Myers Counseling Group Solutions

Observations Observations [RSS feeds for Observations] Opinion, arguments & analyses from the editors of Scientific American Observations HomeAboutContact Smoke and Mirrors: Driving While High on Marijuana Doubles One’s Chances of a Serious Car Crash

2012-02-15T13:47:00.000-06:00

Booze is behind an estimated 2.1 million car accidents each year in the U.S.—which cause almost 11,000 traffic fatalities annually. But many drug users have claimed that a few puffs of pot before getting behind the wheel are perfectly harmless. A new study, however, shows that drivers who smoke marijuana within a few hours of hitting the road are almost twice as likely as stone-sober motorists to be in a crash that results in serious injury or death.

Chicago aldermen OK ban on synthetic cocaine

2012-02-15T12:59:00.000-06:00

Chicago aldermen today approved a measure that would ban the sale of synthetic cocaine within the city and levy fines of up to $1,000 on retailers who violate the ordinance.

Under the measure, set for a Wednesday vote by the full council, businesses also could see their licenses suspended or revoked for selling the substances, which have become more common in recent years.

Sometimes euphemistically called bath salts, or labeled with monikers such as “8 ball” or “herbal sachet,” the substances labeled “not for human consumption” are snorted, said Cara Smith, deputy chief of staff for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: I'm pretty sure that I have a mild case of depression and it's affecting people around me. How can I rebuild my relationships with them?

2012-02-14T10:07:00.000-06:00

Depression could have different points of origins. An negative event... a loss of job, divorce, or other event transpired that causes you to be depressed. There could also be a situation in life that you are in that makes you feel depressed... unhappy marriage, unfulfilled job or health problems are some examples. Lastly, there could be a physiological cause of your depression. Life could be going well but you just feel depressed.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: How can I overcome all fear?

2012-02-02T06:42:00.001-06:00

There certainly can be some adjustments made to how you think about yourself. There is serious self doubt and negative self concept you have going. I am sure this is evident when people talk to you. Logically, for people who have poor self images, they present themselves in the same way they feel.

Mark Myers expert answer to:

2012-01-27T09:55:00.000-06:00

To live fearlessly is to live recklessly. Some degree of fear is not only normal but healthy. Just like any other human emotion, it gives us a signal and tells us something about the environment we are in. To live with out fear totally, is not only dangerous but improbable.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: Should you be pessimistic about relationships that move too quickly?

2012-01-19T07:42:00.000-06:00

For relationships that develop "quickly" I believe some degree of caution should be in order. Since quickly is a subjective term, it would be nearly impossible to establish a measuring stick of what is "too" quick. For some people, if they have had some relationships in the past and know what they are looking for, the courtship process may move more swiftly in than for other relationships.

Mark Myers expert answer to: I am angry, irritated, and frustrated most of the time. How do I control this?

2012-01-10T06:41:00.000-06:00

The symptoms that you describe(irritability, pessimism, lack of ability to accomplish tasks) could mean that you could be suffering from depression. This diagnosis would need to be confirmed by a professional. What you are experiencing has nothing to do with being a good person.

Shortages of ADHD Medications

2012-01-10T02:51:00.000-06:00

Are you experiencing difficulty in getting prescriptions filled for ADHD medications

such as Adderall, Metadate, or their generic forms?

Earlier this week,.

10 Tips for Deciphering Diet and Nutrition Claims [Excerpt]

2012-01-04T18:32:00.000-06:00

Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from the new book Coffee Is Good for You: From Vitamin C and Organic Foods to Low-Carb and Detox Diets, the Truth About Diet and Nutrition Claims (Perigee, 2012), by Robert J. Davis, who teaches the Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health.

Trying to make sense of the seemingly endless stream of food and nutrition claims can be overwhelming. Remembering the following 10 rules will make the task easier and allow you to stay focused on what's really important:

Seasonal affective disorder

2012-01-01T15:02:00.000-06:00

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, also known as winter depression is an affective,

or mood disorder.Most SAD sufferers experience normal mental health throughout most of the year, but experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer.

Mark Myers expert Answer to: Is it up to the person to decide if his habit is an addiction and a problem?

2011-12-25T13:11:00.000-06:00

For a person to be diagnosed addicted, it does not require his or her acknowledgment of the problem. However, to meet the criteria of being dependent, according to DSM IV-TR(reference source used by the medical and mental health community to diagnose mental health and substance abuse problems), that does rely on some subjective acknowledgment of the symptoms.

Teens and Synthetic Drug Use

2011-12-22T10:49:00.000-06:00

I recently spent some time in a “tobacco” shop in one of our neighboring communities.

I’m very close with someone that worked there at the time and wanted to see what took place there. I walked away incredibly heart broken and disturbed at the amount of people walking in and out with synthetic drugs. It opened my eyes to a horrifying trend in today’s youth culture.

Work Stress Causes 10 Percent of Strokes

2011-12-21T06:28:00.000-06:00

Mental stress at work may increase the risk of stroke, a new study says.

The results show that among men in middle and high social classes, those who experienced psychological stress at work were about 1.4 times more likely to have a stroke than others who did not.

10 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress.

2011-12-14T08:26:00.002-06:00

10 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress.

1. Remember....you are not alone. Ask others to help out.
2. Don't put off until last moment. That only creates more stress and adds more to the holiday frenzy. Plan ahead.
3. Shop online. Saves time and energy.
4. Remember, it's the thought that counts. Don't place extreme demands for the perfect gift.
5. Keep alcohol consumption in moderation.
6. Reach out to others. For some people, holidays could feel isolating and lonely. Volunteering can help you feel better by helping others, feel more connected to people, and expand your network and resources.
7. Stick to a budget. A maxed out credit card certainly can add to the stress.
8. Be realistic with your expectations. If other family members have other obligations and cannot be with you during the holiday, find other ways to connect. This could include Skype, group phone call, e mails, photos and video's.
9. Set limits. Learn to say no.
10. Do not give in to the belief it is okay to let go because it is the holiday. Unhealthy lifestyles make you feel unhealthy. Also creates feelings of guilt and sometimes anger.

It is important to keep in mind the holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration and joy. Try to enjoy the time, appreciate what you have, think positive, stay in control of your situation and offer yourself a break.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: How do you get someone with bipolar disorder to understand their diagnosis?

2011-12-07T06:41:00.000-06:00

The intensity of bipolar symptoms are different from person to person as well as one portion(depression or mania)of the illness presenting itself more clearly than another. A diagnosis is difficult to determine at times, even for professionals. In order to accurately diagnose someone, professionals are dependent on either the patient's or others interpretation of symptoms. The mania portion of the illness is at times mistaken for anxiety.

Virtual Infidelity: Are You Guilty Of It?

2011-12-06T06:34:00.000-06:00

Is a person really cheating on their spouse if the relationship never gets physical? Is it possible to have an online affair that goes too far?

ADHD Holiday Help: House Rules for Children

2011-12-05T06:36:00.000-06:00

For the Norman Rockwell family, the holidays are a quiet time of peace, love and togetherness.

However, several weeks of school-free kids, cooped up in cold weather along with visiting relatives and in-laws never seem to paint the same pretty picture!

7 tips to making traveling with your kids a holiday treat

2011-12-02T07:09:00.000-06:00

Before you head over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house for Thanksgiving, check out our seven tips to make traveling with your kids a holiday treat.

Taming temper tantrums: Are you doing it wrong?

2011-11-28T08:45:00.002-06:00

Research shows that 70 percent of children throw temper tantrums, according to parenting expert Michele Borba.

Wait, what? Who are these 30 percent of calm children, and where can I get one?

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: How can an anxious person prevent, or reduce the effect of, irrational health fears and worries?

2011-11-28T08:36:00.000-06:00

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: How can an anxious person prevent, or reduce the effect of, irrational health fears and worries?

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: How do I handle being married to an addict / alcoholic who refuses treatment?

2011-11-15T08:26:00.000-06:00

The decision to stay or leave your relationship is not an event but a process. This process is going to take a lot of work. For significant others, there is no clear indicator to let you know when enough is enough. Addicts/Alcoholics will make promises about quitting, minimize the impact and extent of their use, cut back for short period's of times, and show you the person that you knew before the addiction took over, believing change could happen.

7 Tips to Avoid Family Holiday Travel Tension.

2011-11-10T06:32:00.000-06:00

Ah, the holidays. It's filled with joyous moments where family gathers to share food, fun--and

generally tries not to get too annoyed with one another.
Flying or driving to that Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful enough. But then there is the added extra stress of cramming into Grandma's one-bedroom condo in Florida or staying with the overbearing in-laws for for longer than you'd care to.

R

Could zapping the brain with magnets help you overcome aggression and social anxiety?

2011-11-10T06:10:00.000-06:00

Our emotions can be controlled by stimulating the brain with magnets, scientists have revealed.
A study using magnetic stimulation (TMS) found people could not control their impulses as much when the front part of the cerebral cortex was less active.
Experts believe it could be used to help people overcome strong urges to avoid social situations, such as a party.

