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May 29, 2009
Boy Alone: A Brother's Memoir
The writer Josh Greenfeld wrote three best selling books from 1976 to 1987 about raising his autistic son Noah. Now Noah's brother, Karl Greenfeld, has written about the experience of being the brother of an autistic child, and it is pretty harrowing.
On the spectrum of autistic disorders, Noah is on the severe end of disturbed behavior. Unable to talk or empathize with others and given to wild tantrums and bizarre behavior, he was the center of the family's attention. The adolescent Karl responded to his feeling marginalized by acting out with drugs and antisocial behavior.
The author makes the point that people tend to think of autism as a disorder of children, but autistic children grow to be autistic adults and elderly people, and Karl is struggling with his responsibilities for his brother as his parents age. Autism both strains and tightens family ties.
Related Link:
- Boy Alone: Brother's Memoir at HarperCollins
Posted by admin at 02:10 PM
Study indicates concern about family reaction may be reason why some teens do not seek treatment for depression
HealthDay (5/27, Preidt) reported that, according to a study published in the June issue of the journal Medical Care, "concern about their family's reaction to their depression is a major reason why many teens don't seek treatment."
For the study, researchers at the RAND Corporation "included 368 teens and one parent or guardian of each teen, half of" whom "had been diagnosed with depression.
The teens and the adults were asked to rate possible barriers to depression treatment, including cost of care, concerns over perceptions of others, difficulties making appointments with a doctor or therapist, constraints due to time and other responsibilities, not wanting family members to know about the depression (asked of teens only), the unavailability of good care, and simply not desiring treatment."
The investigators found that "while the adult guardians were less likely to report barriers to depression treatment, among teens, worries about stigma and the reactions of their family members were listed as major issues."
Related Link:
- "Stigma Keeps Teens From Depression Treatment," Robert Preidt, HealthDay, May 27, 2009.
Posted by admin at 02:08 PM
Young Women Veterans at High Risk for Suicide
Research suggests women veterans may be more likely to commit suicide than non-veteran women. Medscape (5/27, Cassels) reported that, according to studies presented at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting, "women veterans are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than non-veteran women."
In addition, "female veterans are more likely to be young and use firearms to commit suicide compared with their civilian counterparts, who tend to choose other methods -- commonly drug overdose." For the first study, researchers from Oregon Health and Science University found that "women who have been in the military had a three-fold increased risk for suicide compared with non-military women."
In another study, the team analyzed "data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Violent Death Reporting System" and found that "women veterans are at about 79 percent greater risk of suicide than non-veteran women, and this risk varies markedly by age," with the "peak age for suicide among military women" being "between 18 and 34 years."
Related Link:
- "Young Women Veterans at High Risk for Suicide, Caroline Cassels, MedScape, May 27, 2009.
Posted by admin at 01:34 PM
Ft. Campbell undergoes stand-down as Army suicides reach highest level in nearly 30 years
ABC World News (5/27, story 7, 2:45, Gibson) reported that on May 27, commanders at Fort Campbell, KY, "ordered an extraordinary three-day stand-down, all activity on the base to stop, while personnel of all ranks work to identify and help soldiers at risk of suicide.
The number of Army suicides has been growing at an alarming rate." In fact, "since 1 January, Fort Campbell has had 11 suicides." Correspondent Martha Raddatz pointed out that "Army suicides are now at the highest level in nearly 30 years."
But, "what is surprising about the suicide statistics is that it is not the soldiers who have deployed two, three, or four times to Iraq or Afghanistan." Instead, "it is soldiers who are on their very first deployment who are at the greatest risk. Ninety percent of the soldiers who kill themselves are younger enlisted males."
Related Links:
- "Combat Stress Gives Military Pause," Martha Raddatz, ABC News, May 27, 2008.
Posted by admin at 01:19 PM
May 27, 2009
Gaudenzia Park Heights New Vision of Hope Program Wins 2009 Outstanding Merit Award
At the MPS annual meeting in April, the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry presented its 2009 Outstanding Merit Award to the Gaudenzia Park Heights New Vision of Hope Program in Baltimore.
The board was particularly impressed with their outstanding services to a very difficult population of dual diagnosis patients with substance abuse and mental illness, many of whom have criminal justice involvement.
In addition, the foundation awarded Honorable Mention to the work of Mosaic Community Services' New Ventures Family Support Group in Timonium, which provides outreach and support to family members and caregivers of persons with mental illness.
The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry established the annual Outstanding Merit Award for a worthy program in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:
- Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness
- Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness
- Reduces the stigma of mental illness
The award, open to the entire Maryland community, carries a prize of $500.
