Lauren Opladen remembers the agonizing wait all too well struggling with paralyzing depression after losing her brother to suicide and her father to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis But she had to spend 3 days inside an emergency department at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester where the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) provides immediate care for youth and adults experiencing psychiatric emergencies "We were sleeping on a couch just waiting for all these services when that's precious time wasted," Opladen said she is a registered nurse at the same hospital Every day she walks past a new facility she wishes had existed during her troubled teenage years: An urgent care center for children and adolescents experiencing mental health crises Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Center opened in July as a walk-in clinic offering rapid assessment provides referrals to counseling or psychiatric care Children and adolescents at immediate risk of harming themselves or others are sent to CPEP or another emergency department in the area Similar walk-in facilities linking youth to longer-term services are popping up in nearly a dozen states, including New York, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin The emerging model of care may offer a crucial bridge between traditional outpatient services and emergency room (ER) visits for some young people experiencing mental health crises "We've seen a significant increase in the number of children and adolescents presenting to emergency departments with mental health concerns," said Michael A chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center "These urgent care centers provide a more appropriate setting for many of these cases offering specialized care without the often overwhelming environment of an ER." But staffing shortages and limited physical space are taxing the capacity of the healthcare system to screen, diagnose, and manage these patients, according to a 2023 report published in Pediatrics Some in the mental health community said the label "urgent" in these centers' titles is misleading Brighter Days and similar facilities do not conduct involuntary holds or handle serious cases like psychotic episodes David Mathison, MD, senior vice president of clinic operations at PM Pediatrics a chain of pediatric urgent care clinics in Maryland said patients and their families may mistakenly believe the centers will address mental health problems quickly It's really just another access point to get behavioral health," Mathison said "Crises in pediatrics are so much more complex" than physical injuries or acute infections which are the bread and butter of urgent care centers "An urgent care center almost implies you're going to come in for a solution to a simple problem and it's going to be done relatively quickly on demand and it's just not what the behavioral health centers do," he said who also serves on the executive committee for the section on urgent care at the American Academy of Pediatrics likened the centers to in-person versions of crisis center hotlines which offer virtual counseling and talk therapy and may refer individuals to specialists who can provide clinical care over the long term Brighter Days and other centers provide crisis de-escalation for individuals experiencing an exacerbation of a diagnosed mental illness such a manic episode from bipolar disorder "Most places aren't just going to change their therapy without either contacting their psychiatrist or having psychiatrists on staff," Mathison said Other challenges at Brighter Days and similar centers include staffing with appropriately trained mental health professionals, given the nationwide shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists The number of child and adolescent psychiatrists per 100,000 children varies significantly across states. Nationally, the average stands at 14 psychiatrists per 100,000 children, but ranges from as low as 4 to 65, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. patients who visit Brighter Days are billed as if they are having a routine pediatric office visit as opposed to a pricier trip to the emergency department Opladen said the urgent care center represents a significant improvement over her experience at the emergency department's psychiatric triage "I saw how awful it was and just the environment," she said She said the pediatric mental health urgent care centers are "the complete opposite." Like Brighter Days these centers are designed to look more like a pediatrician's office with bright welcoming colors and games and toys "The welcoming feel is just a whole different environment Lara Salahi is a journalist based in Boston Send comments and news tips to news@medscape.net info@meesonfamily.com Let the family know you care by sharing this tribute John and Helen Nasca; paternal grandparents cousins; several dear friends. Joshua was an avid hockey goalie and was recognized for his many accomplishments He had great sport ethics and was a multi sport athlete He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Friends may call Tuesday June 19th 3-7 PM at Vay-Schleich & Meeson Funeral Home contributions may be made to The Tyler Putnam Foundation at 115 Queens Lane Rochester & Family, We are all so very sorry for all of you We will hold on to the great memories of watching your son in the net Hold on to the great memories as those can never be taken away Know that our prayers & deep sorrow our with all of you May God surround you all with peace! With deep Sympathy & Love, Rosanne but I did know you through the loving reflections of your mom with whom I am privileged to work You will always remain a highly admired member of your class and community and a beloved and cherished member of your family We all feel profoundly at a loss by your passing and I wish for your family the time not be distant when your daily memories bring a smile before a tear We do not know each other personally but the loss of your son Josh has saddened me deeply Please accept my sincere sympathy and I will be praying to the Lord to wrap His arms around you and keep you strong. When the loss of a child occurs it effects all the parents in our Communtiy Words cannot express what we feel in our hearts for you We pray you have the courage and strength to face this terrible burden of grief The entire hockey community will always remember Josh and cherish the good memories Dear Opladen Family, I was Josh’s 6th grade ELA teacher I remember him as an excellent student with a winning smile and wonderful people skills Dear Opladen Family, My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this very difficult time Dear Opladen Family, Our hearts our broken for the loss of your precious son Josh You do not know us but our son Gordon played hockey with him last season on the Rochester Stars Gordie loved being around Josh had only wonderful things to say about him May God as well as your Family and Friends comfort you at this time Josh will be missed and remembered forever We pray that God will watch over and help you during this difficult time Josh is loved by many and will be sadly missed He touched many hearts and we are hearing of the great and memorable times that Robby wishes to cherish of their times together on the hockey teams There are so much more cherished memories that all his friends and family have of Josh and that is something that will stay in yours and our hearts forever Josh is with you and is by God’s side as an Angel watching over his family Please find peace in knowing that Josh and your family are loved by many many people and you are all in our thoughts and prayers While the sadness and grief will always be there I believe the joy you received from having Josh for 17 years will overcome the sadness What a blessing he was for you and the family I will pray that God gives you the strength you need now and in the future It is so hard to believe that we have lost a Titan I give my heart and prayers out to you and your family You will forever be missed in the Greece Community and until then your friends and family will live on in your memory I forever remember you as being one of the cast of characters of The Greatest Summer Ever I met Josh a couple of summers ago when he began working summers for our family business (Pat’s at the Beach) I knew from our first meeting he was a great kid outgoing and alway had a beautiful smile on his face I especially remember how he treated my mom with respect but teased her and made her feel like one of the group Josh you will be missed by your work family May God Bless your family and help them through these sad days Janice & Family~ I am terribly sorry for the loss of your son Josh I remember all of the kids from work when I worked in Vascular Surgery with you Janice All of the words in the world cannot express my deep sympathy