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Borderline Personality Disorder: What It Is and How to Get Help

Borderline Personality Disorder: What It Is and How to Get Help

Borderline personality disorder, also known as BPD, is a mental health disorder that impacts your ability to regulate your emotions and feelings about yourself and those around you. It affects approximately 14 million Americans. To be clear, it's different from normal fluctuations of emotions and diagnosed variations like bipolar disorder. 

People diagnosed with BPD experience long-term patterns of extreme and unstable emotions that impede their ability to function in everyday life. You can think of BPD as the extremes of everything -- either really good or really bad. The opinions and perceptions of things change extremely fast, leading to impulsiveness in relationships and actions. 

Here's what to know about borderline personality disorder and seeking help.

What causes borderline personality disorder? 

Experts don't fully understand what causes BPD, though current research suggests that genetic, social and environmental factors contribute. Some research investigating twins and families has found that personality disorders may be inherited, or familial relationships may predispose you to BPD.

The next factor is environmental and social influences, especially in early childhood. Traumatic life experiences, like a history of neglect, child abuse or abandonment, can contribute to BPD development. One of the most tangible markers for BPD is the fear of abandonment and the willingness to do anything to stop it. The behaviors taken are extreme, like self-harm or aggressive actions to physically keep a person there. 

Finally, your brain structure may contribute to BPD. Research that studies brain images of those with BPD found that the amygdala and hippocampus -- brain structures crucial for emotional regulation and the fear response -- are smaller than in the average brain.

Signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder isn't just a roller coaster of emotions. It fundamentally affects how you interpret your feelings about yourself, your behavior and your relationships with others. While the experience of BPD symptoms will vary by person, there are typical behavioral markers that help therapists diagnose the condition. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual identifies the symptoms of BPD as:

• Having an intense fear of being abandoned by friends and family. For many with BPD, perceptions of being left or relationships ending are big triggers. They will frantically try to avoid both real and imagined abandonment. 
• Significant mood swings can range from happiness to anxiety and irritability. These episodes can last a few hours or as long as a few days. 
• A history of unstable personal relationships with friends and family members. 
• Impulsive and risky behavior like binge drinking and eating, quitting a good job, reckless spending and drug use. 
• Frequent changes in how someone views themselves. Goals and values may change as well. 
• Self-harm behavior and suicidal threats .
• Periods of intense anger or bitterness, which can lead to physical fights.

How severely and how often someone may experience these symptoms will depend on the person. 

Borderline personality treatment

The prognosis for borderline personality disorder is pretty good, and even better if you seek treatment. It's essential to see a licensed mental health professional who will complete a comprehensive medical examination.

A therapist can help create an effective treatment plan that includes psychotherapy, medication management or peer counseling. Psychotherapy methods are the primary treatment for BPD, including cognitive behavioral therapy, schema-focused therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. These therapy sessions help you build long-term coping skills you can use to manage your symptoms and reactions to situations. 

Medications may also be a part of the treatment plan for BPD. Mood stabilizers or antidepressants can be prescribed to help offset the extreme mood swings of BPD, though no pill cures symptoms. 

No matter what your treatment plan looks like, the goal of BPD treatments is to help you overcome emotional issues and manage the symptoms of the disorder. 

Borderline personality vs. bipolar disorder

While on the surface, borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder seem like the same thing because of their shared symptoms, they are two distinct disorders that cannot be lumped together. BPD is a personality disorder, while bipolar disorder is a mood disorder. 

BPD is marked by instability in your emotions and actions, in how you perceive situations and in how others see you. When someone with bipolar disorder isn't in a manic or depressive episode, they have stability that those with BPD do not have. 

Additionally, bipolar disorder is more responsive to medication because it is biologically based. BPD cannot be treated like bipolar disorder because additional psychological factors must be addressed.

Finding help for borderline personality disorder

Living with borderline personality disorder or being the family member of someone who has it can be stressful. When you're in the thick of it, finding help can seem unattainable, especially if you don't know where to start or how to find a therapist. 

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, you can contact your primary care doctor, who will refer you to a mental health professional who's trained to help. When preparing for your appointment, write down your questions beforehand and make sure you have a list of your current medications on hand. You want to bring in as much information as you can. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

Also, it is more than OK to bring a spouse, friend or relative. You should feel empowered to do whatever you need to ensure you're comfortable and in the best position to get help. The prognosis with long-term talk therapy is good, but it improves the more willing you are to accept help. 

Use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Behavioral Health, or SAMHSA, Treatment Services Locator to find the therapist in your area. 

Self-care tips for borderline personality disorder

The fact is, borderline personality disorder isn't something you get rid of. But it doesn't have to rule your life and wreak havoc on your self-image and relationships. In addition to talk therapy and support from mental health professionals, there are things you can do on a daily basis to take care of yourself. 

• Set realistic goals. 
• When you have a big task, break it down into smaller, achievable steps.
• Make sure your family and friends know what situations or actions may trigger you. They may do things unintentionally, and setting expectations can help avoid those situations entirely. 
• Allow yourself to seek out things that bring you comfort. That may be a place, people or a certain situation.
• Integrate exercise into your routine to help reduce stress. 

Borderline personality disorder is a lifelong condition. You shouldn't expect your symptoms to go away or get better overnight. You'll see gradual improvements in your thoughts and actions with therapy and self-care. 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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People who look the same different women same weight same weight on different bodies what is your weight on other worlds all these women weigh the same two people the same height people of the salmon canada people of walmart people of new york

People of the Same Weight Can Look Different Based on These Factors

People of the Same Weight Can Look Different Based on These Factors

This story is part of Health by the Numbers, CNET's deep dive into how we quantify health.

The scale was viewed as the holy grail for determining how healthy you are for the longest time. With extensive research and understanding, we know that the scale doesn't take into consideration the many factors that can influence our weight. That means that weight isn't always the best indicator of health. 