Posted by admin at 04:09 PM
Combined medication, behavioral interventions may help reduce pain, depression in some patients with musculoskeletal pain
HealthDay (5/26, Preidt) reported that, according to a study published in the May 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, "combined" medication "and behavioral interventions helped reduce pain and depression in patients with musculoskeletal pain and coexisting depression."
For the study, researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute examined "250 patients who'd had low back, hip, or knee pain for three months or longer, and at least moderate depression," assigning the patients randomly "to either an intervention or usual-care group."
Those "in the intervention group received 12 weeks of individually tailored antidepressant therapy, followed by six sessions of a pain self-management program." After one year, "intervention group participants were more likely to report overall improvement in their pain compared with usual care patients...twice as likely to experience depression response," almost "four times as likely to experience complete remission of depression," and "less likely to have major depression," the authors found.
Related Links:
- "Tailored Treatments Effective for Depression Due to Pain," Robert Preidt, HealthDay, May 26, 2009.
Posted by admin at 04:05 PM
Inadequate sleep among teens may be linked to nighttime use of electronic devices, research suggests
WebMD (5/26, Wilbert) reports that "many teens are not getting adequate sleep, and this deficiency is especially common among teens who use electronic devices -- such as computers, cell phones, and televisions -- at night," according to a study published in Pediatrics.
Researchers followed "100 participants aged 12 to 18 who were in middle school and high school." These individuals were "assigned a multitasking index, based on their answers to questions about how much time after 9 p.m. they spent with various electronic devices."
Most "participants used some form of technology in the nighttime hours." The investigators "found a significant correlation between the multitasking index and sleep." Participants "getting eight to 10 hours of sleep per night tended to have a lower multitasking index." Meanwhile, those "with a high multitasking index also drank more caffeine."
The researchers also found that participants "getting inadequate sleep were more likely to fall asleep during class."
Related Links:
- "Gadgets Keep Teens Up at Night," Caroline Wilbert, WebMD Health News, May 26, 2009.
Posted by admin at 04:00 PM
Physicians, psychologists concerned that sending text messages may cause anxiety, repetitive stress injury in teenagers
On the front page of its Science Times section, the New York Times (5/26, D1, Hafner) reports that physicians and psychologists are "beginning to worry" that sending text messages "is leading to anxiety, distraction in school, falling grades, repetitive stress injury, and sleep deprivation" in teenagers.
In fact, "American teenagers sent and received an average of 2,272 text messages per month in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the Nielsen Company." But, "the rise in texting is too recent to have produced any conclusive data on health effects."
Peter W. Johnson, an associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington, noted, however, that "based on our experiences with computer users, we know intensive repetitive use of the upper extremities can lead to musculoskeletal disorders."
Meanwhile, Sherry Turkle, PhD, a psychologist who is director of the Initiative on Technology and Self at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, speculated that texting "might be causing a shift in the way adolescents develop" by making it more difficult for adolescents to "break free from parents as they grow into autonomous adults."
Related Links:
- "Texting May Be Taking a Toll," Katie Hafner, New York Times, May 25, 2009.
Posted by admin at 03:52 PM
Study indicates college students who binge drink are more likely to suffer physical injuries
HealthDay (5/22, McKeever) reported, "College students who frequently drink to extremes and are inclined to be thrill-seekers are more likely to be physically injured as a result of their alcohol use," according to a study expected to be published in the September issue of Alcoholism.
For the study, researchers "interviewed 2,090 students who had sought care for alcohol-related injuries at five college health clinics, and asked them about their drinking habits over the previous four weeks and other drinking-related injuries suffered in the past six months."
They found that "students who binged heavily on alcohol at least four days a month were five times more likely to be physically hurt than their peers." Notably, "male students who had at least eight drinks on each of these drinking occasions and females who had a minimum of five drinks on each of these occasions were considered 'frequent extreme heavy drinkers.'"
Related Links:
- "Binge-Drinking Collegians at High Risk for Injuries," Kevin McKeever, HealthDay, May 22, 2009.
Posted by admin at 03:48 PM
Psychiatrist discusses USPSTF recommendations for depression screening in adolescents
The Washington Post (5/26, Vedantam) reports, "Last month, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)...said that all adolescents between ages 12 and 18 should be screened for major depression."
The "task force offered an important caveat," however, and that is that "screening made sense only if the children then had access to...specialized and individualized care."