Focus on the Behavior, Not the Argument

2011-11-08T08:28:00.000-06:00

A parent's job is to teach, guide, direct, and protect their children. At times, this job

description may require different actions on a parent's part when it comes to addressing the needs of their child. For example, if a child is staying out past curfew that would be a directing moment(when to come home and what consequences will be if late) more than a teaching moment(explaining the dangers and problems of staying out late). Furthermore, the longer the discussion goes on about the why it is important to obey curfew, the longer the child will feel this expectation is negotiable. Children do not have to agree with a rule, just understand the need to follow it. The longer you get caught up in the argument, the less effective you will be in addressing the behavior.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: How can I become a happier person?

2011-11-07T08:26:00.000-06:00

Happiness is an individual and subjective experience. How someone defines it and views it, is what happiness is to them. A moment of happiness for a teenager or adrenalin seeking adult could be a going down a high thrill roller coaster ride. For others (those of us more ground based) this could be a very unpleasant activity. There is not one universal accepted experience or state of mind that defines happiness. An individual concept of happiness is formed by subjective interpretations of events and expectations set forth by themselves or others.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: What is the best way to help a friend who is suffering from professional burnout

2011-10-31T11:12:00.000-05:00

The first step is trying to educate him that he/she is experiencing "burn out." Does your friend

identify feeling burnout. Some of the classic symptoms include: feeling a loss of control over work environment, dreading going to work, anxiety over work situation, negative attitude about work, working long hours and still not feeling caught up, feeling unappreciated, and talking about work in a negative context. This could personally impact on someone in the following ways: sleep difficulties, anxiety, feeling hopeless, depression, family relations, personal relations, and even physical symptoms.

Siblings & Autism: How Are Kids Affected by Special Needs Brothers & Sisters

2011-10-27T06:54:00.000-05:00

It's a question that not everyone asks or even thinks about, unless you are the parent to more

than child and especially if you are a parent of a child with special needs and a child/children with no special needs.

How are your other children affected by your aspergers child?

An estimated five million "developing" Canadian children have siblings with some type of disorder (eg., ADHD, Austism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Downs, Depression), and often these children can feel left out, pushed behind the parental wall while parents focus on the child with special needs, and left feeling empty, alone and un-loved.

When Trace was born, JJ was seven years old. He was so excited to have a little brother. Heck, he was excited just to have a sibling that belonged to him. He had dreams and plans, things he wanted to do with his brother, how he wanted to be a big brother and dreams for the future of their relationship.

Results versus Process

2011-10-25T18:39:00.000-05:00

Individuals making important decisions in life at times could find themselves immobilized but focusing too much on end results. While possible outcomes are helpful to look at when making a big decision, we need to remember there are many intangibles involved that impact on the actual results.

An example of this would be a wife of an alcoholic decides to divorce her husband after many unsuccessful years of trying to get him to stop drinking. After the divorce he could choose to remarry and stop drinking. This does not mean she made the wrong decision. At the time she choose to take an action based on information she had at her disposal, such as, years he was drinking, repeated requests to stop, financial and emotional resources that were effected by his drinking, and where she was at emotionally.

If we look back or evaluate the process involved in making a decision we are choosing NOT to making ourselves responsible for other peoples actions. We cannot control outcomes but can control ourselves. The effort and thought in making a decision is more important than the results.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to:What sort of hacks can I use to snap out of depression?

2011-10-24T08:53:00.000-05:00

What sort of hacks can I use to snap out of depression? I've been diagnosed with depression, but don't want to take medication.

Depending on the severity, the length of time it has been going on, and the impact it is having on your life, there are different ways someone can address feeling depressed. The first step is learning more about your depression. Try to determine patterns to your depression. Is it more intense during certain times of the day, talking with certain people, or thinking certain thoughts? Are some days better than other days? Is it more intense during certain times of the year? How long does it last when you are depressed? Keeping a journal would be one way to help determine patterns.

This information gathering is going to be helpful. If you feel depressed more during Winter time(for most people in general this is common to some degree), this may suggest a possibility of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Interventions could include increasing activities, buying a light therapy lamp, or increasing excercise routine.

While gathering information you may also see a pattern to how you think. Are you looking at situations pessimistically? Are you feeling lonely? Are you feeling depressed because of certain relationships or lack there of? How are you sleeping and does lack of sleep impact on your emotions? If you see a point of origin to your depression, you can implement a plan of action to address this.

Some strategies could include: increase/include exercise, vitamins, increase social networks, hypnosis, volunteer, join support group, involve yourself in religious activities or organisations, or changing your way of thinking. Medication does not have to be involved, but in some cases it is necessary. Talk therapy could also be introduced. A therapist could help you in planning out a course of action.

Mark Myers expert answer to: Why do so many children and young people feel fear, powerlessness, anger and/or disgust towards school?

2011-10-17T08:04:00.000-05:00

I am not sure there are studies that would support your belief that most children feel fear, powerlessness, anger,and disgust towards school. These are intense emotions that you are describing. I see through my practice, children feeling anger toward going to school but that does not mean they are angry at the school system itself. As a rule, children/youth are very self focused and do not have the ability to plan or look ahead. They are very attune to the here and now. Asking them to participate in an activity that requires effort and structure, is something that goes against their developmental write up.

What to Expect When You Have ADHD Kids | ADHD Mom Blog

2011-10-16T14:30:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought, "I give this child my all. I have nothing left for myself, my spouse, or my other child(ren)," or, "I worry about my child’s future constantly"?

Do you wish someone had written -- and you'd read -- a guide called What to Expect When You're (Not) Expecting a Special Needs Child to help prepare you for your child's challenges? If so, you're not alone.

As I mentioned in my last post, I coedited a book aimed at bridging the gap between parents of “Easy to Love but Hard to Raise” children, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), learning disabilities (LD), sensory processing disorder (SPD), or other alphabet soup conditions that take the already difficult job of parenting and add to the challenge.

FAMILY LIFELINES: Handling parenting stress

2011-10-13T06:48:00.000-05:00

We are all living with stress in our lives. Stress is the reaction we have to a situation presented to us. We need some stress in our lives. Positive stress is what gets us up and going every day. Some stress works positively for us by providing the extra energy to help us work through our ...

How meditation relieves the subjective experience of pain

2011-10-12T07:31:00.000-05:00

Meditation can relieve pain, and it does so by activating multiple brain areas, according to an April study in the Journal of Neuroscience. Fadel Zeidan of Wake Forest University and his colleagues scanned people’s brains as they received uncomfortably hot touches to the leg. When subjects practiced a mindful meditation technique that encourages detachment from experience while focusing on breathing, they reported less pain than when they simply paid attention to their breathing.

Helping Visual, Auditory, and Tactile ADHD Learners

2011-10-12T07:21:00.000-05:00

Each child has his or her own learning style — a unique way of taking in and processing

information. Most kids – especially ADHD students – use all of their five senses for learning, but often favor one sense over the others.

"Visual learners" prefer reading or observing. "Auditory learners" do best with talking and listening. "Tactile/kinesthetic learners" benefit most from a hands-on approach.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: Why is criticism considered with negative connotations?

2011-10-11T07:04:00.000-05:00

Why is criticism considered with negative connotations?
Edit
Criticism appears to be the greatest gift one may bestow upon another if the other is truly interested in growing and discovering a heightened self-awareness.

It appears that people frequently take things personally and leave situations gravely offended rather than thankful that someone has brought new light to an issue:

Twelve bullying myths

2011-10-10T08:52:00.000-05:00

Myths and misconceptions
Not a day goes by without another gut-wrenching tale of bullying making headlines. Schoolyards erupt in violence. Social-media sites turn into cyber lynch mobs. Kids commit suicide after enduring months of abuse. Despite all the media attention, parents often remain in the dark about what actions to take when it happens to their children — or when their children bully others.

Steroid use increasing in athletic community

2011-10-07T07:27:00.000-05:00

Anabolic steroids are familiar to many of us as the synthetic substances used by some athletes to help promote the growth of skeletal muscle. There are now more than 100 different kinds of anabolic steroids, all of which require a prescription to be used legally in the United States. Those who would use and/or distribute them illegally have been able to obtain these steroids by smuggling them into the country from foreign sources, synthesizing them in underground laboratories, or by stealing or diverting them from pharmacies. Unfortunately, the illegal use of these drugs has grown into a huge issue, especially in the athletic community.

Lessons from Sherlock Holmes: Don’t Decide Before You Decide

2011-10-07T07:24:00.000-05:00

When we make a decision, we are, in fact, deciding. It’s plain common sense. The definition of a decision. A tautology if ever there was one. Right? Actually, wrong. While it may indeed seem a commonsensical tautology, the truth is that we often decide long before we’re making a decision: our preconceptions, biases, behavioral habits and usual ways of acting have long since decided for us.

