The tickle of curiosity. The gasp of discovery. Fingers running across the keyboard.

The World of Iniquus - Action Adventure Romance

Showing posts with label characters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label characters. Show all posts

Monday, October 28, 2013

Do You Think Your Character Might Be Depressed? Psych 101 for Writers

__________________________________________________________________________________


Excerpt from WEAKEST LYNX

     “So how many Zoloft are you popping each day?” Dave gingerly set his coffee on the table.
    “That would be a fair indicator of how badly this guy’s getting to me. Right now? None.”
     “Nerves of steel?” He was in professional mode, eyes scanning me, assessing. It felt intrusive; I lowered my lashes for privacy.
     “Hardly. I’m trying to stay busy so when I fall into bed, I’m too exhausted to let the tap dancing in my stomach keep me awake.”
     “So Zantac, not Zoloft, keeps you together?”
     I focused on the mug I slid back and forth in front of me. “I guess.






What causes depression and how can you tell if your character might be depressed?



Depression
Depression (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are many reasons for feeling depressed. Some people are affected by the amount of light available in the winter (SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder), some people have an inherited propensity towards depressive episodes, while others experience depression following a traumatic experience. Medical issues such as thyroid disorders and diabetes can produce depressive symptoms. Also, brain trauma such as concussions or tumors can produce depressive symptoms. Researchers believe that depression is a physiological response to a hormonal disturbance (fewer neuro-transmitters such as serotonin.)

Depression is diagnosed when sadness is accompanied by helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness.


No Me Mireis!
 (Photo credit: El Hermano Pila)
According to the DSM V, a manual used to diagnose mental disorders, depression occurs when you have at least five of the following symptoms at the same time over a two week period of time:

* A depressed mood during most of the day, particularly
   in the morning
* Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
* Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day
* Impaired concentration, indecisiveness
* Insomnia (an inability to sleep) or hypersomnia
   (excessive sleeping) almost every day
* Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all
   activities nearly every day
* Recurring thoughts of death or suicide (not just fearing
   death)
* A sense of restlessness or being slowed down
* Significant weight loss or weight gain




NOTE: Your character probably won't demonstrate ALL of the signs. Pick five to work with.

Types of depression include:
* Major
* Dysthimia (chronic low level)
* Bipolar
* Seasonal (SAD or seasonal affective disorder)
* Psychotic
* Postpartum (many mental health workers include episodic depression related to the menstrual cycle, etc)



How might your character look?

Of course, your character will have her own way of expressing her depressed state. 
A depressed man sitting on a bench
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Flat affect - which means that the face is slack and
  does not register a normal range of emotion
* Weight changes which make clothing too tight or hang
    from their frames.
* Dark circles under the eye if the character is
   experiencing insomnia
* An unkept appearance which might include
  uncharacteristically:
  `Wearing the same clothes day after day without
    washing them
  ` Unwashed hair
  ` Unshaven
  ` Body odor
  ` Mismatched clothing
* The unkept appearance will extend to their home and environments
* Gray pallor
* Stooped posture
* Dragging gait
* Vacantly staring
* Frowning

VIDEO QUICK STUDY, TED Talk: We Need to Talk About Depression (9:30) Excellent description of what a character would feel/experience.
  
 How might your character act?

* Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
* Fatigued with decreased energy
* Not reactive to sound or interaction
* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, and/or hopeless/pessimism
* Insomnia or excessive sleeping
* Irritable
* Restlessness
* Loss of interest in activities or hobbies
* Loss of pleasure in life
* Loss of sex drive
* Change in appetite
* Persistent aches or pains such as headaches, cramps,
* Digestive issues that do not respond to conventional treatment.
* Feeling sad, anxious, and/or emptiness
* Lathargic gestures and movements
English: Human Experiences, depression/loss of...
English: Human Experiences, depression/loss of loved one (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
* Their eyes may be red or wet and blink infrequently
* Little to no social interaction
  ` ignoring computer or phone messages
  ` No visitors/isolation
* Suicidal thoughts or suicide
     attempts

Your character may try to hide their depression by:
* Self-medicating (drugs/alcohol)
* Forced positive emotions like being on
   the stage and performing.
* Overly bright fake smiles
* Telling people that they have been ill - flu etc.

During this period your depressed heroine might be a target to nefarious characters because she may have diminished:
* Observational skills
* Ability to concentrate
* Time sequencing skills
* Concern for self-harm


Things that might help your character:
* A physical exam to rule out various medical issues
* Exercise
* Refraining from unprescribed drug use and alcohol consumption
* Nutritious food
* Caring friends, family, coworkers
* Meditation/yoga
* Therapy
* Medications

Zoloft (photograph)
Zoloft (photograph) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Common medications include (top 10):  
* Cymbalta
* Lexapro
* Effexor
* Zoloft
* Celexa
* Trazadone
* Prozac
* Welbutrin (anxiety) 
* Citalopram
* Pristiq
According to WebMD Link



Why Should My Character Have Follow Up Appointments With Her Diagnosing Physician

1. If a character is suicidal, but is too depressed to act on their ideations, 
    * They don't have the strength to carry through with the suicidal
        act. 
    * Once the medications have started to act in the character's
       system, and they start up the hill towards
       recovery, the character might reach a point where suicidal 
       ideations and physical ability intersect and
       that can be disastrous. 
    * A monitoring physician might be able to intercede if this is
       disclosed in therapy. 
2.  Many people do not like the side-effects of the medications.
     * As soon as they start to feel better they stop taking their pills. 
     * The pills have an effect on the body system. 
     * If the character was taking pills to increase serotonin, for
        example, her body might stop producing
        serotonin on its own. 
     * When the patient suddenly stops taking the medication, they
        are often in a worse place than when they
        started. This could be a very interesting plot twist. ( Patients
        are weaned slowly and with careful
        monitoring from psychotropic meds.)

