Passages Behavioral Health Services

Shawshank Redemption

2010-11-28T19:33:00.000-05:00

Reminded this weekend of the power of hope and friendship with this unforgettable movie.

Trailer

Teens and Mental Health

2010-09-26T16:53:00.000-04:00

These teens seem to be having fun. Don't forget to talk to your teens and keep the lines of communication open. If they won't talk to you and you see they are struggling, counseling can make a big difference. See help...

More Active Women are at Less Risk for Dementia

2010-08-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

Women who are more active show less risk of cognitive impairment as they age as reported by Dr. Middleton of Toronto Health Sciences Centre after publishing a recent journal article. The study shows it's important for teenagers to be active physically as well. Early life physical activity may build a cognitive reserve improving cognitive healthly brains into adulthood. See link above for more information.

Socioeconomic Indicators Predictor of ADHD Medication

2010-06-15T09:41:00.000-04:00

A large study (1 millon school-aged children) in Sweden indicated that social problems and adversity such as low maternal education, single parent homes and poverty are all significant risk factors in the development of ADHD.

Medication is often the only treatment given to children. Medication can be helpful but it's not the whole picture. This study indicates there are multiple psychosocial stressors contributing to ADHD. Family psychotherapy and behavioral treatments can provide a more comprehensive approach to treatment.

See Full Article at Medscape Today.

Smelling the Roses

2010-04-19T13:43:00.003-04:00

The earth is blooming and opening to new growth. This is a great time to focus on growth in our lives, the sweetness of Spring, and remembering the mystery of life. Staying in the moment and noticing the beauty of life can help us all stay alittle more balanced.

Enjoy the Spring!!!!!!!

Mental Disorder Proposed Diagnostic Changes for Children with Bipolar

2010-03-05T23:54:00.005-05:00

The are likely to be changes in how children are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in the next manual for mental disorders to be published May 2013.

The is a proposed new diagnosis of Temper Dysregulation Disorder and more stringent criteria for Bipolar diagnosis.

Listen to NPR report for more information.

Hyacinths in Winter

2010-02-06T14:46:00.002-05:00

Friends of our family generously gifted our family Hyacinths a couple of weeks ago. We are dead set in the middle of winter in Michigan, although the Hyacinths were a clear reminder of hope, beauty and persistance. They are a deep reminder that under the snow, under the dirt, under the hurt, sadness, anger, smiles is a core of concentrated energy that if nutured can bloom into the intense smell and beauty of Hyacinths. The core is there, feed it, nuture it and give it the support it deserves, be persistent because things will pull us off track, no need to get mad or angry, notice the diversion and remember life and give it a little water and love. Who know what can awesome beauty is possible!

National Association for Mental Health

2009-12-16T16:07:00.003-05:00

We wanted to give you the link for the National Association for Mental Health. There website has gathered some very useful information with links to Patient Assistance Programs for drug companies, general information regarding medications and other mental health treatments, advocacy, state grades for mental health systems and more....

Take a look...there is likely some information that can be useful to you.

Judgement and Experiential Learning

2009-12-08T10:50:00.002-05:00

There are many ways of learning. We have found experiential learning to be very valuable in self-growth and counseling. It involves the individual needs and motivations for learning. We learn from our experiences and we intragrate these feelings, thoughts and behaviors into our next experience. Experiential learning does require that an individual take the time to self-evaluate their experiences and sometimes doing this with a teacher or counselor can help with intergrating the experience and learning.

Carl Rogers, one of the founders of the humanistic psychology movement coined the term Experiential Learning.

Twitter, YouTube, MySpace: Effects on Self-Esteem and Personality a Commentary

2009-10-06T15:17:00.003-04:00

October 2, 2009 PsychiatricTimes.com.
COMMENTARY
Twitter and YouTube: Unexpected Consequences of the Self-Esteem Movement?
Lauren D. LaPorta, MD
Dr LaPorta is chairman of the department of psychiatry at St Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey.

To Americans over 30, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are buzzwords that lack much meaning. But to those born between 1982 and 2001—often referred to as “millennials” or “Generation Y”—they are a part of everyday life. For the uninitiated, these Web sites are used for social networking and communication. They are also places where individuals can post pictures and news about themselves and express their opinions on everything from music to movies to politics. Some sites, such as YouTube, allow individuals to post videos of themselves, often creating enough “buzz” to drive hundreds and even thousands of viewers; in some instances, these videos create instant media stars—such as the Obama imitator, Iman Crosson.
The amount of content on these Web sites is overwhelming and the time Americans spend on them is on the rise. More than one-third of Internet use is devoted to social networking sites.1 We are now collectively spending 13.9 billion minutes on Facebook, and 5 billion minutes on MySpace. Twitter grew at a rate of more than 3700% in the past year, taking up 300 million minutes of our time.2

Although baby boomers and members of “Generation X” are signing up for these sites, it is the youth market that drives their appeal. While on the surface, they are touted as venues for networking and communication, they may, ultimately, be eroding real relationships and social contacts much as e-mail, instant messaging and “texting” have replaced cards, letters, and phone calls.

This technology may be interfering with the normal development of a generation, prolonging the “normal” narcissism of adolescence and preventing the establishment of mature relationships. Rather than learning critical lessons about emotional sensitivity to others and reciprocity in relationships, our youth are creating alternate, solipsistic realities where they are the focus of attention. Those who do not agree are simply excluded from their inner circle.3 Thus, these technological advances may be fostering a sense of isolation, alienation, and (at worst) promoting a tendency toward narcissism that may ultimately lead to an increase in violence and aggression.
A series of studies by Twenge and Campbell4 demonstrated that narcissists experienced more anger and aggression following perceived social rejection. The narcissists’ anger was not only manifested as direct aggression toward the person who slighted him or her but also as displaced aggression toward innocent third parties.4 It is indeed a disturbing finding, then, that more than half of teen profiles on MySpace mention risky and violent behaviors.

Read more at PsychiatricTimes.com....

8 Million Americans Consider Suicide Annually

2009-10-05T15:03:00.002-04:00

September 17, 2009

WASHINGTON - More than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide each year, according to a new U.S. government study.

About 32,000 suicides occur in the United States each year, but a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that many more give the idea serious thought.

The new report is based on a survey of 46,190 people aged 18 and older. In the past, the question about suicide had only been asked of people who reported major depression but in 2008 it was added to all questionnaires.

Other findings:
-People 18 to 25 years old were far more likely to have seriously considered suicide in the previous year (6.7 per cent) than those 26 to 49 (3.9 per cent).
-Just 2.3 per cent seriously considered suicide among those 50 or older.
-Among people with a substance abuse disorder, 11 per cent had considered suicide, compared to 3 per cent for people without such disorders.
-
On the Net:
SAMHSA: http://www.samhsa.gov

Missouri's Juvenile Justice System - ABC News

2009-09-09T09:49:00.001-04:00

Missouri's Juvenile Justice System - ABC News

Shared via AddThis

Words to Live By.....

2009-08-25T17:18:00.001-04:00

" Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."

- Frank Outlaw

Battered Woman Syndrome; Trauma and Violence

2009-07-10T12:31:00.005-04:00

July 7, 2009
Psychiatric Times. Vol. 26 No. 7
TRAUMA AND VIOLENCE
Battered Woman Syndrome
Key Elements of a Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
Lenore E. Walker, EdD, ABPP-CL & Fam

Women who are victims of intimate-partner violence have been identified by the mental health field for more than 30 years now.1-3 It is understood that domestic violence is part of gender violence, and that many more women than men are the victims of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.4-6 Even when women strike back or engage in mutual violence, it is usually the woman who is most likely to be hurt—both physically and emotionally. Women who strike back in self-defense are often arrested along with the batterer.

It is further understood that gender violence is fostered by the socialization of men to be more powerful than women. In some men, this process creates the need to abuse power and to control women.5 While the term “victim” is not always considered politically correct, in fact, until battered women take back some control over their lives, they may not truly be considered survivors.7 Psychological symptoms, called battered woman syndrome (BWS), develop in some women and make it difficult for them to regain control. Mental health professionals have been able to assist these battered women with empowerment techniques and with accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, as described here.

BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME

BWS has been identified as a subcategory of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).8 Although not all battered women meet all the DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD,9 a sufficient number do; thus, a form of trauma treatment is most helpful.10

Table 1 lists 6 groups of criteria that recently have been found to be part of BWS.8

DIAGNOSIS

A number of steps will help you obtain accurate information when you are interviewing a woman whom you believe may be abused by her intimate partner (Table 2).

Safety

Begin by speaking with the woman without her partner present (if they are still together) and together form a safety plan. This can be difficult because batterers often want to be present during the entire examination so they can directly or even subtly remind the woman not to disclose their secret. It is not uncommon to feel as if the man were in the interview—even if he is waiting outside.

For a woman in a battering relationship, the most dangerous time is when she and her partner are discussing or thinking about separation.11,12 Even if the woman is no longer living with the batterer, she may not be safe. It is important to help her feel safer by making it clear that you will not take advantage of her. The clinician can set up boundaries between himself or herself and the woman by asking her permission to touch her, to write notes, and to discuss areas of confidentiality and privilege. Individual or group therapy rather than couples therapy is recommended, at least initially.

Validation

A battered woman needs to feel validated when she describes the abuse. This can be done by emphasizing the positive things she did to protect herself and her children if they were involved. Tell her that no matter what she may have done or said, no one deserves to be abused. Be careful not to ask or even intimate that she might have done something to provoke the batterer. Such questions will not create the rapport that facilitates empowerment—nor do they create a safe space for the woman.

Most battered women have been told of their faults over and over by the batterer. They also have experienced his jealousy, overpossessiveness, and attempts to isolate them from significant friends or family. They may need education about the impact of abuse on their physical as well as mental health.13

Therapy should emphasize the woman’s strengths so that she trusts herself and others again. Naming her a battered woman with BWS may help her accept that she is not “crazy” (as the batterer predicted her doctor would find).

Risk and assessment and more....

If you need help please contact your local domestic violence center, mental health center or national hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) .

Caffeine: Upper or Placebo

2009-05-15T22:49:00.002-04:00

posted Monday, 4 May 2009
Jennifer Nachbur

Ever miss your daily cup of coffee and subsequently get a pounding headache? According to reports from consumers of coffee and other caffeinated products, caffeine withdrawal is often characterized by a headache, fatigue, feeling less alert, less energetic and experiencing difficulty concentrating.

Researchers from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine sought to investigate the biological mechanisms of caffeine withdrawal in a paper published recently in the online edition of the scientific journal Psychopharmacology. They looked at brain electrical activity and blood flow during caffeine withdrawal to examine what was taking place physiologically during acute caffeine abstinence, including the likely mechanism underlying the common "caffeine withdrawal headache."

The group examined caffeine's effects in a double-blind study, which involved the administration of caffeine and placebo capsules. Each participant's response to the caffeine or placebo was measured using three different measures - brain electrical activity via electroencephalogram (EEG); blood flow velocity in the brain via ultrasound; and participants' self-reports of subjective effects via questionnaires.

The team demonstrated that stopping daily caffeine consumption produces changes in cerebral blood flow velocity and quantitative EEG that are likely related to the classic caffeine withdrawal symptoms of headache, drowsiness and decreased alertness. More specifically, acute caffeine abstinence increased brain blood flow, an effect that may account for commonly reported withdrawal headaches. Acute caffeine abstinence also produced changes in EEG (increased theta rhythm) that has previously been linked to the common withdrawal symptom of fatigue.

Consistent with this, volunteers reported increases in measures of "tired," "fatigue," "sluggish" and "weary." Overall, these findings provide the most rigorous demonstration to date of physiological effects of caffeine withdrawal.

The researchers also discovered a provocative and somewhat unexpected finding - that there were no net benefits associated with regular caffeine consumption.

"In addition to looking at caffeine withdrawal, this rigorous design also permitted comparison of chronic caffeine maintenance with chronic placebo maintenance, which provides unique information about the extent to which there are net beneficial effects of daily caffeine administration," said Stacey Sigmon, PhD, research associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont and first author on the study. "In contrast to what most of us coffee lovers would think, our study showed no difference between when the participant was maintained on chronic placebo and when the participant was stabilized on chronic caffeine administration. What this means is that consuming caffeine regularly does not appear to produce any net beneficial effects, based on the measures we examined."

Sigmon SC, Herning RI, Better W, et al. Caffeine withdrawal, acute effects, tolerance, and absence of net beneficial effects of chronic administration: cerebral blood flow velocity, quantitative EEG, and subjective effects. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009;doi:10.1007/s00213-009-1489-4 [Abstract]

Refusing to Forgive by E. Goldstein

2009-04-24T13:03:00.003-04:00

Refusing to Forgive: 9 Steps to Break FreeBy Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. April 15, 2009

I see it every day. We all hold grudges against other people who we feel have hurt or offended us in some way or another. We even hold these grudges for people who aren’t even alive anymore. We do this with the false idea that somehow we are making them suffer by being hurt and angry with them. Now, there is nothing wrong with being angry with someone, but it is how we express this anger that makes all the difference on us and our relationships . What is a grudge anyway? May it is harboring ill feelings toward another in the need to settle a score.

Let’s try a little experiment. Think of someone in your life right now (maybe not the most extreme person) who you are absolutely holding a grudge against right now. There is no way you are willing to forgive this person right now for their actions. Picture that person and hold onto that unwillingness to forgive. Now, just observe what emotions are there; Anger, resentment, sadness? Also notice how you are holding your body right now, is it tense anywhere or feeling heavy? Now bring awareness to your thoughts; are they hateful and spiteful thoughts?

Most people who I do this with find this to be an uncomfortable experiment that elicits feelings of tension, anger, and thoughts of ill will toward the other person. This is not conjuring these feelings out of nowhere; this is just bringing to light what is already within stirring around. There is a common misperception that forgiveness means condoning the act of the other person. Forgiveness simply means releasing this cycle of torture that continues to reside inside.
Forgiving does not mean forgetting or condoning! Forgiveness is for the person who was perpetrated, not the perpetrator. It is saying, “I have already been offended against, I am going to let go of this so I don’t continue to be burdened by it.” You have already been tortured once, why continue letting this torture you by holding onto it with the erroneous belief that holding onto it is somehow hurting the other person. The practice of forgiveness has been shown to reduce stress, anger, and depression and support many aspects of well-being and happiness.
Like many things, this is easier said than done depending on the person and level of offense. In his book, Forgive for Good, Fred Luskin, Ph.D. lays out 9 steps to forgiving for you!

