Trailer
About Us
- Kathlene B. LaCour and Craig S. Judd
- Passages Behavioral Health Services was founded out of need to service mentally ill, co-occurring, correctional clients seeking a second chance. Our 40 years of clinical experience has prepared us to do this work which includes providing case management, Community Living Suppports (CLS), clinical assessment, treatment planning and more. Passages Behavioral Health also manages re-entry housing for this population know as the Passages House. We provide a service that not only bridges folks to another chance but helps maintain their progress in the community.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Teens and Mental Health
Friday, August 06, 2010
More Active Women are at Less Risk for Dementia
Women who are more active show less risk of cognitive impairment as they age as reported by Dr. Middleton of Toronto Health Sciences Centre after publishing a recent journal article. The study shows it's important for teenagers to be active physically as well. Early life physical activity may build a cognitive reserve improving cognitive healthly brains into adulthood. See link above for more information.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Socioeconomic Indicators Predictor of ADHD Medication
A large study (1 millon school-aged children) in Sweden indicated that social problems and adversity such as low maternal education, single parent homes and poverty are all significant risk factors in the development of ADHD.
Medication is often the only treatment given to children. Medication can be helpful but it's not the whole picture. This study indicates there are multiple psychosocial stressors contributing to ADHD. Family psychotherapy and behavioral treatments can provide a more comprehensive approach to treatment.
See Full Article at Medscape Today.
See Full Article at Medscape Today.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Smelling the Roses
The earth is blooming and opening to new growth. This is a great time to focus on growth in our lives, the sweetness of Spring, and remembering the mystery of life. Staying in the moment and noticing the beauty of life can help us all stay alittle more balanced.
Enjoy the Spring!!!!!!!
Enjoy the Spring!!!!!!!
Friday, March 05, 2010
Mental Disorder Proposed Diagnostic Changes for Children with Bipolar
The are likely to be changes in how children are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in the next manual for mental disorders to be published May 2013.The is a proposed new diagnosis of Temper Dysregulation Disorder and more stringent criteria for Bipolar diagnosis.
Listen to NPR report for more information.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Hyacinths in Winter
Friends of our family generously gifted our family Hyacinths a couple of weeks ago. We are dead set in the middle of winter in Michigan, although the Hyacinths were a clear reminder of hope, beauty and persistance. They are a deep reminder that under the snow, under the dirt, under the hurt, sadness, anger, smiles is a core of concentrated energy that if nutured can bloom into the intense smell and beauty of Hyacinths. The core is there, feed it, nuture it and give it the support it deserves, be persistent because things will pull us off track, no need to get mad or angry, notice the diversion and remember life and give it a little water and love. Who know what can awesome beauty is possible!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
National Association for Mental Health
We wanted to give you the link for the National Association for Mental Health. There website has gathered some very useful information with links to Patient Assistance Programs for drug companies, general information regarding medications and other mental health treatments, advocacy, state grades for mental health systems and more....
Take a look...there is likely some information that can be useful to you.
Take a look...there is likely some information that can be useful to you.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Judgement and Experiential Learning
There are many ways of learning. We have found experiential learning to be very valuable in self-growth and counseling. It involves the individual needs and motivations for learning. We learn from our experiences and we intragrate these feelings, thoughts and behaviors into our next experience. Experiential learning does require that an individual take the time to self-evaluate their experiences and sometimes doing this with a teacher or counselor can help with intergrating the experience and learning.
Carl Rogers, one of the founders of the humanistic psychology movement coined the term Experiential Learning.
Carl Rogers, one of the founders of the humanistic psychology movement coined the term Experiential Learning.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Twitter, YouTube, MySpace: Effects on Self-Esteem and Personality a Commentary
October 2, 2009 PsychiatricTimes.com.
COMMENTARY
Twitter and YouTube: Unexpected Consequences of the Self-Esteem Movement?
Lauren D. LaPorta, MD
Dr LaPorta is chairman of the department of psychiatry at St Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey.
To Americans over 30, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are buzzwords that lack much meaning. But to those born between 1982 and 2001—often referred to as “millennials” or “Generation Y”—they are a part of everyday life. For the uninitiated, these Web sites are used for social networking and communication. They are also places where individuals can post pictures and news about themselves and express their opinions on everything from music to movies to politics. Some sites, such as YouTube, allow individuals to post videos of themselves, often creating enough “buzz” to drive hundreds and even thousands of viewers; in some instances, these videos create instant media stars—such as the Obama imitator, Iman Crosson.
