Spotlight on Mental Health

November 27, 2022 / Tawana K Watson

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (a.k.a Complex PTSD or C-PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that involves many of the same symptoms as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (a.k.a PTSD). However, unlike PTSD where the traumatic events are attributed to one instance of trauma, C-PTSD is attributed to multiple instances of trauma mostly happening during a person’s childhood. Also, when looking at the development of C-PTSD within minority populations, racism, poverty, the justice system, and oppression can add an additional layer of trauma to an individual that has experienced ongoing trauma during their early childhood years. The types of long-term traumatic events that can cause C-PTSD include:

Child abuse, neglect, or abandonment
Domestic violence
Genocide
Childhood soldiering
Torture
Racism

Traumatic stress can have a number of effects on the brain and is associated with lasting changes in key areas of the brain, therefore when a person is under the control of another person and does not have the ability to easily escape the stress oftentimes behaviors will manifest as symptoms from C-PTSD. Individuals that suffer from C-PTSD can also share symptoms with other mental health disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD), even though BPD doesn’t always have its causes in trauma.

Treatment for C-PTSD is similar to the treatment for PTSD. Medications are often used to reduce the symptoms of C-PTSD (anxiety and depression), along with psychotherapy, which focuses on identifying memories associated with the trauma and negative thought patterns. One form of psychotherapy that is popular in treating C-PTSD is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). This approach uses eye movement to process and reframe traumatic memories under the guidance of a trained therapist. Unfortunately, treatment for C-PTSD can take time, therefore coping skills are a primary way of dealing with the symptoms. Locating a support group, practicing mindfulness, and journaling (a few coping mechanisms) can help and maintain recovery for an individual that is a sufferer of C-PTSD.

If you or someone you love may be dealing with C-PTSD please reach out to mysisterskeeper0721@gmail.com to get help finding resources that will help you or your loved one.

Sourcehttps://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-complex-ptsd-2792491/print

The Case of Ezra McCandless

November 23, 2022 / Tawana K Watson

On March 22, 2018, Ezra McCandless stabbed Alexander Woodworth of Eau Claire, Wisconsin 16 times. McCandless stabbed Woodworth to death, then she carved the word “boy” into her forearm and slashed her clothing making it appear as if Woodworth attacked her. Don Sipple, a Wisconsin dairy farmer, was sitting down to dinner when McCandless showed up at his door on the night of March 22, 2018, bruised and battered. Sipple called the local police after helping McCandless, who was cold, muddy, and had no shoes on, into his home. McCandless claimed she was a victim of an assault perpetrated by her boyfriend Alexander Woodworth.

This story is full of twists and turns and to understand how and why Woodworth ended up being stabbed by McCandless 16 times on March 22, 2018, we have to start at the beginning with another key player in the story named Jason Mengal.

Jason Mengal, met McCandless in 2017, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at a popular coffee shop, Racy D’Lenes Coffee Lounge, where everyone would go daily. According to testimony by Mengal, he and McCandless started dating, then moved in together and started a sexual relationship quickly after their initial meeting. In November of 2017, McCandless and Woodworth, who worked at Racy D’Lenes Coffee Lounge, started to have a sexual affair, while McCandless was still dating and living with Mengal. Once Mengal found out about the affair he broke up with McCandless, who has been, stated by witnesses, to be doing everything that she could to win Mengal back. In February 2018, Mengal initiated a rape report on behalf of McCandless because she told him that she was raped by his friend John Hansen, however on March 3, 2018, Woodworth spoke with the police telling them that McCandless was not forced into having sex with Hansen but she was a willing participant who later regretted the sexual encounter with Hansen and therefore made up the rape story to get sympathy from Mengal. It is stated by witnesses that McCandless was upset with Woodworth for not going along with her story and begin to plot against him. On March 23, 2018, Woodworth’s body was found in the rear seat of McCandless’s car. According to reports McCandless and Woodworth were driving and the car got stuck in the mud in Dunn County, Wisconsin. McCandless stated that she climbed into the back seat when Woodworth started to attack her. McCandless stated that she begin to stab Woodworth who did not stop coming after her even after being stabbed multiple times. Throughout McCandless’s interrogation, however, she changed her story multiple times and on April 6, 2018, McCandless was charged with first-degree intentional homicide.