Know exactly how you feel about what happened and be able to articulate what about the situation is not OK. Then, tell a trusted couple of people about your experience.
Make a commitment to yourself to do what you have to do to feel better. Forgiveness is for you and not for anyone else.
Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person that hurt you, or condoning of their action. What you are after is to find peace. Forgiveness can be defined as the “peace and understanding that come from blaming that which has hurt you less, taking the life experience less personally, and changing your grievance story.”
Get the right perspective on what is happening. Recognize that your primary distress is coming from the hurt feelings, thoughts and physical upset you are suffering now, not what offended you or hurt you two minutes - or ten years -ago. Forgiveness helps to heal those hurt feelings.
At the moment you feel upset practice a simple stress management technique to soothe your body’s flight or fight response.
Give up expecting things from other people, or your life, that they do not choose to give you. Recognize the “unenforceable rules” you have for your health or how you or other people must behave. Remind yourself that you can hope for health, love, peace and prosperity and work hard to get them.
Put your energy into looking for another way to get your positive goals met than through the experience that has hurt you. Instead of mentally replaying your hurt seek out new ways to get what you want.
Remember that a life well lived is your best revenge. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, and thereby giving the person who caused you pain power over you, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you. Forgiveness is about personal power.
Amend your grievance story to remind you of the heroic choice to forgive.

Why You're Not Sleeping

2009-04-08T23:54:00.001-04:00

Provided by: FORBESWritten by: Rebecca Ruiz, Forbes.com Mar. 10, 2009

The recession has forced Americans to cut back on everything from health care to groceries. According to the results of a poll released Monday, it's also driving them to give up a precious commodity that doesn't cost a cent: sleep.

More than a quarter of 1,000 Americans randomly polled by the National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes a greater understanding of sleep and health, reported that the economy had disturbed their sleep at least a few nights a week.
Personal finances, unemployment and health care costs are among the troubles keeping people awake. The percentage of Americans experiencing economy-related insomnia may have worsened since the telephone poll was conducted over a month-long period beginning in late September.

In Depth: Nine Ways To Conquer Insomnia
The fact that Americans are sleeping less is unsurprising; the National Sleep Foundation has been documenting the dwindling hours of shut-eye for the past decade. The increasing number of sleep aid prescriptions is also telling. In 2008, 56.3 million prescriptions were filled, a 7% growth from 2007, according to IMS Health, a health care information company.
"Sleep is a barometer of life," says Dr. Meir Kryger, chairman of the board for the National Sleep Foundation. People suffering from severe sleep problems, he says, often fail to recognize the very simple reasons they can't drift off peacefully. Anxiety born of economic woes is a major factor, but so are sleep disorders and bad habits like an unpredictable schedule, performing late-night tasks and even staying in bed when it's impossible to fall asleep.

What it Means Not to Sleep
At least 40 million Americans experience chronic sleep disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health, which recommends that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. The National Sleep Foundation's poll shows that Americans routinely fall short of this goal, sleeping an average of six hours and 40 minutes per week night.

Sleep debt has a profound impact on a person's ability to function, says Dr. Carol Ash, medical director for Sleep for Life, a New Jersey-based sleep laboratory. Research has shown that it impairs judgment, focus, memory and reaction times. Eighteen hours of consecutive wakefulness is the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of .08%. The effects of sleep deprivation are cumulative, meaning that several nights of disturbed sleep can compound the ill effects of missed sleep.
There are the classic signs of sleep loss, including irritability, anxiety and depression, but less obvious, says Ash, are diminished problem-solving skills. The sleep-deprived may try pushing through fatigue to get their jobs done or developing last-minute solutions to urgent crises (think Congress). That's often the worst approach for the sleep-deprived to take.

"You'll be able to do mundane tasks," Ash says, "but you'll really start to fail when you have to think outside of the box."

Simple Sleep Solutions
With the exception of disorders that like apnea or narcolepsy, most sleep issues are caused by stress and bad habits. Spending a few nights awake, besieged by worries or because you're trying to return e-mails just before bed, for example, can teach the body a routine that is not conducive to sleep.

Dr. Eric Powell, director of research at the Clayton Sleep Institute in Missouri, often tells insomniacs to get out of bed. It sounds counterintuitive, but the strategy is based on research that has shown efforts to force the body to sleep only breed frustration.
When that cycle of sleep-related stress begins, he says, it can be hard for patients to identify obvious reasons for their insomnia. These frequently include an unpredictable schedule, a noisy or brightly lit sleeping environment or the lack of a nightly ritual. In other cases, sleep disturbances are related to a chronic disease. Diabetics, for example, experience increased discomfort as a result of damage to the nerves in the feet and legs.

Experts say that the sleep-deprived should seek professional help when the problem becomes chronic and self-imposed remedies fail. At that point, treatment may require prescription medicine or therapy.

When counseling patients affected by the economy, Kryger reminds them that the recession will pass. Tuning out anxiety not only aids with the coping process, it's also necessary for moving on.
Showing up at an interview looking ragged won't impress, he says. If nothing else, "you need your sleep to get another job."

Getting Help: Locate Services

2009-03-19T10:27:00.000-04:00

If unsure where to go for help, talk to someone you trust who has experience in mental health—for example, a doctor, nurse, social worker, or religious counselor. Ask their advice on where to seek treatment. If there is a university nearby, its departments of psychiatry or psychology may offer private and/or sliding-scale fee clinic treatment options. Otherwise, check the Yellow Pages under "mental health," "health," "social services," "crisis intervention services," "hotlines," "hospitals," or "physicians" for phone numbers and addresses. In times of crisis, the emergency room doctor at a hospital may be able to provide temporary help for a mental health problem, and will be able to tell you where and how to get further help.
Listed below are the types of people and places that will make a referral to, or provide, diagnostic and treatment services.

Family doctors
Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors
Religious leaders/counselors
Health maintenance organizations
Community mental health centers
Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics
University- or medical school-affiliated programs
State hospital outpatient clinics
Social service agencies
Private clinics and facilities
Employee assistance programs
Local medical and/or psychiatric societies

Locate Mental Health Services in Your Area Within the Federal government, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a Services Locator for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs and resources nationwide.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) CMS is the the federal agency responsible for administering the Medicare, Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) and several other programs that help people pay for health care.
Locate Affordable Healthcare in Your Area Within the Federal Government, a bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provides a Health Center Database for a nationwide directory of clinics to obtain low or no-cost healthcare.
Locate NIMH Clinical Trials currently seeking participants.
Mental Health Information and Organizations from NLM's MedlinePlus (en Español)
If You Are in a Crisis and Need Immediate Help

Salt Cravings and Depression

2009-03-11T22:56:00.002-04:00

See research regarding the relationship between salt intake and mood.

Of particular importance are experience-dependent processes including the sensitization of the neural systems underlying sodium appetite and the effects of sodium balance on hedonic state and mood. Accumulating evidence suggests that plasticity within the central nervous system as a result of experience with high salt intake, sodium depletion, or a chronic unresolved sodium appetite fosters enduring changes in sodium related appetitive and consummatory behaviors.

see Science Direct for more....

Mindfulness

2009-02-05T15:16:00.000-05:00

Mindfulness is intentionally paying attention to the present moment while putting aside our preconceived ideas, expectations, and judgments. It is being in connection with the here and now.Over the past 30 years there has been a buildup of evidence-based research using mindfulness practice to work with difficult medical and mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, addiction, insomnia, chronic pain, immune function, cancer, trauma, and more.

Check this out: Mindfulness Blog by Dr. Goldstein:

"The practice of mindfulness teaches us a different way to relate to our thoughts, feelings, and emotions as they arise. It is about learning to approach and acknowledge whatever is happening in the present moment, setting aside our lenses of judgment and just being with whatever is there, rather than avoiding it or needing to fix it. It’s the mind’s attempt to avoid and fix things in this moment that fuels the negative mood. So, if sadness is there, instead of trying to fix it or figure it out, we might just acknowledge the sadness and let it be. If self-judgments arise (e.g., I am weak, I am a loser) out of past sensitivities to having been depressed before, we can acknowledge that they are associations from teh past, let them be, and then gently bring ourselves back to whatever we were doing. In doing this, we’re stopping the ruminative cycle that might occur between our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations that can play off one another leading us to a relapse.

Now, this is easier said than done and it takes practice.

Practice - One way to practice mindfulness is to use the breath as an object of awareness. You can place attention at the tip of the nose or the belly and as you breathe in, just acknowledge the breath coming in and as you breathing out just acknowledge the breathe going out. As if you were greeting and saying goodbye to an old friend. When the mind wanders, as it will always do, just say to yourself “wandering” and then gently bring your attention back to the breath just noticing it coming in and going out. Most of us catch the mind wandering and gently bring it back billions of times, so know that it is normal for the mind to wander often. You can do this for as little as 1 minute or as much as 30 minutes or more."

It takes guts and low serotonin levels to build bone

2008-11-30T09:13:00.001-05:00

By Elizabeth Streich

Bone growth is controlled in the gut through serotonin, the same naturally present chemical used by the brain to influence mood, appetite and sleep, according to a new discovery from researchers at Columbia University Medical Center. Until now, the skeleton was thought to control bone growth, and serotonin was primarily known as a neurotransmitter acting in the brain. This new insight could transform how osteoporosis is treated in the future by giving doctors a way to increase bone mass, not just slow its loss. Findings are reported in the Nov. 26, 2008 issue of Cell.

See Anxiety Insights for more.....

The Complex Relationship Between Menstrual Cyclicity and Anxiety Disorders

2008-11-29T00:02:00.002-05:00

Miki Peer, Claudio N. Soares, MD, PhD, and Meir Steiner, MD, PhD

Ms Peer reports that she has no conflicts of interest concerning the subject matter of this article. Dr Soares reports that he has received grant/research support from AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline; he is a consultant for Sepracor, GlaxoSmithKline, Wyeth-Ayerst, and Neurocrine; and he is on the Promotional Speakers' Bureau of GlaxoSmithKline, Wyeth-Ayerst, Forest Laboratories, and Pfizer. Dr Steiner reports that he has received grant/ research support from Wyeth, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca; he is a consultant for Eli Lilly, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Lundbeck, Novartis, Wyeth, OrthoMcNeil, AstraZeneca, and Azevan Pharmaceuticals; he is on the advisory board of Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Lundbeck, OrthoMcNeil, Wyeth, Schering, Ferring, and Azevan Pharmaceuticals; and he is on the Speakers' Bureau of AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, and Wyeth.

The ocurrence and severity of anxiety disorders have been correlated with fluctuations in female sex steroid levels in both epidemiological and experimental studies.1-5 Female reproductive hormones play a role not only in the development and course of anxiety disorders but also in treatment response.1,2,6-12 This article focuses on the premenstrual exacerbation of anxiety disorders and briefly reviews the biological pathways and physiological mechanisms thought to contribute to the expression of different anxiety disorder subtypes. Female steroid hormone influences on pharmacological properties of psychoactive drugs used to treat anxiety disorders are also addressed, because these may contribute to treatment response in women who experience premenstrual exacerbation of these disorders.

Recommendations for Clinical Practice:

A better clinical practice to manage anxiety disorders would include:

• A careful assessment of sex-specific triggers of anxiety.
• A clinical interview performed on 2 consecutive occasions (1 in the luteal phase and 1 in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle).
• The use of a diary for at least 1 menstrual cycle to prospectively chart anxiety symptoms and help identify temporal associations with hormonal changes or possible comorbid disorders.

Once treatment is initiated, women with anxiety disorders should be evaluated during the course of the menstrual cycle for continuous effectiveness of their medications. Women who exhibit premenstrual exacerbation of anxiety disorders may respond to increased doses immediately preceding or during the luteal phase.48,59 Progesterone augmentation may be a therapeutic option for women with anxiety disorders who do not respond, or who respond only partially, to standard therapeutic regimens.2,38

See full article at Psychiatric Times....

U.S. researchers call off controversial autism study

2008-11-28T23:59:00.001-05:00

Provided by: Associated PressWritten by: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sep. 17, 2008

CHICAGO - A government agency in the United States has dropped plans to test a controversial treatment for autism that critics had called an unethical experiment on children.

The National Institute of Mental Health said in a statement Wednesday that the study of chelation (kee-LAY'-shun) has been discontinued. The statement says the agency decided the money would be better used testing other potential therapies for autism and related disorders.
The study had been on hold because of safety concerns . A study published last year linked a chemical used in the treatment to lasting brain problems in rats.

The treatment removes heavy metals from the body and is based on the fringe theory that mercury in vaccines triggers autism - a theory never proved and rejected by mainstream science.

Missing DNA Parts Linked to Schizophrenia Risk

2008-08-22T22:25:00.001-04:00

Provided by: Associated PressWritten by: Malcolm Ritter, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Jul. 30, 2008

NEW YORK - Two huge international studies show that people who lack certain chunks of DNA run a dramatically higher risk of getting schizophrenia, a finding that could help open new doors to understanding and diagnosing the disease.

These deletions are rare, each found in less than one per cent of schizophrenia patients. But each one boosts the risk of disease by as much as 15-fold, by one estimate.

Scientists said studying such abnormalities may help them find new medications by shedding light on what causes the disease. And if enough rare aberrations can be found eventually, they may be combined into a test to help in diagnosis, said Kari Stefansson, chief executive officer of deCode Genetics of Reykjavik, Iceland, and an author of one of the studies.

Schizophrenia is currently diagnosed by its symptoms.
The human DNA can be thought of as a very long string of letters - about three billion of them - that sometimes form words (genes). Each newly identified deletion removes a section of about half a million to two million letters.

In the past, scientists have found specific genes and deletions linked to schizophrenia risk. But the new work is notable because two large studies independently identified the same two DNA deletions, and those aberrations have such a big impact on disease risk. Stefansson's paper also reports evidence for a third deletion.

