From the Canadian Mental Health Association website, , an article about children's mental health issues, http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=2-29-69&lang=1:
CHILDREN AND THEIR FEARS
Almost all children can be frightened by the sound of thunder or scared in a dark room. With a little patience and understanding, you can usually help your children overcome these and other common childhood fears. However, as a parent, you are keenly aware that there are real dangers that threaten your children. While you are working to help your children get rid of some kinds of fear, you are also teaching certain other kinds of fear for their own protection.
What frightens your children?
Often children's fears grow out of experiences which they cannot understand and which seems to threaten them. Of course, one child might not be frightened by something that frightens a brother or sister, but some of the things likely to cause fear are:
* other people's reactions to things or events - Another child's intense fear of snakes or an adult's horror at seeing a large spider can cause your child to fear the same things.
* seeing a traumatic, frightening event - Your child may witness a bad traffic accident or see a cat run over by a car. Scenes like these can leave lasting, fearful memories.
* low self-esteem and lack of confidence - Fears can develop from low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It is important to encourage and praise your child's efforts and to develop his/her self-confidence.
* ongoing family tensions and hostility - All families have fights once in a while, but if the fighting goes on all the time, children will absorb the tension, and fear and uncertainty will become part of their lives.
Overcoming your children's fears
No matter what your child fears, he/she needs the comfort of loving reassurance more than anything. You should never make fun of your child's fears, and you should let him/her know that grown-ups, too, are sometimes afraid. Other things you can do are:
* Give loving support and reliable limits. Your child needs to know he/she is loved and also that you set definite limits on what he/she is allowed to do. Your love and those limits provide the sense of security your child needs to try new experiences without fear.
* Try to find practical solutions. If your child is afraid of the dark, plug in a night-light in the bedroom and hall. Keep the furniture arranged in a way your child is used to, and make sure he/she goes to sleep with a cuddly toy to hug.
* Spend time practising skills with your child. If your child is afraid of catching a ball or playing a game such as soccer, spend time playing games at home in a safe environment.
* Help build a sense of being in control. Some children become afraid of flushing the toilet or emptying the bathtub. Encourage your child to pull the plug or turn the toilet handle with you, and reassure him/ her that "there is no way you can go down the drain."
* Reassure, reassure, and then reassure again. This is especially important if your child begins to worry about dying. He/she needs to hear many times that it is very unusual for children to die. Try a hug and a reminder, "Don't worry; we'll be together for a long, long time."
* Praise accomplishments, avoid criticizing. Praising even small successes will encourage your child to try again. Too much criticizing is likely to make your child insecure and afraid to try new things.
Real dangers your children face
Your children must be taught about the very real dangers that do exist. These dangers can be divided into two kinds:
* Basic safety problems - You must teach your children safety rules about hazards in the home, such as hot stove tops, electrical outlets and various household poisons. Outside the home, children must learn how to ride a bicycle and cross the street safely, and many other safety habits.
* Dangerous people - Unfortunately, your children face the danger of abduction and sexual abuse by dangerous people. Some may be strangers, but more commonly, they can be relatives or acquaintances.
The challenge for you as the parent is to teach your children to be self-confident and ready to cope with new situations, but also to be cautious of potentially dangerous situations. Most children are able to understand and learn caution at about the age of three.
How can you protect them from the real dangers?
There are a number of things you can do to help your children protect themselves and still enjoy their childhood. The best defence against abduction and abuse is information. Be truthful and honest with them. The more information children have, the better they will be able to handle any situation. As a parent, you should:
* Always know where your children are and who is supervising them. Make sure that the person(s) looking after your children always know how to reach you.
* Never leave young children alone at home, in a car or in a public place.
* Always go with them to any unfamiliar place when they are young. As they get older, set up a telephone check-in system to confirm their departures and arrivals, and have them carry enough money to call home.
* Have a family code word and teach your children how to use it: don't go with anyone unless they know and say the family code word. It is important that your children never tell the code word to anyone, but if they do, change it immediately.
* Set up family emergency procedures. Know the names, addresses and telephone numbers of your children's friends. Teach them what to do if you get separated while shopping.
* Teach your children how to get help in an emergency - dial 911 or "0" on the phone; find a policeman, bus driver, school, church, mall security or information desk, store cashier, or a house with a Block Parent sign.
* Teach your children their full name, home address (including city) and phone number (including the area code).
* Let your children know it's OK to say "No" if they think something they are being asked to do isn't right, even by someone they know. If someone tells them to keep a secret from you, they should tell you about it right away.
