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March 25, 2010
Self-Defeating Behavior Legitimate Target For Treatment, Psychiatrist Contends.
In the New York Times (3/23, D6) Mind column, psychiatrist Richard A. Friedman, MD, writes, "Of all human psychology, self-defeating behavior is among the most puzzling and hard to change."
Friedman theorizes that "a hidden psychological reward" may explain why some people "repeatedly pursue a path that leads to pain and disappointment." Still, "telling people they are the architects of their own misery doesn't go over very well," a position that "the American Psychiatric Association found itself in...when it included a category for self-defeating patients in an earlier version of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders." Friedman asserts that even though "the notion of masochistic character has disappeared from the manual altogether...the behavior is a source of considerable suffering and a legitimate target for treatment."
Related Links:
- Sabotaging Success, but to What End?," Richard Friedman, New York Times, March 22, 2010.
Posted by admin at 11:32 PM
New Law Guarantees Mental-Health Parity In Insurance Coverage.
The Washington Post /Kaiser Health News (3/2, Boodman) reports that "an estimated 140 million Americans...are the beneficiaries of a sweeping new federal law designed to guarantee parity in insurance coverage."
The new "law, which took effect for most plans Jan. 1, applies to groups of more than 50 employees," ensures that "higher deductibles, steeper co-pays, and other restrictions are no longer allowed for mental health and substance abuse treatment." While some businesses say that "prohibiting separate deductibles may have unintended consequences," Irvin Muszynski, an attorney at the American Psychiatric Association, after explaining that "mental health and substance abuse expenditures...account for a fraction of total healthcare expenditures," asked, "So, what is everyone freaking out about?"
Related Links:
- Parity law requires mental health benefits comparable to physical care benefits," Sandra G. Boodman, The Washington Post, Marsh 2, 2010.
Posted by admin at 11:22 PM
VA Psychologist Encourages Vets Suffering From PTSD To Undergo Treatment.
On its website, the National Journal (3/2) notes that it met with Dr. Stacey Pollack, a clinical psychologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs, "for her perspective on the battle against" post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which "has increased in recent years."
Pollack, "who also serves as trauma services director" at the VA hospital in Washington, DC, "says that although she tries to encourage vets suffering PTSD to undergo treatment, 'I don't ever pretend to understand exactly what they go through.'"
Related Links:
- VA Psychologist On PTSD And The Mental Health 'Stigma'," National Journal, March 1, 2010.
Posted by admin at 11:12 PM
Court Offers Chance To Veterans Who Commit Non-Violent Crimes.
The CBS Evening News (3/1, story 5, 4:30, Couric) reported that the "return home can be a very tough adjustment" for Americans who "have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," and "it's led some to a life of drug abuse and crime."
In Rochester, NY, however, Judge Patricia Marks has "started a special court designed to give veterans who commit non-violent crimes" a chance at probation if they promise to go straight. CBS noted, however, that "in the entire United States, there are only 17 veterans courts" like the one in Rochester.
Posted by admin at 10:59 PM
Up To 35% Of Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans May Experience Mental-Health Problems.
According to the Naperville (IL) Sun (3/1, Carlman), the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) "and other agencies project that between 15 percent and 35 percent of those involved in Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (which the Obama Administration...renamed Operation New Dawn) sooner or later will show symptoms of depression," post-traumatic stress disorder, "or other psychological troubles as a result of their combat experiences."
Posted by admin at 10:51 PM
Long-term marijuana use associated with increased risk for psychosis.
Bloomberg News (2/27, Ostrow) reports that, according to a study published online March 1 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, "young adults who used marijuana as teens were more likely than those who didn't to develop schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms including hallucinations and delusions."
In the study of 3,801 young Australian adults, researchers found that "those who used the drug for six or more years were twice as likely to develop a psychosis, such as schizophrenia, or to have delusional disorders than those who never used marijuana."
Related Links:
- Long-Time Marijuana Use Linked to Psychosis in Young Adults," Nicole Ostrow, Bloomberg News, Febuary 27, 2010.
Posted by admin at 10:43 PM
"Alarming" Increase In US Army Suicides Noted.