While the DNA deletions are linked to only a tiny fraction of schizophrenia cases, it's not unusual that a very rare cause of a disease provides insights that apply more generally, said Dr. Pamela Sklar of Massachusetts General Hospital, an author of the other paper. She said such knowledge can lead to treatments for many people.

Both papers were published online Wednesday by the journal Nature. Experts not connected with the work praised the results.

"This is tremendous" for basic research into the disease, said Dr. Linda Brzustowicz of Rutgers University. But since the deletions found so far are related to such a small fraction of schizophrenia cases, she said it's too early for companies to offer to test people for them.
Stefansson's paper, which included authors from more than a dozen centres in the United States, Europe and China, reported findings from DNA tests in about 4,700 people with schizophrenia and more than 40,000 healthy people. Sklar's paper, which included scientists from 11 institutes in the United States, Europe and Australia, tested about 3,400 people with schizophrenia and 3,200 others.

Both papers found that while the deletions were rare in schizophrenia patients, they were even rarer in people without the disease. Scientists say the disease results from a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental influences.

The two deletions found by both research groups boost schizophrenia risk 12-fold and 15-fold, Stefansson's group calculated. A third deletion his group found appears to raise risk about threefold.

Sklar said she was "absolutely delighted" that the papers found the two deletions independently, using different methods.

Anne Pulver, a schizophrenia genetics expert at Johns Hopkins University, said the papers represent a welcome shift in focus for finding genetic variants that affect risk of schizophrenia.
Traditionally, that search has centred on relatively common variants, each with little effect on an individual's risk. The new approach seeks rare variants that play a larger role. The new approach should help identify subgroups of patients with different genetic causes for their disease, she said. Eventually that could lead to treatments that are tailored to the differing biological causes, with improved outcomes, she said.
-
On the Net:
Nature: http://www.nature.com/nature
Information on schizophrenia: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia

2008-08-10T00:46:00.001-04:00

A brief overview of Interface Consultation Services current endeavors:

I. Blog Focus - We continue to post weekly on ICS and Counseling Connections.Our posts include mental health research, news and thoughts we feel providers and clients will find valuable.

II. Counseling Connections - Provides Licensed Professional Online and Telephone Mental Health Counseling, Coaching and Services.

III. Telemental Health Triage - We continue our day-to-day service commitment to Riverwood Center to provide professional triage services so their consumers are assured efficient and timely access to mental health services, appropriate level of care assignments and expert telephone crisis triage.

IV. MPRI - Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative for the Mentally Ill - ICS are contracted as the Regional Care Coordinators for the Western Michigan providing services to 18 counties. ICS has hired 5 contracts to assist with this initiative. This program continues to grow at a very fast pace and it the only program of it's kind in the US. This speciality program is designed for mentally ill prisoners who are returning to the community. As Care coordinators we provide funding for housing, psychiatric medications, specialized placements as well as care coordination and consultation on some very difficult cases for the program.

V. Passages - ICS is offering Mobile, Intensive, Short-term, Targeted Case Management Services located in Western Michigan will provide case management service option that requires an immediate, flexible, direct-service and mobile response.

This service is designed to provide the intensity of services needed to the non-severely and persistently mentally ill/indigent population that are currently underserviced or are unable to obtain these services at this time through traditional providers.

VI. Utilization Management Opportunities - We continue to provide acute care preauthorization services for Riverwood Center.

VII. College Level Course - ICS owner/partner, Kathlene LaCour is an part-time facility member at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.Please contact us via email by clicking on the link to learn more about how we can service your consulting needs or call (269)929-1292.

Men Drink, Women Ruminate Leading to Anxiety and Depression When Stressed

2008-05-15T12:04:00.002-04:00

Women and men tend to have different types of stress-related psychological disorders. Women have greater rates of depression and some types of anxiety disorders than men, while men have greater rates of alcohol-use disorders than women. A new study of emotional and alcohol-craving responses to stress has found that when men become upset, they are more likely than women to want alcohol.

"We know that women and men respond to stress differently," said Tara M. Chaplin, associate research scientist at Yale University School of Medicine and first author of the study. "For example, following a stressful experience, women are more likely than men to say that they feel sad or anxious, which may lead to risk for depression and anxiety disorders. Some studies have found that men are more likely to drink alcohol following stress than women. If this becomes a pattern, it could lead to alcohol-use disorders."

As part of a larger study, the researchers exposed 54 healthy adult social drinkers (27 women, 27 men) to three types of imagery scripts - stressful, alcohol-related, and neutral/relaxing - in separate sessions, on separate days and in random order. Chaplin and her colleagues then assessed participants' subjective emotions, behavioral/bodily responses, cardiovascular arousal as indicated by heart rate and blood pressure, and self-reported alcohol craving.

"After listening to the stressful story, women reported more sadness and anxiety than men," said Chaplin, "as well as greater behavioral arousal. But, for the men ... emotional arousal was linked to increases in alcohol craving. In other words, when men are upset, they are more likely to want alcohol."

These findings - in addition to the fact that the men drank more than the women on average - meant that the men had more experience with alcohol, perhaps leading them to turn to alcohol as a way of coping with distress, added Chaplin. "Men's tendency to crave alcohol when upset may be a learned behavior or may be related to known gender differences in reward pathways in the brain," she said. "And this tendency may contribute to risk for alcohol-use disorders."
There is a greater societal acceptance of "emotionality," particularly sadness and anxiety, in women than in men, noted Chaplin.

"Women are more likely than men to focus on negative emotional aspects of stressful circumstances, for example, they tend to 'ruminate' or think over and over again about their negative emotional state," she said. "Men, in contrast, are more likely to distract themselves from negative emotions, to try not to think about these emotions. Our finding that men had greater blood pressure response to stress, but did not report greater sadness and anxiety, may reflect that they are more likely to try to distract themselves from their physiological arousal, possibly through the use of alcohol."

Chaplin TM, Hong K, Bergquist K, Sinha R. Gender Differences in Response to Emotional Stress: An Assessment Across Subjective, Behavioral, and Physiological Domains and Relations to Alcohol Craving. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2008;doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2008.00679.x [Abstract]

Research on Effectiveness of Psychotherapies for Children

2008-04-20T13:53:00.002-04:00

The National Instititute of Mental Health has completed en evaluation of research and the effectiveness for mental disorders for children. Please see NIMH site and below..

Reviews of the current research on psychosocial and behavioral therapies, or psychotherapies, for children and adolescents found a number of "well established" and "probably efficacious" treatments for many mental disorders. For example, six were "probably efficacious" for anxiety disorders, and two were "well established" for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to scientists funded by NIMH and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, divisions of the National Institutes of Health.

The results were published in a special issue of the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and cover the current state of research psychotherapies for children and adolescents with mental disorders. NIMH grantees Wendy Silverman, Ph.D., of Florida International University, Miami, and Stephen Hinshaw, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley, served as guest editors. This special issue provides a 10-year update on the original special issue on psychosocial treatments, published in 1998."

Even for the most effective interventions, there is substantial individual variability in treatment response," said Benedetto Vitiello, chief of NIMH's Child and Adolescent Treatment and Preventive Intervention Research Branch. "Further research is needed to understand the factors accounting for treatment effects and to identify predictors of response, in order to eventually arrive at more targeted and specific intervention strategies."

Overall, the 10 articles in the special issue reveal considerable advances over the past decade in the quality and quantity of research on psychosocial treatments for children with mental disorders.

Among notable findings:A review of 32 studies by Silverman and her colleagues concluded that six therapies for anxiety disorders have substantial research support and met the criteria for "probably efficacious" and may be helpful for treating children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. These treatments are:
Individual cognitive behavioral therapy.
Group cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT).
GCBT with parents.GCBT for social phobia.

Social effectiveness training for children with social phobia.Few large-scale trials on anxiety disorders have compared specific psychosocial therapies with credible control conditions. As a result, to date, no specific psychotherapies met the most stringent criteria for "well-established treatments" used for this article. However, the second-highest ranking of "probably efficacious" denotes considerable research evidence supporting a treatment's usefulness, so mental health care providers can be confident in using the therapies listed, Silverman says.

A review of 46 studies by William Pelham, Jr., Ph.D., and Gregory Fabiano, Ph.D., both of the State University of New York at Buffalo, found that two psychosocial treatments are "well-established" for treating ADHD in children and adolescents:

Behavioral parent training.
Behavioral classroom management.

The authors also found a third type of well-established behavioral intervention called the Summer Treatment Program (STP), which focuses on peer relationships and is often given in recreational, summer camp-like settings. Children in STP typically receive more hours of treatment in a week compared to other weekly forms of psychotherapy, but STP is more expensive, and harder to provide in the community, and harder to find than behavioral parent training and behavioral classroom management.

In addition to anxiety and ADHD, the special issue also evaluates evidence-based psychosocial treatments for autism, eating disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, exposure to traumatic events, disruptive behavior, and substance abuse. In addition, one of the articles focused on psychotherapies and treatment approaches specific to different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Mental disorders are generally treated with psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of the two. As scientists find out more about how mental disorders affect the brain and behavior, they also better understand what makes a treatment work for certain disorders or certain people. This can sometimes lead to new medications or therapies, or new uses for existing treatments. However, such treatments may not be proven by research (evidence-based).

The special issue helps address knowledge gaps by reporting on the current state of evidence-based psychosocial treatments in children and adolescents. For each article, scientists provided a review of the research literature in their field of expertise. The articles also:Identify the most effective psychosocial treatments, using and building on guidelines developed in 1995 by the American Psychological Association Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures.

Discuss factors that may affect a child's response to treatment.Suggest directions for future research.Each article also discusses practice recommendations based on available research for doctors and other mental health care providers. However, these recommendations are intended more as a guide to current treatments and are not a requirement or prescription for best care."

We can only hope that the current generation of child and adolescent psychosocial treatment researchers will heed the call expressed in these articles for even more sophisticated, more rigorous, and more statistically powerful studies," said Drs. Silverman and Hinshaw.

Reference
Silverman WK, Hinshaw SP. The Second Special Issue on Evidence-Based Psychosocial Treatments for Children and Adolescents: A Ten-Year Update. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2008 Jan-Mar;37(1)

Our Deepest Fear.......MLK Day!

2008-01-21T08:34:00.000-05:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Teen Brain Still Maturing

2007-12-30T22:11:00.000-05:00

Provided by: Associated Press
Written by: Malcolm Ritter, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Dec. 2, 2007
NEW YORK - The teenage brain, Laurence Steinberg says, is like a car with a good accelerator but a weak brake. With powerful impulses under poor control, the likely result is a crash.

And, perhaps, a crime.

Steinberg, a Temple University psychology professor, helped draft an American Psychological Association brief for a 2005 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty for crimes committed before age 18.

That ruling relies on the most recent research on the adolescent brain, which indicates the juvenile brain is still maturing in the teen years and reasoning and judgment are developing well into the early to mid 20s. It is often cited as state legislators consider scaling back punitive juvenile justice laws passed during the 1990s.

"As any parent knows," wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy for the 5-4 majority, youths are more likely to show "a lack of maturity and an underdeveloped sense of responsibility" than adults. "These qualities often result in impetuous and ill-considered actions and decisions."

He also noted that "juveniles are more vulnerable or susceptible to negative influences and outside pressures, including peer pressure," causing them to have less control over their environment.

Some child advocates have pointed to the Supreme Court decision and the research as evidence that teens - even those accused of serious crimes - should not be regarded in the same way as adults in the criminal justice system.

Dr. David Fassler, a psychiatry professor at the University of Vermont College of Medicine who has testified before legislative committees on brain development, says the research doesn't absolve teens but offers some explanation for their behavior.

"It doesn't mean adolescents can't make a rational decision or appreciate the difference between right and wrong," he said. "It does mean, particularly when confronted with stressful or emotional decisions, they are more likely to act impulsively, on instinct, without fully understanding or analyzing the consequences of their actions."

Experts say that even at ages 16 and 17, when compared to adults, juveniles on average are more:
-impulsive.
-aggressive.
-emotionally volatile.
-likely to take risks.
-reactive to stress.
-vulnerable to peer pressure.
-prone to focus on and overestimate short-term payoffs and underplay longer-term consequences of what they do.
-likely to overlook alternative courses of action.

Violence toward others also tends to peak in adolescent years, says psychiatrist Dr. Peter Ash of Emory University. It's mostly likely to start around age 16, and people who haven't committed a violent crime by age 19 only rarely start doing it later, he said.

The good news here, he said, is that a violent adolescent doesn't necessarily become a violent adult. Some two-thirds to three-quarters of violent youth grow out of it, he said. "They get more self-controlled."

Some of the changes found in behavioral studies are paralleled by changes in the brain itself as youths become adults.

In fact, in just the past few years, Steinberg said, brain scans have given biological backing to commonsense notions about teen behavior, like their impulsiveness and vulnerability to peer pressure.

It's one thing to say teens don't control their impulses as well as adults, but another to show that they can't, he said. As for peer pressure, the new brain research "gives credence to the idea that this isn't a choice that kids are making to give in to their friends, that biologically, they're more vulnerable to that," he said.

Consider the lobes at the front of the brain. The nerve circuitry here ties together inputs from other parts of the brain, said Dr. Jay Giedd of the National Institute of Mental Health.

This circuitry weighs how much priority to give incoming messages like "Do this now" versus "Wait! What about the consequences?" In short, the frontal lobes are key for making good decisions and controlling impulses.

Brain scans show that the frontal lobes don't mature until age 25, and their connections to other parts of the brain continue to improve to at least that age, Giedd said.

The inexplicable behavior and poor judgments teens are known for almost always happen when teens are feeling high emotion or intense peer pressure, conditions that overwhelm the still-maturing circuitry in the front part of brain, Giedd said.

Personal Care, Restaurant Industries Have Highest Depression Rates

2007-10-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

Provided by: Associated PressWritten by: Kevin Freking, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Oct. 13, 2007 and Conoe News

WASHINGTON - People who tend to the elderly, change diapers and serve up food and drinks have the highest rates of depression among U.S. workers.
Overall, seven per cent of full-time workers battled depression in the past year, according to a government report available Saturday.

