Hyperactivity among young girls when not controlled poses serious risks when they get older. As they reach adulthood, they tend to suffer from poor lifestyle by getting low profile jobs, being involved in violent relationships and early pregnancies. Such observations were seen in a study involving 800 girls aged 21 who were identified to be hyperactive. This is quite strange since boys are usually branded as more ‘hyperactive’ than girls. But this study by the Canadian and UK researchers and their findings reported to the Archives of General Psychiatry is a good eye opener. This will help to treat young girls who seem to behave like naughty boys. The missing link for now is what’s causing such psychological disturbance in the behavior of these hyperactive girls. What kinds of therapies are necessary to help them behave like normal children? Having no focus in studying as children are hyperactive, the pitfalls are usually getting easily distracted to moving things; they tend to procrastinate of what they need to do; they are inattentive to lessons in class and disorganized in their belongings. More studies need to be conducted to identify solutions to hyperactive girls and for them not to have poor lifestyle when they mature. Source: BBC Health
Childhood depression to become an epidemic if unchecked
What do you do when you see your child is feeling low frequently and is oblivious to the excitement around her? Do you brush it off and think it is normal for kids to have mood swings? It’s time you don’t ignore the child and check if any symptoms of depression. If you thought depression hits only the adults, think again and childhood depression is as serious as adult depression. Statistics reveal shocking facts. One in thirty three children and one in eight teens suffer from blues. If unchecked this could pose to be a mammoth problem in the coming days. What causes childhood depression? Children are very sensitive and a significant change in their life could upset them. Divorce among parents, death of a loved one or their pets, change of residence to a new location, tantrums from peer group, inability to live up to the expectations of parents could be some of the reasons that drive kids into a feeling of guilt and hopelessness. What can you do as a parent? It’s hard for parents to see normally cheerful children withdraw into a cocoon all of a sudden. It’s important for parents to recognize the symptoms of depression and spend time with the child and find out the reasons. Reassure the kid that she is not responsible of things that are not in her control and you are by her side to help her get out of the blues. In case the symptoms are worse, it’s better to consult a professional before things go out of hand. Kids spread so much cheer around and it’s sad to see more children going blue these days. Identifying the root cause and dealing it with love could surely help children see the world in psychedelic colors again. Image Source
Suicide rate among elderly rises
Statistics say that apart from the youths, another age group that is particularly vulnerable to suicide is the people in the age bracket of 65 years and above. The overall U.S. suicide rate is 11 per 100,000 people. But for those 65 and older, that figure rises to 14 per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although taking one’s life can be an acute, impulsive act at any age, suicide among the elderly is more often a drastic solution that has been contemplated for some time. Change, in the form of retirement, moving to a nursing home or losing the ability to drive or walk can be a trigger. Depression is the most frequent cause of suicidal thoughts and alcoholism triggers depression. Studies of alcoholics reveal that between 30 percent and 60 percent suffer from depression, and a significant proportion of alcoholics have other persons in their families suffering from depression. Sometimes the elderly are suffering from painful diseases and they put themselves out of misery by committing suicide. But, this tragic situation can change! Most elderly people don’t really want to die. Family, friends and health providers can step in to help prevent the suicide of elderly people. In the elderly people around you look for persistent sad or anxious mood, feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, loss of interest in hobbies or activities and signs of decreased energy. A mere reminder to the elderly that they are still a part of a family or a community can give them hope to live. Via:MSNBC Image1
Exercise: The best antidepressant!
