ADHD Causes in the Home?

A new study links impulsive behavior in kids to chemicals that may be lurking in your kitchen or on your clothing.

By Emily Main

Data just released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continue to rise, jumping from 6.7 percent of U.S. children in 2000 to 9 percent of U.S. children in 2009.

As doctors and scientists try to uncover the causes of ADHD, attention is turning to all the chemicals children and pregnant moms encounter in their daily lives. "Certainly there's a genetic component to the disorder," says Brooks Gump, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor in the department of public health, food studies, and nutrition at Syracuse University, noting that roughly 50 percent of cases are genetic. "But there are environmental factors involved, as well."

The disorder has already been linked to pesticides found in chemically grown food, and now Gump has shown in a new study that one of the chemical causes of ADHD might be perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), a class of highly toxic chemicals used to make stain- and water-repellent fabrics and nonstick cookware that linger in the environment for very long periods of time, building up in the blood of animals that enter the food chain and, ultimately, in people.

There have been a few observational studies finding associations between a diagnosis of ADHD and high PFC levels in blood. But Gump's new study, published recently in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, shows real-world situations in which children with high PFC levels exhibited characteristics of the disorder, mainly impulsive behavior.


THE DETAILS: Eighty-three children between the ages of 9 and 11 took part in the study. Blood samples were taken and measured for the presence of 11 different PFCs, including PFOA, used to manufacture Teflon and other nonstick finishes, and PFBS, a chemical made by 3M to replace the toxic PFOS, which was found to cause liver damage and increase chances of infant mortality before 3M phased it out 10 years ago. Then the children took a 20-minute computer test designed to detect something called impaired response inhibition, or impulsive behavior, a primary characteristic of children with ADHD. "What it translates into are risky behaviors that ultimately may translate into things like drug use," says Gump. Children who are too impulsive have also been found to have lower IQs, he adds, and can have difficulty stopping certain behaviors when asked. "For whatever reason, impulsivity is a cognitive process that's particularly sensitive to toxicants."

During the computer game, the children were told they could win 25 cents if they could wait 20 seconds before hitting the space bar, with the potential to win $15 upon completion of the game; responses made sooner than 20 seconds indicated a child with high impulsivity. The authors found that the higher a child's PFC blood level, the shorter his or her response time was, and those children's response times got shorter and shorter as the 20-minute game wore on. The strongest association between the chemicals and impulsive behavior was seen in children with high levels of PFHxS, a PFC that was also made by 3M (and also phased out 10 years ago) that was widely used in carpet treatments and in some forms of food packaging. It was detected at some level in all the children participating in the study, as were PFOA and PFOS.

WHAT IT MEANS
We're just beginning to understand the sometimes-subtle effects of these ever-present chemicals. "PFCs are so prevalent," Gump says. "There's so little research about what the effects of these are on cognitive function, yet everyone has them in their blood." And he adds that the levels of PFCs found in the children in his study are not unusual, based on blood tests conducted on the general public by the CDC. Because these chemicals are so ubiquitous, he wasn't able to determine whether children were being affected by PFCs in their current environment or had been exposed to high levels prenatally. Prenatal exposure, he writes in his study, might explain why these children, born in the late 1990s, when PFC use peaked, are more likely to show signs of ADHD.

A 2008 study has shown that, as with many of the other persistent chemicals that build up in our environment (such as pesticides), contaminated food and water are our primary exposure sources for PFCs. The next-highest source is spray-on water- and stain-repelling clothing treatments and carpet treatments, such as Scotchgard. Third in that list is food packaging: Microwave popcorn, fast-food wrappers, butter wrappers, and pizza boxes may contain PFC-based coatings to prevent grease from soaking through the paper, giving you one more reason not to eat fast food!

Here are a few more ways to avoid exposure to PFCs:
• Eat super-green fish. Researchers are just beginning to understand where the PFCs in our food come from, but it's widely accepted that contaminated fish are a big source of exposure. Choose healthy fish that have low levels of all contaminants to avoid exposure to these unhealthy chemicals.

• Learn to cope with stains. Carpet treatments and after-market stain repellents that we spray on our clothes and furniture could lead to hyperactive kids, as well as moms and dads with thyroid problems. Follow our tips for cleaning clothing and removing carpet stains without resorting to toxic stain-repellent sprays. Also, consult Rodale's Nontoxic Back-to-School Shopping Guide e-book for ideas on outfitting children with rain gear and umbrellas that aren't coated in PFC-based water-repellent coatings.

• Choose healthy cookware. Nonstick pans aren't thought to be a major source of PFC exposure when new, but as the cookware ages and the coatings start to wear off, you might wind up adding PFCs to your dinner without realizing it. Choose healthy cookware that's free of nonstick coatings when replacing your old pots and pans; you might even find it functions better in the kitchen.

THE COEXISTENCE OF SENSITIVITY & OVEREATING

The correlation between being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and an emotional eater is too significant not to share.  It’s a pairing that I see often – and one that I see in myself.  The aim of this post is to share my knowledge of the Highly Sensitive Person in an effort to provide a sense of sanity to your emotional eating habits.   If you are anything like me, the tremendous shame surrounding your overeating has caused you to retreat from the world in an effort “fix” yourself.  When you begin to understand that the reason you are overeating is perfectly justified and completely sane – your mission to “fix” yourself will gently fade away.

So what exactly is a Highly Sensitive Person?  Being highly sensitive means you pick up more sensory inputs from your environment — you feel things more intensely (both your own feelings and those of others) and reflect deeply before acting.  In addition to having heightened sensory input, HSP’s are often physically sensitive to specific foods, making digestive issues and auto immune disorders commonplace.  Because of this high level of processing and analyzing, the body and mind are more likely to be overwhelmed, overstimulated and over aroused.   This is precisely where food comes into play.    

