Thursday, November 29, 2007 5:32 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Treatment reduces depression in older diabetic patients by almost half

Depression in older diabetic patients is not at all unusual and accounts for poor diet, not taking prescribed pills, and poor quality of life, according to Dr. Hilary Bogner, MD, at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Bogner, along with her colleagues, published a study in the December issue of Diabetes Care which indicates that the five-year death rate in depressed, older, diabetic patients is lessened by half when receiving treatment for depression. According to the study, the risk for death was 0.49 among patients receiving intense treatment for depression and 95% CI (0.24 to 0.98) among those in the same demographic that were not receiving treatment for depression. Data for the study was taken from the Prevention of Suicide in Primary Care Elderly: Collaborative Trial (PROSPECT). The sample group consisted of 584 patients between the ages of 60 to 94, among whom 123 had diabetes. The five-year death ratio varied by 17% in non-diabetic patients and 27% in diabetic patients. The following is an article from the RX Times that reviews the study:

Depressed, older adults with diabetes live longer when they are treated for depression,
according to a study in the December issue of Diabetes Care, which
publishes on November 27, 2007.

Also being published this month is an editorial by U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) Medical Officer Dr. Robert Misbin, highlighting
lessons learned from the recent Avandia controversy and suggesting a
re-evaluation of the approval process for diabetes drugs.

The depression study, which followed primary care patients in the New
York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas for five years, also showed
that treating depression reduced mortality more for those who had diabetes
than for those who did not.

“Depression is not only common in persons with diabetes but contributes
to not taking medicines, not following prescribed diets, and overall
reduced quality of life,” said lead researcher Dr. Hillary R. Bogner,
Assistant Professor at the Department of Family Practice and Community
Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Action Point:

I think this study brings out a very simple and practical point; depression "is" an issue with older diabetic patients and treatment "does" help immensely. Surely, many other end-of-life health issues could cause depression as well. In my opinion, and unfortunately, there is a pessimism that excludes the hope of a bountiful and enjoyable life for elderly with severe or terminal health issues. As such, and in accordance with a pessimistic outlook, depression would be a natural end-of-life behavior. It is unfortunate that this opinion is held because, as this study clearly points out, quality of life can be greatly improved for older patients struggling with depression associated with health problems, in this case diabetes.

Click here to read the entire article from the RX Times

Click here for information on treatment options for depression

5:23 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

National BMI maxed out

It looks as though the Nation's BMI has gotten as bad as it can get. According to findings reported by Cynthia Ogden, Ph.D., of CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, there has been a growing epidemic of obesity in American over the last several decades but it appears to be leveling off.

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey found nothing more than a slight increase, an increase that was not statistically significant, between a 2005-2006 census and a census taken from 2003 to 2004. This information is contradictory to the popular opinion that there is a growing epidemic of obesity in America. The following is a segment of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the study:

As an epidemiologist, Dr. Ogden said, she could not explain the trend.

Although the findings contradict popular accounts of a growing epidemic of obesity. Dr. Ogden said she was confident that her study reflects the reality of the prevalence.

NHANES provides measured weights and heights in large numbers of people, she said, whereas many other data sets are based on subjects' self-reports, she noted.

Her group's report, released by CDC as a data brief, noted that obesity rates remain very high, at about 34% in 2005-2006 for men and women combined. In 1980, some 15% of adults were obese.

In 2003-2004, 33.2% of women and 31.1% of men were obese. In 2005-2006, obesity prevalence was 35.3% for women and 33.2% for men, she reported. The increases were not significant.

NHANES physically examines and administers questionnaires to some 2,500 people of all ages each year.

Dr. Ogden said that not only has obesity prevalence increased in the past 30 years, but so has the number of extremely obese people. According to NHANES data, people with a BMI greater than 40 were almost nonexistent in 1980. Several percent of the population had passed that threshold in 2005-2006.

Click here to read the entire article from Medpage Today

Click here for information on the treatment of compulsive overeating
link to this post

 

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 1:32 PM
posted by Rolf B. Gainer, Ph.D.