Do you depend on antidepressants to see the world in psychedelic colours instead of shades of Blue? Do you know that exercise is the best and the cheapest antidepressant? Exercise is the last thing on your mind you are down and anxious but research has shown that even a 10 minute walk down the block could help you feel better and lift your spirits. A study was conducted by Italian researchers on the effects of exercise on people who are suffering from depression. About thirty women aged between 40 and 60 who had been diagnosed with major depression were randomly assigned to stick with antidepressants alone or to include exercise twice a week while taking antidepressants for eight months. It was found that women who exercised showed remarkable improvements in their depression symptoms when compared to those women who were in antidepressants alone. It’s not a magic bullet, but increasing physical activity is a positive and active strategy to help manage depression and anxiety says Kristin Vickers-Douglas, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic. How does exercise help? * Exercising when you are depressed firstly helps you get distracted as you concentrate on your workout instead of life’s misery. * If you are out taking a walk, you get to interact with people, which may help you forget your worries and make you feel better when you know that you are not the only person in the world having problems. * Identify the activity that you enjoy most or you are likely to give up the instant you hit the blues. So, get going and the next time some one asks what stands for D – Say Dance and not Depresssion! Image Source
Electroshock therapy still in vogue despite criticism
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) estimations it has been observed that ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) or Electroshock has been used in Canada to treat severely depressed patients more than 15,000 times in 2007. This treatment involves subjecting the brain of the depressed patients to electric shock. It is known to cause serious and irreparable damages like memory loss and other impairments to the brain. Moreover the patients who have undergone this treatment have described their experiences as traumatic. A rally was held in Ottawa on Sunday in support of banning this medical procedure by Sue Clark –Wittenburg who had undergone this treatment 35 years ago. According to her, the ill effects of this form of treatment have proved to be obstacles in her career establishment. She opines that it always causes memory loss and brain damage. ECT dates back to 1938 and has been used as a part of psychiatric treatment for psychotic depression when all the other forms of treatment fail. In Canada this form of treatment seems to be going strong with the mental health physicians and since 2002 there is no decline in its usage. According to CBC News, Dr. Nizar Ladha, a psychiatrist from St. John’s, who has been using ECT for the last thirty years, says that ECT is a life saving treatment and even though it causes seizures it is not painful. He says that there were many cases where ECT was successful in combating depression preventing suicide. The Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Medical Association differ in their opinions regarding the effects of ECT. The former say it is safe and effective while the latter say that it causes brain damage. Dr. Paul Breggin is one of those few psychiatrists who acknowledges the ill –effects of ECT and feels that it should be banned. Dr. David Goldbloom, a Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Toronto) psychiatrist feels that this form of treatment has survived despite repeated pleas to ban it and it is going to become more popular in future. It is seen that generally the psychiatrists seem to favor the ECT while the rest including the patients feels that it is a traumatic treatment with very serious side effects. This form of treatment has both pros and cons. The pros are that there have been evidences showing that in the most severe types of clinical depression and suicidal tendencies, the ECT seems to have worked as a life saving treatment. The cons are of course the numerous brain related impairments. Given that the treatment of any form of serious ailments has side effects that may be traumatic, for example, chemotherapy for treating cancer, it is upto the common man to weigh the pros and cons and decide upon the acceptability of the treatment. ECT under expert medical guidance may not be that harmful after all. Image Source via: CBC News,
Today’s youth experiencing high levels of stress
Youngsters today are experiencing high levels of stress. The sources of stress are diverse for youngsters in different age levels. Among 13-17 year olds, academics is by far the most commonly mentioned source. Among 18-24 year olds, it is jobs and financial matters. Academic and career related pressures are ruining the life of young people. An average teenager today wants to excel in school, perform well in sports, keep up with the latest trends and choose the right higher education stream. Youngsters in there 20′s want a well paid job, they want to start saving for buying assets and also want to choose the right life partner. Added to this is the pressure to try and meet the expectations of the parents. Another type of stress which is latent in the minds of youth but still present is the threat of terrorism and vandalism. Females particularly feel unsafe in many public places and this adds to their stress level. After a series of terrorist activities which have rocked the world, the fear is nagging in the minds of young people who find themselves helpless and not able to contribute towards its eradication. According to surveys young females are more stressed out then males and incidences of high stress level are more in urban areas. The incidences of anxiety and depression are rising at an alarming rate and we keep hearing of teenager suicide cases around the world. Cut throat competition to keep up with peers is robbing youngsters of the pleasures of being young and healthy. Via:MSNBC Image1 Image2
The Preteen Years