What makes things more complex is when you meet someone who's the same weight, height and gender, but looks completely different than you. Weight is much more than what the scale tells you, and there are better ways to interpret your health instead of relying on a specific number. I spoke with registered dietitian and diabetes educator, Amelia Ti, to help break down the unique factors that influence weight, as well as a healthier approach we can take to understanding it. 

What determines your weight?

Getty Images/ Hiraman

First, it's important to understand the many factors that influence weight. These factors include genetics, hormone levels, stress and sleep levels, moods, trauma, any medications you're taking and health conditions. 

"Our weight is more than just calories consumed versus calories burned," said Ti. She said the number on the scale is not a reliable indicator of health, since our weight is influenced by various details. In fact, many of the factors that determine our weight, such as the environment, genetics, age and gender, are beyond our control -- they were either set before we were born or are inescapable. 

The same can be said when people are dieting and aim to set a goal weight determined by the scale. "Weight is not a behavior, therefore the number on the scale cannot directly be controlled," she said. Setting a specific goal weight is not realistic or sustainable, because it implies that we can control our weight through willpower. In that same vein, Ti pointed out that dieting to lose weight or change one's body shape, size or composition, is not effective in the long-term and usually results in weight regain and cycling. There are exceptions, but we know that many diets fail.

Then there's the set point theory, which implies that we all have a natural weight that our bodies prefer to maintain. The idea is that our bodies periodically adjust our food intake (such as eating more or less) and energy expenditure to keep it balanced. Although the concept is still up for debate, studies have shown that there may be some truth to a biological control of body weight at a set point. However, weight is more complex than that, so it isn't fully proven.  

Same weight, different body composition

Getty Images/FatCamera

What about circumstances where you find yourself weighing the same as a year ago, but you notice your clothes fit a little tighter (or looser)? "Your clothes may fit differently even when your weight has stayed the same due to changes in lean body mass," said Ti. How your clothes fit can also vary on a day-to-day basis due to weight fluctuations caused by bloating or fluid retention.

Similarly, you might compare yourself to others who are the same height and weight -- yet look different from you. For example, on TikTok, women are sharing photos of themselves and labeling their exact weight to celebrate body diversity. While this may seem harmless, this trend could easily be triggering for someone with a history of disordered eating or body image issues. 

"The intentions of this TikTok trend are good, but it still places an emphasis on appearance, such as body size and shape, which may cause people to have unrealistic expectations, become overly critical, and heighten body shame and dissatisfaction," said Ti, adding, "It's important to understand that you can weigh the same as someone else, but look different because each individual has their own genetic blueprint." 

Genetics determine where exactly our bodies carry our weight. Plus, body composition also plays a major role. Body composition refers to the ratio of body fat to muscle, bones, ligaments, organs and other tissue. Again, this varies by individual and can change over time, based on many different factors.

Another aspect Ti said we should be mindful of is that we can't make assumptions about someone's physical or mental health, diet, activity or relationship with food simply by observing their appearance.

BMI and weight

Getty Images/Tim Robberts

Usually when the topic of weight comes up, body mass index is also discussed.

BMI is a screening tool that measures your weight and height to estimate your body fat and then categorizes you as either underweight, a healthy weight or overweight. But for individuals, BMI is not a great indicator of health. "BMI was created by a statistician based on a population of white, European males -- not a representative sample of diverse populations -- and was meant to be used as a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool," Ti said. 

Furthermore, BMI was never intended to be used to evaluate the health of an individual and does not account for gender, age, body frame or body composition. "Continued use of BMI further contributes to weight stigma in health care," warned Ti, adding that even though the health care system probably won't move away from the concept, we can avoid relying on BMI as the sole indicator of our health because it doesn't tell the whole story. 

When weight matters

Getty Images/JGI/Jamie Grill

It would be remiss to say that weight never matters. There are certain circumstances when it's important to monitor your weight. For example, observing your weight during pregnancy is necessary to make sure you gain the right amount of weight for a healthy gestation.

Weight can also matter if you have a known heart condition. Ti said those with congestive heart failure have to monitor their weight closely because fluid build up in the body causes weight fluctuations and changes that occur as a result of the disease itself.

Additionally, you should be aware of your weight if you have a health condition, such as diabetes, that requires a specific medication dosage. Your doctor will determine your dosage based on your weight to make sure you're being prescribed the right amount.

If you have a clean bill of health, Ti suggested you place less emphasis on having a specific weight. "Ultimately, the focus should be improving your health through changes in your behaviors, habits, thoughts, and how you feel throughout the day," she said. Improvements in mood, sleep, energy and strength will make a bigger difference than what the scale tells you in the morning. 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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4K and 8K TV refresh rates from 60hz to 120Hz: Everything you should know

4K and 8K TV refresh rates from 60hz to 120Hz: Everything you should know

Refresh rate is one of the more confusing aspects of TV technology and TV makers don't do much to explain it. In fact, they often obscure it.

Refresh rate is a number that specifies how many times per second the image on your TV changes. With most TVs it's 60, though it's rare you'll ever see a TV with that number listed. Instead, manufacturers use different technologies, such as the soap opera effect and black frame insertion, to claim a higher number. Sometimes those claims are justified, sometimes they aren't. 

Higher refresh rate claims with numbers like 120, 240 and higher are common, but not always accurate. In fact, no matter what number you see listed with a 4K TV, no 4K TV has a native panel refresh rate higher than 120Hz. As we'll explain, though, a number higher than 120Hz doesn't necessarily mean the claim is false.