The amount of content on these Web sites is overwhelming and the time Americans spend on them is on the rise. More than one-third of Internet use is devoted to social networking sites.1 We are now collectively spending 13.9 billion minutes on Facebook, and 5 billion minutes on MySpace. Twitter grew at a rate of more than 3700% in the past year, taking up 300 million minutes of our time.2
Although baby boomers and members of “Generation X” are signing up for these sites, it is the youth market that drives their appeal. While on the surface, they are touted as venues for networking and communication, they may, ultimately, be eroding real relationships and social contacts much as e-mail, instant messaging and “texting” have replaced cards, letters, and phone calls.
This technology may be interfering with the normal development of a generation, prolonging the “normal” narcissism of adolescence and preventing the establishment of mature relationships. Rather than learning critical lessons about emotional sensitivity to others and reciprocity in relationships, our youth are creating alternate, solipsistic realities where they are the focus of attention. Those who do not agree are simply excluded from their inner circle.3 Thus, these technological advances may be fostering a sense of isolation, alienation, and (at worst) promoting a tendency toward narcissism that may ultimately lead to an increase in violence and aggression.
A series of studies by Twenge and Campbell4 demonstrated that narcissists experienced more anger and aggression following perceived social rejection. The narcissists’ anger was not only manifested as direct aggression toward the person who slighted him or her but also as displaced aggression toward innocent third parties.4 It is indeed a disturbing finding, then, that more than half of teen profiles on MySpace mention risky and violent behaviors.
Read more at PsychiatricTimes.com....
COMMENTARY
Twitter and YouTube: Unexpected Consequences of the Self-Esteem Movement?
Lauren D. LaPorta, MD
Dr LaPorta is chairman of the department of psychiatry at St Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey.
To Americans over 30, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are buzzwords that lack much meaning. But to those born between 1982 and 2001—often referred to as “millennials” or “Generation Y”—they are a part of everyday life. For the uninitiated, these Web sites are used for social networking and communication. They are also places where individuals can post pictures and news about themselves and express their opinions on everything from music to movies to politics. Some sites, such as YouTube, allow individuals to post videos of themselves, often creating enough “buzz” to drive hundreds and even thousands of viewers; in some instances, these videos create instant media stars—such as the Obama imitator, Iman Crosson.
The amount of content on these Web sites is overwhelming and the time Americans spend on them is on the rise. More than one-third of Internet use is devoted to social networking sites.1 We are now collectively spending 13.9 billion minutes on Facebook, and 5 billion minutes on MySpace. Twitter grew at a rate of more than 3700% in the past year, taking up 300 million minutes of our time.2
Although baby boomers and members of “Generation X” are signing up for these sites, it is the youth market that drives their appeal. While on the surface, they are touted as venues for networking and communication, they may, ultimately, be eroding real relationships and social contacts much as e-mail, instant messaging and “texting” have replaced cards, letters, and phone calls.
This technology may be interfering with the normal development of a generation, prolonging the “normal” narcissism of adolescence and preventing the establishment of mature relationships. Rather than learning critical lessons about emotional sensitivity to others and reciprocity in relationships, our youth are creating alternate, solipsistic realities where they are the focus of attention. Those who do not agree are simply excluded from their inner circle.3 Thus, these technological advances may be fostering a sense of isolation, alienation, and (at worst) promoting a tendency toward narcissism that may ultimately lead to an increase in violence and aggression.
A series of studies by Twenge and Campbell4 demonstrated that narcissists experienced more anger and aggression following perceived social rejection. The narcissists’ anger was not only manifested as direct aggression toward the person who slighted him or her but also as displaced aggression toward innocent third parties.4 It is indeed a disturbing finding, then, that more than half of teen profiles on MySpace mention risky and violent behaviors.
Read more at PsychiatricTimes.com....
Monday, October 05, 2009
8 Million Americans Consider Suicide Annually
September 17, 2009
WASHINGTON - More than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide each year, according to a new U.S. government study.
About 32,000 suicides occur in the United States each year, but a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that many more give the idea serious thought.
The new report is based on a survey of 46,190 people aged 18 and older. In the past, the question about suicide had only been asked of people who reported major depression but in 2008 it was added to all questionnaires.
Other findings:
-People 18 to 25 years old were far more likely to have seriously considered suicide in the previous year (6.7 per cent) than those 26 to 49 (3.9 per cent).
-Just 2.3 per cent seriously considered suicide among those 50 or older.
-Among people with a substance abuse disorder, 11 per cent had considered suicide, compared to 3 per cent for people without such disorders.
-
On the Net:
SAMHSA: http://www.samhsa.gov
WASHINGTON - More than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide each year, according to a new U.S. government study.
About 32,000 suicides occur in the United States each year, but a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that many more give the idea serious thought.
The new report is based on a survey of 46,190 people aged 18 and older. In the past, the question about suicide had only been asked of people who reported major depression but in 2008 it was added to all questionnaires.