Women were more likely than men to have had a major bout of depression, and younger workers had higher rates of depression than their older colleagues.

Almost 11 per cent of personal care workers - which includes child care and helping the elderly and severely disabled with their daily needs - reported depression lasting two weeks or longer.

During such episodes there is loss of interest and pleasure, and at least four other symptoms surface, including problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration and self-image.
Workers who prepare and serve food - cooks, bartenders, waiters and waitresses - had the second highest rate of depression among full-time employees at 10.3 per cent.
In a tie for third were health care workers and social workers at 9.6 per cent.
The lowest rate of depression, 4.3 per cent, occurred in the job category that covers engineers, architects and surveyors.

Government officials tracked depression within 21 major occupational categories. They combined data from 2004 through 2006 to estimate episodes of depression within the past year. That information came from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which registers lifetime and past-year depression bouts.

Depression leads to $30 billion to $44 billion in lost productivity annually, said the report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The report was available Saturday on the agency's website at http://oas.samhsa.gov/

The various job categories tracked could be quite broad, with employees grouped in the same category seemingly having little in common.

For example, one category included workers in the arts, media, entertainment and sports. In the personal care category, a worker caring for toddlers at a daycare centre would have quite a different job from a nursing aide who helps an older person live at home rather than in a nursing home.

Just working full-time would appear to be beneficial in preventing depression. The overall rate of depression for full-time workers, seven per cent, compares with the 12.7 per cent rate registered by those who are unemployed.

The percentage of full-time workers age 18 to 64 reporting depression lasting two weeks or longer, by categories of occupation, as provided by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health using 2004 through 2006 data:

-Personal care and service: 10.8
-Food preparation and serving related: 10.3
-Community and social services: 9.6
-Health care practitioners and technical: 9.6
-Arts, design, entertainment, sports and media: 9.1
-Education, training and library: 8.7
-Office and administrative support: 8.1
-Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance: 7.3
-Financial: 6.7
-Sales and related: 6.7
-Legal: 6.4
-Transportation and material moving: 6.4
-Mathematical and computer scientists: 6.2
-Production: 5.9
-Management: 5.8
-Farming, fishing and forestry: 5.6
-Protective service: 5.5
-Construction and extraction: 4.8
-Installation, maintenance and repair: 4.4
-Life, physical and social science: 4.4
-Engineering, architecture and surveyors: 4.3

Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Late Night Teen Cell Phone Use Threat to Sleep and Functioning

2007-09-07T10:10:00.000-04:00

Psychiatric Times
Judith GrochReviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Explain to interested patients that teenage use of cell phones for calling and text messaging is common after bedtime, leaving adolescents sleep-deprived and tired.

LEUVEN, Belgium, Sept. 4 -- Just because adolescents go to bed, that doesn't mean they stop calling and texting their friends, and that may leave them bleary-eyed in the morning, researchers here reported.

Adolescents who use their mobile phones for calling friends and sending and receiving text messages after bedtime awaken sleep-deprived and tired, Jan Van den Bulck, Ph.D., of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven here, reported in the Sept. 1 issue of Sleep.
Heavy use of TV, internet, and computer games in the bedroom has been linked to reduced time in bed and to sleep disturbances, although adolescents often claim they need these media as "sleep aids."

Much of the teen use of cell phones involves the simple pleasure of being permanently connected, day and night, to a group of friends, Dr. Van den Bulck said. However, he added, little has been known about the impact of cell phone use on sleep.

To assess the prevalence of night-time mobile phone use and its relationship to tiredness with a one-year follow-up, Dr. Van den Bulck studied 1,656 second-year and fifth-year secondary school children in 15 schools in Flanders.

Baseline data were collected in February 2003 with a follow-up in 2004 and another in 2005.
Of the children (52.1% boys), the average age was 13.7 years in the youngest group and 16.9 years in the oldest group at baseline. Tiredness was self-reported.

Only 38% of the participants never used their mobile phone after lights out. Overall 35% of the cases of being very tired were attributed to the use of the mobile phone.
Multinomial logistic regression showed that after a year:

Using the mobile phone less often than once a month increased the odds of being very tired by 1.8 (95% CI 1.2 - 2.8);
Using the phone less than once a week more than doubled the tiredness odds (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4 - 3.5);
Using it about once a week tripled the odds (OR 3.3, CI 1.9 - 5.7);
Using it several times a week yielded a five-fold increase in the odds of being very tired (OR 5.1, CI 2.5 - 10.4).

Time of calling, ranging from right after bedtime to any time of the night, also made a difference in the one-year tiredness measure. In most cases calling happened right after lights out. Yet a considerable amount occurred before 3 AM, and about a fifth of the adolescents reported that sending or calling could happen at any time of night.

Use of the phone right after lights out increased the odds of being very tired by 2.2 (CI 1.4 - 3.4); between lights out and 3 AM, the odds were 3.9 times higher (CI 2.1 - 7.1), and for those who used it at any time of the night the odds were 3.3 times higher (CI 1.8 - 6.0).
Among the study's limitations was the use of self-reports. Usually giving socially desirable replies, a potential source of bias in such studies, would not seem to have occurred here, as it is unlikely that students believe that underestimating this behavior is socially desirable.

It is also customary to warn readers about drawing causal conclusions from this sort of research, Dr. Van den Bulck said. However, the idea that adolescents use their phones because they can't sleep does not hold here because of the two-way communication involved. It would apply to outgoing calls, but not to incoming calls.

Unless there were clusters of sleepless adolescents, it is more likely that communicating children keep each other awake, Dr. Van den Bulck wrote.

Mobile-phone use after lights out is widespread, he said. The risk ratios suggest that there is no safe dose. Even moderate use doubles the risk of long term tiredness, nor is there is a safe time to send or receive calls or messages.

There is growing awareness of the importance of studying the impact of the modern electronic media on several aspects of adolescent health in general and sleep in particular, Dr. Van den Bulck said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has suggested that children's bedrooms ought to be "electronic media-free." However, the Academy appeared to be thinking mainly of media such as TV and video games, he said.

However, the present study suggests that there are many more threats to adolescent sleep in the bedroom. As mobile phones become ever more complex (integrating radio, television, and MP3 technologies), the attraction to use them after lights out is likely to increase further, Dr. Van den Bulck concluded.

Dr. Van den Bulck reported no conflicts of interest. This study received support from the Fund for Scientific Research (Flanders) and the Ministry of Welfare of the Flemish Government of Belgium.

Computers, Internet and Psychotherapy

2007-08-06T17:10:00.000-04:00

The demand of psychotherapy often exceeds the availability of therapists. Two studies published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics review how modern computer and communication technologies can provide novel opportunities for the provision of stepped care for patients with mental disorders.
In a review and an accompanying editorial by Prof. Isaac Marks and collaborators point out that therapist time is not saved by conducting cognitive behavior therapies (CBT) via e-mail, telephone or video-conference exchanges between patient and therapist in real time. However, time can be saved when treatment tasks are delegated to patient-computer interactions.

Many patients may also prefer to access CBT at home by computer for reasons of greater confidentiality, lessening of stigma and reduction of time needed to travel to a therapist.

This concept was explored by Indra Tumur and colleges in a analysis of 4 studies to compare the effectiveness of a computerized cognitive behavior therapy (CCBT) program, BTSteps, for the treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) against the traditional therapist-led cognitive behaviour therapy (TCBT) and relaxation.

They found that CCBT was as good as TCBT for reducing time spent in rituals and obsessions and and was superior to RLX treatment. Improvement of OCD persisted beyond the end of the CCBT treatment. Therapist guided CBT was more effective than CCBT for all patients overall though not in those who went on to start self-exposure.

In the third study, University of Heidelberg researchers investigated the effectiveness of group therapy delivered through an Internet chat room following inpatient treatment.The main goal of the program was to reduce the risk of losing the therapeutic benefits gained during the inpatient treatment. 114 patients participated in one of two parallel groups of 8-10 patients that met with a group therapist in an Internet chat room.

The groups met weekly for 12-15 weeks for 90 min. Controls were 114 patients who did not participate in the chat groups and were matched by application of propensity score methods.The main criterion was derived from comprehensive assessments of changes in health status comprising the psychological and physical condition of the patients.

Assessments were conducted at admission, discharge and 12 months after discharge. 12 months after discharge, chat participants showed a substantially lower risk (24.7%) for negative outcome than controls (38.5%). Furthermore, a low dropout rate and the high session attendance suggest this novel offer met patients' needs, and thus, opens new avenues for optimizing care for patients with mental disorders.

Baer L, Greist J, Marks IM. Computer-Aided Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Psychother Psychosom 2007;76:193-195 (no abstract)
Tumur I, Kaltenthaler E, Ferriter M, et al. Computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Systematic Review Psychother Psychosom 2007;76:196-202 [Abstract]
Golkaramnay V, Bauer S, Haug S, et al. The Exploration of the Effectiveness of Group Therapy through an Internet Chat as Aftercare: A Controlled Naturalistic Study Psychother Psychosom 2007;76:219-225 [Abstract]

Interface Consultation Services Update

2007-07-11T18:39:00.000-04:00

A brief overview of Interface Consultation Services current endeavors:

I. Blog Focus - We continue to post weekly on ICS and Counseling Connections.Our posts include mental health research, news and thoughts we feel providers and clients will find valuable.

II. Counseling Connections - Provides Licensed Professional Online and Telephone Mental Health Counseling, Coaching and Services.

III. PESI Seminars by ICS:

High Risk Callers: Responding to Psychiatric Emergencies Over the Phone. New and exciting sorely needed seminar designed specifically for clinicians, call centers, triage nurses who provide efficient assessment and treatment over the phone. Psychiatric Emergencies over the phone line are DIFFICULT and extremely anxiety provoking. General Medical Clinics are seeing more psychiatric patients. Learn the skills you didn't learn in school to assist these patients.

IV. Telemental Health Triage - We continue our day-to-day service commitment to Riverwood Center to provide professional triage services so their consumers are assured efficient and timely access to mental health services, appropriate level of care assignments and expert telephone crisis triage.

V. MPRI - Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative for the Mentally Ill - ICS are contracted as the Regional Care Coordinators for the Western Michigan providing services to 17 counties. ICS has hired Lee Burdick March 2007 to assist with this initiative. This program continues to grow at a very fast pace and it the only program of it's kind in the US. This speciality program is designed for mentally ill prisoners who are returning to the community. As Care coordinators we provide funding for housing, psychiatric medications, specialized placements as well as care coordination and consultation on some very difficult cases for the program.

VI. Utilization Management Opportunities - We continue to provide acute care preauthorization services for Riverwood Center.

VII. College Level Course - ICS partner, Kathlene LaCour is an part-time facility member at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

We are seeking other opportunities to expand these kinds of services to other agencies. Please contact us via email by clicking on the link to learn more about how we can service your consulting needs or call (269)929-1292.

2007-07-03T12:58:00.000-04:00

"What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday and our present thoughts build our life tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our mind." -- Siddhartha Buddha

Death.. One Man's Thoughts....

2007-06-13T13:36:00.000-04:00

Checkout this Vlog site by Josh Leo.

He expresses some of his thoughts about death and dying.

Discovering Our True Nature - Online Radio Show

2007-06-11T15:09:00.000-04:00

Discovering Our True Nature - Online Radio Show with Host Branden Cohen (click on link to listen to recent shows...

Join Branden for his weekly internet radio show on Tuesday at 1pm or go to link above for live or achived shows. Each begins with a guided meditation and Branden welcomes guests and callers to share their personal experiences and ask questions. The show explores a variety of psychological and spiritual topics.

Branden Cohen is a MA Clinical Psychologist. email him at brandencohen@hughes.net

This week show and guest talk about addiction and ways to heal the most difficult of addictions and the heart.

contact us at... interface_consultation@comcast.net

Today is the Day!

2007-06-06T07:58:00.000-04:00

Today is your opportunity to make a real positive difference in your life.

Live this very day with respect and responsibility for yourself and the treasure of today will be with you always.

-Kenn

May Mental Health Month

2007-05-22T01:08:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Mental Health Month 2007! The theme for this year's observance is MIND Your Health. For more than fifty years, our country has celebrated May as Mental Health Month to raise awareness about mental illnesses and the importance of mental wellness for all. Mental Health America invites you to join us in this important observance.

Contact Us..

Work related suicide, Mental Illness Increase in Japan

2007-05-22T01:02:00.000-04:00

Provided by: Associated PressMay. 17, 2007

TOKYO (AP) - The number of Japanese who killed themselves because of work jumped by 52 per cent last year, while work-induced mental illness also hit a record high, a health official said Thursday.

Compensation paid to the families of workers who committed suicide due to work-related stress was paid out in a record 65 cases in 2006, compared with 42 the previous year, said Health Ministry official Junichiro Kurashige.
The number of workers who received compensation for work-induced mental illness hit 205, up 61 per cent from a year earlier, Kurashige said, citing a recent government report.

Efforts by the government to encourage workers to apply for compensation were partly behind the rise, said Kurashige.

Japan's suicide rate is among the highest in the industrialized world. More than 32,000 Japanese took their own lives in 2004, the bulk of them older Japanese suffering financial woes as the country struggled through a decade of economic stagnation.

The Japanese government has earmarked a substantial budget for programs to help those with depression and other mental illnesses.

See C-Health for more mental health news...

Spirituality, Suicide and Mental Health

2007-05-04T12:14:00.000-04:00

Canoe Health Reports....An Canadian conference is drawing attention to the key role spirituality plays in mental health and even for suicidal patients.

Medical schools have started to raise awareness about spirituality, so students entering the health-care field will inquire about their patients' belief systems to better understand their attitudes toward life and death.

To shed more light, the University of Ottawa's department of psychiatry, the Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care and Saint Paul University are hosting the third annual international conference on Spirituality and Mental Health today and tomorrow.

Developing a greater understanding of the link between mental health and spirituality is necessary for health-care workers who truly want to help their patients, said Dr. Andre Gagnon, chairman of the conference organizing committee. The same can be said of workers dealing with suicidal patients.

