Latest news with #specialist
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
I'm highly organized and productive, so my ADHD diagnosis at 32 surprised some people in my life. It didn't surprise me.
I recently received an ADHD diagnosis at 32. I've used coping mechanisms for years to make life easier without knowing why I was doing it. Now, I'm learning about thriving with ADHD, and the confirmation of a diagnosis is validating. Aristotle said that knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. My latest 'ah-ha' moment is a long-suspected ADHD diagnosis, made official this month. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the median age for a mild ADHD diagnosis is 7. I'm 32. I was hesitant to assign myself the label, since finding ADHD memes relatable is hardly a diagnosis, even when those memes feel like they were made with me in mind. Now that I've seen a specialist who confirmed my suspicions, the feeling of vindication is kind of exhilarating. I've suspected I had ADHD for about 10 years "When was the first time you suspected this?" the doctor asked. Ten years ago, I was team-marking with other teachers, trapped for a full weekend with the task of grading hundreds of senior exams before the deadline. The other teachers were flying through essays, their red pens a blur. I watched them for a bit, wondering how they were able to tune each other out. I graded two essays and then made some tea. I rewarded myself for finishing another essay with the slow removal of my jacket. Many buttons. Thrilling. And then one more essay, followed by a snack. The sound of my colleagues' pens was distracting. The sound of the kettle boiling, even more so. Speaking of which…more tea? A bathroom break? I was bored senseless. "How many have you done, Tayla?" I'd tackled four in the time the others had each graded 12. I told myself it was because the other teachers were more experienced. I developed coping mechanisms long ago to mask symptoms I shared the news of my diagnosis with a friend from school. "Seriously? But…you're so productive?" she said, shocked. It was easy to slip through the cracks as a high achiever. ADHD diagnoses are often missed in girls — the ratio of boys to girls with ADHD is 3:1 in childhood, but in adulthood it's much closer to 1:1. Apparently, girls with ADHD are more likely to make an effort to mask symptoms. I got straight As in school (bar physical science, which felt like torture) and graduated from university magna cum laude. Along the way, I'd unknowingly been developing coping strategies, weaving them into my daily life. A major one was the subjects I chose. In high school, I dropped two math classes in my final year; it wasn't my strong suit. In university, excelling in psychology and English was easy — I loved both majors and would happily fixate on them for hours. I've had a daily to-do list for decades. I voice note myself constantly. My calendar is so detailed that it looks encyclopedic. I schedule meetings and my toughest tasks during my most productive hours. I lock my phone away during work because I'll scroll fruitlessly. And now I can see all of this for what it is: a plethora of coping mechanisms. Even pursuing my writing career, I curated it around an ADHD diagnosis I didn't yet have. I struggle to write on topics I don't care about, so I built a roster of clients and publications in travel, a subject that obsesses me. Being self-employed has allowed me to tap into other interests, like coaching people in writing personal essays. I've always gravitated toward the form. After a quick Google, it turns out many associate oversharing with ADHD, too. Hmm. I'm throwing myself into learning. I'm reading books about thriving with ADHD. I'm following relevant accounts on social media, knowing that I now belong in these communities. The best time to get this diagnosis was probably 25 years ago. But I have it now. I'm not convinced this is the "beginning of wisdom" as Aristotle says, but it's the beginning of something. That's good enough for now. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Fast Company
16-07-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
How to banish toxic positivity at work
Sure, we know that feelings are highly contagious, and being positive can help others around us to feel the same, but let's be honest for a moment: sometimes life isn't all rainbows. Some days aren't great, and sometimes positivity isn't the best way to handle it. And research confirms it: one 10-year study into using avoidance to cope—perhaps by pretending things are fine, rather than addressing when they aren't— finds that it can increase chronic, acute stress and be linked to long-term depressive symptoms. In my experience as an emotional intelligence and human behavior specialist, our workplaces are becoming more focused on employee wellbeing, but it's an easy way to compel us to fake optimism, regardless of the real circumstances at hand. In workplace cultures, toxic positivity compels people to remain optimistic or think positively regardless of the real circumstances—say, key clients lost, budgets and bonuses frozens, or team-wide layoffs. And it's pervasive: one survey by workplace blog Science of People finds that almost 