Overwhelm is the catalyst for unconsciously using food as a coping mechanism to oversensitivity of outside people, places, situations, and especially emotions.  Food becomes an escape route from a world that seems too much handle.  The HSP becomes a sponge for the stress of the world – literally absorbing it into their bodies.
Highly Sensitive People have a strong propensity to live in their heads – their strength lies in analysis.  The downside of hibernating in your head is that anxiety undoubtedly finds you there and will hold on to you for dear life.  When you feel yourself overwhelmed with anxiety, seeking solace with food – recognize your need to retreat.  When we honor that we are sensitive beings – we honor the part of us that needs time to recharge, restore and rest.  It’s a balance of finding life’s confines and the confines of our sensitive bodies – and finding a way to flourish within their boundaries.

I know being highly sensitive may seem like a weakness given it is masked in your overeating habits – but when you are not coping, your sensitivity will paradoxically be your greatest gift.  Because HSP’s have the capacity to see what others may miss, they are natural visionaries, peacemakers, creatives and humanitarians.  So you see, you are not a problem to be “fixed”, rather a tenderness to appreciate.

To gain a deeper understanding of the Highly Sensitive Person, I highly recommend Elaine Aron’s, The Highly Sensitive Person.

Source: http://katestefans.com/?p=328

10 Myths About Introverts

Photo credit @ Anna Wojnarowska

Synopsis

Labeling someone as an Introvert is a very shallow assessment, full of common misconceptions.

This article originally appeared at Carl Kings' website Carlkingdom.com


Some time ago I was lucky enough to discover a book called, The Introvert Advantage (How To Thrive in an Extrovert World), by Marti Laney, Psy.D. It felt like someone had written an encyclopedia entry on a rare race of people to which I belong. Not only had it explained many of my eccentricities, it helped me to redefine my entire life in a new and productive context.

Sure, anyone who knows me would say, “Duh! Why did it take you so long to realize you’re an Introvert?” It’s not that simple. The problem is that labeling someone as an Introvert is a very shallow assessment, full of common misconceptions. It’s more complex than that.

A section of Laney’s book (page 71 through page 75) maps out the human brain and explains how neuro-transmitters follow different dominant paths in the nervous systems of Introverts and Extroverts. If the science behind the book is correct, it turns out that Introverts are people who are over-sensitive to Dopamine, so too much external stimulation overdoses and exhausts them. Conversely, Extroverts can’t get enough Dopamine, and they require Adrenaline for their brains to create it. Extroverts also have a shorter pathway and less blood-flow to the brain. The messages of an Extrovert’s nervous system mostly bypass the Broca’s area in the frontal lobe, which is where a large portion of contemplation takes place.

Unfortunately, according to the book, only about 25% of people are Introverts. There are even fewer that are as extreme as I am. This leads to a lot of misunderstandings, since society doesn’t have very much experience with my people. (I love being able to say that.)
So here are a few common misconceptions about Introverts (not taken directly from the book, but based on my own life experience):

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

“You cannot escape us, and to change us would lead to your demise.” <-- I made that up. I'm a screenwriter.

It can be terribly destructive for an Introvert to deny themselves in order to get along in an Extrovert-Dominant World. Like other minorities, Introverts can end up hating themselves and others because of the differences. If you think you are an Introvert, I recommend you research the topic and seek out other Introverts to compare notes. The burden is not entirely on Introverts to try and become "normal." Extroverts need to recognize and respect us, and we also need to respect ourselves.
 
About Carl King the author of : "So, You're a Creative Genius....Now What?"

Under the names Sir Millard Mulch and Dr. Zoltan Øbelisk, Carl King has recorded or performed with Devin Townsend, Marco Minnemann, and Virgil Donati. His 2005 album, How To Sell The Whole F#@!ing Universe To Everybody... Once And For All! was co-released through Trey Spruance of Mr. Bungle's Mimicry Records. It was named as one of the top musical moments of 2005 in The San Francisco Bay Guardian. He is a pioneer drum-programmer and is endorsed by Toontrack's Drumkit From Hell software. The highest and lowest points of his music career were having lunch with (and then failing an invite-only bass audition for) Steve Vai. Carl has written for mental_floss, INK19, and 2600: The Hacker Quarterly. He lives in Los Angeles and has never owned a car.

Source: http://www.creativitypost.com/pop-culture/10_myths_about_introverts

Love and Asperger's syndrome

He's gentle, unworldly, highly attentive and charmingly old-fashioned. The catch? The very things that make Keith so attractive to Sarah are symptoms of Asperger's. Anna Moore meets the couples living with this surprisingly common condition

Sarah Hendrickx and Keith Newton sit tilted towards one other, laughing a lot and disappearing down the occasional alley of in-jokes, as couples do when they're still in that early, besotted stage.

Keith has just arrived at Sarah's home in Hove and they're clearly delighted by the prospect of the next few days together. As always, Keith has switched off his mobile phone because, as he puts it, 'my time here is with Sarah'. They won't see anyone else - Keith has no friends of his own and doesn't feel comfortable socialising - but plan to eat lots of chocolate, walk and watch television. 'We spend a lot of time feeling smug,' says Sarah, 'because we see other couples who don't look very happy.'

In a few days, though, Keith will drive back to Wickham, Hampshire, 50 miles away, where he lives alone and works as a computer programmer. This will always be the case. Despite meeting five years ago, they won't 'progress' as other couples do. They'll neither live together nor have children. Although there's only a year between them, at 39 Keith is so gangly, gawky, boyish and cute that he could be ten years younger than he is.

Yet Sarah - who had a child at 19 and has two marriages behind her - is confident that few women could put up with him. 'God, he's so gorgeous he could have anyone - but not for long,' she says, laughing. 'Three or four months max… then, when the conversation turns to homes and babies and bank accounts, he'd be gone!' The two burst into laughter.

It wasn't always like this. The couple met through internet dating and the first stage of their relationship was fiery and fraught. To Sarah, Keith was 'a puzzle'. He'd plainly state that their blissful weekends were enough for him, that he'd never live with her or even move nearer. Sarah frequently found him selfish, cold and distant. Keith found Sarah hard work, demanding and 'screechy'.

