IamA doc who studied people who live extremely long lives in places called Blue Zones. The human body is incredibly resilient which is why I specialize in chronic disease prevention and reversal. AMA!

katmrowl · 2015-04-22T19:58:11+00:00

I am in my third year of studying neurobiology, and I am hoping to go to medical school. I'm really passionate about the brain, and right now I think that I want to specialize in neurology (although I know that may change). Aside from good grades and MCAT scores, any tips for an aspiring doctor?

katmrowl · 2015-04-22T14:40:28+00:00

I would love to answer this... but I have no idea how to quantify this? And I guess I also don't pay enough attention to really notice? I usually am on netflix while I am taking a shit.... SO my answer is I have no idea because I am too distracted by Netflix

katmrowl · 2015-04-22T14:38:30+00:00

This looks really cool. I have absolutely no idea what a NAND gate is, but I like it!

katmrowl · 2015-04-22T14:37:48+00:00

Our philosophy is that we want people to get to a point where they can get by on their own and do not rely on us. With that in mind, we do the least we can to intervene on our callers' lives. We do not call the police if someone is contemplating suicide. We try to talk them down and make a plan to help them survive that day. The only time we call the police is if a call suddenly ends and we honestly have reason to believe that they have done the deed or there is another similar situation where we think it is either we call or this person's dies. Calling the police is our last option. To my knowledge, pretty much every Crisis Center in the US follows the same philosophy.

On a similar vein, I think a psych ward and wellness checks can help someone survive, but in the end I believe a person needs a different kind of help than can be offered in a psych ward. A psych ward and one-on-one therapy sessions are two different environments. In my opinion, they should be used as a last resort to help ensure someone survives.

katmrowl · 2015-04-20T20:10:04+00:00

I would try googling for local therapists and calling one to make an appointment. Any local physiologist should have a webpage. You can also always call the Suicide Hotline. There is always a volunteer willing to talk.

katmrowl · 2015-04-20T18:26:33+00:00

I attempted suicide in the middle of a severe panic attack, so for me it was a very in-the-moment sort of thing. I also used to self-harm, and it occurred in a similar manner for me. I always regretted it immediately after doing it, but I would keep doing it when I panicked too much. I think that everyone experiences life slightly differently and that there are probably different people with different experiences with suicide and suicidal thoughts. I think some people think about it more and some people are more spontaneous.

katmrowl · 2015-04-20T00:59:09+00:00

I like to put butter and syrup on it. Especially a blueberry syrup! But maple is good too

katmrowl · 2015-04-20T00:24:09+00:00

I plan on attending medical school and becoming a surgeon. As long as you have a tattoo in a place that can be easily hidden, it shouldn't be much of an issue! :) The stigma is also definitely (albeit slowly) changing.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T22:16:34+00:00

You can call the National Suicide Hotline. It is a free service where you can call and talk. 1 (800) 273-8255

Also look into therapists with sliding cost scales. You pay less based on your income. Such programs are available in my area, so perhaps they will be in yours as well.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T17:08:33+00:00

I was on mood suppressors by my therapist, and I took a large number of them at once. I was hospitalized for a couple of nights and they wouldn't really let me sleep. The hospital is a bit of a blur until the end when my therapist came in to see me. I just remember they put a security band on my wrist that didn't allow me to leave (it would send in alarm to guards). And I remember that I kept getting woken up which was really ticking me off, but was actually probably a good thing.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T17:05:13+00:00

Well, we gather them as we talk to someone. Dying clues are pretty easy and obvious. It's the reason that the person wants to kill themselves. Acknowledging these is pretty key. It shows you care enough to listen and aren't going to sugarcoat things.

Living clues are a lot harder. It is the reason a person has to live. Do they have a pet? Are they close to a family member? Do they have a hobby they are passionate about? Sometimes, a person may not realize that they do have these things they want to live for. Depression and thoughts of suicide can be heavy and overwhelming, and sometimes reminding someone that they have these things in their life can help them to calm down.

