Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'disorder'

Disabled Guitarist Finds New Sound In Mbira

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:36:00 EST

For a musician, essential tremor disorder can be devastating. The disease affects fine motor coordination, causing hands to shake. But guitarist Richard Crandell has found a new way to continue composing and performing.

'Wishful Drinking' With Carrie Fisher

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:49:00 EST

In a new memoir, Carrie Fisher — actress, novelist and self-described daughter of "Hollywood inbreeding" — writes about her tumultuous life as showbiz royalty. In Wishful Drinking, Fisher discusses her bipolar disorder, addictions and divorce — and still manages to laugh.

Iraq Veteran Suffers Wounds That Can't Be Seen

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:24:00 EST

For thousands of young men and women coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the price exacted by war is obvious. Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, John Blaufus' injuries didn't appear until he tried to resume the life he had before the war.

As Friends, Mother And Daughter Savor The Days

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:08:00 EST

Barbara Cooper has a form of progeria, a genetic disorder that speeds up her body's aging process and causes a shortened life span. But Cooper is 31 — and though her vision long ago began to fail, her mother told her, "You remember your reflection, and that you will always be young in your mind."

My Online Community Saved My Life

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:34:00 EST

Essayist Ayelet Waldman lives with bipolar disorder. A few years ago, in the throes of a depressive episode, she wrote a blog post that implied that she might take a fistful of pills. But she was lucky; her Web community reached out to her.

In Ancient Dramas, Vital Words For Today's Warriors

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST

Were the tragedies of Sophocles written for soldiers dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder? The artists behind The Philoctetes Project think so — and they argue that the millennia-old plays can help today's veterans cope.

Diagnosis Can Miss ADHD Symptoms In Girls

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:54:00 EST

The majority of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) research has focused on boys. But recent research shows that many girls who have ADHD simply aren't diagnosed — ADHD manifests itself in girls as detachment and distraction rather than in the disruptive behavior often seen in boys.

Tips For Parenting A Child With Bipolar Disorder

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:25:00 EDT

Every parent hopes their child's misbehavior can be easily corrected with a time out or appropriate punishment. But many parents find themselves unprepared when their children are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness. In this week's Behind Closed Doors, Dr. Ellen Leibenluft, Dr. Carl Bell and author Cassandra Joubert discuss parenting children with the illness.

Learning To Thrive With Attention Deficit Disorder

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:38:00 EDT

Emily Algire earned good grades in elementary school. But by middle school, there were signs that something was wrong. Emily was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. After being coached with specific learning strategies, she is now entering her second year of college with an upbeat attitude and good grades.

Why Intensive Care Leads To PTSD

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EDT

A new study shows about 20 percent of patients checking out of hospital intensive care units suffer post traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Sydney Spiesel — a practicing pediatrician and professor at Yale Medical School — talks to Madeleine Brand about why this happens and what hospitals can do.

'Scattershot' A Bipolar Family Portrait

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:27:00 EDT

In his memoir, Scattershot, David Lovelace chronicles what he calls "the family sickness." Terri Cheney joins the discussion and shares details from Manic, a chronicle of her own struggle with bipolar disorder.

Treating Iraqi Children For PTSD

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The war in Iraq has had a severe impact on the country's children. More than 650 children were reported killed there last year. Iraq's children also have been the victims of kidnapping, torture and rape. In the first of two pieces, NPR's Lourdes Garcia Navarro reports, a clinic for children suffering post-traumatic stress disorder is opening this month in Baghdad.

'The Condition' Resonates With Turner Syndrome Families

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EDT

It's not clear whether "the condition" that the title of Jennifer Haigh's new novel refers to Turner's syndrome — a genetic disorder that prevents puberty and full growth in girls — or how the family of a child with the condition comes to grips with it.

Researchers Find Possible Genetic Clue To ADHD

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:36:00 EDT

A study of two brothers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder could give scientists the right ammunition to resolve the mysteries of ADHD, one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children.

Advice to Stop PTSD Diagnoses Triggers Probe

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:40:00 EDT

Concern that the government is trying to save money by curbing the number of diagnoses for post-traumatic stress disorder has been heightened by an incident at a Veterans Affairs hospital. An inquiry is under way, and a VA coordinator has been removed.

Excerpt: 'Trauma'

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:12:00 EDT

Charlie Weir is a Manhattan psychiatrist who treats patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite his cool exterior, Charlie is haunted by his own repressed trauma in Patrick McGrath's novel.

Virtual Reality Eases Vets' Stress Disorders

Tue, 20 May 2008 07:21:00 EDT

Albert "Skip" Rizzo is a clinical psychologist at the University of Southern California and developed "Virtual Iraq," a program the Department of Defense is hoping can help veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder work through their trauma.

Old Drug Offers New Hope for Marfan Syndrome

Thu, 08 May 2008 01:23:00 EDT

New evidence indicates that the connective tissue disorder, which can be deadly, may be treatable with a common blood pressure drug.

Study: Doctors Over-Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder

Tue, 06 May 2008 16:51:00 EDT

A new study suggests that many people are being diagnosed as bipolar even though they do not meet the criteria for the disorder. Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital found that about half of 700 patients who'd been diagnosed as bipolar should not have been.

Adopted Teens Face Higher Risk for ADHD

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:56:00 EDT

A new study finds that, while most adopted youths are psychologically healthy, they face twice the risk for some emotional and behavioral disorders than their non-adopted counterparts do.

Man Who Held Daughter Captive to Plead Insanity

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Josef Fritzl, a 73-year-old Austrian man, has yet to be charged for holding his daughter captive for 24 years in his basement and fathering seven children with her. Fritzl's lawyer is preparing an insanity defense for his client, stating Fritzl has a serious mental disorder.

Genetic Disorder Complicates Polygamist Custody Fight

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT

The legal battle over the custody of 462 children taken from a polygamist sect in West Texas is complicated enough. But some of the children involved also suffer from a rare genetic disorder.

A Hoop Dream Comes True

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:31:00 EDT

Lance Allred is a basketball vagabond who most recently played for the Idaho Stampede in the NBA's development league. His hard work on and off the court -- he lives with a severe hearing deficiency and battles obsessive-compulsive disorder -- finally paid off when the Cleveland Cavaliers called.

The Young Genius Behind BitTorrent

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:20:00 EDT

Bram Cohen, 26, wrote a groundbreaking program called BitTorrent. Affected by Asperger's Disorder, he says he sometimes needs his friends to remind him what's socially appropriate.

Genetic Link to Schizophrenia Discovered

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:51:00 EDT

Researchers have found that people with schizophrenia are far more likely than other people to have a certain type of error in their genes. Scientists believe the finding will help them develop new treatments for schizophrenia and identify young people at high risk of developing the disorder.