Should you recognize yourself in any of this information. Please seek help from your physician. Depression is a physiological disorder.

If you find yourself thinking about suicide please contact One of these National Suicide Prevention Hotlines
If you are a veteran, there is help specifically for you at this link to The Veterans Crisis Hotline 







Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Busting Out of Zip Ties

English: A stereotypical caricature of a villa...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

DISCLAIMER - This is a non-political site that is geared to help writers write it right. I am presenting information to help develop fictional characters and fictional scenes. In no way am I advocating any position or personal decision


Oh, no! Your heroine has been caught by the bad guy and is being taken hostage. She's doomed! Not so fast. Your heroine is cunning, and she took a women's self-defense class (no, it's not all about knee-to-the-groin tactics), and she knows what to do.

Or maybe you have a bad girl who was taken into custody by the cops, and she needs to escape? Easily done if she was manacled with zip ties.






English: Assortment of cable ties
English: Assortment of cable ties (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Steps to escape - whether front presentation (easiest) or rear presentation (higher difficulty) - begin when the character is being restrained.

*The character should present her wrists in the way she wants them tied.
* Ball the fist tightly to make the circumference of the wrist its largest. You can try this yourself. Measure
   your wrist with a relaxed hand and then again for a balled fist. I gained almost a cm.
* Cross your wrists, turning your hands to the side so your wrist bones are stacked. Doing this, I gained
   another cm. I have almost a whole inch of added wiggle room.
* Another option would be lining the wrists up side by side. (This will only work if the detainer really has no
   idea what they are doing.)
* Finally, when the cuffs are being tightened, using the cover of the detainer's hands, slide the tie slightly up
   your arm away from the bone toward the muscle/flesh part of the arm. (just an inch or two)  When
   they tighten the tie down, twist the heroine's arms a little and show the plastic cutting into the skin of the detainee.

FRONT ESCAPE -
Two cable ties: one opened and one closed
Two cable ties: one opened and one closed (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* If the character presented properly, then there should be enough wiggle room to escape. Simply put the hands flat out in prayer position and work to move the plastic tie over the thumb joint. Once this has been executed, you're out! The character may need to use her teeth to manipulate the plastic upward. Also, if she is upright and watched, she may need to position her hands behind or under something to conceal her movements.

* If the character didn't have a presentation choice,
   ex. she was blacked out when detained, she can still
   escape.
* The movement is the same from upright or on her
   back positions. If she is on her back, she will need to pull
   her feet in towards her hips and elevate her hips.
* Move the tie toggle to in between the hands and pull it tight with her teeth. The tighter it is, the easier this
   move.
* Extend the arms and with a swift move down, pull the elbows across the hip bones. (See video below).
   Male characters would probably use their ribs. THIS WORKS WITH DUCT TAPE, AS WELL.

VIDEO QUICK STUDY - Front Presentation.

Moving restraints from back to front (this is me) (:39)
Slipping Out of Zip Ties - (2:49)  - includes hand presentations and wiggle removal.
Thrust Removal  (1:28) Male model
Thrust Removal (:50) Female Model
Escape with Friction Saw (4:01) Perhaps your character has a broken arm or other injury and can't use the
                                                 thrust method.
Dual Zip Ties (1:52)
Breaking Free (11:21) - This shows arm presentation, and wiggle removal. BONUS they show how to use
                                       the zip tie to open the door that your heroine got locked behind!
Duct Tape works the same way! (:09)
Duct Tape Escape (twist style) (2:12)

Rear Presentation:

* If possible let your heroine set up her wrists for escape, and use wiggle method.
* If she is unconscious or her detainer knows what they're doing she will have to do a thrust removal.
* If standing, she would work to position the lock between her hands and tighten it down as best
   she can. Leaning over, she would lift her arms and pull downward with as much force as possible.
* If she is on the ground, she will need to go onto her belly, pull her knees upward so she is in a yoga child's
   pose and then attempt this.

Moving restraints from back to front VIDEO QUICK STUDY

Breaking to the Rear (:48)
WARNING - these techniques DO NOT work with police zip handcuffs (5:13)
But this technique WILL work on a set of police issue handicuffs.

As an author, you may want to try this so you know how much effort is involved, as well as what the mental and physical feelings entail. I would caution you, however, you can damage the skin on your wrists. So, take some duck tape and circle them around a couple of times to prevent cuts or burns.




Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

Enhanced by Zemanta