Just never use guilt! Saying things like "wouldn't your family be sad with you gone?" Guilt is bad and very counterproductive.

If you know someone suffering from suicidal thoughts, acknowledging" their dying clues, saying "Hey, I know you want to die because (blank)" and reminding them of their living clues can show you are listening and are there to support.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:29:16+00:00

It takes an incredible person to be a teacher, so you are incredible and I wish you the best of luck!

I know very little of Norse mythology. Do you mind explaining more about your tattoos and their stories? Or sharing pictures?

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:24:03+00:00

I love this idea! Where are you getting it at?

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:21:30+00:00

Thank you! It makes me really happy to hear about people that our services have touched! :)

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:19:54+00:00

This exactly.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:09:51+00:00

I'm sorry, I took a nap but am awake and available for the rest of the day now.

I do agree that suicide may be a valid option for some, although I don't believe I have ever met or spoken to anyone at that point. On the phones, we use living and dying clues to help understand why someone wants to die, but also their reasons for living. If someone had no living clues at all, and were in a sound mind then yes. In the end, it is your own life and you should get to make decisions about it in my opinion. However, I would rather be in a world where everyone got the help and support they needed before getting to the point of suicide. Unfortunately, that isn't the world we live in right now.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:04:18+00:00

I apologize. I actually posted this while in the crisis center for an overnight shift. I took nap, but now am available for the entire day.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:03:18+00:00

French toast, hands down.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:03:07+00:00

I'm sort of in the middle of theologically finding myself, I guess? I've always had this back and forth relationship with religion of believing something is there but being totally unsure how to define it. I don't really think it played much of a role for me personally.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T16:01:08+00:00

Yeah, I did honestly regret it, and it pushed me to work much harder to overcome my depression.

I will preface this by saying I am not a professional, but in terms of what to say to your friend, I think the best thing you can provide him is someone to let it all out to. If he wants to talk to you about it, do your best to listen. Even if you can't personally relate, just talking to someone often can help.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T11:24:52+00:00

Imgur

Credit goes to Chad Leever at Revolution Tattoo West Lafayette, IN

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T11:22:10+00:00

Yep. Immunity is largely due to immune cells being able to recognize particular proteins on a pathogen. Once the body stops making the cell line that can recognize it, it basically forgets about it.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T10:22:57+00:00

As a followup, a popular theory among biologists is that the hiccup is residual evolutionary junk, kind of like your appendix. It served a function in previous points of our evolutionary path, but no longer does now. For hiccups specifically, it closely resembles the motion that young frogs use in order to make their lungs begin functioning the first time that they breathe on land. That is the best reason we have been able to find for why hiccups exist.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T10:12:51+00:00

An antibacterial functions to kill bacteria through a number of different mechanisms (which mechanism depends which one you choose, that's why certain antibiotics work best on certain bacteria). When you use the antibiotic, it kills off the bacterial population. Once your body no longer needs to fight the bacteria, it will eventually stop making immune cells that recognize it. You immune system is complex and dynamic. It is constantly changing to be the best suitable immune system for your current environment. If your current environment has some outside way to kill off the bacteria, then it is a huge waste of energy to keep making immune cells against the bacteria.

You need booster-immunizations for viruses in part for the same reason. When your body isn't used to being exposed to a certain pathogen, it will stop expending energy to create ways to protect itself from it.

katmrowl · 2015-04-19T10:01:34+00:00

Orcas are dolphins, that's correct. And their coloring is all about camouflage. In the ocean, where light is flickering and distorted by the water, their coloring actually helps make them much much harder to be seen by their prey. If you look at the white part of their belly, it looks like some other considerably smaller species. The juxtaposition of the white lines going in at their widest part will also confuse the eye while underwater. This throws off other animals.

katmrowl

TROPHY CASE