As per a new study, the teenagers and adults of America, suffering from bipolar disorder have increased in number as compared to the past. Bipolar disorder which is basically a psyche illness is basically characterized by depression and elevated moods for some period. The study was done by Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute. He and his colleagues compared the figures between 1994-1995 and 2002-2003 with respect to one group involving individuals aged 19 and younger, the other comprising of adults aged 30 and above. The statistics reveal that the increase has been manifold. In the younger group, a forty fold increase has been registered. Thankfully, the increase in the older group is just two fold. Also, the reports revealed that the majority of people when found suffering with the disorder are prescribed mood stabilizers, antipsychotic and antidepressants. One basic reason is being speculated for such a ‘gigantic’ increase is the disease is its non-diagnose in children The researchers warn that there is an urgent need of studying the disease to its roots and also making the necessary alterations in the related medicines. It notes, ‘Without independent systematic diagnostic assessments, we cannot confidently select between these competing hypotheses. There is an urgent need.’ Source: Reuters Image credit: Newcastle
Try a bar of chocolate for mood lift!
Chocolate lovers around the world have long associated the consumption of chocolate, manufactured from the simple cocoa bean, with enjoyment and pleasure. However, researchers have found that chocolate has a greater benefit and can make some people — who are prone to depression — less anxious. Chocolate has been thought to interact with a number of the neurotransmitter systems that affect mood. In particular, it is popularly believed that chocolate or carbohydrate cravings correct a deficiency in the neurotransmitter ‘serotonin’, which is in short supply in people who are depressed. Researchers believe it is the endorphins and opoids in chocolate which make people feel more relaxed. Due to the pleasure it offers, chocolate stimulates endorphin secretion thus procuring naturally the same effects as opium. Chocolates release endorphins in the brain that acts as a pain reliever. It will boost your appetite without causing weight gain. It reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer. It will make you live longer. Besides sugar in chocolate reduces stress and enables you to have calm and pain relieving effect. On the downside, it is laden with fat and sugar, so of course excess of it is bad. Always choose the chocolates that are from reputed brands. Cheap chocolates are usually low in chocolate solids and high in sugar content and saturated fats. These chocolates can be harmful to your health. While it is too early for doctors to start prescribing chocolate for depression, this study does prove that it has tangible benefits in fighting mood disorders. Via Image1
Is it just headache or knock of depression?
How would you take the pain swirling in your head; merely as a headache or something more? Well, seeing it in the light of a new study you can’t deny that it could be an indication of major depression, inching slowly into your life. During the course of this study, around 177 consecutive adult primary-care patients were brought into the focus for around one year. Interestingly, all these patients were bearing headache, as the main illness. These participants completed a questionnaire, having questions like duration of headache, its severity, changes in headache severity, and other symptoms. Finally, it was concluded that patients with headache, especially with severe headache, were more vulnerable to depression. This fact derives vindication from the fact according to which 25% of the patients with headache were found having major depressive episode. So, what comes out of the study is enough to shovel out an issue of debate, as to how headache should be regarded – merely as a normal pain or something more. Image Source
Winter brings SADness: Light therapy answers it
Are you one of those people who are sad because it’s fall and about to be winter? Then, you are probably down with SAD or Seasonal affective disorder. With the eerie silence of snow falls, comes a season of depression. Christmas isn’t always fun for everyone. The American Academy of Family Physicians reported that about half-million people in the U.S. experience this disorder. This is a very winter specific disorder, which has it’s own symptoms. Loss of energy, appetite, and changes in mood affects the person involved. The ‘Sad’ patients tend to sleep more and eat more junk food mostly sugary grub. The best thing is the condition cures itself with the change of season. I think with the onset of summer months, things get better. It is the difference in the amount of sunlight, that basically is the major cause of SADness. I guess light is energy and when there’s no light, there’s no energy. This is the best way I could explain SAD to myself. Less sunlight combined with the body’s Circadian rhythm. A possible cure for this disorder is the light therapy. Light therapy, ionized-air reception, psychotherapy are just some of the treatments for SAD. Just because SAD is season, please don’t underestimate the disorder. It can be life threatening! Most of these treatments use about 30-60 minutes of your time. If you think you have SAD, don’t wait till the middle of winter. Get help now! Image Credit: Wikipedia