Here's the basics:

• Refresh rate is the number time times per second (written in hertz, or Hz) a TV refreshes its image.
• Movies are almost always filmed 24 frames per second, or 24Hz. Live TV shows at 30 or 60.
• Most TVs refresh at 60, some midrange and higher-end models at 120. Some older 1080p LCD TVs refreshed at 240Hz.
• One benefit of a higher refresh rate is to reduce the motion blur inherent in all current TV technologies.
• Motion blur is the softening of the image when an object, or the entire screen, is in motion.
• Another benefit is compatibility with 120 frame-per-second signals from PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and some video cards.
• TV manufacturers use multiple technologies in addition to refresh rate to come up with an "effective refresh rate."
• Effective refresh rate means the TV refreshes its image at a lower rate, but might appear to have similar motion resolution as a TV with an actual higher refresh rate.

What TV makers say

Let me start with the terms you'll see on various TV makers' marketing materials and web sites. Each one calls the TVs motion handling capability something different, and many don't even mention the term "refresh rate" or use "Hz" at all.

LG:  TruMotion

LG's web site lists the panel's native refresh rate up front. On TVs that have a 120Hz refresh rate it simply says "120Hz Native," while with 60Hz models it lists "TruMotion 120 (60Hz Native)." 

Samsung:  Motion Rate

Samsung is better than it used to be about this, albeit not as transparent as LG. The 4K TVs and 8K TVs on its site list a "Motion Rate." This is, generally, twice the native refresh rate. So Motion Rate 240 indicates a native refresh of 120Hz while Motion Rate 120 means a 60Hz refresh. In the least expensive of their TVs, a Motion Rate of 60 means a 60Hz refresh.

Sony: MotionFlow XR

For most of its 2021 TVs Sony doesn't list a number on its website, instead it just says "Motionflow XR." On some, however, it lists a number along with the native refresh: "Motionflow XR 240 (native 60 Hz)" and "Motionflow XR 960 (native 120 Hz)."

Vizio: Refresh Rate

Vizio used to list an "Effective Refresh Rate" on its web site, which was just double the native refresh rate. For 2021, however, none of its TVs use that term as far as we could find, and most don't list any refresh rate spec. The bottom line? All of Vizio's 2021 TVs are 60Hz native, except for the P-Series and the H1 OLED, which are 120Hz native.

TCL:  Clear Motion Index or Natural Motion

TCL's sets are all over the place. Some don't list any motion term -- those are 60Hz native. Some say "120Hz CMI," which stands for Clear Motion Index, but they're actually 60Hz native too. And some say Natural Motion 240, but they're 60Hz as well. The only TCL TVs that are true 120Hz say Natural Motion 480. 

For the most effective increase in motion resolution, and compatibility with next-gen gaming consoles' best video output modes, you need a native 120Hz refresh television. That said, it is possible to have some improvement in motion resolution even with a 60Hz TV if it uses some other feature, like backlight scanning or black frame insertion, that improves motion resolution. 

That's a lot of technical jargon, so let's tackle it from the beginning.

Back up a second: What's refresh rate?

Refresh rate is how often a TV changes the image (also known as a "frame") onscreen. With traditional televisions, this was 60 times each second, or "60Hz."

Some modern TVs can refresh at double this rate, or 120Hz (120 frames per second). We've covered this before, with 1080p HDTVs, and it's the same idea with 4K TVs. Certain parts of the world have TVs that refresh at 50Hz normally, with some TVs that refresh at 100Hz. That just depends on the electricity in your country. 

For the purposes of this article, 50 and 60 work the same, as do 100 and 120. For my own sanity, and ease of reading, I'm going to stick with 60 and 120, but feel free to read that as 50 and 100 if you're in the UK, Australia or any place that has 50Hz electricity. 

So are these higher refresh numbers just another "more is better!" marketing ploy? Not entirely. Higher refresh rates can reduce motion blur in LCDs and OLED TVs. 

What's motion blur? Glad you asked...

Your brain on blur

All LCD and current OLED models suffer from "motion blur." This is where anything in motion, either an object on screen or the entire image (like when the camera pans), blurs and looks softer than if it was stationary.

Motion blur makes images in motion look softer than stationary ones.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

Interestingly, this blur is largely created by your brain. Basically, your brain notices the motion, and makes assumptions as to where that object (or overall image) is going to be in the next fraction of a second. The problem with LCD and current OLED TVs is that they hold that image there for the full 60th of a second, so your brain actually smears the motion, thinking it should be moving, when in fact it's just a series of still images.

It's actually quite fascinating, but the details are beyond the scope of this article. I recommend checking out BlurBuster's great article for more info.

The motion blur we're talking about here, despite coming from your brain, is caused by how the television works. This is separate from whatever blur the camera itself creates. 

Some people aren't bothered by motion blur. Some don't even notice it. Others, like me, do notice it and are bothered by it. Fortunately, it can be minimized. 

One sure sign of a native 120Hz TV? The ability to accept a 4K/120Hz input.

David Katzmaier/CNET

Antiblurring technologies beyond refresh rate

Refresh rate itself is really only part of the solution. Just doubling the same frames doesn't actually do much for reducing motion blur. Something else is needed.

There are two main methods. The first is frame interpolation, where the TV itself creates brand-new frames that are sort of hybrids of the frame that came before, and the one that comes after. This can fool your brain enough that it doesn't blur the image. Depending how aggressive the interpolation is, however, it can lead to the soap opera effect, which makes movies look like ultra-smooth reality TV shows. Some viewers like the effect, but it's generally hated by film buffs and others who pay close attention to image quality. 

There are different levels of this processing, where a little might reduce motion blur some, and not cause undue harm to the quality of the image. Or on the other end of the "dial," it's cranked up so that there's even less motion blur, but the movement is hyper-realistic and for many, distractingly unreal. Some TVs let you choose how much of this processing gets applied to the image, others have just a single setting. More on these settings further down.

The other alternative is black frame insertion (BFI) or a scanning backlight. This is where all or part of the backlight of the TV turns off (goes black). This effectively means the image doesn't "hold" in place, so your brain doesn't blur it. Do it poorly, however, and many people will see the image flicker. The light output of the TV also drops, as it's not outputting any light for a period of time. 

