Therapeutical Approaches to Psychosis

Therapeutical Approaches to Psychosis

Command hallucinations are commonplace in psychosis. Psychosis is usually defined not as a disorder per se, but as a symptom of a particular mental illness. For example, bipolar disorder, psychotic depression, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder all usually include psychotic features. Also, hallucinations represent perception in the absence of real sensory stimuli. Further, commonly referred to as “hearing voices”, command hallucinations, commonplace in many mental disorders, cause great anxiety and even distress to patients suffering from psychotic episodes.

Furthermore, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy(CBT) may help alleviate some of these command hallucinations (e.g. when the voices are telling the person to do something, often times in a dangerous manner, which may endanger the person or others, in which case the legal measures permit an involuntary psychiatric hospital stay). An alternative therapy, which may be used in conjunction with CBT is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT has a different approach to hearing voices, stating that it is better to accept one’s symptoms, and in a way simply almost ignore them, focusing instead on one’s personal values and on how one must direct one’s own life.

Turning the page on psychosis requires pharmacotherapy, among other things. Image: Megan Jorgensen (Elena).

A particular treatment of command hallucinations is named TORCH (Treatment of Resistant Command Hallucinations), an alternative treatment is called Befriending. Psychotic episodes, including command hallucinations have been documented as very detrimental to the person suffering from the psychotic episode. For example, research data shows that command hallucinations and other psychotic disturbances may result in very destructive behaviours. For example, a person suffering from psychosis may act illogically and irrationally, throwing out all their personal belongings without thinking about subsequent financial need. Likewise, they may fight with all their friends, eventually becoming friendless since their hallucinations and delusions lead them to believe that friends are somehow at fault and maybe even trying to harm them.

Moreover, the situation is made worse when close ones try to make the person with psychosis consult a doctor, since the hallucinations and delusions seem real to the person suffering from psychosis, he or she may get angry at those trying to make them get help, instead thinking that they are lying or simply refusing to understand them. Delusions, unlike hallucinations, refer to fixed false beliefs held despite all evidence to the contrary. In conclusion, it is imperative for a person suffering from psychosis to get professional, psychiatric help because they often live in a sort of nightmare and because the condition may bring about drastic consequences if left untreated.

Hallucinations are experiences that seem very real but are not. Illustration: © Megan Jorgensen.

Investment Banks

Investment Banks

Investment banks are different from both central banks and commercial or retail banks. Investment banks do not take deposits, but their function is to raise capital for governments, corporations and individuals. The financial capital is raised by underwriting or acting on behalf of the client in the issuance of securities. Underwriting means either guarantee insurance or to buy all the outstanding shares, which remained unsold. Further, investment banking similarly includes a lot of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). According to Forbes, the top ten best investment banks to work for are: The Blackstone Group, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Investment Bank, Centerview Partners, Evercore Partners, Houlihan Lokey, Greenhill & Co., Perella Weinberg Partners and Credit Suisse.

Furthermore, investment baking has two main lines of business, the sell side and the buy side. The sell side corresponds to trading securities for cash or in exchange for other securities. The buy side represents investment advice, when equity funds, mutual funds and hedge funds are involved, among other things. In the United States, an advisor who provides investment banking services must be a licensed dealer-broker in good standing with the SEC (U.S. Securities Exchange Commission) and the FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

Sparkling Flowers. Illustration: Elena

Moreover, an IPO is an Initial Public Offering of a company that goes public by selling its shares and thus raising capital. Historically, the first company to go public and sell stock was the Dutch East India Company. The company traded on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Today, typical activities of investment banks include underwriting issuance of securities, secondary market offerings, brokerage, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), securities research, proprietary trading and asset management. Further, corporate finance is a significant part of investment banking, with banks providing advice to corporations on raising financial capital, as well as mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are investments traded on the stock exchange, much like common stock. Such a fund may contain stocks, bonds and commodities and trades close to its net asset value (NAV). Among exchange-traded products, ETFs are the most popular because of several factors, including their similarity to stock trading and their relative tax efficiency. ETFs have relatively low costs and track an index, such as a bond index or a stock index. The first ETFs date back to 1989 with Index Participation Shares.