Further Evidence to Neurological Problems in Mentally Disordered Offenders

The research of Dorothy Lewis, MD has pointed to the neurological problems in the offender populations. Doctors Lewis and Pincus studied juvenile offenders and adults in the "Death Row" population noting a high prevalence of neurological symptoms, including brain injury. In a study by Seyed Assadi, MD et al, Neurological Soft Signs in Mentally Disordered Offenders, published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 19;4, Fall 2007, the authors once again found neurological soft signs in the offender population and that repeat offenders had a higher rate of neurological  signs than single felony offenders. Dr. Assadi's study included a wider range of individuals involving people in all offense groups and consideration of the relationship of sensory integration, psychotic disorders, anxiety, mood disorders and substance abuse.

Studies of this type are important to furthering our understanding of criminal behavior and its treatment.While the studies to date have addressed individual's who have been caught as a result of criminal behavior, the limiting factor is that we don't get to assess individuals who have not been caught.Do they share the same characteristics? Do neurological problems result in flawed planning and inefficient actions which increase the likelihood of getting caught. Clearly, there is a higher prevalence of neurological problems within the offender population and an even higher rate of problems in repeat offenders and more seriously involved felons. Are  we establishing an understanding of the neurobehavioral issues which cause serious criminality?

link to this post

 

Wednesday, November 21, 2007 9:38 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Postpartum fatigue months after birth

A recent study published by Pat McGovern, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, found that many more women than previously thought retain symptoms of fatigue, both physical and mental, nearly three months postpartum. Specifically, women 11 weeks after giving birth had approximately 4.1 postpartum related symptoms of fatigue. The study, published in the November/ December issue of Annals of Family Medicine, focused on a sample of 661 women ages 18 and up who, at one of three hospitals, gave birth to a single infant.

A practical point that can be gathered from this study is that women need restful environments postpartum. Employers can help facilitate this by ensuring that women have low-stress environments in the months immediately following child birth. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the study:

At 11 weeks postpartum, working women reported an average of 4.1 childbirth-related symptoms, most frequently fatigue, reported Pat McGovern, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota here, and colleagues in the November/December issue of Annals of Family Medicine.

Given the increased numbers of new mothers in the workplace, it is important to understand their need for rest and recovery and the factors that promote women's postpartum health and successful return to work, the investigators said.

Their findings came from a prospective cohort study that included 661 English-speaking employed women, 18 or older, who gave birth to a single infant at one of three community hospitals in 2001.

Click here to read the rest of the article from Medpage Today

Click here for information on the treatment of depression
link to this post

 

9:37 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Diet drug increases risk of depression and anxiety

According to a recent study published in the November 17th issue of the Lancet by Arne Astrup, MD, and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen, the diet drug rimonabant is responsible for increased instances of depression and anxiety in its users. Specifically, patients taking the drug were 2.5 times more likely to stop treatment due to depression and three times more likely to discontinue treatment due to anxiety than those taking placebo. The study, although a meta-analysis, confirms and adds to the information revealed in previous studies. The study’s findings are in addition to findings from the FDA that link rimonabant with risk of suicide. The following is an excerpt of an article from MedicineNet.com that reviews the study:

THURSDAY, Nov. 15 (HealthDay News) -- People who take the weight-loss drug rimonabant may face heightened risks for severe depression and anxiety, Danish researchers report.

The finding follows a recommendation by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel in June that the agency not approve the diet drug because of continuing concerns about increased risks for suicidal thoughts among some users. Previously, the FDA rejected the drug as an aid to help people quit smoking.

"Up to this point in time, there has been controversy over the rates and severity of psychiatric adverse effects with rimonabant," noted Dr. Philip Mitchell, head of the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and co-author of an editorial that accompanies the study.

This is the first review to examine rates of severe psychiatric symptoms with rimonabant (Acomplia), symptoms severe enough that patients discontinue treatment, Mitchell said.

The report is published in the Nov. 17 edition of The Lancet.

In the meta-analysis, Dr. Arne Astrup, from the department of human nutrition at the University of Copenhagen, collected data on more than 4,100 patients enrolled in four clinical trials. Those trials compared taking rimonabant (20 milligrams a day) against a placebo

Click here to read the entire article from MedicineNet.com
link to this post

 

9:37 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

PTSD linked to asthma not genetics

A recent study indicates that PTSD may not be associated with genetics, as thought, but rather connected to asthma. According to the study, Vietnam veterans who suffered severely from PTSD are 2.3 times more likely to have asthma than those with mild PTSD symptoms. Researchers theorize that the relationship may be due to the association that PTSD has with decreased immune functioning, which may account for increased instance of asthma. Conversely, however, asthma itself may increase a soldier’s vulnerability to traumatic events. The following is an excerpt of an article from CBC News that reviews the study:

A study of male twins who served in Vietnam has uncovered a strong link between asthma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Columbia University researchers, reporting in the Nov. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that those who suffered the most from PTSD were more than twice as likely to have asthma.