Other findings:
-People 18 to 25 years old were far more likely to have seriously considered suicide in the previous year (6.7 per cent) than those 26 to 49 (3.9 per cent).
-Just 2.3 per cent seriously considered suicide among those 50 or older.
-Among people with a substance abuse disorder, 11 per cent had considered suicide, compared to 3 per cent for people without such disorders.
-
On the Net:
SAMHSA: http://www.samhsa.gov
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Words to Live By.....
" Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."
- Frank Outlaw
- Frank Outlaw
Friday, July 10, 2009
Battered Woman Syndrome; Trauma and Violence
July 7, 2009
Psychiatric Times. Vol. 26 No. 7
TRAUMA AND VIOLENCE
Battered Woman Syndrome
Key Elements of a Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
Lenore E. Walker, EdD, ABPP-CL & Fam
Women who are victims of intimate-partner violence have been identified by the mental health field for more than 30 years now.1-3 It is understood that domestic violence is part of gender violence, and that many more women than men are the victims of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.4-6 Even when women strike back or engage in mutual violence, it is usually the woman who is most likely to be hurt—both physically and emotionally. Women who strike back in self-defense are often arrested along with the batterer.
It is further understood that gender violence is fostered by the socialization of men to be more powerful than women. In some men, this process creates the need to abuse power and to control women.5 While the term “victim” is not always considered politically correct, in fact, until battered women take back some control over their lives, they may not truly be considered survivors.7 Psychological symptoms, called battered woman syndrome (BWS), develop in some women and make it difficult for them to regain control. Mental health professionals have been able to assist these battered women with empowerment techniques and with accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, as described here.
BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME
BWS has been identified as a subcategory of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).8 Although not all battered women meet all the DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD,9 a sufficient number do; thus, a form of trauma treatment is most helpful.10
Table 1 lists 6 groups of criteria that recently have been found to be part of BWS.8
DIAGNOSIS
A number of steps will help you obtain accurate information when you are interviewing a woman whom you believe may be abused by her intimate partner (Table 2).
Safety
Begin by speaking with the woman without her partner present (if they are still together) and together form a safety plan. This can be difficult because batterers often want to be present during the entire examination so they can directly or even subtly remind the woman not to disclose their secret. It is not uncommon to feel as if the man were in the interview—even if he is waiting outside.
For a woman in a battering relationship, the most dangerous time is when she and her partner are discussing or thinking about separation.11,12 Even if the woman is no longer living with the batterer, she may not be safe. It is important to help her feel safer by making it clear that you will not take advantage of her. The clinician can set up boundaries between himself or herself and the woman by asking her permission to touch her, to write notes, and to discuss areas of confidentiality and privilege. Individual or group therapy rather than couples therapy is recommended, at least initially.
Validation
A battered woman needs to feel validated when she describes the abuse. This can be done by emphasizing the positive things she did to protect herself and her children if they were involved. Tell her that no matter what she may have done or said, no one deserves to be abused. Be careful not to ask or even intimate that she might have done something to provoke the batterer. Such questions will not create the rapport that facilitates empowerment—nor do they create a safe space for the woman.
Most battered women have been told of their faults over and over by the batterer. They also have experienced his jealousy, overpossessiveness, and attempts to isolate them from significant friends or family. They may need education about the impact of abuse on their physical as well as mental health.13
Therapy should emphasize the woman’s strengths so that she trusts herself and others again. Naming her a battered woman with BWS may help her accept that she is not “crazy” (as the batterer predicted her doctor would find).
Risk and assessment and more....
If you need help please contact your local domestic violence center, mental health center or national hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) .
Psychiatric Times. Vol. 26 No. 7
TRAUMA AND VIOLENCE
Battered Woman Syndrome
Key Elements of a Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
Lenore E. Walker, EdD, ABPP-CL & Fam
Women who are victims of intimate-partner violence have been identified by the mental health field for more than 30 years now.1-3 It is understood that domestic violence is part of gender violence, and that many more women than men are the victims of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.4-6 Even when women strike back or engage in mutual violence, it is usually the woman who is most likely to be hurt—both physically and emotionally. Women who strike back in self-defense are often arrested along with the batterer.
It is further understood that gender violence is fostered by the socialization of men to be more powerful than women. In some men, this process creates the need to abuse power and to control women.5 While the term “victim” is not always considered politically correct, in fact, until battered women take back some control over their lives, they may not truly be considered survivors.7 Psychological symptoms, called battered woman syndrome (BWS), develop in some women and make it difficult for them to regain control. Mental health professionals have been able to assist these battered women with empowerment techniques and with accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, as described here.
BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME
BWS has been identified as a subcategory of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).8 Although not all battered women meet all the DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD,9 a sufficient number do; thus, a form of trauma treatment is most helpful.10
Table 1 lists 6 groups of criteria that recently have been found to be part of BWS.8
DIAGNOSIS
A number of steps will help you obtain accurate information when you are interviewing a woman whom you believe may be abused by her intimate partner (Table 2).
Safety
Begin by speaking with the woman without her partner present (if they are still together) and together form a safety plan. This can be difficult because batterers often want to be present during the entire examination so they can directly or even subtly remind the woman not to disclose their secret. It is not uncommon to feel as if the man were in the interview—even if he is waiting outside.
For a woman in a battering relationship, the most dangerous time is when she and her partner are discussing or thinking about separation.11,12 Even if the woman is no longer living with the batterer, she may not be safe. It is important to help her feel safer by making it clear that you will not take advantage of her. The clinician can set up boundaries between himself or herself and the woman by asking her permission to touch her, to write notes, and to discuss areas of confidentiality and privilege. Individual or group therapy rather than couples therapy is recommended, at least initially.
Validation
A battered woman needs to feel validated when she describes the abuse. This can be done by emphasizing the positive things she did to protect herself and her children if they were involved. Tell her that no matter what she may have done or said, no one deserves to be abused. Be careful not to ask or even intimate that she might have done something to provoke the batterer. Such questions will not create the rapport that facilitates empowerment—nor do they create a safe space for the woman.
Most battered women have been told of their faults over and over by the batterer. They also have experienced his jealousy, overpossessiveness, and attempts to isolate them from significant friends or family. They may need education about the impact of abuse on their physical as well as mental health.13
Therapy should emphasize the woman’s strengths so that she trusts herself and others again. Naming her a battered woman with BWS may help her accept that she is not “crazy” (as the batterer predicted her doctor would find).
Risk and assessment and more....
If you need help please contact your local domestic violence center, mental health center or national hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) .
Friday, May 15, 2009
Caffeine: Upper or Placebo
posted Monday, 4 May 2009
Jennifer Nachbur
Jennifer Nachbur
Ever miss your daily cup of coffee and subsequently get a pounding headache? According to reports from consumers of coffee and other caffeinated products, caffeine withdrawal is often characterized by a headache, fatigue, feeling less alert, less energetic and experiencing difficulty concentrating.
Researchers from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine sought to investigate the biological mechanisms of caffeine withdrawal in a paper published recently in the online edition of the scientific journal Psychopharmacology. They looked at brain electrical activity and blood flow during caffeine withdrawal to examine what was taking place physiologically during acute caffeine abstinence, including the likely mechanism underlying the common "caffeine withdrawal headache."
The group examined caffeine's effects in a double-blind study, which involved the administration of caffeine and placebo capsules. Each participant's response to the caffeine or placebo was measured using three different measures - brain electrical activity via electroencephalogram (EEG); blood flow velocity in the brain via ultrasound; and participants' self-reports of subjective effects via questionnaires.
The team demonstrated that stopping daily caffeine consumption produces changes in cerebral blood flow velocity and quantitative EEG that are likely related to the classic caffeine withdrawal symptoms of headache, drowsiness and decreased alertness. More specifically, acute caffeine abstinence increased brain blood flow, an effect that may account for commonly reported withdrawal headaches. Acute caffeine abstinence also produced changes in EEG (increased theta rhythm) that has previously been linked to the common withdrawal symptom of fatigue.
Consistent with this, volunteers reported increases in measures of "tired," "fatigue," "sluggish" and "weary." Overall, these findings provide the most rigorous demonstration to date of physiological effects of caffeine withdrawal.
The researchers also discovered a provocative and somewhat unexpected finding - that there were no net benefits associated with regular caffeine consumption.
"In addition to looking at caffeine withdrawal, this rigorous design also permitted comparison of chronic caffeine maintenance with chronic placebo maintenance, which provides unique information about the extent to which there are net beneficial effects of daily caffeine administration," said Stacey Sigmon, PhD, research associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont and first author on the study. "In contrast to what most of us coffee lovers would think, our study showed no difference between when the participant was maintained on chronic placebo and when the participant was stabilized on chronic caffeine administration. What this means is that consuming caffeine regularly does not appear to produce any net beneficial effects, based on the measures we examined."