Suicidality has been VIEWED AS AMORAL.
Historically, suicidal thoughts were viewed by religions as amoral and people who suffered from them could be forbidden access to a place of worship and even burial rights, said Gagnon.Over time, religions have grown more accepting of the reality that these people need help.

Researching links between suicide rates and spirituality poses difficulties due to the many other variables associated with suicide.Gagnon said that even the awareness of spirituality in suicide can aid health providers in providing appropriate care."A lot of people at first want to stop the suffering they are in, they don't wish to die as much as to stop feeling so badly," he said.

We are all spiritual beings and to neglect this part of a person in who is experiencing significant distress and psychiatric pain can delay a person's recovery. Treating people as whole beings - mental, physical, spiritual and emotional is key.

Binge Eating/Compulsive Eating Disorder

2007-05-02T12:48:00.000-04:00

Psychiatric Times indicates that this disorder is more common than anorexia and bulimia combined, according to a national survey.In DSM- IV this disorder was being reviewed and was indicated to require more research and study to determine if it would be appropriate for admission into the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders).

Most physicians, however, aren't aware of the problem, says James Hudson, MD, director of the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Program at McLean Hospital and a professor of psychiatry at Harvard."Doctors have a reasonable degree of awareness about anorexia and bulimia, but they're not tuned into binge eating. It's just not as well known," says Hudson, lead author of "The Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication". The study, published Feb. 1 in Biological Psychiatry, found that 2.8 percent of the general population has binge-eating disorder -- more than bulimia (1 percent prevalence) and anorexia (0.6 percent) combined.

Treatment for this disorder experts recommend a comprehensive eating disorders program. The programs take a multidisciplinary approach that typically includes nutrition counseling; a behavioral weight control plan with healthy meals spaced throughout the day; medication in some cases; and a strong foundation in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) -- considered the gold standard for treating the disorder.

Due to this disorder not being an official diagnosis many insurances will not pay for treatment. Self help programs include reading books with CBT focus and drug treatment with SSRI, appetite suppressants and mood stabilizers. See Psychiatric Times for more information

Who Are You?

2007-04-12T09:14:00.000-04:00

A father, mother, wife, husband, sister, brother, boss, employee, devotee, coach, player, student, teacher, etc.

You are not your relations. The core of who you are is not defined by your relationship to friends, family, god or others in general. These are power parts of our being and living in this world.

Is here a you without relationship to others?

So truly, who are you when you look in the mirror and see more than your physical self looking back at you?

Food for Thought....

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow....

2007-04-02T14:15:00.000-04:00

Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today's dream.

- Kahlil Gibran

Online Counseling Rarely Available

2007-03-27T11:51:00.000-04:00

The dearth of mental health services for individuals in need is a debit our nation has felt for at least twenty years, if not indefinitely. A new national survey of commercial health plans has found that most plans provide online information regarding mental health and substance abuse but few provide clinical services such as counseling via the Internet.

Most private health plans offered online provider directories; 81 percent offered educational information; two thirds offered behavioral self-assessment tools, and almost half offered online referral. About one-third offered personalized responses to questions or problems. Only two percent offered online counseling.

“At least in the short term, increasing use of Internet-based tools designed to facilitate and complement, rather than replace, traditional clinical services seems most likely.”

Source: Brandeis University

Telephone-Based Psychotherapy and Depression

2007-03-22T12:51:00.000-04:00

Psychiatric Times
By Judith GrochReviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco Mar 22, 2007

SEATTLE, March 22 -- For depressed patients on medication but too sad to seek psychotherapy as well, lasting help may be available by phone researchers found in a follow-up study.

For more than 75% of nearly 400 patients, the positive effects of six months of brief telephone psychotherapy at the start of antidepressant medication endured for 18 months after the first session, including six months beyond the end of all phone therapy, said Evette Ludman, Ph.D., of the Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies here, and colleagues.

This study, reported by Dr. Ludman and colleagues in the April issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, was a follow-up to a 2004 report on the same sample of 393 patients, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The follow-up found that at 18 months, 77% of those given phone-based therapy reported that depression was "much" or "very much" improved, compared with only 63% of those receiving usual care.

In the 18-month analysis, the benefits of telephone psychotherapy in the first six months were sustained during the second six months when only brief booster sessions were provided. Significantly a "robust clinical benefit" endured for six months after all treatment contact was discontinued, the researchers found.

"As with weight control," Dr. Ludman said, "maintaining improvement is the hardest part of treating depression."

Read More...

As you can see using telephone-based therapy can be convenient and effective. If you are in terested in knowing more Contact Us.

How to Choose a Therapist

2007-03-20T12:09:00.000-04:00

MayoClinic.Com - Choosing mental health providers can be challenging. Try to match your needs with their experience and specialty. See what issues to consider and which questions to ask.

If you've never consulted mental health providers before, you may not know how to find one who suits your specific needs. Here are some issues and tips to think about, along with questions to ask potential mental health providers.

Consider the types of mental health providers:

You may not realize just how many types of mental health providers are available until you start looking for one. Should you see a family practice doctor? A Psychiatrist? Psychologist? Social worker? Does it even matter?

Several considerations can help guide your decision in choosing among the various types of mental health providers:

The severity of your symptoms
Your medication needs
The provider's level of expertise
Your health insurance coverage

In general, the more severe your symptoms or diagnosis, the more expertise and training to look for in your potential mental health providers. If you may need medications, for instance, you may want to consult a psychiatrist, who by law can prescribe medications and may have more experience with the wide range of psychiatric medications available. On the other hand, if you're dealing with teenage conflicts, you may want to consult a marriage and family therapist. You may even need to see several types of mental health providers to meet various needs.

Contact Us...

Learning....

2007-03-12T13:40:00.000-04:00

I've learned that if your heart has never ached you are not alive.

I've learned that a strong man can cry

I've learned that the best things in life really are free

I've learned that there are many risks in life but the biggest is not taking any at all.

Kenn

Women Soldiers' Response to Treatment for PTSD

2007-02-28T16:25:00.000-05:00

Psychiatric Times
By Peggy Peck
Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Feb 28, 2007

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt., Feb. 28 -- For women soldiers being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder, symptoms improve when the therapy homes in on the original index event, no matter how long ago it occurred, researchers here found.

Compared with therapy that aimed at coping with PTSD symptoms in daily life, women whose therapy focused on the past traumatic events reduced symptoms by more than 70% (effect size, 0.27, P=0.03), investigators reported in the Feb. 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Moreover, the women who underwent "prolonged exposure" therapy were also about two-and-half times more likely to achieve total remission (15.2% versus 6.9%; odds ratio 2.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-5.37, P=0.01), said Paula P. Schnurr, Ph.D., of the National Center for PTSD at the VA Medical Center here, and colleagues.

The "maximum benefits of prolonged exposure are observed immediately after treatment and persist over time," she said.

But while the prolonged exposure therapy was more effective, it also had significantly higher dropout rate: 38% versus 21% (P=0.002).

The study randomized 277 women veterans and seven active duty women soldiers to either prolonged exposure or present-centered therapy. The mean age of women was 45 and roughly 31% were married.

The women were enrolled and treated from August 2002 through October 2005 at nine VA medical centers, two VA readjustment counseling centers, and one military hospital.
Both therapies were delivered according to standard protocols in 10 weekly 90-minutes sessions.

"Prolonged exposure included education about common reactions to trauma, breathing retraining; prolonged (repeated) recounting (imaginal exposure) of trauma memories during sessions; homework (listening to a recording of the recounting made during the therapy session and repeated in vivo exposure to safe situations the patient avoids because of trauma-related fear); and discussion of thoughts and feelings related to exposure exercises," they wrote.
By contrast, the present-centered therapy focused "on current life problems as manifestations of PTSD."

Sexual trauma was identified as the "worst" trauma exposure by 68.3% of the women, followed by physical assault (15.8%) and war zone exposure (5.6%). The index trauma usually occurred more than 22 years before the women were enrolled in the study.

The high rate of sexual trauma exposure tracked closely studies of PTSD in civilian women, but Dr. Schnurr pointed that 70% women in this study said their sexual trauma exposure was associated with military service.

The study was limited by the small number of active duty women included-the authors theorized that active duty soldiers might be reluctant to seek treatment because they were "worried about the stigmatizing effects of PTSD, a concern that has been expressed by soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Active duty soldiers, they explained, were likely to be younger than veterans and might have responded differently to the two treatments.

The study was also limited by a higher dropout rate in the prolonged exposure arm, and by the fact that the study was limited to women. But Dr. Schnurr said the findings could "with some caution" be extended to men because published studies suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy was an effective treatment for PTSD in men.

The study was funded by the VA Cooperative Studies Program and the Department of Defense. Dr. Schnurr and reported funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Some of her co-authors reported funding from the Department of Defense and three co-authors -- Matthew J. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., Edna B. Foa, Ph.D., and Patricia A. Resick, Ph.D. -- published books on PTSD treatment for which they received income.

The Secret

2007-02-19T14:05:00.000-05:00

On the The Oprah Show last week she had a panel of people talking about "The Secret". This movie, The Secret, and book was created by Australian Rhonda Byrne, and she says that if you follow its philosophy, you can create the life you want—whether that means getting out of debt, finding a more fulfilling job or even falling in love.

Rhonda defines The Secret as the law of attraction, which is the principle that "like attracts like." Rhonda calls it "the most powerful law in the universe," and says it is working all the time. "What we do is we attract into our lives the things we want, and that is based on what we're thinking and feeling," Rhonda says. The principle explains that we create our own circumstances by the choices we make in life. And the choices we make are fueled by our thoughts—which means our thoughts are the most powerful things we have here on earth.

See more about the show at the link above...

The Secret sounds like a new idea but it's a concept we have been using to assist people for a long time. The Secret has gained attention of the people and we would love to discuss it more with you. Contact us..

All Things Being Equal!

2007-02-16T16:08:00.000-05:00

After a year of back-and-forth, a group of U.S. senators have reached a compromise on a bill offering "mental health parity" to health plan enrollees who have mental health coverage. While the details are still under discussion, generally speaking the bill would require health insurance plans with a mental health option to cover mental diseases the same way they do physical diseases, including reimbursement, co-payments, deductibles and limits on physician visits. The bill is being championed by Sen. Pete Domenici, who has worked on this issue since 1996, and co-written with Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Mike Enzi (R-WY). Creating a workable consensus proposal took years, but everyone involved seems to think the measure can move ahead now. Though health plans argue that such parity would be too costly to sustain, President Bush has previously expressed a willingness so sign a parity bill, so the measure's prospects may be better than many previous versions.

Fierce HealthCare to see more...

2007-02-08T09:55:00.000-05:00

NYU Child Study Center
The New York University Child Study Center has identified warning signs of depression in teenagers for parents and tips for helping teens who may be depressed, in light of a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC study, published in the February 2007 issue of Pediatrics finds that suicide rates in children under 19 years of age increased between 2003 and 2004. Suicide was the only statistically significant increase in child death over this time. Overall, the suicide rate increased by 18.2 percent from 2003 to 2004, an increase largely driven by older teens.

"A teen's statement of a wish to kill him/herself must be taken seriously," said Lori Evans, Ph.D., Director of Psychology Training and the Project Coordinator of TASA (Treatment of Adolescent Suicide Attempters) at the NYU Child Study Center. "Before they actually commit or attempt suicide, teens often make direct statements about their intention to end their lives, or less direct statements about how they might as well be dead or that their friends and family would be better off without them."

"Discussing the problem does not encourage the teenager to go through with the plan," emphasizes Dr. Evans. "On the contrary, it will help him or her know that someone is willing to be a friend. It may save your adolescent's life."

Watch for symptoms of depression lasting longer than two weeks, which may include:
A change in eating and sleeping habits

A marked personality change, exhibiting angry actions or rebellious behavior or withdrawal from friends and regular activities

Involvement in drugs or alcohol or other risky behaviors such as reckless driving

An overreaction to a recent humiliating experience

Difficulty in concentrating and a decline in the quality of school work

Persistent boredom and/or lethargy

Unusual neglect of appearance

Complaints about physical symptoms such as headaches and fatigue

A pattern of giving away or throwing away possessions

Intolerance of praise or rewards

Preoccupation with death in writing songs or poems

An increase in comments such as "I can't take it anymore" or "nobody cares; I wish I was dead"

How to help
Take person's comments regarding self-hate, suicide, or death very seriously

Don't try to convince the person to not feel bad. Don't tell them to "snap out of it" or say "don't feel bad"

Keep in close contact with the person and their parent, teacher, or a good friend

Ask the child or teen what you could do that would be helpful to them

Don't promise to keep any information a secret

If symptoms persist or are dangerous and interfere with daily functioning, consult a mental health professional immediately
See Anxiety Insights for more...

Video Games May Increase Cognitive Functioning

2007-02-05T09:02:00.000-05:00

Provided by: Sun Media
Written by: IAN GILLESPIE -- London Free Press Jan. 20, 2007

My brain is going bad. And probably yours is, too.

It's getting tougher to remember names. I go to the store and neglect to pick up the main item I need. I forget where I've put things (like, ah, the car).

I'm sure there are other symptoms, but I can't remember what they are.
Anyway, experts tell us memory problems are fairly common. They also say this is happening partly because our lives are so busy that our brains are being overloaded. (This doesn't explain why I can't remember where I put my glasses, when the only thing I've done all day is try to find my glasses.)

But now, there's hope.
Paradoxically, one of the solutions is something that, for years, we were told was bad for our brains: Video games.
That's right. Once regarded as devilish devices that would turn minds to mush, researchers now are saying video games may be good for us.

"There's been a lot of research recently, primarily on the standard shoot-'em-up action games, showing that those sorts of things can be beneficial," says Jody Culham, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Western Ontario. "Particularly with older people.
"There's some interesting stuff suggesting there might be some benefits to getting grandma playing the hot new games."

I'm not sure I can envision a gang of white-haired grandmothers, slumped in bean-bag chairs in a darkened basement, wasting gangsters in Scarface. But the general concept is gaining acceptance.

In his book Everything Bad is Good for You, for instance, technology expert Steven Johnson explored the benefits of an array of pop-culture offerings, including video games.
While early models like Pong and Pac Man were simple exercises in co-ordination and pattern recognition, Johnson argues today's games present a dizzying array of options and information. Indeed, he points out that one how-to-play guide for the game Grand Theft Auto III is more than 50,000 words long -- nearly the length of an average novel.