The Ways We Talk About Pain

2011-10-07T07:17:00.000-05:00

The experience forced me to think about our relationship to pain—not chronic pain, but acute

experiences: how much of it we think we’re allowed to feel, how much of it that we express, and how we’re supposed to respond when we’re hurt. None of us are immune to physical pain. At the very least, we’ve all likely stubbed a toe or scraped a knee at some point. Some of us have broken bones. And we’ve probably had some degree of headache. However, for each of these scenarios there is a particular response. If you stub your toe, for example, and behave as though you’ve broken your leg, you’ll likely be met with skepticism about the magnitude of pain you claim to feel. And if you persistently do this, your reputation may lead toward dramatic or hyperbole.

The Hedonic Nose: Pleasure May Organize Your Sense of Smell

2011-10-07T07:11:00.000-05:00

The nose has long been viewed as a disorganized sensory organ, its odor receptors strewn about with very little rhyme or reason. A study in Nature Neuroscience, published online September 25, challenges that notion. It suggests that odor receptors are grouped by the pleasantness of the odors they detect.

Speech Disorders May Be Helped Using Rhythm and Familiar Words

2011-10-06T06:56:00.000-05:00

Singing therapy is often used to restore fluency to sufferers of speech disorders due to stroke. Recent research found, however, it may not be the singing itself that helps. Christie Nicholson reports

Depressed Patients May Process Hate Feelings Differently

2011-10-06T06:45:00.000-05:00

Depressed Patients May Process Hate Feelings Differently
Activity in the brain's "hate circuit" is out of sync across the circuit's three regions, leading to self-loathing and other failures to deal appropriately with feelings of hate, research suggests.

History and the Decline of Human Violence

2011-10-06T06:38:00.000-05:00

History and the Decline of Human Violence. In a magisterial new book, Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker argues that humanity's ‘better angels’ are triumphing

Mark Myers expert Answer to: What are the best ways to convince other people that "negative" incidents from your past won't be relevant for your future?

2011-10-04T07:24:00.000-05:00

Responses to this question may differ depending on the people and the negative incident(s) from your past. If the incident was of a grievous nature, for some they may never get past it. Even if the incident(s) was not significant, some individuals have a difficult time moving past impressions they have of other people.

Out of the Darkness, Suicide Awareness and Prevention

2011-10-03T06:49:00.000-05:00

Standing in a sea of people preparing for the Out of the Darkness Walk for R.I.T.A. is a women holding a board with pictures of a young man who should now be in the prime of his life.
“He didn’t realize how special he was, and how many people cared about him. We’re walking in his memory in hopes that others will know there is always someone they can reach out to,” said Rena Charboneau.
Daniel, a family friend, ended his life at the age of 18. And like the 1,000 other walkers that raised just under $100,000 at the morning’s awareness and fundraising event, Team Daniel hopes their efforts may inspire others to make the outreach effort Daniel ultimately did not.
“We need to talk about suicide, about behaviors that warn us that someone is considering it. We need to realize mental illnesses have treatments that work, and that no one should feel shame in needing help,” said Lisa Riley, co-chair of the walk and president of the capitol region chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

What do parents really need to know about bullying? It's not necessarily what you think.

2011-10-03T06:37:00.000-05:00

You'll know when your child is being bullied. Just because your child doesn’t tell you he or she is being bullied doesn’t mean it’s not happening. In 2007 almost a third of middle and high schoolers reported that they’d been bullied at school. And those are the ones who admitted it. “It’s one of those silent issues,” Williams says. Many kids don’t speak up because they think that it will lead to more abuse, because they’re ashamed, and because of the powerful unwritten code against snitching.

2011-09-30T08:23:00.000-05:00

A-B-C Theory of Emotional Disturbance
“Men are disturbed not by things, but the view which they take of them.”
1st century A.D. Epicieus,

It is not the event, but rather our interpretation of it that causes our emotional reaction.

A. Activating Experience

Woman friend breaks the news that she is going out with another man, and therefore wants to break off the relationship with you.

B. Belief about (or interpretation of the experience)

“ I must really be a worthless person.”
“I’ll never find another great woman like her.”
“She doesn’t want me therefore no one could possibly want me.”
and/or
“This is awful.. Everything happens to me.”
“That witch! She shouldn’t be that way.”
“I can’t stand the world being so unfair.”

C. Upsetting emotional consequences

Depression and\or Hostility

D. Disputing of irrational ideas

“Where is the evidence that because this woman wishes to end our relationship, that I am worthless person: or that I’ll never be able to have a really good relationship with someone else: or even that I couldn’t be happy alone?”

and\or

“Why is it awful that I’m not getting what I want?” “Why shouldn’t the world be full of injustices?”

E. New emotional consequence or effect

Sadness: (“Well, we did have a nice relationship, and I’m sorry to see it end-but it did have it’s problems and now I can go out and find new friends.”)

or

Annoyance: (It’s annoying that she was seeing someone else but it isn’t awful or intolerable.”)

Can drugs drill holes in your brain?

2011-09-30T07:19:00.000-05:00

The idea of drugs tunneling their way through the brain, worms to the mind’s apple, is a frequent metaphor I hear. I wrote on the topic for Discovery’s Curiosity and resurfaced it to prepare material for drug education talks with high schoolers. Here’s a simple look back at the common question, which never fails to remind me just how complex, yet undeniably vulnerable, our brains are:

Myers Counseling Group Expert Answer to: Why do some people not like the concept of change?

2011-09-26T07:26:00.000-05:00

People may not like to change for a variety of reasons. Among them is change offers something different. Different means less predictability and more of the unknown. Individuals may feel a loss of control with the unknown. For some, this is a very uncomfortable experience. It may be uncomfortable enough to discourage change even though it may be beneficial for them.

For kids with OCD, adding therapy to drugs helps

2011-09-25T20:37:00.000-05:00

Children plagued by the repetitive behaviors, irrational fears and intrusive thoughts of

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder often get some relief from widely prescribed antidepressants. But when they also get a form of psychotherapy that teaches them different ways to think about and respond to their fears and compulsions, they get much better, a new study finds.

Diet linked to teen mental health issues

2011-09-23T06:52:00.000-05:00

Adolescents who eat healthy diets packed with fruit and vegetables have lower rates of mental health problems, a study shows.

A study of 3000 adolescents has found that those who had poor diets filled with junk and processed foods were more likely to suffer mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

While other studies have shown links between diet quality and mental health disorders in adults, the new research is the first to demonstrate the link in adolescents.

Is it more selfish to have children or to remain childless?

2011-09-22T07:11:00.000-05:00

Mark Myers Expert Answer to:

Why Laughter May Be the Best Pain Medicine

2011-09-22T06:12:00.000-05:00

Laughing with friends releases feel-good brain chemicals, which also relieve pain, new research

indicates.

Until now, scientists haven't proven that like exercise and other activities, laughing causes a release of so-called endorphins.

"Very little research has been done into why we laugh and what role it plays in society," study researcher Robin Dunbar, of the University of Oxford, said in a statement. "We think that it is the bonding effects of the endorphin rush that explain why laughter plays such an important role in our social lives."

Girls' and boys' brains: How different are they?

2011-09-19T22:16:00.000-05:00

When my son was a toddler, his best friend, a girl, gave him a sparkling dancing Katrina doll for a birthday present. He'd apparently admired the doll at her house, but once he got it he never played with it – until the day I found him chasing his little brother around with the doll, which he'd managed to twist into the shape of a gun.

Boys will be boys? Proof that gender differences are hardwired? Not so fast. Like most parents, I have just as many tales illustrating the influence of nurture on my son's behavior. At preschool one day, as he was playing dress up with two girlfriends, he donned a scarlet tutu. Within a minute an older, cooler boy guffawed, "Boys don't wear dresses!" He never put on girl clothes again.

How ADHD Children Can Control Emotions

2011-09-19T06:44:00.000-05:00

When children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) practice controlling their emotions and impulsive outbursts, they will be healthier and happier at school and home.

Why are Children Bullied and What Can a Parent Do?

2011-09-19T06:32:00.000-05:00

Why are some children (and adults) singled out as targets for bullying and what can be done to prevent it?

According to the National Education Association Nationwide study on bullying, hundreds of thousands of children become victims each year, affecting nearly 30 percent of school-aged kids on a monthly basis. The acts of violence take place verbally, physically and within the cyber world and can create life-long damage.

35 Proven Stress Reducers

2011-09-19T06:27:00.000-05:00

35 Proven Stress Reducers

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful.

2. Don’t rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when to pick up dry cleaning, etc.

3. Practice preventive maintenance. Your car, appliances, home or relationships will be less likely to break down/fall apart “at the worst possible moment”.

4. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet.

5. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do Tamar, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.

6. Plan ahead. Don’t let the gas tank get to low, don’t wait until your down to your last postage stamp to buy more, etc..

7. Don’t put up with something that doesn’t work right. If your alarm clock, wallet, windshield wipers-whatever-are a constant aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones.

8. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get appointments. Plan to arrive at the airport one hour before domestic departures.