Sigmon SC, Herning RI, Better W, et al. Caffeine withdrawal, acute effects, tolerance, and absence of net beneficial effects of chronic administration: cerebral blood flow velocity, quantitative EEG, and subjective effects. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009;doi:10.1007/s00213-009-1489-4 [Abstract]
Friday, April 24, 2009
Refusing to Forgive by E. Goldstein
Refusing to Forgive: 9 Steps to Break FreeBy Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. April 15, 2009
I see it every day. We all hold grudges against other people who we feel have hurt or offended us in some way or another. We even hold these grudges for people who aren’t even alive anymore. We do this with the false idea that somehow we are making them suffer by being hurt and angry with them. Now, there is nothing wrong with being angry with someone, but it is how we express this anger that makes all the difference on us and our relationships . What is a grudge anyway? May it is harboring ill feelings toward another in the need to settle a score.
Let’s try a little experiment. Think of someone in your life right now (maybe not the most extreme person) who you are absolutely holding a grudge against right now. There is no way you are willing to forgive this person right now for their actions. Picture that person and hold onto that unwillingness to forgive. Now, just observe what emotions are there; Anger, resentment, sadness? Also notice how you are holding your body right now, is it tense anywhere or feeling heavy? Now bring awareness to your thoughts; are they hateful and spiteful thoughts?
Most people who I do this with find this to be an uncomfortable experiment that elicits feelings of tension, anger, and thoughts of ill will toward the other person. This is not conjuring these feelings out of nowhere; this is just bringing to light what is already within stirring around. There is a common misperception that forgiveness means condoning the act of the other person. Forgiveness simply means releasing this cycle of torture that continues to reside inside.
Forgiving does not mean forgetting or condoning! Forgiveness is for the person who was perpetrated, not the perpetrator. It is saying, “I have already been offended against, I am going to let go of this so I don’t continue to be burdened by it.” You have already been tortured once, why continue letting this torture you by holding onto it with the erroneous belief that holding onto it is somehow hurting the other person. The practice of forgiveness has been shown to reduce stress, anger, and depression and support many aspects of well-being and happiness.
Like many things, this is easier said than done depending on the person and level of offense. In his book, Forgive for Good, Fred Luskin, Ph.D. lays out 9 steps to forgiving for you!
I see it every day. We all hold grudges against other people who we feel have hurt or offended us in some way or another. We even hold these grudges for people who aren’t even alive anymore. We do this with the false idea that somehow we are making them suffer by being hurt and angry with them. Now, there is nothing wrong with being angry with someone, but it is how we express this anger that makes all the difference on us and our relationships . What is a grudge anyway? May it is harboring ill feelings toward another in the need to settle a score.
Let’s try a little experiment. Think of someone in your life right now (maybe not the most extreme person) who you are absolutely holding a grudge against right now. There is no way you are willing to forgive this person right now for their actions. Picture that person and hold onto that unwillingness to forgive. Now, just observe what emotions are there; Anger, resentment, sadness? Also notice how you are holding your body right now, is it tense anywhere or feeling heavy? Now bring awareness to your thoughts; are they hateful and spiteful thoughts?
Most people who I do this with find this to be an uncomfortable experiment that elicits feelings of tension, anger, and thoughts of ill will toward the other person. This is not conjuring these feelings out of nowhere; this is just bringing to light what is already within stirring around. There is a common misperception that forgiveness means condoning the act of the other person. Forgiveness simply means releasing this cycle of torture that continues to reside inside.
Forgiving does not mean forgetting or condoning! Forgiveness is for the person who was perpetrated, not the perpetrator. It is saying, “I have already been offended against, I am going to let go of this so I don’t continue to be burdened by it.” You have already been tortured once, why continue letting this torture you by holding onto it with the erroneous belief that holding onto it is somehow hurting the other person. The practice of forgiveness has been shown to reduce stress, anger, and depression and support many aspects of well-being and happiness.
Like many things, this is easier said than done depending on the person and level of offense. In his book, Forgive for Good, Fred Luskin, Ph.D. lays out 9 steps to forgiving for you!
- Know exactly how you feel about what happened and be able to articulate what about the situation is not OK. Then, tell a trusted couple of people about your experience.
- Make a commitment to yourself to do what you have to do to feel better. Forgiveness is for you and not for anyone else.
- Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person that hurt you, or condoning of their action. What you are after is to find peace. Forgiveness can be defined as the “peace and understanding that come from blaming that which has hurt you less, taking the life experience less personally, and changing your grievance story.”
- Get the right perspective on what is happening. Recognize that your primary distress is coming from the hurt feelings, thoughts and physical upset you are suffering now, not what offended you or hurt you two minutes - or ten years -ago. Forgiveness helps to heal those hurt feelings.
- At the moment you feel upset practice a simple stress management technique to soothe your body’s flight or fight response.
- Give up expecting things from other people, or your life, that they do not choose to give you. Recognize the “unenforceable rules” you have for your health or how you or other people must behave. Remind yourself that you can hope for health, love, peace and prosperity and work hard to get them.
