Showing posts with label Anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anxiety. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Insomnia and Anxiety May Be Genetically Linked
(HealthDay News) -- A genetic link between anxiety, depression and insomnia has been identified by U.S. researchers, who said adolescents who suffer from anxiety and depression should also be screened for insomnia. Read more
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Marijuana Use Among MS Patients Raises Risk for Cognitive, Mood Problems
(HealthDay News) -- Multiple sclerosis patients who smoke marijuana in search of symptom relief are more likely to suffer cognitive shortfalls and mood disorders, new Canadian research suggests.
A slowing down in the ability to process and remember information is one significant side effect, as is a rise in the rate of depression and anxiety.
"This is a small study, so our findings are preliminary, but the bottom line is that multiple sclerosis patients who smoke cannabis appear to be at an increased risk for cognitive issues, particularly with respect to the speed of their thinking," said study author Dr. Anthony Feinstein, a professor of psychiatry with the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre's department of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
Feinstein's observations are published in the Feb. 13 online edition of Neurology and are focused exclusively on the impact of smoking marijuana illegally obtained by patients themselves. Medically prescribed marijuana was not studied.
The authors noted that a "significant minority" of multiple sclerosis patients smoke marijuana to combat the tingling, numbness, blindness and paralysis that can accompany the progressive and often disabling nervous system disease.
However, Feinstein's team stressed that scientists have yet to definitively prove that the psychoactive substance -- long linked to psychosis, anxiety and delirium among healthy users -- provides a measurable benefit to the more than 400,000 Americans and 2.5 million people worldwide who suffer from the disease.
The researchers therefore assessed the experience of 140 Toronto-based MS outpatients, 10 of whom had smoked the drug at least once in the previous month and were considered regular marijuana users.
All the patients -- three-quarters of them women -- underwent cognitive and mental health exams by a neurologist and a neuro-psychiatrist. Interviews were also conducted to assess disease severity and course, medications being used, and current disability.
Feinstein and his team observed that while pot smokers were younger, there were no differences between marijuana users and nonusers in terms of gender, education, or MS disease course or duration.
However, MS patients who used marijuana were found to perform 50 percent slower on tests tracking information-processing speed and were more likely than nonusers to have a mental disability of some kind.
Marijuana use was also associated with a greater risk for being depressed or experiencing anxiety. However, the authors were not able to determine whether the drug had triggered such conditions, or if patients had sought out marijuana to help deal with a preexisting emotional issue.
They nonetheless cautioned that smoking marijuana might further raise the risk for experiencing the kind of neuro-psychological impairment that typically occurs among 40 percent to 65 percent of all MS patients.
Feinstein said that he next hopes to gather a much larger pool of patients, while exploring possible differences in the health impact of street-purchased marijuana versus prescribed cannabis.
Meanwhile, Dr. Marshall Keilson, director of neurology at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., said he thinks it best to proceed on a case-by-case basis.
"There are some MS patients who are emotionally disabled from their disease, and if we can use cannabis to help them feel better about the world or life, we should," he said. "We need to always err on the side of doing what's best for our patients. And I don't necessarily believe there is a permanent damage to the brain, based on occasional marijuana use. If they're smoking 10 times a day, yes, there will be damage done. But this goes for excessive alcohol use, too. So, I think we're going to end up somewhere in the middle with this."
More information
For more on multiple sclerosis, visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
A slowing down in the ability to process and remember information is one significant side effect, as is a rise in the rate of depression and anxiety.
"This is a small study, so our findings are preliminary, but the bottom line is that multiple sclerosis patients who smoke cannabis appear to be at an increased risk for cognitive issues, particularly with respect to the speed of their thinking," said study author Dr. Anthony Feinstein, a professor of psychiatry with the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre's department of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
Feinstein's observations are published in the Feb. 13 online edition of Neurology and are focused exclusively on the impact of smoking marijuana illegally obtained by patients themselves. Medically prescribed marijuana was not studied.
The authors noted that a "significant minority" of multiple sclerosis patients smoke marijuana to combat the tingling, numbness, blindness and paralysis that can accompany the progressive and often disabling nervous system disease.
However, Feinstein's team stressed that scientists have yet to definitively prove that the psychoactive substance -- long linked to psychosis, anxiety and delirium among healthy users -- provides a measurable benefit to the more than 400,000 Americans and 2.5 million people worldwide who suffer from the disease.
The researchers therefore assessed the experience of 140 Toronto-based MS outpatients, 10 of whom had smoked the drug at least once in the previous month and were considered regular marijuana users.
All the patients -- three-quarters of them women -- underwent cognitive and mental health exams by a neurologist and a neuro-psychiatrist. Interviews were also conducted to assess disease severity and course, medications being used, and current disability.
Feinstein and his team observed that while pot smokers were younger, there were no differences between marijuana users and nonusers in terms of gender, education, or MS disease course or duration.
However, MS patients who used marijuana were found to perform 50 percent slower on tests tracking information-processing speed and were more likely than nonusers to have a mental disability of some kind.
Marijuana use was also associated with a greater risk for being depressed or experiencing anxiety. However, the authors were not able to determine whether the drug had triggered such conditions, or if patients had sought out marijuana to help deal with a preexisting emotional issue.
They nonetheless cautioned that smoking marijuana might further raise the risk for experiencing the kind of neuro-psychological impairment that typically occurs among 40 percent to 65 percent of all MS patients.
Feinstein said that he next hopes to gather a much larger pool of patients, while exploring possible differences in the health impact of street-purchased marijuana versus prescribed cannabis.
Meanwhile, Dr. Marshall Keilson, director of neurology at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., said he thinks it best to proceed on a case-by-case basis.
"There are some MS patients who are emotionally disabled from their disease, and if we can use cannabis to help them feel better about the world or life, we should," he said. "We need to always err on the side of doing what's best for our patients. And I don't necessarily believe there is a permanent damage to the brain, based on occasional marijuana use. If they're smoking 10 times a day, yes, there will be damage done. But this goes for excessive alcohol use, too. So, I think we're going to end up somewhere in the middle with this."
More information
For more on multiple sclerosis, visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Quit-Smoking Drug May Raise Suicide Risk
(HealthDay News) -- There's increasing evidence that the smoking-cessation drug Chantix is linked to serious "neuropsychiatric" side effects, including agitation, depressed mood and even suicide, U.S. health officials said Friday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked Chantix's manufacturer, Pfizer Inc., to make the warning about these potential problems more prominent on prescribing information and on the drug's label. The agency is also working with Pfizer to produce a Medication Guide for patients, officials said.
"We have become increasingly concerned as we have seen a number of compelling cases that truly look as if they are the result of exposure to the drug and not to other causes," Dr. Bob Rappaport, director of the FDA's Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Rheumatology Products, said during an afternoon teleconference.
"These cases involve abnormal behaviors, changes in mood, and suicidal ideation and suicide," Rappaport said.
The FDA knows of 491 cases of suicidal behavior associated with Chantix, said Dr. Celia Winchell, a team leader in the FDA's Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Rheumatology Products.
"Of these, 420 are from the United States," Winchell said. "There are 39 that involve completed suicides, 34 in the United States."
According to Pfizer, 5 million patients have taken Chantix, whose generic name is varenicline.
Friday's warning follows a Nov. 20 FDA statement that the agency was "evaluating post-marketing adverse event reports on Chantix related to changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and actual suicidal behavior."
At that time, Pfizer said there had never been a cause-and-effect relationship shown between Chantix and these symptoms. The company also said that part of the problem may be due to nicotine withdrawal.
Last month, Pfizer agreed, after consulting with the FDA, to update packages of Chantix sold in the United States to more prominently display a warning that users should be monitored for suicidal behavior, depressed mood, and other mental health symptoms.
The FDA approved Chantix in May 2006 as a smoking-cessation drug. It acts in areas of the brain affected by nicotine and may ease withdrawal symptoms and block the effects of nicotine if users resume smoking.
On Friday, FDA officials advised patients to tell their doctor about any history of psychiatric illness before starting Chantix. The drug can cause current psychiatric illness to get worse even if it is under control. Chantix may also cause the recurrence of an old psychiatric illness, the officials warned.
Patients should also report changes in mood and behavior to their doctor. Symptoms to look out for include anxiety, nervousness, tension, depressed mood, unusual behaviors and thinking about or attempting suicide, the FDA officials said.
In most cases, these symptoms developed while taking Chantix, but they can also appear after stopping the drug, the officials noted.
"We are continuing with the review process over the next several months as we try to pin down to what extent these problems are being seen with Chantix," Rappaport said.
Vivid, unusual, or strange dreams may occur while taking the drug. Patients may also experience impaired ability to drive or operate heavy machinery, the officials said.
