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Not all ultra-processed foods are bad for your health, whatever you might have heard

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gary-sacks-3957">Gary Sacks</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kathryn-backholer-10739">Kathryn Backholer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kathryn-bradbury-1532662">Kathryn Bradbury</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-auckland-waipapa-taumata-rau-1305">University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-mackay-1532685">Sally Mackay</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-auckland-waipapa-taumata-rau-1305">University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau</a> In recent years, there’s been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11036430/">increasing</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/ultra-processed-foods-heres-what-the-evidence-actually-says-about-them-220255#:%7E:text=Hype%20around%20ultra%2Dprocessed%20food,or%20worry%20about%20their%20health.">hype</a> about the potential health risks associated with so-called “ultra-processed” foods. But new evidence published <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj-2023-078476">this week</a> found not all “ultra-processed” foods are linked to poor health. That includes the mass-produced wholegrain bread you buy from the supermarket. While this newly published research and associated <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj.q793">editorial</a> are unlikely to end the wrangling about how best to define unhealthy foods and diets, it’s critical those debates don’t delay the implementation of policies that are likely to actually improve our diets. <h2>What are ultra-processed foods?</h2> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30744710/">Ultra-processed foods</a> are industrially produced using a variety of processing techniques. They typically include ingredients that can’t be found in a home kitchen, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners and/or artificial colours. Common examples of ultra-processed foods include packaged chips, flavoured yoghurts, soft drinks, sausages and mass-produced packaged wholegrain bread. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7719194/#CR13">many other countries</a>, ultra-processed foods make up a large proportion of what people eat. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31676952/">recent study</a> estimated they make up an average of 42% of total energy intake in Australia. <h2>How do ultra-processed foods affect our health?</h2> Previous <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33167080/">studies</a> have linked increased consumption of ultra-processed food with poorer health. High consumption of ultra-processed food, for example, has been associated with a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38418082/">higher risk</a> of type 2 diabetes, and death from heart disease and stroke. Ultra-processed foods are typically high in energy, added sugars, salt and/or unhealthy fats. These have long been <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet">recognised</a> as risk factors for a range of diseases. It has also been suggested that structural changes that happen to ultra-processed foods as part of the manufacturing process <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105044/">may</a> lead you to eat more than you should. Potential explanations are that, due to the way they’re made, the foods are quicker to eat and more palatable. It’s also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35952706/">possible</a> certain food additives may impair normal body functions, such as the way our cells reproduce. <h2>Is it harmful? It depends on the food’s nutrients</h2> The <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj-2023-078476">new paper</a> just published used 30 years of data from two large US cohort studies to evaluate the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and long-term health. The study tried to disentangle the effects of the manufacturing process itself from the nutrient profile of foods. The study found a small increase in the risk of early death with higher ultra-processed food consumption. But importantly, the authors also looked at diet quality. They found that for people who had high quality diets (high in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, as well as healthy fats, and low in sugary drinks, salt, and red and processed meat), there was no clear association between the amount of ultra-processed food they ate and risk of premature death. This suggests overall diet quality has a stronger influence on long-term health than ultra-processed food consumption. When the researchers analysed ultra-processed foods by sub-category, mass-produced wholegrain products, such as supermarket wholegrain breads and wholegrain breakfast cereals, were not associated with poorer health. This finding matches another recent <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38417577/">study</a> that suggests ultra-processed wholegrain foods are not a driver of poor health. The authors concluded, while there was some support for limiting consumption of certain types of ultra-processed food for long-term health, not all ultra-processed food products should be universally restricted. <h2>Should dietary guidelines advise against ultra-processed foods?</h2> Existing national <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines.pdf">dietary</a> <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/eating-activity-guidelines-new-zealand-adults-updated-2020-oct22.pdf">guidelines</a> have been developed and refined based on decades of nutrition evidence. Much of the recent evidence related to ultra-processed foods tells us what we already knew: that products like soft drinks, alcohol and processed meats are bad for health. Dietary guidelines <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35184508/">generally</a> already advise to eat mostly whole foods and to limit consumption of highly processed foods that are high in refined grains, saturated fat, sugar and salt. But some nutrition researchers have <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj.q439">called</a> for dietary guidelines to be amended to recommend avoiding ultra-processed foods. Based on the available evidence, it would be difficult to justify adding a sweeping statement about avoiding all ultra-processed foods. Advice to avoid all ultra-processed foods would likely unfairly impact people on low-incomes, as many ultra-processed foods, such as supermarket breads, are relatively affordable and convenient. Wholegrain breads also provide important nutrients, such as fibre. In many countries, bread is the <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/a-focus-on-nutrition-ch3_0.pdf">biggest contributor</a> to fibre intake. So it would be problematic to recommend avoiding supermarket wholegrain bread just because it’s ultra-processed. <h2>So how can we improve our diets?</h2> There is strong <a href="https://www.foodpolicyindex.org.au/_files/ugd/7ee332_a2fa1694e42f423195caf581044fccf1.pdf">consensus</a> on the need to implement evidence-based policies to improve population diets. This includes legislation to restrict children’s exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and brands, mandatory Health Star Rating nutrition labelling and taxes on sugary drinks. These policies are underpinned by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37659696/">well-established systems</a> for classifying the healthiness of foods. If new evidence unfolds about mechanisms by which ultra-processed foods drive health harms, these classification systems can be updated to reflect such evidence. If specific additives are found to be harmful to health, for example, this evidence can be incorporated into existing nutrient profiling systems, such as the <a href="http://www.healthstarrating.gov.au/internet/healthstarrating/publishing.nsf/content/home">Health Star Rating</a> food labelling scheme. Accordingly, policymakers can confidently progress food policy implementation using the tools for classifying the healthiness of foods that we already have. Unhealthy diets and obesity are among the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/burden-of-disease/burden-of-disease-study-2018-key-findings/contents/key-findings">largest contributors</a> to poor health. We can’t let the hype and academic debate around “ultra-processed” foods delay implementation of globally recommended policies for improving population diets.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/229493/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gary-sacks-3957">Gary Sacks</a>, Professor of Public Health Policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kathryn-backholer-10739">Kathryn Backholer</a>, Co-Director, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kathryn-bradbury-1532662">Kathryn Bradbury</a>, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-auckland-waipapa-taumata-rau-1305">University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-mackay-1532685">Sally Mackay</a>, Senior Lecturer Epidemiology and Biostatistics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-auckland-waipapa-taumata-rau-1305">University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/not-all-ultra-processed-foods-are-bad-for-your-health-whatever-you-might-have-heard-229493">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Readers Respond: What's a book you love that most people have never heard of?