- Put your energy into looking for another way to get your positive goals met than through the experience that has hurt you. Instead of mentally replaying your hurt seek out new ways to get what you want.
- Remember that a life well lived is your best revenge. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, and thereby giving the person who caused you pain power over you, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you. Forgiveness is about personal power.
- Amend your grievance story to remind you of the heroic choice to forgive.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Why You're Not Sleeping
Provided by: FORBESWritten by: Rebecca Ruiz, Forbes.com Mar. 10, 2009
The recession has forced Americans to cut back on everything from health care to groceries. According to the results of a poll released Monday, it's also driving them to give up a precious commodity that doesn't cost a cent: sleep.
More than a quarter of 1,000 Americans randomly polled by the National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes a greater understanding of sleep and health, reported that the economy had disturbed their sleep at least a few nights a week.
Personal finances, unemployment and health care costs are among the troubles keeping people awake. The percentage of Americans experiencing economy-related insomnia may have worsened since the telephone poll was conducted over a month-long period beginning in late September.
In Depth: Nine Ways To Conquer Insomnia
The fact that Americans are sleeping less is unsurprising; the National Sleep Foundation has been documenting the dwindling hours of shut-eye for the past decade. The increasing number of sleep aid prescriptions is also telling. In 2008, 56.3 million prescriptions were filled, a 7% growth from 2007, according to IMS Health, a health care information company.
"Sleep is a barometer of life," says Dr. Meir Kryger, chairman of the board for the National Sleep Foundation. People suffering from severe sleep problems, he says, often fail to recognize the very simple reasons they can't drift off peacefully. Anxiety born of economic woes is a major factor, but so are sleep disorders and bad habits like an unpredictable schedule, performing late-night tasks and even staying in bed when it's impossible to fall asleep.
What it Means Not to Sleep
At least 40 million Americans experience chronic sleep disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health, which recommends that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. The National Sleep Foundation's poll shows that Americans routinely fall short of this goal, sleeping an average of six hours and 40 minutes per week night.
Sleep debt has a profound impact on a person's ability to function, says Dr. Carol Ash, medical director for Sleep for Life, a New Jersey-based sleep laboratory. Research has shown that it impairs judgment, focus, memory and reaction times. Eighteen hours of consecutive wakefulness is the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of .08%. The effects of sleep deprivation are cumulative, meaning that several nights of disturbed sleep can compound the ill effects of missed sleep.
There are the classic signs of sleep loss, including irritability, anxiety and depression, but less obvious, says Ash, are diminished problem-solving skills. The sleep-deprived may try pushing through fatigue to get their jobs done or developing last-minute solutions to urgent crises (think Congress). That's often the worst approach for the sleep-deprived to take.
"You'll be able to do mundane tasks," Ash says, "but you'll really start to fail when you have to think outside of the box."
Simple Sleep Solutions
With the exception of disorders that like apnea or narcolepsy, most sleep issues are caused by stress and bad habits. Spending a few nights awake, besieged by worries or because you're trying to return e-mails just before bed, for example, can teach the body a routine that is not conducive to sleep.
Dr. Eric Powell, director of research at the Clayton Sleep Institute in Missouri, often tells insomniacs to get out of bed. It sounds counterintuitive, but the strategy is based on research that has shown efforts to force the body to sleep only breed frustration.
When that cycle of sleep-related stress begins, he says, it can be hard for patients to identify obvious reasons for their insomnia. These frequently include an unpredictable schedule, a noisy or brightly lit sleeping environment or the lack of a nightly ritual. In other cases, sleep disturbances are related to a chronic disease. Diabetics, for example, experience increased discomfort as a result of damage to the nerves in the feet and legs.
Experts say that the sleep-deprived should seek professional help when the problem becomes chronic and self-imposed remedies fail. At that point, treatment may require prescription medicine or therapy.
When counseling patients affected by the economy, Kryger reminds them that the recession will pass. Tuning out anxiety not only aids with the coping process, it's also necessary for moving on.
Showing up at an interview looking ragged won't impress, he says. If nothing else, "you need your sleep to get another job."
The recession has forced Americans to cut back on everything from health care to groceries. According to the results of a poll released Monday, it's also driving them to give up a precious commodity that doesn't cost a cent: sleep.
More than a quarter of 1,000 Americans randomly polled by the National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes a greater understanding of sleep and health, reported that the economy had disturbed their sleep at least a few nights a week.
Personal finances, unemployment and health care costs are among the troubles keeping people awake. The percentage of Americans experiencing economy-related insomnia may have worsened since the telephone poll was conducted over a month-long period beginning in late September.
