Higher IQ wards off mental stress!

Believe it or not, but it is true! The higher is your IQ the less you are susceptible to stress. It was found during a research that brainpower might play a vital role in keeping you away from stress and various other mental and psychological disorders. Moreover, researchers believe that people with higher IQ are less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which may even include act of violence, life-threatening illness. The researchers gave vent to this idea when they examined IQ of some people and came to the conclusion that people with higher IQ were less prone to stress and anxiety in the later years of their lives. On the contrary, people with lower IQ were found more susceptible to stress and other mental and psychological disorders.

Women with chronic headache more prone to depression!

If there is really a link between chronic headache and depression, then it is really an appalling disclosure because all of us know that in the recent years depression cases have accrued startlingly. However, another revelation, which states that chronic headache is more prevalent in women who pass through the dastardly phase of childhood abuse and sexual abuse is quite significant. But repeatedly a question peeps out that why this study is tongue-tied about men. Is this equation applicable only for women not for men? If the answer is ‘yes’, then what is the reason behind this is? Don’t you think it should be out?

Kids’ suicides on the rise: CDC report

In the recent years, suicide rate among kids has rocketed startlingly, as per the report transpired by CDC. This is definitely a matter of serious concern. In this regard Dr. David Fassler, a University of Vermont psychiatry professor, observers, ‘This is very disturbing news.’ Before we go ahead with this issue, here is a wrap up of the main points that came to the fore through this investigation:- 1. The suicide rate climbed 18% from 2003 to 2004 for Americans under age 20. 2. Most suicides occurred in older teens. 3. The suicide rate among 15- to 19-year-olds fell in previous years from 11 per 100,000 in 1990 to 7.3 per 100,000 in 2003. 4. Suicides were the main cause of death that increased for children through age 19 from 2003-04. 5. During this period, use of antidepressant among children came down. The above fact raises a question that – Can this much of rise in suicide cases among kids be attributed to the decreased use of antidepressants? But while mulling over this issue, we can also not keep a blind eye to previous studies, focusing on the same issue, which have expounded the view that taking antidepressants to fight depression may worsen the situation. At the same time, some studies have gone to the extent associating antidepressants with suicidal behaviors. Here is a look:- 1. Children and teens at increased risk for suicide with antidepressants, says FDA. 2. Antidepressants may worsen the condition. 3. Antidepressants a Suicide Risk for Young Adults. 4. Antidepressants and suicide. 5. Adults’ antidepressant bone risk. 6. Antidepressants Increase Suicide Risks? Interestingly, there is no privation of such claims too that have dubbed antidepressants as a potent weapon against mental disorder, especially depression. Here is a brief look:- 1. Study: Benefits of Antidepressants Outweigh Risks 2. Who benefits from antidepressants? 3. Efficacy and safety of antidepressants for children and adolescents 4. Antidepressants: advantages in the management of depression. The main purpose behind pulling out these paradoxical studies is to bring before the readers the point that studies conducted on the association of antidepressants and suicide have just nourished the Gordian knot further. Perhaps that is the reason why CDC’s Dr. Alexander Crosby avers: It’s something that we want to look a little bit closer into… It’s probably too early to say” if declining use of antidepressants had anything to do with it. Still, it would not be wrong to say that the main issue, which has come to the surface through this study i.e. ‘suicide rate among kids is on the rise’, is definitely obfuscating that cries for deeper study.

Stress: Your child’s brain killer

Stress has always been linked to poor health but perhaps this is for the first time that any study has come out uncovering negative effects of stress on kids’ brain so comprehensibly. In this new study by the U.S. scientists, it was found that mental health of the children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD might turn worse following damage to hippocampus, which my result in behavioral problems, memory loss, anxiety, etc. Further, the same study states that kids undergoing the phase of PTSD also contain higher level of cortisol in their blood, which has been found pernicious for hippocampal in studies conducted on animals. Through this study, it becomes quite clear that how harmful stress could be for kids. Moreover, we can keep a blind eye to the fact that in the recent years, like adults, kids too are finding themselves encircled by stress disorders, which is really an alarming bell for the society. For better understanding, find out how harmful stress or PTSD could be:- (1) PTSD and Physical Health (2) Study: PTSD Effects Sensitivity to Pain (3) The Health Effects of Stress and Increased Cortisol (4) Your Body – How Stress Affects Health (5) Stress affects us in many ways (6) How Stress Affects Your Immune System and More (7) Stress and Your Health