Both of these techniques are what manufacturers use to come up with their "effective refresh rate" numbers. For example, a TV with a 60Hz refresh and a scanning backlight might claim to have an effective refresh rate of 120. A TV with a more elaborate BFI mode, and frame interpolation, might have a claimed effective refresh rate of "540." There's no transparency in how companies determine their "effective rate" numbers, but there is at least more consistency than there used to be.

It's also possible these features, when enabled, are bothersome over time. Some people are especially sensitive to a flickering backlight, so you might need to turn these features off. If you're concerned about that, or notice motion blur, it's best to find a TV that actually has a 120Hz refresh rate.

Bottom line (should you care?)

There are two things at play here. The first is simple, and one we've said many times before: don't trust marketing. At least, don't trust it at face value. Marketing is designed to sell you a product, not give you information about a product. That's secondary.

The second is being able to reduce motion blur. When 120Hz 1080p TVs first hit the market, they offered a noticeable improvement in motion resolution. The technology has only gotten better. 

But if you're sensitive to motion blur, or you want to get the most from your Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, it is worth checking for a true 120Hz TV. It would be a shame to let all that extra 4K resolution go to waste due to blur. It's also worth checking reviews for measurements and subjective takes on how the TV handles motion -- that's more useful than any manufacturer-supplied spec.

Note: This article was originally published in 2015 but has been updated regularly since.  

---

Got a question for Geoff? First, check out all the other articles he's written on topics such as why you shouldn't buy expensive HDMI cables, TV resolutions explained, how HDR works and more.

Still have a question? Tweet at him @TechWriterGeoff, then check out his travel adventures as a digital nomad on Instagram and YouTube. He also thinks you should check out his best-selling sci-fi novel about city-sized submarines and its sequel.

---

Source

4K and 8K TV refresh rates from 60hz to 120Hz: Everything you should know

4K and 8K TV refresh rates from 60hz to 120Hz: Everything you should know

Refresh rate is one of the more confusing aspects of TV technology and TV makers don't do much to explain it. In fact, they often obscure it.

Refresh rate is a number that specifies how many times per second the image on your TV changes. With most TVs it's 60, though it's rare you'll ever see a TV with that number listed. Instead, manufacturers use different technologies, such as the soap opera effect and black frame insertion, to claim a higher number. Sometimes those claims are justified, sometimes they aren't. 

Higher refresh rate claims with numbers like 120, 240 and higher are common, but not always accurate. In fact, no matter what number you see listed with a 4K TV, no 4K TV has a native panel refresh rate higher than 120Hz. As we'll explain, though, a number higher than 120Hz doesn't necessarily mean the claim is false.

Here's the basics:

• Refresh rate is the number time times per second (written in hertz, or Hz) a TV refreshes its image.
• Movies are almost always filmed 24 frames per second, or 24Hz. Live TV shows at 30 or 60.
• Most TVs refresh at 60, some midrange and higher-end models at 120. Some older 1080p LCD TVs refreshed at 240Hz.
• One benefit of a higher refresh rate is to reduce the motion blur inherent in all current TV technologies.
• Motion blur is the softening of the image when an object, or the entire screen, is in motion.
• Another benefit is compatibility with 120 frame-per-second signals from PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and some video cards.
• TV manufacturers use multiple technologies in addition to refresh rate to come up with an "effective refresh rate."
• Effective refresh rate means the TV refreshes its image at a lower rate, but might appear to have similar motion resolution as a TV with an actual higher refresh rate.

What TV makers say

Let me start with the terms you'll see on various TV makers' marketing materials and web sites. Each one calls the TVs motion handling capability something different, and many don't even mention the term "refresh rate" or use "Hz" at all.

LG:  TruMotion

LG's web site lists the panel's native refresh rate up front. On TVs that have a 120Hz refresh rate it simply says "120Hz Native," while with 60Hz models it lists "TruMotion 120 (60Hz Native)." 

Samsung:  Motion Rate

Samsung is better than it used to be about this, albeit not as transparent as LG. The 4K TVs and 8K TVs on its site list a "Motion Rate." This is, generally, twice the native refresh rate. So Motion Rate 240 indicates a native refresh of 120Hz while Motion Rate 120 means a 60Hz refresh. In the least expensive of their TVs, a Motion Rate of 60 means a 60Hz refresh.

Sony: MotionFlow XR

For most of its 2021 TVs Sony doesn't list a number on its website, instead it just says "Motionflow XR." On some, however, it lists a number along with the native refresh: "Motionflow XR 240 (native 60 Hz)" and "Motionflow XR 960 (native 120 Hz)."

Vizio: Refresh Rate

Vizio used to list an "Effective Refresh Rate" on its web site, which was just double the native refresh rate. For 2021, however, none of its TVs use that term as far as we could find, and most don't list any refresh rate spec. The bottom line? All of Vizio's 2021 TVs are 60Hz native, except for the P-Series and the H1 OLED, which are 120Hz native.

TCL:  Clear Motion Index or Natural Motion

TCL's sets are all over the place. Some don't list any motion term -- those are 60Hz native. Some say "120Hz CMI," which stands for Clear Motion Index, but they're actually 60Hz native too. And some say Natural Motion 240, but they're 60Hz as well. The only TCL TVs that are true 120Hz say Natural Motion 480. 

For the most effective increase in motion resolution, and compatibility with next-gen gaming consoles' best video output modes, you need a native 120Hz refresh television. That said, it is possible to have some improvement in motion resolution even with a 60Hz TV if it uses some other feature, like backlight scanning or black frame insertion, that improves motion resolution. 

That's a lot of technical jargon, so let's tackle it from the beginning.

Back up a second: What's refresh rate?

Refresh rate is how often a TV changes the image (also known as a "frame") onscreen. With traditional televisions, this was 60 times each second, or "60Hz."