Looking for a new book to kickstart your year? Look no further we've got you covered. Here are a few of our reader's book recommendations that you may not have heard of. Ruth Fontaine - I’m reading We of the Never Never atm. Not sure if it’s still well known. I’ve read it before but awhile back and love it. I love reading how they lived nearly 120 years ago. Elaine Rosenberg - The Abbey Girls Series by Elsie J Oxenham. Maryika Welter - The courage to be disliked. ... Furmitake Kogan, Ichiro Kishimi. Janice Stewart - A Fortunate Life by Albert Facey Suzanne Midson - On Our Selection by Steele Rudd. Read it when I was about 10/12. Best laugh ever. Australian humour at its best. Julie Anderson - Episode of Sparrows by Rumor Goddin Nancie Golsby - The Half Burned Tree by Dympna Cusack June Maynard - Sahara, by Paula Constant. Preceded by Slow Journey South. A thrilling, actual account of her adventure. Peter Rayner - Enforcer by Caesar Campbell Meg Milton - I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven Edie Dore - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. Christine Cornforth - A Grief Observed by CS Lewis. Wendy Oliver - The Good Earth by Pearl Buck Do you have any other recommendations that we might have missed? Image: Getty

Books

You’ve heard of long COVID, but did you know there might also be a long cold?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giulia-vivaldi-1476903">Giulia Vivaldi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</a> At least <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2">10% of people</a> infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, have symptoms that last more than four weeks after the infection. With more than <a href="https://covid19.who.int/">770 million infections</a> to date, this translates to tens of millions of people living with the long-term consequences of COVID, known as “long COVID”. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2">More than 200 symptoms</a> of long COVID have been studied, with some of the most common being fatigue, breathlessness and cognitive difficulties, such as memory problems or “brain fog”. The condition can be debilitating – many people have to <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00387-5/fulltext">reduce their working hours</a> or are <a href="https://ifs.org.uk/publications/long-covid-and-labour-market">unable to work entirely</a>. But COVID may not be alone in causing long-lasting symptoms. In a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00428-5/fulltext">new paper</a>, my colleagues and I report the findings of a study comparing long-term symptoms reported by people who experienced different types of acute respiratory infection. We asked more than 10,000 people to report on 16 symptoms commonly found in long COVID, such as fatigue, breathlessness, aches and pains, and dizziness. We then compared how common these symptoms were among three groups: people who had reported COVID, those who had reported another acute respiratory infection (but had tested negative for COVID), and those who had not reported either infection. We focused on long-term symptoms by only including people who had been infected more than four weeks earlier. We also took into account people’s general health before they were infected, and whether they had any existing respiratory conditions. Our study showed that all the symptoms considered were more common in people with previous COVID than in people with no infections, regardless of whether they reported long COVID. But this finding wasn’t unique to COVID. Almost all the symptoms we looked at were also more common in people with non-COVID respiratory infections than in those with no infection. In other words, our findings hinted towards the existence of a “long cold”: long-lasting health effects from other respiratory infections, such as colds, flu, or pneumonia, that are currently going unrecognised. Some of the most common symptoms of the long cold include coughing, stomach pain, and diarrhoea. These symptoms were reported an average of 11 weeks after the infection. While a severe initial infection seems to increase the risk of long-term symptoms, our research does not yet tell us why some people suffer extended symptoms while others do not. <h2>Important differences</h2> Importantly, we have no evidence that symptoms of the long cold have the same severity or duration as long COVID. In fact, we saw some important differences in the symptoms reported in the two groups, with those recovering from COVID more likely to experience light-headedness or dizziness and problems with taste and smell. These findings shine a light not only on the impact of long COVID on people’s lives, but also other respiratory infections. A lack of awareness, or even the lack of a common term, such as “long cold” or “long flu”, prevents both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions. And people who do report their long cold may still struggle to get a diagnosis, owing to the wide range of symptoms and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01810-6">lack of diagnostic tests</a>. Long-lasting symptoms after respiratory infections are not a new phenomenon. Studies in survivors of two previous coronavirus outbreaks – the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) pandemic and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) outbreak – have found long-term impacts on <a href="https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/21/1/e68">lung function, quality of life and mental health</a>. And some people hospitalised with influenza A have experienced <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-17497-6">respiratory and psychological problems</a> at least two years after being discharged from hospital. But most of the research so far has focused on people with severe disease, often severe enough to be hospitalised. Little is known about the long-term effects respiratory infections might have among people whose acute disease episode is less severe. Long COVID has bucked this trend, being studied in people with all levels of severity of the initial infection. This is in large part due to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620306456">strong patient advocacy</a>, showing that it can affect even those with mild initial symptoms. In demanding recognition of their condition, people with long COVID have cast a much-needed spotlight on post-infection syndromes more generally. Now is the time to improve our understanding, diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. Let’s not wait for another pandemic.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214995/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giulia-vivaldi-1476903">Giulia Vivaldi</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/youve-heard-of-long-covid-but-did-you-know-there-might-also-be-a-long-cold-214995">original article</a>.

Body

"You heard it here for the first time": Kate Winslet settles 25-year Titanic debate

Kate Winslet has finally weighed in on what is arguably the biggest debate in cinematic history: was there room for Jack on the floating door at the end of Titanic? The actress, who plays Rose in the film and got prime position on the famous piece of debris, has given her take on if there was space for Jack, played by Leo DiCaprio before his demise. Speaking on the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/happy-sad-confused/id827905050">Happy Sad Confused Podcast</a>, the 47-year-old actress said, "I don’t f**king know. That’s the answer. I don’t f**king know.” "Look, all I can tell you is, I do have a decent understanding of water and how it behaves." Drawing on her experiences with water sports like paddle boarding, scuba diving and kitesurfing, she says she has a decent understanding of how the ocean behaves. "If you put two adults on a stand-up paddle board, it becomes immediately, extremely unstable. That is for sure," she said. "I have to be honest. I actually don’t believe that we would have survived if we had both gotten on that door. I think he would have fit, but it would have tipped and it would not have been a sustainable idea." "So, you heard it here for the first time," she exclaimed. "Yes, he could have fit on that door. But it would not have stayed afloat. It wouldn’t." The debate resurfaced in recent weeks after Titanic director James Cameron commissioned a forensic analysis on the famous scene. Speaking to the <a href="https://torontosun.com/">Toronto Sun</a>, Cameron said he got experts to replicate the scene in order to "put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all." He said, "We took two stunt people who were the same body mass as Kate and Leo and we put sensors all over them and inside them and we put them in ice water and we tested to see whether they could have survived through a variety of methods and the answer was - there was no way they both could have survived. Only one could survive." Image credits: Paramount Pictures / Getty Images

Movies

Dissecting Stevie Wonder’s Superstition, 50 years after we first heard its infectious grooves