More information
For more on quitting smoking, visit Smokefree.gov.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked Chantix's manufacturer, Pfizer Inc., to make the warning about these potential problems more prominent on prescribing information and on the drug's label. The agency is also working with Pfizer to produce a Medication Guide for patients, officials said.
"We have become increasingly concerned as we have seen a number of compelling cases that truly look as if they are the result of exposure to the drug and not to other causes," Dr. Bob Rappaport, director of the FDA's Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Rheumatology Products, said during an afternoon teleconference.
"These cases involve abnormal behaviors, changes in mood, and suicidal ideation and suicide," Rappaport said.
The FDA knows of 491 cases of suicidal behavior associated with Chantix, said Dr. Celia Winchell, a team leader in the FDA's Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Rheumatology Products.
"Of these, 420 are from the United States," Winchell said. "There are 39 that involve completed suicides, 34 in the United States."
According to Pfizer, 5 million patients have taken Chantix, whose generic name is varenicline.
Friday's warning follows a Nov. 20 FDA statement that the agency was "evaluating post-marketing adverse event reports on Chantix related to changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and actual suicidal behavior."
At that time, Pfizer said there had never been a cause-and-effect relationship shown between Chantix and these symptoms. The company also said that part of the problem may be due to nicotine withdrawal.
Last month, Pfizer agreed, after consulting with the FDA, to update packages of Chantix sold in the United States to more prominently display a warning that users should be monitored for suicidal behavior, depressed mood, and other mental health symptoms.
The FDA approved Chantix in May 2006 as a smoking-cessation drug. It acts in areas of the brain affected by nicotine and may ease withdrawal symptoms and block the effects of nicotine if users resume smoking.
On Friday, FDA officials advised patients to tell their doctor about any history of psychiatric illness before starting Chantix. The drug can cause current psychiatric illness to get worse even if it is under control. Chantix may also cause the recurrence of an old psychiatric illness, the officials warned.
Patients should also report changes in mood and behavior to their doctor. Symptoms to look out for include anxiety, nervousness, tension, depressed mood, unusual behaviors and thinking about or attempting suicide, the FDA officials said.
In most cases, these symptoms developed while taking Chantix, but they can also appear after stopping the drug, the officials noted.
"We are continuing with the review process over the next several months as we try to pin down to what extent these problems are being seen with Chantix," Rappaport said.
Vivid, unusual, or strange dreams may occur while taking the drug. Patients may also experience impaired ability to drive or operate heavy machinery, the officials said.
More information
For more on quitting smoking, visit Smokefree.gov.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Health Tip: Don't Suddenly Stop Taking an Antidepressant
(HealthDay News) - If you want to stop taking an antidepressant, it's important to speak with your doctor first, the American Academy of Family Physicians says. The doctor may recommend weaning your body off the medication gradually.
People who stop an antidepressant too quickly may trigger a host of symptoms that doctors call antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Symptoms may include:
People who stop an antidepressant too quickly may trigger a host of symptoms that doctors call antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Symptoms may include:
- Anxiety.
- Feelings of depression or sadness.
- Moodiness and irritability.
- Tiredness.
- Headaches and dizziness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
If an antidepressant is causing an unpleasant side effect, your doctor may opt to lower your dose or prescribe a different type of antidepressant altogether.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Breast Is Best for Reducing Stress
(HealthDay News) -- Breast-feeding is considered a great way for a mother to form a close bond with her infant. And now there's evidence to suggest it may also help kids be more resilient to stress.
Researchers in Sweden and the United Kingdom examined data on almost 9,000 children born in Great Britain in 1970. Relevant information was collected at birth and again at ages 5 and 10 from parents, teachers, health-care workers and midwives.
Teachers were asked to rate the kids' anxiety levels on a zero-to-50 scale at age 10. And parents were asked about major life events -- including divorce or separation -- that occurred when their children were between 5 and 10 years old.
Not surprisingly, children whose parents had divorced or separated were more likely to have high anxiety. But what the researchers found striking was the difference in stress levels between breast-fed and bottle-fed kids. Breast-fed children were significantly less anxious than kids who hadn't nursed at their mother's breast.
Lead author Scott Montgomery, an associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, said the research team was interested in examining whether there are any specific early-life exposures that make children better able to cope with stress later in life. The study attempted to replicate animal studies that showed close physical contact between a mother and her offspring may have a positive impact on the development of the offspring's stress response, he said.
"The best marker of maternal physical contact in the first month of life that we could find among the research information at our disposal was breast-feeding," Montgomery said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthy women exclusively breast-feed their infants for at least the first six months of life and continue breast-feeding "for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child."
Breast-feeding offers many health and development benefits for baby, says the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. Kids get the right balance of nutrients to support optimal growth, fatty acids to promote brain development and protection against many childhood illnesses. And there are important emotional and physical benefits for moms as well.
"There is no question that breast-feeding is better for the health of mothers and children," said Nicole Else-Quest, an assistant professor of psychology at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, "but it is less clear how breast-feeding affects the mother-child relationship." Breast-feeding may help to establish an early bond, she added, but "it is only one of many ways to do so."
As for why there might be differences in stress between breast-fed and bottle-fed kids, Else-Quest said it is difficult to speculate "given that many factors influence the decisions to breast-feed in the first place."
The research team considered factors that might affect a child's reaction to stress and ability to cope, such as maternal depression, parental education levels, social class, and smoking habits. Even after accounting for those factors, breast-fed children were less anxious than their peers. In addition, bottle-fed children whose parents divorced were more anxious than breast-fed kids.
Yet the study findings don't prove that breast-feeding itself reduces anxiety. It may be a mark of close, early physical contact, the researchers noted.
"A child without such regular contact may perceive greater danger reacting to stress -- indicating a potentially dangerous situation -- with a more reactive and less well-controlled stress response," Montgomery said.
It's also possible, he added, that mothers who breast-fed simply have a better relationship with their child.
"The parent-child relationship influences the child's health and development in many ways," Montgomery said. "A good relationship with parents is important, and this relationship begins in infancy, so good early contact with the child is important."
The study findings were published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.
More information
The National Institute of Child Health & Human Development has the latest research on breast-feeding.
Researchers in Sweden and the United Kingdom examined data on almost 9,000 children born in Great Britain in 1970. Relevant information was collected at birth and again at ages 5 and 10 from parents, teachers, health-care workers and midwives.
Teachers were asked to rate the kids' anxiety levels on a zero-to-50 scale at age 10. And parents were asked about major life events -- including divorce or separation -- that occurred when their children were between 5 and 10 years old.
Not surprisingly, children whose parents had divorced or separated were more likely to have high anxiety. But what the researchers found striking was the difference in stress levels between breast-fed and bottle-fed kids. Breast-fed children were significantly less anxious than kids who hadn't nursed at their mother's breast.
Lead author Scott Montgomery, an associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, said the research team was interested in examining whether there are any specific early-life exposures that make children better able to cope with stress later in life. The study attempted to replicate animal studies that showed close physical contact between a mother and her offspring may have a positive impact on the development of the offspring's stress response, he said.
"The best marker of maternal physical contact in the first month of life that we could find among the research information at our disposal was breast-feeding," Montgomery said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthy women exclusively breast-feed their infants for at least the first six months of life and continue breast-feeding "for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child."
Breast-feeding offers many health and development benefits for baby, says the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. Kids get the right balance of nutrients to support optimal growth, fatty acids to promote brain development and protection against many childhood illnesses. And there are important emotional and physical benefits for moms as well.
"There is no question that breast-feeding is better for the health of mothers and children," said Nicole Else-Quest, an assistant professor of psychology at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, "but it is less clear how breast-feeding affects the mother-child relationship." Breast-feeding may help to establish an early bond, she added, but "it is only one of many ways to do so."
As for why there might be differences in stress between breast-fed and bottle-fed kids, Else-Quest said it is difficult to speculate "given that many factors influence the decisions to breast-feed in the first place."
The research team considered factors that might affect a child's reaction to stress and ability to cope, such as maternal depression, parental education levels, social class, and smoking habits. Even after accounting for those factors, breast-fed children were less anxious than their peers. In addition, bottle-fed children whose parents divorced were more anxious than breast-fed kids.
Yet the study findings don't prove that breast-feeding itself reduces anxiety. It may be a mark of close, early physical contact, the researchers noted.
"A child without such regular contact may perceive greater danger reacting to stress -- indicating a potentially dangerous situation -- with a more reactive and less well-controlled stress response," Montgomery said.
It's also possible, he added, that mothers who breast-fed simply have a better relationship with their child.