Some modern TVs can refresh at double this rate, or 120Hz (120 frames per second). We've covered this before, with 1080p HDTVs, and it's the same idea with 4K TVs. Certain parts of the world have TVs that refresh at 50Hz normally, with some TVs that refresh at 100Hz. That just depends on the electricity in your country. 

For the purposes of this article, 50 and 60 work the same, as do 100 and 120. For my own sanity, and ease of reading, I'm going to stick with 60 and 120, but feel free to read that as 50 and 100 if you're in the UK, Australia or any place that has 50Hz electricity. 

So are these higher refresh numbers just another "more is better!" marketing ploy? Not entirely. Higher refresh rates can reduce motion blur in LCDs and OLED TVs. 

What's motion blur? Glad you asked...

Your brain on blur

All LCD and current OLED models suffer from "motion blur." This is where anything in motion, either an object on screen or the entire image (like when the camera pans), blurs and looks softer than if it was stationary.

Motion blur makes images in motion look softer than stationary ones.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

Interestingly, this blur is largely created by your brain. Basically, your brain notices the motion, and makes assumptions as to where that object (or overall image) is going to be in the next fraction of a second. The problem with LCD and current OLED TVs is that they hold that image there for the full 60th of a second, so your brain actually smears the motion, thinking it should be moving, when in fact it's just a series of still images.

It's actually quite fascinating, but the details are beyond the scope of this article. I recommend checking out BlurBuster's great article for more info.

The motion blur we're talking about here, despite coming from your brain, is caused by how the television works. This is separate from whatever blur the camera itself creates. 

Some people aren't bothered by motion blur. Some don't even notice it. Others, like me, do notice it and are bothered by it. Fortunately, it can be minimized. 

One sure sign of a native 120Hz TV? The ability to accept a 4K/120Hz input.

David Katzmaier/CNET

Antiblurring technologies beyond refresh rate

Refresh rate itself is really only part of the solution. Just doubling the same frames doesn't actually do much for reducing motion blur. Something else is needed.

There are two main methods. The first is frame interpolation, where the TV itself creates brand-new frames that are sort of hybrids of the frame that came before, and the one that comes after. This can fool your brain enough that it doesn't blur the image. Depending how aggressive the interpolation is, however, it can lead to the soap opera effect, which makes movies look like ultra-smooth reality TV shows. Some viewers like the effect, but it's generally hated by film buffs and others who pay close attention to image quality. 

There are different levels of this processing, where a little might reduce motion blur some, and not cause undue harm to the quality of the image. Or on the other end of the "dial," it's cranked up so that there's even less motion blur, but the movement is hyper-realistic and for many, distractingly unreal. Some TVs let you choose how much of this processing gets applied to the image, others have just a single setting. More on these settings further down.

The other alternative is black frame insertion (BFI) or a scanning backlight. This is where all or part of the backlight of the TV turns off (goes black). This effectively means the image doesn't "hold" in place, so your brain doesn't blur it. Do it poorly, however, and many people will see the image flicker. The light output of the TV also drops, as it's not outputting any light for a period of time. 

Both of these techniques are what manufacturers use to come up with their "effective refresh rate" numbers. For example, a TV with a 60Hz refresh and a scanning backlight might claim to have an effective refresh rate of 120. A TV with a more elaborate BFI mode, and frame interpolation, might have a claimed effective refresh rate of "540." There's no transparency in how companies determine their "effective rate" numbers, but there is at least more consistency than there used to be.

It's also possible these features, when enabled, are bothersome over time. Some people are especially sensitive to a flickering backlight, so you might need to turn these features off. If you're concerned about that, or notice motion blur, it's best to find a TV that actually has a 120Hz refresh rate.

Bottom line (should you care?)

There are two things at play here. The first is simple, and one we've said many times before: don't trust marketing. At least, don't trust it at face value. Marketing is designed to sell you a product, not give you information about a product. That's secondary.

The second is being able to reduce motion blur. When 120Hz 1080p TVs first hit the market, they offered a noticeable improvement in motion resolution. The technology has only gotten better. 

But if you're sensitive to motion blur, or you want to get the most from your Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, it is worth checking for a true 120Hz TV. It would be a shame to let all that extra 4K resolution go to waste due to blur. It's also worth checking reviews for measurements and subjective takes on how the TV handles motion -- that's more useful than any manufacturer-supplied spec.

Note: This article was originally published in 2015 but has been updated regularly since.  

---

Got a question for Geoff? First, check out all the other articles he's written on topics such as why you shouldn't buy expensive HDMI cables, TV resolutions explained, how HDR works and more.

Still have a question? Tweet at him @TechWriterGeoff, then check out his travel adventures as a digital nomad on Instagram and YouTube. He also thinks you should check out his best-selling sci-fi novel about city-sized submarines and its sequel.

---

Source

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When am i no longer contagious covid 19 cdc when is covid 19 going to end when covid 19 is over when covid 19 started in singapore when covid 19 happen when covid 19 started in nepal when covid 19 started in the philippines

When COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic: How our reality changes

When COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic: How our reality changes

This story is part of The Year Ahead, CNET's look at how the world will continue to evolve starting in 2022 and beyond.

In April 2021, I pitched a story idea to my editors: "How to cope with post-pandemic anxiety." As vaccines became widely available, I pictured parties with no masks, handshakes with no fear and all the other markers of a world going back to "normal." In this imminent post-pandemic future, I thought my biggest challenge would be re-adjusting to life outside my cocoon.

Half a year and several new COVID variants later, it has become clear that the very concept of "post-pandemic" requires re-examining. For starters, it's not clear what it means for a pandemic to end -- even scientists disagree on where to draw the line. And across the nation and world, there are wildly varying levels of coronavirus spread, vaccination rates and mitigation measures. In one state, day-to-day life may certainly feel post-pandemic, with little mask-wearing or social distancing. In a neighboring state, COVID may very much feel like a constant presence still.