9. Be prepared to wait. A paperback book can make waiting in line almost enjoyable.

10. Always set up continency plans, “just in case”. (i.e., “if for some reason either of us is delayed, her is what we’ll do...”).

11. At times, relax your standards. This world will not end if the grass doesn’t mowed this weekend, if the laundry is cleaned on Sunday instead of Saturday, etc..

12. For every one thing that goes wrong, there are probably 10 to 50 or 100 blessings.
Count ‘ em!!!

13. Ask questions. Taking a few minutes to repeat back directions, what someone expects of you, etc.., can save hours.

14. Say No! Saying no to extra projects, social activities and invitations you know you don’t ha\ve the time or energy for takes practice, self respect and a belief that everyone, everyday needs quiet time to relax and to be alone.

15. Unplug your telephone. Want to take a long bath, sleep or read without interruption? Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect. (The possibility of there being a terrible emergency in the next hour or so is almost nil).

16. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

17. Make friends with nonworriers. Nothing can get you into the habit of worrying faster than associating with chronic worrywarts.

18. Get enough sleep.

19. Create order out of chaos. Organize your home and workplace so that you always know exactly where things are. Put things away where they belong and you don’t have to go through he stress of losing things.

20. When feeling stressed, most people tend to breath in short, shallow breaths. When you breath like this, stale air is not expelled, oxidation of tissues is inadequate, and muscle tension usually results. Check your breathing throughout the day. If you find your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax your muscles and take several breaths.

21. Learn to live one day at a time.

22. Every day, do something you enjoy.

23. Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help you clear your mind of confusion so that you can concentrate on problem solving.

24. Do something for someone else.

25. Do something that will improve your appearance. Looking better can help you feel better.

26. Schedule a realistic day. Avoid the tendency to schedule back to back appointments.

27. Become more flexible. Some things are worth not doing perfectly and some issues are well to compromise upon.

28. Eliminate destructive self talk: “I’m too old to..”’ “I’m too fat...”’ etc.

29. Learn to delegate responsibility to capable others.

30. If an especially “unpleasant” task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with. Then the rest of the day will be free of anxiety.

31. Take care of today’s as best as you can and yesterday’s and Tamar’s will take care of themselves.

32. Allow yourself time-everyday-for privacy, quiet, and introspection.

33. Do one thing at a time. When you are with someone, be with that person and no one else or nothing else.

34. Have a forgiving view of events and people. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world.

35. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best that they can.

How to Improve Your Life with Story Editing

2011-09-14T06:40:00.000-05:00

Concerns about Stigma Undermine ADHD Treatment for Adolescents

2011-09-14T06:35:00.000-05:00

Concerns about Stigma Undermine ADHD Treatment for Adolescents

Because ADHD frequently persists into adolescence, and continues to undermine teens' academic and social functioning, most adolescents continue to need treatment. However, as issues of self-direction and autonomy become more important for teens, resistance to treatment for ADHD - medication or otherwise - frequently intensifies and many adolescents stop treatment prematurely. This is a challenge that many parents struggle with.

It is thus important to understand the factors - particularly adolescents' perspectives on treatment - that affect the receipt of ADHD treatment during this critical developmental period. Examining this issue was the focus of a study published recently in the Journal of Adolescent Health [Bussing et al (2011). Receiving treatment for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Do the perspectives of adolescents matter. Journal of Adolescent Health, 49, 7-14.]

Participants were 168 adolescents - about 50% female - and their parents recruited through a public school system in the US. These adolescents screened positive for ADHD in elementary school and were contacted 6 years later for a follow-up assessment. At follow-up, over 60% continued to meet full diagnostic criteria for ADHD and many others still had elevated levels of ADHD symptoms. The researchers were interested in how many adolescents had received ADHD treatment in the past year and the parent and child characteristics that predicted the receipt of treatment.

- Parent Perspectives -

Clinical need - Parents rated their teen on symptoms of ADHD, disruptive behavior, emotional distress and overall impairment. High levels of symptoms reflected high clinical need for treatment.

Treatment receptivity - Parents rated how receptive they were towards obtaining medication treatment or counseling for their child.

Caregiver strain - Parents rated the effect of caring for a child with emotional or behavioral problems, such as demands on time, financial strain, worry, guilt, and embarrassment. High scores reflect high levels of strain associated with caring for their child.

- Adolescent Perspectives -

Clinical need - Teens their symptoms of ADHD, disruptive behavior, emotional distress and overall impairment. High levels of symptoms reflected high clinical need for treatment.

Treatment receptivity - Teens rated how receptive they were towards obtaining medication treatment or counseling.

ADHD Stigma - This measure assessed teens' perception that being diagnosed and treated for ADHD would be stigmatizing.

Receipt of mental health services

Lifetime and past-year receipt of mental health services for each adolescent was gathered through detailed interviews with parents. This interview inquired about the receipt of services in a wide range of settings and asked about counseling services and medication treatment.

- Results -

Lifetime and past year mental health service usage

Although most adolescents, i.e, 79%, had received mental health intervention at some point in their lives, only 42% received any services in the past year. This was true even though most continued to meet full diagnostic criteria for ADHD and/or continued to struggle with symptoms.

Agreement between parent and teen perspectives

Parent and teen reports of the teen's emotional distress showed moderate agreement. However, agreement on symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and disruptive behavior was poor. Agreement on receptivity to treatment for ADHD was also poor.

Predictors of prior year use of mental health services

The researchers were especially interested in what predicted adolescents' receipt of mental health services during the past year. Interestingly, neither socioeconomic status or insurance coverage were significant predictors. Neither were parent ratings of their child's hyperactive and disruptive behavior.

Instead, teens who had received services were rated by parents as more inattentive, more depressed, and more impaired in their daily functioning. Treatment was also more likely when parents were more receptive to medication treatment.

What about adolescents' perspectives?

Even after taking these parental factors into account, adolescents' perspectives emerged as significant predictors of treatment receipt. Adolescents who rated themselves as more impaired and who had more positive attitudes towards medication were more likely to have been treated. The most powerful predictor, however, was concerns that ADHD was stigmatizing. Adolescents who were worried about being stigmatized for ADHD were far less likely to have received treatment in the past year than other teens.

- Summary and implications -

Results from this study indicate that many adolescents struggling with ADHD have not received any mental health services in the prior year. Especially noteworthy was that even after accounting for parents' perceptions of their child's functioning and their receptivity to medication treatment, adolescents' own attitudes were important predictors of receiving treatment.

Teens who felt they were not functioning well in their daily lives were more likely to have been treated. And, adolescents with concerns about ADHD stigma were far less likely to have received treatment during the prior year. In fact, this was the strongest predictor of all.

These findings highlight the importance of eliciting adolescents' perceptions of the need for ADHD treatment, and concerns related to treatment, during evaluation and treatment planning. In particular, health professionals should discuss concerns teens may have about being stigmatized for ADHD as these concerns can substantially undermine an adolescent's willingness to initiate or continue with indicated treatment.

These results also suggest that when a teenager refuses treatment, or protests continuing, parents should recognize that there may be more involved than their child's being oppositional, not recognizing the reality of what they require, or exercising their desire for autonomy and self-determination. While these factors may certainly be involved, an adolescent's worries about being stigmatized can be especially important and need to be understood and addressed. There is a need to develop effective interventions for addressing such concerns.

Mark Myers expert answer to: My wife has frequent bouts of suicidal depression but refuses anti-depressants. What can I do?

2011-09-13T07:06:00.000-05:00

Lessons from Sherlock Holmes: The Situation Is in the Mindset of the Observer

2011-09-11T12:18:00.000-05:00

Do we all experience the world in the same way? Is the same event actually the same event when viewed from the vantage point of each observer, each participant, each accidental onlooker? I’m not trying here to get at the more philosophical issues that one can raise, quite naturally, in response (is the red you see, for instance, the same red I see?). Rather, what I’m asking is, on a much broader, surface level: do you perceive as I perceive?

Antipsychotics Increasingly Prescribed for Anxiety

2011-09-08T07:05:00.000-05:00

Researchers find a significant rise in antipsychotic prescriptions for patients diagnosed with

anxiety disorders, despite limited studies on safety and efficacy of the medications for these disorders.

Top 5 Tips for Safe, Healthy School Year

2011-09-07T06:45:00.000-05:00

Keep your kids safe this year by taking a few minutes to make sure they're prepared for the school year

Night Owls More Likely to Experience Nightmares

2011-09-06T07:06:00.000-05:00

Night owls might think staying up late is a real hoot, but a new study hints that delayed sleep might have a sinister side. People who hit the sack late might have a greater risk of experiencing nightmares, according to scientists, although they add that follow-up research is needed to confirm the link.

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: Why do facts not matter to some people?

2011-09-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

Why do facts not matter to some people?
I understand that when people have already made up their mind in certain regards, facts only bolster their opinions in believing their delusions. Why is this?