"The parent-child relationship influences the child's health and development in many ways," Montgomery said. "A good relationship with parents is important, and this relationship begins in infancy, so good early contact with the child is important."
The study findings were published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.
More information
The National Institute of Child Health & Human Development has the latest research on breast-feeding.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Relatives of Parkinson's Patients at Higher Psychiatric Risk
(HealthDay News) -- The close relatives of people with Parkinson's disease are at increased risk for depression and anxiety disorders, new research suggests.
The risk is particularly high in the brothers, sisters, parents and children of people who develop Parkinson's before age 75, said a team from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The study included 1,000 immediate relatives of 162 Parkinson's patients and 850 immediate relatives of 147 people without Parkinson's. It's the first large population-based study to identify this kind of association.
"Studies by our group and others have shown that relatives of patients with Parkinson's disease have an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. Recently, we showed they also have increased risk of essential tremor and of cognitive impairment or dementia. However, the risk of psychiatric disorders was unknown," senior author Dr. Walter Rocca, a neurologist and epidemiologist, said in a prepared statement.
"Because many patients with Parkinson's disease develop anxiety and depression after and even before the onset of the disease, we explored whether this tendency was present to a greater extent in family members of people with Parkinson's disease compared with people without the disease. We found that, indeed, relatives of patients with Parkinson's disease are at increased risk for anxiety and depressive disorders, which suggests a genetic or other relationship between those disorders and Parkinson's disease," Rocca said.
Further research is needed to determine the exact cause or causes that boost the risk, he said.
The study was published in the December issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
More information
There's more on Parkinson's disease at We Move.
The risk is particularly high in the brothers, sisters, parents and children of people who develop Parkinson's before age 75, said a team from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The study included 1,000 immediate relatives of 162 Parkinson's patients and 850 immediate relatives of 147 people without Parkinson's. It's the first large population-based study to identify this kind of association.
"Studies by our group and others have shown that relatives of patients with Parkinson's disease have an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. Recently, we showed they also have increased risk of essential tremor and of cognitive impairment or dementia. However, the risk of psychiatric disorders was unknown," senior author Dr. Walter Rocca, a neurologist and epidemiologist, said in a prepared statement.
"Because many patients with Parkinson's disease develop anxiety and depression after and even before the onset of the disease, we explored whether this tendency was present to a greater extent in family members of people with Parkinson's disease compared with people without the disease. We found that, indeed, relatives of patients with Parkinson's disease are at increased risk for anxiety and depressive disorders, which suggests a genetic or other relationship between those disorders and Parkinson's disease," Rocca said.
Further research is needed to determine the exact cause or causes that boost the risk, he said.
The study was published in the December issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
More information
There's more on Parkinson's disease at We Move.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Sleep Problems Plague the Older Set
(HealthDay News) -- Older Americans often have difficulty getting a good night's rest. It's a huge quality-of-life problem, experts say, because contrary to popular belief, seniors require about the same amount of sleep as younger adults."Sleep problems and sleep disorders are not an inherent part of aging," said Dr. Harrison G. Bloom, a senior associate at the International Longevity Center-USA and associate clinical professor of geriatrics and medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
"It's pretty much of a myth that older people need less sleep than younger people."
Yet, in a study published recently in The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that more than half of older Americans have problems getting the shuteye they need.
Older people tend to have "sleep fragmentation," meaning they wake up more often during the night, said study author Dr. Julie Gammack, an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at St. Louis University.
They also seem to get less "REM" sleep, the type of sleep during which rapid eye movement occurs, Bloom added.
It's unclear what role these naturally occurring changes in sleep patterns have on a person's quality of life, Bloom said. "What is important, though, is that older people often have actual sleep disorders and problems with sleep," he said.
And, experts say, there is usually more than one cause.
"Sleep disturbance in older adults is typically associated with acute and chronic illnesses, including specific sleep disorders like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome that appear with greater frequency in older populations," said Michael V. Vitiello, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate director of the University of Washington's Northwest Geriatric Education Center.
As people age, they typically develop more diseases and suffer from aches and pains. "These things can disrupt sleep, so what they may perceive as a sleep disorder may actually relate to the effects of some of their other medical problems," Gammack noted.
Taking multiple medications, as many older people do, can also lead to fatigue and "hypersomnia," or being tired all the time, Bloom added.
Another big problem, he noted, is depression and anxiety. "Those are very commonly associated with sleep problems."
Despite the prevalence of sleep difficulties in older adults, many patients aren't getting the help they need.
"The average physician receives very little training about sleep disorders and typically does not routinely screen patients for them," said Vitiello, who serves on the board of directors of the National Sleep Foundation. This may be due to a lack of time or training or the belief that there is little that can be done to improve sleep, he explained.
As a result, problems like insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea and circadian rhythm disorders are underdiagnosed and undertreated, Bloom said.
To rectify the problem, a national coalition of aging, geriatric medicine and sleep organizations is currently developing guidelines to promote prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sleep problems in older adults. The National Coalition for Sleep Disorders in Older People expects to publish its recommendations by mid-2008.
"The reason we're concerned with these [problems], besides a major issue on quality of life and being tired the next day and not functioning properly, is that these sleep disorders are associated with hypertension, diabetes, pulmonary disease, heart disease, depression and anxiety," said Bloom, chairman of coalition's expert task force.
A cause-and-effect relationship has yet to be established between sleep disorders and these chronic health problems, but Bloom suspects they at least contribute to each other. And he believes a causal relationship may be found in years to come.
"This is very, very much a tip-of-the-iceberg problem," he said.
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Friday, October 05, 2007
Health Tip: Understanding Compulsive Overeating
(HealthDay News) - Compulsive overeating occurs when a person uncontrollably binges on large amounts of food. The affected person usually is overcome with feelings of guilt and shame.
Brown University offers these common reasons for why people compulsively overeat:
Brown University offers these common reasons for why people compulsively overeat:
- To satisfy an obsession or preoccupation with food, weight and eating.
- To cope with other issues that the person can't control.
- To deal with stress, anxiety or depression.
- To mask low self-esteem.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Does Pathological Shyness Make for School Shooters?
(HealthDay News) -- What motivates some teens to gun down fellow students in the hallways or grounds of their schools?
Perhaps a characteristic called "cynical shyness." This is an extreme form of shyness affecting mostly males that can lead to violent behavior such as that seen at Columbine, Colo., or, most recently, Virginia Tech, according to researchers who were to present their findings Saturday evening at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting, in San Francisco.
"Cynically shy people are shy people who are motivated toward moving to others, and then they are rejected," said Bernardo Carducci, lead author of the study and director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany.
"In addition to feelings of anxiety about social situations, cynically shy people, who are a small subclass of shy people, also have feelings of anger and hostility toward others and that comes from this sense of disconnect," Carducci explained. "Shyness has more in common with extroversion than with introversion. Shy people truly want to be with others, so they make the effort, but when they are rejected or ostracized, they disconnect. Once you disconnect, it's very easy to start being angry and hate other people. It's you against them, and they become what I call a cult of one. Once you start thinking 'it's me versus them,' then it becomes easy to start hurting these people."
Eventually, the new research may help identify the likely perpetrators of such crimes before they happen, the study authors said.
"It would be great if we could better characterize people who might be likely to do something violent," said Dr. Jane Ripperger-Suhler, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and a psychiatrist with Scott & White Mental Health Center in Temple. "Right now, our ability to predict violence is not very good at all, so people overreact to a lot of things because of a fear of something happening.
For years, we were under-reacting. It would be nice if psychologists could help us characterize who would be more likely to be a school shooter."
But it's important not to stigmatize shy kids, other experts emphasized.
"Shyness is not inherently a good or bad thing," said Heather Henderson, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Miami. "But one thing we know about shyness in boys, particularly in North America, they seem to be particularly at risk for maladaptive outcomes.
We expect boys to be more outgoing and assertive. Boys are particularly sensitive and are exposed to cues from other people that shyness is not a good thing."
According to the study authors, there are a number of subtypes of shyness, cynical shyness being just one.
For the study, Carducci and a co-author examined news accounts and background information on seven high school shooting cases involving eight teen shooters between 1995 and 2004.
Those individuals were:
Jeffrey Weise -- 16, killed seven people at Red Lake High School in Minnesota as well as his grandfather and grandfather's girlfriend in 2005;
Jamie Rouse -- 17, killed one student and one teacher at Richland High School in Tennessee in 1995;
Luke Woodham -- 17, killed two people at Pearl High School in Mississippi in 1997;
Barry Loukaitis -- 14, killed three at Frontier Junior High in Washington state in 1996;
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold -- 18 and 17 years old, they killed 12 students and a teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999;
Michael Carneal -- 14, killed three girls at Heath High School in Kentucky in 1997;
Kip Kinkel -- 15, killed his parents and two classmates at Thurston High School in Oregon in 1998.