On February 7, 2020, Erza McCandless was sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 50 years.

Sources

https://www.courttv.com/news/wi-v-mccandless-timeline-of-events/

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/crime/salacious-testimony-in-wi-murder-trial-as-ex-boyfriend-takes-the-stand/89-3602782e-78cb-4dc0-8b4c-f71a2482576d

https://sandrarose.com/2019/10/opening-statements-under-way-in-transgender-erza-mccandless-murder-case/

https://www.wqow.com/archive/trial-begins-in-dunn-county-stabbing-death-case/article_8efbe890-e4a5-5228-96cb-c42ac6bb36bb.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ezra-mccandless-alex-woodworth-murder-sentencing-why-was-the-word-boy-carved-into-the-arm-of-accursed-killer/

Spotlight on Mental Health

November 15, 2022 / Tawana K Watson

The winter has arrived in Cleveland, Ohio and many people are beginning to feel extreme depression. This type of depression, known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), manifests itself when the seasons change. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) usually begins and ends at the same time each year (beginning in the fall and ending in the spring) and the basic treatment for it is light therapy. Light therapy consists of sitting in front of a special lamp (known as a lightbox) for around 30 minutes to an hour each morning. Light therapy works by giving you what you are missing and that is the light exposure from the sun.

Symptoms to look for are the following;

Feeling listless, sad, or down most of the day, nearly every day
Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
Having low energy and feeling sluggish
Having problems with sleeping too much
Experiencing carbohydrate cravings, overeating, and weight gain
Having difficulty concentrating
Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
Having thoughts of not wanting to live

It is normal to exhibit sadness however if the above symptoms continue for days at a time and you can not seem to shake the blues then maybe consulting a physician is what you need to do. Also, Seasonal Affective Disorder can affect your treatment when it comes to other disorders such as Bipolar Disorder, anxiety, and clinical depression so seeking help from a physician before things get out of hand should be a priority when it comes to safeguarding your mental health during the winter season.

The Case of Kimberly Kessler

November 14, 2022 / Tawana K Watson

Kimberly Lee Kessler (during this time she was known as Jennifer Sybert) and Joleen Cummings worked together at Tangles Hair Salon. Joleen Cummings had suspicions about who Kimberly Lee Kessler (Jennifer Sybert) indeed was and threatened to do research to find out. On May 12, 2018, sources state that Joleen Cummings left her job at Tangles Hair Salon, which was the last time she was seen. On May 13, 2018, which happened to be Joleen Cumming’s birthday and Mother’s Day, Joleen failed to pick up her three children from her ex-husband’s house. Also, at 1:17 am that morning, according to surveillance cameras at the Yulee Home Depot, Kimberly (Jennifer) was seen parking Joleen’s SUV near the store, however, there was no sign of Joleen. Kimberly (Jennifer) was arrested on May 16, 2018, in the county of St Johns for stealing Joleen Cumming’s SUV. After the FBI and Nassau Sheriff’s Office search of the Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston, Georgia for Joleen Cumming’s body, which was not found, Kimberly Lee Kessler (Jennifer Sybert) was indicted for first-degree murder. On July 2, 2019, a judge ruled that Kimberly Lee Kessler (Jennifer Sybert) was not competent to stand trial, which the prosecution disagreed with, and at a later time, a psychologist for the state also deemed that Kimberly (Jennifer) was not competent to stated trial and a reevaluation would be done after 6 months to determine her competency. It is reported that Kimberly (Jennifer) was not a good prisoner and did everything in her power to push the limits at the jail she was staying at from smearing feces everywhere to going on a hunger strike. On September 28, 2020, Kimberly’s (Jennifer’s) hunger strike took her from 200 lbs (at her arrest) to 90 lbs which prompted Sheriff Leeper to file a civil suit to have her force feed, which was later dismissed. After two more mental evaluations, on October 12, 2020, and June 30, 2020, it was ruled that Kimberly (Jennifer) was competent to stand trial. However, due to Kimberly’s (Jennifer’s) outrageous behavior, it took longer than it should to complete the trial, on November 29, 2021, Kimberly (Jennifer) repeatedly made untruthful outbursts regarding her defense attorneys stating that one of her attorneys was somehow related to Joleen Cummings. Regardless of all the ridiculous things that happen during the trial on December 9, 2021, Kimberly Lee Kessler was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Joleen Cummings. Kimberly Lee Kessler was reported missing in 2012 by her mother, however, the missing person report stated that Kimberly was last seen on July 4, 2004, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Her mother waited 8 years before reporting Kimberly missing. During a press conference after Kimberly Lee Kessler’s arrest, Sheriff Leeper stated that Kimberly had 18 alias and lived in 33 cities across 14 states. After the mental evaluations showing Kimberly to be competent, the question remains if she truly is. Part 2 of this 3-part series will look closer at Kimberly’s alias and her life before 2018, to see if the question regarding her competency can truly be answered.