The panel also found that "psychotherapy ought to be the first line of treatment for all adolescents with depression, rather than antidepressant" medications. Psychiatrist Steven Hyman, MD, "former director of the National Institute of Mental Health, said he sided with the recommendations of the Preventive Services Task Force in that he thought that mental-health screening for children should be limited to depression, and limited to adolescents."
Dr. Hyman stated that "screening made sense only for conditions that were widespread, where tests were accurate, where treatments available, where the costs of administration were not prohibitive, and where the screening techniques did not lead to large numbers of normal children getting misdiagnosed, and large numbers of children with real disorders getting missed."
Related Links:
- "The Depression Test," Shankar Vedantam, Washington Post, May 26, 2009.
Posted by admin at 03:43 PM
Merkin Writes About Her Chronic Depression
Daphne Merkin, novelist, essayist, and literary and film critic, has written about her chronic suicidal depression in an article in the May 9, 2009 New York Times, "A Journey Through Darkness."
She is well known for her writings in The New Yorker, Commentary, The New Republic and other publications. Her family is known for its wealthy businessmen and numerous philanthropies, including the Merkin Concert Hall in New York.
Ms Merkin creates a vivid portrayal of the subjective state of a persistent treatment resistant depression. She writes about her continuous temptation to commit suicide, which she resists because she dearly loves her 17 year old daughter, for whom she fears irreparable psychological harm. She is aware of her mixed attitudes toward suicide: she knows that by talking about it, she is getting people to try to save her.
She discusses her recent experience of hospitalization, about which she has little positive to say. Nevertheless, some time after discharge, the depression lightens, and she becomes productive again. She has little to say about why this happens. We can take this as a reminder that we still need to understand more about depression.
Related Links:
- "A Journey Through Darkness," Daphne Merkin, New York Times magazine, May 10, 2009.
Posted by admin at 03:37 PM
May 22, 2009
SAMHSA survey suggests one in 13 US adults experienced one bout of major depression in past year
HealthDay (5/19, Mundell) reported that, according to a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), "over the past year, 16.5 million Americans age 18 or older -- one in 13 adults -- experienced at least one bout of major depression," and fewer "than two-thirds (64.5 percent) of those individuals got treated for their depression."
The SAMHSA survey "drew on data from the agency's 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, involving approximately 45,000 non-institutionalized adults." The survey also found that "rates of major depressive episodes were higher among people aged 18 to 25 (8.9 percent) or 26 to 49 (8.5 percent), compared to Americans aged 50 and older (5.8 percent)."
Nearly "7.5 percent of all American adults suffered at least one depressive episode." Forty-three percent of "those with depression who did not receive treatment...said cost was the reason they did not get help."
Related Links:
- "Depression Hits 1 in 13 American Adults," E.J. Mundell, HealthDay, May 19, 2009.
Posted by admin at 02:48 PM
May 19, 2009
Mental-health professionals seen as experiencing increase in time spent talking about job-related issues with patients
The New York Times (5/18, BU11, Seligson) reports, "Amid high unemployment and layoffs, mental-health professionals are seeing a marked increase in the time they spend talking about career-related issues with patients."
These days, "many people are seeking guidance from therapists about how to confront the storm that has hit the job market and toppled their lives." Therefore, "sessions are often becoming a mosaic of traditional therapy, loosely defined as more process-oriented and focused on the past, and of coaching, which tends to be more goal- and behavior-oriented."
According to Robert C. Chope, PhD, of "San Francisco State University and president of the employment counseling division of the American Counseling Association," there is now "more recognition that job issues 'have a huge mental health component,'" and "a 'stronger move to understand the context of jobs, toxic co-workers, and the ramifications of massive layoffs.'"
Related Links:
- "Therapists Get an Earful About Career Anxiety," Hannah Seligson, New York Times, May 16, 2009.
Posted by admin at 03:59 AM
May 18, 2009
Survey suggests significant portion of US adolescents with depression may go untreated
Following a HealthDay story, Medscape (5/14) reported that, according to findings from a 2007 nationwide survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), "a significant proportion of US adolescents with depression go untreated."
Specifically, the survey indicates that teenagers "without health insurance were less than half as likely to get treatment as those with Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or private health insurance coverage."
In addition, about two million "youths aged 12 to 17 years have experienced at least one major depressive episode...in the past year," but "only about 40 percent of these adolescents received treatment."
HealthDay noted that the SAMHSA "report is drawn from 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which collected data from a representative sample of approximately 22,000 adolescents across the" US.
Related Links:
- "Majority of US Adolescents With Depression Go Untreated," Caroline Cassels, MedScape, May 14, 2009.