Weise, the two Columbine killers and Kinkel had a "cynically shy score" of 10 (on a scale of 10). Rouse, Woodham and Loukaitis had scores of 8, and Carneal had a score of 6, the researchers said.
Cynically shy people tend to be male and want to relate to other people but just don't know how. As a result, they get rejected, and feelings of hurt gradually turn into intense rage, the study authors said.
This seems to be an extreme version of the frustrations other shy people often face.
"We often misinterpret why people are shy," Henderson said. "If you walk by somebody and avoid eye contact, you interpret that as they don't want to interact, but I think often it's completely the opposite. They really do want to interact and don't know how.
"It's important for parents and teachers to start at a young age, before the person is walking down the high school corridor ready to shoot, not to interpret their behavior as not wanting to interact," Henderson continued. "If we flip our interpretations, people may respond differently.
As a field, we need to understand prospectively what's happening, so we can start identifying kids at a very young age, what would drive a shy kid into this pattern. We don't want the message to be 'shyness will lead to shooting.' "
More information
To learn more, visit the Center for the Prevention of School Violence.
Perhaps a characteristic called "cynical shyness." This is an extreme form of shyness affecting mostly males that can lead to violent behavior such as that seen at Columbine, Colo., or, most recently, Virginia Tech, according to researchers who were to present their findings Saturday evening at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting, in San Francisco.
"Cynically shy people are shy people who are motivated toward moving to others, and then they are rejected," said Bernardo Carducci, lead author of the study and director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany.
"In addition to feelings of anxiety about social situations, cynically shy people, who are a small subclass of shy people, also have feelings of anger and hostility toward others and that comes from this sense of disconnect," Carducci explained. "Shyness has more in common with extroversion than with introversion. Shy people truly want to be with others, so they make the effort, but when they are rejected or ostracized, they disconnect. Once you disconnect, it's very easy to start being angry and hate other people. It's you against them, and they become what I call a cult of one. Once you start thinking 'it's me versus them,' then it becomes easy to start hurting these people."
Eventually, the new research may help identify the likely perpetrators of such crimes before they happen, the study authors said.
"It would be great if we could better characterize people who might be likely to do something violent," said Dr. Jane Ripperger-Suhler, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and a psychiatrist with Scott & White Mental Health Center in Temple. "Right now, our ability to predict violence is not very good at all, so people overreact to a lot of things because of a fear of something happening.
For years, we were under-reacting. It would be nice if psychologists could help us characterize who would be more likely to be a school shooter."
But it's important not to stigmatize shy kids, other experts emphasized.
"Shyness is not inherently a good or bad thing," said Heather Henderson, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Miami. "But one thing we know about shyness in boys, particularly in North America, they seem to be particularly at risk for maladaptive outcomes.
We expect boys to be more outgoing and assertive. Boys are particularly sensitive and are exposed to cues from other people that shyness is not a good thing."
According to the study authors, there are a number of subtypes of shyness, cynical shyness being just one.
For the study, Carducci and a co-author examined news accounts and background information on seven high school shooting cases involving eight teen shooters between 1995 and 2004.
Those individuals were:
Jeffrey Weise -- 16, killed seven people at Red Lake High School in Minnesota as well as his grandfather and grandfather's girlfriend in 2005;
Jamie Rouse -- 17, killed one student and one teacher at Richland High School in Tennessee in 1995;
Luke Woodham -- 17, killed two people at Pearl High School in Mississippi in 1997;
Barry Loukaitis -- 14, killed three at Frontier Junior High in Washington state in 1996;
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold -- 18 and 17 years old, they killed 12 students and a teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999;
Michael Carneal -- 14, killed three girls at Heath High School in Kentucky in 1997;
Kip Kinkel -- 15, killed his parents and two classmates at Thurston High School in Oregon in 1998.
Weise, the two Columbine killers and Kinkel had a "cynically shy score" of 10 (on a scale of 10). Rouse, Woodham and Loukaitis had scores of 8, and Carneal had a score of 6, the researchers said.
Cynically shy people tend to be male and want to relate to other people but just don't know how. As a result, they get rejected, and feelings of hurt gradually turn into intense rage, the study authors said.
This seems to be an extreme version of the frustrations other shy people often face.
"We often misinterpret why people are shy," Henderson said. "If you walk by somebody and avoid eye contact, you interpret that as they don't want to interact, but I think often it's completely the opposite. They really do want to interact and don't know how.
"It's important for parents and teachers to start at a young age, before the person is walking down the high school corridor ready to shoot, not to interpret their behavior as not wanting to interact," Henderson continued. "If we flip our interpretations, people may respond differently.
As a field, we need to understand prospectively what's happening, so we can start identifying kids at a very young age, what would drive a shy kid into this pattern. We don't want the message to be 'shyness will lead to shooting.' "
More information
To learn more, visit the Center for the Prevention of School Violence.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Health Tip: Causes of Fainting
(HealthDay News) -- Fainting occurs due to a sudden drop in blood flow to the brain, resulting in brief loss of consciousness. Fainting can be accompanied by dizziness or nausea.
Here are some common triggers, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:
Here are some common triggers, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:
- Straining during urination or a bowel movement.
- Excessive coughing.
- Standing for too long in the same position, or quickly standing up from a lying position.
- Severe pain, stress, fear or emotional distress.
- Excessive bleeding or dehydration.
- Medications used to treat conditions like high blood pressure, anxiety, allergies and nasal congestion.
- Use of drugs or alcohol.
- Low blood sugar.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Gene May Help Spur Premenstrual Depression
(HealthDay News) -- Scientists have discovered a gene variant linked to an increased risk of severe premenstrual depression.Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, is a psychiatric condition that affects about 8 percent of women in their childbearing years. Women with PMDD experience bouts of major depression and/or anxiety and severe irritability during the second half of their menstrual cycle.
These symptoms subside with the onset of the menstrual period.
PMDD has been thought to be related to hormonal changes over the course of the menstrual cycle.
For a new study published online June 30 in Biological Psychiatry, researchers studied 91 women with a confirmed diagnosis of PMDD over at least three months. Another 56 women who had no history of mood disorders related to the menstrual cycle served as the comparison group.
The team found four specific gene variants in the estrogen receptor alpha gene, ESR1, that were more common in the women with PMDD than in the control group.
"While these are preliminary findings that require replication in larger studies, we would argue that this may explain part of the variance among women in the susceptibility to developing this mood disorder," the study's senior author David R. Rubinow, Meymandi distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about PMDD.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Antidepressants Help More Kids Than They Harm
(HealthDay News) -- Whether depressed or troubled kids should take antidepressants has been the question at the center of an intense public debate in recent years, and the latest evidence suggests the answer is "yes."A study in the April 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the benefits of antidepressants outweighed the risks for children and adolescents under the age of 19.
Anecdotal reports released over the past few years suggest that antidepressants raise suicide risk in children and teens. But the drugs may also prevent deaths by curbing depression, experts say.
"Our study shows that, at least in the short-term, treatment benefits appear to outweigh the risks," confirmed study author Jeffrey A. Bridge, an investigator with Columbus Children's Research Institute, in Ohio.
The findings seem to tip the scale more in favor of antidepressants, which include widely used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Celexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.
"They're saying that, yes, there is a slightly increased risk but it's not as big as we thought and the risk-benefit ratio is favorable. But that's a decision that every family has to make. It's not a generalized decision," said Dr. Jane Ripperger-Suhler, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and a psychiatrist with Scott & White Mental Health Center in Temple.
"This leans us more toward the middle -- that we don't have to say these are terrible medicines, that this looks like a fairly good option. and let's not take them off the table," she said.
Antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, have been the subject of intense controversy in recent years.
In October 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a public health advisory, warning of an increased risk of suicide attempts or suicide-related behavior among children and teens taking SSRIs.
One year later, the FDA directed manufacturers of those drugs to revise their labeling to include a black-box warning. The warning alerts health-care providers to an increased risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts in children and teens.
On the other side of the argument, a major new study found that SSRIs have actually saved thousands of lives by preventing suicides since they were introduced in 1988.
The negative press SSRIs received may have had a chilling effect on their use in the pediatric population, however. One recent study found that the number of U.S. children being prescribed the antidepressants has dropped since warnings about suicidal behavior associated with the drugs emerged. This trend could be worrisome if it means that young patients who might benefit from SSRIs aren't getting them, experts have said.
The only SSRI approved by the FDA for use in pediatric patients is Prozac, but others are prescribed on an off-label basis.