A Sci-Fi Boy. Illustration by Elena

Conversely, index funds, also known as index trackers, are investment funds, commonly mutual funds or ETFs, geared to mimic the movements of a particular index regarding a certain financial market and having a fixed set of rules, which is supposed to be held constant regarding volatility or market conditions. Today, tracking may be made with the help of computers. Indeed, while the world has still not been overtaken by robots, many calculations and much financial analysis is achieved using computer models with little or no human input. Such circumstances and style of management are sometimes referred to as passive management. Also, passive management means lower fees than active management.

Moreover, ETFs must be traded by authorized dealers-brokers and it is always better to get qualified tax and fiscal advice regarding one’s investments. Investments and the finance industry in general are a highly regulated industry, in large part because of the possible consequences and because large sums of money are involved. Further, since many long-term investments tie up large amounts of capital for long periods of time, all the pros and cons of investing in a particular venture must be taken into account. Qualified, licensed and authorized financial advisors may help investors decide where to invest their money. Additionally, professional money managers or asset management firms may further direct individuals and companies how to best manage their funds.

Gemstones

Gemstones

Putting a little sparkle in your life

The value of most gemstones is pretty steady compared to commodities like coffee and gold, changing no more than 10 or 15 percent in a given year. But like any commodity, their value is tied to the vagaries of the global marketplace – a mine strike can send prices up as suddenly as a glut can send prices down. Keeping that in mind, a few guides talk about wholesale gem values. Those guides can give you a feel for how gems are priced across a wide spectrum of quality. The numbers are accurate and reflect retail prices.

Stones: Ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, pink tourmaline, green tourmaline, peridot, aquamarine, rhodolite garnet, tanzanite, etc.

Rings. Illustration by Elena

Diamonds: The Gemological Institute of America has developed a grading system for diamonds. The best diamond would be an ideally cut DIF. Color is graded from D (the best) to Z (D to M is the general range, though). Clarity ranges from best to worst as follows: internally flawless (IF), very, very slightly included (VVS1), VVS2, very slightly included (VS1), VS2, Slightly included (SL1), SL2, imperfect (I), I2 and I3. Cut can range from ideal cut to poorly cut. Well-cut is a good standard.

GIA Standard: Diamond (Well-cut)

Presleyana

Presleyana

The money for Presleyana: Collectors pay a king’s ransom for rock ’n’ roll memorabilia.

Almost everything Elvis Presley ever touched has since turned to gold. At a 1994 auction his sunglasses went for $26,450. His rhinestone jumpsuit garnered $68,500. Even his American Express Card pulled in$36,000. The items in the auction were from the collection of Jimmy Velvet, a former lounge singer and friend of Presley’s. “ Finally, there’s been a value established for Elvis,” Velvet said after the sale, which brought in 2.5 million – considerably more than he expected.

Some experts think the success of the Elvis auction has big implications for the broader, million-dollar Hollywood and music memorabilia market, one of the few sectors that, at least so far, has defied the art market’s recession.

Historically, however, the liquidation of major collection often turns out to be the peak of the market. Indeed, it already may be too late for amateurs to dive into the pricey King’s collectible market. Those who started buying Elvis items after 1977 will have a hard time selling their stuff, according to Steve Templeton, co-author of Elvis Сollectibles.

Robots. Illustration: Elena

The market boomed in 1980s and has later leveled off. The price of Elvis records and toys has fallen. But Elvis movie memorabilia was still hot for a long time.

Other experts recommended investing in rock bands like U2, Pearl Jam, and especially Nirvana since their lead singer, Kurt Cobain, committed suicide. As for Velvet, he is taking his auction proceeds and pouring the money into memorabilia owned by Dolly Parton, Liberace, and Madonna, all, he says, “good bets” for future price appreciation.

Toys worth their weight in gold

• Howdy Doody Puppets: The tin wind-up toy featuring Buffalo Bob at the piano.
• Beatles ceramic Figurines: Figures of the heavy metal heroes of Kiss are also popular.
• Japanese Toy Cars: The highly detailed tin lithograph versions from the 1950s and 1960s are particularly popular.
• PEZ Candy Dispensers: Look for limited editions like Santa Claus. Also big vintage Flinstones.
• Battery operated Robby the Robot: From the Sci-Fi classic Forbidden Planet. Other Robby figures are collected as well.
• Star Track Memorabilia: Trekkers love just about anything to do with the original cast.
• 1959 Barbie: Costumes and accessories are also hot.
• 1967 GI Joe Nurse: Other original one-foot-tall GI Joe dolls bring in about two hundred dollars.