On October 24 1972, Stevie Wonder released his 15th album Talking Book and the world heard the infectious grooves and seamless vocal delivery of the song Superstition for the very first time. Superstition reached number one in the Billboard Hot 100 and on the soul singles chart. The song has been covered by an astounding number of artists, from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbxmmFsofA4">Mel Torme</a>to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dNNl79_2Yc">Stevie Ray Vaughan and Macy Gray</a>, French musician <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzwiyeLvZwg">Tété</a> and a unique mashup from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QLSNwFBFyI">Pomplamoose</a>. Superstition is frequently played at gigs and gatherings all over the globe because the bass riff and driving drum groove have so much <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUIpSe7lcto">dance appeal</a> – a mix of the unexpected syncopation and repetition of the chorus hook. The song feels alive. <h2>A simple structure</h2> The listener can’t help but respond directly to the infectious opening groove played by Wonder. Three key instruments forge the captivating and carefully arranged funk groove in the introduction: the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavinet">Hohner Clavinet</a> (an electronic harpsichord – more on this later), drums and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moog_synthesizer">Moog bass</a>. The cohesion is musical magic. Superstition’s recording engineer Malcolm Cecil <a href="https://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_D5482985134149A5927DED9849248EF">recalled</a> how Wonder recorded the entire song on drums first, with no reference other than the song in his head, then the keyboard bass part, and then the Clavinet. This illustrates how complete his conceptualisation of the song was prior to recording. The song’s structure is simple. The introduction sets up the familiar groove with its static harmony, pulsing bass and keyboard riff. The verse proceeds over the same static harmony, with a new bass riff introduced halfway through, effecting a shift to a higher dynamic level. The chorus releases the tension with a sophisticated cadence, reflecting jazz sensibilities and revealing the breadth of Wonder’s musical knowledge. This structure is repeated, followed by an instrumental version of the chorus. Then there’s a final verse and chorus before a long instrumental section built on the verse riff leads to the final fade out. <h2>Unexpected instruments</h2> One of the most memorable parts of the song is the signature played on the Hohner Clavinet. A <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7CY6aJtegc">Clavinet</a> looks like an electric keyboard, but it is an electro-mechanical string instrument originally developed for the performance of classical harpsichord and clavichord music. Like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammond_organ">Hammond organ</a> of the 1930s, it was soon discovered and adopted by many contemporary musicians. Wonder had already used the instrument on I Was Made to Love Her (1967), Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (1968) and I Don’t Know Why (1969). According to music journalist <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2722025-innervisions">Martin Horn</a>, Wonder wanted to use the Clavinet on Superstition to “full effect” to “show off”. Wonder had described the instrument as “funky, dirty, stinky”. In some ways, the Clavinet is doing the job a guitarist might normally do. It plays the single note riff at the core of Wonder’s song, and chord parts similar to what you would hear from a strummed guitar. But there are also several other barely audible tracks of clavinet, which subtly add to the texture. Superstition’s bass line is played on an analog synthesiser called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX0XPdmSfXI">TONTO</a> (The Original New Timbral Orchestra). This is an extraordinary collection of electronics which filled an entire room, adding to the song with a totally unique sonic palette – akin to a PVC pipe hit with a thong. <h2>Standing the test of time</h2> The contributions from the horn parts are also integral, played by Steve Madaio on trumpet and Trevor Lawrence on the tenor saxophone. The horns first appear playing in unison with the bass line in the second half of the verse, emphasising the lift in energy. They play long notes in the chorus emphasising the melody, then reinforce the rhythmic figure at the crest of resolution. Their part culminates in a powerful instrumental hook answering the vocal hook, “superstition ain’t the way”. These parts are repeated in the ensuing verses and choruses. After the final chorus the horns cycle through a sequence containing the verse riff, the chorus hook and a short passage of long notes adapted from the chorus melody. The melody of Superstition is very singable. Wonder’s delivery is fluid and highly expressive. He sings relatively short phrases, allowing the keyboard riffs to fill the space at the end of each phrase. It isn’t until the chorus that Wonder delivers the first effortless vocal lick on “suffer”. His vocal delivery remains understated, with occasional punctuated phrases, gravel tones and a scream within the horn part. The song ends with a long 50 second fade out, reinforcing the riff. Superstition and Wonder’s vocal delivery is so dependable, groovy and secure musically. The listener feels free to give themselves over fully, to trust Wonder completely and lose themselves for a moment. Superstition stands the test of time. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/dissecting-stevie-wonders-superstition-50-years-after-we-first-heard-its-infectious-grooves-189551" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Record coral cover doesn’t necessarily mean the Great Barrier Reef is in good health (despite what you may have heard)

In what seems like excellent news, coral cover in parts of the Great Barrier Reef is at a record high, according to <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/information-centre/news-and-stories/highest-coral-cover-central-northern-reef-36-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new data</a> from the Australian Institute of Marine Science. But this doesn’t necessarily mean our beloved reef is in good health. In the north of the reef, coral cover usually fluctuates between 20% and 30%. Currently, it’s at 36%, the highest level recorded since monitoring began more than three decades ago. This level of coral cover comes hot off the back of a <a href="https://theconversation.com/another-mass-bleaching-event-is-devastating-the-great-barrier-reef-what-will-it-take-for-coral-to-survive-180180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disturbing decade</a> that saw the reef endure six mass coral bleaching events, four severe tropical cyclones, active outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, and water quality impacts following floods. So what’s going on? High coral cover findings <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-lot-of-coral-doesnt-always-mean-high-biodiversity-10548" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can be deceptive</a> because they can result from only a few dominant species that grow rapidly after disturbance (such as mass bleaching). These same corals, however, are extremely susceptible to disturbance and are likely to die out within a few years. <h2>The data are robust</h2> The <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/4747/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Great Barrier Reef spans</a> 2,300 kilometres, comprising more than 3,000 individual reefs. It is an exceptionally diverse ecosystem that features more than 12,000 animal species, plus many thousand more species of plankton and marine flora. The reef has been teetering on the edge of receiving an “in-danger” <a href="https://theconversation.com/not-declaring-the-great-barrier-reef-as-in-danger-only-postpones-the-inevitable-164867" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a> from the World Heritage Committee. And it was <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-australias-most-important-report-on-the-environments-deteriorating-health-we-present-its-grim-findings-186131" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently described</a> in the State of the Environment Report as being in a poor and deteriorating state. To protect the Great Barrier Reef, we need to routinely monitor and report on its condition. The Australian Institute of Marine Science’s long-term monitoring program has been collating and delivering this information since 1985. Its approach involves surveying a selection of reefs that represent different habitat types (inshore, midshelf, offshore) and management zones. The <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/monitoring-great-barrier-reef/gbr-condition-summary-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest report</a> provides a robust and valuable synopsis of how coral cover has changed at 87 reefs across three sectors (north, central and south) over the past 36 years. <h2>The results</h2> Overall, the long-term monitoring team found coral cover has increased on most reefs. The level of coral cover on reefs near Cape Grenville and Princess Charlotte Bay in the northern sector has bounced back from bleaching, with two reefs having <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-08/AIMS_LTMP_Report_on%20GBR_coral_status_2021_2022_040822F3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 75% cover</a>. In the central sector, where coral cover has historically been lower than in the north and south, coral cover is now at a region-wide high, at 33%. The southern sector has a dynamic coral cover record. In the late 1980s coral cover surpassed 40%, before dropping to a region-wide low of 12% in 2011 after Cyclone Hamish. The region is currently experiencing outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish. And yet, coral cover in this area is still relatively high at 34%. Based on this robust data set, which shows increases in coral cover indicative of region-wide recovery, things must be looking up for the Great Barrier Reef – right? <h2>Are we being catfished by coral cover?</h2> In the Australian Institute of Marine Science’s report, reef recovery relates solely to an increase in coral cover, so let’s unpack this term. Coral cover is a broad proxy metric that indicates habitat condition. It’s relatively easy data to collect and report on, and is the most widely used monitoring metric on coral reefs. The finding of high coral cover may signify a reef in good condition, and an increase in coral cover after disturbance may signify a recovering reef. But in this instance, it’s more likely the reef is being dominated by only few species, as the report states that branching and plating Acropora species have driven the recovery of coral cover. Acropora coral are renowned for a “boom and bust” life cycle. After disturbances such as a cyclone, Acropora species function as pioneers. They quickly recruit and colonise bare space, and the laterally growing plate-like species can rapidly cover large areas. Fast-growing Acropora corals tend to dominate during the early phase of recovery after disturbances such as the recent series of mass bleaching events. However, these same corals are often susceptible to wave damage, disease or coral bleaching and tend to go bust within a few years. Inferring that a reef has recovered by a person being towed behind a boat to obtain a rapid visual estimate of coral cover is like flying in a helicopter and saying a bushfire-hit forest has recovered because the canopy has grown back. It provides no information about diversity, or the abundance and health of other animals and plants that live in and among the trees, or coral. <h2>Cautious optimism</h2> My <a href="https://theconversation.com/almost-60-coral-species-around-lizard-island-are-missing-and-a-great-barrier-reef-extinction-crisis-could-be-next-163714" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a>, published last year, examined 44 years of coral distribution records around Jiigurru, Lizard Island, at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. It suggested that 28 of 368 species of hard coral recorded at that location haven’t been seen for at least a decade, and are at risk of local extinction. Lizard Island is one location where coral cover has rapidly increased since the devastating 2016-17 bleaching event. Yet, there is still a real risk local extinctions of coral species have occurred. While there’s no data to prove or disprove it, it’s also probable that extinctions or local declines of coral-affiliated marine life, such as coral-eating fishes, crustaceans and molluscs have also occurred. Without more information at the level of individual species, it is impossible to understand how much of the Great Barrier Reef has been lost, or recovered, since the last mass bleaching event. Based on the coral cover data, it’s tempting to be optimistic. But given more frequent and severe heatwaves and cyclones are predicted in the future, it’s wise to be cautious about the reef’s perceived recovery or resilience. This article originally appeared on The Conversation. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

