MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Psych Central' source. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:35:59 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5665244&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Fthe-gentle-self-how-to-overcome-your-difficulties-with-depression-anxiety-shyness-and-low-self-esteem%2F I think everyone’s a little narcissistic.  We all have moments when we wish everyone would be more like us—when we get upset that no one seems to care about what we are feeling.  We also often put others ahead of ourselves and deny ourselves the satisfaction of saying “I need to do this for me.”  If either of these becomes an extreme, psychologists may diagnose it as Narcissistic Personality Disorder.  The Gentle Self by Gerti Schoen addresses the second type of narcissist. Drawing on her own experiences and her observations of others, Schoen explains exactly what a “gentle self” is.  This type of narcissist puts others ahead of themselves because the narcissist feels that he or she is unworthy of love or respect.  I can definitely relate to the gentle self.  Schoen spen... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5665244 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:35:16 +0100 5665244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5665245&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Fparenting-after-traumatic-events-ways-to-support-children%2F One of the most important messages for parents about traumatic experiences—such as car accidents, medical trauma, exposure to violence, disasters—that may impact them and their children is that while children of all ages can be impacted, most are resilient and able to cope and recover. Dr. Ann Masten from the University of Minnesota wrote in the journal American Psychologist (2001) about resilience as “ordinary magic.” That is, given normal protective factors, most children will be able to cope, recover, and be fine after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. Some children and adolescents may develop symptoms following a disaster, especially if they have experienced traumatic events earlier such as losses or other difficult situations. The symptoms related to trauma may ap... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5665245 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:35:07 +0100 5665245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5665246&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Fsocial-support-is-critical-for-depression-recovery%2F Every human being wants to belong. This need is so strong that people will do nearly anything to feel like they are part of something. Personal relationships form a safety net around individuals to protect them from too much isolation. Long ago, people who strayed from a group had a much harder time surviving the elements or avoiding starvation. While it’s physically safer now to live a solitary life, emotional isolation can still threaten a person’s mental well-being. Social support is a vital and effective part of depression recovery. It can turn around damaging isolation, affect a person’s life focus, and generate solutions for depression management. Learn more about how this powerful social force can positively effect someone living with depression. Social Connection Curbs You... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5665246 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:38:51 +0100 5665246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5658058&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Fwhats-my-zip-code%2F When I first saw this book “What’s My Zip Code?” by David Stringer, it was in download format and I wondered what exactly it would be about because it seemed like an odd title to me.  After reading the book I feel as though the title is very fitting. I’ve now seen the cover and how telling even that is!  The picture of a forlorn young man standing at a rundown “campsite” is exactly as the reader will feel about the main character. David Stringer has a well-written account  of how a family member can feel about their mentally ill, substance-abusing sibling and son.  In his first-person memoir the reader can’t help but empathize with David and his family but also feel strong emotions for David’s brother John who is riddled with problems. ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5658058 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:31:54 +0100 5658058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5618396&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Fthe-lonely-screams-understanding-the-complex-world-of-the-lonely-2%2F Loneliness is certainly a common human experience; even if you’ve been lucky enough to feel it only briefly, or rarely, you know the misery of it, the actual physical pain of it. Arising from a feeling of having inadequately meaningful social relationships, loneliness can become a chronic condition for some people, and this book collects their voices. The Lonely Screams, by Sean Seepersad, presents a curated collection of essays contributed to Seepersad’s website, Web of Loneliness. The stories are often wrenching and sad, and Seepersad follows each essay with his thoughts about the origin of and solution to the writer’s loneliness.  Aside from his clinical and academic interest in the subject, Seepersad has a personal interest; the final chapter is his own essay about his experien... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5618396 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:56:04 +0100 5618396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5618397&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Fthe-challenge-of-children-with-special-needs%2F Labels abound, some of them distasteful, some inaccurate, some just in vogue, others useful to understanding and planning. I am speaking about children who have substantial special needs. They may be diagnosed with complex disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, Tourette’s, or Mental Retardation. All are challenging to identify reliably, and even more challenging to treat effectively. We can add the physical disabilities of blindness, deafness, and a multitude of serious medical disorders that strike children and significantly limit their ability to function. Each of these disorders has books, websites, and national organizations devoted to them. Parents often know more about the specific disorder than any individual professional ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5618397 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:35:58 +0100 5618397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5605897&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Fthe-memory-palace-a-memoir%2F We children of schizophrenics are the great secret-keepers, the ones who don’t want you to think anything is wrong (p. 5). Author Mira Bartok has encapsulated in this statement her life as the daughter of mentally ill musical prodigy Norma Herr.  The Memory Palace describes Ms. Bartok’s journey from scared child to haunted college student to free adult and finally back again to scared child, sitting at her mother’s bedside as she succumbs to the effects of a lifetime of poor (mostly homeless) living.  It is a moving, evocative story, relating Norma’s schizophrenic mind to Mira’s later experience with traumatic brain injury, and how this helped them to reconcile after 30 years of estrangement.  A difficult read at times due to the subject matter, The Memory Palace is nonetheles... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5605897 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:18:26 +0100 5605897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5605898&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2F5-damaging-myths-about-postpartum-depression%2F Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of the most common complications of childbirth, according to Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, MPH, director of the Perinatal Psychiatry Program at the UNC Center for Women’s Mood Disorders. PPD affects about 10 to 15 percent of moms. Yet, it’s exceedingly misunderstood — even by medical and mental health professionals. “You should hear the things I hear from moms across the country — awful things that are said to them by partners, family members, co-workers, nurses and doctors,” said Katherine Stone, an advocate for women with PPD, founder and editor of the award-winning blog Postpartum Progress and a survivor of postpartum OCD. After reaching out for help, some moms don’t even hear back. Some receive a prescription with no followu... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5605898 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:35:45 +0100 5605898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5570648&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Focd-treatment-for-contamination-fears%2F Before discussing currently accepted treatments for contamination obssessive-compulsive (OC) disorder, let’s cover treatments that should be avoided (but unfortunately are still used by some providers). These treatments may be helpful for other problems, but the weight of evidence suggests that for contamination OC (and other forms of OCD), these should be avoided. Systematic desensitization: The functional component of this treatment involves relaxation in association with feared images and objects. Although this approach is of some value for other anxiety conditions, it is not advisable for contamination OC. One of the clearest reasons is that most people receiving this treatment find they cannot engage in relaxation exercises when they are ‘in the moment’ of their co... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5570648 Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:14:48 +0100 5570648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5570649&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2012%2Focd-symptoms-of-contamination-fears%2F The most common association regarding people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are that these people are primarily concerned with germs and becoming ‘contaminated.’ This is the one variant of OCD that receives the most publicity, and optimistically, it is also among the most ‘treatable’ forms of OCD. Most of the early studies on treatment for OCD focused on people struggling with contamination fears. Despite this early focus in the research literature, some continue to struggle following treatment, or fail to respond altogether. It has been my experience that there are some factors that weigh heavily in whether one successfully recovers from contamination OC. Among these factors are: 1) extent that others assume ‘responsibility’ for cleanliness,... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5570649 Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:40:59 +0100 5570649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5550860&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fquestions-kids-ask-about-adhd%2F Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a fairly common mental health concern among children and teenagers today. It is readily treated by medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. Here are some commonly asked questions teens have about ADHD, and their answers. Q: What is ADD? A: The letters ADD stand for “attention deficit disorder.” Having attention deficit disorder is like needing to wear glasses. It means you have trouble seeing life clearly. You have trouble paying attention. You may like to move around a lot, and this also makes it hard to pay attention to what is going on. Just as it can be annoying for people who wear glasses to have to put on their glasses, it can be annoying to have ADD. But there is nothing wrong with it. It doesn’t me... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5550860 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:15:11 +0100 5550860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5550861&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fquestions-teens-ask-about-adhd%2F Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a fairly common mental health concern among children and teenagers today. It is readily treated by medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. Here are some commonly asked questions teens have about ADHD, and their answers. Q: What is ADD? A: ADD stands for “attention deficit disorder.” It is a neurological syndrome characterized by distractibility, impulsivity, and restlessness. “Neurological” means having to do with the brain and nervous system. ADD is a label for how the brain and nervous system of people with ADD works. People with ADD tend to think quickly and creatively. They are usually smart, intuitive, and full of new ideas and plans. They like to try out new things and they like to have fun. ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5550861 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:13:30 +0100 5550861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5550862&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2F32-of-the-best-ways-to-get-organized-when-you-have-adhd%2F Organization is a common challenge for adults with ADHD. But it can be done! Below, ADHD specialists share their foolproof tips for cutting out clutter, managing time, creating an efficient space and more. Remember that the key to organization is having a simple system that works for you and your family. So experiment with these tips, keep what you like and toss the rest. 1. Use a planner. People often underestimate the power of a simple planner. “An effective, consistent planning system is the number one strategy to better organize, prioritize and manage time,” according to Laurie Dupar, a certified ADHD coach, nurse practitioner and editor and co-author of 365 Ways to Succeed with ADHD, a full year of bite-sized strategies to help you thrive with ADHD. Psychotherapist Terry Matlen,... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5550862 Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:25:40 +0100 5550862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535652&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Favoidance-in-ocd-its-never-the-answer%2F One of the common ways that people deal with anxiety is through avoidance. Afraid to fly? Well then, don’t. A large crowd of people too much to deal with? Just stay away from parties or large gatherings. Too anxious to ever give a presentation? Don’t apply for that job you’d otherwise love. So what’s the problem? In isolated instances, avoidance may work. But as Dr. Charles Elliott, a clinical psychologist and a Founding Fellow in the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, says in reference to this behavior: “It makes your world smaller and fosters your fears. The more you avoid, the worse things get.” I believe this is especially true when talking about avoidance and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. OCD is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead the suf... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535652 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:27:47 +0100 5535652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5522081&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-alzheimers-family-helping-caregivers-cope%2F If you were asked to name a terminal illness, it is likely that Alzheimer’s would not be your first choice.  However, from my own perspective, when you consider that there is no cure for this horrible disease, how can it be called anything else but terminal?  When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a family becomes focused on learning more about the illness, how it will affect their loved one, and what kind of care will be necessary.  If they have no previous exposure to Alzheimer’s with other family members or even friends, what they may fail to realize is the extent to which each member of the family will be affected by the disease.  “Helping the family face their grief and work through the accompanying emotions of sadness, anxiety, anger, guilt, ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5522081 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:23:31 +0100 5522081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5522082&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2F21-tips-for-raising-kids-with-adhd-when-you-have-adhd-too%2F Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tends to run in families, so it’s common for both parent and child to struggle with the disorder. Naturally, this can create unique challenges when it comes to parenting. “Having ADD and parenting a child with ADD has been one of the most difficult challenges in my life,” said Terry Matlen, ACSW, a psychotherapist and coach who specializes in ADHD and is founder and director of ADDConsults.com. Matlen’s daughter has ADHD and other special needs. She frequently hears from parents with ADHD who also worry about their ability to parent. Sometimes, parenting can feel like “the blind leading the blind,” Matlen said. For instance, it might seem next to impossible to teach your child the very skills you struggle with. “If I have trou... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5522082 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:35:07 +0100 5522082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5513732&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fafter-schizophrenia%2F I was not sure what to expect when I first opened Margaret Hawkins’ After Schizophrenia. Memoirs about people suffering from mental illness are quite common these days and I was interested to see if the author would be able to provide a unique perspective on schizophrenia and the distinct difficulties that it can lead to. The subtitle of the book is “The story of my sister’s reawakening after 30 years,” which led me to wonder how schizophrenia would be looked at through the eyes of a diagnosed person’s close family. When all was said and done, I found that I was happy to have read the book. The author does an excellent job of bringing the reader into her personal story of dealing with her sister’s illness. In my current position as a rehabilitation counselor at a psychiatric ce... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5513732 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:45:15 +0100 5513732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5513733&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fwhat-a-life-can-be%2F In “What a Life Can Be: One Therapist’s Take on Schizo-Affective Disorder,” Carolyn Dobbins, PhD offers an insightful look into the evolution of a successful mental health professional with a challenging diagnosis:  schizo-affective disorder.  In an unusual format, the author elucidates the many trials she has faced since her teen years, when she first began experiencing symptoms.  Transitioning from a competitive young athlete to a woman struggling to find her identity both with and apart from her mental health diagnosis, Carolyn guides us through her journey often filled with confusion, frustration and plenty of bumps. The reader readily forms an alliance with the author, as we witness her difficulties with medication, her loving but sometimes strained relationship with very ca... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5513733 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:45:02 +0100 5513733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5513734&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fcourage-and-limits-with-your-teen%2F This column uses a story based on a real-life situation in therapy to represent both the teen and parent viewpoints on the delicate balance between adolescents’ needs for containment and freedom. Ashley’s Perspective Ashley was 19. She had been away at college her freshman and sophomore years when her life unraveled again. In high school, she had struggled for several years with escalating depression, drinking, and marijuana use, and the painful feeling that her mother was ashamed of her. Her parents did not recognize the seriousness of the situation until she began to scratch and then cut her arms with sharp objects, at which point her mom got scared and sought help. During her senior year of high school, her mom forced her into treatment, and with intensive individual, family and gro... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5513734 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:25:46 +0100 5513734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5513735&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fare-you-sad-this-winter-coping-with-seasonal-affective-disorder%2F Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) goes beyond the winter blues. It goes beyond feeling tired or sad or disliking winter. SAD is a form of clinical depression that occurs in the winter, according to Kelly Rohan, Ph.D, associate professor of psychology at the University of Vermont, whose research focuses on SAD. It starts around fall or winter, as the days get shorter and darker, and typically remits in the spring or summer. SAD affects around 14 million Americans, according to author and SAD specialist Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D., in his book Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder. (About 14 percent of American adults struggle with the winter blues.) People with SAD experience a variety of physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms that impairs their da... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5513735 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:35:54 +0100 5513735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5513736&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-media-and-mental-illness-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ridiculous%2F When portraying mental illness and psychotherapy, the media tends to get it wrong — a lot — which has far-reaching results. Inaccurate depictions fuel stigma and may prevent people from seeking help. “There are people out there who could benefit from therapy but don’t go because they think it’s just for ‘crazy’ people or think all therapists are nuts — because that’s what they see in the media,” said Ryan Howes, Ph.D, a psychologist, writer and professor in Pasadena, California. When a tragic or violent act happens, the news media tends to exaggerate mental illness and depict it negatively, according to Jeffrey Sumber, MA, LCPC, a Chicago psychotherapist, author and teacher. “In circumstances such as a school shooting or the Giffords shooting... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5513736 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:35:25 +0100 5513736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5474670&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsexual-trauma-a-challenge-not-insanity%2F Dr. K. Elan Jung’s Sexual Trauma: A Challenge Not Insanity is a strong reference, written for a wide audience including physicians, therapists, victims and the general layperson.  Dr. Jung is a practicing psychiatrist who has treated patients for more than forty years.  With years of experience, he attempts to point the way for a new approach to treatment for victims of sexual abuse who may also be experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD.  In his book, he outlines this approach as well as describes the various manifestations of PTSD that may occur in the life of a victim. Dr. Jung starts out by explaining the vast impact of sexual trauma.  He states that about “20-25% of girls and 10-15% of boys experience some form of sexual trauma before the age of 18.”  ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5474670 Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:27:14 +0100 5474670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5467060&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fbrave-girl-eating-a-familys-struggle-with-anorexia%2F Between three and six percent of all teens struggle with some type of eating disorder, be it bulimia, binge eating, or anorexia. Because these illnesses involve eating, they seem to take a blow at family traditions, celebrations, and expressions of togetherness. Thus, parents, siblings, and even relatives all suffer, as Harriet Brown so adroitly shows us in her memoir Brave Girl Eating: A Family’s Struggle with Anorexia, a heartbreaking story about a mother who’s ready to march to the end of the earth to save her daughter from anorexia.  