for your family and what you are going through right now person and nurse I have ever known in my life whether it is to the patients as well as your family My prayers are with you and your family at this time Janice and Steve – my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family My your memories of Joshua sustain you in this time of grief Janice and Steve–Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family Steve and Family: It is obvious in Josh’s short life he touched many others His ability at sports was a conduit for him to meet and interact with so many people young and old Josh and Family, I didn’t know you at all Although I am Arcadia Alumni class of 2007 My little sister was friends with you (Lexi butcher) and from what I know you were a great kid with many things going for you I wish the Opladen family my sincerest condolences May you rest in peace and watch over your family Josh let them know your okay and happy up there Josh i wont forget my first year on the tean with you Espically probably the only time i ever scored on you during practice you got so mad cause you took hockey so serious You were the best goalie i ever played with you and you will be missed so much RIPOP You were loved by so many people and your memory will always be alive in everyone’s hearts and the relationship you two shared was beautiful What we can be comforted with now is the fact that you are in a better Josh, I never knew or met you but have worked with your dad Everything he told me about you and your siblings was nothing but the best and of high regard God bless you and your family and heaven has earned an amazing goalie up above play hard up there and know your friends and family will see you again someday Your memory will live on through awesome memories I hope you are at peace and can live life happily in your next journey is your sister telling me crazy little stories from the great times you both have had together that made me laugh and smile at the thought of them I give my hopes and prayers to your family and those who will miss you I am truly sorry for the loss of some of you My heart will aches in sadness for your family And what it meant for your family to lose you you were a great kid. R.I.P Joshua Thomas Opladen 9/4/1994-6/14/2012 Josh, You are a very fine young man—-gone too soon Rest with comfort and watch over your family that loves you very much-Peace to you now My daughter and I are so very sorry for the loss of your son My daughter and her friends go to a different school in Greece Our heart just breaks for all of you and for Josh are sent to you and know he is your angel now once in a while a young man comes along that makes you feel like the most important person in the world!!! We were so lucky!!!! The Jackson Family misses you so…. Josh was a bright and talented young man that put a smile on my son’s face at the rink He will be greatly missed and our prayers are with you and your family. Tara Anthony & Austn Harding Maksymum Hockey Our prayers go out to you and your family during this time Please reach out if you need to talk or if there is anything we might be able to do for you Our sympathy and prayers go out to the Opladen family Although we have never met Josh in person being a goalie family we have seen him throughout NY ice rinks through the years and Ian was looking forward to learning from his this coming season Words may not ease the pain but know there are many people that are praying for peace and comfort Thinking of your family at this time and sending heartfelt sympathy Remember the good times with Josh and the vibrant Please accept our deepest sympathy and it is with great sadness that I write this message Our young people have lost a terrific ambassador who exhibited the true joy in growing up playing sports and making his family proud of his accomplishments We will always remember Josh fondly and continue to keep your family in our thoughts and prayers I remember Josh’s smile from when he was at English Village School We have many wonderful memories of watching Josh play hockey with Brad Steve & Janice You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time Steve & Janice I am so sorry for your loss May the love and strength of your family and friends help you during this difficult time. Colleen LeFay Steve : My deepest sympathy and condolences to you and your family My heart goes out to you during this most difficult time Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers and may all the good memories you have bring some peace in the days ahead Love and prayers to all of you during this difficult time Our deepest sympathies at the loss of your son A sweet and compassionate young man loved by all who had the pleasure of knowing him He reminded me so much of Dylan every time I saw him Steve and Janice so sorry to hear of this news I wish you all the best and hope that heavenly father is with you and blesses you at this time I am so deeply saddened to hear of this loss in your beautiful family I have a box that I keep all the momentos from when Anthony was playing baseball and found the team picture from the 2000 Greece LL T-Ball team in which I coached That picture brought back so many priceless memories I can still vividly remember Josh showing up for our first practice with full catchers gear and blowing me away with his athletic skills at such a young age I also found a card that Josh sent to me thanking me for being his coach We will be praying for Josh and your entire family Steve and Janice: We are so very sorry for your loss inquisitive little boy with such a love for hockey God Bless you all. Cheryl and Lin & Lauren. We are so sorry for your loss. We wish you and your famliy well. If I could only shoulder some of your your pain. Pete The focus of my thoughts and prayers are with your family in your time of sorrow Although I do not know you on a strong personal level I am thourghly convinced you are great people and even better parents Please DO NOT blame yourselves for this unfotunate incodent The faster you come to believe this the sooner you may begin to heal I pray to GOD Almighty that you may head these words May God Bless you and yours and watch over His newest angel To Joshua’s family – you are being held dearly in my prayers at this moment I am praying that God will grant you peace and the knowledge that you are cared for deeply by those around you While I only knew Joshua and coached him in men’s league hockey a short time I gained a world of respect for him very quickly I could see a lot of great things in him to look up to him for and respect him for He treated myslef and every one else the best It is a pleasure to know him and to have had the pleasure of being around him We are praying for you in this time of need We are so sorry for your loss and can’t imagine your pain from the loss of your son Please remember that the community is here for you and will help you through your time of need To The Opladen Family, so very sorry for your loss Your family will be forever in our thoughts and prayers. The Martel Family To The Opladen’s Your son Josh was a very dear friend to our son Kevin has many cherished memories of all the good times they spent together Your family has been in our thoughts and we want to wish you our sincere condolences I remember him when he was just a little tot and as a great young man It was a pleasure to have known him and his great family May the Lord comfort you and your family during this very sad time in your life Remember we Love you very much and lift you all in prayer You are in our thoughts and prayers. VanAuker Family Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" © 2024 Vay-Schleich & Meeson Funeral and Cremation Chapels | All Rights Reserved University of Rochester / University of Rochester Medical Center Her bed was one of the things that Lauren Opladen missed the most. So when she finally got back after a month away from home, that’s where she headed. The sheets were cool and soft. The blankets, heavy and comforting. She felt safe. And as she fell asleep, she thought happily that she might never want to get out of bed again. But by morning, something profound had changed. She still didn’t want to leave her bed, but the warm, content feelings were gone, replaced by those far more ominous. And as the morning wore on, they became more and more acute. No, she didn’t want to get out of bed. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to do anything. She didn’t want to live. People who have been close to a suicide — those who have had either a family member or close friend take their own life — are at much higher risk at attempting it themselves. “It can definitely be a red flag for us as counselors,” said Matt Drury, therapist in the partial hospitalization program at Golisano Children’s Hospital. When Lauren attempted to take her own life, six years had passed since her older brother, Joshua, had taken his at age 17. Four years later, Lauren’s father — for whom she had been a primary caretaker — passed away from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Her family then moved from Greece to Spencerport, upending her social life. And after a surgery for congenital hip dysplasia, which required a year of rehabilitation, Lauren was unable to play soccer, which had been her primary escape for years. “A lot of things were just going downhill,” she said. But at this crucial period in her life, with many of her safety nets falling apart, she did the one thing that comes as difficult to many teens in a similar position: She sought help. “I had a close friend who was also struggling, and we both told each other the same thing: If it gets bad, make sure to speak up,” said Lauren. “A water bottle can only fill up so much before it overflows.” The program is a mix of various therapies, including one-on-one sessions, group discussions, and activity therapy, such as music or art therapy. There’s also some classroom learning mixed in — care providers coordinate with the student’s teachers to ensure they don’t fall too far behind on schoolwork. One major goal of the program is to establish a solid safety plan for when suicidal thoughts set in, which means identifying supports and developing coping mechanisms. “We go through warning signs, triggers for major stressors, and talk about who is their major support system,” said Drury, who served as Lauren’s primary therapist when she was in the program. Once equipped with these coping tools, some patients get their feet underneath them and are able to return to care in an outpatient setting. Others need more support. Lauren initially spent time in partial hospitalization, but her depression continued to grow worse, so she was admitted into the inpatient unit, where patients spend 24 hours a day. She remained there for a month before she was moved back to the partial hospitalization. She got home that first night, missing her bed. That next day was when she woke up, wanting to end her life. She attempted suicide that morning. After the attempt, she spent another month back in the inpatient unit. She engaged in more work, more discovery, and more treatment. It’s hard for her to put her finger on what, specifically, helped her symptoms improve. But that month, she says, was a turning point. “The staff just really helped me,” she said. “They were a big part of my recovery because I really gained a connection with many of the people there. I knew I could talk to them — even now, I’ll go and visit them sometimes.” Upon release, she transitioned to an outpatient care setting, and began seeing a therapist once a week. With Smallcomb, Lauren was able to expand on the safety plan that she’d developed with Drury. Now, Lauren has celebrated many exciting life updates, welcoming a pit-bull mix named Chief—who she adores and walks every day—and her graduation from The College at Brockport with a nursing degree. She is now an Intensive Care Unit nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital and continues her advocacy for mental health services. The coping skills she learned have been suiting her well as of late. But Lauren knows that her symptoms could come back. And that’s why, she’s sharing her story: She wants anyone who reads it to do the same thing if they are struggling. “You have to tell someone,” said Lauren. “No one can do it alone.” Fortunately, she’s not afraid to ask for help. —Story by URMC Communications, March 4, 2019. Updated January 2024 Volume 12 - 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.795189 This article is part of the Research TopicAttitude to Body-Risk Factor or Health Factor in PsychopathologyView all 11 articles Body checking (BC) is not only inherent to the maintenance of eating disorders but is also widespread among healthy females while BC serves as an affect-regulating behavior in the short term in the longer term it is assumed to be disorder-maintaining and also produces more negative affect The present study therefore aimed to empirically examine the proposed longer-term consequences of increased BC N = 167 women tracked their daily amount of BC over a total of 7 days: Following a 1-day baseline assessment of typical BC participants were asked to check their bodies in an typical manner for 3 days and with a 3-fold increased frequency for 3-days general pathology and endorsement of different functions of BC was assessed Participants showed longer-term consequences of increased BC in terms of increased negative affect and general pathology while eating disorder symptoms remained unaffected participants showed decreased general pathology and anxiety the endorsement of a higher number of BC functions led to increased negative affect and an increased amount of typical BC The findings support the theoretically assumed role of maladaptive BC in maintaining negative emotion in the longer term our finding of positive effects of typical BC calls into question the overall dysfunctionality of BC among non-clinical women who are not at risk of developing an eating disorder suggesting a clinical significance of assessing one's shape and size through BC also in the non-clinical population the latter study relied on self-reported questionnaire data and participants were not actually asked to check their body Extensive functions of BC have not yet been examined in non-clinical participants the first objective of the study was to examine the proposed longer-term consequences We therefore hypothesized that in both conditions BC episodes would lead to a longer-term increase in a trait-like battery of negative affect The second objective was to identify distinct features of the (dys)functionality of BC in terms of the quantitative amount of BC. Based on the aforementioned findings by Bailey and Waller (23) we expected to find a stronger deterioration in the trait-like battery (see above) in the experimental condition than in the control condition (II) we tested whether these findings can be transferred to the different BC functions we assumed that a higher number of endorsed functions of BC would result in a higher likelihood of engaging in BC we hypothesized that a higher number of BC functions endorsed in preliminary questionnaires would predict increased body dissatisfaction and the amount of typical BC in the longer term that is after an episode of typical BC (IV) As inclusion criteria, participants needed to identify as female, be aged between 18 and 65 years, and report no current or past mental disorders. Exclusion criteria were suicidal or self-harm behavior, acute intoxication by psychotropic substances or the use of psychiatric drugs. A total of N = 427 college students clicked on the link provided through the University mailing list, of whom n = 324 began the survey (75.8 %). Over the five time points of the survey (see Figure 1) n = 60 dropped out at the first survey time point As the highest dropout rates occurred at the landing page for each time point (t0–t4) no systematic effects for dropout are assumed n = 16 data sets were excluded due to double participation After completing the preliminary questionnaires three participants were excluded as they did not meet the study criteria (n = 1 due to male sex; n = 2 due to the use of antidepressants) the final sample comprised n = 167 (39.1 %) females Participants received course credit as reimbursement The study was approved by the ethics committee of Osnabrueck University On each separate day of the two 3-day conditions participants self-reported the amount of performed BC by using a multicounter application on their smartphone Participants were instructed to increase the counter by plus one (+1) each time they had performed BC in the time from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm and to start a new counter for each of the 7 days of assessment they received an E-mail invitation to enter the number of their daily BC on an online survey platform the analyses were run on a single-item level we further cannot provide test-retest reliabilities from other studies the instructions were phrased as follows: “We would like you to triple your BC for the next days (Tuesday to Thursday) and to count it separately for each day.” In the control condition we changed the instructions with regard to the amount of BC: “We would like you to stick to your typical BC behavior on a regular basis […]” Participants were then asked to complete a 1-day baseline from Monday until Tuesday by recording their usual daily amount of BC in a smartphone-based counting app they were asked about the amount of their baseline BC from the day before the trait-like battery was again administered (t1) and the participants started with one of the two BC conditions of typical BC or increased BC that lasted for 3 days each from Tuesday until Thursday they received an E-mail with a reminder