"This is very good data," said Keith A. Young, co-director of the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System Neuropsychiatry Research Program. "One of the things that is very clearly delineated by this study is that there truly is an association. This association has been seen with other anxiety disorders before, and there were some hints with PTSD, but this is the best. This kind of sets it in stone."

The challenge now is to find out whether this is a cause-and-effect relationship.

Previous studies have indicated a more general link between anxiety disorders and asthma, but this study focused specifically on PTSD, a disorder that involves nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks linked to "triggers" that develop after exposure to combat or other extremely disturbing events.

This study looked at 3,065 male twin pairs listed in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry.

Click here to read the entire article from CBC News


Click here for information on the treatment of PTSD
link to this post

 

Friday, November 16, 2007 12:07 PM
posted by Rolf B. Gainer, Ph.D.

Delayed Mental Health Problems in Returning Iraq Veterans

A study released by the Department of Defense has noted that it may
take six months or more for mental health problems to emerge among
returning Iraq veterans. In a study of 88,000 soldiers, a six month
follow-up revealed a higher number of individuals with PTSD,
interpersonal conflicts and referrals for mental health problems. In a
study released 20 months ago, officials at Walter Read reported 19% of
the returning veterans with mental health problems. The new report
showed an alarming jump in veterans reporting inter-personal conflict,
PTSD and depression. There was a significant variance in the mental
health needs of active military versus the reservists and National
Guard troops.

As more individuals are returning from the conflict in Iraq and
Afghanistan we are seeing an alarming increase in the mental health
problems our veterans are bringing home. Can the military meet the
needs of our returning soldiers? Will services be available for
soldiers who develop problems in the months and, possibly years
following their separation from the military? There are currently more
questions than answers.
link to this post

 

Thursday, November 15, 2007 9:06 AM
posted by Rolf B. Gainer, Ph.D.

The Face of Social Anxiety: Perception and Reality

People with social anxiety interpret the world around them
differently. In a study to be published in the January 2008 issue of
the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, people with anxiety were found
to have a stronger response to fear. The study was based on the
response to subliminal (brief) exposure to happy and fearful faces and
then to surprised faces for a longer period of time. The volunteers in
the study with higher levels of social anxiety were more likely to
rate the surprised face as frightened than did individuals with lower
levels of social anxiety. Dr. Wen Li, the lead author of the study at
Northwestern University, commented that "the evaluation of ambiguous
cues as negative is the very hallmark symptom of social anxiety." Dr.
Li further described the group with high social anxiety as
hypervigilant and hypersensistive. Their readiness to perceive stimuli
as causing fear may, in fact, produce more anxiety.

This study will help define new treatment for the incapacitating
aspects of social anxiety. People can learn to retrain themselves to
emphasize the positive and exert control over their negative
responses. Our interactions with others, as we learn from studies
like this, is truly based upon perception creating reality.
link to this post

 

8:04 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Iraq vets have higher risk for mental health problems than previously thought

Screenings conducted immediately upon the return of US vets of the Iraq war may not have fully indicated the severity of their mental health encumbrance. A total of 88,000 health assessments were completed immediately after, and then six months later, by returning soldiers; these health assessments were then evaluated by army researchers. Approximately 17% of army reservists and active duty soldiers that completed the assessments immediately upon their return were found to have mental health problems. Reservists were reported to have a higher risk for depression, PTSD, and other mental health concerns. The surveys taken six months later showed an increased percentage of both groups needed or were already engaged in mental health care, 42% of reservists and 20% of active soldiers. The following is an excerpt of an article from the associated press with more details:

The euphoria of a soldier's homecoming from Iraq often gives way to depression, stress and trouble dealing with family members during the first months home, a new Pentagon study finds.

And the adjustment struggle was more profound for National Guard troops and reservists than it was for active-duty soldiers.

About 42 percent of the Guard and reserves, compared to 20 percent of active-duty troops, were identified as needing mental health treatment in two screenings. The first testing was immediately upon return from Iraq and the second six months later.