Ultimately, only one thing allowed them to start again from scratch - they uncovered the reason for Keith's 'insensitivity', his aloofness, the fact that he could see no future with Sarah nor seemed to want one: Keith has Asperger's syndrome (AS).

Such a late diagnosis is not uncommon. Asperger's - a developmental condition that falls within the autism spectrum - was identified more than 60 years ago but became a standard diagnosis only in 1992 when it entered the World Health Organisation's diagnostic manual. As a result, the majority of adults with the syndrome almost certainly grew up without knowing they had it.
Estimates vary enormously as to the prevalence, but one in 100 people is thought to be on the autism spectrum, and it is more common in males by a ratio of nine to one. People with AS normally have above-average intelligence but great difficulties with empathy, communication and social interaction.

People with AS struggle to understand the unwritten social rules that help most of us act and speak appropriately. They find it hard to decipher figures of speech, facial expressions and tones of voice, and are frequently (but unintentionally) concise and literal to the point of rudeness. Since the 'real world' becomes an extremely stressful place, many retreat into their own safe haven of routine, solitude and obsessive special interests.

Today AS is likely to be recognised in a child, and his school will be told he needs special support. Twenty years ago, however, he'd be the 'geek' who didn't quite fit but was left to get on with it. And that struggle has continued into adulthood. For someone with AS, the minefield of relationships, marriage and parenthood can be the hardest part of all.

Louise Corbett manages the National Autistic Society (NAS) helpline and confirms that more calls are coming from couples who have recognised Asperger's in their relationship.
'When I started six years ago most of our calls were made by parents about their children,' she says. 'Now we get more adult-related calls than child-related.' As Asperger's seems to run in families, many women identify it in their husbands - or their husbands see it in themselves - only after their child has been diagnosed and they've read the literature. 'They call in absolute shock,' says Corbett. 'Often they've been experiencing difficulties for years without knowing why. There's no way around it: Asperger's can be very hard to live with.'

Maxine Aston, the author of Aspergers in Love (Jessica Kingsley, £14.95), is one of the few counsellors to work specifically with couples affected by AS. Her surveys and questionnaires from the past decade suggest that 75 per cent of such couples seek counselling. 'I'd almost say AS was a "relationship disorder",' she says. 'It affects communication, interaction and the ability to empathise. Any research will tell you they're the key ingredients for a successful relationship.' In Aston's experience - and desperate clients come from as far as Japan, New Zealand and Canada - Asperger's relationships follow a common pattern.
'A huge number seem to meet on dating websites,' she says. 'For someone with AS it's the perfect route.' Where once many people with AS were effectively barred from the dating game, the internet now provides the perfect point of entry (it has, as Aston puts it 'opened the floodgates').

Bypassing the enormous challenges involved in chatting someone up, it allows you to make a checklist and then select according to criteria. Although many people with AS are unemployed or underemployed, others are at the top of their profession. 'On paper they look amazing,' says Aston. 'Doctors, IT consultants, engineers, solicitors… They could be in their forties but have never married - so no baggage. The internet also allows them to build a rapport by email,' she continues. 'When they meet, women are often very charmed by this polite, gentle man with an old-fashioned appeal.'

This was certainly true for Sarah who found Keith completely different to anyone she had known. 'At the end of our first date he kissed my cheek and shook my hand,' she recalls. 'So different to all the guys that ply you with rioja. Keith seemed so untouched by needless fashion and peer pressure - I thought he was a Buddhist!'

However, in Aston's experience, this appeal can wear thin. 'Women fall in love and want to nurture this unworldly, slightly vulnerable man and help him grow up. As the relationship settles, though, they often find their own emotional needs aren't being met.
'Someone with AS probably has good intentions,' she goes on. 'He wants to make her happy but can't read the signs. At the beginning of the courtship the woman could become his obsession and she has probably never experienced such attention. Five years down the line, when he has focussed on something else and returns from work, yet again forgets to say hello and goes to the garage to take the car apart, things are very different. Women often say to me, "He's either got Asperger's or he's the most selfish man on the planet."'

Another problem can be the isolation. People with AS frequently have sensory difficulties - loud noise, strong smells and bright lights can be almost painful. This, coupled with difficulties in social interaction, means that parties, family gatherings and big birthdays drop off the radar.

'I once saw a couple in their eighties who, after 50 years of marriage, realised what the problem was,' says Aston. 'They decided to stay together, but she bought a cottage up the road and he visited for meals. She could have friends and family over and he had space for his routine and interests. Quite a few couples decide to stay together but live apart.'

Penny Jones, an accountant from Oxford, tried this, following the diagnosis of her husband Chris, an IT consultant, six years ago. Chris learnt about AS through a television programme while he was off work with stress. He subsequently saw a specialist who placed him high on the Asperger's scale.

'We got together in 1995 and he'd always been very unusual,' says Penny. 'There are lots of positives about Asperger's. I like its straightforwardness. There's no game-playing. Chris was the first person I had met who just let people be themselves. Most men want you to be a bit more like this or more like that. Chris just accepts you. He's also very intelligent - he has an IQ of over 150 - and very funny.'

However, AS was hard to live with. 'He did lock himself in the room with the computer,' she says. 'We were under the same roof but not together. Rarely did we share the preparation and clearing away of meals because Chris couldn't stand the noise of cutlery and crockery.'
When their children were born - Luke is nine and Beth is seven - Chris found the chaos of family life even more difficult. 'It wasn't predictable and calm enough. Family holidays we gave up on,' she says. 'He would try his best but by day three, without his familiarity, his routine, his computer, you could see all his systems shutting down. Then he'd spend each day with a large crate of beer in front of the television while I took the children out. Chris drank vast quantities to cope with Asperger's - that was another problem.'