Loneliness is dangerous for your health
One thing that has accompanied development is the ever-increasing loneliness. Yeah! I know that we do socialize, we do throw big bashes, we meet new people everyday, but the warmth in our conversations, the security of feelings have been lost way back. I don’t wanna preach anything but my point simply is – ‘we are lonelier then ever’. We might have all the riches in the world, we might be in a top position is our firm but we aren’t able to find a single soul to tell our problems to. Thus, loneliness in its various physical, mental and social shapes is taking its toll and believe me that’s a threat to human society. Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo, two psychologists from the University of Chicago have been trying to solve the complex, inevitable web of loneliness, by studying both the superficial and underlying factors. As per the findings that were reported in this month’s ‘Current Directions in Psychological Science’ which is a journal of the Association for Psychological Science indicate that the problem snow balls into bigger issues with time. It increases, both by breadth and length. As per the studies, lonelier people not only face troubles with a greater helplessness but also are not easy to talk about them to anyone. They instead of seeking help in such conditions retire back to a shell life, which worsens their conditions. The researchers studied college-aged group and also studied a group of people aged between 50 and 68 for a whole year. People reported almost the same number of stressful or demoralizing events but the lonely ones had more experiences of chronic stress as an aftermath. On a molecular level, the lonelier ones reported increased flow of epinephrine, a hormone in their bodies. The increased hormone level indicates that these people go through a lot of stress which leave them with heightened arousal conditions. Also, loneliness takes its toll proportional to the age factor. Loneliness can be one of the factors, which can make you look 60 when you have just crossed 45. Another condition that the researchers observed was that lonelier people had lesser sleep and also what we may call ‘micro awakenings’. The word here means that the amount of the sleep of the lonelier people is almost equal to those who have social circles, but the quality of sleep is poorer. Yeah! Lonely people have a disturbed sleep which doesn’t let their body, mind and soul to relax. Thus, if you find anyone who you think is a loner, stretch out your hands to welcome him/her in your world. Source: Physorg Image credit: Teensexercise
Depression might lead to Alzheimer’s disease
The exact correlation between depression and Alzheimer’s disease has baffled the medical community for a long time. Whether Alzheimer’s disease is triggered by depression or whether depression is a symptom of Alzheimer’s was not clear. Two recent studies seemed to have solved the puzzle to some extent. The first study was carried out by the researchers from Erasmus Medical Center, Netherlands. The study published in the journal Neurology assessed 503 individuals between 60 and 90 years without any symptom of dementia in the beginning of the study. 134 participants had a history of depression. After a six-year follow-up 33 people developed dementia. The study showed that people who had suffered from depression before 60 had four times more the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than a person without a history of depression. In case of a person developing depression after 60, chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease increased by 2.5 times compared to a depression-free individual. The MIT scan of the hippocampus and the amygdala regions of the brain showed no change in size with the onset of depression or Alzheimer’s disease refuting the common belief that Alzheimer’s disease is linked to brain shrinkage. In another study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers of the Rush University Medical Center, Chicago found no evidence that depressive symptoms increased with advancement in Alzheimer’s disease. This rules-out the possibility of depression being a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. These studies lead to the conclusion that while depression is not the obvious outcome of Alzheimer’s disease but depression at any age might lead to Alzheimer’s disease with advancement in age. Depression being a risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease, this condition of mind should not be ignored and must be treated as early as possible. Image Source: Web MD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Nature and Nurture Theory
