Wednesday, August 20, 2008 8:16 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Link between high levels of athleticism and eating disorders

The study was conducted with 274 female undergraduates from a large southeastern university. It examined whether differences in eating disorder symptoms exist between women who are varsity athletes (exercised an average of two hours per day), club athletes (practiced their sport an average of four times per week), independent exercisers (people who exercised on their own at least three times per week) and non-exercisers (people who exercise 0-2 times per week on average).

All participants completed the Eating Disorders Inventory, a self-report measuring eating related behaviors and attitudes; the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, a measurement tool used to evaluate self-esteem; and the Physical Activity and Sport Anxiety Scale, a questionnaire used to assess social fear and avoidance of physical activity or athletic situations.

Click here to read the rest of the article from Medical News Today

8:35 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Keep the Faith

Faith is an important ingredient in the recipe of renewal. Celeste lived for years with anxiety, panic attacks and depression that unfortunately went undiagnosed. Growing up she had been raised to believe that all people live with those kinds of problems, keeping her from the help she needed. In the end, it was faith that helped sustain Celeste throughout her many years of struggle. The following is an inspirational story about the importance of keeping faith:

Throughout my teen years I lived with undiagnosed anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. My mother and many in her family were also stricken with these sorts of problems, and she personally suffered from depression, panic attacks, and agoraphobia. She had been raised to believe that everyone experienced life this way, and that people simply learned to tolerate it in different ways.

My mother leaned heavily upon the Sisters of the Precious Blood, a cloistered monastery in New Hampshire. She often went to see them and wrote to them and continues to do so.

In 1973, nearing my high school graduation, I was working in a mill and still battling anxiety and depression. My mother requested prayers for me, and the sisters kindly sent me a letter with some prayer cards, which I had opened but not yet read.

On one particular day, while at work, I was in the midst of another dark period of deep depression, and, without fear of being seen or heard, cried out to God to please help me. I asked Him to please tell me what to do and how to stop the torturous pain.

Bending down to grab another spool from my cart, I noticed something had fallen out of my purse. It was a 3x5 card, sent by the sisters, with the word "Faith" peeking out. I stopped and read that card. Standing there on that factory floor, I was suddenly comforted with a sense of total peace.

Click here to read the rest of this story from the Seattle Post

Click here for information on anxiety disorders

link to this post

 

Monday, August 18, 2008 4:45 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Methadone is increasingly the cause of narcotic-related deaths in the U.S.

Methadone is increasingly the cause of narcotic-related deaths in the U.S.. Methadone, an alternative to oxycodone, has increased in use from 1998 to 2006 by 700%. The New York Times recently suggested that the increase in deaths associated with the drug may be the result of prescribing errors. According to the Times, physicians are additionally failing to warn patients of the dangers of mixing the prescription drug with alcohol or sedatives; additionally, physicians may be prescribing dose levels that are too much too soon. According to Dr. H. Westley Clark, of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "we know that a significant share of the methadone deaths involve doctors making well-intended prescriptions." The following is an excerpt of an article from Journal Watch that discusses the phenomenon:

The number of methadone prescriptions increased 700% from 1998 to 2006, in part because of its use as an alternative to oxycodone (OxyContin). The Times says physicians treating patients for pain sometimes start them on doses that are too high or fail to warn of the hazards of mixing with alcohol or sedatives.

Click here to read the rest of this article from Journal Watch

link to this post

 

Friday, August 15, 2008 5:18 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

The mental health affects of war on child soldiers

A recent study set its focus on the mental health affects of war on child soldiers. The findings coincided with the obvious assumptions that one would be likely to have, that these children suffer severe problems with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and general psychological difficulties. The study's findings, provided by researcher Brandon A. Kohrt of Emory University, Atlanta, and colleagues, were published in the August 13 issue of JAMA. Although one might expect child soldiers to suffer from mental health problems, the study brings timely attention to this international epidemic. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that reviews the study:

Kohrt and colleagues found that 75 of the child soldiers (52.3%) met the symptom cutoff score for depression, 65 (46.1%) met the score for anxiety, 78 (55.3%) met the criteria for PTSD, 55 (39%) met the criteria for general psychological difficulties, and 88 (62.4%) were functionally impaired. Statistically adjusting for traumatic exposures and other possibly confounding variables held that being a child soldier was significantly associated with depression and PTSD among girls (2.4 and 6.8 times higher odds, respectively) and PTSD among boys (3.8 times higher odds). However, there was no statistical association between being a child soldier and general psychological difficulties, anxiety, or function impairment.

Click here to read the rest of the story from Medical News Today

link to this post

 

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 7:32 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Greater levels of depression in Americanized Latina women seeking pregnancy and postpartum services

A study published in the most recent release of the Maternal and Child Health Journal has revealed greater levels of depression in Latina women seeking pregnancy and postpartum services among those that are more "Americanized." Americanization, or acculturation, was most notably indicated by preferred language and place of birth. Elevated levels of depression were found in Latina’s who were born in the U.S. as well as those that asked to conduct their interview in English. The study was composed of 439 Latinas seeking postpartum and pregnancy services at public health clinics in San Antonio. Lead author, Marivel Davila, a quantitative research analyst at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, commenting said, "Screening for depression during pregnancy is important for this population group, given Latinas' high rates of fertility and births to single women, particularly among more acculturated U.S.- born Latinas." The following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that reviews the study's findings:

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, single motherhood among Latinas in Texas exceeds the national average. In Texas in 2005, 43 percent of all Latina births were to single women. Nationally, the overall average was 37 percent.