In 2004, an FDA review of 24 placebo-controlled trials involving antidepressant medication in more than 4,400 children and adolescents found that the medications spurred a twofold (4 percent vs. 2 percent) increased risk for suicidal behavior or ideation (thoughts of suicide), although no completed suicides were reported.
The current paper was a large review of all of the published and unpublished randomized clinical trials involving the use of antidepressants by children and adolescents younger than 19. The youngsters were being treated for major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders other than OCD. In all, 27 trials were reviewed and 5,310 patients were followed.
For every 100 children and adolescents treated with antidepressants, about one child would have thoughts of suicide or would attempt suicide beyond the risk associated with the underlying condition, the researchers found.
This was a number that was lower than the FDA's review, which found two instances of suicidal ideation or attempted suicide per 100 patients.
The study also found that the only antidepressant effective in treating depression in children under 12 was Prozac. Several medications were effective in older children.
The effects of the drugs were most pronounced for non-OCD anxiety disorders, followed by OCD and then MDD.
But the new findings are unlikely to be the last word on the subject.
"There are a few studies that are ongoing right now and that will certainly inform our findings," Bridge said.
"It doesn't seem like they have resolved the issue completely," added Ripperger-Suhler. "I'm hoping that someone will do a prospective study."
More information about Depression
Monday, March 19, 2007
Eating Disorders: A Midlife Crisis for Some Women
(HealthDay News) -- You starve yourself, shedding pounds, and it feels too good to ever stop.
Or you eat lots -- as much as you want, more than you want -- and then sneak away from your loved ones to purge it all.
But you're not 16, not 19, not 21. Not a young woman at all. You're in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. And you can't stop.
Anorexia and bulimia used to be considered health problems that afflicted teenage girls. But doctors are finding that a growing number of older women are now being diagnosed with some sort of eating disorder.
"It can happen to anybody at any stage of their life," said Dr. Alexander Sackeyfio, a psychiatrist and eating-disorder specialist at the Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. "I think we're becoming more aware of it and are better at diagnosing it."
People tend to make another mistake in their perception of eating disorders -- they assume they are relatively benign psychological problems that are easily treated and without lasting physical effects, said Doug Bunnell, clinical director of the Renfrew Center in Wilton, Conn.
"People are surprised when they learn these have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric diagnosis, somewhere between 10 and 15 percent," said Bunnell, who's also a member of the National Eating Disorders Association board of directors.
Anorexia produces dramatic weight loss caused by excessive or compulsive dieting. An estimated 0.5 percent to 3.7 percent of women suffer from anorexia nervosa at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Anorexics see themselves as overweight even though they're dangerously thin. The process of eating becomes an obsessive minefield and unusual eating habits develop, such as picking out just a few foods and eating them in tiny, carefully measured quantities.
Bulimia is characterized by excessive binge eating followed by purging the food through vomiting, laxatives or over-exercising. An estimated 1.1 percent to 4.2 percent of American females will struggle with bulimia nervosa in their lifetime.
Because of the purging, people with bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age and height. But they still suffer the same fears about weight gain as anorexics. So, they often perform bulimic behaviors in secret, feeling disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.
Bunnell said he's seeing more middle-age or even older women coming in for treatment of an eating disorder. But, he's not sure that all of these are new cases developing later in life.
"My experience is that virtually all the women we've seen with eating-disorder symptoms in their 30s or 40s had some prior activity in the more typical age range," Bunnell said. "It may not have been diagnosed, or just short of being serious, but there was a period when they were really struggling with it. We've not seen a lot of brand new, out-of-the-blue eating disorder cases in older women."
Other doctors believe that hormonal fluctuations that occur near menopause could set off an eating disorder, as could mid-life changes like divorce or the departure of grown children. As the family changes, some women find themselves grasping for some semblance of control -- one of the needs that an eating disorder can fulfill.
Complicating matters for the older patient is the fact that women coming in for treatment later in life may find it harder to get the help they need. For decades, the focus has been young women, and only recently has the therapeutic field begun to expand into treatment for older women -- and men, Sackeyfio said.
"No one is catering to their needs," he said. "That's the same problem that gentlemen had for a while."
Bunnell said anorexics tend to be preoccupied with their body shape or weight, and often suffer from anxiety, perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. By contrast, bulimics tend to be depressed and impulsive, often struggling with substance-abuse issues.
"The anorexic style is more overly controlled, tense and rigid, while the bulemic style is less controlled, impulsive or disregulated," Bunnell said.
Treatment for eating disorders has evolved as well, with doctors now emphasizing a team-based approach, Sackeyfio said.
"Originally, what people would look at was that it is a psychological problem, but it quickly becomes a physical problem," he said. "You need somebody who's aware of those physical changes to work with you if you're a therapist."
Ideally, someone with an eating disorder should be working with a team that includes a psychiatrist, a nutritionist and a physician, Sackeyfio said.
Most important, the people surrounding someone with an eating disorder need to understand that the patient truly is out of control and needs help, Sackeyfio said.
"They aren't spoiled brats who are trying to make people's lives harder," he said. "They really have very little control over the physical changes that they cause in their own bodies."
More information
To learn more, visit the National Mental Health Information Center.
Or you eat lots -- as much as you want, more than you want -- and then sneak away from your loved ones to purge it all.
But you're not 16, not 19, not 21. Not a young woman at all. You're in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. And you can't stop.
Anorexia and bulimia used to be considered health problems that afflicted teenage girls. But doctors are finding that a growing number of older women are now being diagnosed with some sort of eating disorder.
"It can happen to anybody at any stage of their life," said Dr. Alexander Sackeyfio, a psychiatrist and eating-disorder specialist at the Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. "I think we're becoming more aware of it and are better at diagnosing it."
People tend to make another mistake in their perception of eating disorders -- they assume they are relatively benign psychological problems that are easily treated and without lasting physical effects, said Doug Bunnell, clinical director of the Renfrew Center in Wilton, Conn.
"People are surprised when they learn these have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric diagnosis, somewhere between 10 and 15 percent," said Bunnell, who's also a member of the National Eating Disorders Association board of directors.
Anorexia produces dramatic weight loss caused by excessive or compulsive dieting. An estimated 0.5 percent to 3.7 percent of women suffer from anorexia nervosa at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Anorexics see themselves as overweight even though they're dangerously thin. The process of eating becomes an obsessive minefield and unusual eating habits develop, such as picking out just a few foods and eating them in tiny, carefully measured quantities.
Bulimia is characterized by excessive binge eating followed by purging the food through vomiting, laxatives or over-exercising. An estimated 1.1 percent to 4.2 percent of American females will struggle with bulimia nervosa in their lifetime.
Because of the purging, people with bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age and height. But they still suffer the same fears about weight gain as anorexics. So, they often perform bulimic behaviors in secret, feeling disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.
Bunnell said he's seeing more middle-age or even older women coming in for treatment of an eating disorder. But, he's not sure that all of these are new cases developing later in life.
"My experience is that virtually all the women we've seen with eating-disorder symptoms in their 30s or 40s had some prior activity in the more typical age range," Bunnell said. "It may not have been diagnosed, or just short of being serious, but there was a period when they were really struggling with it. We've not seen a lot of brand new, out-of-the-blue eating disorder cases in older women."
Other doctors believe that hormonal fluctuations that occur near menopause could set off an eating disorder, as could mid-life changes like divorce or the departure of grown children. As the family changes, some women find themselves grasping for some semblance of control -- one of the needs that an eating disorder can fulfill.
Complicating matters for the older patient is the fact that women coming in for treatment later in life may find it harder to get the help they need. For decades, the focus has been young women, and only recently has the therapeutic field begun to expand into treatment for older women -- and men, Sackeyfio said.
"No one is catering to their needs," he said. "That's the same problem that gentlemen had for a while."
Bunnell said anorexics tend to be preoccupied with their body shape or weight, and often suffer from anxiety, perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. By contrast, bulimics tend to be depressed and impulsive, often struggling with substance-abuse issues.
"The anorexic style is more overly controlled, tense and rigid, while the bulemic style is less controlled, impulsive or disregulated," Bunnell said.
Treatment for eating disorders has evolved as well, with doctors now emphasizing a team-based approach, Sackeyfio said.
"Originally, what people would look at was that it is a psychological problem, but it quickly becomes a physical problem," he said. "You need somebody who's aware of those physical changes to work with you if you're a therapist."
Ideally, someone with an eating disorder should be working with a team that includes a psychiatrist, a nutritionist and a physician, Sackeyfio said.
Most important, the people surrounding someone with an eating disorder need to understand that the patient truly is out of control and needs help, Sackeyfio said.
