by Mike Nichols on August 29, 2008 · 1 comment
What if there were a medication that could simply switch off bad memories?
University of California, Irvine (UCI) researchers have identified the brain mechanism that turns off traumatic feelings associated with bad memories. This finding could lead to the development of drugs to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Panic Disorder, and other Anxiety Disorders.
Rainer Reinscheid, pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences associate professor at UCI, said,
The exciting part of this study is that we have discovered a completely new process that regulates the adverse responses to bad memories.
These findings can help the development of new drugs to treat conditions in which people are haunted by persistent fears, such as posttraumatic stress disorder or other panic disorders.
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Amygdala,
Anxiety Disorder,
Medications,
Panic Disorder,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
Research
by Mike Nichols on August 28, 2008 · 1 comment
Anxiety is the most common mental disorder experienced by older adults.
Anxiety Disorders affect over 18 percent of people over the age of 60. As many as 7 percent of this age group have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), a disorder characterized by uncontrollable worries about everyday things.
Despite its prevalence, Anxiety Disorders remain one of the most undiagnosed and undertreated conditions in this age group. This is due to the failure of the current model of the primary care physician as gatekeeper model.
Eric J. Lenze, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, says,
Studies have shown that generalized anxiety disorder is more common in the elderly … than depression, which affects about 3 percent of seniors. Surprisingly, there is little research that has been done on this disorder in the elderly.
Due to the lack of evidence, doctors often think that this disorder is rare in the elderly or that it is a normal part of aging, so they don’t diagnose or treat anxiety in their older patients, when, in fact, anxiety is quite common in the elderly and can have a serious impact on quality of life.
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Agoraphobia,
Anxiety Disorder,
Elderly,
Elders,
GAD - General Anxiety Disorder,
OCD - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder,
Panic Attacks,
Panic Disorder,
primary care physician,
Psychiatrist,
Psychologist,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
SAD - Social Phobia,
Specific Phobias
Do you treat your mental health issue with medication only?
If you do, you are part of a growing trend among mental health care providers.
This shift to the sole use of medication to treat mental health problems is detailed in a study released this month in the Archives of General Psychology. The authors find that market forces, primarily insurance reimbursements, are forcing psychiatrists to limit their time with patients to 15-minute medication maintenance visits rather than also providing psychotherapy.
The percentage of patients who received both medication and psychotherapy from their psychiatrists fell to 28.9 percent in 2004-05, from 44.4 percent in 1996-97.
The findings are expected to intensify a debate over the increased medicalization of psychiatric care. The debate is about the shifting emphasis on the biology of mental illness, as opposed to the processes of the mind addressed in psychotherapy. This debate is seen in the mental health stances of the two Presidential candidates. McCain’s plan emphasizes the use of medications over psychotherapy, while Obama’s seeks a balance between the two.
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Anxiety Disorder,
Medications,
Mental Health Professionals,
Panic Disorder,
Psychiatrist,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
SAD - Social Phobia,
Specific Phobias
What is daydreaming? What is escapism? And are these symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
These are questions set for me by Spark, one of the readers of this blog.
The words “escapism” and “daydreaming” have strong moral overtones, especially “escapism.” Our society, based on Puritanism, frowns on all things that can’t be termed “productive.” To waste time in escapism and daydreaming are looked down upon as “lazy” or “sinful,” whether the terms are used in a secular or religious sense.
What exactly is escapism? Is it always a bad thing? And similarly, daydreaming: Is it mere escapism? Does it provide something useful to humans? Is it laziness? What is the nature of the flashbacks experienced with PTSD? Are they a type of daydreaming, or just escapism?
These are the important issues explored in this post.
This is the first post of a series in which I answer readers’ questions. If you would like to ask a question, please feel free to leave your question in a comment or use the Contact tab to email me. I answer all questions, whether or not you agree to have it be the subject of a post. If you do agree, you will not be identified by name.
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Daydreams,
Escapism,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Anxiety Disorder sufferers have long known that they are more susceptible to physical diseases.
But now a study headed by Jitender Sareen of the University of Manitoba has detailed just what Anxiety Disorders can do to you physically.
It was proven several years ago that those with Anxiety Disorders are more prone to heart problems. This new study shows that people with Anxiety Disorders also have an increased risk of developing physical ailments, particularly thyroid diseases, respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis, allergies, and migraine diseases.
Early treatment of Anxiety Disorders is essential to warding off physical diseases caused by it. Sareen said,
Right now there is a long delay between someone developing an anxiety problem and seeking appropriate treatment — usually 10- 15 years. The hope is to get people with anxiety problems to go get help earlier. The treatments are quite effective if you get at it early before you get secondary [health conditions].
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Agoraphobia,
Anxiety,
Anxiety Disorder,
GAD - General Anxiety Disorder,
OCD - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder,
Panic Disorder,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
Research,
SAD - Social Phobia
We usually think of psychological therapy as a one-on-one proposition, just you and the therapist.
But many find group therapy to be just as — even more — effective than individual therapy.
How do you know whether group therapy is right for you? What exactly is group therapy? How does it compare with individual therapy? Does insurance cover group therapy? These are all valid questions you may have.
This post will explore what group therapy is and is not so you can make a good, informed decision.
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Anxiety Disorder,
Group Therapy,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
Therapy
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 40 million American adults, or 18 percent, of people have an Anxiety Disorder in a given year.
In addition, it is estimated that nearly 15 percent of US soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
PTSD can lead to myriad problems that hinder daily life – or ruin it altogether – such as drug abuse, alcoholism, marital problems, unemployment and suicide.
This increases the urgency to develop better treatment strategies for Anxiety Disorders.
Important new research has found that there is a type of cell in the brain that counteracts the fear response central to Anxiety Disorders, potentially paving the way for more effective drug treatments.
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Amygdala,
Anxiety Disorder,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Up to 20 percent of the American public suffer from Anxiety, but only a small fraction seek treatment. That’s 60 million people in pain needlessly!
Why do so many people avoid treatment?
A man will think nothing about asking his doctor for a prescription for Viagra, but will often turn to alcohol or denial to deal with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
A woman will go in for her annual pap smear to guard against cancer, but refuses to acknowledge that her Social Anxiety Disorder is gradually shrinking her life into utter misery.
[Read the entire article...]
Tagged as:
Agoraphobia,
Anxiety,
Denial,
GAD - General Anxiety Disorder,
Medical Health Professionals,
Panic Disorder,
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
SAD - Social Phobia