to stick to their individual BC rate for the respective condition (baseline amount for typical BC and tripled baseline amount for increased BC) subjects received an E-mail with a link to a survey in which they were asked to enter their daily recorded amount of BC for each of the 3 days separately and to again complete the trait-like battery (t2–t4) Regarding the functions of BC in hypothesis III we descriptively examined M (SD) of single functions To test the influence of the number of endorsed functions of BC in hypothesis IV we used linear regression analyses with the number of functions assessed in preliminary questionnaires as the dependent variable and body dissatisfaction and the amount of BC as independent variables assessed after the typical BC episode Participant characteristics are provided in Table 1, which reveals a mean BMI in the normal weight range (Range 18–34) and a mean age in the early twenties (Range 18–53). None of the participants exceeded the cut-off scores of the trait-like battery, which would have indicated a clinically severe level of symptoms, reflecting a level of body dissatisfaction in the sample which lies within the usual range for non-clinical subjects (55) the low prevalence of clinical symptoms indicates a healthy sample without eating disturbances Means and standard deviations of demographic characteristics and trait-like measures and the checking rate for all participants from the 1-day baseline condition prior to the experimental manipulation lay at M = 8.9 times (SD = 12.5) Amount of checking in the typical checking and increased body checking condition For the following results of the trait-like battery on ED symptoms, affect, and general pathology, M (SD) for the two conditions of typical BC and increased BC are presented in Table 3. All found main effects were of small effect size (54) Means and standard deviations for the respective conditions No effects of BC on ED symptoms emerged in the present sample the two-way interaction Time × Condition was not significant [Λ = 0.99 nor were the main effects of Time [Λ = 0.97 ηp2 = 0.03] and Condition [Λ = 0.97 Regarding the emotional states of Positive Affect and Negative Affect within the PANAS the two-way interaction Time × Condition [Λ = 0.97 ηp2 = 0.03] did not reach significance the results revealed a significant main effect of Time [Λ = 0.95 but no significant main effect of Condition [Λ = 0.99 separate univariate post-hoc ANOVAs revealed significant main effects only for the subscale Negative Affect [F(1 ηp2 = 0.04] but not for the subscale Positive Affect [F(1 The mean values for Negative Affect were higher after each condition than before each condition indicating an increase in longer-term negative affect after each 3-day BC episode the interaction of Time × Condition was not statistically significant [F(1 the 2 × 2 rm-ANOVA yielded significant main effects of Time [F(1 Post hoc analyses revealed that the mean values for Time were lower after each BC episode than before each episode suggesting a decrease in anxiety after each 3-day episode of BC insofar as participants in the increased BC condition generally showed less longer-term anxiety Negative Affect increased and anxiety decreased For changes in general pathology due to BC the 2 × 2 rm-ANOVA for the PHQ-9 showed a significant interaction effect of Time × Condition [F(1 revealing the pattern of an ordinal interaction: While participants in the increased BC condition showed increased general pathology those in the typical checking condition showed fewer of these symptoms ηp2 = 0.02] in terms of general pathology Regarding the endorsement of different functions of typical BC assessed in preliminary questionnaires, participants most often endorsed the function of attainment of certainty, followed by motivation, and the attainment of control. Exact means regarding the frequency of endorsement of all given BC functions are presented in Table 4 Regarding the number of endorsed functions of BC as a predictor of longer-term negative affect assessed after the 3-day typical BC episode the multiple correlation of R = 0.25 for the amount of typical BC and body dissatisfaction was found to be statistically significant [F(1 endorsement of a higher number of different BC functions did not lead to higher body dissatisfaction on the EDI-2 subscale (ß = 1.62 but did significantly predict higher negative affect on the PANAS (ß = 0.249 p < 0.001) and a greater amount of typical BC (ß = 0.261 Means (M) and standard (SD) Deviations of Functions of Body Checking While many studies have investigated the short-term function of BC, that is to reduce negative affect, the proposed longer-term consequences of BC, to maintain negative affect and ED pathology (24, 29) to confirm the longer-term maintaining consequence of BC that is to increase negative emotions and eating-related cognitions the present study investigated the course of affect and general pathology in non-clinical women over two 3-day BC episodes of unmanipulated typical BC and experimentally induced increased BC we were interested in further self-perceived functions of typical BC and in the extent to which the endorsement of a higher number of these functions predicted higher longer-term negative affect or body dissatisfaction in a sample diagnosed with an ED This suggests that the absence of effects on ED pathology that is shown in the longer term also continues in the long term The discrepancy between our findings and ED theory highlights the need for further research on the longer-term consequences of BC in order to clarify the impact of BC on ED symptoms Combined with the negative impact on increased BC found in our non-clinical sample this leads to the assumption that the amount of BC can be taken as a broad indicator of the pathological significance of BC body avoidance is likewise regarded as dysfunctional In view of the harmful nature of both high body avoidance and high BC the present results on the potential helpfulness of typical BC suggest a “just right” amount indicating that a healthy amount of typical BC might be a protective factor in the longer run the assumed inverted U-shaped association of BC is not compatible with ED models and needs to be replicated and further examined by including clinical samples BC might motivate healthy individuals to keep on liking their body or to adopt a more balanced lifestyle through realistic feedback rather than further weight loss regarding the function of motivation from a non-pathological perspective BC could be rather a protective factor for non-clinical women in the longer term the present results revealed that a higher number of endorsed functions of BC led to greater negative affect It might be suggested that the reasons for and causes of BC may be less relevant than the amount of BC which fosters the maintenance of ED pathology the longer-term consequences of which have not yet been fully investigated this might have led to an overestimation of the frequency of BC behavior and an increase in negative valence on the employed measures To reduce the likelihood of selective attention bias we implemented a 1-day baseline before the experimental manipulation started meaning that a potential peak caused by selective attention would have become visible at the baseline level and used this as a reference for changes throughout the typical BC condition With respect to the small effect sizes of all dependent variables it is further possible that the effects may have been caused by usual test inconsistencies rather than by the manipulation we chose instruments with a high internal consistency and test-retest reliability and adapted the time frame to reflect only about the last 3 days corresponding to the time frame of the respective checking episode our findings should be interpreted with caution and need to be replicated in investigations employing longer BC episodes the length of an episode might be another potential influencing factor that needs to be examined prospectively Despite these limitations, the present study was the first to examine longer-term consequences of increased BC in non-clinical women. With respect to the postulates of models on the development and maintenance of EDs (24, 29) the present results suggest that the theories might be refined to include a detailed differentiation between concrete time periods that comprise short-term longer-term and long-term consequences of BC a specification of the potentially varying effect of a different frequency of BC is warranted as we found a rather positive impact of typical BC but a negative impact of increased BC theories should consider adaptations to non-clinical populations who – like clinical samples – tend to perform BC but who possibly experience a more positive longer-term outcome after BC in terms of the motivation for healthy living instead of the motivation to continue with compensatory behaviors (e.g. and its strict reduction should therefore not be aimed for in therapy a balanced pattern of BC is potentially more helpful and protective With respect to non-clinical or subclinical persons low-threshold programs that detect a dysfunctional high rate of BC as an early warning sign for the development an ED may contribute to ED prevention The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Osnabrueck University The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study AH and SV contributed to the conception and design of the study which was elaborated with the assistance of VO and M-BV VO wrote the first draft of the manuscript and collected and analyzed the data All authors contributed to the revision of the manuscript and read and approved the submitted version The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher The authors declare that they obtained no fundiert for the funding of the study We acknowledge support by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and Open Access Publishing Fund of Osnabrück University we are thankful to Sarah Mannion de Hernandez for her language assistance Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DC: American Psychiatric Association (2013) Google Scholar and automatic: the experience of appearance-related behaviours in body dysmorphic disorder CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Kognitive Verhaltenstherapie bei Hypochondrie und Krankheitsangst [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Hypochondria and Fear of Illness] Google Scholar A cognitive behavioural theory of anorexia nervosa Body checking and its avoidance in eating disorders Associations between body checking and disordered eating behaviors in nonclinical women Body checking and associated cognitions among Brazilian outpatients with eating disorders and nonpsychiatric controls Self-compassion and body checking among women: the mediating role of stigmatizing self-perceptions CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Development of the body checking questionnaire: a self-report measure of body checking behaviors Handbook of Treatment for Eating Disorders Google Scholar The influence of carer fear and self-blame when supporting a loved one with an eating disorder “Selfie” harm: effects on mood and body image in young women A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes Social comparisons on social media: the impact of Facebook on young women's body image concerns and mood Body-related behaviours and cognitions in the eating disorders Body size overestimation and its association with body mass index and drive for thinness in anorexia nervosa and the core cognitive psychopathology of eating disorders: is there a unique relationship A naturalistic examination of body checking and dietary restriction in women with anorexia nervosa Body checking and avoidance in overweight patients with binge eating disorder Body shape in inpatients with severe anorexia nervosa (2020) 63:e2:1-8 doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2019.5 Emotional states during a body-checking episode in normal-weight females Mirror cognitions and behaviors in people concerned about their body shape Body checking in non-clinical women: experimental evidence of a specific impact on fear of uncontrollable weight gain Cognitive-behavioral theories of eating disorders The epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Understanding and treating obsessive—compulsive disorder CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Development of a body image avoidance questionnaire CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders: a “transdiagnostic” theory and treatment Immediate effects of body checking behaviour on negative and positive emotions in women with eating disorders: an ecological momentary assessment approach Affect and worry during a checking episode: a comparison of individuals with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder Body Checking bei Frauen mit hohen und niedrigen Figur- und Gewichtssorgen [Body checking in women with high and low figure and weight concerns] The effect of self-focused attention and mood on appearance dissatisfaction after mirror-gazing: an experimental study A longitudinal examination of body-checking behaviors and eating disorder pathology in a community sample of adolescent males and females Repetitive negative thinking predicts eating disorder behaviors: a pilot ecological momentary assessment study in a treatment seeking eating disorder sample A body-related dot-probe task reveals distinct attentional patterns for bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa Development and validation of a multidimensional eating disorder inventory for anorexia nervosa and bulimia Google Scholar Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2): Deutsche Version Google Scholar Psychometrische gütekriterien des Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2) bei Jugendlichen [Psychometric quality criteria of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2) in adolescents] Eine deutschsprachige Version des Eating Disorder Inventory EDI-2 [A German-language version of the Eating Disorder Inventory EDI-2] Deutsche Version der Positive and Negative Affect Schedule PANAS (GESIS Panel) [German version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule PANAS (GESIS Panel)] Mannheim: GESIS - Leibnitz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften Google Scholar Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales The mediating effect of specific social anxiety facets on body checking and avoidance Entwicklung der Fünf-Item-Kurzskala STAI-SKD zur Messung von Zustandsangst [Development of the Five-Item Short Scale STAI-SKD to measure state anxiety] A reliability and validity study of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory PubMed Abstract | Google Scholar Screening psychischer Störungen mit dem “Gesundheitsfragebogen für Patienten (PHQ-D)” [Screening of mental disorders with the “Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D)”] Validation and utility of a self-report version of PRIME-MD: the PHQ primary care study Validity of the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) as a screening tool for depression amongst Nigerian University students IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (Version 26.0) Google Scholar 51. Jamovi Project. Jamovi (Version 1.6) [Computer Software] (2021). Available online at: http://www.jamovi.org Equivalence testing for psychological research: a tutorial CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Interpretation of changes in health-related quality of life: the remarkable universality of half a standard deviation Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences PubMed Abstract | Google Scholar Body weight dissatisfaction by socioeconomic status among obese preobese and normal weight women and men: results of the cross-sectional KORA Augsburg S4 population survey Weighing patients within cognitive-behavioural therapy for eating disorders: how Examination of the relationship between attentional biases and body dissatisfaction: an eye-tracking study Take a look at the bright side: effects of positive body exposure on selective visual attention in women with high body dissatisfaction emotions and thought control strategies in body dysmorphic disorder compared to eating disorders and healthy controls Body checking and body avoidance in eating disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis Visual hot spots: an eye tracking study of attention bias in body dysmorphic disorder Selective visual attention during mirror exposure in anorexia and bulimia nervosa and negative affect using ecological momentary assessment The direct effects of manipulating body checking in men Gender differences in affective and evaluative responses to experimentally induced body checking of positively and negatively valenced body parts Body checking and avoidance in women: associations with mental and physical health-related quality of life Body checking behaviors in anorexia nervosa PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders Google Scholar Intolerance of uncertainty in body dysmorphic disorder The role of fear of anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty in worry: an experimental manipulation Predicting intolerance of uncertainty in individuals with eating disorder symptoms Intolerance of uncertainty and worry: investigating specificity in a nonclinical sample CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Intolerance of uncertainty and coping mechanisms in nonclinical young subjects Intolerance of uncertainty in eating disorders: an update on the field Clinical perfectionism: a cognitive-behavioural analysis Perceived touch deprivation and body image: some observations among eating disordered and non-clinical subjects The drive for thinness: towards a mechanistic understanding of avoidance behaviors in a non-clinical population Cognitive and affective empathy in eating disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis Effects of safety behavior fading on appearance concerns and related symptoms Autonomic nervous system activity in emotion: a review PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Selective visual attention towards oneself and associated state body satisfaction: an eye-tracking study in adolescents with different types of eating disorders Google Scholar Body dysmorphic disorder: phenomenology and case descriptions and cognitive dissonance-based approaches to mirror exposure Vocks S and Hartmann AS (2022) Revisiting the Postulates of Etiological Models of Eating Disorders: Questioning Body Checking as a Longer-Term Maintaining Factor Received: 14 October 2021; Accepted: 10 December 2021; Published: 13 January 2022 Copyright © 2022 Opladen, Vivell, Vocks and Hartmann. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Vanessa Opladen, dmFuZXNzYS5vcGxhZGVuQHVuaS1vc25hYnJ1ZWNrLmRl Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Müller Opladen’s 3D pipe cutting machines are designed to handle small to large profiles Its distribution network reaches worldwide to customers in roughly 70 countries Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Metalworking Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Fabricating & Welding Terms of Use Privacy Policy Contact Us Forgot password? Not yet registered? Sign up The Yale community gathered to honor veterans in a ceremony in Battell Chapel on Nov the university’s annual Veterans Day celebration also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice agreement between the Allied Powers and Germany that ended World War I Members of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and the Yale Police Department Color Guard participated in the ceremony along with representatives from campus veterans organizations like ours today … ensure that we never forget the human toll of war,” said President Peter Salovey “Men and women have made and continue to make extraordinary sacrifices in service to this country We gather here today out of gratitude and respect.” Veterans were asked to stand and be recognized when their service song was played meet their military commitments through the Air Force and Naval ROTC on campus vice president for human resources and administration She noted that current and former service men and women from across “multiple generations and conflicts” were part of the ceremony Hillary Browning ’20, an Eli Whitney student who served in the U.S. Navy from 2010 to 2016 spoke about the important lessons she learned in the military “You are forced to live up to your leadership’s expectations By being forced to own up to your missteps you learn to grow and mature and become the kind of person who can handle the massive amounts of responsibility the military will demand of you.” “Each of you have made many sacrifices in the name of your service — missed birthdays and quiet moments with your families,” Browning said “I commend you for staying true to your oath to honor and serve our country even when it wasn’t convenient or easy.” She also urged her fellow veterans to stay in touch with and support friends from the service citing the scourge of suicide among veterans a veteran of the U.S Air Force and the Yale Veterans Liaison presented the Yale Veterans Day Tribute to Thomas J Opladen ’66 in recognition of his contributions as co-founder of the Yale Veterans Association and his advocacy for ROTC Beecher credited Opladen’s leadership as a driving force behind the return of ROTC to Yale in 2012 described the support he has received from across the university in building the veterans organization “The AYA [Association of Yale Alumni] has been fully behind the effort we’ve made,” Opladen said “Many organizations and people have come together as a community to make veterans feel comfortable on campus.” a partnership with the Athletics Department that brings veterans from the West Haven VA Hospital together with cadets and midshipmen exemplified this campus-wide embrace of veterans The AYA spearheaded the first veterans conference in the Ivy League — an effort that has been replicated at other institutions spoke about the United States’ and Yale’s involvement in World War I “there was a whirlwind of activity on Yale’s Cross Campus and on the New Haven Green,” Kennedy said hardly a university at all.” The newly founded ROTC Nearly 9,500 Yale students and alumni served in the Great War Their names are carved into the walls of Woolsey Hall and the World War I memorial on Hewitt Quadrangle in the center of campus honors them “As we walk away from our ceremony this afternoon May we also walk away in the hope that one day war may cease to ravage this globe,” Kennedy said Yale is commemorating the armistice throughout the week with a series of lectures and events open to the public. Tyler Putnam’s dream was to play for his high school hockey team, junior hockey, Division I hockey and ultimately professional hockey. Putnam was able to realize two of those dreams, having played for the Irondequoit Eagles as an eighth and ninth grader and then with Maksymum Junior team here in Rochester. At the conclusion of his first Junior season, Putnam was well on his way to realizing his next dream, as he was offered roster spots on five Junior A teams from Rochester, MN to San Diego, CA. But in July of 2011, Putnam’s hockey dreams ended tragically when he died of an illness called meningococcemia, an infection that affects the bloodstream. Putnam was known for his high energy, incredible work ethic and desire to achieve his goals. He has been memorialized by a banner hanging above the ice at Lakeshore Hockey Arena, and now by an awards program and foundation that both bear his name. The Tyler Putnam Foundation, established in 2011, seeks to financially support young athletes who want to play league hockey, but who may have funding challenges. In March, the second annual NewEdge Hockey 2015 Tyler Putnam Awards recognized 19 hockey players from area hockey organizations, ranging in ages from 12 -18. All had one thing in common with Tyler: an uncommon dedication to the sport. Receiving trophies bearing a gold hard hat, the awards went to players who have demonstrated dedication, hard work and a commitment to excellence in hockey. Congratulations to the 2015 Josh Opladen Goaltender Award winner: Jake Bellavia, Greece Thunder HS Hockey. To learn more about how you can support youth hockey in Tyler’s name, please visit the foundation’s website at www.TylerPutnamFoundation.org. To learn more about the NewEdge Hockey Training Company, visit www.NewEdgeHockey.com. 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-wjxay9-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-152q15n-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}.css-x340e0-SquareButton{margin:0;padding:0;display:inline-grid;-webkit-column-gap:8px;column-gap:8px;grid-template-columns:repeat(3 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-x340e0-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}.css-v6oqvx{margin:0;font-family:Lato,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0px;font-style:normal;text-transform:none;font-stretch:normal;padding:0.5px 0px;}.css-v6oqvx::before{content:'';margin-bottom:-0.4973em;display:block;}.css-v6oqvx::after{content:'';margin-top:-0.4463em;display:block;}Listen you should not charge your electric car every night The practice of charging an electric vehicle every night can shorten the lifespan of the car’s battery pack There is a mental health crisis in the United States affecting people of all ages Nearly one in five adults live with a mental illness more than half of whom—27 million people—do not receive treatment Suicidal ideation has increased every year for the past 10 years for adults the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children’s Hospital Association have joined together to declare a national state of emergency in children’s mental health Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for 10 to 18-year-olds and an estimated one in seven children ages four to seventeen are diagnosed with a mental illness each year The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the mental health crisis and magnified the need for a wide variety of mental health services another focal point of Strong Memorial Hospital’s expansion is an area on the first floor dedicated to emergency mental health services with distinct zones for adult and pediatric patients to separate children and adolescents from adult mental health crises Strong provides two levels of emergency services for adults and pediatric patients experiencing a mental health crisis or distress Those who may need ongoing observation or to be admitted as inpatients are cared