Perhaps "post-pandemic" is like art: You know it when you see it. But however you define the end of the COVID pandemic, one fact remains true: It continues to escape our grasp. New, more transmissible variants push the light at the end of the tunnel back further and further, as does hesitancy around vaccines, and other factors. 

You can take heart in the fact that pandemics do, by nature, come to an eventual end. But not in the way that you think. When I pictured post-pandemic life in April 2021, I pictured the threat of COVID going away entirely, like one big switch flipped across the whole world at once. But the end of a pandemic isn't sudden, grand or neat. In fact, experts now believe that COVID will always be with us -- just not in pandemic form. And the pandemic will continue to shape our lives in some ways, even after it's over.

Here's what the end of the COVID pandemic will really look like, how we can get there, and what you can expect life to look like afterward.

How pandemics like COVID-19 end

Francesco Carta/Getty Images

There are a few ways that a pandemic can potentially end. The disease can be eradicated completely: zero cases, anywhere in the world, ever again. We can reach herd immunity, when enough people in a certain region are immune to the disease that it's eliminated there (that's what happened in the US with measles). Or the disease could become endemic: it continues circulating at a predictable baseline level, but is no longer a major health threat to most people.

With COVID, our best bet is the latter scenario, according to current expertise. In a January 2021 Nature survey of over 100 immunologists, virologists and infectious disease researchers, almost 90% said they think the coronavirus will become endemic. Herd immunity is an increasingly unrealistic goal, and eradication is unlikely -- throughout recorded history, only two diseases have ever been eradicated: smallpox and a cattle virus called rinderpest. Even the plague is here to stay.

"When SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 first appeared, it was new, unexpected, and quickly spread around the world," Mackenzie Weise, an epidemiologist with Wolters Kluwer Health, tells CNET. "It's realistic to think that circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus won't just suddenly end."

The good news: Living with an endemic disease is strikingly different from living in a pandemic. Just take the flu. The H1N1 virus that caused the Spanish flu pandemic killed more than 50 million people from 1918-1919. That virus never really went away -- it's the genetic ancestor of the seasonal influenzas that still circulate every year. But the flu now results in far fewer deaths, and it impacts our lives in a more manageable way. 

"If [COVID] becomes endemic, it'll be like the flu," says Dr. Robert G. Lahita, director of the Institute for Autoimmune and Rheumatic Disease at St. Joseph's Health and author of the upcoming book Immunity Strong. "There'll be a spate of deaths every year in the US from the novel coronavirus or COVID, and there will also be deaths from flu, influenza, which there are every year."

We learned to live alongside the flu with a delicate balance of precaution and treatment, and we can one day do the same with SARS-CoV-2.

What life in a post-pandemic endemic world looks like

Living with the endemic version of COVID may look a lot like the post-pandemic world I envisioned back in April 2021. Mask mandates, social distancing, stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions and other mitigation measures will disappear in most places.

"I think that we will remove our masks and remove social distancing and go back to normal once this virus goes away," Lahita says. "And it will go away, but it will be with us in some form forever. The pandemic will go away."

COVID vaccines will still be necessary, possibly every year like the flu shot, Lahita says. They'll be especially important for people who are vulnerable to severe illness, like immunocompromised people and the elderly. Vaccine mandates may be here to stay, too -- the COVID vaccines could, for example, join the list of immunizations that children and teens are required to get in order to attend school. (So far, only California and Louisiana have gone that route.)

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One sign that we've reached endemicity is that hospitalizations and deaths stay at a constant level, which health care services can predict and manage, and which the public considers an acceptable risk. As with other endemic diseases like the flu, COVID's impact on individual people will vary. To some of us, flu season is no big deal. To others, it's a risky and scary time. 

And truthfully, it would help if we kept wearing masks, washing our hands religiously and using other preventive measures against both flu and COVID, even after the pandemic stage. But in reality, only a small group of cautious people are willing to keep taking those steps once they're not required. For most, the cost of fear and isolation is too high.

"There's always the subset of the population that becomes very anxious and very obsessive. Those people will continue to wear masks and will socially distance and avoid groups and gatherings and restaurants and theaters and so on. There's always that subgroup," Lahita says.

Similarly, there will continue to be many people who hesitate to get a COVID vaccine. "Even when it becomes endemic and no longer a pandemic, people will still be arguing about not getting injected with antigen or with messenger RNA to protect them," Lahita says.

How we get there, and when

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"The ideal scenario toward endemicity is that enough people receive immune protection in order to significantly reduce ongoing transmission, severe illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths," Weise explains. 

There are two ways to get immune protection from COVID: get vaccinated, or recover from a coronavirus infection. Of those two, it's easy to see why vaccination is the ideal route. "Because COVID-19 vaccines are extremely effective at preventing all the above, vaccine-induced immunity is the only logical path towards this goal," Weise says. As we've seen over and over in the last two years, battling a COVID infection is unpredictable and can have fatal outcomes in otherwise healthy people.

Weise continues: "I'm optimistic that we can reach a point when COVID-19 isn't a severe threat to most people, but we desperately need more people to step up and get vaccinated." To be more specific, Lahita predicts that at least a 50% vaccination rate in most countries would be necessary for endemicity to occur.

Because vaccines play such a crucial role in ending the pandemic, public health officials are working hard to get them into everyone's hands (or arms). But the pharmaceutical industry hasn't made it easy. Moderna and Pfizer, which have two of the most effective vaccines against COVID-19, have refused to share their mRNA technology with other companies or scientists. Meanwhile, high-income countries have been accused of "hoarding" vaccine doses and have failed to follow through on promises to donate enough extras to poorer countries to bridge the gap, despite pleas from the World Health Organization. 

Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

As of this writing, only 3.7% of people in low-income countries have been fully vaccinated, compared to 69.1% in high-income countries. But even the US, with plenty of doses to go around, has struggled to meet goals for vaccination rate as a result of people who are vaccine-hesitant or resistant. As of the end of December, more than 65% of the US population ages 5 and older is fully vaccinated.

Their unvaccinated status has an impact on everyone, Weise explains: "The problem is that viral transmission is sustained among susceptible [unvaccinated] persons, and we can't anticipate how or where these people may interact with one another, or even with vaccinated persons to perpetuate further spread."

The more that the virus spreads, the more that it mutates into new variants, each of which has the potential to be more transmissible, more deadly, or more resistant to current vaccines. And unlike man-made vaccines, viruses know no borders.

With the majority of the world still not fully vaccinated, the end of the pandemic still feels like a long way off to many experts. "Eventually, I think that the virus will be controlled. It may take years, however, for that to happen, because of the unvaccinated masses," Lahita says.

It's also important to note that endemicity won't happen everywhere at once. Some places will reach this stage sooner, depending on vaccination and infection rates. New York City may be among the first cities in the US to get there, thanks to high rates of immunity from vaccines and prior infections. 

If the coronavirus continues to have such disproportionate impacts, it could become similar to malaria or HIV: the pandemic will be "over'' in richer countries, but still a deadly force in others. If that's the case, the WHO could downgrade it to an epidemic (like a pandemic, but not worldwide).

Has COVID-19 changed us for good?

Luis Alvarez/Getty Images

Even after the pandemic ends, its society-wide effects may stay with us in ways that we can't predict quite yet. In addition to millions of lives lost, the pandemic created challenges and disruptions to every imaginable part of life, leading to a mental health crisis and collective trauma that will likely persist long after it's over.

But the long-term legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic may not be all negative. Past pandemics have led to new habits that improved health for years to come. Screen doors, for example, were popularized as a way to prevent malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. The AIDS pandemic shifted condom usage into the mainstream, and the tuberculosis epidemic led people to stop sharing drinking cups and spitting in public. Some pandemics have also led to sweeping improvements in economics, education, housing and public health.

Will similar changes happen after COVID? In the University of California, Berkeley's World After COVID project, 57 scientists shared predictions about how the COVID-19 pandemic may change society, in both positive and negative ways. Their positive forecasts included greater solidarity, renewed social connections, and a greater effort to address our world's structural inequalities. 

Many experts in Berkeley's study also pointed to the embracing of technology, which played an unprecedented role in our lives when COVID-19 kept us indoors. During the pandemic, tech innovations like virtual reality and QR codes took on new life, not to mention the explosion in remote work and telehealth.

Similarly, in a Pew Research survey of 915 "innovators, developers, business and policy leaders, researchers and activists," almost all respondents agreed that we'll be living in a much more tech-driven society after the pandemic: a "tele-everything" world, with all its pros and cons. 

Remote work is likely here to stay, but that doesn't mean offices are doomed to disappear. Surveys show that most office workers would prefer not going back to the office full-time, but their bosses feel the opposite. If Australia's reopening is any indication, there won't be one single path forward -- instead, different companies will take different approaches, and we'll live with a mix of remote, in-office and hybrid work setups.

One thing the COVID pandemic has taught us is that you really just never know. The crisis exposed how delicate our regular routines are, on both an individual and a global scale. We've seen how difficult and yet surprisingly doable it is to adjust to a new normal, and how disarming it is not to know what to expect. Even experts aren't fortune tellers, and no one can say for sure when the pandemic will be declared over, or what will happen in the years to come.

The pandemic will continue to surprise us, even after it's over. But first, we have to get there.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Millions can't pay their car loans. Here's what to do if you're one of them

Millions can't pay their car loans. Here's what to do if you're one of them

If you've skipped a car payment or two recently -- or you worry you might have to miss an upcoming one -- you're not alone. Due to the coronavirus recession and record levels of unemployment, over 7% of all car loans in the US are currently in some sort of deferment program, according to recent data released by credit reporting agency TransUnion.

Typically, missing a car payment can damage your credit score or even lead to the bank repossessing your vehicle. However, in the wake of the recent economic turmoil brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, most lenders have streamlined their financial hardship programs and are willing to be a bit forgiving if you just ask for help.

But just like the help available with rent payments and unemployment benefits, you do have to ask. The worst thing you can do is ignore the problem and assume it'll work itself out on its own. (Scroll to the end for what else you should absolutely not do.)

Here's a look at the most current information and resources we could locate to help you deal with your car payment. We'll continue to update this story as new details emerge.

First, see what assistance your lender has to offer

You'll want to know what kinds of programs your bank, credit union or other auto loan provider may have available to you. Also, if there are any state laws that might offer some protections against repossession, you'll want to find out about those, too. 

Here are the most comprehensive resources we've been able to turn up to help with both. (If you don't see your lender on any of those lists, try contacting the company directly through its website or app.)

As businesses like this soda and candy shop in Asheville, North Carolina, start to reopen, you can bet repossession companies will be back to work, too.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Most repos occur after two or three months of no payments

If you've fallen behind (or you think you're going to fall behind) on your car payment for 90 days or longer, you may very well be at risk of having your car repossessed. Your lender may be more lenient if you've never missed a payment before, but the more often you've been late in the past, the sooner they might attempt repossession. 

One way around this, however, is a deferment or forbearance program.

What are auto loan deferment programs and how do they work?

Under normal circumstances, most lenders will report a late payment to the credit bureaus once it's at least 30 days overdue, and they'll typically come to take your vehicle away after you've missed three or more payments in a row. 

A deferment or forbearance allows you to skip between one and three payments with no late fees or penalties. After the deferment period ends, either your monthly payment will either go up slightly or your loan will be extended by about the same amount of time as the deferment.  