* Help your children to be comfortable talking about the private parts of their bodies so that, if necessary, they can tell you about "bad touches" (ones that make them feel weird or uncomfortable).
* Play "what if" games with your children. Ask them what they would do in a potentially dangerous situation and listen to their answers. Ask them why and why not, what is right and wrong. Practise how they should answer the telephone. Teach them just who a stranger is. It is better to imagine the worse than to experience it!
Your children should know and follow these streetproofing rules:
* Don't go anywhere alone; travel in groups. Don't take short-cuts or hitch-hike, and avoid potentially dangerous places including public washrooms.
* Don't accept gifts from strangers or get into a stranger's car. Don't offer to help a stranger; adults don't have to ask children for help.
* If alone, never admit it to anyone on the telephone and don't answer the door or let anyone in.
* Don't be a target. Don't put their name on clothes or equipment; if bags or lunch-boxes must be labelled, do it on the inside. Above all else, your children should learn to trust their instincts. If they feel suspicious, scared or threatened, they should do something about it. They should get away as soon and as fast as possible, and tell someone as soon as they can. They shouldn't be afraid to yell out, "You're a stranger. Stop it. Leave me alone," -yelling can attract attention and may bring the help they need. In an emergency, they don't have to be polite!
Do you need more information?
For more information on child safety and protection, contact your local police department or streetproofing organization. If you need help dealing with your child's fears, see your family doctor or school guidance counsellor, or contact a community organization, such as the Canadian Mental Health Association, which can help you find additional support.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Anxiety Disorders
From the Canadian Mental Health Association website, http://www.cmha.ca/bins/index.asp?lang=1, is this article about various types of anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, phobias, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-94&lang=1:
ANXIETY DISORDERS
One of Canada's most common illnesses is also the least understood
Everyone feels anxious at times. Challenges such as workplace pressures, public speaking, highly demanding schedules or writing an exam can lead to a sense of worry, even fear. These sensations, however uncomfortable, are different from the ones associated with a anxiety disorder. People suffering from an anxiety disorder are subject to intense, prolonged feelings of fright and distress for no obvious reason. The condition turns their life into a continuous journey of unease and fear and can interfere with their relationships with family, friends and colleagues.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. It is estimated that they affect approximately 1 in 10 people. They are more prevalent among women than among men, and they affect children as well as adults. Anxiety disorders are illnesses. They can be diagnosed; they can be treated.
But all too often, they are mistaken for mental weakness or instability, and the resulting social stigma can discourage people with anxiety disorders from seeking help. Understanding the facts about anxiety disorders is an important step. Realising that they are medical disorders which can be treated will help to remove the stigma, and encourage people with anxiety disorders to explore the treatments available.
What exactly are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders which affect behaviour, thoughts, emotions and physical health. Research into their origins continues, but it is believed they are caused by a combination of biological factors and an individuals personal circumstances, much like other health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes. It is common for people to suffer from more than one anxiety disorder; and for an anxiety disorder to be accompanied by depression, eating disorders or substance abuse. Anxiety disorders can also coexist with physical disorders, in which case the physical condition should also be treated.
Some of the signs to look for are:
Panic Disorder - As the name suggests, panic disorder is expressed in panic attacks which occur without warning, accompanied by sudden feelings of terror. Physically, an attack may cause chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal discomfort, feelings of unreality and fear of dying. When a person avoids situations that he or she fears may cause a panic attack, his or her condition is described as panic disorder with agoraphobia.
Phobias - Phobias are divided into two categories: social phobia, which involves fear of social situations, and specific phobias, such as fear of flying, blood and heights.
Social Phobia - People with social phobia feel a paralysing, irrational self-consciousness about social situations. They have an intense fear of being observed or of doing something horribly wrong in front of other people. The feelings are so extreme that people with social phobia tend to avoid objects or situations that might stimulate that fear, which dramatically reduces their ability to lead a normal life.
Specific Phobias - Fear of flying, fear of heights and fear of open spaces are some typical specific phobias. People suffering from a specific phobia are overwhelmed by unreasonable fears, which they are unable to control. Exposure to feared situations can cause them extreme anxiety and panic, even if they recognize that their fears are illogical.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - A terrifying experience in which serious physical harm occurred or was threatened can cause post-traumatic stress disorder. Survivors of rape, child abuse, war or a natural disaster may develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Common symptoms include flashbacks, during which the person re-lives the terrifying experience, nightmares, depression and feelings of anger or irritability.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - This is a condition in which people suffer from persistent unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and / or rituals (compulsions) which they find impossible to control. Typically, obsessions concern contamination, doubting (such as worrying that the iron hasn't been turned off) and disturbing sexual or religious thoughts. Compulsions include washing, checking, organizing and counting.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder -Characterized by repeated, exaggerated worry about routine life events and activities, this disorder lasts at least six months, during which time the person is affected by extreme worry more days than not. The individual anticipates the worst, even if others would say they have no reason to expect it. Physical symptoms can include nausea, trembling fatigue, muscle tension, or headache.