"Truth prevails”: Ricky Martin addresses nephew after harassment case heard

Ricky Martin’s 21-year-old nephew’s protection order against the popular singer has been dismissed following bombshell incest allegations. Attorneys for Martin, aged 50, have reported that the court in Puerto Rico did not extend Dennis Yadiel Sanchez’s temporary protection order just as they had anticipated. “The accuser confirmed to the court that his decision to dismiss the matter was his alone, without any outside influence or pressure, and the accuser confirmed he was satisfied with his legal representation in the matter,” lawyers Joaquín Monserrate Matienzo, Carmelo Dávila and Harry Massanet Pastrana said in a joint statement. “The request came from the accuser asking to dismiss the case. This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them.” The attorneys concluded: “We are glad that our client saw justice done and can now move forward with his life and his career.” Martin also released a statement himself, via a two-minute video. In the video he explained his earlier silence and spoke directly to his nephew, saying he hopes he “doesn’t hurt anybody else.” “I’m in front of the cameras today because I really need to talk in order for me to start my healing process,” Martin said. “For two weeks, I was not allowed to defend myself because I was following a procedure where the law - the law - obligated me not to talk until I was in front of the judge and got this claims were proven to be false.” “But I’m going to tell you the truth. It has been so painful. It has been devastating for me, for my family, for my friends. I don’t wish this upon anybody. To the person that was claiming this nonsense, I wish him the best - and I wish he finds the help so he can start a new life filled with love and truth and joy - and he doesn’t hurt anybody else.” “Now, my priority is to heal and how do I heal? With music,” Martin continued. “I cannot wait to be back on stage. I cannot wait to be back in front of the cameras and entertain, which is what I do best.” “Thank you to all my friends. Thank you to all the fans who always believed in me. You have no idea the strength that you gave me with every comment you wrote on social media. I wish you love and light - and here we come with the same strength and passion.” Martin’s husband of five years also broke his silence, posting a photo of the couple together with the caption: “Truth prevails.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgSOwN7PGev/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgSOwN7PGev/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jwan Yosef (@jwanyosef)</a> </div> </blockquote> Image: Getty

Legal

Readers respond: What is the most beautiful piece of music you've ever heard?

We all know the unbridled power of an extraordinary piece of music, and how it can change our moods in an instant and make us feel invincible. We asked our readers what their favourite pieces of music are, and the responses were filled with some of the best tracks in the world. Nola Schmidt - Moonlight Sonata is one of my favourites. There are so many. Debbie Florance - Would you believe the theme from Bonanza???? As a kid we all loved that show and our school had a visit from a full orchestra. They played lots of wonderful pieces but the one that stuck in my memory was that theme. How different and amazing it sounded. Gail Willson - The theme music from Out of Africa. Jean McLaren Taylor - So many to choose from. KD Lang singing Hallelujah to Pavarotti singing Nessan Dorma. Two of my very favourites. Thea Matto - The Mission by Ennio Morricone. Kathy Johnson - Time in a Bottle by Jim Croche. Jennifer Lee - Nessun Dorma and Hallelujah are my absolute two fave pieces of music. Both bring me to tears. Yvonne Osborn - There is simply too much beautiful music to choose! Jan Wood - All of the above plus Highland Cathedral March cos I love the bagpipes. Margaret Mcdonald - That's a hard one, as all music is beautiful, but I think Barcarolle by Offenbach has to be a favourite for me, it brings back so many memories. Dulcie Tolcher - Rachmaninoff's 18th variation on a Theme of Paganini. I saw a young pianist playing it with tears in his eyes. Nora Takayama - Very hard to choose just one, but first to my mind is Beethoven’s Fifth. Barbara Dakers - Oh so many, old and new. I love most music, depends on the mood. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Juror reveals why Depp won

A juror from the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial has spoken exclusively to Good Morning America about the trial verdict. The verdict ruled that Heard defamed Depp when she wrote a 2018 Washington Post op-ed alluding to her past claims of domestic violence. Heard is ordered to pay $US10.35 million (approx. $14.65 million) in damages to Depp. The juror, one of five men on the seven-person jury, shared that Heard's emotional testimony during the trial was not realistic. "The crying, the facial expressions that she had, the staring at the jury. All of us were very uncomfortable," the juror said. "She would answer one question and she would be crying, and two seconds later she would turn ice cold. Some of us used the expression 'crocodile tears.'" "A lot of the jury felt what [Depp] was saying, at the end of the day, was more believable," the juror added. "He just seemed a little more real in terms of how he was responding to questions. His emotional state was very stable throughout." Heard's team has claimed that social media and all of the vitriol against Heard on platforms such as TikTok swayed the jury in favor of Depp. As Heard said this week, "I think even the most well-intentioned juror... it would have been impossible to avoid this." The juror denied such accusations about social media, saying, "We followed the evidence... myself and other jurors don't use Twitter or Facebook. Others who had it, made a point not to talk about it." "What I think is truthful is that they were both abusive to each other," the juror concluded. "I don't think that makes either of them right or wrong... but to rise to the level of what she was claiming, there wasn't enough or any evidence that really supported what she was saying." The jury noted that one "fiasco" that hurt Heard during the trial was the reveal that she had not yet donated her $US7 million (approx. $9.9 million) divorce settlement to charity, despite claiming to do so. "She goes on a talk show in the U.K. and the video shows her sitting there, telling the host she gave all that money away," the juror said. "The terms she used in that video clip were, 'I gave it away, I donated it, it's gone.' But the fact is, she didn't give much of it away at all." Image: Getty

Legal

Could the Depp v. Heard case make other abuse survivors too scared to speak up?