When Chris moved out, the plan had been that they would remain a couple, but in the end this didn't work out. 'He drank far less and was clearly so much happier in his own space,' says Penny. 'He would spend a few hours with us, then go home to his bolthole and not talk to anyone for 24 hours. In the end, I couldn't cope with the massive periods of time alone.' The couple divorced last year.

Conventional counselling isn't recommended for AS couples - in fact, it frequently makes things worse. 'Counselling works on empathy,' says Maxine Aston, 'helping you understand each other's point of view. That won't happen if you have AS. You might be told to spend ten minutes a day talking about your emotions. Someone with AS can't do it, feels pressurised and disappointment sets in.' For this reason, the NAS has a (small) database of couples counsellors who specialise in AS - of which Aston is one.

There are many strategies that can help. One is to write things down instead of saying them. Another is for the non-Asperger's half in the relationship to spell things out in no uncertain terms. ('I am feeling sad and would like a hug'), rather than hope their partner will read the cues. However, the key is understanding the Asperger's label, accepting its limitations and adjusting expectations. 'It's almost like blaming it on the Asperger's,' says Aston.
The diagnosis that saved Keith and Sarah almost happened by accident - Sarah got a job working with ASpire, a charity that supports adults with Asperger's. The more she learnt, the more she recognised in Keith. 'At first, I thought it was just a mad, crazy Sarah idea,' he says. 'But as I researched it, the similarities became too great to ignore.'

Learning about AS, he says, was 'life-changing'. Suddenly what Sarah describes as his 'isolated, biscuit-eating life' made sense. Keith had been bullied at school and gone through university with no friends at all. He'd had only two jobs in his life doing the same thing and two very short-lived relationships (the first at 31). 'From an early age you try to join the world, but gradually, with rejection and not being able to understand social situations, it becomes too taxing,' he says. 'I wanted relationships with women but didn't have the confidence, the tools or the means.'

In Sarah, Keith has found the perfect partner. She works with AS adults for a living and now understands his thought processes and almost speaks his language. She can foresee stressful situations, accepts his frequent need to be alone and rarely asks for more than Keith can give.

In return, she has a charming, quirky, logical and attentive partner who is still touchingly old-fashioned - he always opens doors for her, carries her shopping and whips off her glasses to clean them if he sees they are dirty. Most importantly, the two clearly love each other's company, share the same sense of humour - and have co-written a book, Asperger Syndrome - A Love Story (Jessica Kingsley, £12.99), to show that happy endings are possible, even if they're not quite the endings originally envisaged.

There are no plans of marriage or moving in, and Keith certainly doesn't think he could cope with children. But they seem like soul mates. 'With Sarah, I get acceptance and understanding,' says Keith. 'I don't necessarily want to join the rest of the world - but I'd like someone to join me in mine. I'd like to know at the end of my life that there's been one person who got me. That's what Sarah does for me.'

You can order the book by clicking the link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3354140/Love-and-Aspergers-syndrome.html

Using Your High Sensitivity Personality As an Actor

Winona Ryder admits there were times when she thought, “I’m too sensitive for this world right now; I just don’t belong here.
“It’s too fast and I don’t understand it.”
Many artists, including actors, are highly sensitive and use this trait to be even more creative.
But it can also lead to being emotionally overwhelmed, if you don’t take care of yourself.
Everyone has some sensitivity to inner experiences and emotions, to the moods of others, and to many other sensations.
But highly sensitive people have unusually strong awareness and reactivity, and are more likely to be shy or introverted – not that those are the same traits.
..
..
It can show up in many ways, and actors have different ways of dealing with their high sensitivity.
 
Renee Zellweger says when she expresses something, it’s through the filter of her character, so she never feels exposed. She thinks of making movies as “private experiences” and avoids thinking about disappointing people.

By the way, I am not presuming to label anyone here as a highly sensitive person (HSP) as described by Dr. Elaine Aron and others.
But many talented actors have identified themselves as highly sensitive, or at least talked about their sensitivity, including Ellen Muth; Heath Ledger; Amy Brenneman; Mandy Moore; Alison Pill; Naomi Watts, and Brittany Murphy, who once commented, “I’m a very oversensitive, vulnerable person. You have to be to do this for a living.”
“I get emotional all the time,” Jennifer Beals once said. “Every now and again, my heart just explodes and expands.”
Laurel Holloman, her castmate on the tv series “The L Word,” has commented, “My theory on that is all the best actors have a couple of layers of skin peeled away.”
Scarlett Johansson has noted that sensitivity can have a dark side: “I think I was born with a great awareness of my surroundings and of other people. Sometimes that awareness is good, and sometimes I wish I wasn’t so sensitive.”


One way to help yourself is to look at how you describe your feelings.
Are you “too sensitive” to work effectively or be with people who are more “normal” or less sensitive?
Acknowledging yourself as being highly sensitive may help your self concept and confidence much more than saying you are “too much” something or other.

Fame can be an assaultive experience for sensitive people. Johnny Depp has said he felt so intimidated by his celebrity status during his early career that he was often drunk to “be able to speak and get through it.”
But fame can also be strengthening, as Kim Basinger explained: “Because I’m such a shy person, having to live it out loud in front of everyone has made me a stronger woman, so much stronger, that it’s been a gift to me in a way.”

Shyness is a common experience for many highly sensitive people, including actors.
Nicole Kidman has commented, “It was very natural for me to want to disappear into dark theater, I am really very shy.
“That is something that people never seem to fully grasp because, when you are an actor, you are meant to be an exhibitionist.”
Jane Fonda admits she didn’t get over her shyness until she was about sixty.
Evan Rachel Wood says, “I used to not even be able to order pizza on the phone because I was just so shy.”
She thinks acting allows so much to come out on-screen, “because that’s my time to let go in a safe place.”