68% of people had experienced toxic positivity in the last week. The fundamental basics of relationships between people is based on the ability to trust. Trust is created through being honest and transparent, being accountable and creditable, and being empathetic and vulnerable. It takes being real—and fake positivity isn't real. If I can see that your optimism is a put-on, how can I trust the other things you say or do? Do I feel safe to be real, or do I, too, need to fake positivity? When this occurs, it impacts every part of our workplace—from our culture, to our performance and our mental health. Ultimately it impacts the overall success of each person and in turn, their organization. Here are five steps to shut down toxic positivity in a workplace. Own the reality of the situation. The world is not perfect; we are not perfect. Things will go wrong, and we will get it wrong at times. The only thing we have control over in this world is how we choose to respond—and our response should be authentic and genuine. Respond appropriately to the workplace situation, at the right intensity, without the need for forced toxic positivity. Face emotions head-on. There is no such thing as a 'good' or 'bad' emotion, and while we tend to think positivity is the former, that isn't the case. We should be focusing on whether an emotion is appropriate for the situation, and whether the intensity that we are feeling the emotion is appropriate. We feel emotions for a reason. Acknowledge and understand what is driving an emotion so that it can be processed before we move on. Understand how the people around us are feeling. Our emotions are influential to the people around us, but people can spot an insincere emotion from far away. Faking an emotion is setting a standard in workplace environments of what is acceptable and what is not. Trust and respect won't be created when people are not being authentic or genuine. Ask the right questions, and answer questions asked. Communication is always key to the workplace environment, and the ability to communicate effectively directly influences our culture. When we are feeling any form of intensive emotion, we have something to say. Ask the right questions to better understand what is driving another person's emotions. Answer the questions they have, and provide the information they require to be able to move forward. Drive emotional intelligence. Realistically, we know that a great culture in a workplace is when all emotions are being displayed appropriately. In some situations, it may be optimism—and other times it might be sadness, anger, disappointment, fear, or frustration. Let's not judge someone else's emotion. Assess it, and do what it takes to ensure they are felt and processed before moving forward. 'The standard you walk past is the standard you accept,' Australian Lieutenant General David Morrison once said. Every person contributes to the culture of a workplace. By facing toxic positivity and choosing more effective communication, you can change yours.
Health Line
15-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Kidney Function Tests
Key takeaways Kidney function tests are simple blood and urine tests that can identify problems with your kidneys. These tests can estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which indicates how quickly your kidneys are clearing waste from your body. Your doctor will focus on treating the underlying condition if your tests show early kidney disease. This may include medications, lifestyle changes, or seeing a specialist. Overview of kidney function tests You have two kidneys on either side of your spine that are each approximately the size of a human fist. They're located posterior to your abdomen and below your rib cage. Your kidneys play several vital roles in maintaining your health. One of their most important jobs is to filter waste materials from the blood and expel them from the body as urine. The kidneys also help control the levels of water and various essential minerals in the body. In addition, they're critical to the production of: vitamin D red blood cells hormones that regulate blood pressure If your doctor thinks your kidneys may not be working properly, you may need kidney function tests. These are simple blood and urine tests that can identify problems with your kidneys. You may also need kidney function testing done if you have other conditions that can harm the kidneys, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. They can help doctors monitor these conditions. Symptoms of kidney problems Symptoms that may indicate a problem with your kidneys include: high blood pressure blood in the urine frequent urges to urinate difficulty beginning urination painful urination swelling of the hands and feet due to a buildup of fluids in the body A single symptom may not mean something serious. However, when occurring simultaneously, these symptoms suggest that your kidneys aren't working properly. Kidney function tests can help determine the reason. Types of kidney function tests To test your kidney function, your doctor will order a set of tests that can estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Your GFR tells your doctor how quickly your kidneys are