With their developing storylines, complex puzzles and multiple characters, Johnson argues, many modern video games are more than just instant-gratification machines. In fact, he says, these games actually delay gratification by forcing players to craft long-term strategies and figure out what to do. (Unlike board games of the past, you don't learn how to play a video game by reading a set of rules; you learn by playing it.)

Of course, many of these games are simply too fast and complicated for older players.
That's where Nintendo's Brain Age comes in. According to the promotional literature, this new software for the Nintendo DS hand-held system "acts like a treadmill for the mind."
Using a touch screen that allows players to write their answers with a special pen, Brain Age allows players to solve simple math problems, draw pictures, count moving objects and read examples of classic literature.

Culham says it's a variation on the old "use it or lose it" adage.

"There's lots of evidence that people who are in busy, stimulating work situations and have to do a lot of problem-solving fare much better in terms of (fending off) the development of Alzheimer's, senility and all sorts of cognitive problems," she says.

Oh boy! Finally -- a legitimate excuse to hide in the basement and waste hours and hours playing fancy video games with neat new software and . . . .
Hold it.

Culham says many of the benefits gained from video games can be found in plain old reality.
"I would suggest that people consider taking up tennis or playing strategy games like chess or backgammon with their friends," she says. "This way they get the intellectual benefits of a video game, but other benefits, too, such as cardiovascular exercise or social interaction and support."
Instead of shelling out cash for software, Culham says there are other ways -- just as effective but not as expensive -- to exercise your brain.

"Pull out the Sudoku from the newspaper, read some Jane Austen and play some games with your friends," she says. "That may do just as well -- or better."
Darn.

Adversity

2007-01-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

It doesn't make any difference whether what you face is something that affects your work, your personal relationships, your sense of security, your appraisal of self-worth, or your appearance--the way you think about your situation largely determines whether you will do anything about it and what you will do.

Dr. Arthur Freeman and Rose DeWolf

Ode to Jeanette

2007-01-24T15:35:00.000-05:00

"Hope, purpose and determination are not merely mental states. They have electrochemical connections that affect the immune system."

~ Norman Cousins

Celestial Seasonings Wisdom

2007-01-22T11:06:00.000-05:00

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to the starts and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to hear on cheerfully, do all bravely, awaiting occasions, worry never; in a word to, like the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common."

- William Henry Channing

Our Deepest Fear........

2007-01-15T10:01:00.000-05:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream!!!"

2007-01-12T09:52:00.000-05:00

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T01:07:00.000-05:00

Enjoy the New Year!!

Set realistic goals!!

Seek to embrace potential within you!!

If there is a will there's a way, find the way in 2007!!

Contact Us for a free consultation...

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

2006-12-29T09:56:00.000-05:00

People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) go through the day filled with exaggerated worry and tension, even though there is little or nothing to provoke it. They anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about health issues, money, family problems, or difficulties at work. Sometimes just the thought of getting through the day produces anxiety.

GAD is diagnosed when a person worries excessively about a variety of everyday problems for at least 6 months. People with GAD can't seem to get rid of their concerns, even though they usually realize that their anxiety is more intense than the situation warrants. They can't relax, startle easily, and have difficulty concentrating. Often they have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Physical symptoms that often accompany the anxiety include fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, having to go to the bathroom frequently, feeling out of breath, and hot flashes.

When their anxiety level is mild, people with GAD can function socially and hold down a job. Although they don't avoid certain situations as a result of their disorder, people with GAD can have difficulty carrying out the simplest daily activities if their anxiety is severe.

GAD affects about 6.8 million adult Americans and about twice as many women as men. The disorder comes on gradually and can begin across the life cycle, though the risk is highest between childhood and middle age. It is diagnosed when someone spends at least 6 months worrying excessively about a number of everyday problems. There is evidence that genes play a modest role in GAD.

Other anxiety disorders, depression, or substance abuse often accompany GAD, which rarely occurs alone. GAD is commonly treated with medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy, but co-occurring conditions must also be treated using the appropriate therapies.

For more information about anxiety disorders, visit the National Institute of Mental Health website @ Anxiety.

FDA Proposes Expanding Antidepressant Suicide Warning

2006-12-21T10:18:00.000-05:00

Provided by: Associated PressWritten by: ANDREW BRIDGES Dec. 13, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) - Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal behaviour for people up to age 24, the government said Wednesday. It plans new warning labels, and says users of all ages should be closely monitored.The label change proposed Wednesday would expand a warning now on the antidepressants that applies only to children and adolescents.The Food and Drug Administration presented its plan to update the drug labels at a meeting of outside advisers on the issue. They endorsed the plan.The FDA also stressed that patients of all ages should continue to be carefully monitored for signs of suicidal tendencies when they are beginning treatment on the drugs.

Public reaction was split, with some saying the changes were overdue and others arguing they could keep drugs from those who need them.In emotional testimony illustrated at times by slides of family photos, relatives of suicide victims pleaded for the new warnings.Suzanne Gonzalez, shouting and in tears, goaded the panel to action, telling the experts that her 40-year-old husband who had been taking Paxil shot himself."I wake up every morning thinking, 'Oh my God, he's dead. He is freaking dead.' Do you wake up and think, 'How many people are going to die today because I am doing nothing?"' Gonzalez asked.Still, mental health experts worry that additional warnings could curtail use of the drugs and ultimately do more harm than good.Dr. John Mann, a Columbia University psychiatrist, suggested simply replacing the proposed expanded warnings with the recommendation that doctors more closely monitor their patients."We can do more good by providing more treatment for depressed children and adults," Mann said.

The FDA proposed the changes after completing a review that found use of the drugs may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour among young adults 18 to 24, as well as among younger patients.Psychiatrists testified Wednesday that the 2004 addition of a warning for children led to a falloff in antidepressant prescriptions being written for patients under 18 - and an increase in suicides in that age group.Still, overall use of antidepressants continues to grow, with nearly 190 million prescriptions dispensed in the United States last year, according to IMS Health, a health care information company.

That suggests doctors have placed more weight on the long-term benefits of the drugs than on any short-term risks, said Dr. Thomas Laughren, director of the FDA's division of psychiatry products.Expanding the "black box" or other warnings on the drugs could dissuade patients from seeking or starting treatment, mental health experts said. They warned that people with untreated depression - about half of those who suffer from the disease - face an estimated 15 per cent greater likelihood of death by suicide.

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, a Harvard Medical School clinical instructor in psychiatry and author of "Prozac Backlash," said expanding the warnings wouldn't scare off patients, but instead would allow them to make informed choices.The FDA recently completed a review of 372 studies involving about 100,000 patients and 11 antidepressants, including Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil.When the results were analyzed by age, it became clear there was an elevated though small and short-term risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviour among adults 18 to 24, the FDA said in documents released ahead of Wednesday's meeting of its psychopharmacologic drugs advisory committee.The FDA's analysis of the multiple studies suggests an age-related shift in the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour associated with treatment with the drugs. For instance, antidepressants seem to protect against suicidal thoughts and behaviour in adults 30 and older, with the effect most pronounced in patients over 65.

The FDA said the increased risk could mean as many as 14 additional cases of suicidal thoughts or behavior in every 1,000 children treated with antidepressants. For adults 18 to 24, there could be four additional such cases per 1,000.

In May, GlaxoSmithKline and the FDA warned Paxil may raise the risk of suicidal behaviour in young adults and added that to the drug's label."Anytime suicide is involved it is a tragic outcome. It is one of the things that keeps us motivated to search for better treatments because depression can be treated.

Self-Disclosure & Healing

2006-12-19T12:37:00.000-05:00

As therapists, we generally are cast as the support-person, the listeners, the helpers, the objective re-framers and other client-focused “providers”. Clinicians, some more than others, tend not to self-disclose much with their clients; some prefer to keep their own feelings, life trials and even personal mental health experiences separate from the therapy relationship. Like most aspects of the client-therapist relationship there are no real hard and fast boundaries about how to act, what to say, what to reveal, when to set limits, etc; it is the art of therapy and the clinician experience that determines how the relationship develops.

Therapist self-disclosing can be an effective teaching opportunity that has real, human information and it can be a tremendously powerful client-therapist relationship building tool, remembering always that self-disclosure has its limits and the therapy session is for the client. I have personally known clinicians that quickly get caught up in self-disclosure to the degree the roles in therapy become reversed and therapist’s personal issues become the primary focus of the sessions; not good.

For example, recently my family learned my mother has been diagnosed with cancer; she is 76 years old. I am very fortunate to have a loving family with generally healthy siblings and parents; none of us really ever experiencing any tremendous life tragedies. Perhaps this is one reason the “news” has been emotionally devastating to me. My emotions have been flooding in since learning of her cancer diagnosis. I am scared for her, scared for me, scared for my Dad, wondering how I will balance being the ever-supportive “helper” and at the same time taking care of myself. I am preoccupied with all of this, at times finding myself in a daze when driving down the road or other times when I am generally attentive and focused. I have this ever-streaming thought process going on, saying to myself, “I want to know the outcome, I want to fix it, I know I can’t fix it, she’ll pull through this, am I ready to deal with this, how will I deal with this, why?, I will be there for her, she can count on me” and on and on. I know my Mom wants to fight for a cure, fight for more time. I want more time with my Mom yet I want to be unselfish as well. This is one of my life trials, perhaps the biggest yet for me. Deep down I know I can’t control this outcome, I am trying to settle for “maybe I can influence the outcome” through my support to her, my love for her, to my Dad, staying optimistic, praying for her/for us. My partner once told me, “Thoughts are things”. I will be trying to center on healing thoughts.

I hope you can see that struggling is part of our humanness, even healers need to heal and self-disclosure can open the path for others to become helpers too. When you may think that your life-challenges are overwhelming, unbearable or misunderstood, let someone know your pain, your struggle. By allowing ourselves to share our experiences we may influence the nature of our relationships and perhaps even the outcome of our struggle.

New Mother's Suffer from More Than Postpartum Depression

2006-12-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press December 6, 2006

CHICAGO -- New mothers face increased risks for a variety of mental problems, not just postpartum depression, according to one of the largest studies of psychiatric illness after childbirth.

New fathers aren't as vulnerable, probably because they don't experience the same physical and social changes associated with having a baby, the researchers and other specialists said.
The study, based on medical records of 2.3 million people over a 30-year period in Denmark, found that the first three months after women have their first baby is riskiest, especially the first few weeks. That's when the tremendous responsibility of caring for a newborn hits home.
During the first 10 to 19 days, new mothers were seven times more likely to be hospitalized with some form of mental illness than women with older infants.

Compared with women with no children, new mothers were four times more likely to be hospitalized with mental problems.

New mothers also were more likely than other women to get outpatient psychiatric treatment.
However, new fathers did not have a higher risk of mental problems when compared with fathers of older infants and men without children.
The prevalence of mental disorders was about 1 per 1,000 births for women and just 0.37 per 1,000 births for men.

Mental problems included postpartum depression, but also bipolar disorder, with alternating periods of depression and mania; schizophrenia and similar disorders; and adjustment disorders, which can include debilitating anxiety.

The study underscores a need for psychiatric screening of all new mothers and treatment for those affected, said an editorial accompanying the study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Two of the three authors of the editorial reported financial ties to the psychiatric drug industry. The researchers said they had no financial ties to the industry.
They examined national data on Danish residents from around 1973 to July 2005. About 1.1 million participants became parents during the study.

A total of 1,171 mothers and 658 fathers -- none diagnosed with any previous mental problems -- were hospitalized with a mental disorder after childbirth.

Lead author Trine Munk-Olsen, a researcher at Denmark's University of Aarhus, said similar risks for psychiatric problems probably would affect new parents in other developed nations including the United States.

However, differences in screening practices and access to healthcare might influence whether parents elsewhere are hospitalized, she said.
Physical changes after childbirth might partly explain why women are vulnerable, including fluctuating hormone levels, Munk-Olsen said.
These, alone or combined with sleep deprivation and the demands of breast-feeding, could trigger mental problems, she said.

Hard data on the number of women worldwide affected by postpartum mental illness are scant, but postpartum depression alone affects about 15 percent of US women.
The condition made headlines last year when actress Brooke Shields acknowledged taking antidepressants after her first child was born -- and Tom Cruise publicly criticized her for it.
Postpartum mental illness also has been cited as a factor in shocking cases of mothers killing their children, including Andrea Yates's drowning of her five children in Texas in 2001.
Dr. Nada Stotland, a psychiatry professor at Rush Medical College in Chicago, said gender differences in postpartum mental illness are not surprising.
Mothers generally bear the brunt of sleep deprivation, and many new mothers are socially isolated or live far from relatives who could provide support, Stotland said.

© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.

Bending without Breaking

2006-12-06T11:57:00.000-05:00

As we grow older we become more set in our ways. We can have a tendency to be inflexible and lack the ability to see the world from someone else's point of view. If we can bend our thoughts some and become more flexible we can find more compassion and synchronicity in the universe. Harmony is not created by one musical tone it is created by a blending of tones.

- Jamie Sams

Try it...You might like it!

Lifestyle and Panic Disorder

2006-11-29T13:12:00.000-05:00

Changing aspects of a person's lifestyle (decrease alcohol, caffeine, smoking and increase in water and exercise) can help reduce severe anxiety and panic attacks, according to new research carried out at the University of East Anglia.

A study by Dr Rod Lambert, from UEA's School of Allied Health Professions, has shown that drinking less alcohol and caffeine and smoking less, while increasing water intake and exercise, can be at least as effective as traditional medication and psychological treatments for panic disorder.

About 1.5% of the UK population are affected by panic disorder, with panic attacks being one of the symptoms. Sufferers often experience palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness and nausea, as well as feelings of impending doom or death. Some also suffer from agoraphobia.
It is thought to be the first time that research has been carried out on how changing a range of lifestyle behaviors can help patients. Dr Lambert said: "It can offer an early input helping many patients to understand and control some of their symptoms.

