congenialbunny

So one of the many criticisms I see from anti-vaxxers is that researchers are either forced or paid to falsify data on vaccines so that "Big Pharma" can make tons of money. What are the checks and balances in the scientific community that keep this from happening? Any other helps that can disprove this theory?

I'm not sure if your primary concern is related to Alzheimers or not, but they have done a few studies on vaccines and Alzheimers and found that being vaccinated actually correlate with less likelihood of having Alzheimers. Here's one of those studies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC81665/

It's sadly the way many bipolar people think. Thanks a lot to stigma, we feel like we're making it up and we're just doing something wrong with diet/lifestyle. I've tried so many different diet and lifestyle changes (as has my mother) that I can't even enumerate them anymore. Yet, whenever my mom sees an LCSW or a therapist, they tell her to eat better and exercise and meditate and she'll feel better. And that, oh, your meds are making you fat. Oh yeah, I'll just eat a carrot and go running as I lie in bed contemplating suicide.... and I'll just go off my meds, so I'm not fat anymore thanks for the tips! How bout teaching me to cope with my reality?

Bipolar people are very prone to follow the suggestion, no matter how slight, that they don't need to take meds and it's really unfortunate for their families.

I consider myself lucky... four generations of bipolar disorder in my family, one alcohol addiction death (because of untreated bipolar) and one suicide. So when I was diagnosed, I jumped right on that medication. (Though whenever I read a story like this it is really tempting to try to go off against my better judgement. Ugh. I mean, who -wants- to take meds?) Lifestyle changes help augment my meds, but it sure won't replace them.

Anyway, this guy actually comes across as your typical in-denial-bipolar type person... I know a few these days that remind me why medication is a good thing.

When I was in high school they had recently begun a program called IMP (integrated math program) which looked at math in a fun, world view way. It explained why math worked the way it did, we did a lot of fun/funny story type problems instead of row upon row of "number" problems and it was so great. I loved it and finally really got math for the first time. I got an incredible ACT math score.

Then, they only had AP Calculus for me to go into my senior year... and I dropped out because I found that "type" of math so pointless and boring and it didn't make any sense to me because they weren't explaining it any more.

I'm definitely a proponent of this type of learning and think it makes total sense. I'm happy to see this approach to helping young kids understand how it all works... it integrates nicely with unschooling, which is my way of schooling now. :) I now have an 8 year old daughter of my own who loves math, but she learns it best when it's approached naturally. I don't want the same thing to happen to her that happened to me.

Thank you! I really appreciate your response. And also, thank you for your work creating Rototeq; you've done the world (and my kids) a great service! :)