Frances McDormand has talked about the “mental scar tissue” that helps us deal with emotional pain in life, and thinks, “An actor’s scar tissue really never covers over things the same way, not if you’re going to be sensitive.
“With good technique, an actor can do that and walk through life without going insane.”
One strategy she suggests is to simply get away from the theater or the set, and live life in the real world, not a fantasy world – especially one like a film set that can be designed to be emotionally intense.
The stage or film set can be a “safe place” in many ways, and a workplace environment where sensitive people can express themselves much more freely than in the “real world” outside.

But wherever you go, sensitivity does not disappear.

From The Inner Actor.com site

Giftedness characteristics

Characteristics often experienced by gifted individuals:

 

Are you a good problem solver?   Can you concentrate for long periods of time?
Are you perfectionistic?

Do you persevere with your interests?  Are you an avid reader?  
Do you have a vivid imagination?

Do you enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles?   Often connect seemingly unrelated ideas?
Do you enjoy paradoxes?
Do you set high standards for yourself?  

Do you have a good long-term memory?   

Are you deeply compassionate?

Do you have persistent curiosity?   

Do you have an excellent sense of humor? 
Are you a keen observer?

Do you have a love of mathematics?   

Do you need periods of contemplation?  
Do you search for meaning in your life?

Are you aware of things that others are not?   

Are you fascinated by words?  
Are you highly sensitive?   

Do you have strong moral convictions?

Do you often feel out-of-sync with others?    

Are you perceptive or insightful? 
Do you often question rules or authority?

Do you have organized collections?   

Do you thrive on challenge?   
Do you have extraordinary abilities and deficits?

Do you learn new things rapidly?    

Feel overwhelmed by many interests/abilities?    

Do you have a great deal of energy?

Often take a stand against injustice?   

Do you feel driven by your creativity?   
Love ideas and ardent discussion?

Were you advanced developmentally in childhood?   
Have unusual ideas or perceptions?   

Are you a complex person?

 

"If 75% of these characteristics fit you, you are probably a gifted adult.

 

"Giftedness was not commonly identified in children until recently, so many adults are unaware that they were gifted as children. But even those who were identified tend to believe their giftedness disappeared before adulthood."

 

  [Adapted from the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development]

Sensitive

"The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this:

A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive.


To him...
a touch is a blow,
a sound is a noise,
a misfortune is a tragedy,
a joy is an ecstasy,
a friend is a lover,
a lover is a god,
and failure is death.


Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create
...so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning,
his very breath is cut off from him.
He must create, must pour out creation.
By some strange, unknown, inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating."


-Pearl Buck-

5 Gifts of Being Highly Sensitive and 5 Curses: An Interview with Douglas Eby

Article by Therese J. Borchard from her blog Beyond Blue.

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Douglas Eby, M.A./Psychology, who is a writer and researcher on the psychology of creative expression, high ability and personal growth. 

He is creator of the Talent Development Resources series of sites (including HighlySensitive.org) at http://talentdevelop.com. I know many of you are "highly sensitive" and enjoy articles on that topic, so I am excited to pique his highly-sensitive brain today!

Question: If you had to name the top five gifts of being highly sensitive, what would they be?
Douglas: 
 
1. Sensory detail
One of the prominent "virtues" of high sensitivity is the richness of sensory detail that life provides. The subtle shades of texture in clothing, and foods when cooking, the sounds of music or even traffic or people talking, fragrances and colors of nature. All of these may be more intense for highly sensitive people.
Of course, people are not simply "sensitive" or "not sensitive" - like other qualities and traits, it's a matter of degree.
Years ago, I took a color discrimination test to work as a photographic technician, making color prints. The manager said I'd scored better, with more subtle distinctions between hues in the test charts, than anyone he had evaluated.
That kind of response to color makes visual experience rich and exciting, and can help visual artists and designers be even more excellent.

2. Nuances in meaning
The trait of high sensitivity also includes a strong tendency to be aware of nuances in meaning, and to be more cautious about taking action, and to more carefully consider options and possible outcomes.

3. Emotional awareness
We also tend to be more aware of our inner emotional states, which can make for richer and more profound creative work as writers, musicians, actors or other artists.
A greater response to pain, discomfort, and physical experience can mean sensitive people have the potential, at least, to take better care of their health.

4. Creativity
Psychologist Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, estimates about twenty percent of people are highly sensitive, and seventy percent of those are introverted, which is a trait that can also encourage creativity.
As examples, there are many actors who say they are shy, and director Kathryn Bigelow, who recently won an Academy Award, has said, "I'm kind of very shy by nature." The star of her movie The Hurt Locker, Jeremy Renner (who was reportedly shy as a child) has commented that "in social situations she can be painfully shy."

5. Greater empathy
High sensitivity to other people's emotions can be a powerful asset for teachers, managers, therapists and others.

Question: And, if you had to name five curses, what would they be? And how best do we overcome them or co-exist with them?
Douglas: 

1. Easily overwhelmed, overstimulated
The biggest challenge in high sensitivity is probably being vulnerable to sensory or emotional overwhelm. Taking in and processing so much information from both inner and outer worlds can be "too much" at times and result in more pain, fatigue, stress, anxiety and other reactions.
An intriguing neuroscience research study I came across that may explain some of this said people with nervous systems having decreased latent inhibition are more open to incoming stimuli. Which can be a good thing, or not so good.
Actor Amy Brenneman once commented, "I'm too sensitive to watch most of the reality shows. It's so painful for me."
That kind of pain or discomfort can mean we don't choose to experience some things that might actually be fun or enriching. Though I don't mean reality shows.

2. Affected by emotions of others
Another aspect of sensitivity can be reacting to the emotions - and perhaps thoughts - of others. Being in the vicinity of angry people, for example, can be more distressing.
As actor Scarlett Johansson once put it, "Sometimes that awareness is good, and sometimes I wish I wasn't so sensitive."

3. Need lots of space and time to ourselves
We may need to "retreat" and emotionally "refresh" ourselves at times that are not always best for our goals or personal growth. For example, being at a professional development conference, it may not be the most helpful thing to leave a long presentation or workshop in order to recuperate from the emotional intensity of the crowd.