Stress fuels depression by killing brain cells

Stress is harmful for mental and physical health most of us know this but a fact, hurled by a new study depicts it somewhat more horrifically. According to researchers, severe stress is enough to kill off new nerve cells in the brain, affecting an important part of the brain called, hippocampus, an area of the brain that processes learning, memory and emotion. Researchers believe that this very condition may increase a person’s vulnerability to depression, which is fast becoming a common problem these days. To monitor the affect of stress, researchers tracked some mice and found that in young rats, the stress of encountering aggressive, older rats didn’t stop the generation of new nerve cells in the hippocampus but it certainly prevented these new cells from surviving. This shows that how stress affects mental health negatively. However, the interesting thing of the study is that researchers are very enthusiastic about these findings, since they believe that this finding may help them digging out concrete solutions to fight mental disorders like depression, dementia, etc. Image credit Via: Earth Times

Broken heart could be deadly: Study

Broken heart has always been one of the favorite subjects for poets. However, experts warn that broken heart may shatter one’s life terribly. Actually, a study conducted by British researchers has unveiled that stress caused by bereavement affects regions of the brain that control learning, memory and emotion in such a way that it may destabilize the cardiac muscle of someone. Unfortunately, patients with heart disease are more susceptible to such situation. Throwing more light on this concept, researchers said: When we are under stress, these “higher regions” of the brain take part in a vicious circle of activity, which can trigger harmful rhythms. Through this finding, one thing is clear that bereavement, by stirring up irregular cardiac rhythms, may play havoc with somebody’s life. This was already known that stress mars cardiovascular health. However, the new study brings out the exact way in which stress work against heart. Moreover, several studies conducted earlier have also shown that how badly stress affects our health. Have a look at such studies: • The Effects of Stress on Your Body • The Health Effects of Stress and Increased Cortisol • Stress: A Health and Relationship Killer • Stress and Your Health – How Stress Affects Your Health Image Via: SMH

45% of the office workers depressed, are you one of them?

When it comes to psychological problems then depression seems to be having the upper hand. And from vulnerability point of view, office workers seem to be the worst sufferers. Confirming this fact further, a new online survey, conducted by jobs website Job Korea of 1,036 office workers on Wednesday, unveiled that 44.6 per cent of the respondents accepted that they were depressed. Responsible factors behind depression (as this survey reveales): • Among 43.5 per cent of the employees, uncertain future with the company was the main cause behind depression. • Among 35.5 per cent of the workers, rank factor was responsible for depression. • Among 32 per cent of the workers, job-related responsibilities had kicked off depression. • 31 per cent of the workers held losing out of corporate incentives responsible for their depression. Actually, this much of rise in depression cases is restricted to not only few countries but to the whole world. As in America, about 1.8 to 3.6 per cent of the workers suffer from major depression and in case of Ireland too, it is estimated that one in every 14 workers is affected with depression. Here it is worth mentioning that depression is restricted not only to play havoc with our health but world-economy is also at its target Intrusion of depression, especially among the workforce of this world is quite a bad indication, especially for the world economy, as the rising tide of depression may once again pave way for the replication of ‘Great Depression’ by affecting working capabilities of the workers. Depression, especially at workplace affects workers’ productivity, ability, judgment, to work with others, and overall job performance. The incapacity to focus fully or make decisions may lead to costly mistakes or accidents. In addition, it has been proved that depressed individuals have high rates of absenteeism and are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, resulting in other problems on and off the job. Therefore, if we still look at depression considering it a personal problem then it would be a big slip-up, since in the present scenario, it is no longer a personal problem but a social as well as an economic problem. Keeping in view this thing it could be said that employers will have to make sure that the seeds of depression may sprout in their employees and this could be made possible by ensuring that workers get congenial working atmosphere, including some motivating factors as well. Image Source

Depression: An indication of Parkinson’s disease?

