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dear judy, i read your response to a gentleman named russel on 1/11 concerning young onset pd and i wished to share my experiences. i am a 27yr old ph.d. student in clincal depth psychology in santa barbara, ca. i was diagnosed with pd nearly 2 1/2 years ago. i admit that at times i get frustrated with the tremor and sometimes think my body is failing me. but then i realize that, while difficult, pd is not terminal, so i am thankful for that. i still engage in the same activities i did prior to onset: i bike regularly, play basketball, travel, write poetry and science fiction, and continue pursuing my education. i recently wrote a paper titled: "TREMBLING AND DREAMING WITH THE DIVINE: A Personal Voyage of Archetypal Illness", which examines the importance of what i call the psycho-mythical perspective on illness; the awareness that there are psychic, soulful factors as well as bio-chemical ones at work in illness. based on my personal experience, i believe the stress of the modern world is a major cause of young onset pd. i am planning a qualatative study of young onset pd patients via interviews to examine possible causes of onset based upon their personal wordly experiences. so, one way i cope with my symptoms is to utilize them as sources of creativity. best wishes for a happy '95. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ jeffrey r. romanyshyn, m.a., [log in to unmask] pacifica graduate institute 249 lambert rd./carpinteria, ca 93013 805/969-3626 *the real adventure is putting on your socks* the real adventure is putting on your socks, it's difficult to do early in the morning. your eyes, they don't focus. your fingers, they don't pinch. your toes, they don't wiggle. i sometimes sleep in my socks, i'm not always in the mood for adventure. j.r. romanyshyn 12/11/94