"They aren't spoiled brats who are trying to make people's lives harder," he said. "They really have very little control over the physical changes that they cause in their own bodies."
More information
To learn more, visit the National Mental Health Information Center.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Behavioral Problems Common in Mentally Retarded Children
(HealthDay News) -- Behavioral and emotional problems are common among young people who are mentally retarded, and the incidence of such problems declines very slowly over the years, an Australian study finds.
Not much attention has been paid to these problems, ranging from cursing and head-banging to failure to communicate with other people, said researchers from the University of Sydney. But the study found that 41 percent of the young people they followed had such problems, and the incidence dropped by only about 1 percent a year over a 14-year period.
"Although it declined, the level remained relatively high," said Andrea M. Piccinin, who took part in the study and now is a research associate professor of human development and family sciences at Oregon State University. "We make the case that intervention and more understanding of the factors that would lessen psychopathology would be important."
The findings are published in the Oct. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study included 578 children and teens who were ages 5 to 19 at the start of the research in 1991. They were judged by the Developmental Behavior Checklist, a standard measure for children with what are formally called developmental disabilities.
"We looked at a global score and five subscales," Piccinin said. "The social relations subscale showed an increase. As these children come into adolescence and get older, there are more issues with their social relations, because they are in a situation where more is expected of them."
The decrease occurred in the scales that measured anxiety, communication ability, destructive behavior and general disturbance, she said. Overall, the incidence of problems was 30 percent at the end of the study.
The decrease in problems was greater in boys than girls over time, and the decrease was greater in those with mild retardation than in those with severe mental disability.
"The observation that severe psychopathology was already present in a high proportion of the cohort at commencement of the study, and the persistence of these symptoms, suggest the need for effective mental interventions," the researchers said. "This should include support, education and skills training for their parents, who are likely to be stressed by the burden of care."
Only 10 percent of the young people with behavioral and emotional problems received mental health interventions during the study, the researchers found.
"This points to the importance of intervention," Piccinin said.
More information
More on mental retardation is offered by the National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities.
Not much attention has been paid to these problems, ranging from cursing and head-banging to failure to communicate with other people, said researchers from the University of Sydney. But the study found that 41 percent of the young people they followed had such problems, and the incidence dropped by only about 1 percent a year over a 14-year period.
"Although it declined, the level remained relatively high," said Andrea M. Piccinin, who took part in the study and now is a research associate professor of human development and family sciences at Oregon State University. "We make the case that intervention and more understanding of the factors that would lessen psychopathology would be important."
The findings are published in the Oct. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study included 578 children and teens who were ages 5 to 19 at the start of the research in 1991. They were judged by the Developmental Behavior Checklist, a standard measure for children with what are formally called developmental disabilities.
"We looked at a global score and five subscales," Piccinin said. "The social relations subscale showed an increase. As these children come into adolescence and get older, there are more issues with their social relations, because they are in a situation where more is expected of them."
The decrease occurred in the scales that measured anxiety, communication ability, destructive behavior and general disturbance, she said. Overall, the incidence of problems was 30 percent at the end of the study.
The decrease in problems was greater in boys than girls over time, and the decrease was greater in those with mild retardation than in those with severe mental disability.
"The observation that severe psychopathology was already present in a high proportion of the cohort at commencement of the study, and the persistence of these symptoms, suggest the need for effective mental interventions," the researchers said. "This should include support, education and skills training for their parents, who are likely to be stressed by the burden of care."
Only 10 percent of the young people with behavioral and emotional problems received mental health interventions during the study, the researchers found.
"This points to the importance of intervention," Piccinin said.
More information
More on mental retardation is offered by the National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Poor Sleep Contributes to Health Problems
(HealthDay News) -- New studies are discovering just how vital sleep is to overall health.So, sleep habits should become a standard part of a complete check-up, researchers say.
"There is increasing evidence that there is a very strong relationship between sleep quality and physical and mental health," said Dr. Phyllis C. Zee, a professor of neurology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
"If you have poor health, that is associated with poor sleep. Also, if you have poor sleep, there is an association between that and poor health," Zee said. "What we don't have yet is the research to categorically say that if you improve sleep, you will improve conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension, or other medical conditions."
Still, physicians should be asking their patients about the quality and quantity of their sleep, Zee said. "Sleep should be another vital sign," she said.
Zee wrote an editorial in the Sept. 18 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, a special, themed issue on sleep and its relationship to overall health.
In one study, led by Richard L. Nahin, a senior advisor for scientific coordination and outreach at the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, looked at why people had trouble sleeping and how many were using alternative drugs to help them sleep.
Insomnia and trouble sleeping are most often associated with high blood pressure, heart failure, anxiety and depression, according to a national survey of 31,044 adults. "That's unusual. It had been most often thought that insomnia was quite prevalent on its own, but only 4 percent of the people who said they had insomnia said they had it without any of those conditions," Nahin said.
The researchers also found that 1.6 million Americans are using alternative therapies, such as melatonin to treat their insomnia. "That's quite high when you consider that there is very little reliable data on the efficacy and safety of using the products people are using," Nahin said.
These findings have implications for treating sleep problems, Nahin said.
"Instead of treating the insomnia itself, a health-care provider might be better off treating one of these comorbidities," he said. "In addition, a physician seeing a patient for insomnia should ask if the patient is using any alternative and complementary treatments, because they might upset the treatments the health-care provider wants to apply."
Another study found that people who have sleep-related breathing disorder -- marked by frequent pauses in breathing, labored breathing, or reduced breathing during the night -- were two to 2.6 times more likely to develop depression. Moreover, the odds of depression increased as breathing disorders became more severe, according to researcher Paul E. Peppard and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin.
And a study by French researchers found that people with allergic rhinitis, caused by hay fever and other allergies, have more difficulty sleeping and more sleep disorders than people without allergies. "The results show a significant impact of allergic rhinitis on all dimensions of sleep quality and, consequently, a lower quality of life as reflected by more somnolence [sleepiness]; daytime fatigue and sleepiness; and impaired memory, mood and sexuality, with a significantly increased consumption of alcohol and sedatives in cases compared with the control group," the study authors wrote.
One expert agrees that sleep problems shouldn't be ignored.
"If you think insomnia is an annoyance and merely something you should tough out, that may be a mistake," said Michael L. Perlis, director of the Sleep Research Laboratory at the University of Rochester, in New York. "It may lead you down the path to other morbidities. It would also be a mistake because it's treatable."
Other studies in the same journal issue found that:
· Fewer hours of sleep may contribute to poor health in young adults.
· Those in rural areas who sleep fewer hours appear to weigh more.
· The immune system may play a role in narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by an uncontrollable urge to sleep.
· The immune system may be affected by a lack of sleep that contributes to inflammation and a variety of diseases.
More information
The National Sleep Foundation can tell you more about getting a good night's sleep.
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Sunday, June 04, 2006
Is It Dangerous to Combine Supplements and Drugs?
Is It Dangerous to Combine Supplements and Drugs? Provided by: DrWeil.comQ: I'm curious about interactions between herbs and drugs. Are there many that we should worry about? -- Nicole S.
A: For the most part, I think warnings about interactions between herbs and drugs are overstated. For example, a few years ago the American Society of Anesthesiologists warned that certain herbs and supplements could pose a hazard to patients undergoing surgery.
The group claimed that several herbs have anti-blood-clotting activity and conceivably could interfere with clotting during and after surgery. St. John's wort was also singled out in 2003 as an agent that could diminish the effectiveness of certain drugs because of its effect on enzyme systems involved in drug metabolism. (Many pharmaceutical drugs have the same effect.)
In general, I think you're pretty safe taking most supplements, but you certainly should tell your doctor about anything you're taking regularly, particularly if you're also taking either prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Here's a quick rundown of some commonly used supplements and drugs that could interact to your detriment:
St. John's wort: May affect metabolism of antidepressants; HIV protease inhibitors used to treat HIV/AIDS; digoxin, a heart medication; theophylline, used to treat asthma; cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant; chemotherapy; birth control pills (it may reduce their effectiveness); the blood pressure and heart disease medications nifedipine and diltiazem; Coumadin, a blood-thinner; and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors for HIV/AIDS treatment.
Co-enzyme Q10, dong quai, feverfew, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng, vitamin E and St. John's wort: May increase the risk of bleeding if you're taking prescription anticoagulants such as Coumadin.
Echinacea: May increase levels of HIV protease inhibitors used to treat HIV/AIDS, calcium channel blockers used to treat high blood pressure, and anti-anxiety drugs.
Capsicum (red pepper, cayenne pepper): May increase the absorption and effect of ACE inhibitors used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney disease; theophylline (for asthma); sedatives; and antidepressants.