Problems showed up more often on the second screening. From the time they returned, there was a fourfold increase in interpersonal problems, for example, likely driven by family conflicts as the returning soldiers adjusted to home life.

Almost a third of the more than 88,000 returning soldiers in the study had signs of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, conflicts in relationships or other problems after six months.

That compared to about 17 percent when the soldiers first got home, according to the report that appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.

"We're trying to study these mental health impacts as the war unfolds and we're trying to apply what we're learning to set up new systems of care," said Dr. Charles Milliken of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, who led the study.

Click here to read the entire article from the associated press

Click here for information on Treatment options for PTSD

Click here to register for Brookhaven's December presentation of:
"The Pipeline: One Soldier's Trip Through the Military's Medical Megaride"
Presented by Rolf Gainer, PhD and Mike Mason, Author, Speaker & Brain Injury Consultant, December 5th, 2007, 1130am- 100pm @ Brookhaven Hospital
link to this post

 

7:59 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Fibromyalgia patients have difficulty coping

According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, patients suffering from fibromyalgia have a significantly lower ability to cope with their symptoms than do patients with other rheumatic diseases. According to one of the researchers, Dr. Robert S. Katz, "The intensity of fibromyalgia syndromes can be overwhelming for the fibromylagia patient and their families, and also very challenging for physicians and nurses treating these patients." The study, with 110 participants, was based on responses from a questionnaire and visual analog scales. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that discusses the particulars:

To see whether there were differences in coping skills among patients with rheumatic disease, Dr. Katz and colleagues asked 110 patients with rheumatic disease to fill out a validated 13-item pain-coping scale; 100 of the patients also completed 13 visual analog scales rating how well they handled their symptoms of pain and fatigue.

Fifty of the patients had fibromyalgia, 22 had rheumatoid arthritis, 13 had systemic lupus erythematosus, nine had regional musculoskeletal pain, seven had osteoarthritis, and nine had other inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

The investigators used the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test to compare the rating of patients with fibromyalgia with those of patients with other conditions.

Fibromyalgia patients aside, there were no statistically significant differences among patients in the other disease categories in their self-rating of their ability to cope.

On 11 of the 13 visual analog scales, fibromyalgia patients also reported significantly worse results than others. The items included "worrying about whether their pain will end, thinking their pain is never going to get better, anxiously wanting the pain to go away, thinking about how much their pain hurts, thinking about how badly they want the pain to stop, not being able to stop thinking about their pain, and feeling overwhelmed, unable to go on, fearful the pain will get worse, unable to reduce their pain intensity, and unable to stand their pain."

Click here to read the entire article from Medpage Today

link to this post

 

Friday, November 09, 2007 1:43 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Emotional eaters struggle more with weight loss

Weight loss is difficult. Finding a balance between exercise and diet is a complicated science to say the least. However, exercise and diet are not the only factors to consider with regards to weight loss. The psychology of weight loss is a predominate factor in creating a successful weight loss plan.

A recent study published by Heather Niemeier and colleagues at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University revealed that weight loss is much more difficult for “emotional eaters.” The study reported that emotional eaters both have more difficulty in losing weight and in keeping it off. The study focused on a group of 286 overweight participants who were subjects in a behavioral study and another group of 3,300 adults that had lost at least 30 pounds and were able to keep it off for a least a year. The following is an excerpt of an article from Reuters that reviews the study:

"We found that the more people report eating in response to thoughts and feelings, the less weight they lost," Heather Niemeier, an obesity researcher at The Miriam Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, said in a statement.

"Amongst successful weight losers, those who report emotional eating are more likely to regain," said Niemeier, whose study appears in the journal Obesity.

The study included 286 overweight men and women who were participating in a behavioral weight loss program.

A second group consisted of more than 3,300 adults who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least one year.

Niemeier and her team analyzed responses to an eating inventory questionnaire.

They focused on people who ate because of external influences, such as people who eat too much at parties, and people who ate because of internal influences, such as feeling lonely or as a reward.

Click here to read the entire article from Reuters

Click here for information on Brookhaven’s programs for eating disorders

link to this post

 

1:39 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Prenatal alcohol use connected to aggressive behavior

It is common knowledge that abuse of alcoholic beverages can cause aggressive behaviors in those that consume them. However, a recent study published by Assistant Professor Brian D’Onofrio and colleagues at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in Indiana has found a connection between prenatal alcohol consumption and aggressive behavior in adolescents. According to the study, adolescents whose mothers drank during pregnancy were found to be more apt to bully, break things, and otherwise display aggressive behavior.