From all outward appearances, Kitty looked like the girl who had it all: a straight-A student; an accomplished gymnast; and a happy, well-liked teen who loved reading, horses, and even cooking.  By sixth grade, however, she began counting calorie... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5467060 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:24:47 +0100 5467060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5467061&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fadhd-and-menopause-what-you-need-to-know-and-what-you-can-do%2F It’s hard enough having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But if you’re a woman going through perimenopause or menopause, you might find it getting even harder. Diminishing estrogen levels can actually exacerbate symptoms, and for some women, the decline is sudden and dramatic. Hormonal fluctuations affect our brain’s biochemistry and thereby ADHD symptoms, according to Dr. Patricia Quinn, M.D., a developmental pediatrician and director of the National Center for Girls and Women with AD/HD. Specifically, estrogen affects the release of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. “[A deficiency in] dopamine is responsible for increasing ADHD symptoms,” she said, while less serotonin leads to depressed mood. (That’s why women feel so miserable during their mens... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5467061 Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:35:48 +0100 5467061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5455325&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fchildhood-psychological-disorders-current-controversies%2F by Alberto M. Bursztyn is the latest edition to the “Making Sense of Psychology” series. This series concerns itself with the psychological problems and challenges in the lives of today’s children and adolescents. The book was developed out of a need for a middle ground of sorts between mental health researchers and people of all professions who are concerned with the wellbeing of children and teens. Bursztyn aimed to write this book in a way that makes it applicable to many types of helping professionals including teachers, therapists, schools counselors, or even just concerned parents. The book begins by discussing the idea of disability specifically in relation to young people. Bursztyn discusses how society reacts to the word “disability” and later goes on to talk about why ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5455325 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:03:13 +0100 5455325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5448537&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-natural-medicine-guide-to-bipolar-disorder%2F Having a special interest in how diet & physical activity help ease the symptoms of mood disorders, I was excited to review Stephanie Marohn’s book The Natural Medicine Guide to Bipolar Disorder.  This review covers the 2011 edition, which is a fully revised version of the original 2003 book.  Ms. Marohn has also written several other Natural Medicine Guides.  She is an energy worker with a B.S. in Dance Therapy, and has a varied list of professionals who helped her with the information for her book. This book offers alternatives, or complements, to the pharmaceuticals that have become the go-to treatment for much of the treatment of mental illness today.  The information in this book goes beyond the typical diet, exercise, and lifestyle advice normally presented as the natural w... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5448537 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:57:13 +0100 5448537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5439026&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-to-change-your-drinking-a-harm-reduction-guide-to-alcohol%2F Substance misuse is one of the most common and widely discussed topics within the mental health community, as both clients and professionals debate the most effective ways to deal with addictions and their causes. In the past, treatment might typically have involved a focus on abstinence as the ultimate goal, through zero-tolerance groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, or a 12-step program, where clients would be rewarded only for complete sobriety and nothing less. This has slowly changed over the past decade, though, through the realization that complete abstinence simply wasn’t a realistic or achievable goal for some, and that such a harsh insistence on withdrawal simply wasn’t working. In fact, it is estimated that 60 to 95 percent of clients who enter 12-step programs either drop ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5439026 Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:53:36 +0100 5439026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5439027&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ffat-people%2F For his book Fat People, Bill Schubart has created and gathered a collection of stories that will make you rethink your relationship with food. Schubart is smart, sensitive and unnervingly keen at noticing details.  The behaviors that he draws attention to are profound and haunting.  Through fourteen stories he tracks the different ways people have come to suffer under the very thing they sought comfort from: food. While the stories are fictional, there is an aching truth in every one of them. The foreword is the only attempt Schubart makes at directly connecting the stories to one another.  Otherwise, each section is meant to stand on its own and represents a specific hardship of food addiction or obesity.  Since each story can function individually, it is easy to carry the book with ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5439027 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:20:05 +0100 5439027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5439028&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Frecognizing-and-dealing-with-stress%2F Stress is often defined as a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset the balance of things in some way. The body has a way of protecting you in these times; this is known as the fight-or-flight, or stress, response. Stress is not always harmful. Good stress allows you to stay alert and focused. For example, in a life-threatening situation, the stress response ultimately can have life-saving results. It can also help you in challenging situations, such as completing work tasks. However, there is also bad stress. Bad stress can cause damage to your overall well-being. Many people often do not realize they are under stress until it has begun to consume them. It is important to recognize stress before it gets out of control. Stress can negatively affect your ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5439028 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:19:26 +0100 5439028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5419944&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fnatural-remedies-for-dealing-with-stress%2F Many Americans today are under huge amounts of stress. With the decline of the economy, many find themselves dealing with financial stress. There are also those everyday stressors that come along with the normal hustle and bustle of life. Stress-related doctor visits are on the rise. There are several medical options for dealing with stress. While medications can be helpful, many individuals want to avoid taking them every day or dealing with possible side effects. There are several natural remedies to consider when dealing with stress. Eating a Healthy Diet Eating right is not only good for your body physically, but it is also good for emotional health. When we eat better, we feel better. Some suggest a natural body cleanse or detox to jumpstart this process. Avoiding excessive fats, ca... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5419944 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:27:35 +0100 5419944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5419945&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-empty-chair-at-the-holiday-table%2F Getting ready for the first Thanksgiving after David died was very, very hard. The loss of my husband’s brother and my best friend was still new and raw. How would we possibly celebrate the holiday without my kids’ magical uncle among us, making horrible puns and telling outrageous jokes? How could I face the pie baking we’d always done together the night before everyone else arrived? How could we go on? Of course, we did go on, as people do. But that year our conversation was more subdued than usual because we were all so aware of the empty chair at our table; the absence that couldn’t be denied. As the years have gone by, the loss has become less painful. Now our memories of David and others who’ve passed out of our lives are laced with humor and nostalgia. The chairs are emp... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5419945 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:35:35 +0100 5419945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5419946&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fwhen-adhd-and-anxiety-occur-together%2F It’s not uncommon for individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to struggle with anxiety, whether it’s several symptoms or a full-blown disorder. In fact, about 30 to 40 percent of people with ADHD have an anxiety disorder, which includes “obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, social anxiety and panic disorder,” according to Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America even estimates the figure to be almost 50 percent. Here’s why ADHD and anxiety co-occur (occur together), how this affects treatment and several strategies for coping with anxiety. Why ADHD & Anxiety Co-occur ADHD symptoms can be very intrusive and mak... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5419946 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:45:33 +0100 5419946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5419947&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Faccepting-and-overcoming-anxiety%2F So there you are in the middle of a business meeting, Wal-Mart, a shopping mall, your kids’ school play, and out of nowhere, it hits. It’s the feeling you hope will pass soon and that no one will notice. Many individuals suffer in silence, harboring feelings of embarrassment or lack of control. The culprit: anxiety. Anxiety can be triggered by events or situations; however, it can also strike without cause. Symptoms vary for each individual and often with each attack. Anxiety can cause feelings of tightness in the chest, breathlessness, dizziness, confusion, racing heartbeat, upset stomach, and that feeling of just wanting to escape. It’s no wonder anxiety is so frightening and becomes debilitating to individuals. It’s important to know that finding and understanding the root caus... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5419947 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:05:42 +0100 5419947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5405250&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Falternative-treatments-for-depression%2F This article will cover some of the more popular alternative remedies for clinical depression, many of which have significant research backing to support their use. In many cases, trying an alternative treatment may be sufficient to help alleviate the most distressing symptoms of depression. As with anything you try, you should always talk to your health care professional first, to ensure the treatment is right for you (this is especially true if you’re currently taking certain medications, as they may interact badly with some herbs or diets). As with any treatment for depression, your results will vary in trying any of the below options. People with more serious or severe depression may experience the least benefit from these kinds of treatments. You should not try more than one al... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5405250 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:35:50 +0100 5405250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5405251&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fdispelling-myths-about-dissociative-identity-disorder%2F Dissociative identity disorder (DID), known previously as multiple personality disorder, is not a real disorder. At least, that’s what you might’ve heard in the media, and even from some mental health professionals. DID is arguably one of the most misunderstood and controversial diagnoses in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). But it is a real and debilitating disorder that makes it difficult for people to function. Why the controversy? According to Bethany Brand, Ph.D, a professor of psychology at Towson University and an expert in treating and researching dissociative disorders, there are several reasons. DID is associated with early severe trauma, such as abuse and neglect. This raises the concern over false memories. Some people worry that cl... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5405251 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:35:41 +0100 5405251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5405252&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Flength-of-stay-for-residential-ocd-treatment%2F Toward the end of his freshman year of college, my son Dan’s obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was so severe that he could not even eat. He would get “stuck” in the same chair for hours, barely able to move. Despite his condition, Dan was determined to successfully complete the semester. After all, he had worked hard for years to get into his dream college, and he wasn’t going to let OCD take that away from him. With the support of a close friend who is a clinical psychologist, my son was somehow able to get through the semester. More than anything, Dan wanted to return to school in the fall, and so he was thrilled to be accepted into a world-renowned, intensive residential program for the summer. The staff there assured him that he would have plenty of time to get back on track ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5405252 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:32:42 +0100 5405252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5357043&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Focd-and-adhd-is-there-a-connection%2F By the end of his freshman year in college, my son Dan’s obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was so severe that he could not even eat. He would sit in one particular chair for hours, doing absolutely nothing, and he was not able to enter most of the buildings on campus. Because he desperately wanted to be well enough to return to school in the fall, Dan spent his summer at a world-renowned residential treatment program for OCD. Fast-forward a few months and Dan has returned to college. Though he understands his OCD now, and has improved greatly thanks to Exposure Response Prevention Therapy, he is still battling the disorder. He is also taking three different medications. His program of study is intense, and his anxiety levels are high. He is having a hard time keeping track of his cell... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5357043 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:35:02 +0100 5357043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5333070&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2F10-ways-loving-a-dog-can-teach-us-to-love-our-bodies%2F Worried parents often come to my psychotherapy office, wondering how to teach their children to have a healthy attitude toward their bodies. These parents have heard their adolescents and pre-adolescents make comments like ‘I hate my thighs,’ or ‘I’m so fat and gross,’ or ‘Why do I train the same amount as the other boys and never get muscles?’ They also watch as their children make unhealthy choices with food, neglect sleep, and slouch with shame and body self-hate. These parents fear the development of eating disorders, steroid use, and poor physical health. They want to teach their wonderful children how to love and respect their bodies. The whole idea of loving one’s body, however, is confusing. What does it even mean to love your body? One day, as I walked our dog aro... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5333070 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:35:40 +0100 5333070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5333071&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fis-using-technology-to-treat-ocd-a-good-idea%2F For people who are suffering for any reason, the Internet can offer ready-made support. Those with OCD, for example, can visit blogs, forums, mental health sites, and individual health care provider sites dedicated to their disorder. Now it seems things have gone one step further. A recent pilot study of the effectiveness of ICBT (Internet-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy) shows promising results. Twenty-three patients underwent a 15-week ICBT program “with therapist support consisting of psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring and exposure with response prevention. At post-treatment, 61% of participants had a clinically significant improvement and 43% no longer fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of OCD. The treatment also resulted in statistically significant improvements in self-ra... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5333071 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:45:59 +0100 5333071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5322405&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fseeking-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-for-employees%2F Credit: PHILIP LEE HARVEY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYIf you currently know of or have known of an employee who needs drug and alcohol treatment, it is likely that you are frustrated. As an employer, you have a range of options available, but the action that many employers are likely to take is to fire the employee in question. Employers may think that is this the most practical and viable option. Dealing with employee drug or alcohol abuse seems troublesome, and hiring a new employee altogether seems as if it is the best choice for the company. But that choice may be wrong. There are numerous reasons why employers may want to consider sending their employees to a drug and alcohol treatment center. Some of the reasons are practical – increased job satisfaction, or the use of fewer health care... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5322405 Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:23:39 +0100 5322405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5312353&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-emotional-vulnerability-of-borderline-personality-disorder%2F Imagine you have a cut. The skin around your cut heals. But it heals all wrong. The scarred tissue is extra sensitive. So much so that every time you simply touch the area, it’s like the wound tears open again, and again, and again; and the pain peaks every single time. Now imagine this wound represents your emotional sensitivity and how you deal with the world every day. This is akin to the emotional susceptibility of borderline personality disorder (BPD). As Shari Y. Manning, Ph.D, writes in her excellent book Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder, “People with BPD have an exquisite vulnerability to emotions.” And this susceptibility is hardwired. For instance, Manning cites one interesting study where researchers tickled infants on their noses with a feather. Their... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5312353 Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:35:26 +0100 5312353 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5312354&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Foctober-is-domestic-violence-month%2F Domestic violence remains a huge and largely hidden problem. The purple ribbons you may have seen recently on car bumpers and people’s lapels are to remind us that someone is physically, sexually, psychologically or verbally abused by an intimate partner every 15 seconds. It crosses all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines, and it happens in both heterosexual and homosexual partnerships. Although women are more often targeted by men, there are also men who are victimized by their female or male intimate partners and women who are battered and manipulated by their female partners. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in the United States, 1.3 million women and 830,000 men are assaulted each year by people they believe love them. In a 2005 survey, the Centers ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5312354 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:14:25 +0100 5312354 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5302689&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-confidence-gap-a-guide-to-overcoming-fear-and-self-doubt%2F A shaky self-confidence or relentless self-doubt stops many people from pursuing their passions. A fear of failure gnaws at them, leaving them at a standstill and unsatisfied with their lives. If you know what I’m talking about — and so many of us do — Russ Harris’s book The Confidence Gap: A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt may help. Harris is a physician and therapist who’s worked with many clients — thousands, he says — who hadn’t pursued their dreams because of little self-confidence and a whole lot of self-doubt. He’s also been there. For many years, Harris was drowning in insecurities and self-destruction. As an anxious young man terrified of failure and social situations, Harris used alcohol to cope with his crushing self-doubt. He drank... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5302689 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:35:03 +0100 5302689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5294988&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2F5-ideas-for-boosting-your-energy-when-depression-strikes%2F Depression is as much a somatic (physical) disorder as it is a psychological one. Energy loss is a common somatic symptom. It can easily set off a debilitating cycle that prevents depression from lifting. That’s because the less energy you have, the more likely you are to stay in bed and avoid activities that’ll help you feel better. One of the first questions clinical psychologist Elvira Aletta, Ph.D, asks her depressed clients is about their appetite, sleep and movement. All three are “fundamental to our ability to function [normally]” and affect our energy levels, which directly affects our mood, said Dr. Aletta, the founder of Explore What’s Next, a comprehensive psychotherapy practice. Some people unwittingly search in all the wrong places to perk up their energy. For ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5294988 Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:35:18 +0100 5294988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5283112&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fdemons-in-the-age-of-light-a-memoir-of-psychosis-and-recovery%2F From the very first paragraph of Whitney Robinson’s first book, Demons in the Age of Light: A Memoir of Psychosis and Recovery, her way with words is not only apparent, but glaringly so.  Reading further, I was immediately impressed with her ability to convey sight, sound, and feeling with such accuracy that, in my own mind, I actually saw, heard, and felt that which she was writing about.  Her extensive vocabulary seems beyond that of many others her age and she uses it freely and willfully in telling her compelling story.  Having read The Trial and Death of Socrates when she was only ten years old perhaps gives us an idea of her interests early on in life. The book opens as we join the author in classes on her first day as a college student.  Looking back now, I cannot help but... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5283112 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:42:49 +0100 5283112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5283113&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-quest-for-mental-health%2F One thing about getting older is that history feels more relevant. I grew up in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Cognitive-behavioral therapy was in its infancy, and dialectical behavior therapy had not yet been devised. Psychoanalysis was the go-to mental health intervention, though most people couldn’t afford its hefty cost or time commitment. Doctors prescribed the “mother’s little helpers,” Miltown and Valium, but nobody yet was listening to Prozac. The majority of us plodded through life with our “neuroses,” and most of our “psychoses,” left unaddressed. So much in the mental health arena has changed, in barely half a century! In The Quest for Mental Health: A Tale of Science, Medicine, Scandal, Sorrow, and Mass Society, Ian Dowbiggin digs back much further and provides... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5283113 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:33:31 +0100 5283113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5283114&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fliving-with-depression-why-biology-and-biography-matter-along-the-path-to-hope-and-healing%2F With 114 pages of some of the most beautifully written insight, information, and advice that I have ever read in regard to navigating the labyrinth that is depression and its various treatments, Dr. Deborah Serani’s Living with Depression: Why Biology and Biography Matter along the Path to Hope and Healing aims to guide those living with the disorder to making wise decisions about their treatment, as well as to provide a platform for bringing an end to the stigma of mental illness.  Living with Depression takes the reader on a journey through what depression really is.  Serani explains the different types of depression (as well as other mood disorders, such as bipolar), the different treatments available for depression, and even provides information and resources for navigating the ho... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5283114 Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:39:47 +0100 5283114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5271320&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsocial-anxiety-overview%2F People with social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, suffer from an intense fear of becoming humiliated in social situations — specifically the fear of embarrassing oneself in front of other people. They worry that they will not measure up, or that they will mess up when talking, speaking to, or interacting with others. In these feared performance and social situations, individuals with social anxiety experience concerns about embarrassment and are afraid that others will judge them to be anxious, weak, “crazy,” or stupid. They may fear public speaking because of concern that others will notice their trembling hands or voice or they may experience extreme anxiety when conversing with others because of fear that they will appear inarticulate. A person with so... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5271320 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:57:04 +0100 5271320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5271321&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsocial-anxiety-disorder-treatment%2F Social Anxiety Disorder — also known as social phobia — is commonly treated by either psychotherapy or certain types of psychiatric medications. Social phobia is characterized by a persistent fear of social situations or performance situations (such as public speaking) where embarrassment might occur. While both psychotherapy and medications have been shown to be effective in the treatment of social anxiety disorder, a combination approach to treatment — utilizing both at the same time — may be the most timely and beneficial. While some people may find relief from some social anxiety symptoms through trying simple self-help techniques, most people with a diagnosed social phobia condition will need professional treatment in order to overcome it. Psychotherapy for ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5271321 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 13:40:37 +0100 5271321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5271322&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fa-toolkit-for-school-success-15-study-tips-for-students-with-adhd%2F Because of the nature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), students with the disorder face special challenges at school. For instance, most students lose focus easily. Some students with ADHD also have weaker working memories, according to Laurie Dietzel, Ph.D, a psychologist specializing in ADHD and developmental disabilities and co-author of Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning. She likens working memory to a brain scratch pad or storage area, which helps you briefly retain information in order to complete tasks. Some students have difficulty completing boring or demanding tasks. They’re able to hyperfocus on tasks they find interesting, such as an avid reader whose attention never wanders with a book. But di... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5271322 Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:35:36 +0100 5271322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5258420&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fan-anatomy-of-addiction-sigmund-freud-william-halsted-and-the-miracle-drug-cocaine%2F In An Anatomy of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted, and the Miracle Drug Cocaine, physician and medical historian Howard Markel, M.D., recounts the story of two geniuses who used themselves as guinea pigs in their research on cocaine. Sigmund Freud, of course, is widely known as the founder of psychoanalysis, which brought to the surface what had remained largely hidden before his writings: the unconscious. William Halsted, certainly less of a household name than Freud — unless you’re a doctor — was a remarkably skilled surgeon whose tools and techniques revolutionized medicine and are still used today. As Markel writes, “Without fear of exaggeration, it can be said that each man changed the world.” Given these individuals’ intellectual prowess and outright brilliance,... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5258420 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:35:21 +0100 5258420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5258421&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fa-counselors-clients-can-make-the-best-teachers%2F From a reasonably young age, I knew exactly what I wanted to be — a professional helper. I remember taking a social development course in high school and being fascinated with the lessons in psychology that it had to offer. Freud, Erickson, Jung, and the whole gang were there, and I loved it. This new-found passion caused me to begin devouring anything and everything that was related to psychology and the human mind at a relatively young age. As I sat in the classroom one day during the course, listening to the lecture, it dawned on me. I said to myself, “I want to be a counselor. I want to be surrounded by all of this every day. I want to help people.” Friends and family often ask me a question that I have grown rather used to: “How can you be forced to deal with people eve... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5258421 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:35:05 +0100 5258421 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5258422&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fchange-your-thinking-to-change-feelings-of-hopelessness%2F How many people have you met or heard of who have experienced a loss in their life? As human beings, we are not strangers to loss. Loss is a major life change that we encounter across the lifespan. We experience the losses of people and pets we care about, but we also experience many symbolic losses, as well (Walsh-Burke, 2006). These can include the loss of our identity as parents and caregivers when our children leave home; the loss of our self-worth as a provider if we are fired from our job or retire; and the regret of not experiencing the things that we believe could have been, but never were. Essentially, they represent something more than what is actually lost. Regardless, loss is something that we work with often in counseling. One thing we can be certain of is that loss is univer... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5258422 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:35:01 +0100 5258422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5258423&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Frestoring-our-bodies-reclaiming-our-lives-recovery-from-eating-disorders%2F Aimee Liu writes with a gentleness and an understanding that only someone who has been through the painful process of recovery can truly possess: Her 1979 memoir, Solitaire, was the first discussion of anorexia nervosa published in America. Since then, Liu also has written fiction and self-help books. Liu teaches creative writing at Goddard University’s MFA program, and her background comes through in the book. To begin, she doesn’t preach. She simply approaches the toughest issue about eating disorders (or ‘EDs’ as she refers to them): that no patient ever thinks they can get better. Then she gives step-by-step advice, accompanied by multiple real-life examples, to help encourage readers to begin a path to recovery. While the main audience is intended to be people with an ED, ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5258423 Sun, 25 Sep 2011 19:42:22 +0100 5258423 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5258424&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ffrom-suicidal-to-being-in-awe-of-life%2F I’m 28 years old and for the last four years I haven’t had one suicidal thought or intention because one thing changed my whole perception on life in ways I never thought possible. Around seven years ago I started having mania with depression systems so I decided to move 1,000 miles in hope of a better life. The move helped for a while due to a new adventure, but a while later the bipolar escalated beyond what I thought it could ever reach and the options were bleak at the time. I hated myself (hidden learning disabilities, also thought I had to fit into the extrovert world) already and I felt like I was somewhat cheated, so it was like pouring gasoline on fire when other people would say harsh judgments to me whether they were true or false. I was lost, trapped, hopeless, helpless, fe... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5258424 Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:45:45 +0100 5258424 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5258425&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-boy-from-bothell-bipolar-vietnam-veteran-2%2F Gene Olson’s The Boy from Bothell: Bipolar Vietnam Veteran gives a memoir of his life, his difficulties with bipolar disorder and his fight for sanity.  As Olson notes, bipolar disorder was first described at the time of Hippocrates and is currently one of the most prevalent and severe mental illnesses in the world. It affects nearly 6 million adults in the United States.  While research continues, bipolar disorder is often said to have no cure, with the choice of particular medication often experimental.   The Boy from Bothell is the story of Gene Olson’s life from kindergarten to high school in Bothell, Wash., his entrance and dropout of college, his life in the U.S. Navy and his troubles with bipolar disorder, which first appear after his return home. After six years of searching... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5258425 Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:45:07 +0100 5258425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5247858&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsleeping-with-gods%2F The subject of mental illness has often been explored in works of literature and other media. Michael Fontana’s novel Sleeping With Gods aims to combine a coming-of-age love story with themes of mental health. In Sleeping With Gods, we are told the story of Mark, a young man navigating the mental health system following a suicide attempt. We are immediately given a sense of Mark’s outlook on life in the novel’s opening scene, as he walks into a therapy session donning a “Suicide Squad” jacket. When his therapist expresses her lack of amusement at this particular wardrobe choice, Mark responds “Suicide’s the most laughable matter there is.” The narrator then shares a childhood story that provides a further look at his morbid sensibilities. Throughout the novel we witness Mar... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5247858 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:26:15 +0100 5247858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5247859&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fdont-let-fear-destroy-your-relationship%2F Why do we fight with our partners? I’m not referring to small arguments that resolve reasonably quickly with a compromise. I am talking about fights that blow like a hurricane into a peaceful day and leave us broken, exhausted, and confused as we wonder, what just happened? These consuming and crazy-making fights are generally fueled by unspoken and unnamed fears. Because most of us do not like feeling scared, we have spent years developing strategies to try to control our fear by squashing it or avoiding it. The problem is, fear does not like being forced out of town. It may ride away for a while, but it will come back, with its posse, armed and ready to force us to hear it and take it seriously. It is often in a marriage or committed intimate relationship that our fear comes riding b... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5247859 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:45:24 +0100 5247859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5247860&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fcry-depression-celebrate-recovery-my-journey-through-mental-illness%2F Barbara Altman, a St. Louis, Mo., native, earned her Bachelor of Music degree at Fontbonne University and taught music therapy at St. Louis Institute of Music.  She now teaches piano and guitar in her home and offers music therapy at nursing homes.  Her book, Cry Depression, Celebrate Recovery: My Journey through Mental Illness, recounts her struggles of growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father and her ongoing battles against her early onset of psychosis, depression and anxiety disorder.  Altman’s book offers more than just a memoir of her endeavors to battle against mental illness.  She gives us an overview of traditional and nontraditional methods of healing, detailing the methods that have helped her, and provides us with a set of affirmations that we can all use to direct ou... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5247860 Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:23:00 +0100 5247860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5247861&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fdebunking-6-myths-about-asperger-syndrome%2F The discovery of Asperger Syndrome (AS) dates back to 1944. Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger described the syndrome when he was treating four boys with similar symptoms. But his writings remained relatively unknown until 1981. At that time, English doctor Lorna Wing published case studies with children who displayed the same signs. Still, it wasn’t until 1992 that AS became an official diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Two years later, it became an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder. People with AS don’t have cognitive or language deficits. (If they do, they’re diagnosed with autism.) But they do have a difficult time interacting, communicating a... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5247861 Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:31:19 +0100 5247861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5235698&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Frunaway-mind-my-own-race-with-bipolar-disorder%2F Runaway Mind by Maggie Reese was a thoroughly enjoyable, engaging and educational book filled with firsthand accounts of what life can be like with bipolar disorder.  Maggie invites us into her life during this very trying time and gives the reader an intimate description, through diary entries and family recollections, of a mind spinning out of control into the world of manic depression.  Mrs. Reese shares with the reader very personal details in an attempt to offer “invaluable help to families (in) understand(ing) what their child is going through — and to provide the hope that there can be a future.” Maggie was a cross-country star, on her way to tackle the running world in her first year of college.  A beautiful young woman from a loving family with all of the promise of t... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5235698 Sat, 17 Sep 2011 19:25:41 +0100 5235698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5220998&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsupporting-your-20-something-child-into-healthy-adulthood%2F Are we doing enough to support our 20-somethings’ transition into a healthy adulthood? In some ways, today’s young adults have more support than in years past. Twenty-somethings are now an identified group in our culture. There is a higher level of understanding and normalization of the difficulties young people can face in a ‘quarter-life crisis.’ Young adults also now have access to an increasing amount of information about how to use their 20s as a time to make conscious schooling and career choices. What I have found to be missing, however, is help for 20-somethings to safely and effectively address the deeper psychological issues that often come up for them at this age. While each person is unique, and some young adults, for various reasons, do not have these issues aris... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5220998 Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:25:39 +0100 5220998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5220999&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Funderstanding-recovery-avoidance-in-ocd%2F Dan would sit in a chair for hours, “stuck” and unable to move. He couldn’t eat, socialize, or enter most buildings. My son was suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), yet I couldn’t help but feel lucky. The reason? He was willing to do whatever it took to get better. This is not always the case. In this wonderful article on recovery avoidance, the authors suggest that recovery avoidance is one of the main reasons why the majority of OCD sufferers do not receive appropriate treatment. I personally know of some young adults with significant OCD who are living at home and not receiving treatment of any kind. As an advocate for OCD awareness, I jumped at the chance to enlighten their families as to the benefits of Exposure Response Prevention Therapy. Turns out they... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5220999 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:52:18 +0100 5220999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5221000&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fmixing-minds-the-power-of-relationship-in-psychoanalysis-and-buddhism%2F Anyone with even the slightest interest in psychology will have come across the concepts of mindfulness and meditation before. They are mentioned in almost all of the literature in the field, and frequently referred to as an effective way for us to center ourselves, calm ourselves down, and focus on the moment. Indeed, as a marriage and family therapist, I frequently use mindfulness techniques and meditation exercises with many of my clients. But where did these ideas originate, and how compatible are they with Western ideas and psychoanalysis? In this engaging and informative work, psychotherapist and long-time practicing Buddhist Pilar Jennings aims to answer these questions, explaining how she came to this world of “mixing and matching” healing traditions.  Mixing Minds tackles sub... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5221000 Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:25:04 +0100 5221000 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205615&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fself-expansion-a-new-integrated-paradigm-for-psychology%2F Self-Expansion (the student edition) by Miklós Fodor offers a theoretical explanation of his basic concept, FIPP and its various applications.  FIPP asserts that self-concept is formed through constant acceptance and rejection of environmental cues entering our consciousness. Those cues called cognitive schemata that we accept, in turn, expand our self-concept while those we reject narrow it. The remainder of the book offers multiple treatments of the FIPP theory as application proof of its accuracy and utility. Unfortunately, the FIPP theory, as offered in this Student Edition, is underexplained, overapplied and falls short of its intention to offer a new explanation of self-concept formation.  Essentially, it is a mashup of other poorly applied theories borrowed from well-established... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205615 Sat, 10 Sep 2011 23:56:32 +0100 5205615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205616&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsudden-genius-the-gradual-path-to-creative-breakthroughs%2F That question mark in the title is all-important as author Andrew Robinson attempts to provide answers to many questions about extreme intelligence we call genius. What Robinson wants the reader to understand is that the most creative ideas appear to come unexpectedly, what we refer to as the term “eureka!” He is convinced they are not as unpredictable as they seem. The author states that these “eureka” moments do not appear suddenly, but only after several years of hard work, labor and study. The first part of the book carefully surveys the scientific study of creativity, covering talent, genius, intelligence, memory, dreams, the unconscious, savant syndrome, and mental illness. The second part tells the fascinating stories of five breakthroughs by artists — Leonardo da Vinc... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205616 Sat, 10 Sep 2011 19:54:39 +0100 5205616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205617&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsleights-of-mind-what-the-neuroscience-of-magic-reveals-about-our-everyday-deceptions%2F There are literally thousands upon thousands of books about magic—on its history, secrets, teachings, traditions, and rules—but to the extent of the authors’, and this reviewer’s, knowledge, Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals About Our Everyday Deceptions is the first book that addresses the cognitive science behind the trickery.  Authors Stephen L. Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde, a married couple, are both celebrated PhDs with the Barrow Neurological Institute, Macknik in behavioral neurophysiology and Martinez-Conde in visual neuroscience.  Their collaborator, Ms. Blakeslee, is a regular science contributor to The New York Times and specializes in the brain sciences.  Together, they have created a work that not only examines how magic can illuminate th... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205617 Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:25:32 +0100 5205617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205618&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsilent-voices%2F The book Silent Voices is an intriguing story about how a family dealt with mental illness and how a lack of support from professionals caused a family to endure tragedy that changed their lives forever. The tragic story of the Nau family and son Rick Nau’s battle with schizophrenia unfolds after the author and her older brother Jim had a feeling that “something wasn’t right” with their younger brother Rick. On Sept. 29, 1983, Rick, suffering from delusions, went on a shooting spree that killed the author’s two older brothers. After the introduction the book Silent Voices then chronicles the downward spiral of Rick Nau into a delusional and dark place full of frightening visions and hallucinations that the health care system failed to treat, which set him on a dark path toward ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205618 Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:25:17 +0100 5205618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205619&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fi-love-you-now-change%2F She married him because he was hardworking. She was considering divorce because he turned out to be a workaholic who was barely ever home. She loved his smile and sense of humor. Now she was blaming him for being bitter and sarcastic. She appreciated his easygoing nature and laidback demeanor. It was maddening to her now that he would rather watch TV than talk to her about their relationship, that he did not help her to keep their house clean, and that he missed their bill payment deadlines on more than one occasion. He married her because she was open with her feelings and straightforward about expressing her opinions. He now was irritated with her level of complaining, her blunt way of pointing out his mistakes and being overly focused on things that he considered small and unworthy of... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205619 Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:34:39 +0100 5205619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205620&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ftrain-your-brain-to-get-happy%2F It seems as though every few months another book is published that purports to have discovered the ultimate cure for an unhappy life.  Some tout self-esteem, others Buddhism, and still others plastic surgery.  Train Your Brain to Get Happy, by neuroscientist Teresa Aubele, biofeedback and meditation specialist Stan Wenck, and Susan Reynolds, seems more unique than this simple distillation of the genre.  Their work summarizes the current research into the many things that make us happy, deduce what is in our control, and organize this information in an easy-to-understand ‘how-to’ format.  Train Your Brain shows in a clear, entertaining way how to use the faculties at one’s disposal to create a happier (and calmer) mental world. “The happiest people are those who have trained the... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205620 Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:35:54 +0100 5205620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205621&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsurvey-finds-high-alzheimers-awareness%2F A large survey has found that most people would rapidly seek medical advice if they developed symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The survey covered 2,678 adults in the U.S., Germany, France, Spain and Poland. It focused on the public perception and awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, and was carried out by Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass., and the nongovernmental organization Alzheimer Europe. Findings were presented on July 20 at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2011, held in Paris, France. More than 85 percent of respondents would want to see a physician if they were experiencing confusion or memory loss, to find out if the symptoms were due to Alzheimer’s disease. A very high rate (over 94 percent) said they would want the same for ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205621 Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:44:35 +0100 5205621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205622&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsurviving-depression-my-agonizing-struggle-with-sanity%2F Robert L. Hamlett’s Surviving Depression offers a window into the life of a man to whom many people can relate.  His style may not be as eloquent as some, but Hamlett does get his point across.  After living 39 years with severe depression, and now being more than 25 years depression-free, Hamlett intends Surviving Depression to give hope to those who suffer.  “If only a handful of the depressed seek help as a result of this book,” writes Hamlett, “my life will not have been lived in vain.”  I feel that the book achieved Hamlett’s goal of inspiring hope; however, as this is only his first published book, there is definitely room for improvement. Surviving Depression traces Hamlett’s life from his early childhood until he finally received a prescription for a combination o... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205622 Tue, 06 Sep 2011 23:50:17 +0100 5205622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5205623&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fautism-spectrum-disorders-in-the-mainstream-classroom%2F Barbara Borosonʼs Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Mainstream Classroom: How to Reach and Teach Students with ASDs is an engaging, thoughtful and valuable resource for instructors, parents and administrators that enable them to reach, understand and help students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) so that they may succeed in school.  Barbara Boroson holds an undergraduate degree in creative writing from Cornell and a masters degree in social work from Columbia University.  She has worked in autism spectrum education for 20 years in clinical, administrative and advisory capacities. She currently works as a consultant and supports teachers and school districts as they integrate their students on the spectrum into mainstream environments.  Her stated goal is in the development of incl... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5205623 Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:34:56 +0100 5205623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5195004&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fwhen-you%25e2%2580%2599re-the-new-kid-in-school%2F “So what’s your name new kid in school tell me something do you feel lonely “ – Song lyrics by The Donnas Here comes September. You’ve been bracing yourself all summer. Here it is, the middle of your middle school or high school career and your folks have moved you halfway across the country – away from friends, away from your routines and teams and activities, away from all that’s familiar. Admit it. It’s kind of scary. Even if you’re cool, it’s still nervous-making. What’s the new school going to be like? Will the kids like you? Will you fit in? Will you like the teachers? Will they like you? OMG! There’s too much to think about! I can’t blame you a bit if you want to roll over and sleep. Yeah. But avoiding it won’t help you deal with the inevitable first ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5195004 Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:00:49 +0100 5195004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5192036&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fstop-suffering-needlessly-how-to-quickly-recover-from-depression%2F Almost everyone reading this review – particularly those in the mental health field – will have had first-hand experience of dealing with depression at one time or another, whether the sufferer was a client, a relative, a friend, or themselves. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be the second largest cause of suffering in the world, second only to heart disease. Depression affects over 15 million Americans alone, and is one of the most prevalent and debilitating mental illnesses in the world today, often going undiagnosed and untreated. So there is no doubt that this is a topic which deserves to be written about, and which requires serious attention. With her new book Stop Suffering Needlessly, Kathy Reagan joins the host of other self-help authors... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5192036 Sat, 03 Sep 2011 21:17:09 +0100 5192036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181475&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-long-goodbye%2F In her book, The Long Goodbye, Meghan O’Rourke explores the fifteen months following her mother’s death. In a culture that has few traditions and rituals for mourning, O’Rourke longs for something, anything, that will help her manage her grief. She describes the process of writing her book as “a kind of obsessive need to commemorate and externalize what [she] was experiencing” and as her personal mourning ritual. The book is divided into three parts. In the first section, O’Rourke takes the reader on an emotional tour of her mother’s diagnosis, doctor’s appointments, treatment and finally, to her mother’s death. Within this, the author reflects upon different aspects and events in her life, especially of happy moments with her mother and family. In this section, as well a... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181475 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:38:04 +0100 5181475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181476&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fmistaken-for-adhd%2F After reading this book I believe the title says it all: “Mistaken for ADHD.” The author, Dr. Frank Barnhill, attempts to help parents, teachers, social workers and doctors who deal with adolescents and young children determine if their child has ADHD. As stated in his book (which is subtitled, “How you can prevent mislabeling your child as a failure in life in the face of a looming ADHD misdiagnosis crisis”), Dr. Barnhill feels that children today are misdiagnosed with ADHD and he also goes on to discuss the effects misdiagnoses can have on children and their families. The purpose of Dr. Barnhill’s book is to educate the reader as to other diagnoses, which he calls “zebras,” that have very similar symptoms to ADHD. The author goes on to explain some of the short... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181476 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:35:21 +0100 5181476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181477&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fwomen-who-love-psychopaths%2F This book has many reasons to recommend it. Two are most powerful. First, its postulation through neuroscientific indications that the psychopath’s brain is genetically different from his fellows and so he cannot change is paramount to letting go. Not understanding this, the victim is drawn, over and over again into the “vortex” of his power play. The term psychopath is used in the book to describe most of the “low/no empathy and conscience diagnoses” (p. 19). Further, the author delineates her hypothesis with a nature v. nurture debate regarding whether people become or are born this way. It is compelling. The second, powerful hypothesis that Ms. Brown asserts is regarding the “Super Traits” (p. 206) of the victim that dovetail with the psychopath... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181477 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:14:37 +0100 5181477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181478&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ffinally-out-letting-go-of-living-straight%2F By all external indicators, Dr. Loren Olson was a success in life as a devoted husband and father who was making strides in his career as a psychiatrist.  At age 40, he was a mature and experienced individual who had made the milestones expected of him in society.  Yet, he felt he was a failure as a man.  Meeting the standards that seemed to come so easily to others had become a constant struggle.  Finally Out: Letting Go of Living Straight details Olson’s journey from the façade of the man he was expected to be to the man he had truly been all along. Olson focuses his narrative on members of his own demographic: mature men who have sex with men (MSM).  