How can anxiety disorders be treated?
There are two main medical approaches to treating an anxiety disorder: (1) drug therapy and (2) cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Combining the two types of treatment can be effective.
Because most anxiety disorders have at least some biological component, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs are generally prescribed. It is important to inquire about possible side effects of any medication.
Therapeutic strategies can be effective in reducing symptoms in each of the anxiety disorders. The techniques used include cognitive restructuring, to help people turn their anxious thoughts, interpretations and predictions into thoughts which are more rational and less anxious. People with anxiety disorders may also benefit from controlled exposure to feared objects or situations.
Specific CBT techniques have been developed to help assist with particular anxiety disorders. People with panic disorder, for instance, can benefit from breathing retraining, which shows them how to slow their breathing and use meditation when they're feeling anxious.
Support groups and educational resources can also be included in treatment. Anxiety disorders place a great burden on the individuals affected, their families and friends. Learning all you can about the particular condition touching your life can help you develop tools for living with an anxiety disorder, or living with someone who has an anxiety disorder.
A proper diagnosis is key to putting a person with an anxiety disorder on the right treatment path. Many people go undiagnosed for 10 years or more. Since research suggests that many general health care practitioners are unaware of all the appropriate treatments for anxiety disorders, you might consider the option of a specialized anxiety disorder clinic. If such a facility is not available in your area, ask your doctor to look into specialized treatments.
Where to go for more information
For further information about anxiety disorders, contact a community organization like the Canadian Mental Health Association to find out about support and resources available in your community.
ANXIETY DISORDERS
One of Canada's most common illnesses is also the least understood
Everyone feels anxious at times. Challenges such as workplace pressures, public speaking, highly demanding schedules or writing an exam can lead to a sense of worry, even fear. These sensations, however uncomfortable, are different from the ones associated with a anxiety disorder. People suffering from an anxiety disorder are subject to intense, prolonged feelings of fright and distress for no obvious reason. The condition turns their life into a continuous journey of unease and fear and can interfere with their relationships with family, friends and colleagues.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. It is estimated that they affect approximately 1 in 10 people. They are more prevalent among women than among men, and they affect children as well as adults. Anxiety disorders are illnesses. They can be diagnosed; they can be treated.
But all too often, they are mistaken for mental weakness or instability, and the resulting social stigma can discourage people with anxiety disorders from seeking help. Understanding the facts about anxiety disorders is an important step. Realising that they are medical disorders which can be treated will help to remove the stigma, and encourage people with anxiety disorders to explore the treatments available.
What exactly are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders which affect behaviour, thoughts, emotions and physical health. Research into their origins continues, but it is believed they are caused by a combination of biological factors and an individuals personal circumstances, much like other health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes. It is common for people to suffer from more than one anxiety disorder; and for an anxiety disorder to be accompanied by depression, eating disorders or substance abuse. Anxiety disorders can also coexist with physical disorders, in which case the physical condition should also be treated.
Some of the signs to look for are:
Panic Disorder - As the name suggests, panic disorder is expressed in panic attacks which occur without warning, accompanied by sudden feelings of terror. Physically, an attack may cause chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal discomfort, feelings of unreality and fear of dying. When a person avoids situations that he or she fears may cause a panic attack, his or her condition is described as panic disorder with agoraphobia.
Phobias - Phobias are divided into two categories: social phobia, which involves fear of social situations, and specific phobias, such as fear of flying, blood and heights.
Social Phobia - People with social phobia feel a paralysing, irrational self-consciousness about social situations. They have an intense fear of being observed or of doing something horribly wrong in front of other people. The feelings are so extreme that people with social phobia tend to avoid objects or situations that might stimulate that fear, which dramatically reduces their ability to lead a normal life.