Talking About Sex and Drugs The conversations started out simple. You taught them to share, to never touch a hot plate when it is put in front of them, and even to be cautious of strangers. Over the years conversations with your children have become more and more complicated. If you are parenting a preteen you might feel overwhelmed and confused on how to approach some of the more serious topics and issues. If you are parenting a preteen how do you start the conversation about sex and drugs? The Three Letter Word That Changes Everything By the time your child reaches the preteen years they have likely been through some sex education courses in school. For example, in the state of California the schools teach a few lessons on sex education in the fifth grade. In addition, it is likely that your child and their friends have chatted about the subject from time to time. Your preteen might understand what sex is, but not understand the many complications that come along with this serious life step. Your child can easily think that you cannot tell them anything they don’t already know. If you are about to take the “talk” to the next step you should ask yourself if your preteen is mature enough to handle the information. Timing is key to any discussion. Once you determine if your preteen has the maturity it takes to openly discuss sex and more importantly safe sex you have to set some time aside where you can be alone and comfortable. Your child must understand how babies are made, the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases and also unplanned pregnancy. This may sound simple, but it is very complicated for some parents. Additional support from adolescent treatment centers can provide you with multiple resources. Sex is often intertwined with body image and gender differences. Adolescent treatment facilities can provide you with resources and your preteen with classes and support groups for a variety of issues including healthy body image and avoiding drug use. Drugs can appear in your child’s life at any point in the elementary or middle school years. As a society, sex, and drugs are appearing to our youth sooner than we could imagine. Preteens have been told that drugs are bad and harmful to their health yet that normally does not completely eliminate their curiosity and access to harmful substances. A complete discussion with your child should do more than bring across the message that drugs are bad. Parents can show their children the results of drug use including but not limited to other teens with drug addictions, teen death from drug use, and other hard facts that bring the message across. Adolescent treatment facilities can provide you with tools to start both conversations on sex and/or drugs. They can also provide you with preteen groups that your child can attend and share their questions and concerns with other children their age. These forums can be a positive step in your child’s most influential years.
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
Suicide rate among elderly rises
Statistics say that apart from the youths, another age group that is particularly vulnerable to suicide is the people in the age bracket of 65 years and above. The overall U.S. suicide rate is 11 per 100,000 people. But for those 65 and older, that figure rises to 14 per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although taking one’s life can be an acute, impulsive act at any age, suicide among the elderly is more often a drastic solution that has been contemplated for some time. Change, in the form of retirement, moving to a nursing home or losing the ability to drive or walk can be a trigger. Depression is the most frequent cause of suicidal thoughts and alcoholism triggers depression. Studies of alcoholics reveal that between 30 percent and 60 percent suffer from depression, and a significant proportion of alcoholics have other persons in their families suffering from depression. Sometimes the elderly are suffering from painful diseases and they put themselves out of misery by committing suicide. But, this tragic situation can change! Most elderly people don’t really want to die. Family, friends and health providers can step in to help prevent the suicide of elderly people. In the elderly people around you look for persistent sad or anxious mood, feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, loss of interest in hobbies or activities and signs of decreased energy. A mere reminder to the elderly that they are still a part of a family or a community can give them hope to live. Via:MSNBC Image1
Exercise: The best antidepressant!
Do you depend on antidepressants to see the world in psychedelic colours instead of shades of Blue? Do you know that exercise is the best and the cheapest antidepressant? Exercise is the last thing on your mind you are down and anxious but research has shown that even a 10 minute walk down the block could help you feel better and lift your spirits. A study was conducted by Italian researchers on the effects of exercise on people who are suffering from depression. About thirty women aged between 40 and 60 who had been diagnosed with major depression were randomly assigned to stick with antidepressants alone or to include exercise twice a week while taking antidepressants for eight months. It was found that women who exercised showed remarkable improvements in their depression symptoms when compared to those women who were in antidepressants alone. It’s not a magic bullet, but increasing physical activity is a positive and active strategy to help manage depression and anxiety says Kristin Vickers-Douglas, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic. How does exercise help? * Exercising when you are depressed firstly helps you get distracted as you concentrate on your workout instead of life’s misery. * If you are out taking a walk, you get to interact with people, which may help you forget your worries and make you feel better when you know that you are not the only person in the world having problems. * Identify the activity that you enjoy most or you are likely to give up the instant you hit the blues. So, get going and the next time some one asks what stands for D – Say Dance and not Depresssion! Image Source