for through the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) Those who present with less severe psychiatric issues receive care in the Psychiatric Emergency Department (Psych ED) These patients may need a medication adjustment or a modest intervention that will result in their discharge Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) pediatric communal area The renovated Strong Memorial Hospital will feature a new CPEP and Psych ED with an area on the first floor dedicated to emergency mental health services and distinct zones for adult and pediatric patients to receive tailored care This larger space will enable the Strong team to serve more patients with more effective and efficient services therapeutic environment critical to helping patients on their journey to recovery The first floor is dedicated to emergency mental health services with distinct zones for adult and pediatric patients to separate children and adolescents from adult mental health crises Lauren Opladen was 11 when her older brother died by suicide Both events were major triggers for Lauren’s depression at 17 She was treated by mental health experts at Golisano Children’s Hospital and convinced herself and others she was ready to go home Opladen is healthy—and she’s nearing graduation from nursing school Read more about Lauren’s story › Businesses get more help with their contactless transactions All payments are handled within SafeCharge’s Control Panel an online hub that lets merchants manage and view all their payment activity in one place Business owners subsequently receive confirmation of the payment once it has been processed The program has been designed so that it is easy to implement, requires no costly technical development or resources and can be used across a range of mobile devices SafeCharge says that it will help provide small businesses with the flexibility to easily begin accepting digital payments and continue selling to their customers by streamlining the payment process Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news features and guidance your business needs to succeed Nuvei’s chairman and CEO said: “Merchants have been quickly adapting their offerings and business models in order to get them through this challenge many small businesses have a digital gap to overcome Our team is pleased to not only provide the technology to keep commerce flowing but the professional insight and partnership required to help merchants reinvigorate their business operations using a completely new payment method The more we make it effortless for a business to grow the greater the long-term value they’ll receive.”  MD of SafeCharge and head of global acquiring said: “Our focus throughout Covid-19 has been to leverage our technology flexibility and industry knowledge to provide struggling businesses with the tools required to survive this crisis Our principal clients are ecommerce merchants and ideally placed to adapt or potentially thrive throughout the crisis as we quickly recognised the impact to the economic landscape we wanted to help businesses at risk of bankruptcy particularly those providing essential goods and services to their communities having started out in the wacky world of print magazines before discovering the power of the internet Since he's been all-digital he has run the Innovation channel during a few years at Microsoft as well as turning out regular news features and other content for the likes of TechRadar Automotive Testing Technology International Future of Transportation and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International In the rare moments he's not working he's usually out and about on one of numerous e-bikes in his collection Anna Lee Beyer writes about mental health, parenting, and books. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter Litner is the founder of Embrace Sexual Wellness a Chicago-based wellness center specializing in confidential comprehensive care in sexual health through the integration of psychotherapy and educational programming for teens Her expertise includes helping clients improve sexual functioning and satisfaction Her research explores comprehensive sexuality education and relationship satisfaction Amber Petty is a writer in L.A. who’s contributed to the New York Times, Thrillist, Bustle, Parade, and Snooki’s blog (jealous?). She also teaches freelance writing to actors/creatives and occasionally writes shorts stories about the musical Cats. Find her at amberpetty.com Danielle Simone Brand writes about parenting She has been a yoga teacher for over a decade and currently teaches people of all ages across San Diego you can find Danielle playing with her two kids and puppy Laura is interested in the ways our mental and physical health intersect vibrant relationships with ourselves and others Her background is in writing and ecology education and she’s constantly merging these passions with her interest in health She’s also particularly passionate about creating sustainable food systems and making sure that people everywhere — in tiny towns and huge cities — have access to healthy outdoor environments and fresh Breanna Mona is an empathetic writer-editor focused on helping people live their healthiest reporting on high-profile entertainment stories She holds a master’s degree in media and journalism from Kent State University Alysa Hullett is a writer with work in outlets like Healthline Her current work revolves around themes of health Zia Sherrell is a health copywriter and digital health journalist with over a decade of experience covering diverse topics from public health to medical cannabis Her mission is to empower and educate people by bringing health matters to life with engaging Zia enjoys traveling and chasing after her dogs Discover how to recharge your mental and physical energy with simple Learn what might be draining you and explore activities that may help restore balance and boost your vitality You wake up to yet another day of work and log on to your computer The first thing to pop up on-screen: your lengthy to-do list Seeing this immediately zaps what little energy you might’ve had for the morning You don’t really have time to make breakfast You don’t know how you’re going to make any real progress Feeling drained may be related to sustained mental high cortisol levels can interfere with the function of your whole body But no worries — there are plenty of work-arounds Here are some practical ways to give yourself a recharge and identify some of your main battery drains When your mental or physical battery is dead you need to unplug from draining activities and plug into recharging activities but what drains and recharges each of us is highly personal Start noticing which activities leave you exhausted so you can choose the best activity to counteract the drain If participating in Zoom meetings makes you feel ready to collapse maybe solitude outdoors is your personal energizer schedule regular breaks for stretching or working up a sweat and your solutions may vary from day to day Charge up with a marathon of your favorite TV show today and a nature walk tomorrow The idea of fitting a recharge into your day shouldn’t be overwhelming Getting your energy back doesn’t have to cost anything or wreck your routine 5 to 15 minutes will be enough to bring benefits and any old notebook can be transformed into a gratitude journal The goal shouldn’t be to eliminate draining activities altogether but to build restorative ones into your routine so you don’t hit the “shutdown” stage scatter your favorite recharge activities throughout the schedule Don’t let long stretches of depleting activities dominate your week and then try to recharge all weekend Draining activities aren’t necessarily unhealthy or bad but if you’re too overwhelmed to figure out how to unplug it’s time to think about modifying the big things for more balance That might mean having a vulnerable conversation with your boss or a therapist to brainstorm new options and get you out of the low battery rut Chronic stress can lead to burnout, which the Mayo Clinic calls “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” Once you start paying attention to what drains you and what fuels you you’ll notice right away if things are out of balance Your ability to rest can be a great gauge of how well you’re coping with daily strains. Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night If you’re getting enough sleep and still feel drained it’s a good sign you need to move some plugs around in your day Sleeping too much or too little can also be a sign you need more restorative activities an underlying medical condition could be slowing you down A doctor can diagnose and treat these and any other issues that could be contributing to fatigue Seeking help for your low energy may be the most powerful step you can take toward feeling better When you can’t recharge your batteries alone contact your doctor or therapist or dive into one of these resources: It takes time to figure out exactly what’s draining you and to experiment with ways to recharge Give yourself a pat on the back for taking the first step: noticing where your energy leaks are If consistent self-care habits don’t give you the boost you need Talking to a doctor or therapist about how you feel is not a sign of weakness — it’s a great step toward helping yourself live and work better A collaboration between British and German designers has resulted in the construction of two iconic footbridges over busy rail lines Opening up: The new bridges are intended to stimulate regeneration Defined by its ­crisscross network of rail tracks on the ­northern edge of Leverkusen in west Germany is the Teutonic equivalent of Crewe: an industrial staging post most people glimpse through a train window on their way elsewhere which sits on the main rail artery between Cologne and Düsseldorf will soon boast two new pedestrian bridges each straddling a dozen or so tracks and opening up a swathe of brownfield land the two 100m long bridges were designed by High Wycombe-based bridge specialist Knight Architects in partnership with Stuttgart engineering firm ­Knippers Helbrig and is already providing a much used east-west link to a sprawling 16ha site that was once the home of a vast maintenance depot for German rail operator Deutsche Bahn Over the next decade the site will be converted into a major mixed use development that will include homes retail and commercial units and a new campus for Cologne University work is currently at full tilt on the second of the two structures it will replace a grotty underpass proving access to Opladen station’s platforms and will also include new elevators “We didn’t have the budget for a huge arch bridge but Deutsche Bahn still needed something iconic; a landmark “We didn’t have the budget for a huge arch bridge,” ­explains Knippers Helbrig project engineer Roman Schieber “but the client [Deutsche Bahn] still needed something iconic; a landmark are fixed to the rear edge of every stiffener The tight budget and the need for a design that could be erected with minimum disruption to the rail network rapidly led the team to opt for a simple series of single spans resting on concrete supports between the tracks one of the biggest considerations for Knight Architects project architect Bart Halaczek was how the design would respond to the site’s industrial heritage “The city’s character has been shaped over the last 100 years by Deutsche Bahn,” he explains and also a lot of very beautiful shed buildings all around the team rapidly hit on the idea of using weathering steel as the material’s rusty external patina would blend in seamlessly with the industrial hinterland But it wasn’t just the material’s industrial chic that ticked boxes “From an engineering point of view weathering steel is low maintenance and very durable,” explains Schieber Simple solution: The Campus Bridge is made up of single spans with piers between the railway tracks “The costs are 10% to 20% more compared with normal steel “Normal steel would need painting every 12 to 15 years which would be extra difficult over the lines but with weathering steel maybe only the bearing and connections to the abutments will need attention,” Schieber adds as any rust-coloured drips could stain the concrete piers but from an engineering point of view the biggest consideration was the fact that weathering steel 1mm will disappear on all sides; it rusts,” explains Schieber “From an engineering point of view weathering steel is low maintenance and very durable” Weathering steel is essentially a flat pack system with no I-beams or any rectangular profiles in either bridge On the Campus Bridge the steel is welded into five single span troughs that vary between 12m and 24m in length The Station Bridge has six spans varying between 15.5m and 24.3m The webs of each trough also vary in depth from 550mm where they abut the concrete support piers up to 1.1m deep between spans; in elevation the varying depths produce the bridges’ distinctive sinusoidal shape The support piers sitting between the tracks are made with C30/37 concrete and are engineered to withstand a freight train crashing into them Simple they may be; but the overall designs are miles away from your average pedestrian railway bridge This is partly down to the bridges’ rusty patina but mainly thanks to the dramatic effect of regularly spaced weathering steel ­stiffeners Industrial: Weathering steel was chosen to reflect the area’s rail heritage these stiffeners are key to the bridges’ structural integrity but they also have a significant architectural impact Viewed externally they look like a row of undulating steel ribs giving the bridges a no-nonsense robustness the outside edges of the stiffeners have angular kinks “We varied the geometry of every single stiffener so the kinks in the stiffeners run up and down counter to the trough’s top flange.” The effect enhances the sinusoidal ebb and flow of the bridges but the stiffeners have another function in that they also act as fixing posts for what Halaczek describes as the ­”architectural lamellae” These are angular timber fins made from Siberian larch that are fixed to the rear edge of every stiffener From the pedestrian or cyclists’ point of view they soften the bridge and each timber section also has an angular kink in it at a height that mirrors the sinusoidal curve of the steel trough below In combination the architectural and engineering lamellae have a striking visual impact: “In long view they seem opaque so users feel enclosed and protected,” says Halaczek the scheme was an exemplar of collaborative working The designs were drawn up using the Rhino 3D modelling program and batted back and forth between High Wycombe and Stuttgart in a painless process that Schieber says worked because each firm had confidence in one another “Knight Architects is very focused on structures so it was a really smooth collaboration,” he explains “There were no boundaries like you maybe get on other projects but adds: “When we work with famous architects they often have crazy ideas that they want us to realise; these guys [Knight Architects] just have a completely different understanding.” a single span has been designed so in a few years’ time it can be swung 180o from its current position allowing redundant tracks to be replaced while providing access to a new development currently in planning But for now the bridge is already providing a new level of access the importance of which is best exemplified by something Schieber noticed at the opening ceremony and he had tears in his eyes because it was the first time he had been able to cross the tracks,” he says “It shows what an important link it is; a huge cut through to the city.” Flat pack: The bridges were made in a factory and positioned on site Letters have been released to ministers raising concerns about Part 3 of… A lack of soil health in Europe and the UK is causing… Network Rail is gearing up to complete 359 projects worth £67.4M over…  The Island Line on the Isle of Wight has returned to full… This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Die Bahnhofstraße am Montagabend um halb acht: Mehrere Polizeistreifen sind zugegen Als es dunkel wird, ist es mit dem jecken Frohsinn in Opladen allmählich vorbei. "Die hat mich angepackt, ich schlag die kaputt, ey", röhrt eine Jugendliche. Ihre Freundin packt sie an den Handgelenken. "Ey bleib mal locker." Das gute Zureden entspannt die Situation gerade noch rechtzeitig. Diese Szene war nur ein Vorbote für das, was am Rosenmontag in der Fußgängerzone passieren sollte In den Abendstunden eskalierte die Situation. Es gab mehrere Schlägereien und Körperverletzungen. Um 18.30 Uhr rückte die Polizei zum ersten Mal im Fußgängerbereich der Bahnhofstraße an die insgesamt dreimal einschreiten mussten "Auf unsere Weisung wurden die Lokale dichtgemacht" Erst um viertel vor eins öffneten die Spielhallen Gaststätten und Bars an dieserm Straßenabschnitt wieder An der heftigsten Schlägerei gegen 21.30 Uhr an der Bahnhofstraße sollen etwa 15 Personen beteiligt gewesen sein dass ein Beteiligter mit einem Messer gedroht habe sollen Karnevalisten und Männer aus Nordafrika aneinandergeraten sein Ein 27-jähriger Nordafrikaner soll zuvor einer 19-Jährigen ans Gesäß gefasst haben ist derzeit Gegenstand polizeilicher Ermittlungen" Die Polizei nahm den 27-jährigen Nordafrikaner und einen weiteren Gegen vier Personen sprachen die Polizisten Bereichsbetretungsverbote aus sieben weitere erhielten einen Platzverweis Nachdem der Karnevalszug in Opladen wegen der kursierenden Unwetterwarnung abgesagt worden war vornehmlich junge Jecken in der Opladener Fußgängerzone versammelt Gefeiert wurde anstatt am Zug auf den stählernen Sitzmöbeln — mit reichlich Bier und Kurzen im Gepäck.