Johnny Depp has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-02/verdict-delivered-johnny-depp-amber-heard-trial/101115246" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won his defamation suit</a> against his ex-wife Amber Heard for her Washington Post op-ed article published in 2018, which <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/06/01/arts/johnny-depp-amber-heard-verdict">stated</a> she was a “public figure representing domestic abuse”. The facts in every case are unique, and the jury is always in a better position to judge these facts than commentators relying on media reports. Nevertheless in such a high profile case as this, the verdict has a ripple effect that can go beyond the facts. The unfortunate reality is the Depp Heard case is likely to reinforce the fear that women who come forward with claims of sexual and domestic abuse will encounter a system in which they are unlikely to be believed. Reform is needed to better balance the protection of men’s individual reputations with the rights of women to speak about their experiences. Defamation a tool of elite men Depp was awarded more than US$10 million in damages after convincing the jury Heard was a malicious liar. This is despite the fact a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/06/01/johnny-depp-libel-law-uk-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK judge determined</a> in 2020 that it was “substantially true” Depp had assaulted Heard repeatedly during their relationship. After the verdict, Heard commented she was “heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway” of her famous ex-husband. Historically, the common law of defamation was built to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09612025.2021.1949822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protect public men in their professions and trades</a>. It worked to both defend their reputations individually and shut down speech about them as a group. <a href="https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/comulp2&div=6&g_sent=1&casa_token=fybEy5Ip_goAAAAA:mZwcFssrx7DMteRZh-2VpbadOiPG52vukVjaL_zAG2Rr-r9-GIbN1HpUADIArNrKIooONYOmpoKf&collection=journals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Data from the United States in the late 20th century</a> shows women comprise only 11% of plaintiffs bringing defamation suits. As legal scholar Diane Borden <a href="https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/comulp2&div=6&id=&page=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has noted</a>, the majority of libel plaintiffs are “men engaged in corporate or public life who boast relatively elite standing in their communities”. Defamation trials – which run according to complex and idiosyncratic rules – are often lengthy and expensive, thus favouring those with the resources to instigate and pursue them. Various defences exist, including arguing that the comments are factually true, or that they were made on occasions of “qualified privilege”, where a person has a duty to communicate information and the recipient has a corresponding interest in receiving it. But in one way or another, disputes concerning allegations of sexual and domestic abuse usually come down to matters of credibility and believability that play on gendered stereotypes. It becomes another version of “he said, she said”, and as we’ve seen from the social media response to Amber Heard, women making these types of allegations are often positioned as vengeful or malicious liars before their cases even reach the courts. This is despite the fact <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0375553f-0395-46cc-9574-d54c74fa601a/aihw-fdv-5.pdf.aspx?inline=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sexual assault</a> and <a href="https://www.safesteps.org.au/understanding-family-violence/who-experiences-family-violence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intimate partner violence</a> are common, and <a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2017-09/apo-nid107216_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">false reporting</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26679304/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is rare</a>. In fact, most victims don’t tell the police, their employer or others what happened to them due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/almost-90-of-sexual-assault-victims-do-not-go-to-police-this-is-how-we-can-achieve-justice-for-survivors-157601" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fears</a> of not being believed, facing professional consequences, or being subject to <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-online-hate-for-amber-heard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shaming and further abuse</a>. Heard has received thousands of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/amber-heard-says-she-receives-death-threats-every-day-over-depp-claims-2022-05-26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death threats</a> and suffered relentless mockery on social media. Time for reform The global #MeToo movement and recent Australian campaigns, such as those instigated by Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins, encourage survivors to speak out and push collectively for change. But now, ruinous and humiliating defamation suits could further coerce and convince women to keeping their experiences quiet and private. Measures must be taken to better protect public speech on such matters. One potential way forward is for defamation trials involving imputations of gendered abuse to incorporate expert evidence about the nature of sexual and domestic violence in our society. For decades, <a href="https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/hwlj19&div=8&g_sent=1&casa_token=&collection=journals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feminist legal scholars</a> fought for the inclusion of such evidence in criminal trials, especially those relating to matters of self-defence in domestic homicides and issues of consent in rape proceedings. Expert sociological and psychological evidence can combat and discredit ingrained patriarchal assumptions and myths – comments and questions such as “what was she wearing?”; “why didn’t she fight back?”; “why didn’t she just leave him?”; “why was she nice to him afterwards?” or “why didn’t she tell people at the time?” Otherwise, pervasive gender bias – often held by both men and women, judge and jury – can undermine the voices and accounts of women before they even set foot in court, before they even open their mouths. Defamation trials have not traditionally included such expert evidence. But now that they have become a powerful forum for silencing speech about gendered harm, perhaps it’s time they did so.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184324/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-lake-126813" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jessica Lake</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Catholic University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-the-depp-v-heard-case-make-other-abuse-survivors-too-scared-to-speak-up-184324" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Inside Amber Heard's remote desert hideaway

We've all learnt an awful lot about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in light of the recent, very public trial. As the trial has <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/verdict-reached-in-depp-versus-heard-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached its conclusion,</a> yet another interesting piece of information about Heard has made its way into the public domain. Reportedly, the 36-year-old actor confirmed in her opening testimony that she lives in a sleepy town called Yucca Valley, which is located in the beautiful Mojave Desert. The town is roughly 200-kilometres east of Los Angeles and the rural locale is not a place where you'll find many A-listers. The locale only has about 22,000 residents total, and it's known for its art culture, as well as its proximity to celebrated places like Joshua Tree, Coachella and Palm Springs. The house itself was purchased by Heard in 2019; however, property records show the abode was bought through a trust attached to Heard's accountant. Costing USD $570,000 ($795,000) at the time, the unique 2015-built residence hoasts three bedrooms, three bathrooms and sits on 24,281-square-metres of arid but beautiful land. Features include a large open-plan kitchen, living and dining area with vaulted ceilings, fireplace and floor to ceiling windows that no doubt provide Heard with exceptional views of the surrounding desert. Another distinct benefit of the property is a custom 34-metres bridge that enables occupants to cross a dried-up creek and access an elevated gazebo perched on a rocky hill. Although Heard purchased the property back in 2019, the mother-of-one only started living in the house earlier this year. Image: Domain

Real Estate

Verdict reached in Depp versus Heard trial

A verdict has been reached in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial in Virginia, USA. Coming out largely in Depp's favour, Heard must pay him a total of $US15 million ($20.8 million) in damages, the jury have decided. However, as a result of her counterclaims, the jury said Depp must pay Heard $US2 million ($2.78 million). The jury unanimously found that Depp was defamed by Heard's op-ed titled, "I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change". They found the op-ed was about Depp despite him not being named in the piece. An exert read: "Then two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out." The jury also agreed that Heard acted with malice and further stated that she also made a defamatory statement when she said, "I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse." The jury then addressed Heard's countersuit, and supported one of her claims of defamation. In total, Heard was found to have been defamatory to Depp in all three of his claims, but Depp was only found to be defamatory in one of Heard's three counterclaims. The verdict was read out in the Virginia courtroom about 3:20 pm on Wednesday (5:20 am on Thursday AEST) but prior, after they first reached a decision, the judge asked for them to leave the court and fill out a form. Heard was present in the courtroom, and showed little to no reaction as the verdict was read out. Depp was not present at the time of the verdict. Depp's awarded damages total to $US15 million (approx. $20.8 million), but are comprised of $US10 million (approx. $14 million) in compensatory damages and $US5 million (approx. $7 million) in punitive damages. Under state law in Virginia, however, the maximum amount of punitive damages that can be paid is $US350,000 (approx. $490,000), which means Depp's ultimate monetary award is $US10.35 million (approx. $14.4 million). Image: Getty

News

Kate Moss takes to the stand to defend Johnny Depp

Kate Moss has taken to the stand in former boyfriend Johnny Depp's defamation trial, denying a rumour he had pushed her down a staircase. Moss’ testimony during this high profile court battle is a huge blow to Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard, as it contradicts claims the actress has made. Depp is suing Heard for $US50 million ($A70 million), saying she defamed him by saying she was a victim of domestic abuse in a newspaper opinion piece. His attorney previously called Kate Moss as a rebuttal witness after Heard had earlier testified about “rumours” of Depp pushing Moss down a flight of stairs. Moss, who dated Depp from 1994 to 1998, told the court that she slipped on a staircase and injured her back during a vacation the couple took in Jamaica. Depp rushed to help her, carried her to a room and called for help, she said. “I screamed because I didn’t know what happened to me and I was in pain and he came running back to help me and carried me to my room and got me medical attention.” Depp’s attorney asked Moss if Depp had ever pushed her down the stairs during the course of their relationship. “No. He never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs,” Moss testified. The high-profile court case is still ongoing.