In-School Screening Picks Up Mental Health Issues

2011-09-04T11:16:00.000-05:00

School-based mental health screening identifies troubled kids and helps get them into care, researchers found

Parenting doesn't have to be a scream

2011-09-03T18:25:00.000-05:00

Screaming to get your point across is as effective as going France, turning your English up to volume 10 and assuming that now the natives will understand that you

just want a regular cup of coffee, not an espresso.

Prevalence of Mental Disorders Linked to Gender Differences

2011-09-03T18:14:00.000-05:00

The prevalence rates of mental illness are associated with gender differences, with

women having higher rates of anxiety or depression and men having higher rates of substance abuse or antisocial disorders, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

ADD/ADHD and Diet

2011-09-03T07:08:00.000-05:00

Scientists finally agree with parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) who have suspected a connection between the kinds of foods their children eat and their behavior and symptoms .

Knowing When Your Child may Need professional Help.

2011-09-02T06:55:00.000-05:00

Seven Signs Your Kid Needs Professional Help
By CHARLES H. ELLIOTT, PH.D.

Addiction, chronic pain in the workplace:

2011-09-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

Chronic pain is one of the most common causes of disability, and it can have serious implications for both employees and employers. For example, following are the results of a few American studies published in JAMA and the American Psychological Association’s Psychological Bulletin.

Too Hard For Science? The Number of Memories Created in a Day

2011-09-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

How does one remember thee? Can one count the ways?

In “Too Hard For Science?” I interview scientists about ideas they would love to explore that they don’t think could be investigated. For instance, they might involve machines beyond the realm of possibility, such as devices as big as galaxies, or they might be completely unethical, such as experimenting on children like lab rats. This feature aims to look at the impossible dreams, the seemingly intractable problems in science. However, the question mark at the end of “Too Hard For Science?” suggests that nothing might be impossible.

Father Time: Children with Older Dads at Greater Risk for Mental Illness

2011-09-01T06:33:00.000-05:00

A mother's age is often considered a genetic risk factor for offspring, but research is now

pointing the finger at fathers, too—particularly when it comes to the mental health of their progeny. Males may have the advantage of lifelong fertility, but as they grow older, the rate of genetic mutations passed on via their sperm cells increases significantly—putting their children at increased risk for psychiatric disorders, especially autism and schizophrenia. Two recent studies support this link at least associatively, but experts remain uncertain if age is the cause of these problems.

What are the best ways to dramatically change the way I think about things?

2011-08-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Mark Myers Expert Answer to:What are the best ways to dramatically change the way I think about things?

Teaching Styles for Students

2011-08-31T08:06:00.000-05:00

We’ve all heard the theory that some students are visual learners, while others are auditory learners. And still other kids learn best when lessons involve movement.
But should teachers target instruction based on perceptions of students’ strengths? Several psychologists say education could use some “evidence-based” teaching techniques, not unlike the way doctors try to use “evidence-based medicine.”

Improve Working Memory for ADHD Children

2011-08-30T06:23:00.000-05:00

Working memory is the ability to hold information in mind while performing complex tasks. A young

child is able to execute simple tasks -- sharpen his pencil when asked -- while one in middle school can remember the expectations of multiple teachers. Many kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) have weak working memory because distraction prevents them from taking in the information they have to remember. Parents and teachers can help ADD/ADHD students develop strategies for remembering more, and, equally important, remind them to use the strategies they came up with.

Postpartum violence

2011-08-29T23:10:00.000-05:00

Postpartum psychosis is an illness that includes delusions (strange thoughts) and sometimes auditory hallucinations (hearing voices). The woman believes these delusions and hallucinations in her psychotic state.

Adolescent Anger and Oppositional Defiant Disorder

2011-08-29T06:52:00.000-05:00

If you think that only adults are advised to take therapy sessions for their anger management, then think again.

Have you heard of ODD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder? If not, then let me tell you about it.
A person suffering from ODD experiences persistent anger, angry outbursts, disregard for authority, and the likes. This is experienced not just by adults, but by children as well.

Traumatic brain injury linked to schizophrenia

2011-08-28T21:24:00.000-05:00

Traumatic brain injury can have serious and long-lasting consequences, such as memory loss, motor coordination problems, and depression. Now a new study suggests that it can also make it more likely to trigger schizophrenia, a mental health disorder characterized by impairments in judgment, thinking and perception.

Tips For Sports Parents

2011-08-28T21:20:00.000-05:00

Sports Psychology Guidelines For Sports Parents

Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.

Sports parents have a big impact on their young superstars. A healthy and successful sports experience will depend on sports parents' ability to instill confidence and self-esteem in athletes. Read sports psychology expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn's view on how to make sports a successful and fun experience.

Tips for When Teens Say No to Homework Help

2011-08-26T06:56:00.000-05:00

Living with your teenager is challenging in and of itself; you and your spouse have probably spent countless hours trying to assist them only to find out that they do not want your help.

Teens desire nothing more than independence from their parents. They crave autonomy even though they still want parental feedback and approval. Teens are known for testing parental boundaries and limits. In addition, hormonal changes can wreak havoc on their daily moods. One moment an adolescent can seem perfectly secure and happy and the next they can snap out an innocuous comment. Homework and academic expectations add another layer of stress. If this situation sounds familiar, try any one of the following strategies.

Childhood Vaccines Cleared of Autism, Diabetes Link in New Report U.S. Institute of Medicine finds "very little evidence" of serious harm

2011-08-26T06:44:00.000-05:00

From Nature magazine

Vaccines are largely safe, and do not cause autism or diabetes, the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) said in a report issued today. This conclusion followed a review of more than 1,000 published research studies.

"We looked very hard and found very little evidence of serious adverse harms from vaccines," says Ellen Wright Clayton, chairwoman of the reporting committee and director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. "The message I would want parents to have is one of reassurance."

The report, commissioned in 2009 by the US Health Resources and Services Administration, covers the eight vaccines that comprise the majority of claims filed with the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), which compensates people for adverse health effects from any of 11 vaccines.

Co-Sleeping: Parenting Tips to Help Get Your Children Out of Your Bed and Into Their Own

2011-08-26T06:38:00.000-05:00

Parents' joy in their children can sometimes turn to frustration when those children refuse to

sleep in their own beds.

There's even a name for the behavior. Experts call it co-sleeping -- when children prefer to sleep in their parents' bed.

Some parents are too embarrassed to admit their children sleep in their beds with them.
While some find nothing wrong with it, the practice has its critics. They say bed sharing can have a negative impact on a child's growth.

"There really are skills that a child needs to be able to learn from sleeping on their own, to self-sooth, to calm themselves, to clear their head," John Carosso, a child psychologist, told "Good Morning America."

In past coverage of the issue of co-sleeping, "GMA" gathered some experts' tips to help get your children out of your beds and into their own:

Tips to End Co-Sleeping

Have a goldfish or small pet in the room to keep children company.
Have a "mommy" or "daddy" teddy bear to snuggle with.

Spend time with children before bed. This is a good time to read to them. You can even have a "sleep party" with mom and dad in the child's bed before they go to sleep.

At the start, use special gifts from the "sleep fairy," like the tooth fairy. If they sleep in their own bed, they get a little morning present.

More Tips From Around the Web

Be tough. According to Parenting.com, after the decision is made, parents need to quit co-sleeping cold turkey. Take midnight visitors back to bed, even if they fight the journey. If there's crying, tough it out.

When it comes to nightmares, treat their irrational fears like tangible ones, says parenting expert Elizabeth Pantley. "After all, most kids believe that the tooth fairy and Big Bird are real, too," Pantley says on her Web site, Pantley.com.

Click HERE to read Pantley's answers to common co-sleeping questions.

Babycenter.com says it's OK to address the child's fears. If they're afraid of the dark, maybe use a nightlight. Monsters under the bed? Give it a check the first few times. "A spray-bottle filled with extra-strength monster-deterrent (a.k.a. water) can also provide late-night comfort," the website says.

Supernanny.com says parents shouldn't forget to praise their children's success when they do sleep alone.

Mark Myers expert Answer to: Are certain people more likely to become addicts and why?

2011-08-25T07:08:00.002-05:00

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: Are certain people more likely to become addicts and why?

7 Things our Hands say About Our Health

2011-08-25T06:20:00.000-05:00

hey're one of the most important parts of our body when it comes to day-to-day activities; without them we couldn't cut vegetables, grip pliers, or text our friends. They're revealing, too: Not only do scars and age spots recount our personal history but mystics all the way back to prehistory have "read" our futures in their lines and whorls.

But what if your hands could say more about you than that? What if, looking down at your palms and the five digits attached to them, you could discover early signs of dangerous diseases you didn't yet know you had? "It used to be common for doctors to look at the hands for important clues to overall health," says endocrinologist Kenneth Blanchard of Newton, Massachusetts. "We need to get back to that, because hands can tell you a great deal about circulation, hormones, and thyroid function."

Here are seven important clues your hands can reveal about your overall health.