Specific Phobias - Fear of flying, fear of heights and fear of open spaces are some typical specific phobias. People suffering from a specific phobia are overwhelmed by unreasonable fears, which they are unable to control. Exposure to feared situations can cause them extreme anxiety and panic, even if they recognize that their fears are illogical.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - A terrifying experience in which serious physical harm occurred or was threatened can cause post-traumatic stress disorder. Survivors of rape, child abuse, war or a natural disaster may develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Common symptoms include flashbacks, during which the person re-lives the terrifying experience, nightmares, depression and feelings of anger or irritability.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - This is a condition in which people suffer from persistent unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and / or rituals (compulsions) which they find impossible to control. Typically, obsessions concern contamination, doubting (such as worrying that the iron hasn't been turned off) and disturbing sexual or religious thoughts. Compulsions include washing, checking, organizing and counting.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder -Characterized by repeated, exaggerated worry about routine life events and activities, this disorder lasts at least six months, during which time the person is affected by extreme worry more days than not. The individual anticipates the worst, even if others would say they have no reason to expect it. Physical symptoms can include nausea, trembling fatigue, muscle tension, or headache.
How can anxiety disorders be treated?
There are two main medical approaches to treating an anxiety disorder: (1) drug therapy and (2) cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Combining the two types of treatment can be effective.
Because most anxiety disorders have at least some biological component, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs are generally prescribed. It is important to inquire about possible side effects of any medication.
Therapeutic strategies can be effective in reducing symptoms in each of the anxiety disorders. The techniques used include cognitive restructuring, to help people turn their anxious thoughts, interpretations and predictions into thoughts which are more rational and less anxious. People with anxiety disorders may also benefit from controlled exposure to feared objects or situations.
Specific CBT techniques have been developed to help assist with particular anxiety disorders. People with panic disorder, for instance, can benefit from breathing retraining, which shows them how to slow their breathing and use meditation when they're feeling anxious.
Support groups and educational resources can also be included in treatment. Anxiety disorders place a great burden on the individuals affected, their families and friends. Learning all you can about the particular condition touching your life can help you develop tools for living with an anxiety disorder, or living with someone who has an anxiety disorder.
A proper diagnosis is key to putting a person with an anxiety disorder on the right treatment path. Many people go undiagnosed for 10 years or more. Since research suggests that many general health care practitioners are unaware of all the appropriate treatments for anxiety disorders, you might consider the option of a specialized anxiety disorder clinic. If such a facility is not available in your area, ask your doctor to look into specialized treatments.
Where to go for more information
For further information about anxiety disorders, contact a community organization like the Canadian Mental Health Association to find out about support and resources available in your community.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Afghan War and Mental Health Problems
From the Monday, October 29, 2007, News section of the Toronto Star, page A2, is another article about the mental health toll on soldiers participating in the war in Afghanistan:
AFGHAN WAR TAKES ITS TOLL
Mental-health problems common after soldiers return to Canada
Alison Auld
The Canadian Press
Halifax - Hundreds of Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan are suffering from a range of mental-health problems linked to their deployment, according to new data.
But even with this latest information, the military admits it still has little understanding of how many troops might be affected by the rigours of war and operational stress over the long haul.
About 28 per cent of the 2,700 Canadian Forces soldiers who were screened after serving in the war-torn country were found to have symptoms of one or more mental-health problems, including depression, panic disorders and suicial tendencies.
Of those, 17 per cent exhibited signs of high-risk drinking, about 5 per cent showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and another 5 per cent had symptoms of major depression.
"It's significant, but it's commensurate with the difficult nature of the operation," Dr. Mark Zamorski, head of the military's deployment health section, said in an interview from Ottawa about the data he compiled in August. "It's concerning because we ask our members to put a lot on the line."
The military might also be capturing only a small number of troops suffering from mental-health problems because it lacks a comprehensive information system that both tracks soldiers' health over a long period of time and gathers data from all sources.
Soldiers are supposed to undergo screening sometime between 90 and 180 days after they return home from their deployment. But if they develop mental-health problems after that period, they won't be included in Zamorski's data.
An official with Veterans Affairs said that since the Afghan mission began five years ago, the number of clients receiving care for PTSD at the department's clinics has risen to 6,500 from 1,800. That figure could include vets from previous conflicts.
AFGHAN WAR TAKES ITS TOLL
Mental-health problems common after soldiers return to Canada
Alison Auld
The Canadian Press
Halifax - Hundreds of Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan are suffering from a range of mental-health problems linked to their deployment, according to new data.
But even with this latest information, the military admits it still has little understanding of how many troops might be affected by the rigours of war and operational stress over the long haul.
About 28 per cent of the 2,700 Canadian Forces soldiers who were screened after serving in the war-torn country were found to have symptoms of one or more mental-health problems, including depression, panic disorders and suicial tendencies.