Legal

“I want my story to be heard”: Detained woman’s chilling words before her death revealed

Content warning: This article includes mentions of suicide and mental health struggles. A woman who died of a suspected suicide in an Australian immigration detention centre has been identified as a New Zealand mum of two, who had her mental health medication restricted and pleaded with fellow detainees to tell her story just hours before she died. It is understood the woman was a 53-year-old from Christchurch (Ōtautahi), as reported by TeAoMāori.news. It has also been reported that the woman’s cell was raided by guards, who removed a stray cat she had adopted during her time at the centre, hours before her death on Saturday. She had been held at Sydney’s Villawood Immigration Detention Centre for six months under the controversial <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/2-when-can-visa-be-refused-or-cancelled-under-section-501" target="_blank" rel="noopener">501 deportation program</a> - which allows for non-Australian citizens to be subject to deportation if their criminal record includes a prison sentence of 12 months or more. During the woman’s stay, fellow detainees said her mental state rapidly deteriorated. “The treatment she received was not human,” a source inside the facility who was familiar with its operations and her situation, told Māori TV. The source said Serco, the centre’s private operator, is failing to tackle mental illness among detainees. “With mental health concerns, basically it’s the same approach for everyone. Heavily sedate them so they shut up.” Ian Rintoul, a member of the advocacy group Refugee Action Coalition, told Māori TV the fellow detainees and the woman herself pleaded with Serco to get her help. Both she and a few other detainees had told Serco and Border Force (that) she needed help and should not be in detention. Her mental illness was very obvious,” Rintoul said. Friends of the woman have remembered her as “gorgeous, with a beautiful wairua”, per <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/501-deportee-who-died-in-australian-custody-was-christchurch-mother-of-two/I2TQLNEHOLVNWN7KVVIVZBOYZA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a>. “I was concerned about her, about her mental health, especially in that place,” one said. The day after her death, detainees told The Guardian that she had been fighting to get access to her mental health medication earlier in the day and that she wanted her story to be told. “She told me that she needs to have some medication at 8am in the morning but they’d give her medication like at 11am or 11.30am. And that makes her feel bad,” one detainee told the publication. “She was telling us last night, ‘I want my story herald. I want the people to know what happened to me. I want to tell the people what these detention centres do to people,” another recalled. One detainee said one of the likely “final straws” was when guards took the cat she adopted, which had been roaming the facility. “She was pretty obsessive, attached, and they knew that. They broke her spirit,” they said. Her fellow deportees also said the woman was trying to get in touch with her two sons, one of whom lives in Sydney, but she believed guards were preventing her from doing so. According to Māori TV, the Australian Border Force took more than 12 hours to get in touch with the woman’s family after she died, while Aotearoa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Monday night that it hadn’t been notified of a death of a New Zealand woman in an Australian detention centre. Her death also comes within days of Australia’s change in leadership, wth incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signalling that the 501 program would continue but that there might be more consideration for the time someone has lived in Australia and whether they have ties to New Zealand. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed potential reforms to the program, which disproportionately affects Māori, and said she will raise the grievances related to the program “no matter whom the leader is in Australia”. “We accept because we do it too, circumstances under which people will be deported … we have always reserved the right for New Zealand to do that,” Ms Ardern said in her weekly post-Cabinet press conference. “The area we have had grievance is where individuals are being deported who have little or no connection to New Zealand. “I will be utterly consistent no matter whom the leader is in Australia with raising that grievance.” If you are experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lifeline.org.nz</a>. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Petition to strike Amber Heard’s character from new flick

A petition calling for Amber Heard’s character to be removed from the Aquaman sequel has hit a massive three million signatures. Heard is currently being sued by Johnny Depp for $50 million for defamation over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she describes herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse”. The publicly reported case has seen fans from all over the world call for Heard’s character to be removed from Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, in which she plays Princess Mera. At the time of publication, the <a href="https://www.change.org/p/dc-entertainment-remove-amber-heard-from-aquaman-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">change.org</a> petition had clocked a whopping 2,948,764 signatures. Questions are not being raised on whether or not Warner Bros. will remove Heard’s character from the sequel, which is currently in post-production. However, it has also been revealed by journalist Grace Randolph that Heard has “less than 10 minutes screen time” in Aquaman 2. The trial between Heard and Depp began on April 11 and is set to last about six weeks. Image: Getty

Movies

Court warned to stop laughing during Johnny Depp’s testimony

Johnny Depp has concluded his testimony in the defamation trial he has launched against his ex-wife Amber Heard after being on the stand for four days, as reported by <a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/johnny-depp-trial-judge-warns-fans-to-stop-laughing-during-courtroom-testimony-c-6585879" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. Depp is suing Heard for $50 million for defamation over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she describes herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse”. Although Depp wasn’t named, he claims the article cost him lucrative acting work. Both he and Heard have also accused each other of acts of violence during their relationship, which lasted from 2015 to August 2016, when they settled their divorce. The final day of his testimony saw Depp come under cross-examination by Heard’s attorney, Ben Rottenborn. When asked about audio recordings of arguments between him and Heard and whether she was the only one who had a problem with his drinking, Depp answered: “Sir, if anyone had a problem with my drinking, at any time in my life, it was me.” “The only person I’ve abused in my life is myself.” Remaining on the stand for redirect examination from his attorney, Jessica Meyers, Depp explained some of the text messages introduced as evidence by Heard’s attorney were meant to be “irreverent” or references to Monty Python movies and that he often handles “difficult” situations with humour. Some of his fans had to be warned by Judge Penney Azcarate to contain their laughter in the courtroom when Depp admitted he had trouble remembering some of the movies he starred in. He was asked to name films he appeared in besides the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and faltered after quickly naming Alice in Wonderland. “I’m so pathetic when it comes to knowing what movies I’ve done,” Depp said. “I’m sorry. I just, I don’t watch them. I feel better not watching them. What was the question again?” When his response prompted laughter in the courtroom, Judge Azcarate issued a warning. “Order in the court or I will have you removed. Understood? Thank you,” she said. Before the trial commenced, Judge Azcarate ordered that Depp and Heard were not allowed to pose for photos or sign autographs outside the Virginia courtroom, as reported by People. She also ordered that fans weren’t allowed to camp overnight outside and that spectators in the courtroom must “dress in a manner consistent with the decorum of a judicial proceeding”. “Audible comments of any kind during the court proceedings or provocative or uncivil behaviour within the courtroom or courthouse will not be tolerated,” a court document read. “There shall be no gestures, facial expressions, or the like, suggesting approval or disapproval during the proceedings. “Anyone violating this Order will be expelled immediately from the courtroom and will not be able to return during the pendency of the trial.” When Meyers played a 2016 recording of a conversation between Heard and Depp where Heard expressed concern about her reputation after reports of abuse in their relationship emerged, Meyers asked how Depp responded. “What did you say in response when Ms Heard said, ‘Tell the world, Johnny. Tell them, Johnny Depp, I, Johnny Depp, a man, I’m a victim too, of domestic violence’?” Meyers asked. “I said, ‘Yes, I am’,” he responded. The trial, which has been live streamed on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoW1SIeAWaWb1IDY_WuLKvZygiJudUBSd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube</a>, began on April 11 and is expected to last for six weeks, with Heard yet to testify. Image: Getty Images