McClatchy (2/28, Abdullah) noted, "Last month, the Defense Department reported that there were 160 reported active-duty Army suicides in 2009, up from 140 in 2008."
And, while the "military's suicide rate is comparable to civilian rates, the increase is alarming, because the armed services traditionally had lower suicide rates than the general population." McClatchy focused much of it coverage 33-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Wimmer, who committed suicide in 2009, leaving behind a family which is "still caught in the dark currents that took his life."
Related Links:
- Military suicides are causing civilian casualties, too," Halimah Abdullah, McClatchy Newspapers, Febuary 28, 2010.
Posted by admin at 10:31 PM
Gastric Bands May Lead To Psychological Problems, Depression.
The UK's Telegraph (3/4, Smith) reports that, according to research presented at a UK diabetes conference, "Obese people who have a band fitted around their stomach to help them lose weight may end up thin, but can suffer from low self-esteem" and psychological problems.
After recording the experience of 25 patients one year after gastric banding, researchers found that the majority of patients "struggled with the shift in mindset required to deal with their desire and ability to eat." In fact, some "said losing the opportunity to eat as a coping strategy left them struggling to cope with distressing life events."
Related Links:
- Gastric bands may lead to depression as patients can no longer overeat," Rebecca Smith, The UK Telegraph, March 4, 2010.
Posted by admin at 10:22 PM
Childhood Adversities May Have Additive Associations With Onset Of Psychiatric Disorders.
MedWire (3/4, Levy) reports that, according to a study published in the February issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, "childhood adversities (CAs) have significant subadditive associations with the onset of psychiatric disorders throughout the life course."
After analyzing "CAs and lifetime Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV disorders assessed in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication involving 9,282 adults," Harvard researchers "found that 44.6% of all childhood-onset psychiatric disorders and 25.9% to 32.0% of later-onset disorders were attributed to CAs."
Related Links:
- Childhood adversities have additive effect on psychiatric disorder onset," Joel Levy, MedWire News, March 4, 2010.
Posted by admin at 09:58 PM
March 17, 2010
Survey Indicates Growing Incidence Of Medical Identity Theft.
McClatchy (3/4, Yip) reports, "The number of ID fraud victims jumped 12 percent in 2009, but consumers are becoming more educated and are filing more reports with law enforcement, according to Javelin Strategy & Research."
Experts "said the increase may be due to the economic downturn, when fraud rises historically." Notably, "a budding area is medical ID theft, in which thieves use your personal and health insurance information to obtain medical treatment or drugs. Javelin's survey found that the theft of medical records to commit ID fraud accounted for seven percent of all instances of ID theft in 2009, up from three percent in 2008."
Related Links:
-
Recession is fueling a boom in insurance fraud," Tony Pugh, McClatchy Newspapers, March 11, 2010.
Posted by admin at 09:13 PM
Medicare Pay Cut Reprieve May Do Little To Ease Physicians' Concerns.
The Lincoln Journal-Star (3/3, Andersen) reported that the Senate "approved a one-month delay in a 21 percent Medicare pay cut to physicians," but the "shenanigans of the past few days pushed physician frustration to the point" where the "reprieve may matter little."
In light of "American Medical Association estimates" that indicate the cut "would reduce the average annual pay to Nebraska doctors by $18,000," one "kidney doctor said he must act to shore up his business." What's more, the "longtime decline in what Medicare pays physicians has already begun to affect patients," and "patients could find themselves paying more and having a harder time getting in to see a doctor," accelerating "the program's transformation into an ugly twin of underfunded Medicaid" in Nebraska and elsewhere.
Related Links:
-
Physicians worried over Medicare cuts," Mark Anderson, Lincoln Journal Star, March 3, 2010.
Posted by admin at 08:52 PM
Feeling Younger May Help Older People Retain Cognitive Abilities.
US News & World Report /National Science Foundation (3/4) reported that "if you feel old beyond your own chronological years, you are probably going to experience a lot of the downsides that we associate with aging," but "if you are older and maintain a sense of being younger, then that gives you an edge in maintaining a lot of the abilities you prize," according to Markus H. Schafer, co-author of a new study.