Author Spotlight David K. Bennett

November 5, 2022 / Tawana K Watson

David K. Bennett, known to his close friends as Dave, is a serious reader of science fiction and fantasy, which began when he was very young. David was introduced to Ray Bradbury while in the third grade, in junior high school and he read nearly every SF volume in his junior high school library. David, for many years, toyed with the idea of writing, along with reading, and in the year of 2000 he got serious about writing.

David, over the years, has accumulated a host of different hobbies and it may be that his varied interests account for his fast progression into the writing field and deciding to skip traditional publishing route.

The Zdrell Trilogy

The Zdrell Trilogy covers the story of the first person born in over one thousand years on the world of Klastra able to directly wield the awesome power of Zdrell magic. He must quickly learn to use this power to survive and defeat wizards of demon magic whose ultimate purpose is to convert the entire world into a feeding ground for their demon associates.

The Apprentice to Zdrell – Book 1

Released 11/12/2018

What is it like to go from being a virtual slave, to learning you could become the most powerful wizard in the world, and that the fate of everyone you know and millions you don’t depends on your survival and mastery of magic?

This is the story of Jonny, a young boy plucked out of slavery by the Master Wizard Silurian, to become an apprentice wizard, but one who for the first time in over one thousand years has the ability to master the ancient magic of Zdrell. Jonny has to struggle to learn and master this magic, and he has to do it quickly, because if the demon wizards discover who he is or what he may become, they will stop at nothing to ensure that Zdrell does not return to the world.

Wizard Aspirant – Novella

Released 5/20/2020

Korec knows his is a wizard. He longs to prove he is a wizard, but how can he prove himself when he must do so while being tortured?

The Journeyman For Zdrell – Book 2

Released 12/5/2019

Fleeing the scene of his battle with the first demon wizard, hunted by the demon wizards and their accomplices, Jonny, now named Eril travels the continent of Skryla, traveling as a journeyman weapon smith. He learns from various wizards and continues to gain greater control and power over his Zdrell as he also matures and learns from and about the people he must work with in order to defeat the demon wizards. He fights battles, finds love, and eventually reveals his Zdrell mastery to the world.

The Master of Zdrell – Book 3

Status: Currently in Progress

After having found and assimilated the cached knowledge of the last Zdrell masters, Jonny, now known as Torin, gathers his forces and allies as the demon forces begin their attack on the continent of Skryla to bring it under the unified domination of Grimor and the demon masters. The battle rages and Torin must do all in his power to defeat the demons and those who support them in order for the world to survive.

Follow the David K Bennett at: https://www.davidkbennett.com/about.html; 

Twitter: @DKBAuthor

I am writing on Newsbreak and Vocal

November 5, 2022 / Tawana K Watson

I am now posting articles on Newsbreak and Vocal in an effort to grow my audience. The articles that I am posting will be focused on mental health issues and true crime.

Author Spotlight: David K Bennett

October 14, 2022 / Tawana K Watson

known to his close friends as Dave, is a serious reader of science fiction and fantasy, which began when he was very young. David was introduced to Ray Bradbury while in the third grade, in junior high school and he read nearly every SF volume in his junior high school library. David, for many years, toyed with the idea of writing, along with reading, and in the year of 2000 he got serious about writing.

The Zdrell Trilogy