2011-08-24T07:06:00.000-05:00

From Medscape Medical News > Psychiatry
ADHD Rates Continue to Rise in the United States

August 22, 2011 — Rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in US children

continue to trend upward, report health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

According to Lara J. Akinbami, MD, and colleagues, the percentage of American children diagnosed as having ADHD increased from 6.9% in 1998-2000 to 9.0% in 2007 to 2009.

From 1998 through 2009, ADHD prevalence was higher among boys than girls. For boys, ADHD prevalence increased from 9.9% in 1998-2000 to 12.3% in 2007-2009 and for girls from 3.6% to 5.5% during the same period.

ADHD prevalence varied by race and ethnicity, but differences between most groups narrowed from 1998 through 2009, the study authors note.

For non-Hispanic white children, ADHD prevalence increased from 8.2% in 1998-2000 to 10.6% in 2007-2009 and from 5.1% to 9.5% for non-Hispanic black children. Mexican children had consistently lower ADHD prevalence than other racial or ethnic groups.

From 1998 through 2009, ADHD prevalence increased to roughly 10% among children with family income less than 100% of the poverty level and to 11% for those with family income between 100% and 199% of the poverty level.

The report also shows regional differences in ADHD prevalence. In the Midwest, ADHD prevalence rose from 7.1% in 1998-2000 to 10.2% in 2007-2009. In the South, rates rose from 8.1% to 10.3% for the 2 periods.

In 1998-2000, ADHD prevalence was higher in the South region than in all other regions. In 2007-2009, ADHD prevalence was similar in the South and Midwest regions; prevalence in these 2 regions was higher than in the Northeast and West regions, the report indicates.

Dr. Akinbami and colleagues note that these prevalence estimates "are based on parental report of the child ever receiving a diagnosis and thus may be affected by the accuracy of parental memory (including recall bias), by differential access to healthcare between groups (diagnostic bias), or by willingness to report an ADHD diagnosis."

They also point out that it was not possible to discern whether rising prevalence of ADHD "indicates a true change in prevalence or increased detection and diagnosis of ADHD."

Nevertheless, the societal costs of ADHD — including those associated with medical, educational, and criminal justice resources — are large, they write.

ADHD is one of the most common mental health disorders of childhood. Hallmark symptoms, including difficulty staying focused and controlling behavior, begin in childhood and often persist into adulthood, leading to functional impairment in academic, family, and social settings. The causes and risk factors are unknown, but genetic factors likely play a role.

National Center for Health Statistics Brief. 2011:70.

Mark Myers Expert Answer onHow should you interact with someone who has a crush on your significant other?:

2011-08-23T10:57:00.000-05:00

Mark Myers Expert Answer onHow should you interact with someone who has a crush on your significant other?:

Is childhood abuse behind tough-to-treat depression?

2011-08-23T10:15:00.000-05:00

(CBS) Why do some depressed people never seem to get better? A provocative new study suggests it may come down to the amount of mistreatment they experienced as kids.

A new study suggests adults who were abused as children are twice as likely to develop lasting bouts of depression as their counterparts who did not experience childhood mistreatment. And scientists say that can seriously impact their treatment and recovery.

For the study - published in the August 14 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry - researchers reviewed 26 studies on 23,000 people where they saw the increased likelihood of recurrent depression among adults who were abused as kids. The researchers say previous studies show mistreated children and adults have more "biological abnormalities" in the brain, endocrine and immune system, which could alter treatment.

"Childhood maltreatment is associated both with an increased risk of developing recurrent and persistent episodes of depression, and with an increased risk of responding poorly to treatment," study author Dr. Andrea Danese, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at King's College London, said in a written statement. The researchers found antidepressant medication, psychological treatment, or combinations of the two were less effective in those who suffered childhood abuse.

Danese told Reuters that knowing a formerly abused patient won't respond to treatment may "be valuable for clinicians in determining patients' prognosis."

What treatments would work then? The authors themselves aren't sure. Study co-author Dr. Rudolf Uher, a professor of psychiatry at Kings College told Reuters treatments may focus on the "biological vulnerabilities associated with childhood maltreatment." The hope is future treatments would be given preventively at an earlier age to be more effective long term.

An estimated one in 10 American adults are depressed, but the disease goes beyond feeling down in the dumps. It can adversely affect other conditions such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, depression will be the second-leading contributor to the world's global disease burden.

Danese said in a written statement, "Identifying those at risk of multiple and long-lasting depressive episodes is crucial from a public health perspective."

Depression linked to stroke, vitamin D may help both

2011-08-22T08:46:00.000-05:00

By David Liu, Ph.D.

Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 (foodconsumer.org) -- Being chronically depressed may be a sign of higher risk of stroke, according to a study in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart

Association.

The study led by Kathryn Rexrode, M.D.at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass found women who had a history of depression was at 29 percent higher risk of total stroke.

The study also found women who used anti-depressant medications particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were associated with a 39 percent increased risk of stroke. Anti-depressant drugs included Prozac, Celexa and Zoloft.

But the researchers speculated that it is not the medications that cause a higher risk of stroke. Instead use of the drugs only indicates that depression in the patients was more severe.

The study involved in 80,574 women ages 54 to 79 years in the Nurses' Health Study. Participants had no history of stroke at baseline. During the six-year follow-up, prevalence of depression at baseline was 22 percent in the participants and 1,033 strokes were identified.

Depressed women were often those who were single, smoking, and less physically active, according to the study. They were also more likely to have a higher body mass index, and diseases like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, compared to women without a history depression.

A healthy observer said the study suggests what increases the risk of depression may also increase the risk of stroke and vitamin D can be the missing link between the two.

One study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found men who had intake of 600 IU or more of vitamin D per day were 28 percent less likely to suffer stroke and heart attack, compared with those who had an intake of only 100 IU or less per day. In women, the risk reduction was 16 percent.

The study was conduced by Qi Sun of the Harvard School of public Health in Boston MA.

Another study published in 2008 in the journal Circulation linked low serum vitamin D levels with 60 percent higher risk for heart attack, stroke and heart failure, compared with those who had high levels of vitamin D.

Dr. Thomas Wang of Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts and colleagues who conducted the study also reported that the association was even stronger among those with high blood pressure.

For the study, Wang et al. followed up 1,739 people at an average age of 59 in the Framingham Heart Study for five years.

Now low serum vitamin D is also associated with high risk of depression.

Nanri A and colleagues from International Medical center of Japan in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan reported on Aug 19, 2009 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition that people who had highest levels of vitamin D were 49 percent less likely to feel depressed.

In winter, high levels of vitamin D were found associated with lower risk of depression, particularly severe depression.

Many other studies also suggest that vitamin D can be the cause for depression.

Brain's synaptic pruning continues into your 20s

2011-08-21T12:40:00.000-05:00

Brain's synaptic pruning continues into your 20s

16:07 17 August 2011 by Wendy Zukerman and Andrew Purcell
Magazine issue 2826. Subscribe and save
For similar stories, visit the Teenagers and The Human Brain Topic Guides
The synaptic pruning that helps sculpt the adolescent brain into its adult form continues to weed out weak neural connections throughout our 20s. The surprise finding could have implications for our understanding of schizophrenia, a psychological disorder which often appears in early adulthood.

As children, we overproduce the connections – synapses – between brain cells. During puberty the body carries out a kind of topiary, snipping away some synapses while allowing others to strengthen. Over a few years, the number of synapses roughly halves, and the adult brain emerges.

Or so we thought. Pasko Rakic at Yale University and colleagues at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, have now found that the brains of adults in their 20s are still subject to synaptic pruning.

Rakic's team analysed post-mortem tissue from a brain region called the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in 32 people aged between 1 week old and 91 years. Specifically, they calculated the density of dendritic spines – the tiny projections that protrude from the neuron's long dendrites, each of which facilitates communication with other neurons through a synapse.

As expected, Rakic's team found that spine density increased rapidly during infancy, reaching a peak before the 9th birthday. It then began to fall away as pruning began. Intriguingly, though, spine density did not plateau after adolescence, as might have been expected, but continued to fall gradually until the late 20s.

Rakic says the result could be good news for those hoping to gain new skills in their third decade. The period of pruning is associated with a heightened ability to learn – whether that is in picking up language skills or understanding new concepts, he says. "You should not give up learning just because you're in your 20s – it isn't too late," he says.

The finding also has implications for our understanding of some psychiatric disorders. The PFC is thought to be particularly relevant to late-onset disorders such as schizophrenia, says Rakic, but it is unclear whether such disorders are triggered by developmental or degenerative processes. The new finding is likely to give weight to the idea that schizophrenia emerges as a result of late brain development.

"I'm sure that for many people schizophrenia has a strong developmental component," says Sabine Bahn, who researches schizophrenia at the University of Cambridge – although she adds that some cases will likely have a degenerative component.

Elena Bagley at the University of Sydney, Australia, agrees with the conclusion. It is possible that the prefrontal cortex "is susceptible for longer to disorders and disease that result from abnormal pruning", she says. Such pruning may also contribute to memory loss and dementia, she adds.

Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1105108108

Is there A Link Between creativity and Addiction?