4. Unhealthy perfectionism
There can also be qualities of thinking or analyzing that lead to unhealthy perfectionism, or stressful responses to objects, people or situations that are "too much" or "wrong" for our sensitivities.

5. Living out of sync with our culture
Living in a culture that devalues sensitivity and introversion as much as the U.S. means there are many pressures to be "normal" - meaning extraverted, sociable and outgoing.
Dr. Ted Zeff, author of The Highly Sensitive Person's Survival Guide, points out that other cultures, such as Thailand, have different attitudes, with a strong appreciation of sensitive or introverted people.
Jenna Avery, a "life coach for sensitive souls," counsels people to accept or even pursue being "out of sync" with mainstream society, and be aware of other's judgments of people as too sensitive, too emotional, or too dramatic.
And if we are sensitive, we may use those kinds of judgments against ourselves, and think, as Winona Ryder said she did at one time, "Maybe I'm too sensitive for this world."
Certainly there are extremes of emotions that are considered mood disorders, for example, and should be dealt with as a health challenge.
But "too emotional" or "too sensitive" are usually criticisms based on majority behavior and standards.
Overall, I think being highly sensitive is a trait we can embrace and use to be more creative and aware. But it demands taking care to live strategically, even outside popular values, to avoid overwhelm so we can better nurture our abilities and creative talents.

Beyond Pachelbel's Canon, or Music for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) by Elizabeth Aisling

Music is everywhere. Walk into any store, be put on telephone hold, drive down the street at any time of day or night, and notice what you hear around you. How much of it lifts the spirit? How much of it reaches deep inside to a yearning place – a chamber of the heart where creativity and spirituality reside? As a highly sensitive person and as pianist, guitarist and fretted dulcimer player, I have long been aware of the power of music to heal the spirit. Let me give you an example.

In 1974, while living alone in an apartment in DeKalb, Illinois and biding my time in a boring clerical job at the university library, I spent many of my evenings listening to WFMT, the Chicago classical station. One night, like every other night, I had the radio on and was going about my business, when gradually I became aware of a deep peace and an indescribable sense of joy and well-being that washed over me in waves. There seemed to be a pulse of some sort behind it, a spirit healer from some unknown source, and I found I had to put aside whatever I was doing and sit, mesmerized, before the radio. Piece after piece played - everything from Strauss waltzes to Erik Satie’s Gymnopedies to The Desperate Ones from Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. And then, suddenly, it was over, and the announcer said, “You have just been listening to a program of music in three-quarter time.”

I have never, ever forgotten this. I have often thought of writing to the station and asking them if they saved a tape of the program. After that experience, I began to pay closer attention to what types of music are calming, or cheering, or exhilarating. I find I have been drawn over the years to music that seems to have the following characteristics:

--triple meter, such as the WFMT program;
--Evocative, stirring melodies;
--Hymns and church organ music;
--Although this would overwhelm some HSPs- exuberant, dramatic music with beautiful melodies and a festive sound;
--Mystical sounds in minor modes;
--Ethereal choral singing and beautiful vocals,especially men and boy choirs;
--Generally, women with low voices and men with resonant voices;
--Melodies that seem to reach deep within and bring forth unconscious memories of childhood;
--Second movements of symphonies and concertos, which seem to be more restful and melodic; (note: I have heard this comment from other HSPs)
--Music played on acoustic stringed instruments; (excluding the banjo)
--Music that resolves, as opposed to stream-of-consciousness music that meanders;
--Music with a drone or an ostinato in the background. I believe this is why Pachelbel’s Canon in D appeals to so many, and why Gregorian chant is so popular;
--Ancient music in unusual modes (scales);
--Any music in the Dorian and Lydian modes. (See Sounding the Inner Landscape by Kay Gardner for a discussion on modes and scales)

Music I find vexatious would include:

--Loud brass instruments, unless it is a clear, pure trumpet solo, accompanied by pipe organ;
--Fast, nervous music;
--Perky Christmas music, such as Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and the barking dogs singing Jingle Bells in every store and mall beginning before Halloween;
--Chinese restaurant music;
--French horns that sound like nasal, barking dogs;
--rap - the deafening assault of a thumping beat blasting from every other vehicle along an urban street lined with strip malls;
--dissonant jazz, scat singing, chaotic Dixieland bands;
--Tex-Mex music (the type that sounds like Lawrence Welk juxtaposed with Herb Alpert on acid);
--Warmed-over,trite-sounding tunes played cloyingly on an electric piano;
--male singers who can get by with singing off-key (notice how most female singers can’t pull this off and make recordings);
--the shrill sound of a shrieking soprano with too much vibrato;
--squeaking violins;
--the soundtrack to Annie (especially the nasal "the sun'll come out - TEW morrow")
--the newfangled “folk” music sung at churches that sounds less like hymns and more like a combination of show tunes, sentimental Muzak and Irish drinking songs. I attended a funeral once and was subjected to a song that sounded, for the life of me, like a mixture of Dulcinea from Man of La Mancha and Send In the Clowns.

Some types of “gothic” music can overwhelm and overstimulate. I had to walk out of a concert once because the music was loud and frightening. I also have a strong aversion to the soulless, impersonal music played at malls and self-service gas stations –piped in as you shop or pump; sort of an easy-listening and contemporary jazz hybrid with a mechanical, demented drumbeat in the background. When I hear that “music” I feel as if I am being anesthetized, brainwashed into a lockstep trance that has become a soundtrack for our canned culture.

I have put together a list, in no particular order, of music that I turn to, over and over again, for refuge from our chaotic, clanging world.

Classical music:

Cassidy, Patrick - Deirdre of the Sorrows, Famine Remembrance
Cassidy's music is a combination of Irish melodies and Baroque-type polyphony. His works are marketed as new-age, but they are NOT - I file them with my classical music and appreciate them as such.

