagnosis may be fatal Autistic people are six times more likely to commit suicide than non-autistic people, and autistic women are twice as likely to die by suicide than autistic men, but the population with the greatest risk of suicide are women who mask and camouflage more. 'Imagine all day long you're acting in a way that is not yourself. It's very invalidating and it takes a huge amount of effort and energy,' said Mariam. The sources and the language around autism awareness in the past have been hugely stigmatising, misleading, and negative. Receiving an early diagnosis is not always helpful unless you can positively frame the diagnosis. 'I met younger girls, between the ages of nine to 18, who say they hate their diagnosis, and they reject it outright because they think that being autistic means that there's something wrong with them. A lot of them will say, that means my brain is broken. That means that no one's going to love me. There are so many horrible stereotypes about autism that create a stigma,' said Zener. 'I think what needs to change is the people who are giving diagnoses need to get rid of the word disorder at the end of the autism spectrum. Call it a condition.' This positive, inclusive, diverse, and more accurate awareness is being seen on social media. 'You can go on TikTok now and understand what autism is just by watching a ten-second video,' Zener said. 'There are great books now that are written by autistic women. So, I often say, if you want to learn about autism, go to the source. Really listen to autistic women's stories,' she added. Most schools, universities and governments do not accept an autism diagnosis if it is not from a doctor, and so self-diagnosed autistic women (who make up the majority) are not eligible for the support they need. If any progress is to be made, the diagnostic tools for autistic assessment need to be made more gender inclusive, receiving a diagnosis needs to be made accessible and most of all, autistic women need to be listened to and believed – even if we don't like trains. *Names have been changed to ensure privacy
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Most essential Colts No. 4: Braden Smith's return is enormous for the offense
In a salary-cap league like the NFL, finding building blocks is essential. As teams churn and burn the roster through the draft and bargain signings in free agency, it helps to find the players who are either a cut above the rest or can perform a task few others can. They relieve the pressure on everyone. Over the next few weeks, we'll be ranking the 15 most essential players to the Colts' success entering the 2025 season. It's a subjective process, weighing factors such as ability, positional value within a scheme, age, leadership and durability. To make it simpler, we're asking the following two questions about these players: 1. How difficult would he be to replace for more than a month? 2. What does the Colts' ceiling become in 2025 and beyond if this player hits his? Unlike in recent seasons, the pressure appears to be ramping up on what this year's Colts team needs to accomplish. Anthony Richardson enters a critical third season with plenty to prove. The team is under new ownership with Jim Irsay's passing and the transition to his three daughters. And the Colts have now not made the playoffs for four seasons, with no playoff wins in six and no AFC South titles in 10. Thus, these rankings will skew a little more toward 2025 importance than they have in recent seasons. Here's the list so far: 5. DeForest Buckner, defensive tackle 6. Michael Pittman Jr., wide receiver 7. Charvarius Ward, cornerback 8. Camryn Bynum, safety 9. Quenton Nelson, guard 10. Tyler Warren, tight end 11. Laiatu Latu, defensive end 12. Daniel Jones, quarterback 13. Kenny Moore II, cornerback 14. Zaire Franklin, linebacker 15. Alec Pierce, wide receiver Up at No. 4 is Braden Smith. Position: Right tackle Age: 29 Experience: 8th season Last year's rank: No. 5 Why he's here: The Colts entered the offseason in a different place with Braden Smith than they'd been for the entirety of a mostly steady seven-year career. Suddenly, they were waiting to hear if he wanted to play another season. And that's when it became clear how much they knew they needed him. The 29-year-old right tackle was not coming off of a banner season by his consistent standards, mostly due to circumstances that had nothing to do with football. Smith later laid out to IndyStar the battle he entered with his own psyche to where he had to travel to Mexico and take a psychedelic drug to regain a sense of himself, which then restored his desire and ability to play again. IN HIS OWN WORDS: Braden Smith's desperate, life-threatening fight vs OCD In terms of this list, that propelled Smith to his highest ranking ever in a year where the Colts run game, pass game and overall health of the franchise has so much resting on his play. But it took a roundabout way to get here. Given the uncertainty of Smith's condition, as well as injuries that have contributed to his 21 missed games over the past five seasons, Indianapolis had to take action with his contract entering its final year. The Colts ended up essentially slicing that deal in half, leaving him with a $10.4 million cap hit this year. That does not illustrate just how much he means to the franchise, though. It is simply a showcase of the risk involved, which only moves him up this list in a discussion about floor and ceiling. Indianapolis is betting more on Smith outside of financial means, as it moved swing tackle Matt Goncalves to the starting right guard role vacated by Will Fries' departure in free agency. That means that all that is backing up Smith now is fourth-round rookie Jalen Travis, who is developing into his body and the role two years after playing at Princeton. After seven seasons, Smith has become the kind of player whose presence is felt much more when he isn't on the field than when he is. That isn't to say he isn't impactful, as a fresh version of Smith can be one of the better run blocking tackles in the game and a pass protector who can live with what is now a revolving door at right guard. But tackle remains a premium position that almost no team effectively replaces when it loses a high-end player. The Colts have felt that when they've had to try Blake Freeland and others at this spot. It's a world that's possible given his injury history now that he's 29. But it's one they simply can't deal with if they want to get Anthony Richardson developing to the type of consistent passer that can take the franchise to a level it hasn't been recently, such as reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Smith also holds the keys to allowing the Colts to separate as one of the best rushing teams in the game with Richardson or Daniel Jones in the backfield with All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor. Smith is who will allow the Colts to live in 11 personnel with Josh Downs in the slot and first-round rookie tight end Tyler Warren becoming the target in the middle of the field that they have been searching for in a tight end. He's taken an unconventional route to this spot but he's one of the players the Colts simply cannot afford to live without.
SBS Australia
5 days ago
- Sport
- SBS Australia
Office of Civil Defense says preparations are in place for Typhoon Crising
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), says equipment, food at non-food items are already in place and respective agencies have been alerted. Manny Pacquiao says he is ready for the coming match versus World Boxing Council Welterweight Champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas. Preparations are underway for the coming State of the Nation Address (SONA) set July 28. 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino 📲 Catch up episodes and stories – Visit or stream on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Youtube Podcasts , and SBS Audio app.