2011-08-21T12:23:00.000-05:00

Is There a Link Between Creativity and Addiction?
Addiction starts with genetics and the environment, but is triggered by stress
By David Biello | July 26, 2011 |

A drink of alcohol, any kind; "rails" of white powder; a pill prescribed by a pediatrician to assist with attention deficit disorder. Whatever the poison, addiction can take a powerful toll. Nor is it limited to drugs—food, sex and even death-defying stunts can exert the same pull.

But it seems to be a particular breed of person who succumbs to addiction, most recently exemplified by the late singer Amy Winehouse. She joins the "27 Club" of rock stars who died, via addictive behavior, too young—Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Nor is it limited to the rock-and-roll lifestyle—Thomas de Quincey invented the modern addiction memoir with his Confessions of an English Opium-Eater in 1821. In fact, the list of addicts often overlaps with the giants of culture.

So is there a link between creativity and addiction? To find out, Scientific American spoke with neuroscientist David Linden of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and author of The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning and Gambling Feel So Good.

[An edited transcript of the interview follows.]

Is there a link between creativity and addiction?
No. I think the link is not between creativity and addiction per se. There is a link between addiction and things which are a prerequisite for creativity…. We know that 40 percent of a predisposition to addiction is genetically determined, via studies on heritability in families and twins. There's no single addiction gene. We don't even know all the genes involved in conferring addiction risk. But the ones we do know have to do with the signaling of the neurotransmitter dopamine for pleasure and reward.

You don't become addicted because you feel pleasure strongly. On the contrary, addicts seem to want it more but like it less. They feel pleasures more weakly and are more likely to try more to achieve more. This blunted dopamine hypothesis is supported by brain-imaging studies and biochemistry tests in rats and monkeys. It also holds for addictions to food, sex and gambling.

Genetic variants make for a low-functioning dopamine system, specifically D2 receptors. If you carry those variants, you are more likely to be more risk-taking, novelty-seeking and compulsive. None of which are explicitly creative, but they are things that get to creativity. So novelty-seeking might be a spur to creativity. Risk-taking might lead you to go more out on a limb. If you're compulsive, you might be more motivated to get your art, science idea or novel out into the world. These traits that come from having low dopamine function have an upside. These traits can contribute to people having great success in the world, like business leaders.

Genetics is 40 percent, it's not 100 percent—it's not the whole show. It's possible to carry the variants and not be an addict, and it's possible to not carry the variants and still be an addict.

Is there a link between addiction and other human attributes we might value?
There have been some studies in Scandinavia associating personality traits with the genetics of D2 receptors. If you carry these variants that turn down dopamine, you become more socially desirable. There is something charismatic about risk-takers.

Does curing the addiction eliminate the creativity?
Usually not. When you cure the addiction, you're not changing your genes. People are in recovery for life…. There is always a tremendous risk of relapse. Successful recovering addicts adopt behavioral strategies that allow you to resist or reduce cravings.

If you develop a full-blown addiction to a drug, the indications in rats are that it changes the brain forever. You can get it back a little but never entirely.

Is there a specific time that is more vulnerable?
There is nothing magic about that age [27]. Brain maturation ends at about age 20. In the early 20s, you have your adult brain. In the late 20s, it's the same.

Generally speaking, 27 is an age where you can have achieved a lot and be at a place that is very enabling. The one thing that we really know about relapse and addiction is that it is stress-triggered. Anyone dealing with an addict knows that relapse doesn't happen when things are going great.

Stress is a biological phenomenon. We know the intermediate steps. You argue or you're fighting off an infection and your body releases stress hormones, which bind to receptors in the brain pleasure circuitry that ultimately result in cravings. We know how stress causes craving…. The two biggest factors are genetics and stress.

Brain Scan predicts Pop Hits?

2011-08-21T10:04:00.001-05:00

Is there some kind of neural signature that indicates what will ultimately become popular and obsessed over, and what will flop?

Scientists monitor the brains of teens listening to songs and find the breakout hits tend to share certain neural signatures

Internet Addiction impact on Human Brain.

2011-08-21T09:47:00.000-05:00

High Wired: Does Addictive Internet Use Restructure the Brain?
Brain scans hint excessive time online is tied to stark physical changes in the brain
By Dave Mosher | June 17, 2011 | 15 read more about the article

Genetic Influence on Impact on Memory.

2011-08-21T09:45:00.000-05:00

Blogs About the SA Blog Network

Observations

Opinion, arguments & analyses from the editors of Scientific American
Observations HomeAboutContact
Refuse to learn from experience? Thank your genes
By Katherine Harmon | April 19, 2011 | 10

Some people are incurable contrarians or imperturbable logicians. But most of us, whether we like it or not, allow other people’s opinions and advice to color our own experiences and opinions. Have you found that restaurant to really be as good as people say it is?

New findings suggests that a person’s willingness to coolly consider the facts gleaned from their own experience—apart from others’ previous verbal suggestions—might be based in large part on genetics.

It has been known and frequently demonstrated that "people will distort what they experience to be perceived as more consistent with what they thought already," Michael Frank, of the Brown Institute for Brain Science at Brown University, and a collaborator in the new research, said in a prepared statement. Even researchers can fall prey to confirmation bias, thinking they have discovered what they actually had expected to find in the noise of data.

So, why do we often struggle to accept our own impressions if they contradict what we’ve been told to expect? The disconnect occurs in part because these two types of information, the abstract and the experiential, are processed in different parts of the brain. Advice ("go to that Italian restaurant") is filtered, along with other higher-level cognition, in the prefrontal cortex. Experience ("that Italian restaurant is usually mediocre"), on the other hand, is lodged in a more primitive region of the brain, the striatum.

Although perhaps we should be more inclined to stick with what our gut (or tastebuds) has learned from personal experience, most people tend to lean on what their prefrontal cortex—i.e. outside instruction—has to say for more time than they rationally should.

"Maintaining instructions in the prefrontal cortex changes the way that the striatum works," Bradley Doll, a researcher at Brown, said in a prepared statement. "It biases what people learn about the contingencies they are actually experiencing," noted Doll, who coauthored a new paper detailing the results, which published online April 19 in The Journal of Neuroscience.

People’s willingness to let advice color their experience hinges at least in part on the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is associated with pleasure, reward and learning. The researchers pinpointed one gene in particular, COMT, that seems to play a role in a person’s inclination to learn from his or her own experiences. Individuals in the study with different alleles of this gene had differing propensities to be biased by outside advice in interpreting their own experiences.

Frank, Doll and colleague Kent Hutchinson tested more than 70 adults on a computer-based learning program. Subjects had to learn which symbols were most likely to be classified as the "correct" answer. The correlation was based on probability, rather than strict correlation, creating a gray area in which subjects had to weigh their past experiences with each symbol. In some tests, people were given advice about which symbols were correct most often—but this advice sometimes proved to be incorrect.

People with an exceptional ability to spot inaccurate instructions and start making decisions using their own experience tended to have the Val/Val version of the gene, whereas those who needed "greater confidence" that their experience was telling them to jettison earlier advice were more likely to have the Met allele.

Overall, the researchers concluded, "these findings suggest that the striatal learning process is modulated by prior expectations, and that the resulting associative weights cannot be easily ‘undone’ after the prior is rejected." So that might mean you have to order many bowls of substandard pasta before you finally admit to yourself that a much-lauded Italian restaurant isn’t actually all that great.

Of course, it’s certainly easier—and less painful—to learn to avoid a hot plate by being told to do so, and we’ve likely evolved to take this into account, prizing the prefrontal cortex’s retained instructions. "This phenomenon of confirmation bias might actually just be a byproduct of a system that tries to be more efficient with the learning process," Frank said.

But the human mind is rarely satisfied with simple instruction, as instruction—and advice—often turn out to be wrong. And what’s a few burnt fingertips in the grand scheme of independent thought?

ADD and Diet.

2011-08-20T07:24:00.000-05:00

End Impulsive Overeating, Lose Weight, and Avoid Obesity
A weight-loss guide to help adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) quit impulsive and compulsive overeating. To lose the weight, you will need to change the way your brain thinks about food. No dieting necessary!
by John Fleming, Ph.D.

Marrying Older-Wiser.

2011-08-20T07:21:00.000-05:00

There are advantages to marrying later. You are more confident in your choices and less likely

to simply accept life as it comes. Education and being a part of the workforce gives you the ability to be a strong decision maker and create a life from a good solid foundation. You have had the opportunity to get to know who you are and what you want.

According to the joint studies statistics from the U.S. and Great Britain, the average age of first time brides and grooms is getting older. Today's couples are choosing to marry later than couples. The average age range is thirty to forty-two for some first-timers. A big difference from just twenty years ago, when the average age span was somewhere in your twenties.

There are solid reasons for this trend of older brides and grooms.

Advanced education.
Getting a college degree is no longer seen as the end of a man or woman's formal education. Unlike generations past, where post-grad education was something you did after marriage, if at all, both men and women want to obtain post-graduate degrees or specialized certifications before settling down.