Legal

The slap heard around the world

Will Smith has made shockwaves after appearing to hit Chris Rock at the Oscars, seeming to take offence to a joke made about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. The comedian joked that he was looking forward to seeing Pinkett-Smith star in a sequel to G.I. Jane - the 1997 film starring Demi Moore as a bald Navy SEAL recruit - apparently referring to Pinkett-Smith’s bald head. Smith stood up from his seat, walked up the stage and slapped Rock before sitting back down. “Will Smith just smacked the s*** out of me,” Rock said as Smith walked off. Smith then yelled back, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth”. At the commercial break, presenter Daniel Kaluuya hugged Smith and Denzel Washington escorted him to the side of the stage. The exchange shocked the audience and those watching at home, with many taking to social media to ask whether the punch was real after the Oscars feed was cut. Some footage circulating online also had been censored in some countries, with the verbal exchange between the two stars removed. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> VIA JAPANESE TELEVISION: The uncensored exchange between Will Smith and Chris Rock <a href="https://t.co/j0Z184ZyXa">pic.twitter.com/j0Z184ZyXa</a> — Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) <a href="https://twitter.com/bubbaprog/status/1508270716063469576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote> Just minutes later, Smith went on to win the Award for Best Actor for his performance as Richard Williams in King Richard. Tearing up during his speech, Smith described Williams - the father to Serena and Venus Williams - as a “fierce defender of his family”. He said “love makes you do crazy things” before apologising to the Academy and his fellow nominees for his outburst. Social media was quickly inundated with talk of Smith, Rock and Pinkett-Smith, as well as the surprising reactions from other actors and actresses in the audience, including Nicole Kidman, Beyonce and Black Panther star Lupita Nyong’o. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> IM CRYING WHY WAS THE SLAP SO LOUD 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭NOT BEYONCÉ SMILING <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/theslap?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#theslap</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/willsmith?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#willsmith</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whatjusthappened?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whatjusthappened</a> <a href="https://t.co/IIeIJijmlt">pic.twitter.com/IIeIJijmlt</a> — кαιℓα saw nwh x3 ✌️✨ (@luciifixx) <a href="https://twitter.com/luciifixx/status/1508285403748614155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> LUPITA IN THE BEHIND WILL SMITH IS KILLING ME <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AcademyAwards?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AcademyAwards</a> <a href="https://t.co/BtITt6SC4R">pic.twitter.com/BtITt6SC4R</a> — matt murdocks gf ♡ (@omgmattmurdock) <a href="https://twitter.com/omgmattmurdock/status/1508271235674910723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote> One user even turned the shot of Smith striking Rock into a meme, poking fun at how the Oscars were no longer exciting until the incident. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So Will Smith made the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oscars?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oscars</a> exciting again <a href="https://t.co/K3dAvEmdDY">pic.twitter.com/K3dAvEmdDY</a> — Truth Etc. (@truth_etc) <a href="https://twitter.com/truth_etc/status/1508279365125087242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote> Another compared his slap to the iconic picture of Batman striking Robin from the comic books, writing, “Bruh should I go back and watch the Oscars now. Will Smith slapped the Rock and won an Oscar in one night lol”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Bruh should I go back and watch the Oscars now. Will Smith slapped the Rock and won an Oscar in one night lol <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whatjusthappened?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whatjusthappened</a> <a href="https://t.co/lZERS0JBAa">pic.twitter.com/lZERS0JBAa</a> — DontJinksMe (@dontjinksme) <a href="https://twitter.com/dontjinksme/status/1508296996985221123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote> Pinkett-Smith has previously revealed she has struggled with alopecia - the medical term for sudden hair loss - after shaving her head in July last year. “Now at this point, I can only laugh … y’all know I’ve been struggling with alopecia,” she said in a clip shared to Instagram in December. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CYB7dMppvjk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CYB7dMppvjk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapinkettsmith)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Just all of a sudden one day,” she says before pointing to a hairless line on her scalp. “So it just showed up like that. Now, this is going to be a little bit more difficult for me to hide. So, I thought I’d just share it so y’all not asking questions.” Image: Getty Images

News

Amber Heard claims Johnny Depp “pushed Kate Moss down the stairs”

Amber Heard claims she was forced to intervene after Johnny Depp attempted to throw her sister Whitney Henriques down a flight of stairs, saying she remembered a “rumour” of the same thing happening to Kate Moss. Telling London’s High Court on Tuesday, the 34-year-old admitted to hitting Depp but justified her actions by saying it was in defence of her sister. “I did strike Johnny that day in defence of my sister, he was about to push her down the stairs,” she told the court about the alleged incident in March 2015. “The moment before that happened, I remembered information I had heard (that) he pushed a former girlfriend – I believe it was Kate Moss – down the stairs,” she said. “I had heard this rumour from two people and it was fresh in my mind. “In a flash I reacted in defence of her.” “For years, Johnny’s punched (me) and for years I had never even hit him. I never so much as landed a blow and I will never forget this incident … it was the first time after all these years (I hit him back),” she said. Eleanor Laws, QC, acting for Johnny Depp, said “you just added that bit in about Kate Moss. You’ve changed your story.” Heard denied it, saying “that’s always what it has been.” “This is the first time you’ve mentioned it, do you agree?” Laws pressed, to which Heard replied “I don’t know.” Kate Moss and Johnny Depp dated in the ‘90s when she was 20 and he was 31. Depp has denied hitting her while they were together. The court was also shown vision of Heard speaking at a hearing in the US on 13 August 2016 which she described stepping in to protect her sister and that she feared for her sister’s life. Depp has strenuously denied domestic violence against Heard.

Legal

7 awesome dog breeds you’ve never heard of – until now

Warning: You’re about to fall in love with these seven dogs, but don’t get too attached just yet – you might not be able to find one of your own to take home! While some have been around for thousands of years, others have come onto the scene a lot more recently. Either way, you might be surprised you never heard of them until now. 1. Schipperke Small and energetic, the Schipperke (pronounced Skipper-key) is native to Belgium. Adored for its inquisitive personality and beautiful coat, “the little black devil” was a vermin hunter. Today, they’re regarded as happy, loyal companions. Their sassy demeanour and enthusiasm for mischief requires a dedicated owner who will supervise its adventures. Schipperkes are talented escape artists – a well-fenced yard, and on-leash walks are a must. <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/6-ways-make-your-dog-smarter">Here are 6 ways to make your dog smarter. </a> 2. Coton de Tulear Known as the Royal Dog of Madagascar, the Coton de Tulear (pronounced Cu-toe de Too-lay-are) dates back several centuries. Sharing ancestors with the Maltese and Bichon Frise, this happy-go-lucky pup historically served as a royal pet. Sociable and smart, the Coton often behaves like a little furry clown. Their bouncy antics and tireless energy are endearing, but owners must be careful not to fall completely under their Coton’s spell – this fun-loving breed will take advantage of a lenient master. 3. Icelandic Sheepdog Iceland’s native dog is not only unique, but rare. Rescued from the brink of extinction in the 1950s, the Icelandic Sheepdog is slowly increasing in numbers. A natural herder, the breed is alert, intelligent and enthusiastic. Friendly with other animals and gentle with children, the Icelandic forms strong bonds with its master. Occasionally, this attachment can cause separation anxiety and excess barking. With a gentle touch, a skilled owner can teach their Icelandic Sheepdog to be calm in their absence. <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/can-you-guess-dog-breed-based-its-puppy-picture">Can you guess these dog breeds based on their puppy pictures?</a> 4. Berger Picard With its tousled appearance, the Berger Picard – star of the movie Because of Winn-Dixie – is often mistaken for a mutt. Don’t let this dog’s low-maintenance look fool you. This canine boasts a proud French pedigree. Traditionally a sheepdog, the Berger Picard (pronounced Bare zhay Peecar) almost disappeared after World War II. Fortunately, breed fanciers are re-establishing its presence not only in France, but worldwide. Quiet, loyal and athletic, the Berger craves attention and often displays comical behaviour. 5. Boykin Spaniel With its gold eyes, and soft, chocolate-coloured coat, the Boykin Spaniel could easily be discounted as just a pretty household pet – but this breed is no lap dog. Hard-working and spirited, this spaniel is a seasoned hunting companion. Bred for tracking wild turkeys, the Boykin first appeared in the south-eastern United States during the early 20th century, has a friendly personality, and adores children. 6. Leonberger Originating in Germany in the mid-1800s, the Leonberger was a favourite of European royals. Strong and imposing, this household guardian closely resembled a lion. Today, its affectionate manner makes him an excellent therapy dog, or children’s companion. But don’t be misled by his cuddly disposition – prospective owners must train this pet properly. With many Leonbergers weighing over 55kg, they naturally believe that they’re the boss. <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/worlds-largest-dog-breeds">Check out the world’s largest dog breeds.</a> 7. Cane Corso Dating back to 600 AD Italy, the Cane Corso (pronounced Connie Corso) descends from Roman war dogs. Its large, athletic build and strong work ethic made this canine ideal for herding, hunting, and guarding. Almost extinct in the 1980s, the breed is now making a welcome comeback. Suspicious of strangers yet devoted to its master, the Cane Corso requires an experienced dog owner who can handle its protective instincts. <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/12-secrets-your-dogs-tail-is-trying-to-tell-you">Here are the secrets your dog’s tail is trying to tell you.</a> Written by Jackie Middleton and Lisa Marie Conklin. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/30-awesome-dog-breeds-youve-never-heard-of-until-now">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Family & Pets

Dissociative disorders: What are they and why haven’t we heard about them?