Believe it or not, if you are having symptoms of depression then it could be an indication of health-wreakening disease Parkinson’s in your life. A new study, conducted by a team of researchers, including Miguel Hernan at the American Academy of Neurology, came out unveiling this stark fact after they examined a database of over three million people in the United Kingdom. During the course of study, researchers identified about 1,052 people with Parkinson’s disease and matched them with 6,634 people without the disease. In addition, researchers also tried to find out whether people, taking antidepressants medications are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than people who are not taking the medications. Finally, they concluded that people, taking antidepressants were having two times chances of developing Parkinson’s disease than those who were without antidepressants. However, they made it clear that it didn’t mean that antidepressants cause Parkinson’s disease. In the words of Hernan: This should not be interpreted as evidence that antidepressants cause Parkinson’s disease. This finding is quite informative, as it has tried to bring out the link between depression and Parkinson’s disease quite differently. Still, it is worth mentioning this is not for the first time when any study has come out associating depression with Parkinson’s disease because studies conducted earlier have also done the same. Here are some of those studies: • Depression May Be Early Sign of Parkinson’s Disease • Pessimism and Anxiety Linked to Parkinson’s Image Via: Sawf

Antidepressants gaining popularity, at the cost of health

Use of antidepressants is fast becoming a common thing, especially for the Australians with more and more people turning prone to mental health problems. A report from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) come out exposing this darker facet the Australians’ health. According to this report: • The number of antidepressants prescriptions increased 2.2 per cent per year between 2000-01 and 2005-06. • The use of antipsychotics increased just in a year about 6.8 per cent while this increase was 4.6 per cent for antidepressants. • Where in 2000-01 doctors prescribed about 9.8 million antidepressants while this figure reached 12.3 million in 2005-06. • Just in a single year use of antipsychotic increased from 1.3 million scripts to 1.8 million. • More people in Tasmania and South Australia were seeking for mental health medication while the use of mental health medication was comparatively lower in the Northern Territory and the Australia Capital Territory. • One in two Australians seeking help each year. • About 190,000 people were treated in a hospital emergency department for a mental illness during 2004-05. Facts, looming out of this report paint quite a gloomy picture of Australians’ mental health. However, it is worth mentioning that this is not for the first time when upsetting picture of Australians’ mental health has come to the fore, because earlier too experts have pointed that Australia’s mental health system is in distress. And if we look at this problem in wider term then we can say that the issue of worsening mental health is worrying not only the Australians but the entire globe. Following points bring out this picture very clearly: • The mental health of New Zealanders is getting worse • Mental health fears in China • Mental health care system in New Orleans is growing worse These facts indirectly show that people’s dependence on antidepressants is skyrocketing not only in Australia but also around the world. This is a harsh reality that hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by mental, behavioral, neurological and substance use disorders. Proving this stark fact further an estimate in 2002 by the World Health Organization shows that 154 million people globally suffer from depression and 25 million people from schizophrenia; 91 million people are affected by alcohol use disorders and 15 million by drug use disorders. And due to this very reason a majority of such people stoop for using these antidepressants, which is quite a bad thing because there are many side effects that antidepressants have been linked to. Following is the list of those side effects: • Dry mouth • Urinary retention • Blurred vision • Constipation • Sedation (can interfere with driving or operating machinery) • Sleep disruption • Weight gain • Headache • Nausea • Gastrointestinal disturbance/diarrhea • Abdominal pain • Inability to achieve an erection • Inability to achieve an orgasm (men and women) • Loss of libido • Agitation • Anxiety This shows that too much dependence on antidepressants may no doubt, help curing bad mental health but several side effects as mentioned above may also flock with it. Image Via: News