Of those, 17 per cent exhibited signs of high-risk drinking, about 5 per cent showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and another 5 per cent had symptoms of major depression.
"It's significant, but it's commensurate with the difficult nature of the operation," Dr. Mark Zamorski, head of the military's deployment health section, said in an interview from Ottawa about the data he compiled in August. "It's concerning because we ask our members to put a lot on the line."
The military might also be capturing only a small number of troops suffering from mental-health problems because it lacks a comprehensive information system that both tracks soldiers' health over a long period of time and gathers data from all sources.
Soldiers are supposed to undergo screening sometime between 90 and 180 days after they return home from their deployment. But if they develop mental-health problems after that period, they won't be included in Zamorski's data.
An official with Veterans Affairs said that since the Afghan mission began five years ago, the number of clients receiving care for PTSD at the department's clinics has risen to 6,500 from 1,800. That figure could include vets from previous conflicts.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Do You Know the Warning Signs of Suicide?
Knowing these facts may help you to help yourself or family members or friends or coworkers to get help when needed in dealing with thoughts about suicide.
From the American Association of Suicidology, http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=2, here is an article about understanding the warning sides and what to do to help.
From the American Association of Suicidology, http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=2, here is an article about understanding the warning sides and what to do to help.
UNDERSTANDING AND HELPING THE SUICIDAL PERSON>
Be Aware of the Warning Signs
Are you or someone you know at risk of suicide? Get the facts and take appropriate action.
Get help immediately by contacting a mental health professional or calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a referral should you witness, hear, or see anyone exhibiting any one or more of the following:
Someone threatening to hurt or kill him/herself, or talking of wanting to hurt or kill him/herself.
Someone looking for ways to kill him/herself by seeking access to firearms, available pills, or other means.
Someone talking or writing about death, dying or suicide, when these actions are out of the ordinary for the person.
Seek help as soon as possible by contacting a mental health professional or calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a referral should you witness, hear, or see someone you know exhibiting any one or more of the following:
Hopelessness
Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without
thinking
Feeling trapped - like there's no way out
Increased alcohol or drug use
Withdrawing from friends, family and society
Anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time
Dramatic mood changes
No reason for living; no sense of purpose in life
Here is an easy mnemonic to remember these warning signs:
IS PATH WARM?
I Ideation
S Substance Abuse
P Purposelessness
A Anxiety
T Trapped
H Hopelessness
W Withdrawal
A Anger
R Recklessness
M Mood Changes
What To Do
Here are some ways to be helpful to someone who is threatening suicide:
Be direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide.
Be willing to listen. Allow expressions of feelings. Accept the feelings.
Be non-judgmental. Don’t debate whether suicide is right or wrong, or whether feelings are good or bad. Don’t lecture on the value of life.
Get involved. Become available. Show interest and support.
Don’t dare him or her to do it.
Don’t act shocked. This will put distance between you.
Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Seek support.
Offer hope that alternatives are available but do not offer glib reassurance.
Take action. Remove means, such as guns or stockpiled pills.
Get help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.
Be Aware of Feelings
Many people at some time in their lives think about completing suicide. Most decide to live because they eventually come to realize that the crisis is temporary and death is permanent. On other hand, people having a crisis sometimes perceive their dilemma as inescapable and feel an utter loss of control. These are some of the feelings and thoughts they experience:
Can’t stop the pain
Can’t think clearly
Can’t make decisions
Can’t see any way out
Can’t sleep, eat or work
Can’t get out of depression
Can’t make the sadness go away
Can’t see a future without pain
Can’t see themselves as worthwhile
Can’t get someone’s attention
Can’t seem to get control
If you experience these feelings, get help!
If someone you know exhibits these symptoms, offer help!
Contact:
A community mental health agency
A private therapist or counselor
A school counselor or psychologist
A family physician
A suicide prevention or crisis center
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Lower Birth Weight Babies Prone to Depression
This is an interesting study. Who would think that smaller babies would be more prone to depression than regular weight ones. But I'm not sure from the data available to the researchers, whether they know whether it is pre-term as well as full-term low birth weight or only the full-term low birth weight that may cause depression later in life.
From The Epoch Times, December 6 - 12, 2007, page A3:
SMALLER BABIES PRONE TO DEPRESSION, STUDY FINDS
Washington (Reuters) - Plump babies may really be happier babies, Canadian and British researchers reported on Monday in a study that found people who had a low birth weight were more likely to have depression and anxiety later in life.