In Depth: Nine Ways To Conquer Insomnia
The fact that Americans are sleeping less is unsurprising; the National Sleep Foundation has been documenting the dwindling hours of shut-eye for the past decade. The increasing number of sleep aid prescriptions is also telling. In 2008, 56.3 million prescriptions were filled, a 7% growth from 2007, according to IMS Health, a health care information company.
"Sleep is a barometer of life," says Dr. Meir Kryger, chairman of the board for the National Sleep Foundation. People suffering from severe sleep problems, he says, often fail to recognize the very simple reasons they can't drift off peacefully. Anxiety born of economic woes is a major factor, but so are sleep disorders and bad habits like an unpredictable schedule, performing late-night tasks and even staying in bed when it's impossible to fall asleep.
What it Means Not to Sleep
At least 40 million Americans experience chronic sleep disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health, which recommends that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. The National Sleep Foundation's poll shows that Americans routinely fall short of this goal, sleeping an average of six hours and 40 minutes per week night.
Sleep debt has a profound impact on a person's ability to function, says Dr. Carol Ash, medical director for Sleep for Life, a New Jersey-based sleep laboratory. Research has shown that it impairs judgment, focus, memory and reaction times. Eighteen hours of consecutive wakefulness is the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of .08%. The effects of sleep deprivation are cumulative, meaning that several nights of disturbed sleep can compound the ill effects of missed sleep.
There are the classic signs of sleep loss, including irritability, anxiety and depression, but less obvious, says Ash, are diminished problem-solving skills. The sleep-deprived may try pushing through fatigue to get their jobs done or developing last-minute solutions to urgent crises (think Congress). That's often the worst approach for the sleep-deprived to take.
"You'll be able to do mundane tasks," Ash says, "but you'll really start to fail when you have to think outside of the box."
Simple Sleep Solutions
With the exception of disorders that like apnea or narcolepsy, most sleep issues are caused by stress and bad habits. Spending a few nights awake, besieged by worries or because you're trying to return e-mails just before bed, for example, can teach the body a routine that is not conducive to sleep.
Dr. Eric Powell, director of research at the Clayton Sleep Institute in Missouri, often tells insomniacs to get out of bed. It sounds counterintuitive, but the strategy is based on research that has shown efforts to force the body to sleep only breed frustration.
When that cycle of sleep-related stress begins, he says, it can be hard for patients to identify obvious reasons for their insomnia. These frequently include an unpredictable schedule, a noisy or brightly lit sleeping environment or the lack of a nightly ritual. In other cases, sleep disturbances are related to a chronic disease. Diabetics, for example, experience increased discomfort as a result of damage to the nerves in the feet and legs.
Experts say that the sleep-deprived should seek professional help when the problem becomes chronic and self-imposed remedies fail. At that point, treatment may require prescription medicine or therapy.
When counseling patients affected by the economy, Kryger reminds them that the recession will pass. Tuning out anxiety not only aids with the coping process, it's also necessary for moving on.
Showing up at an interview looking ragged won't impress, he says. If nothing else, "you need your sleep to get another job."
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Getting Help: Locate Services
If unsure where to go for help, talk to someone you trust who has experience in mental health—for example, a doctor, nurse, social worker, or religious counselor. Ask their advice on where to seek treatment. If there is a university nearby, its departments of psychiatry or psychology may offer private and/or sliding-scale fee clinic treatment options. Otherwise, check the Yellow Pages under "mental health," "health," "social services," "crisis intervention services," "hotlines," "hospitals," or "physicians" for phone numbers and addresses. In times of crisis, the emergency room doctor at a hospital may be able to provide temporary help for a mental health problem, and will be able to tell you where and how to get further help.
Listed below are the types of people and places that will make a referral to, or provide, diagnostic and treatment services.
Family doctors
Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors
Religious leaders/counselors
Health maintenance organizations
Community mental health centers
Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics
University- or medical school-affiliated programs
State hospital outpatient clinics
Social service agencies
Private clinics and facilities
Employee assistance programs
Local medical and/or psychiatric societies
Locate Mental Health Services in Your Area Within the Federal government, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a Services Locator for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs and resources nationwide.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) CMS is the the federal agency responsible for administering the Medicare, Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) and several other programs that help people pay for health care.
Locate Affordable Healthcare in Your Area Within the Federal Government, a bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provides a Health Center Database for a nationwide directory of clinics to obtain low or no-cost healthcare.
Locate NIMH Clinical Trials currently seeking participants.
Mental Health Information and Organizations from NLM's MedlinePlus (en Español)
If You Are in a Crisis and Need Immediate Help
Listed below are the types of people and places that will make a referral to, or provide, diagnostic and treatment services.
