INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The second criterion for a schizophrenia diagnosis is "social/occupational dysfunction." This dysfunction must be present for a significant portion of the time since you began displaying symptoms. Many conditions can cause dysfunction in your work and social life, so even if you're experiencing trouble in one or more of these areas, it doesn't necessarily mean you have schizophrenia. One or more areas of "major" functioning must be impaired: Work/Academics Interpersonal relations Self-care One of the criteria for "dysfunction" is whether you are able to fulfill the requirements of your job. If you're a full-time student, your ability to perform in school could be considered. Consider the following: Do you feel psychologically able to leave the house to go to work or school? Have you had a hard time coming in on time or showing up regularly? Are there parts of your work that you now feel afraid to do? If you are a student, is your academic performance suffering? This should be considered in light of what is normal for you. If you've always been a reserved person, not wanting to socialize isn't necessarily a sign of dysfunction. However, if you've noticed your behaviors and motivations change to things that aren't "normal" for you, this could be something to speak with a mental health professional about. Do you enjoy the same relationships you used to? Do you enjoy socializing in the way you used to? Do you feel like talking with others significantly less than you used to? Do you feel afraid or intensely worried about interacting with others? Do you feel like you're being persecuted by others, or that others have ulterior motives toward you? "Self-care" refers to your ability to take care of yourself and remain healthy and functional. This should also be judged within the realm of "normal for you." So, for example, if you usually work out 2-3 times per week but haven't felt like going in 3 months, this could be a sign of disturbance. The following behaviors are also signs of lapsed self-care: You have started or increased abusing substances such as alcohol or drugs You don't sleep well, or your sleep cycle varies widely (e.g., 2 hours one night, 14 hours the next, etc.) You don't "feel" as much, or you feel "flat" Your hygiene has gotten worse You don't take care of your living space

SUMMARY: Consider whether your occupation or social life is functioning (Criterion B). Think about how you handle your job. Reflect on your relationships with other people. Think about your self-care behaviors.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Get all of your stretching done first before you start singing. Move your neck in slow circles to stretch those muscles, or switch between a big smile and an open mouth in the shape of an 'O' to stretch your face. Do each exercise 5-10 times to stretch your muscles well. Bend your head back and flex your tongue outwards to stretch your throat. Do 5 big yawns to stretch the muscles around your mouth. Focus on one stretch if you don't have much time, or do 5 of each exercise to practice multiple stretches in one sitting. This is when you make your voice imitate the sound of an ambulance's siren, moving up to the higher notes, back down to lower notes, and then back up again in one continuous sound. This will help you find out what your full range is while stretching your vocal cords. These help you reach your maximum high note by trying to imitate the high pitched noise of a siren. Arpeggios are useful exercises that help you transition from the different major and minor scales. Singing arpeggios to different vowels or other sounds is a great way to extend your vocal range. Go online to find videos of arpeggio scales for you to sing along with, helping you practice. You might sing "ee-ee-ee-ee-ee," with the first and last "ee" being the lowest and the middle one being the highest note. Instead of being a continuous sound, arpeggios have very small pauses between each note. Vocal slides are a great way for you to gently reach high notes before coming back down. Use your voice to slide from a low note to a high note, and then back down as if your voice was on a swing. Vocal slides are more controlled than vocal sirens, though they sometimes sound similar. Try humming your vocal slides or choosing a sound like "wooo" or "ahhh." Vocal slides help relax your throat, making it easier for you to reach higher notes. While most of your early practicing should be focused on reaching the high notes briefly and then going back down, after you've mastered this skill, you can go even further. Once you reach your highest note, try to hold it for several seconds before going back down the scale.

SUMMARY: Stretch your facial and neck muscles to help your vocal cords. Practice vocal sirens to strengthen your high notes. Try arpeggios to practice your different pitches. Use vocal slides to slowly move up to higher notes. Draw out the high note once you reach it to practice holding it.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A cricket team's captain is expected to be a paragon of sportsmanship both on and off the field. Always be polite and courteous, and make it your goal to show as much respect to members of the opposing team as you do to your own coach and fellow players. It's especially important to make sure you're on your best behavior during pre- and post-game interviews, special events, and other occasions where you're interacting with the public. In many ways, the captain is the face of the team. If people don't think very highly of you, your team's image may suffer, as well. Make time for your fellow players and encourage them to come to you with questions, concerns, critiques, and suggestions for how to make the team better. At the end of the day, cricket is a team sport, and it takes more than one player to take a team running like a well-oiled machine. Your teammates are likely to have valuable insights to share, since they each occupy a unique position in relation to the other players and therefore have a unique perspective on the way matches unfold. Just because you're receptive to outside ideas doesn't mean you always have to put them into practice. Weigh the feedback you get carefully and determine whether it's actually beneficial before figuring out what to do with it. Nothing saps morale and sabotages performance like in-fighting. Whenever a confrontation arises between your teammates, be the one to step in and keep the peace. Work with all parties involved to reach a compromise that everyone can live with, or if necessary, ask them to put aside their differences long enough for you to finish the game. Do your best to avoid looking like you're choosing sides, even if you think one side is clearly in the right. Doing so could alienate one of your players, and a single weak link is all it takes to break the chain. Even though a good cricket captain has to know how to keep players focused and in-line, there is such a thing as being too strict. If you're the high-strung type, you may need to loosen up a bit and get back in touch with the things that made you fall in love with the sport in the first place. There's no point in playing if no one is having fun. Keep in mind that not all cricket enthusiasts take the game as seriously as others, especially if your team is part of an amateur league. Many will just be happy to be outside and play their favorite game. Think of having fun as a strategy in itself, if you need to. The better a time your teammates are having, the better they're likely to perform.

SUMMARY:
Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Be open to input from your teammates. Resolve conflicts within your team quickly and fairly. Make enjoying the game a top priority.