After comparing "people's chronological age and their subjective age to determine which one has a greater influence on cognitive abilities during older adulthood," researchers found that "people who felt young for their age were more likely to have greater confidence about their cognitive abilities a decade later," and while "chronological age was important...the subjective age had a stronger effect."
Related Links:
- How You Think About Your Age May Affect How You Age," US News & World Report, March 4, 2010.
Posted by admin at 08:42 PM
Asthmatics More Than Twice As Likely To Have Depression, Anxiety Than Non-Asthmatics.
HealthDay (3/4, Gordon) reported that, according to a study published in the March issue of the journal Chest, "people with asthma are more than twice as likely to have depression or anxiety as people who don't have the" condition.
After reviewing "data from 186,738 adults who had participated in the US National Health Interview Survey between 2001 and 2007," CDC researchers found that "among all of the study participants, the average prevalence of serious psychological distress was three percent, but in people with asthma, the rate of serious psychological distress was 7.5 percent."
Related Links:
- People With Asthma More Likely to Be Depressed
," Serena Gordon, HealthDay, March 4, 2010.
Posted by admin at 08:32 PM
Analysis Finds Antipsychotics Given To Some Massachusetts Nursing-Home Patients With Dementia.
On its front page, the Boston Globe (3/8, A1, Lazar) reports that, according to the Boston Globe's own "analysis of federal data," approximately "2,500 nursing home residents in Massachusetts were given powerful" antipsychotics "last year that were not intended or recommended for their medical condition."
In fact, "data collected by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that 28 percent of Massachusetts nursing home residents were given antipsychotics in 2009," even though "22 percent" of those residents "did not have a medical condition that calls for such treatment." In some cases, the medications are dispensed inappropriately because nursing homes lack behavior management techniques, experience, and staffing to deal with agitated patients, the Globe explains.
Related Links:
- Drugs at Mass. nursing homes could pose risks," The Boston Globe, March 8, 2010.
Posted by admin at 08:15 PM
Similar Medication Names, Bottles Cause Thousands Of Mistakes Annually.
ABC World News (3/5, story 6, 2:55, Sawyer) reported on how some medicine bottles look alike and how the FDA "said it gets thousands of reports of such mix-ups every year."
The FDA's Dr. Gerald Pan said, "Today's near-miss, today's medication error that doesn't cause harm to somebody could cause harm to someone tomorrow." ABC noted the name change for Kapidex (dexlansoprazole) last week, but "that still leaves several hundred sound-alike and lookalike drug combinations to go."
Posted by admin at 08:03 PM
Researchers Investigate Smoking As Independent Risk Factor For Suicidality.
Medscape (3/11, Frincu-Mallos) reported that, according to research presented at a meeting on anxiety disorders, "smoking may be an independent risk factor for suicidality."
In a 10-year study of 3,021 young people who ranged in age from 14 to 24 at baseline, researchers found that "prior occasional, regular smoking and nicotine dependence were associated with an increased risk for the onset of suicidal ideation, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.5 to 2.7." In addition, "prior regular smoking and nicotine dependence were...associated with the subsequent first onset of suicide attempts."
Related Links:
- Smoking May Be an Independent Risk Factor for Suicidality," Crina Frincu-Mallus, MedScape, March 11, 2010.
Posted by admin at 07:26 PM
Higher Levels Of Physical Activity Associated With Lower Levels Of Depression In Older Adults.
Medscape (3/11, Harrison) reported that, according to research presented at a geriatric psychiatry meeting, "higher levels of physical activity objectively measured by an accelerometer are strongly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms and a lower prevalence of depressive disorders."
In a study of 1,103 older adults ("mean age, 67.6 years"), researchers found that "moderate physical activity as measured by an accelerometer totaling only 12 minutes a day was still significantly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms (P < .0001) and a lower prevalence of depressive disorders (P = .003)."
Related Links:
- Higher Physical Activity Levels Strongly Linked to Lower Levels of Depression in Older Adults," Pam Harrison, MedScape, March 11, 2010.