Just like nature and nurture shape up our physical and mental faculties, these two factors also seem to determine our response to stress. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD has been shown to have a genetic and environmental connection. A study conducted by Kerry Ressler, of Emory University in Atlanta, established that an individual may be at an increased risk for developing PTSD if he/she possesses a particular gene variant in combination with a past traumatic experience. The research team examined the effects of a gene called FKBP5 and concluded that the presence of this gene could mean a predisposition to PTSD. Every individual has a different mechanism to deal with stressful situations like violence, accidents, natural calamity and war. While some succeed in leaving behind bad memories and moving on with life, others remain haunted by them for a long time to the extent that it affects their mental health and social well-being. PTSD is characterized by frequent nightmares, anxiety attacks, phobic behavior, insomnia and traumatic flashbacks. The genetic link is also supported by the research on identical twins which sates that an identical twin is more likely to suffer from PTSD if the other twin is already affected as compared to fraternal sets. In any case however, the presence of a traumatic or stressful experience is mandatory. Another suppoting study by Avshalom Caspi and Terrie Moffitt, of the Institute of Psychiatry in London, has traced a gene called MAOA which is said to predispose a subject to antisocial behaviour when accompanied by a history of abuse or trauma. Though the research is still in a preliminary stage, scientists claim that it could lead to new discoveries and approaches in diagnosing and treating stress-related psychiatric disorders. Source: Times Online Image: Fearofflyingdoctor
Anti-addiction and Obesity pills: The Gateway to Depression and Suicide
Quitting smoking, losing weight, and renouncing alcohol and cocaine may lead you to the risk of depression and even the chances of suicide. Now, it’s so very evident that the pills like Chantix, Rimonobant, and Taranabant are not free of offshoots as they lump pleasure centers in the brain that offer the feel-good response from smoking or eating. Chantix, a hyped quit-smoking pill from Pfizer Inc. has been allied to several reports of suicides or suicidal behaviors. In February, the FDA said a linkage between Chantix and psychiatric problems appear ‘gradually more liable.’ Though it is believed that risks about Chantix will prove manageable because they mark nicotine pleasure switches and the side effects vary from person to person. Nicotine extraction and even quitting smoking can cause temper swings and depression. The risk-benefit quotient is seriously supporting use of the medication as the alternative, smoking, is comparatively highly risky. Rimonobant and Taranabant, the anti-obesity pills, are also related to depression and suicides. Doctors haven’t remained to be so very optimistic about these professed ”super pills”. In a new research last month, 43 percent of people using Rimonabant developed psychiatric troubles against 28 percent of those on dummy pills. One suicide and one attempt were reported in the studies. Even if the patient goes forward with the lowest doses in the case of Taranabant, the side-effects can’t be annulled. So, there are slim chances of any real benefits coming out of these above mentioned pills taking care of obesity and smoking. Well has Dr. James Stein, a University of Wisconsin-Madison cardiologist, put it,” The door is closing” Source: Kpic
Stress relief at home
If you thought that stress could only be relieved by attending fancy meditation sessions, you were sadly mistaken. A clutter free and organized house can go a long way in effectively reducing stress. Check out these simple and effective tips to make your home a peaceful oasis: 1. Try to add things reflecting nature and water at places where you spend most of your time. You may chose to add plants, flowers and stones (either actual or images of them) to beautify your kitchen, bath or bedroom and reduce stress levels. 2. Repaint your rooms in soothing colors and add a water element or even a wall mural. A mural takes you close to nature and is the easiest way to turn your room into a living heaven. 3. Avoid clutter. Clutter can cause high levels of stress. 4. Natural tones like that of soothing water or grass are known to have soothing effect on a person’s mind. Chose calming shades like blue and green. 5. Use natural elements to decorate your house. Add plants to your bedroom as they increase oxygen levels. Make way for direct sunlight in day time and use diffused lighting techniques for evening. So, let stress relief start at your home with these simple and cheap tips.
Depression – A biochemical process?
With depression making rounds in the society in a grand manner, scientists may be on the verge of discovering a bio-chemical indicator for the assessment of depression. A condition which hitherto was diagnosed solely on the subjective opinion of a practitioner may now have a ‘lab test’ to determine the severity of the condition as well as the effect of different treatments and therapies on a particular patient. Scientists at the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at the University of Illinois suggest that depression involves a bio-chemical process wherein the brain releases specific substances which can be detected by laboratory tests. The researchers conducted a post–mortem study of depressed people who committed suicide and compared their findings to that of normal people. They established that a certain protein called Gs alpha which relays information between the brain cells and the neuro-transmitters seemed to have been less effective in depressive people. One of the main concerns faced by psychiatrists while treating a patient with anti-depressants is the unpredictability of the drug’s effect. Rasenick and his team are hopeful that this proposed technique would significantly step up the efficacy and quality of management of depressive disorders. Source: Forbes Image: Pinkfridge