Adverse conditions in the womb that interfere with a baby's growth may also cause brain differences, the researchers report in the December issue of Biological Psychiatry.
Ian Colman of the University of Alberta and colleagues in Britain, studied the records of 4,600 Britons born in 1946, who took part in a 40-year study.
"We found that even people who had just mild or moderate symptoms of depression or anxiety over their life course were smaller babies than those who had better mental health," Colman said in a statement.
"It suggests a dose-response relationship. As birth weight progressively decreases, it's more likely that an individual will suffer from mood disorders later in life."
The researchers simply looked at medical records and did not examine a possible cause. Colman said it is possible that when mothers are stressed, stress hormones are passing through the placenta to the fetus.
Not all small babies are fated to have poor mental health, the researchers said, noting that in 1946 records did not indicate whether the children were born prematurely.
From The Epoch Times, December 6 - 12, 2007, page A3:
SMALLER BABIES PRONE TO DEPRESSION, STUDY FINDS
Washington (Reuters) - Plump babies may really be happier babies, Canadian and British researchers reported on Monday in a study that found people who had a low birth weight were more likely to have depression and anxiety later in life.
Adverse conditions in the womb that interfere with a baby's growth may also cause brain differences, the researchers report in the December issue of Biological Psychiatry.
Ian Colman of the University of Alberta and colleagues in Britain, studied the records of 4,600 Britons born in 1946, who took part in a 40-year study.
"We found that even people who had just mild or moderate symptoms of depression or anxiety over their life course were smaller babies than those who had better mental health," Colman said in a statement.
"It suggests a dose-response relationship. As birth weight progressively decreases, it's more likely that an individual will suffer from mood disorders later in life."
The researchers simply looked at medical records and did not examine a possible cause. Colman said it is possible that when mothers are stressed, stress hormones are passing through the placenta to the fetus.
Not all small babies are fated to have poor mental health, the researchers said, noting that in 1946 records did not indicate whether the children were born prematurely.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Electroshock Therapy: It's Back
From the Science section of the October 15, 2007, Maclean's magazine, page 68, is an article about who electroshock therapy is returning and considered the best way to treat severe depression:
A SHOCKING TRUTH
Once thought barbaric, electroshock therapy is making a comeback
by Brian Bethune
When American writer Ann Bauer penned a Salon article in May about the downward spiral of her autistic teenaged son and his seemingly impossible recovery, she told her readers everything. The frightening behaviour, the excrement-smeared sheets, even the time "he turned to look at me - his eyes empty and cold - then beat me until the neighbours heard me screaming and called 911." Everything, that is but the therapy that gave Bauer back her "sweet articulate" boy: electroconsulsive therapy (ECT), more commonly known as shock treatment. "Frankly" she later wrote, "I didn't feel like going through a hailstorm of reader outrage and Frankenstein jokes."
It's hard to blame Bauer, since she surely read right the prevailing public reaction to sending blasts of electricity through a human body. One present-day review of The Snake Pit, an earnest 1948 Hollywood drama that decried standard treatments for the mentally ill, mentions in passing that ECT is a 'dated" technique, "today regarded as barbaric." In fact, it's the review that's dated. ECT is back, in a big way, in medicine even if most people still think of it as a relic of an unenlightened past). And about time too, argue historian Edward Shorter and psychiatrist David Healy in Shock Therapy (UTP), their polemical but convincingly account of the rise, fall and rise again of "the penicillin of psychiatry."
Less than a century ago, psychiatrists had nothing to offer for the major crippling disorders of depression or bipolar illness. Some frustrated practitioners began work with drugs, the first stirrings of the pharmacological revolution to come; others with physical remedies - therapies designed to act on the diseased brain, not on the mind. Many sought to "shock" the brain into readjusting itself - the concept of shock treatment predates the idea of using electricity to deliver it. Insulin, in fact, was the first means of inducing convulsions that proved effective. (Just how they worked, to bring people out of catatonia or depression and banish suicidal compulsions remains a mystery. The current best guess is that ECT somehow reboots the brain, perhaps by repairing neurotransmitter receptors that bind to serotonin and dopamine, the two major "happiness" transmitters.)
But injections of insulin and later replacement drugs affected patients' health in other ways, and when Italian psychiatrist Ugo Cerletti pioneered the use of electricity as a delivery vehicle in 1938, mental health practitioners quickly embraced ECT. "It was a godsend," one reported at the time, "because, compared to nothing, it was an enormous relief. We used to see severe depressions and a suicide rate that was very, very high."