Financial security.
People in their early thirties and forties are making quite sure of their own financial future before committing to a legal relationship. They are seeking mates who are as financially solvent as they are and who can bring this type of security to the marriage table.

Finding out who you are and what you really want, one of which is ownership of property.
Paying rent for an apartment is no longer desirable. Owning real estate, a co-op, townhouse, condo or house is almost a necessity.

The travel bug.
Europe, South America and world tours are big on their agenda. Part of a generation which grew up seeing the world on TV, they want to experience different cultures and traditions.

Having children later.
As far as starting a family, with advances in fertility available, couples who do want children can afford to marry later and let their biological clocks tick a bit longer. And afford seems to be the correct word here. An overwhelming majority of those interviewed in Great Britain said they wouldn't have children unless they could afford to have them. Less than twenty years ago, most couples said they "would somehow cope" if they started a family before they were financially ready.

Or deciding not to be parents.
Becoming parents is not a driving force for the older couple, marriage is the primary issue. Many studies have shown that the arrival of the first baby in younger marriages commonly has the effect of pushing the mother and father farther apart, and bringing stress to the marriage. Choosing not to be parents is something that older spouses may not want or need. Satisfaction in job, marital union and personal achievement of goals seem to be prime for the older couple.

Marrying "older" may be good for your health as well as your finances.
Rather than luck and love, the most common reasons older couples give for their marital success are commitment, financial security, good health and a friendly companionship. They define their marriages as a creation that takes work, dedication and commitment (to each other and to the institution of marriage). The happiest couples are friends who share lives and are compatible in interests and values.

The general level of happiness in older marriages increases with the years they are together. Compared to couples who marry in their twenties, those who married significantly later report less work-related stress, less marital conflict and more couple interaction and satisfaction.

A calmer, happier life.
Men and women will not marry someone who has violent outbursts or tendencies. Older spouses are less likely to commit domestic violence because they are more invested in their spouses' well-being, and more integrated into a social network of friends and extended family.

Also noted was the lack of "in-law" problems. With age comes not only wisdom but a certain acceptance of other people and their foibles. You are comfortable in your own skin, confident in your opinions and ideals and not as likely to be "told what to do."

Religion is not an issue.
Older couples have a tolerance for what others believe and this is a happy medium in a marriage. In fact, women and men in their thirties and forties are more likely to opt for a non-sectarian ceremony than younger couples. Religious differences are not an issue that can cause arguments, hurt feelings, or threaten the union. Many couples of different religious backgrounds complement each other's varied beliefs.

All in all, the idea of marriage has changed dramatically but there is still one major priority for any marriage. Being aware of what is best for your own growth and happiness and finding someone with whom you want to share it all can work for all marriages.

© 2011 Kristen Houghton

To read more from Kristen Houghton, peruse her articles at KristenHoughton.com and visit her Keys to Happiness blog. You may email her at kch@kristenhoughton.com. Read the book critics call "sane and savvy advice for all a must-read," ranked in the top-selling 100 books of 2011 by Tower.com "And Then I'll Be Happy! Stop Sabotaging Your Happiness and Put Your Own Life First."

This Blogger's Books from

ADHD and Autism Have Common Genetic Link

2011-08-20T07:14:00.000-05:00

Researchers identified more genes in ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and shows that there is an overlap between some of the genes and those found in other neuropsychiatric conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity. ASD is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Symptoms usually start before age three and can cause delays or problems in many different skills that develop from infancy to adulthood according to NIH.

The study is published in advance online editions of Science Translational Medicine by a research team, which was led by Dr. Russell Schachar, Senior Scientist and Psychiatrist at SickKids and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Stephen Scherer, Senior Scientist at SickKids, Director of The Centre for Applied Genomics at SickKids and the McLaughlin Centre at the University of Toronto.

The researchers used microarrays (gene-chip technology) to study the DNA of 248 unrelated patients with ADHD, searching specifically for Copy Number Variants (CNV), which are insertions or deletions affecting the genes.

Of the 173 children, researchers found 3 had spontaneous CNV's that occur when the parents are not affected and mutations are new to the child. Also, rare CNVs that were inherited from the affected parents were found in 19 of 248 patients.

Researchers found some of the genes that had previously been identified in other neuropsychiatric conditions including ASD. To test the overlap, they tested different group for CNV. Of the new group, they found that nine of the 349 children in the study, all of whom had previously been diagnosed with ASD, carried CNVs that are related to ADHD and other disorders.

The finding emphasize that CNVs have a common genetic link in ADHD, ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

"For the first time, we've tested these genetic alterations in ADHD and have a pretty good handle on a couple of decent ADHD candidate genes," says Scherer "This is critical, as it gives us confidence in interpreting our results."

Most individuals with ADHD also have at least one other condition, such as anxiety, mood, conduct or language disorders. Up to 75 per cent of people with ASD also have attention deficits or hyperactivity. "A lot of these associated problems probably arise from the fact that they are sharing genetic risk for different conditions," says Schachar

This method is perhaps one of the most exciting findings in neuropsychiatric genetics and it is really starting to redefine how we think about neuropsychiatric conditions," said Schachar.

Researcher’s emphasis that whiles the new study was able to observe the link more research is needed to determine the cause.

Published by Medicaldaily.com

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: When is Worrying a Productive Activity?

2011-08-19T08:23:00.000-05:00

Mark Myers Expert Answer to: When is Worrying a Productive Activity?

Tips on keeping Kids safe on Facebook

2011-08-19T07:53:00.000-05:00

According to a 2010 Pew Internet Project study, nearly three fourths of American teenagers use social networking sites, with Facebook being the most popular by far. But some parents are still skeptical of the site; 55 percent of parents discourage their kids from making a social media profile, according to a recent study by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that analyzes digital and traditional media.

But parents can set reasonable guidelines with their teens to keep them safe online, says Caroline Knorr, parenting editor of Common Sense Media. "Our position is that parents shouldn't fear social media," she says. "Kids are embracing these technologies. As a parent, it's part of your responsibility to engage with them." Here are some of her hints to help your child safely use Facebook.

[See how social media sites impact high school students in the classroom.]

1. Be aware: Parents should know whether their child has a Facebook page or not. "They should have a good understanding of what types of things their kids are posting publicly," she says.

2. Help your child manage privacy settings: Knorr recommends that parents sit down with their child as they choose privacy settings on the site. Make sure your child's profile isn't publicly searchable on Google, that settings showing your child's location are turned off, and that photos are private or visible by friends only.

"Parents should learn what those privacy settings mean and discuss why it's important to keep some things private." Facebook often changes its privacy rules, so check in frequently, she says.
[Learn whether it is safe to share photos.]

3. Don't embarrass them: "Parents need to understand that social networking in today's world is how kids experiment with their own identity. It's a normal developmental stage," she says. "I think parents should try to refrain from commenting, because you may set up a dynamic where your kid will block you [on Facebook], and you might not know about it."

4. Speak up: If you do see something on your teen's Facebook page that could damage his or her reputation or put them in danger, talk to them about it—face to face. "We're so used to communicating electronically," she says. "But there are a lot of conversations that are important to have in person."

Depression may increase stroke risk in women

2011-08-19T07:46:00.000-05:00

Depression may boost women's risk of stroke, according to a new study.

Among study participants, those who'd had depression were 29 percent more likely to suffer a stroke over a six-year period.

And women who took an anti-depressant medication — especially a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) — had a 39 percent increased risk of stroke, the study said. Examples of these drugs include Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa.

The researchers said they do not think anti-depressants cause the increased stroke risk; rather, the connection exists because those who take these medications may have more severe depression, said study researcher Dr. Kathryn Rexrode, an associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

"This study does not suggest that people should stop their medications to reduce the risk of stroke," Rexrode said.

Depressed women
Researchers followed 80,574 women between the ages of 54 and 79 from 2000 to 2006. None had previously had a stroke.

At the study's start, 22 percent had suffered depression, and 1,033 stroke cases were documented during six years of follow-up.

Compared with women without a history of depression, depressed women were more likely to be single, smokers and less physically active. They were also slightly younger, had a higher body mass index (BMI) and more coexisting conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

"Depression can prevent individuals from controlling other medical problems such as diabetes and hypertension, from taking medications regularly or pursuing other healthy lifestyle measures such as exercise," Rexrode said.

The mind and the brain
Depression may also be linked to inflammation in the body, which increases the risk of stroke, as well as other conditions or underlying vascular disease in the brain, said study researcher An Pan, of Harvard School of Public Health.

"Regardless of the mechanism, recognizing that depressed individuals may be at a higher risk of stroke may help the physician focus on not only treating the depression, but treating stroke risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and elevated cholesterol as well as addressing lifestyle behaviors such as smoking and exercise," Pan said.

The study found an association, not a cause-effect link. The researchers cannot rule out the possibility that other factors not taken into account in the study were responsible for the link, Pan said.

The study is published today (Aug. 11) in the journal Stroke.
updated 8/12/2011 10:37:54 AM ET