Information from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth was used to assess the prevalence of aggressive behaviors in adolescents whose mothers drank during pregnancy and adolescents whose mothers did not. The sample was taken from the date rang of 1986 to 2004 and observed adolescents ages 14 to 21 years of age. The following is an excerpt of an article from Indiana Daily Student News that discusses the specifics of the study:

D’Onofrio said the group studied the findings in children exposed to alcohol, looking for behavioral conduct problems in children. He then compared the results to children not exposed to alcohol during gestation.

“We were able to control the mothers’ drinking after pregnancy, and were able to rule out other factors,” D’Onofrio said.

D’Onofrio said the study’s biggest strength was its ability to draw comparisons between siblings who were exposed to alcohol.

“The study strongly suggests that alcohol exposure actually causes children to have more conduct problems,” D’Onofrio said.

D’Onofrio added that in comparing siblings that were indirectly exposed, second-born children are much less likely to have conduct problems.

D’Onofrio said an interesting finding of the study was that, although drinking alcohol is associated with attention and impulsivity problems, other risk factors during pregnancy contribute to these problems more than alcohol consumption itself does.

Both Van Hulle and D’Onofrio said the purpose of the study is to build support for public health messages urging pregnant women not to drink.

Click here to read the entire article from Indiana Daily Student News

­Action Point:

It is not unreasonable to think that drinking alcohol in moderation is both safe and enjoyable. However, if you have made a plan to, or even considered, drinking alcohol during pregnancy this is possibly an indication that you could benefit from a personal assessment from a licensed professional. Have you had any of the following thoughts?

““So and so” drank on occasion during her pregnancy and her child is just fine.”

“Of course I wouldn’t drink hard liquor during pregnancy but certainly a glass of wine now and then isn’t going to hurt.”

“It’s only one party.”

Take a personal inventory. Do any of the above excuses sound familiar? If so, seek out a professional that can advise you about some helpful options.

Click here for information on Brookhaven’s chemical dependency programs

link to this post

 

1:34 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Daily consumption of energy drinks related to heart risk

In my last blog I discussed the behavioral risks associated with consuming concoctions containing energy drinks and alcohol, risks which were reported in a recently published study. However, the dangers of mixing energy drinks with alcohol are not the only reason that some states have already placed restrictions on the sell of energy drinks. Another study, howbeit smaller, conducted by Dr. James Kalus and colleagues at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit Michigan, reported a link between the consumption of energy drinks and heart risk.

Specifically, the study revealed that healthy participants gradually increased their systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate over a period of five days while on a regiment of energy drinks. Although the study did not find the increases to be dangerous for the healthy study participants, it does suggest consumption of energy drinks could be dangerous for patients with heart disease; risk is significantly increased for those drinking two or more energy drinks a day, both for those with heart disease and those that are healthy. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that discusses the specifics of the study:

On the first day of the study, they measured each volunteer's blood pressure and heart rate and also took an electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess heart function.

After that, the participants drank two cans of an energy drink containing 80 milligrams of caffeine and 1,000 milligrams of taurine, and this was followed by further blood pressure, heart rate and ECG measurements 30 minutes, one two, three and four hours later. This was repeated each day for the next five days, until the seventh day of the study when they repeated what they did on the first day.

In their analysis Kalus and colleagues compared the average at baseline (day 1) and day 7 with the peaks during the intervening 5 days.

The results showed that:

• Within 4 hours of consuming the energy drink, the maximum systolic blood pressure (the higher of the two blood pressure measures, when the heart compresses), increased by 7.9 per cent on day 1 and 9.6 per cent on day 7.

• Within 2 hours of consuming the energy drink, the maximum diastolic blood pressure (the lower of the two blood pressure measures, when the heart relaxes between beats) went up 7 percent on day 1 and 7.8 percent on day 7.

• Heart rate increased by 7.8 per cent on day 1 and 11 per cent on day seven.

• Over the period of the study, heart rates went up between 5 and 7 beats per minute and systolic blood pressure went up by 10 mm mercury (Hg) after having the energy drink.

• No significant ECG changes were observed.