clearing waste from your body. Urinalysis A urinalysis screens for the presence of protein and blood in the urine. There are many possible reasons for protein in your urine, not all of which are related to disease. Infection increases urine protein, but so does a heavy physical workout. Your doctor may want to repeat this test after a few weeks to see if the results are similar. Your doctor may also ask you to provide a 24-hour urine collection sample. This can help doctors see how fast a waste product called creatinine is clearing from your body. Creatinine is a breakdown product of muscle tissue. Serum creatinine test This blood test examines whether creatinine is building up in your blood. The kidneys usually completely filter creatinine from the blood. A high level of creatinine suggests a kidney problem. According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), a creatinine level higher than 1.2 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL) for women and 1.4 mg/dL for men is a sign of a kidney problem. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test also checks for waste products in your blood. BUN tests measure the amount of nitrogen in the blood. Urea nitrogen is a breakdown product of protein. However, not all elevated BUN tests are due to kidney damage. Common medications, including large doses of aspirin and some types of antibiotics, can also increase your BUN. It's important to tell your doctor about any medications or supplements that you take regularly. You may need to stop certain drugs for a few days before the test. A normal BUN level is between 7 and 20 mg/dL. A higher value could suggest several different health problems. Estimated GFR This test estimates how well your kidneys are filtering waste. The test determines the rate by looking at factors, such as: test results, specifically creatinine levels age gender race height weight Any result lower than 60 milliliters/minute/1.73m 2 may be a warning sign of kidney disease. How the tests are performed Kidney function tests usually require a 24-hour urine sample and a blood test. 24-hour urine sample A 24-hour urine sample is a creatinine clearance test. It gives your doctor an idea of how much creatinine your body expels over a single day. On the day that you start the test, urinate into the toilet as you normally would when you wake up. For the rest of the day and night, urinate into a special container provided by your doctor. Keep the container capped and refrigerated during the collection process. Make sure to label the container clearly and to tell other family members why it's in the refrigerator. On the morning of the second day, urinate into the container when you get up. This completes the 24-hour collection process. Follow your doctor's instructions about where to drop the sample off. You may need to return it either to your doctor's office or a laboratory. Blood samples BUN and serum creatinine tests require blood samples taken in a lab or doctor's office. The technician drawing the blood first ties an elastic band around your upper arm. This makes the veins stand out. The technician then cleans the area over the vein. They slip a hollow needle through your skin and into the vein. The blood will flow back into a test tube that will be sent for analysis. You may feel a sharp pinch or prick when the needle enters your arm. The technician will place gauze and a bandage over the puncture site after the test. The area around the puncture may develop a bruise over the next few days. However, you shouldn't feel severe or long-term pain. Treatment of early kidney disease Your doctor will focus on treating the underlying condition if the tests show early kidney disease. Your doctor will prescribe medications to control blood pressure if the tests indicate hypertension. They'll also suggest lifestyle and dietary modifications. If you have diabetes, your doctor may want you to see an endocrinologist. This type of doctor specializes in metabolic diseases and can help ensure that you have the best blood glucose control possible. If there are other causes of your abnormal kidney function tests, such as kidney stones and excessive use of painkillers, your doctor will take appropriate measures to manage those disorders.
Washington Post
15-07-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
I'm a pulmonologist. This is how I protect myself from wildfire smoke.
As a lung disease specialist living in Los Angeles, I'm used to thinking about air quality. I routinely talk to my patients about how air pollution — including the type churned up by our regional wildfires — can hurt their lungs and worsen respiratory symptoms. That's part of my job.
CNA
15-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
TomTom raises 2025 guidance after positive half-year results
Dutch digital mapping specialist TomTom raised its full-year revenue outlook on Tuesday, saying its results in the first half of 2025 were better than it had initially expected despite market headwinds. The Amsterdam-based company expects its revenue to come between 535 million and 565 million euros ($624.72 million and $659.75 million) in 2025, compared with the previous forecast of 505-565 million euros. ($1 = 0.8564 euros)