On the downside, interest will continue to accrue during the months you skip your payment, so you'll end up paying more for your vehicle in the long run. But on the plus side, your missed payments will not show up as negative marks on your credit report, so your credit score shouldn't take a hit.

How to talk to your bank about your options 

Most lenders' programs have been streamlined to be pretty simple to apply for. Fill out a form, possibly attach some documentation (termination letter, layoff notice, etc.), send it off to your lender and wait for an approval confirmation. If your bank doesn't have it set up that easy and you have no idea where to begin, the legal services website DoNotPay has a chatbot that can help you draft a letter to your lender.

That said, you can probably handle this on your own. Just be honest and forthcoming about your situation and realistic about how much time you'll need to get back on your feet. Generally speaking, banks would rather work with you and retain you as a customer than leave you stranded without a vehicle.

Ford is currently offering to pay six months' worth of new vehicle payments when you purchase a new car from the company.

Wayne Cunningham/CNET

What normally happens when you miss a car payment?

In most states, a lender, like your bank, can start the repossession process the day after you miss even just one payment, but most companies give their customers a grace period. Often the lender won't even charge a late fee until the payment is at least 10 days late, and most won't report it to the three major credit bureaus until it's over 30 days late. 

If you go past 30 days delinquent -- and especially if you miss the next two payments in your loan cycle as well -- that's where you start treading into repossession, or repo, territory. 

How repossession works 

In most cases, your lender will contract with a third-party agency that specializes in repossessions. That company will use whatever information it can get -- your home and work addresses, for example -- to track down the vehicle and tow it to a secured, usually gated lot. It does not need your car keys to take your car. 

The repo company will then charge your bank for towing the vehicle, as well as a daily storage fee, usually around $25 to $75 per day. Unless you happened to have left your keys in the car, the repo company will also contract a locksmith to make a new set of keys -- then charge your bank for that service, too. When all is said and done, you'll owe anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars in charges, which you'll still be liable for whether you get your car out of repo or not. 

If you quit paying your car payment, eventually a vehicle recovery service will come tow your car.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Are car repossession companies even open right now?

The auto repossession industry never quite figured out whether repo companies, many of which laid off dozens of employees early on in the pandemic, were even allowed to operate in areas under strict shelter-in-place orders. The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, a lobbying group for debt collectors, has argued that debt collection is an essential service, but lawmakers have yet to chime in.

However, as most US cities are far along in the process of reopening and orders shuttering nonessential businesses have mostly been lifted, you can probably bet that repo companies will be up and running as soon as they can be.

Your rights vs. the bank's rights 

In pretty much every instance your bank does not need a court order to attempt to repossess your car. You can view a list of every state's specific automobile repossession laws here, but generally speaking, your lending institution (or a company it hires) has the right to come onto your property and take the car so long as no one commits a "breach of the peace."

That means its representatives can't break into a locked garage, through a locked gate or otherwise use physical force against you or your property to take possession of your vehicle. They can, however, follow you to work, for example, or the grocery store, and wait until you leave your car unattended. 

How to get your car out of repo -- and what happens if you don't 

What if it's too late and your car has already been repoed? Many states have laws on the books about how long and under what conditions lenders must allow you the opportunity to get your vehicle back, but the terms aren't exactly favorable, especially if you're in the kind of financial situation that led to repo in the first place.

Generally, the law only compels lenders to release your car if you pay off the loan plus any towing and storage charges that have accrued. In practice, however, most lenders are willing to give your car back if you can at least catch up with your late payments (and, of course, even up with the repo company as well). 

One option if you're struggling to pay your car payment is to try and sell your car for cash to pay off the loan, but that won't work if you owe more than the car is worth.

Sarah Tew/CNET

If you leave your vehicle in repo, either because you can't afford to get it out or you just decide it's not worth it, you're still not completely off the hook. The bank will likely auction off your car to the highest bidder, then apply the revenue from that sale to your remaining balance, including repossession charges. If that doesn't cover your entire debt, the bank can come after you for the remainder, including handing your account over to a collection agency and reporting the delinquency to the credit bureaus. 

You have a few wild-card options as well 

If you're at risk of having your car or truck repossessed, there are other options available besides deferment, but none quite as simple or easy. You could do what's called a "voluntary repossession," where you contact your lender and indicate your desire to turn your vehicle over to it. Your credit will take a hit and you'll be liable for any outstanding debt the bank fails to recoup at auction, but the overall impact to both your credit score and pocketbook will be less than if you wait for the bank to forcibly repo your car.

You can refinance your car for a lengthier loan term with a lower monthly payment, but that will only work if you've already paid off a substantial amount of the principal. If you've only had your car loan for a year or two, you might actually still owe more than it's worth. Also, your credit has to be good enough for a bank to underwrite a new loan for you, which may or may not be the case anymore. 

You could also try to sell your car on the open market, or trade it in for something less expensive, but again, with the economy now in a full-blown recession, neither of these options seems very compelling.

What you absolutely should not do 

Whatever you do, don't try to hide your car from your bank or the repo company. For one, you're probably not going to beat them at their own game, and the longer it takes to find it (and the more difficult you make it), the more they're going to charge you for their services in the end. 

Stop! Don't just sit back and wait until the bank repos your car. Be proactive and ask and your lender may be able to help.

Shara Tibken/CNET

And don't just stop paying your loan and hope for the best. Whether or not lawmakers decide the repo industry performs an "essential" function, or if the repo man has to wait for a treatment or vaccine like the rest of us before getting back to work, eventually your delinquency will catch up with you. With banks demonstrating some compassion right now for those who've suffered financial hardship, you might as well take advantage of one of their relief programs while you can. 

Chances are if you're worried about making your car payment, you have other bills keeping you up at night, too. Here's what you need to know about rent relief during the pandemic, as well as what assistance is available if you have a mortgage. For taxes, credit cards and everything else, here's what other financial help is available.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

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