"The sample for this study was a low-income population," Davila said. "Our conclusions may or may not be different for women in other socioeconomic status (SES) groups. Hence, more research needs to be conducted among Latinas from differing SES groups, including research focusing on the role of social support and cultural values/beliefs related to childbirth and pregnancy among Latinas."

The women were interviewed in eight family planning clinics and six prenatal clinics of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD) between May and August of 2003. Of the participants, 318 were born in Mexico and 121 in the United States. They were given the choice of conducting the interview in English or Spanish.

"The higher prevalence rate of depression in Americanized Latina women is of concern in our community as the population demographics clearly indicate a significant rate of growth of this group in their childbearing years," said Fernando A. Guerra, M.D., director of health for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. "Thus, it is important to more clearly understand the circumstances that affect their physical and emotional well-being during pregnancy so that preventive measures can be initiated. This is critical for the overall health of both the mother and child."

Click here to read the rest of this article from Medical News Today

Click here for more information on depression

link to this post

 

Monday, August 11, 2008 8:27 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Smoking may be more pleasurable to some than others

Smoking may be more pleasurable to some than others according to a recent study published in the August issue of Addiction. Findings from the study reported by Ovide Pomerleau, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan, and colleagues, suggest that the nicotine sensation that can lead to addiction is more pleasurable for some due to a genetic mutation. The mutation occurs in a subunit of the neuronal acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA5) which increases the risk of addiction by 50% and increases pleasurable sensation by 60%. According to the authors, "The findings suggest that phenotypes related to subjective experiences upon smoking experimentation may mediate the development of nicotine dependence." The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the findings:

Many studies have underscored the genetic influence on smoking habits, including initiation, persistence, and addiction, and recently, several common variants have been shown to be associated with nicotine dependence in Caucasians, the authors said.

The variants, or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), had several effects with functional significance, including effects on nicotine metabolism, they continued. Additional research showed that an SNP in exon 4 of CHRNA5 altered the nicotine receptor.

Subsequently, a highly correlated CHRNA5/CHRNA3 haplotype was found to have a strong influence on smoking behavior, specifically the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the authors said.

In an attempt to expand on the previous work, Dr. Pomerleau and colleagues focused on phenotype associations for the top 25 SNPs associated with nicotine dependence. They began with the SNP previously shown to alter the nicotine receptor (rs16969968) and then examined the other 24.

Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today

link to this post

 

Friday, August 08, 2008 6:20 PM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Talk Therapy Loses Popularity with Psychiatrists

The utilization of psychotherapy by psychiatrists is losing popularity according to a recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. According to the study, psychotherapy is involved in less than 30% of cases where patients visit with psychiatrists. Conversely, in 1996 psychotherapy was utilized in approximately 47% of patient encounters with psychiatrists. Authors of the study, Ramin Mojtabai, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., of Johns Hopkins University, and Mark Olfson, M.D., M.P.H., of Columbia University in New York, commenting wrote, "these trends highlight a gradual but important change in the content of outpatient psychiatric care in the United States and a continued shift toward medicalization of psychiatric practice." The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the study:

In an interview, Dr. Mojtabai said financial incentives are probably driving the change.

He said that under typical reimbursement rates, a psychiatrist who conducts one 45-minute psychotherapy session will receive 40% less than if he or she saw three patients for 15-minute medication management visits.

Many insurance plans also cap the number of reimbursable psychotherapy sessions, whereas they pay indefinitely for maintenance drug treatment, he said.

Dr. Mojtabai said findings in the study, which used data from more than 14,000 office visits collected in the government's regular National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, support the idea that finances are an issue.

Multivariate regression analysis revealed an odds ratio of 2.10 (95% CI 1.59 to 2.78) that a patient receiving psychotherapy would pay out of pocket for the session.

In addition, certain types of practices, particularly HMOs, appeared to favor medication over psychotherapy.

The multivariate analysis found an odds ratio of 0.20 for psychotherapy in an HMO-based practice (95% CI 0.09 to 0.44), relative to a freestanding solo practice. Freestanding group practices had an odds ratio of 0.41 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.61).

However, Dr. Mojtabai cautioned that the study did not evaluate outcomes, and hence could not conclude that patients were worse off for the shift toward drug therapy.

Click here to read the rest of this article from Medpage Today

link to this post

 

Stephen Harnish, MD is the Medical Director of Brookhaven Hospital. He is board certified in psychiatry, and is a graduate of Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. Harnish is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and is well known in Oklahoma for his informative radio and television appearances.

Rev Robert Wester, MDIV MA is Senior Chaplain at Brookhaven Hospital and the RENEWAL programs. Chaplain Wester conducts daily devotional services and offers pastoral counseling to clients in the RENEWAL program.

Aric Thorpe, MHR, is Brookhaven Hospital's Pastoral Liaison Representative. He conducts the quarterly Minister's Lifeline series and provides mental health information to pastors and clergy.

Sarah McGee, BA, serves as the Community Education Provider for Brookhaven Hospital. She provides information on mental health and drug and alcohol treatment to healthcare professionals in Oklahoma and surrounding states.