So what happened to give ECT is brain-frying reputation? It did have its problems; it didn't work on everyone; before psychiatrists administered muscle relaxants, the convulsions sometimes broke bones; there was frequent loss of memory, almost always restored within weeks, but real enough in the immediate aftermath; it just plan looked scary, with its gurneys and weird electrical machines, like - as Ann Bauer suggested - Victor Frankenstein's lab. Most importantly, ECT had natural enemies: psychoanalysts.
The entire biological logic of shock therapy was an affront to the psychological basis of analysis. As one Freudian asked in 1951, how could anything like this help someone whose real problem "is that his mother never loved him"? A 40-year-clash between medical paradigms, according to Shock Therapy, won over the chattering classes to the analysts' side, that ECT was a sadistic assault on wretched people who really needed to talk. ECT's public image was fixed by movies like The Snake and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), in which Jack Nicholson's character emerged an apparent vegetable from a conflated lobotomy-ECT treatment. Temporary memory loss was inflated in public opinion into permanent memory obliteration. Drugs were accepted as the humane way forward.
But as drug-resistant depression became increasingly recognized, convulsion therapy began its comeback. By 2004, the World Psychiatric Association had endorsed it as a first-line treatment - the best available - for severe depression. So it was, at the Mayo clinic, that doctors were ready to use ECT on Ann Bauer's son. Eighteen hours after his first session, he was up and about, greeting his parents and playing cards. He would relapse and need further sessions, as well as drug therapy, but he had come "back to life," in Bauer's words. She decided to heed an appeal from the doctor who had referred her to the Mayo: "If you wish to help other parents of such adolescents, yo should disclose the fact that, despite its stigma, electroshock is one of the most effective treatments in medicine." "Everything he wrote," Bauer declared, "is true."
A SHOCKING TRUTH
Once thought barbaric, electroshock therapy is making a comeback
by Brian Bethune
When American writer Ann Bauer penned a Salon article in May about the downward spiral of her autistic teenaged son and his seemingly impossible recovery, she told her readers everything. The frightening behaviour, the excrement-smeared sheets, even the time "he turned to look at me - his eyes empty and cold - then beat me until the neighbours heard me screaming and called 911." Everything, that is but the therapy that gave Bauer back her "sweet articulate" boy: electroconsulsive therapy (ECT), more commonly known as shock treatment. "Frankly" she later wrote, "I didn't feel like going through a hailstorm of reader outrage and Frankenstein jokes."
It's hard to blame Bauer, since she surely read right the prevailing public reaction to sending blasts of electricity through a human body. One present-day review of The Snake Pit, an earnest 1948 Hollywood drama that decried standard treatments for the mentally ill, mentions in passing that ECT is a 'dated" technique, "today regarded as barbaric." In fact, it's the review that's dated. ECT is back, in a big way, in medicine even if most people still think of it as a relic of an unenlightened past). And about time too, argue historian Edward Shorter and psychiatrist David Healy in Shock Therapy (UTP), their polemical but convincingly account of the rise, fall and rise again of "the penicillin of psychiatry."
Less than a century ago, psychiatrists had nothing to offer for the major crippling disorders of depression or bipolar illness. Some frustrated practitioners began work with drugs, the first stirrings of the pharmacological revolution to come; others with physical remedies - therapies designed to act on the diseased brain, not on the mind. Many sought to "shock" the brain into readjusting itself - the concept of shock treatment predates the idea of using electricity to deliver it. Insulin, in fact, was the first means of inducing convulsions that proved effective. (Just how they worked, to bring people out of catatonia or depression and banish suicidal compulsions remains a mystery. The current best guess is that ECT somehow reboots the brain, perhaps by repairing neurotransmitter receptors that bind to serotonin and dopamine, the two major "happiness" transmitters.)
But injections of insulin and later replacement drugs affected patients' health in other ways, and when Italian psychiatrist Ugo Cerletti pioneered the use of electricity as a delivery vehicle in 1938, mental health practitioners quickly embraced ECT. "It was a godsend," one reported at the time, "because, compared to nothing, it was an enormous relief. We used to see severe depressions and a suicide rate that was very, very high."
So what happened to give ECT is brain-frying reputation? It did have its problems; it didn't work on everyone; before psychiatrists administered muscle relaxants, the convulsions sometimes broke bones; there was frequent loss of memory, almost always restored within weeks, but real enough in the immediate aftermath; it just plan looked scary, with its gurneys and weird electrical machines, like - as Ann Bauer suggested - Victor Frankenstein's lab. Most importantly, ECT had natural enemies: psychoanalysts.