Garlic: May decrease the effectiveness of immunosuppressant drugs and HIV protease inhibitors. It also may reduce the need for insulin among diabetics (by lowering blood sugar).
Ginkgo: May increase the amount of antidepressant drugs in your blood; may cause seizures when combined with anti-psychotic drugs.
Ginseng: Can cause headache, trembling and manic behavior when combined with the antidepressant Nardil; may interfere with the action of the heart medication digoxin; may reduce blood sugar levels in people with Type II diabetes, thus affecting the need for insulin or other medication for diabetes.
Andrew Weil, MD
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Friday, May 26, 2006
Turning off Cravings for Alcohol?
Turning off Cravings for Alcohol?
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I read an article about a vitamin/pill that reduces cravings for alcohol. What can you tell me about it? -- Anonymous
A: If there were a vitamin or other pill that reliably decreased cravings for alcohol in everyone who needed help, the scientist who discovered the effect probably would win a Nobel Prize.
Over the years, a number of substances have been credited with reducing alcoholic cravings. A few may help some people, but none of them works for everyone:
B vitamins. Research has suggested that alcoholic cravings are due to a deficiency in B vitamins and that supplements may lessen the desire to drink. But these findings, most of which are more than 20 years old, haven't been substantiated over time. Still, because alcohol abuse does deplete B vitamins in general and thiamine in particular, I recommend taking a B-complex vitamin supplement plus extra thiamine (100 mgs).
L-glutamine: Research in both animals and humans suggests that this amino acid can reduce both cravings and the anxiety that accompanies alcohol withdrawal. The study in humans was done in 1957. Participants took either a placebo or one gram of L-glutamine in divided doses, with meals. Results were published in the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol.
Kudzu: Extracts from the root of this weed (pueraria lobata), which is pervasive and invasive in the southern United States, have been recommended as a treatment for alcoholic cravings.
Kudzu is widely used for this purpose by traditional practitioners in China, and some animal studies have shown that it decreases the desire for alcohol. Results of a pilot study in humans published in the February 2000 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that doses smaller than those used in the studies in China failed to help alcoholics abstain from drinking.
Naltrexone: This drug (brand names: ReVia, Depade) reduces the desire for alcohol after you stop drinking. Naltrexone works by blocking the parts of the brain that sense pleasure in response to alcohol. Unlike Antabuse (disulfiram), sometimes used to treat alcoholism, naltrexone doesn't make you sick if you drink alcohol while you're taking it. The drug usually is prescribed temporarily (for 12 weeks or more) to help recovering alcoholics deal with cravings after they've stopped drinking.
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I read an article about a vitamin/pill that reduces cravings for alcohol. What can you tell me about it? -- Anonymous
A: If there were a vitamin or other pill that reliably decreased cravings for alcohol in everyone who needed help, the scientist who discovered the effect probably would win a Nobel Prize.
Over the years, a number of substances have been credited with reducing alcoholic cravings. A few may help some people, but none of them works for everyone:
B vitamins. Research has suggested that alcoholic cravings are due to a deficiency in B vitamins and that supplements may lessen the desire to drink. But these findings, most of which are more than 20 years old, haven't been substantiated over time. Still, because alcohol abuse does deplete B vitamins in general and thiamine in particular, I recommend taking a B-complex vitamin supplement plus extra thiamine (100 mgs).
L-glutamine: Research in both animals and humans suggests that this amino acid can reduce both cravings and the anxiety that accompanies alcohol withdrawal. The study in humans was done in 1957. Participants took either a placebo or one gram of L-glutamine in divided doses, with meals. Results were published in the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol.
Kudzu: Extracts from the root of this weed (pueraria lobata), which is pervasive and invasive in the southern United States, have been recommended as a treatment for alcoholic cravings.
Kudzu is widely used for this purpose by traditional practitioners in China, and some animal studies have shown that it decreases the desire for alcohol. Results of a pilot study in humans published in the February 2000 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that doses smaller than those used in the studies in China failed to help alcoholics abstain from drinking.
Naltrexone: This drug (brand names: ReVia, Depade) reduces the desire for alcohol after you stop drinking. Naltrexone works by blocking the parts of the brain that sense pleasure in response to alcohol. Unlike Antabuse (disulfiram), sometimes used to treat alcoholism, naltrexone doesn't make you sick if you drink alcohol while you're taking it. The drug usually is prescribed temporarily (for 12 weeks or more) to help recovering alcoholics deal with cravings after they've stopped drinking.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Exercising During Pregnancy
Although you may not feel like running a marathon, most women benefit greatly from exercising throughout their pregnancies. But during that time, you'll need to discuss your exercise plans with your doctor or other health care provider early on and make a few adjustments to your normal exercise routine. The level of exercise recommended will depend, in part, on your level of prepregnancy fitness.
What Are the Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy?
No doubt about it, exercise is a big plus for both you and your baby (if complications don't limit your ability to exercise throughout your pregnancy). It can help you:
feel better - At a time when you wonder if this strange body can possibly be yours, exercise can increase your sense of control and boost your energy level. Not only does it make you feel better by releasing endorphins (naturally occurring chemicals in your brain), appropriate exercise can:
relieve backaches and improve your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, butt, and thighs
reduce constipation by accelerating movement in your intestine
prevent wear and tear on your joints (which become loosened during pregnancy due to normal hormonal changes) by activating the lubricating synovial fluid in your joints
help you sleep better by relieving the stress and anxiety that might make you restless at night
look better - Exercise increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow.
prepare you and your body for birth - Strong muscles and a fit heart can greatly ease labor and delivery. Gaining control over your breathing can help you manage pain. And in the event of a lengthy labor, increased endurance can be a real help.
regain your prepregnancy body more quickly - You'll gain less fat weight during your pregnancy if you continue to exercise (assuming you exercised before becoming pregnant). But don't expect or try to lose weight by exercising while you're pregnant. For most women, the goal is to maintain their fitness level throughout pregnancy.
What's a Safe Exercise Plan When You're Pregnant?
It depends on when you start and whether your pregnancy is complicated. If you exercised regularly before becoming pregnant, continue your program, with modifications as you need them. If you weren't fit before you became pregnant, don't give up! Begin slowly and build gradually as you become stronger. Whatever your fitness level, you should talk to your doctor about exercising while you're pregnant.
Discuss any concerns you have with your doctor. You may need to limit your exercise if you have:
pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
early contractions
vaginal bleeding
premature rupture of your membranes, also known as your water (the fluid in the amniotic sac around the fetus) breaking early
What Kinds of Exercises Can You Do?
That depends on what interests you and what your doctor advises. Many women enjoy dancing, swimming, water aerobics, yoga, pilates, biking, or walking. Swimming is especially appealing, as it gives you welcome buoyancy (floatability or the feeling of weightlessness).
Try for a combination of cardio (aerobic), strength, and flexibility exercises, and avoid bouncing.
Many experts recommend walking. It's easy to vary the pace, add hills, and add distance. If you're just starting, begin with a moderately brisk pace for a mile, 3 days a week. Add a couple of minutes every week, pick up the pace a bit, and eventually add hills to your route. Whether you're a pro or a novice, go slowly for the first 5 minutes to warm up and use the last 5 minutes to cool down.
Whatever type of exercise you and your doctor decide on, the key is to listen to your body's warnings. Many women, for example, become dizzy early in their pregnancy, and as the baby grows, their center of gravity changes. So it may be easy for you to lose your balance, especially in the last trimester.
Your energy level may also vary greatly from day to day. And as your baby grows and pushes up on your lungs, you'll notice a decreased ability to breathe in more air (and the oxygen it contains) when you exercise. If your body says, "Stop!" - stop!
Your body is signaling that it's had enough if you feel:
What Are the Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy?
No doubt about it, exercise is a big plus for both you and your baby (if complications don't limit your ability to exercise throughout your pregnancy). It can help you:
feel better - At a time when you wonder if this strange body can possibly be yours, exercise can increase your sense of control and boost your energy level. Not only does it make you feel better by releasing endorphins (naturally occurring chemicals in your brain), appropriate exercise can:
relieve backaches and improve your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, butt, and thighs
reduce constipation by accelerating movement in your intestine
prevent wear and tear on your joints (which become loosened during pregnancy due to normal hormonal changes) by activating the lubricating synovial fluid in your joints
help you sleep better by relieving the stress and anxiety that might make you restless at night
look better - Exercise increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow.
prepare you and your body for birth - Strong muscles and a fit heart can greatly ease labor and delivery. Gaining control over your breathing can help you manage pain. And in the event of a lengthy labor, increased endurance can be a real help.
regain your prepregnancy body more quickly - You'll gain less fat weight during your pregnancy if you continue to exercise (assuming you exercised before becoming pregnant). But don't expect or try to lose weight by exercising while you're pregnant. For most women, the goal is to maintain their fitness level throughout pregnancy.