Posted by admin at 04:51 PM
May 16, 2009
SAMHSA report suggests nearly one in 10 US teens may have experienced major depression in past year
HealthDay (5/13, Mundell) reported that, according to findings released May 13 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), "nearly one in 10 American adolescents have experienced at least one bout of major depression in the past year, but only about 39 percent of those cases received treatment."
The SAMHSA report indicated that "health insurance coverage was a major deciding factor in whether or not treatment occurred." And, of "those children who did receive treatment for depression, about 59 percent saw or spoke with a counselor, just under 37 percent interacted with a psychologist, 27.3 percent saw or spoke with either a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, 26.6 percent used a general practitioner or family doctor, and 46.8 percent received a prescription medication to treat their depression."
The report defined "a major depressive episode...as a period of two weeks or more in which the person experienced depressed mood or loss of interest, plus at least four other symptoms, such as change in functioning, trouble sleeping or eating, and/or problems with concentration or self-image."
Related Links:
- "Most Depressed Teens Don't Get Treatment," E.J. Mundell, Healthday, May 13, 2009.
Posted by admin at 02:38 PM
Wisely choose help in choosing doctors
According to the AP, when searching for healthcare information, such as choosing a doctor, patients should consider several "key factors."
Notably, patients should rely on word of mouth, as well as various online rating sites. Still, it is important to understand that "all sites are not created equal, so be skeptical.
Many sites, including RateMDs.com, allow anonymous postings, which raises credibility questions. Some, like Healthgrades.com, require payment to see reports."
Related Links:
- "Looking for a doc? Here's Rx for info overload," Tom Murphy, Associated Press, SouthCoastToday.com, May 7, 2009.
Posted by admin at 02:35 PM
"Theater of War" program designed to address emotional repercussions of war
USA Today (5/6, Moore) reports that the Theater of War program, "conceived last year" by classicist and theater director Bryan Doerries, "addresses a most contemporary problem: the psychic damage of war.
Amid the military's stepped-up effort to combat post-traumatic stress" disorder (PTSD) "and suicide in troops that have been through multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the performance is designed to provoke soldiers into greater awareness of the emotional toll on themselves and their families."
Troops listen to "readings from Ajax and Philoctetes, both plays by Sophocles, poet and general of the 5th century BC," then take part in "a discussion" with other "audience members and a panel of military leaders and mental-health professionals."
The "military hopes such storytelling will help soldiers with PTSD who haven't sought help."
Related Links:
- "Stressed troops take cues from ancient plays," Martha T. Moore, USA Today, May 6, 2009.
Posted by admin at 02:29 PM
Research indicates many high school athletes who suffer concussions may return to play prematurely
USA Today (5/5, Lloyd) reports that, according to findings from the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio, "when high school athletes suffer concussions, as many as 40.5 percent return to action prematurely and set themselves up for more severe injuries."
Study author Dawn Comstock, the study's director of research, "estimated that more than 130,000 concussions occurred in nine sports last year," with "about 3.8 million students" competing "in those sports."
Notably, "the most concussions occurred" among football players and in "boys' and girls' soccer." But, data also indicated that "16 percent of football players reported returning to play the same day they lost consciousness."
The study "adds fuel to growing concerns about the long-term side effects of concussions," as well as "inadequately trained personnel on the sidelines unprepared to make accurate diagnoses and informed decisions."
Related Links:
- " High school athletes face serious concussion risks," Janice Lloyd, USA Today, May 4, 2009.
Posted by admin at 02:26 PM
ONDCP encourages consumers to use take-back programs for safe disposal of drugs
The Washington Post (5/5, Stranahan) reports that "leftover pills can seem so small, so easily disposable, that many people routinely flush them down toilets, wash them down sinks or throw them in trash that goes to a landfill."
But, in doing so, these pills "often end up in places where they shouldn't be, like the public water supply."
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) altered "its advisory" this spring, "telling consumers to avoid flushing unless the label or patient information specifies that method of disposal. The new guidelines...encourage consumers to make use of community drug take-back programs" instead. Still, "a major hurdle in any take-back program is what to do with controlled substances."
Federal rules prohibit "a third party" from having legal "possession of such drugs," so "a family member or caregiver cannot return" them "on the patient's behalf." Lawmakers are now aiming to clarify the "chain-of-custody rules" in order "to eliminate obstacles to getting unwanted medication out of circulation."
Related Links:
- "For Old Drugs, New Tricks: Advice Veers Away From Flushing Unused Pills," Susan Q. Stranahan, Washington Post, May 5, 2009.
Posted by admin at 02:22 PM