The entire biological logic of shock therapy was an affront to the psychological basis of analysis. As one Freudian asked in 1951, how could anything like this help someone whose real problem "is that his mother never loved him"? A 40-year-clash between medical paradigms, according to Shock Therapy, won over the chattering classes to the analysts' side, that ECT was a sadistic assault on wretched people who really needed to talk. ECT's public image was fixed by movies like The Snake and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), in which Jack Nicholson's character emerged an apparent vegetable from a conflated lobotomy-ECT treatment. Temporary memory loss was inflated in public opinion into permanent memory obliteration. Drugs were accepted as the humane way forward.
But as drug-resistant depression became increasingly recognized, convulsion therapy began its comeback. By 2004, the World Psychiatric Association had endorsed it as a first-line treatment - the best available - for severe depression. So it was, at the Mayo clinic, that doctors were ready to use ECT on Ann Bauer's son. Eighteen hours after his first session, he was up and about, greeting his parents and playing cards. He would relapse and need further sessions, as well as drug therapy, but he had come "back to life," in Bauer's words. She decided to heed an appeal from the doctor who had referred her to the Mayo: "If you wish to help other parents of such adolescents, yo should disclose the fact that, despite its stigma, electroshock is one of the most effective treatments in medicine." "Everything he wrote," Bauer declared, "is true."
Monday, December 3, 2007
Another Article on Post-War Mental Health Issues
From the Monday, October 26, 2007, Toronto Star, News section, page A2, here is another article on the mental health issues arising in returning soldiers from Afghanistan. It seems to me that this is one of the additional reasons, besides the death and injury of soldiers, that Canada should not be involved in Afghanistan, in a war that cannot be won.
Afghan War Takes Its Toll
Mental health problems common afer soldiers return to Canada
Alison Auld
The Canadian Press
Halifax - Hundreds of Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan are suffering from a range of mental-health problems linked to their deployment, according to new data.
But even with this latest information, the military admits it still has little understanding of how many troops might be affected by the rigours of war and operational stress over the long haul.
About 28 per cent of the 2,700 Canadian Forces soldiers who were screened after serving in the war-torn country were found to have symptoms of one or more mental-health problems, including depression, panic disorders and suicidal tendencies.
Of those, 17 per cent exhibited signs of high-risk drinking, about 5 per cent showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and another 5 per cent had symptoms of major depression.
"It's significant, but it's commensurate with the difficult nature of the operation," Dr. Mark Zamorski, head of the military's deployment health section, said in an interview from Ottawa about the data he compiled in August. "It's concerning because we ask our members to put a lot on the line."
The military might also be capturing only a small number of troops suffering from mental-health problems because it lacks a comprehensive information system that both tracks soldiers' health over a long period of time and gathers data from all sources.
Soldiers are supposed to undergo screening sometime between 90 to 180 days after they return home from their deployment. But if they develop mental-health problems after that period, they won't be included in Zamorski's data.
An official with Veterans Affairs said that since the Afghan mission began five years ago, the number of clients receiving care for PTSD at the department's clinics had risen to 6,500 from 1,800. That figure could include vets from previous conflicts.
Afghan War Takes Its Toll
Mental health problems common afer soldiers return to Canada
Alison Auld
The Canadian Press
Halifax - Hundreds of Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan are suffering from a range of mental-health problems linked to their deployment, according to new data.
But even with this latest information, the military admits it still has little understanding of how many troops might be affected by the rigours of war and operational stress over the long haul.
About 28 per cent of the 2,700 Canadian Forces soldiers who were screened after serving in the war-torn country were found to have symptoms of one or more mental-health problems, including depression, panic disorders and suicidal tendencies.
Of those, 17 per cent exhibited signs of high-risk drinking, about 5 per cent showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and another 5 per cent had symptoms of major depression.
"It's significant, but it's commensurate with the difficult nature of the operation," Dr. Mark Zamorski, head of the military's deployment health section, said in an interview from Ottawa about the data he compiled in August. "It's concerning because we ask our members to put a lot on the line."
The military might also be capturing only a small number of troops suffering from mental-health problems because it lacks a comprehensive information system that both tracks soldiers' health over a long period of time and gathers data from all sources.
Soldiers are supposed to undergo screening sometime between 90 to 180 days after they return home from their deployment. But if they develop mental-health problems after that period, they won't be included in Zamorski's data.
An official with Veterans Affairs said that since the Afghan mission began five years ago, the number of clients receiving care for PTSD at the department's clinics had risen to 6,500 from 1,800. That figure could include vets from previous conflicts.
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