Faure, Gabriel – Requiem, op. 48 – Sanctus, Pie Jesu Try to find the recording with Victoria de los Angeles.

Mendelssohn, Felix - Songs Without Words, Elijah
Listen to the choral parts of Elijah, and the solo "If with all your hearts you truly seek me."

Chopin, Frederic – Piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor, second movement

Thompson, Randall - Alleluia

Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilych - Symphony no. 1: "Winter Dreams" - second movement

Vaughan Williams, Ralph - Mass in G minor, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Five Mystical Songs (especially I Got Me Flowers)

Brahms, Johannes – A German Requiem, op. 45 – “How lovely is thy dwelling place"; The Four Symphonies

Saint-Saens, Camille – Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, “Organ”; Le Cygne ("The Swan")

Respighi, Ottorino – Ancient Airs and Dances

Gounod, Charles Francois – St. Cecilia Mass – Sanctus

Handel, Georg Frideric – Largo; Solomon – “Music, Spread Thy Voice Around";
Alexander’s Feast, or, the Power of Musik - the most splendid work by Handel, in my opinion - John Dryden's poem set to music with delicious choruses and gorgeous melodies. I listen to this when I am in an exhilarated mood - it is soundtrack for joy. Caveat: Some HSPs find Handel's music overstimulating.

Hovhaness, Alan - Mysterious Mountain

Franck, Cesar – Three Chorales for Organ - try to find the versions by Marie-Claire Alain.

Vivaldi, Antonio – Concerto # 5 in E major – “L’Amoroso” – first movement - This music was played in the Swedish movie Elvira Madigan.

Mozart,Wolfgang Amadeus-Clarinet Concerto in A major; Vesperae Solemnis de Confessore, K. 339 – “Laudate Dominum”

Field, John – Nocturnes

Bingen, Hildegard von –Canticles of Ecstasy

Preisner, Zbigniew – Requiem for my friend/Life - This Polish composer writes mostly film music. This is a new, classical recording. Listen, especially, to Meeting, the first movement of Life.

Soundtracks:

The Age of Innocence - Melodic score that wraps itself around the heart.

Fairytale, a True Story –by Zbigniew Preisner, who also composed the soundtrack for The Secret Garden. In my mind, the Fairytale score is the most beautiful music ever written for a movie. There is also a CD entitled Preisner's Music which is an import and hard to find, but I was able to order it from Click here:\http://www.amazon.com/

Lorenzo’s Oil - not upbeat, but very stirring.

Romeo and Juliet (1968 version by Nino Rota) Back in print on CD!

Interlude (hard to find LP) Soundtrack, composed by Georges Delerue, to the 1960s movie starring Oskar Werner as a conductor who cheated on his wife with a rather twitty young woman - a very dated and somewhat schlocky movie, but BEAUTIFUL music. I found an LP of it through a used-record source. (Delerue also wrote the music for Steel Magnolias;the overture to that movie is lovely.)

Other:

Barrett, Ruth and Cyntia Smith Click here: http://www.aeolusmusic.com/The Early Years – double CD of their first two albums Aeolus and Music of the Rolling World. These two women have beautiful, resonant, low voices and sing both original and traditional folk and Celtic-based music, accompanying themselves on fretted dulcimer. Seeing them in concert is a transforming experience. Listen, especially, to Unicorns and Lovers of the Moon.

Brightman, Sarah - Eden, Time to Say Goodbye, The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, La Luna-- I can hear all the snobbish elitist music critics now, in chorus, reeling off their usual phrases such as "trite," "dreck," "dross," "pure, unadultrated kitsch," ad nauseum - because Sarah Brightman truly does some things that most singers couldn't get by with. She takes traditional melodies like Women of Ireland and classical pieces such as Albinoni's Adagio and arranges them shamelessly and beautifully, complete with words and - yes - a shimmering electronic wash of sound behind it. And her voice is good enough so she can pull it off. She even does a sweet version of Dust in the Wind on her Eden album. Maybe she is dumbing down the classics, maybe she offends the purists, but I don't care - she has a voice that could melt the stars. Her version of Handel's Lascia Ch'io Pianga makes up for her rendition of My Heart Will Go On in Italian. How to classify Sarah? I don't know. She is a hybrid. Her music grabbed me and I was hooked. Her work is exquisite. I love her.

Douglas, Bill – Deep Peace, Songs of Earth and Sky -- Bill Douglas writes beautiful choral music. Some of his instrumental compositions are pleasant as well, but the choral works are the ones that make my spirit soar. Listen to Willow and My Love is like a Red, Red Rose on Songs of Earth and Sky and The Piper on Deep Peace.

Stockley, Miriam - Miriam-- Brand-new solo release from the lead singer for Adiemus - and what a lush, classy album. She is like a cross between Maire Brennan and Norway's beloved Sissel Kyrkjebo, with a voice that catches like a sob in your throat. I write this upon my first listening to this disc - this woman is a goddess!

Stadler, Gary - Fairy Nightsongs -- First heard in a magical store called Creative Energy on Amelia Island Florida, this is a beautiful disc - the type you hear and say "What is that playing? I have to have it!"

Snow, Shelley – Shamaneya
Shelley Snow has a gorgeous voice and she sings in a language all her own.

Secret Garden - Dawn of a New Century
Exuberant, swirling melodies and vocals - Riverdance-with-a-gentler-edge meets Enya - listen to cuts #10 and #13 with headphones.

Alkaemy - The Merlin Mystery
British composer Julia Taylor-Stanley's ethereal compositions; a companion to the book The Merlin Mystery by Jonathan Gunson.

MacLean, Dougie – Dougie MacLean Collection
McDonald, Steve – Sons of Somerled
I mention these two men together because I discovered them at the same time. They have beautiful voices and their music is melodic and moving. Dougie evokes the sixties troubadour Donovan and his guitar playing is masterful. (Try Singing Land and Caledonia) Steve uses Enya-esque backings to his soaring renditions of traditional Scottish ballads, as well as many of his own. Especially stirring are Scotland the Brave and Loch Lomond.