"Panic disorder can stop people working, it can stop people shopping. I've seen people who have had panic attacks when they are driving and at night. It can affect family dynamics and work patterns. It's a very disabling condition that can last for many years and every single person is going to experience it differently."

The trial was carried out with patients aged 18-65 referred from 15 GP practices in the East of England. They had all been identified as having panic disorder and were then assigned to either routine GP care, such as medication and referral to outside agencies, or to an occupational therapy-led lifestyle approach, which looked at diet, fluid intake, exercise and intake of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

Dr Lambert said: "The short term effect was significant, while the longer term effect was at least as effective as routine GP care. If someone is experiencing palpitations, they may interpret that as an impending heart attack. What the therapist was doing in the trial was to suggest other lifestyle-related reasons for the palpitations.

"We can suggest cutting down on caffeine or having a bit more water during the day or night. If doing something as simple as that alters the sensations, then they may no longer misinterpret their symptoms and the associated panic goes."

Those who made changes to their lifestyle showed a decrease in the level of medication and number of doctor visits compared to those following the routine care. Levels of anxiety and panic attacks also reduced the most in patients following the lifestyle treatment - by 10 months, 67.7% of the lifestyle patients and 48.5% of the GP patients had been panic-free for at least one month.

Dr Lambert said he hoped to do further research, with the aim being to see a change in practice. "I am very encouraged by the results. Habitual lifestyle behavior hasn't really been taken seriously enough when looking at this type of condition. This study looked at a range of lifestyle behaviors but ones which people can make fairly immediate changes to. It suggests that patients actually respond to it."

Lambert RA, Harvey I, Poland F. A pragmatic, unblinded randomised controlled trial comparing an occupational therapy-led lifestyle approach and routine GP care for panic disorder treatment in primary care J Affect Disord. 2006, doi:10.1016/j.jad.2006.08.026 In Press.

Living Longer

2006-11-27T10:17:00.000-05:00

People are living longer these days. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1920 the average life expectancy was 54. Today, people can expect to live to 78.
Feel free to speculate about why--better food supply, better medical care, better hygiene or any number of other factors. It's not totally clear to scientists how they all add up. But what we do know is that studies are finding genetics don't tell the whole story when it comes to which diseases will likely kill us.

"There's a saying that genetics load the gun, but it's the environment that pulls the trigger," says Dr. David Fein, medical director at the Princeton Longevity Center, a clinic in Princeton, N.J., which focuses on quality of life and prolonging it. "You can have the gene for a certain disease, but it doesn't mean you're going to get it."

If you really want to live longer, then start with your attitude. Your way of thinking not only improves your outlook on life, but also how long you actually live. In 2002, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50% compared with those who leaned more toward pessimism.

Besides looking through rosier-colored glasses, there other personality traits that can help us live longer, healthier lives. According to Dr. Howard Friedman, a psychologist at the University of California, Riverside, conscientiousness is related to mortality in a significant way. The Terman Life-Cycle Study, which ran from 1921 to 1991, examined an array of factors like personality, habits, social relations, education, physical activities and cause of death.

Valuing life is universal. Having some control over your own destiny is more realistic than many people realize. Learn more about how to live longer at Long Life. Knowledge is power; Applied knowledge is wisdom.

Broken Heart Syndrome

2006-11-22T10:44:00.001-05:00

In the largest review of "broken heart syndrome" patients ever conducted, Mayo Clinic researchers studied 100 patients and found symptoms recurred in 1 out of 10 patients over a four-year period, and that patients experiencing physical stress had a worse survival rate than those under emotional stress. The information may help physicians manage their heart patients more effectively by providing new details about a recently recognized condition that mimics heart attack symptoms of shortness of breath and chest pain. Because one trigger of the syndrome is severe emotional stress, such as loss of a loved one, the condition several years ago was nicknamed "broken heart syndrome." It is known medically as apical ballooning syndrome (ABS).

If you have lost a loved or you are under alot of stress seek treatment before it starts to effect you heart. Contact Us for more information on how to reduce stress in your life.

Get where you want to go!

2006-11-17T11:39:00.000-05:00

How do you go from where you are to where you want to be?

I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life.
You have to have a dream, a goal and you have to be willing to work for it.
If you want to achieve a high goal, you're going to have to take some chances.
Each one of us has a fire in our heart for something.
It's our goal in life to find it and to keep it.
Knowing your destination is half the journey.

-Kenn

Coping with Holiday Stress

2006-11-14T09:26:00.000-05:00

Gerald Koocher, Ph.D, is president of the American Psychological Association and dean of the Simmons School for Health Studies in Boston. Koocher offers these tips for coping with holiday stress:

Q: Why do people get so stressed out during the holiday season?

Gerald Koocher: A lot has to do with expectations associated with the season (both our own, and those of others we care about). In much of Western society, commercial interests promote gift exchanges and shopping around the clock. This can add significant economic stress. And the pressures of getting one's work done interacts with holiday time off, family demands, and other end-of-the-year activities and obligations.

Q: How can we relieve this stress?

Koocher: One helpful step might involve calling a mental "time-out" and prioritizing. Find a quiet place and take a few minutes to think through your priorities. Ask yourself which activities or goals are most important to your wellbeing. Then, focus reasonable attention on those things, while deliberately allowing the less important matters to wait. By exerting some intentional control, you will feel less buffeted or overtaken by events. When shopping for gifts, remember that a relatively inexpensive gift showing attention to the recipient's interests, or conveying special affection, will be remembered with greater warmth and gratitude than a costly present that may end up at a department store's returns counter a few days later.
Q: Some people find that they feel depressed during this time of year. Why?
Koocher: "Seasonal blues" are not uncommon. One contributing factor involves our expectations; the media and commercial interests bombard us with messages that may often seem at odds with the reality of our lives. You may feel sad because you remember a family member who is not with you this season. You may realize another year has come and gone without attaining some major goal you had hoped for. Or you may find yourself struggling with problems involving food or alcohol intake during holiday festivities. Seasonal affective disorder, known as "SAD," also presents a problem for some people, leading to mood changes during periods of decreased exposure to daylight.

Q: The holidays may be a time to gather with difficult family members. Any tips for making these reunions less stressful?

Koocher: Family members can be sources of social support, as well as sources of intense emotional pressure. At work, your colleagues may recognize you as a high performing professional, but back home you may find yourself frozen in time as "little Bobby who wet his bed at age 3," or Suzie, who finds herself peppered with questions about her social life from nosy relatives. Two coping strategies involve recognizing what is happening, and taking control over your own reactions. Take a mental step backward for a moment and consider the person whose behavior annoys you. What does their behavior tell you about them? Are they angry, depressed, self-absorbed, or just plain insensitive? Recognize that you are not responsible for their problems, comments, or behavior. Remember that you need not let yourself become drawn back into old roles or relationships, and have no obligation to respond to intrusive or annoying questions. Change or deflect the subject, turn the question around asking about their lives, or just walk away. Behavior we do not reward (by responding or paying attention to it) will eventually fade away.

Q: What would you suggest to people who make - and want to keep - their New Year's resolutions?

Koocher: New Year's resolutions are a great coping strategy for people who find themselves disappointed with some aspects of their lives, and can use the end of the calendar year as a motivating force. If you are serious about making changes in your life, I suggest limiting the number and scope of resolutions to no more than two or three (one is better still). Accompany the resolution (your goal) with a plan (a series of steps or way points) and a tentative timetable. Breaking the task down into small, realistically achievable steps will more likely lead to success, than simply setting a single end point. Placing reminders in your calendar along the way can recharge your resolve to stay on track.
posted Friday, 10-Nov-2006

In what state is your mind?

2006-11-01T14:31:00.000-05:00

Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the optimist as on the pessimist, but the optimist weathers them better. The optimist bounces back from defeat, and, with his life somewhat poorer, he picks up and starts again. The pessimist gives up and falls into depression. Because of his resilience, the optimist achieves more at work, at school, and on the playing field. The optimist has better health and may even live longer. -- Martin E. P. Seligman

Challenge Your Negative Thoughts

2006-10-30T10:08:00.000-05:00

The “ABCDE” method of disputing negative thoughts is designed to fight off and transform feelings of helpless pessimism when misfortune strikes. Many of us would speak up if co-workers or family members criticized us unfairly. But when negative, self-critical thoughts fill our own heads, we may have a hard time telling ourselves that we are wrong.

The ABCDE model goes like this:

Consider the Adversity (A) you are currently facing.
Examine your automatic beliefs (B) about the situation; first thoughts that enter your mind. Are they unreasonably pessimistic?
What are the usual consequences (C) of these thoughts? What feelings emerge? What actions usually follow?
Dispute (D) the routine belief to interrupt the cycle of pessimism and down-trodden self-pity. Argue with yourself.
You will feel energized (E) and ready to take on the problem.

Challenging and modifying your thinking will lead to different and healthier emotional and behavioral response. Be nice to yourself.

Suicide

2006-10-23T12:23:00.000-04:00

Are you filled with sadness, fear, self-hatred, ruminating thoughts, negativity and more? Do you feel like things are never going to get any better?

"What is the point if I lost my job, lost my best friend, lost my freedom, lost my partner.....? I can't seem to pull myself out of this, no one really care and I feel so helpless...."

Are you wake at night thinking about all the things going on in your life, What you said, what you should have said, what you want to say, what you want to do? All the reasons that life it just too unbearable to continue....

We want to know all of this but what I REALLY want to know is what keeps you alive? This is just as important as your pain. What are your dreams, what are you connected to? Who do you love and why? What inside you keeps you going?

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary or transient problem. Life will change!!!!! There is no doubt about that...Make a choice, seek help. Depression and suicidal thoughts are VERY treatable. You can get help. You can feel better. Seek help now. 1-800-SUICIDE or local mental health center near you.

Simplicity

2006-10-20T16:56:00.000-04:00

Keeping it simple creates an atmosphere of acceptance and trust. We can really tend to complicate life with our fears, worries, wants and unhealthy attachments. How do you learn to focus on what is truly important? How do you find out what is important to you?

Breathe and let go
Be in the moment
One moment, One thing, One being
Make the choice Love or Fear (there are no buts or ands)

Focus on the simplicity of life we are only here in the moment who knows what the next moment will bring.

Waiting....

2006-10-13T14:19:00.000-04:00

The Waiting is the Hardest Part......

- Tom Petty

The Power of Choice

2006-10-11T10:25:00.000-04:00

Every action has a reaction.

What we do makes an impact on others and on ourselves.

We have the power to create our own experiences.

With power comes great responsibility...

Be careful what you wish for and what thoughts you but into action because you may get exactly that!

Mental Health Treatment by Video Growing

2006-10-09T13:03:00.000-04:00

Psychiatrists, often in need and hard to find in rural areas, are increasingly turning to video to treat their far-flung patients, illustrating one of the latest growth areas of telemedicine.

"Once the telemedicine session starts, it's no different than a face-to-face," said Dr. Umar Latif of the Dallas VA Medical Center, which has been offering psychiatric sessions over video for more than a year.

Video medical treatment increasingly is filling the gap in regions of the country where specialists are in short supply. And mental health appointments work especially well over video, enabling therapists to reach many patients who otherwise might not get help, experts say.

There are no figures on the number of doctors using telemedicine or telemental services, which can include appointments by video screen or telephone. But American Telemedicine Association spokesman Jonathan Linkous said the practice has been growing each year.

"We saw the need when we surveyed rural sites. We asked, 'What do you need, as far as specialists?' Psychiatry was the No. 1 need that we found," said Blue Cross spokeswoman Cindy Sanders.

"I think that it has virtually unlimited potential," said Dr. Terry Rabinowitz, medical director of telemedicine at University of Vermont College of Medicine. "Not only can we help folks in underserved areas in the United States, but with little _ comparatively speaking _ investment, we can do consultations worldwide."

We believe that other mental health services, such as counseling, will follow this trend to effectively and efficiently service clients from remote locations. We see our Counseling Connections service as cutting-edge for mental health treatment. Contact Us to learn more how we can service your mental health needs.

The Seven Deadly Habits of Truly Miserable People

2006-10-05T10:24:00.000-04:00

Punishing
Complaining
Blaming
Threatening
Nagging
Criticizing
Bribing

Unless you have a couple of crossed wires or a genetic glitch in your brain cells, most of the emotional turmoil you experience is directly traceable to the fact that you've learned to try to control those around you through these seven deadly habits, says psychiatrist William Glasser, MD, president of the William Glasser Institute in Chatsworth, CA, and author of Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom

Read further about these deadly behaviors @ Misery. Let us know how we can help as well. Contact Us for a FREE consultation.

How Does Music Heal?

2006-10-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

We are only now getting closer to a full understanding. Music affects us physically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually. All we can say with certainty is that our responses to music are far more complex, subtle and far-reaching than we imagined.

Recall the parable about the blind men and the elephant: Each is sure they know the "truth" about an elephant’s nature, based on their perception of the trunk, the leg, or the tail. None of them sees the big picture.

Until recently, researchers have generally focused on easily observable physical effects, such as changes in blood flow through the fingertips or the speed of muscle reactions. We are now opening new vistas in the understanding of blood chemistry, the release of endorphins, and the connections between neuropeptides and emotions. The work of Dr. Gordon Shaw and associates has progressed far beyond their initial investigations into the apocryphal "Mozart Effect."

Steven Halpern’s , Inner Peace Music © expands on the way music provides us with healing properties. Link to his website to learn more, Inner Peace Music.

Fearlessness

2006-09-28T09:12:00.000-04:00

Fearlessness is the the mastery of our fears and not the absence of fear. We can still experience fears but fearlessness allows us to accept, embrace and move thorough our fears. We can let situations in our lives harden our hearts to the point of resentment, shame and avoidance of others or we can allow them to soften us, increase our compassion and understanding. We can be a more open and loving human being because of our fearful experience. We have a choice!

Dalai Lama Speaks of Stress and Compassion

2006-09-25T09:31:00.000-04:00

The Dalai Lama replied that early stress in life from poverty or abuse leads to negative emotions such as fear, jealousy and anger which turn into violence. Compassion and acceptance are keys to overcoming these obstacles. The compassion and total acceptance of a mother's love for her child is what brings us to heal from pain.

