Dreamer Easy

What sleep deprivation makes me look like

Therapy with the click of a mouse. This is a great idea, but check out the article's attitude: "Too shy to venture out of the house or too sensitive to criticism to face up to therapy?" Then you too can be patronised rigid by an ignorant journo.

Pick your angst - rap, metal or trance: "Doctors should ask their teenage patients what type of music they prefer to determine if they are at risk of developing a mental illness or committing suicide, researchers say." Hmmm... but researchers clarify: "There is no evidence to suggest that the type of music you listen to will cause you to commit suicide, but those who are vulnerable and at risk of committing suicide may be listening to certain types of music". Hmmm...

Internet diagnosis gives GPs a webache

Nintendo deemed unfit on fat facts: "Nintendo's Wii Fit game has attracted the ire of a childhood health expert for telling healthy children they are fat."

Australia pips US as world's fattest nation, say the authors of a report unemotionally titled Australia's Future Fat Bomb. Crikey.com is sceptical. Nor are they alone.

Studies refute common stereotypes about obese workers

Obesity can mean less pay

ETA: Teen girls self-harming increases by 50%

I get furious with fangirls who think mental illness and self-harm are a joke, or immature attention-seeking silliness, or a lazy excuse not to get a job. Some of these ignorami popped up on the latest *&%*% anon meme to inflict Doctor Who fandom. Now, the behaviour of mads, including me, can be hugely frustrating for others. And just being a nutter doesn't make it all right to hurt other people. But crappy Internet behaviour is hardly the exclusive province of the mentally ill. Besides, there are a zillion ways to simply avoid someone who annoys you online.

Given fandom's demographics - girls, gays, geeks - I worry that we're a high-risk group for mental illness and self-harm, and that the ignorance is doing real damage.

I dunno what to do about this except to keep blogging about my own experiences, and stick my oar in when I see someone spouting rubbish. Anyway, here's a link to a thing in the paper about bipolar disorder, which thank gods I don't have.