What's a Safe Exercise Plan When You're Pregnant?
It depends on when you start and whether your pregnancy is complicated. If you exercised regularly before becoming pregnant, continue your program, with modifications as you need them. If you weren't fit before you became pregnant, don't give up! Begin slowly and build gradually as you become stronger. Whatever your fitness level, you should talk to your doctor about exercising while you're pregnant.
Discuss any concerns you have with your doctor. You may need to limit your exercise if you have:
pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
early contractions
vaginal bleeding
premature rupture of your membranes, also known as your water (the fluid in the amniotic sac around the fetus) breaking early
What Kinds of Exercises Can You Do?
That depends on what interests you and what your doctor advises. Many women enjoy dancing, swimming, water aerobics, yoga, pilates, biking, or walking. Swimming is especially appealing, as it gives you welcome buoyancy (floatability or the feeling of weightlessness).
Try for a combination of cardio (aerobic), strength, and flexibility exercises, and avoid bouncing.
Many experts recommend walking. It's easy to vary the pace, add hills, and add distance. If you're just starting, begin with a moderately brisk pace for a mile, 3 days a week. Add a couple of minutes every week, pick up the pace a bit, and eventually add hills to your route. Whether you're a pro or a novice, go slowly for the first 5 minutes to warm up and use the last 5 minutes to cool down.
Whatever type of exercise you and your doctor decide on, the key is to listen to your body's warnings. Many women, for example, become dizzy early in their pregnancy, and as the baby grows, their center of gravity changes. So it may be easy for you to lose your balance, especially in the last trimester.
Your energy level may also vary greatly from day to day. And as your baby grows and pushes up on your lungs, you'll notice a decreased ability to breathe in more air (and the oxygen it contains) when you exercise. If your body says, "Stop!" - stop!
Your body is signaling that it's had enough if you feel:
- fatigue
- dizziness
- heart palpitations (your heart pounding in your chest)
- shortness of breath
- pain in your back or pelvis
And if you can't talk while you're exercising, you're doing it too strenuously. You should also keep your heart rate below 160 beats per minute.
It also isn't good for your baby if you become overheated because temperatures greater than 102.6 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius) could cause problems with the developing fetus - especially in the first trimester - which can potentially lead to birth defects. So don't overdo exercise on hot days.
When the weather is hot, try to avoid exercising outside during the hottest part of the day (from about 10 AM to 3 PM) or exercise in an air-conditioned place. Also remember that swimming makes it more difficult for you to notice your body heating up because the water makes you feel cooler. more...
Yahoo! Health: Children's Health News
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/
Monday, January 02, 2006
Yoga Offers Mental, Physical Relief for the Chronically Ill
Patients dealing with illnesses ranging from AIDS and cancer to osteoporosis and Crohn's disease are turning to condition-specific yoga classes, according to a report in the New York Times, my favorite newspaper in the world. Unlike larger health club classes, however, only certain poses are incorporated, and at the appropriate pace and level.
I'm happy medical experts are increasingly recognizing the benefits of alternative medicine in treating and preventing a range of illnesses. I agree the health benefits of stretching can be particularly valuable.
More and more, doctors recommend the classes for the stress-relieving benefits. However, patients are reporting the sessions make them more comfortable and even help alleviate the symptoms and side effects of medication. Additionally, the support of exercising with others dealing with the same condition can have important mental health benefits too.
Recent studies indicate, among other things, yoga can lower fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis and reduce anxiety in cancer, heart disease and hypertension patients. Experts agree, yoga does not treat or cure the disease, but it does make the symptoms more tolerable and lessens the anxiety illness creates.
New York Times December 15, 2005 Registration Required
Kaiser Network December 15, 2005
Integrated Medicine Forum
www.DrEddyClinic.com/
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I'm happy medical experts are increasingly recognizing the benefits of alternative medicine in treating and preventing a range of illnesses. I agree the health benefits of stretching can be particularly valuable.
More and more, doctors recommend the classes for the stress-relieving benefits. However, patients are reporting the sessions make them more comfortable and even help alleviate the symptoms and side effects of medication. Additionally, the support of exercising with others dealing with the same condition can have important mental health benefits too.
Recent studies indicate, among other things, yoga can lower fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis and reduce anxiety in cancer, heart disease and hypertension patients. Experts agree, yoga does not treat or cure the disease, but it does make the symptoms more tolerable and lessens the anxiety illness creates.
New York Times December 15, 2005 Registration Required
Kaiser Network December 15, 2005
Integrated Medicine Forum
www.DrEddyClinic.com/
http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1
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Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Complementary Medicine: I Can't Cope Without My Valium
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE: I CAN'T COPE WITHOUT MY VALIUM
Dr Yvonne Casey
Q: Anxiety has taken control of my life and I have to take the maximum number of diazepam just to get through the day. Please help.
A: RELYING on Valium isn't a longterm solution. Seek out the source of your anxiety and start making changes to solve the problem. Jayvee can enhance one's feeling of wellbeing without side effects or interference with current medication. Take one tablet twice a day before meals for a minimum of three months. It may be ordered on 01292 317670.
Q: MY six-month-old son has been prescribed Zantac suspension for his reflux. Is there an alternative?
A: CENTAURIUM is a natural antacid and safe for babies. Add three drops and a little water into a teat. Let him suck away at it at least three times a day, 15 minutes before feeding him. This will help to break up the wind and encourage his appetite.
Q: I'VE been trying Saw Palmetto for a swelling on my testicle but to no avail. What else will help?
A: THIS herb is more specifically aimed at the prostate. Instead, try Conium 30c, one tablet twice daily at least 30 minutes before or after meals for two months. Also, visit your GP. Conium can be ordered from Freeman's Homoeopathic Pharmacy on 0845 225 5155 (calls charged at local rate).
Q: I WORK with anorexia nervosa patients, who are given Ensure drinks to build up strength. Many complain of abdominal discomfort and bloatedness. What will help?
A: MILK Thistle Complex can reduce such symptoms. Try 15 drops in a little water three times daily. An alternative to Ensure would be preferable for those who find it hard to tolerate. Floradix liquid may be beneficial. Try a teaspoonful three times a day for the first month, then once nightly and continuing for as long as necessary
Integrated Medicine Forum
www.DrEddyClinic.com/
The Integrated Medicine Forum of www.DrEddyClinic.com/
invites you to share your thoughts. suggestions and your feedback
Dr Yvonne Casey
Q: Anxiety has taken control of my life and I have to take the maximum number of diazepam just to get through the day. Please help.
A: RELYING on Valium isn't a longterm solution. Seek out the source of your anxiety and start making changes to solve the problem. Jayvee can enhance one's feeling of wellbeing without side effects or interference with current medication. Take one tablet twice a day before meals for a minimum of three months. It may be ordered on 01292 317670.
Q: MY six-month-old son has been prescribed Zantac suspension for his reflux. Is there an alternative?
A: CENTAURIUM is a natural antacid and safe for babies. Add three drops and a little water into a teat. Let him suck away at it at least three times a day, 15 minutes before feeding him. This will help to break up the wind and encourage his appetite.
Q: I'VE been trying Saw Palmetto for a swelling on my testicle but to no avail. What else will help?
A: THIS herb is more specifically aimed at the prostate. Instead, try Conium 30c, one tablet twice daily at least 30 minutes before or after meals for two months. Also, visit your GP. Conium can be ordered from Freeman's Homoeopathic Pharmacy on 0845 225 5155 (calls charged at local rate).
Q: I WORK with anorexia nervosa patients, who are given Ensure drinks to build up strength. Many complain of abdominal discomfort and bloatedness. What will help?
A: MILK Thistle Complex can reduce such symptoms. Try 15 drops in a little water three times daily. An alternative to Ensure would be preferable for those who find it hard to tolerate. Floradix liquid may be beneficial. Try a teaspoonful three times a day for the first month, then once nightly and continuing for as long as necessary
Integrated Medicine Forum
www.DrEddyClinic.com/
The Integrated Medicine Forum of www.DrEddyClinic.com/
invites you to share your thoughts. suggestions and your feedback
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Balancing Your Hormones Without Drugs... You Can Feel Good Again$19.95 Hormone imbalance can be reversed! Look and feel better than ever, just take the time to learn about yourself and read the information contained in this just released e-book about reversing hormone imbalance. Are you ready to finally look and feel great? If so... read on... - E-Book Version.(BH) |