Dissociative disorders are often said to be <a href="http://www.teachtrauma.com/controversial-topics-trauma/myths-media-portrayals-dissociative-identity-disorder/">rare</a>. But our soon-to-be published analysis of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334625332">international studies</a> suggest they affect 10-11% of the population at some point in their lives. This makes them nearly as common as <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/070674370404900208">mood disorders</a> (such as clinical depression). So what are dissociative disorders, why is diagnosis controversial and how can people be treated? What is dissociation? Dissociation occurs when a person experiences being disconnected from themselves, including their memories, feelings, actions, thoughts, body and even their identity. People with dissociative disorders have one or more of the following <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-98841-000">symptoms</a>: <ul> <li>amnesia and other memory problems</li> <li>a sense of detachment or disconnection from their self, familiar people or surroundings</li> <li>an inner struggle about their sense of self and identity</li> <li>acting like a different person (identity alteration).</li> </ul> For some people, symptoms can last days or weeks, but for others they can persist for months, years, or a lifetime. Dissociation allows the person to compartmentalise and disconnect from aspects of traumatic and challenging experiences that could otherwise overwhelm their capacity to cope. A person whose spouse has died may become emotionally numb, allowing them to focus on arranging the funeral; a man who has separated from his wife and lost his job soon afterwards may become so disconnected from his identity that he no longer recognises himself in the mirror and feels his life is happening to someone else; and a young woman who is sexually assaulted may remember her attacker moving too quickly towards her, recalls being safely back in her family home, but cannot remember the assault. If the traumatic and overwhelming experiences happen repeatedly over a long period of time, the person’s <a href="https://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?id=9227">personality may become fragmented</a>. The traumatised part of the personality that contains the emotions, thoughts, sensations and experiences relating to the trauma becomes separated from the part of the personality that is trying to get on with daily life. This <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674068063&content=reviews">allows young children to be with frightening and abusive caregivers</a> they can neither fight nor flee from as they are dependent on them. The person may have no (or only some) conscious awareness of the compartmentalised memories, thoughts, feelings and experiences. These may, however, intrude into the person’s awareness. For example, the person may be aware of thoughts, feelings and internal voices that don’t “belong” to them, or may speak or act in ways that are completely out of character. The most extreme form of structural dissociation is <a href="https://theconversation.com/dissociative-identity-disorder-exists-and-is-the-result-of-childhood-trauma-85076">dissociative identity disorder</a>, once known as multiple personality disorder. This is where the person has at least two separate personalities that exist independently of one another and that emerge at different times. These personality differences are not just psychological. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/aiding-the-diagnosis-of-dissociative-identity-disorder-pattern-recognition-study-of-brain-biomarkers/DCF85A7D69652C06E61524593B266E8C">Neuroimaging confirms structural differences</a> in the brains of people with dissociative identity disorder. A controversial diagnosis There are two competing theories about what causes dissociation: trauma and fantasy. With the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-06384-001">trauma model</a>, dissociative symptoms arise from physical, sexual and emotional abuse; neglect, particularly in childhood; attachment problems if a child fears the caregiver or the caregiver is not adequately attuned to the child’s emotional or safety needs; and other severe stress or trauma, such as experiencing or witnessing domestic violence. This trauma model is reflected in the <a href="https://icd.who.int/en/">World Health Organisation</a> and <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm">American Psychiatric Association</a> past and present diagnostic criteria. However, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24773505">fantasy model</a> is based on the idea that dissociative disorders are not “real”. Instead, they are the delusion of people who are troubled (and often traumatised), suggestible, fantasy-prone and sleep-deprived. Fantasy model theorist <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-advances/article/dissociative-identity-disorder-validity-and-use-in-the-criminal-justice-system/C1C27EE9731782570E1376A3EDA48CE4">Joel Paris</a> describes dissociative disorders as a North American “fad” that has nearly died out. Yet <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334625332">my analysis of 98 studies</a> found rates are not declining. In fact, I found dissociation is an international phenomenon far more common in countries that are comparatively unsafe. This is supported by other research which finds dissociation more common in people that have experienced trauma, such as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/08039488.2014.977344?src=recsys&journalCode=ipsc20">refugees</a>. All up, the evidence indicates dissociative disorders are real (not imagined) and caused by trauma (not fantasy). Dissociative disorders are under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed Even though there are accurate ways of diagnosing dissociative disorders, most people will <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Humanising-Mental-Health-Care-in-Australia-A-Guide-to-Trauma-informed/Benjamin-Haliburn-King/p/book/9780367076603">never be diagnosed</a>. This is due to the lack of health professional education and training about dissociation, the symptoms being less obvious to observers, and scepticism that the disorder even exists. The person also may not realise they have dissociative symptoms. Even if they do, they may not reveal them due to fear or embarrassment, or may find them difficult to put into words. At least <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/assessment-of-the-prevalence-of-psychiatric-disorder-in-young-adults/5673B18071E22D850EF4E5F3241763FB">three-quarters of people with a dissociative disorder</a> will also have one or more other mental disorders. <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Humanising-Mental-Health-Care-in-Australia-A-Guide-to-Trauma-informed/Benjamin-Haliburn-King/p/book/9780367076603">They may be diagnosed with and treated for other mental health difficulties</a>, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, borderline personality disorder, or psychosis. They may also be treated for addictions, self-harm, and/or suicidal thoughts (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18195639">2% of those diagnosed complete suicide</a>). They may also be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia because <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27209638">hearing voices is common to both</a>. But their dissociative disorder usually remains undiagnosed. However, treatment for other mental health issues is not likely to be effective unless the underlying dissociation is addressed. How to treat? What does the evidence say works? The mental health and quality of life of people with a dissociative disorder <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-08580-001">improves </a>significantly with psychotherapy (a type of talk therapy) that recognises the impact of trauma <a href="https://besselvanderkolk.net/the-body-keeps-the-score.html">is physiological</a> (affecting the brain and body) as well as psychological. In therapy consistent with international treatment <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15299732.2011.537247">guidelines</a>, people can learn skills to cope with unbearable emotions, thoughts and physical sensations. Once people are stable and have constructive coping strategies, therapists can then help people process traumatic and dissociated memories. Dissociative, post-traumatic, and depressive <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-08580-001">symptoms improve</a>. And hospitalisations, self-harm, drug use, and physical pain declines. There is no medication that specifically treats dissociation. Where to get help Dissociative disorders are one of the most common, yet most unrecognised, mental disorders. Symptoms are often debilitating, but significant improvements are possible if the dissociation is diagnosed and treated correctly. If you are concerned, you can speak to your GP and ask for a referral to a therapist knowledgeable about trauma and dissociation. A list of therapists with this expertise in Australia is available from the <a href="https://www.blueknot.org.au/Helpline">Blue Knot Foundation</a> and worldwide from the <a href="https://isstd.connectedcommunity.org/network/network-find-a-professional">International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation</a>. Written by Mary-Anne Kate. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/dissociative-disorders-are-nearly-as-common-as-depression-so-why-havent-we-heard-about-them-116731">The Conversation</a>.

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