Posted by admin at 07:18 PM
Lethal Inhalant Use Surpasses Marijuana, Cocaine Experimentation Among 12-Year-Olds.
ABC World News (3/11, story 3, 1:35, Sawyer) reported that newly released data indicate that "a number of children in this country...are sniffing hair spray and spray paint before moving onto drugs like marijuana."
One 17-year-old who started inhaling at 11 says, "It's free. It's easy. You can steal it. You can take it from your parents. It's instant and it's intense."
And, its catching on, according to "The Crime Scene" blog, hosted by the Washington Post (3/11, Glod). The 2006-2008 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health reveal that a "rate of lifetime inhalant use among 12 year olds of 6.9 percent, compared to a rate of 1.4 percent for marijuana; a rate of 0.7 percent for use of hallucinogens; and a 0.1 rate for cocaine use." Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said, "Parents must wake up to the reality that their child might try huffing and the consequences could be devastating."
According to CQ HealthBeat (3/11, Reichard), "Timothy Condon, deputy director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said other research shows a disturbing downward trend among high schoolers who see 'great risk' in using inhalants once or twice a week."
On its website, CBS News (3/11) also quotes Condon as saying: "At the same time, the survey shows that inhalant use isn't declining as much as it has in recent years among eighth and tenth graders." He added, "If today's attitude translates into future use, we have reason to be concerned." Thus, on Sunday, the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration "is kicking off National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week," CNN (3/11, Young) reported on its website. Reuters (3/12, Allen) and theChristian Science Monitor (3/11, Guarino) also covered the story.
Related Links:
- Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome Kills With One Puff
," Boris Korby and Courtney Hutchison, ABC World News, March 10, 2010.
- Huffing a danger for preteens, study says," Maria Glod, Washington Post: Crime Scene Blog, March 11, 2010.
- Sniffing Trumps Weed for 12-Year-Olds," CBS News, March 11, 2010.
Posted by admin at 06:49 PM
Oregon Insurers Test Health Plans That Offer Incentives To Use Proven Treatments.
Kaiser Health News (3/11, Appleby) reports that five insurers in Oregon will offer some employees "a new type of insurance that offers free care for some illnesses, such as diabetes or depression, but requires hefty extra fees for treatments deemed overused, including knee replacements, hysterectomies and heart bypass surgery."
The health plans "are among the first to apply financial incentives on both sides of one important factor driving up the nation's healthcare tab: The underuse of proven treatments and overuse of certain surgeries and diagnostic tests that may be less valuable." The insurers will use "incentives to influence patients' behavior...on prescription" medicines, as well. The move is intended "to encourage workers to choose high-value care, defined as treatments backed by strong evidence that they work."
Related Links:
- Carrot-And-Stick Health Plans Aim To Cut Costs," Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News, March 11, 2010.
Posted by admin at 06:28 PM
March 11, 2010
The Art of Mentally Ill and Eccentric People
In the February, 2010, issue of Clinical Psychiatry News, psychiatrist Roland Atkinson devotes his column Reel Life to five recent films featuring the lives of self taught outsider artists who are mentally ill or eccentric.
The most successful of the films, Seraphine, won seven Cesar awards for 2009. It depicts the pre-World War 1 discovery of the highly delicate and colorful flower paintings by Seraphine, an obscure socially isolated externally morose French cleaning woman. The discoverer was art critic and collector Wilhelm Uhde who nurtured her successful career as an artist. When he was hard hit by the depression he had to withdraw his support, and Seraphine soon became mentally ill and spent the last years of her life in a mental hospital.
Other films he discussed were In a Dream, My Nikifor, and Junebug.
Atkonson writes, "The main lesson for psychiatrists offered by outsider artists is their demonstration of abilities to create rich, often stunningly unique works, a useful counterpoint to our customary fixation on psychopathology and dysfunction."
Related Links:
- Subscription required for full text: "Visions From Outside the Box ," Roland Atkinson, Clinical Psychiatry News, Vol. 38, Issue 2, Page 10, February 2010.
- Seraphine
- In a Dream
- My Nikifor, a review at Culture.PL
- Junebug
Posted by admin at 03:12 PM