Family doctors
Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors
Religious leaders/counselors
Health maintenance organizations
Community mental health centers
Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics
University- or medical school-affiliated programs
State hospital outpatient clinics
Social service agencies
Private clinics and facilities
Employee assistance programs
Local medical and/or psychiatric societies
Locate Mental Health Services in Your Area Within the Federal government, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a Services Locator for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs and resources nationwide.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) CMS is the the federal agency responsible for administering the Medicare, Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) and several other programs that help people pay for health care.
Locate Affordable Healthcare in Your Area Within the Federal Government, a bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provides a Health Center Database for a nationwide directory of clinics to obtain low or no-cost healthcare.
Locate NIMH Clinical Trials currently seeking participants.
Mental Health Information and Organizations from NLM's MedlinePlus (en Español)
If You Are in a Crisis and Need Immediate Help
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Salt Cravings and Depression
See research regarding the relationship between salt intake and mood.
Of particular importance are experience-dependent processes including the sensitization of the neural systems underlying sodium appetite and the effects of sodium balance on hedonic state and mood. Accumulating evidence suggests that plasticity within the central nervous system as a result of experience with high salt intake, sodium depletion, or a chronic unresolved sodium appetite fosters enduring changes in sodium related appetitive and consummatory behaviors.
see Science Direct for more....
Of particular importance are experience-dependent processes including the sensitization of the neural systems underlying sodium appetite and the effects of sodium balance on hedonic state and mood. Accumulating evidence suggests that plasticity within the central nervous system as a result of experience with high salt intake, sodium depletion, or a chronic unresolved sodium appetite fosters enduring changes in sodium related appetitive and consummatory behaviors.
see Science Direct for more....
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is intentionally paying attention to the present moment while putting aside our preconceived ideas, expectations, and judgments. It is being in connection with the here and now.Over the past 30 years there has been a buildup of evidence-based research using mindfulness practice to work with difficult medical and mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, addiction, insomnia, chronic pain, immune function, cancer, trauma, and more.
Check this out: Mindfulness Blog by Dr. Goldstein:
"The practice of mindfulness teaches us a different way to relate to our thoughts, feelings, and emotions as they arise. It is about learning to approach and acknowledge whatever is happening in the present moment, setting aside our lenses of judgment and just being with whatever is there, rather than avoiding it or needing to fix it. It’s the mind’s attempt to avoid and fix things in this moment that fuels the negative mood. So, if sadness is there, instead of trying to fix it or figure it out, we might just acknowledge the sadness and let it be. If self-judgments arise (e.g., I am weak, I am a loser) out of past sensitivities to having been depressed before, we can acknowledge that they are associations from teh past, let them be, and then gently bring ourselves back to whatever we were doing. In doing this, we’re stopping the ruminative cycle that might occur between our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations that can play off one another leading us to a relapse.
Now, this is easier said than done and it takes practice.
Practice - One way to practice mindfulness is to use the breath as an object of awareness. You can place attention at the tip of the nose or the belly and as you breathe in, just acknowledge the breath coming in and as you breathing out just acknowledge the breathe going out. As if you were greeting and saying goodbye to an old friend. When the mind wanders, as it will always do, just say to yourself “wandering” and then gently bring your attention back to the breath just noticing it coming in and going out. Most of us catch the mind wandering and gently bring it back billions of times, so know that it is normal for the mind to wander often. You can do this for as little as 1 minute or as much as 30 minutes or more."
Check this out: Mindfulness Blog by Dr. Goldstein:
"The practice of mindfulness teaches us a different way to relate to our thoughts, feelings, and emotions as they arise. It is about learning to approach and acknowledge whatever is happening in the present moment, setting aside our lenses of judgment and just being with whatever is there, rather than avoiding it or needing to fix it. It’s the mind’s attempt to avoid and fix things in this moment that fuels the negative mood. So, if sadness is there, instead of trying to fix it or figure it out, we might just acknowledge the sadness and let it be. If self-judgments arise (e.g., I am weak, I am a loser) out of past sensitivities to having been depressed before, we can acknowledge that they are associations from teh past, let them be, and then gently bring ourselves back to whatever we were doing. In doing this, we’re stopping the ruminative cycle that might occur between our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations that can play off one another leading us to a relapse.
Now, this is easier said than done and it takes practice.
Practice - One way to practice mindfulness is to use the breath as an object of awareness. You can place attention at the tip of the nose or the belly and as you breathe in, just acknowledge the breath coming in and as you breathing out just acknowledge the breathe going out. As if you were greeting and saying goodbye to an old friend. When the mind wanders, as it will always do, just say to yourself “wandering” and then gently bring your attention back to the breath just noticing it coming in and going out. Most of us catch the mind wandering and gently bring it back billions of times, so know that it is normal for the mind to wander often. You can do this for as little as 1 minute or as much as 30 minutes or more."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)