Click here to read the entire article from Medical News Today

Click here to read about Brookhaven’s substance abuse programs

link to this post

 

Thursday, November 08, 2007 5:40 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Mindless Mixture

Mixing alcohol with energy drinks seems to be the new fad among younger drinkers. The common thought among young drinkers is that mixing energy drinks with alcohol creates the buzz of being intoxicated without actually feeling “drunk.” However, researchers at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., have recently discovered that the mindless mixture is increasing the risk of injury in its consumers. Mary Claire O'Brien, one of the authors of the study, stated that the reason for increased injury may be due to the false sense of sobriety the mixture provides. According to the findings, participants that consumed the mixture were more likely than those that consumed alcohol alone to:

• Take advantage of someone sexually, or be taken advantage of
• Become injured
• Ride in a vehicle with someone intoxicated
• Require medical treatment

The conclusion is straightforward; mix moderation with alcohol instead of energy drinks, if you must drink at all. Simply drinking less will provide the sobriety that consumers of the concoction seek after.

The following is an excerpt of an article from Science Daily that reviews the study:

For this study, the authors interviewed 500 students at the School of Medicine at the University of Messina about their use of energy drinks, alone and/or in combination with alcohol. Of the 500 total, 450 students (191 males, 259 females) also completed a questionnaire.

Results indicate that a significant proportion (56.9%) of the students consumed energy drinks. Nearly half (48.4%) of these reported mixing energy drinks and alcohol; and 35.8 percent had consumed that combination more than three times in the preceding month.

"This means that roughly 27 percent of the total sample of students interviewed mixed energy drinks and alcohol," said Calapai. Even though the results were somewhat expected, both he and Navarra were surprised by the sheer popularity of energy drinks among the students, and even more so by the prevalence of combining energy drinks with alcohol.

"Normally, in my country, our youth have tended to drink their alcohol with meals," said Calapai. "This new manner of alcohol consumption, mixing it with energy drinks, is largely due to a 'silent promise' of escaping the undesirable or sedating effects of alcohol and increasing the desired increase in excitation caused by alcohol." He blames much of this change in drinking habits on advertising methods that target youth.

"The advertising of energy drinks is addressed almost exclusively to the world of youth," said Calapai. "The colour and shape of the packaging, its presence at sporting events, and its dedicated sites on the Internet seem to be designed exclusively for young people. Add to this an increase in alcohol consumption among Italian youth, which is commonly believed to also be due to advertising that promotes a more exciting way of life that will supposedly accompany the new drinks being marketed."

Click here to read the entire article from Science Daily

Click here for information on the treatment alcohol and drug abuse
link to this post

 

Friday, November 02, 2007 8:36 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Watch out for winter depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is on the rise again due to shorter days and lessening light. Often people who are otherwise happy folk find themselves depressed this time of year and have no idea why. They may blame themselves, cracking up the feelings as their own grumpy attitude. However, it is important for people suffering from SAD to recognize it for what it is and get help accordingly. The following article from CNN World Weekly discusses Seasonal Affective Disorder and gives some practical ways in which to combat the winter blues:

When the days start getting shorter and colder, and the nights longer and darker, many people start to suffer from winter depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD.) We outline some strategies for dealing with those winter blues.
It might seems like curious advice, but for many sufferers the effects of SAD are greatly exacerbated by the fact that they just can't understand why they feel so darned miserable, and blame themselves for their grumpiness rather than a genuine mood disorder.

Thanks, however, to the pioneering work of U.S. doctor Norman E. Rosenthal -- who coined the term SAD in 1984 -- it is now widely acknowledged that winter depression has a sound medical basis, involving changes in the body's mood centers brought on by shorter daylight hours and a lack of sunlight.

If anyone accuses you of being a surly misanthrope between the months of November to February, you can justify yourself with words to the effect of: "Sorry, but I'm suffering from a biochemical imbalance of my hypothalamus triggered by a melatonin deficiency in my pineal gland. So get off my back!"

Click here to read the entire article from CNN World Weekly

Click here for information on the treatment of depression
link to this post

 

Aric Thorpe, MHR, is Brookhaven Hospital's Pastoral Liaison Representative. He conducts the quarterly Minister's Lifeline series and provides mental health information to pastors and clergy.

Sarah McGee serves as the Community Education Provider for Brookhaven Hospital. She provides information on mental health and drug and alcohol treatment to healthcare professionals in Oklahoma and surrounding states.

Copyright © Brookhaven Hospital 2006