Dalai Lama, who spoke about how to cultivate happiness. "I feel for a successful and happy life much of it depends on our mental outlook," he said, as he sat cross-legged on a couch onstage. "The money, power or even health, I think is secondary. If mental state is calm, at peace, then you really enjoy your life."

"Aha"

2006-09-18T10:46:00.000-04:00

Rather than tell people what to think, Socrates urged them to think for themselves. Why? Unless you can discover for yourself that something is true, unless you have a moment of insight, an, “Aha, now I see!” experience, you will not deeply understand an issue.
-- Judith Barad
Let us know how we can help with your discovery……

Partner

2006-09-15T13:41:00.000-04:00

My partner is traveling this week; providing seminars in Minnesota. Running a mental health consultation business is rewarding in so many ways, especially when working together with a partner you respect, trust and appreciate. Although business goes on as usual while my partner is gone, the work is much more enjoyable and rewarding when we are collaborating on a daily basis, processing issues and concerns regarding our business, sharing frustrations and highlights and creating new ideas for our business future.

Our relationship is no different than other important and positive relationships that we all seek to create and maintain. These relationships are special in that they offer us feelings of belonging, affirmation, opportunity for personal growth and a sense of unity toward a common goal. Relationships are one key to a healthy and fulfilling life. Nurture and value these special relationships. Stop today and think about your relationships and how important they really are. Let your partner know how you feel.

Take Care of Yourself. Take a Nap!

2006-09-08T09:46:00.000-04:00

Taking care of yourself means taking naps when our body and biological clock says you are tired. Research shows that taking a nap does not disrupt your evening sleep and actually can improve afternoon performance.

It's easy for many of us to ignore and neglect our own needs becuase we are "too busy" with work and family responsibilities. We "must" be available at all times to deal with problems that might arise. This is the old mantra about taking care of yourself. "If you don't take care of yourself, how can you take care of others?"

Enjoy your 15 minute nap! You will be more productive and feel much better.

Contact us for more ideas on how to be a healthier you.

Kids Who Witness Abuse at Home May Bully Others

2006-09-05T13:35:00.000-04:00

Children who witness abusive behavior in the home are more likely to bully other children, and are at greater risk of depression and anxiety. A number of studies have shown that children exposed to domestic violence are at increased risk of behavior problems, but there has been little specific research on bullying. Bullying mirrors abusive relationships between adults, in that it involves recurrent aggression by a more powerful person over a less powerful one, with the intent to harm.

In a recent study, from the University of Washington in Seattle, researchers looked at the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence and bullying involvement in 112 children aged 6 to 13. Half of their parents reported perpetrating verbal, physical or sexual violence against an intimate partner, or experiencing this type of violence, at least once in the past five years.

About one third of the children said they bullied other children in the past year, with girls more likely to bully others than boys. Nearly three quarters of the children said they had been victims of bullying by others and they were more likely to be physically aggressive to other children, and were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety or depression.

If you or your children have been victims of intimate partner violence, be watchful of signs that your children may be suffering ill-effects of those experiences.

Help is available……

Pediatrics, August 2006

Univeral Message

2006-09-01T13:06:00.000-04:00

Be gentle
Your connection to the universe cannot be broken you are forever bonded
Things will change like the wind - they will change
Your grey hairs from love, life and relationships will bring you wisdom you can share
There is space for EVERYTHING in the universe
The universe will take care of you no matter what but you must seek it, humble yourself and ask for it
-The Universe

Forgiveness

2006-08-30T09:32:00.000-04:00

"It's not that there is never a mistake or an evil motivation, but that there is something else as well. Forgiveness is the door to experiencing that something else."

-Hugh Prather

Not Like It Seems!!!!!! - Be Mindful.

2006-08-28T10:26:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been adamant about something? I KNOW this person is trying to slight me, stab me in the back, stole something from me, etc. To find out later that your perception and thinking about the situation wasn't accurate. How do we find clarity when there is so much to filter through our own thoughts, feelings, previous reactions and experiences as well as others thoughts, feelings, reactions and previous experiences? Work at using skills to connect with this universal truth and MINDFULNESS.

OBSERVE - notice experiences without putting words to them.
DESCRIBE - now put words on what you observe without judgment (attempting to see how the world really is instead of what you think is happening)
PARTICIPATE - Enter into the experience, become one with the experience without judgment of yourself.

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Trust

2006-08-25T11:25:00.000-04:00

It is only as I understand the feelings and thoughts which seem so horrible to you, or so weak, or so sentimental, or so bizarre--it is only as I see them as you see them, and accept them and you, that you feel really free to explore all the hidden nooks and frightening crannies of your inner and often buried experience. – Carl Rogers

Call Us……

Are Close Friendships Getting Harder to Find?

2006-08-21T10:38:00.000-04:00

A new study finds more Americans than ever admitting to a decrease in their social circle, with many saying they have no one to tell their troubles to. The data also showed that friendships outside of the family are decreasing more than familial friendships, showing Americans' friendships as "a densely connected, close, homogeneous set of ties slowly closing in on itself, becoming smaller, more tightly interconnected, more focused on the very strong bonds of the nuclear family," the authors noted.

"The evidence shows that Americans have fewer confidants, and those ties are also more family-based than they used to be," study author Lynn Smith-Lovin, a professor of sociology at Duke, said in a prepared statement.

Considering this sociological trend, what is the likely outcome of shrinking social networks? What does it mean for those individuals who have few natural, family supports? It seems the natural progression due to this shift is a personal increase in social isolation resulting in increased feelings of detachment and depression. Many factors could be affecting this sociological shift; what we do as individuals to take care of ourselves as a result of it is the key.

Let us know how we can help.

The Power of Writing

2006-08-17T11:16:00.000-04:00

This recent acticle, "The Write Stuff" speaks of a man who was able to connect to his feelings about having HIV in his ability to write. He was part of a group therapy that used writing as therapy. Writing can bring us to a space that other forms of communication cannot. It requires us to think and organize our thoughts in a way that makes sense, with descriptions and specifics about events, thoughts, feelings and behaviors. It allows us to step back a little and see the events from a different prospective. If you have not tried writing, give it a shot....for etherapy contact us...

Freedom from Suffering

2006-08-14T16:33:00.000-04:00

Suffering is the sum of pain plus non-acceptance of our situation or condition. We suffer when we do not accept what is. We think about how it "should be".. Acceptance does not mean APPROVAL or liking something. It means accepting reality as it is. Suffering can and will distroy you. Pain plus acceptance is just ordinary pain and grief. We can live with ordinary pain. The key to FREEDOM from suffering is acceptance. Accept the moment. Contact Us.

Suicidal teens show lasting mental effects

2006-08-09T13:40:00.000-04:00

Teenagers who contemplate suicide are likely to have emotional and behavioral problems that last throughout young adulthood, new study findings suggest.

The results, say the study authors, show that teens' suicidal thoughts need to be addressed not only because of the immediate danger, but also for their future well-being.

The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found that 15-year-olds who thought about suicide were more likely than other teens to become 30-year-olds with emotional, social and behavioral difficulties.

At age 30, they were twice as likely as their peers to have a psychiatric disorder such as anxiety or depression, and they were far more likely to have contemplated or attempted suicide in recent years.

Beyond overt psychiatric disorders, suicidal teens were also more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems that pervaded their everyday lives.

If you were the type of teen described above, have a teenager you are concerned about currently or are personally struggling with current emotional or suicidal thinking, Contact US.

Depression Screening

2006-08-07T09:21:00.000-04:00

Life is full of good times and bad, happiness and sorrow. But if you've been feeling "down" for more than a few weeks or are having difficulty functioning in daily life, you may be experiencing more than just the "blues." You may be suffering from a common yet serious medical illness called clinical depression.

The good news is clinical depression is highly treatable. Most people with depression, however, do not seek the professional help they need -- often because they don't know the symptoms, think depression will go away on its own, or are embarrassed to talk about how they're feeling.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you have symptoms of depression is by taking a free, Depression Screening. Screening tests, such as the one on this web site, are not intended to provide a diagnosis for clinical depression. But they may help identify any depressive symptoms and determine whether a further evaluation by a medical or mental health professional is necessary. As with any other illness, you should see your doctor if you think you might have symptoms of depression.

For more about clinical depression, go to: www.depression-screening.org/ or contact us for a free mental health consultation. If you are reading this, you are ready…..

Parent and Teen Functions

2006-08-04T13:40:00.000-04:00

Your teenager's function is to "turn against" you. Don't take this so personally. It's the leaving-the-nest stage. You are the parent. Relax into your destiny. Your function is never to turn against your teenager.

-Hugh Prather

Whew...It's Hot!

2006-08-02T14:08:00.000-04:00

Are you irritable, short - tempered, negative, and just plain frustrated with life at this moment? It could be the heat! We are smack dab in the middle of the year and summer. The dog days of August have begun. "It's hot, it's sticky... don't touch me, give me some space"... Does this sound like you or your kids? What are we doing to take care of our physical and mental health? We hope that everyone is drinking plenty of liquids to pr0tect from dehydration. When we are feeling thirsty this already means that we are dehydrating. So practice some preventative medicine, carry a bottle of water with you at all times and you will be more apt to drink up. Limit exercise outside in the heat. Staying cool physically can go a long way to staying cool mentally. Go hang out in the mall or an air-conditioned movie theatre if you don't have air at home. Go to the beach, take a hose shower, run in the sprinkler with your kids......You will breathe a little easier and reduce the irritability you might be feeling due to the excessive heat. Enjoy the hot ones. They won't be here for long.

Let Go or Hold On?

2006-07-31T11:29:00.000-04:00

I've learned that knowing when to let go is just as important as knowing when to hang on.

-Kenn

The Good in Everyone

2006-07-26T14:14:00.000-04:00

"In every person who comes near you look for what is good and strong; honor that; try to imitate it, and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes."

-John Ruskin

Aging Parents: Five Warning Signs of Health Problems

2006-07-25T09:42:00.000-04:00

Now that your parents are getting older, you want to make sure that they're taking care of themselves and staying healthy. But it's difficult to monitor the health of your aging parents from miles away. Use your next visit with your parents to ask about their health and find out if there's anything you can do to help them maintain their independence.

Sometimes your parents won't admit they need help around the house. Other times they just don't realize they need help. Here are five things to look for on your next trip home, to help you gauge whether your aging parents need assistance.

1. Have your aging parents lost weight?
2. Are your aging parents safe in their home?
3. Are your aging parents taking care of themselves?
4. How are your aging parents' spirits?
5. Are your aging parents having difficulty getting around?

Talk with your parents if you have any concerns about their health and safety. Knowing that you're concerned about their health may be all the motivation your parents need to see their doctor. Some parents may need a little more encouragement, so let them know that you care about them and that you're worried. Consider including other people who care about your parents in the conversation, such as other relatives, close friends or clergy.

Often times, we have our own histories with our parents that challenge how we relate to them in their older age; this can make interacting with them on a very basic level difficult let alone talking with them about and supporting them with their aging issues. As your parents age, their physical and emotional needs can change from an independent, self-sufficiency toward a greater reliance/dependency on those around them. In cases where your past family dynamics are perceived with unresolved negatives or conflicts this can trigger your own suppressed feelings from childhood. As these emotions surface and the relationship roles change between you and your parents, you may struggle with how to relate to and “help” them. Getting your own counseling at that point can prove beneficial. Contact Us……..

Anxiety and Depression: Battling Dual Disorders

2006-07-20T09:53:00.000-04:00

Anxiety and depression, two mental illnesses that plague an enormous number of Americans, are deeply entwined. Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental disorders and afflict 19.2 million adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Depression follows closely at more than 18.8 million. In about half of all depression and anxiety cases—the more severe cases, typically—a person who suffers from one will be affected by the other as well.

The combination punch is a lot for anyone to bear. Researchers cite a common “chicken or the egg” syndrome, where it’s unclear which disorder led to the other and complicated the patient’s condition. While this might make the climb out of a psychological hole feel longer and steeper, it’s encouraging to know that health-care professionals are very successful at treating the two in tandem.

Similarly, a pervasive perception remains that depression and anxiety stem from some mental weakness or inherent fault in a person’s constitution. People suffering from these disorders are hypersensitive to the world around them and often adapt misconceptions like these as their own. They can be haunted by the familiar refrain, “Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.” The sense of inadequacy people can feel while dealing with a mental disorder is further burdened by the notion that they are not even strong enough to rescue themselves. But by their very definitions, anxiety and depression are marked by incapacitation and a disruption in one’s ability to cope. Inadequacy is not a cause—it’s a symptom.

With the correct diagnosis combined with help from a compassionate and skilled professional, anxiety and depression are very treatable illnesses. Contact us for a FREE consultation.

Hypersensitivity in Relationships

2006-07-18T10:39:00.000-04:00

Adults who are highly anxious can perceive changes in facial expressions more quickly than adults who are less anxious, a new study shows. By jumping to emotional conclusions, however, highly anxious adults may make more errors in judgment and perpetuate a cycle of conflict and misunderstanding in their relationships. "This 'hair trigger' style of perceptual sensitivity may be one reason why highly anxious people experience greater conflict in their relationships."

"The irony is that they have the ability to make their judgments more accurately than less-anxious people, but, because they are so quick to make judgments about others' emotions, they tend to mistakenly infer other people's emotional states and intentions," says Fraley.

If you are experiencing anxiety, difficulty in relationships and hypersensitivity to your environment and jumping to emotional conclusions contact us for assistance.

Fraley RC, Niedenthal PM, Marks M, Brumbaugh C, Vicary A.Adult Attachment and the Perception of Emotional Expressions: Probing the Hyperactivating Strategies Underlying Anxious Attachment J Pers. 2006 Aug;74(4):1163-90. [Abstract]

Child Development

2006-07-12T10:50:00.000-04:00

It's time to change how we view a child's growth.

Do you know all the ways you should measure your child’s growth? We naturally think of height and weight, but from birth to 5 years, your child should reach milestones in how he plays, learns, speaks and acts. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of a developmental problem, even autism. The good news is, the earlier it’s recognized the more you can do to help your child reach her full potential.

Parents interested in gaining more knowledge of child developmental milestones and parenting fact sheets, visit Learn the Signs, Act Early