Gardner, Kay – A Rainbow Path, Ocean Moon
On Rainbow Path Kay takes us on a journey through the chakras of the body with her healing compositions. Ocean Moon is a reissue of the instrumental cuts of her beloved early album Mooncircles, which gave me chills when I first heard it in 1983.

Riley, Philip and Jayne Ellison – The Blessing Tree. There are other recordings by these people but this one shines. It reminds me of a combination of Enya and Loreena McKennitt, There a sensitive, lovely version of Lullay, Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child at the end, but the album can be listened to year-round. It is breathtakingly beautiful. Lots of acoustic piano and very nice melodies.

Hoppe, Michael – The Yearning – Deep, wistful flute playing evocative of souls who have passed on but reside in our collective unconscious.

Connie Dover – Somebody, Wishing Well, If Ever I Return-
Of all the current female singers in the Irish/Celtic genre, Connie has the clearest voice and the classiest arrangements. I have never heard her make an unmusical sound. Try Ned of the Hill and How Can I Live at the Top of the Mountain from If Ever I Return, Ubi Caritas from Wishing Well and Personnet Hodie from Somebody.

Enya – any recording! Avoid the Taleisin Orchestra’s reworking of her compositions – they are pure kitsch.

McKennitt, Loreena – any recording. The only annoying song this woman has ever sung is The Bonny Swans, in my opinion, and that is only because it goes on and on and on with a whining electric guitar in the background. All her other work is exquisite. Try The Two Trees from The Mask and Mirror.

Coulter, William - Celtic Requiem - the lilting guitar piece at the end is heartbreakingly beautiful.

Madredeus –O Espirito de Paz
Plaintive, entrancing vocals with stunning guitar.

Cifani, Liz – Bella Stella
Liz plays a variety of harps, both double nylon-strung and wire strung, and performs compositions by Turlough O'Carolan as well as some of her own.

Schroeder-Sheker, Therese – The Queen’s Minstrel
Especially haunting is Choose Me.

Stoltzman, Richard – Innervoices
No words to describe this - it must be experienced. On this album is a version of Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus that moved me to tears.

Ni Riain, Noirin, Celtic Soul, Soundings
Again–quiet, ancient, evocative of deep inner consciousness and peace, gentle instrumentation.

St. John, Kate – Indescribable Night
Haunting, driving-alone-late-at-night-under the moon songs. Try Now the Night Comes Stealing In.

Grean, Lorin – HandWoven
Trancelike vocals and harp music, with a delightful piece or two for cat lovers.

Stockwell, Sarah – Dark of Moon
Listen to The Language of Stones. I consider this autumn music, preferably for October.

Price, Kate – The Time Between, Deep Heart’s Core
Hammered dulcimer and vocals, intensely beautiful and other-worldly. Good autumn music also.

Most of these recordings can be found through Click here: http://www.amazon.com/ or Click here:http://www.ladyslipper.org/ or any large music store. Check your public library as well.

Over the years I have had the privilege of attending workshops by many fine, sensitive individuals who are not only attuned to the nuances of healing music, but are knowledgeable about the theories behind this. I truly believe that these people and others like them are on a positive, healing path through music and should be mentors to those of us who are HSPs - musicians and non-musicians alike.

--Ron Price, a professor at Northern Illinois University, founded Healing Harps. He works with people who have physical disabilities and has found that playing the harp has the power to relieve many of the symptoms of neurological disorders.

--Jim Kendros: Jim is a classically-trained musician who specializes in the nyckelharpa (Swedish keyed violin)- which he demonstrates during his magical concerts with this unusual folk instrument. Jim has an exuberant presence and an intuitive style, and in addition to performing works of Mozart, Bach and Couperin, he plays Swedish folk tunes interspersed with engaging commentary. Jim has written over eighty works and shares his love of music by teaching, conducting and lecturing in the Chicago area. His sensitive and beautiful compositions are backed by a self-produced CD of his unique blend of harpsichord, pipe organ and ethereal choral accompaniments. To experience an evening with this man is to be transported to a haunting and joyous place. To contact Jim, call 847-319-0017.

--Kay Gardner, whose wonderful book Sounding the Inner Landscape discusses in depth the physics of how music relates to the chakras of the body. She has lectured extensively on the various modes of music and how the series of intervals in a scale can have the power to heal. She gives lectures and demonstrations using her flutes and presenting music history and theory in a down-to-earth, informative style.

--Therese Schroeder-Sheker works with the dying, using music to help them cross over to the next world. Her ethereal recordings of harp and voice are available through Ladyslipper Music.

--Liz Cifani, principal harpist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, teaches of the healing properties of the overtones of the harp, and as she sits in workshop and we encircle her, all holding harps to our chests, physical proof of the power of music is felt in the depths of the body. She believes that music is an integral part of communication. To hear Liz speak is inspiring and fun; to hear her perform is to be transported to a plane of pure ecstasy.

My list is undoubtedly biased – you will have many works and thoughts to add, I am sure. I encourage all sensitive people to share with others music that provides a haven of transcendence and joy. It is only one of many ways that we can begin to add beauty and symmetry to our jangling culture. I believe that this is an important mission for HSPs; perhaps, for some of us, our life’s calling.

Sensitivity blog

Since the beginning of this year we have re-named Tremellin - Clinic for Sensitivity - HSP.  So far I have been keeping a Blog on Highly Sensitive People in both Flemish and English.  As the group of interested people is growing I have decised to split the blogs as of today.

If you'd like to keep up to date with info on HSP in Flemish, then please register for http://hooggevoeligheid-hsp.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to read up on HSP in English you can register for this blog http://sensitivity-hsp.blogspot.com/

Enjoy and please give us your feedback!


Annick Lentacker