Counselors, families and friends of gay men, and anyone interested in the psychology and sociology of both sexual orientation ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181478 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:45:38 +0100 5181478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181479&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fpeace-in-the-heart-and-home-a-down-to-earth-guide-for-creating-a-better-life%2F Charlette Mikulka — psychotherapist, social worker, wife, and mother — has created an incredibly all-encompassing book with Peace in the Heart and Home: A Down-to-Earth Guide to Creating a Better Life for You and Your Loved Ones. Rather than writing to fit into a certain self-help category, such as depression or marriage counseling, Mikulka has chosen to address her reader in the context of family life and how one’s actualization of self affects and is affected by our loved ones.  She does have some very specific opinions and recommendations, with which the reader may not necessarily agree, but overall Peace in the Heart and Home is a practical, empathetic work that can indeed be used as a ‘guide.’ The first section of the book forms a foundation of Mikulka’s views and goals, ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181479 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:30:52 +0100 5181479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174496&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fcoping-with-trauma-related-dissociation-skills-training-for-patients-and-therapists%2F Gazing into a mirror, what is it that you see?  You see a reflection of the person others see when they look at you.  If the mirror should shatter you would then see not just one, but many reflections of yourself in the fragments.  This is the first image that entered my mind as I began to read Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation.  Following that were images from the movies Sybil and The Three Faces of Eve.  After not many pages into the book came the realization that dissociative identity disorder, the subject of this book, is what had been portrayed in those movies.  “Dissociative parts of the personality are not actually separate identities in one body, but rather parts of a single individual that are not yet functioning together in a smooth, coordinated, and flexible w... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174496 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:05:54 +0100 5174496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174497&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fbeyond-blame-freeing-yourself-from-the-most-toxic-form-of-emotional-bullsht%2F Author Carl Alasko’s previous book, Emotional Bullshit, was well-received, and it is not hard to see why.  His new work, Beyond Blame: Freeing Yourself from the Most Toxic Form of Emotional Bullsh*t, provides a perspective on both intra- and interpersonal relationships that has the power to change a life.  Dr. Alasko explains how blame has come to form the foundation of unhappiness, the solutions available, and why it is even pervasive enough to affect our view of ourselves. Part One is entitled “Where Blame Comes From and How It Works,” and serves as an introductory lesson in the causes and effects of blame.  According to Dr. Alasko, there are two functions of blame, “find[ing] fault with another person or group” and “transfer[ing] responsibility onto someone else,” both ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174497 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:00:48 +0100 5174497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174498&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhistory-of-a-suicide-my-sisters-unfinished-life-2%2F After reading History of a Suicide, written by Jill Bialosky, I was moved by the way the author not only shared her story of her sister’s suicide, but also how committed she was to researching suicide while dealing with her own pain. Jill Bialosky tells the story of her sister Kim Bialosky’s suicide. She shares events of Kim’s life, Kim’s diary entries and conversations she had with her sister before she took her own life. As the author is telling the story of her sister’s suicide, she also takes the reader along a journey to find answers on what leads some people to take their own lives. The book starts out with the author telling the reader how her younger sister took her own life. On April 13, 1990, Jill Bialosky’s younger sister, Kim called to wish ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174498 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:22:05 +0100 5174498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174499&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fyoga-for-emotional-balance-simple-practices-to-help-relieve-anxiety-and-depression%2F In Yoga for Emotional Balance Bo Forbes, PsyD, explores how yoga can compliment traditional psychotherapy to help patients improve their anxiety and depression symptoms through movement and breath work. Much of the book is devoted to case studies of patients that Dr. Forbes has treated, and discusses how yoga became an integral part of their treatment. Through these examples and her discussion of how the mind, body, and nervous system all contribute to our emotional state, Dr. Forbes creates a compelling argument for yoga’s inclusion in a treatment plan for anxiety and depression. “Think for a moment,” Dr. Forbes says in her introduction, “how many times have you known what your issues are, yet not been able to change them?” She argues that traditional psychotherapy sessions that... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174499 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:00:25 +0100 5174499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174501&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-fatigue-prescription-four-steps-to-renewing-your-energy-health-and-life%2F The Fatigue Prescription by Linda Hawes Clever, M.D., is subtitled Four steps to renewing your energy, health, and life. The book is divided into two parts:  the diagnosis and the “renewing remedy,” which the author also calls “the prescription.”   Dr. Clever describes fatigue and identifies its causes.  She then lays out what she calls “a tested, successful approach to guide you.”  She provides a “renew-o-meter” which is also available on her organization’s website www.renewnow.org which you can use to analyze your level of “juggling”–keeping too many balls in the air, which can lead to fatigue.  The book is written from Dr. Clever’s perspective as a physician, and although it isn’t described as being written explicitly for women, many of the examples ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174501 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:17:01 +0100 5174501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169425&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-social-animal-the-hidden-sources-of-love-character-and-achievement%2F What drives a person to success? Sure, a good education and finding just the right career helps. But could there be a genetic predisposition for success? David Brooks examines what makes a person successful in his new book, The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement. Combining the generally boring science and statistics of sociology with a humorous and light-hearted narrative, The Social Animal is indeed “the happiest story you’ll ever read,” as the author claims in the introduction. The narrative of The Social Animal doesn’t start with its main subjects; rather, it starts with their parents. Members of what Brooks calls the “composure class,” Harold’s parents work hard to achieve their status. They get rich the hard way.  When his parents mar... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169425 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:14:17 +0100 5169425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169426&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ffriction-how-radicalization-happens-to-them-and-us%2F The word “terrorist” can call forth descriptors like “evil” or “crazy.”  But ordinary people can be moved toward criminal and violent acts through circumstances that become progressively more extreme.  Psychologists Clark McCauley and Sophia Moskalenko, consultants to the Department of Homeland Security, deconstruct the making of a terrorist in Friction: How Radicalization Happens to Them and Us. McCauley and Moskalenko demonstrate twelve mechanisms of radicalization, using case histories that at times make this book read like a novel.  Their cast of characters spans more than a century and represents a mix of nationalities, social classes, and ideologies.  The authors make a compelling argument that these disparate people came to terrorism through n... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169426 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:35:50 +0100 5169426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169427&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ftalking-to-families-about-mental-illness-what-clinicians-need-to-know%2F When an individual is diagnosed with a mental disorder, that person’s family begins what is often a lifetime of decisions about treatment and care affecting everyone. “Finding the balance between the sometimes conflicting needs of the patient and his or her loved ones lays the foundation for a lifelong partnership in health – the most effective treatment of all.”  This then is at the core of Talking to Families about Mental Illness:  What Clinicians Need to Know. Written by the founder of the Family Center for Bipolar Disorder in New York, author Igor Galynker, M.D., Ph.D. brings to clinicians and families alike the opportunity to find that balance. A specialist in mood and anxiety disorders, Dr. Galynker is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein C... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169427 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 14:05:05 +0100 5169427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158495&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhome-school-collaboration-for-children-with-learning-disabilities%2F The transition into elementary school can be especially tough for our children with learning disabilities and challenging behavior. Whether they’ve been at home or in a preschool program, they’ve been in an environment that is more flexible and usually less overstimulating than the average kindergarten or first grade classroom. Once in elementary school, there are usually more kids to deal with; the day may be longer; the schedule may be less flexible; and the demands on them are greater. Whatever the diagnosis, Attention Deficit Disorder (with or without Hyperactivity), an auditory processing disorder, Dyslexia, Aspergers, etc., our kids do better in school when we parents do our share. As stressful as it can be to reinforce learning at home, as difficult as it is to add regular cont... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158495 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:35:32 +0100 5158495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158496&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fshould-you-consider-alternative-treatments-for-anxiety-disorders%2F Anxiety disorders are one of the most common psychiatric disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 40 million American adults ages 18 and older suffer from them each year. The good news is that they also are highly treatable. But getting an anxious person to seek treatment can be a struggle. Jason Eric Schiffman, MD, MA, MBA, a psychiatrist at the UCLA Anxiety Disorders programs and editor of Anxiety.org says it’s one of the paradoxes of anxiety disorders. The severity of the disorder, the fear of being stigmatized, and general mistrust of conventional treatment may create obstacles to seeking help. What Makes Complementary and Alternative Treatments Attractive Options? The fear of conventional therapy could explain why complementary and alternative t... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158496 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:30:39 +0100 5158496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158497&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fsaying-goodbye-how-families-can-find-renewal-through-loss%2F Terminal illness is a diagnosis that sends dreams and plans for the future into a tailspin.  Regardless if the patient is elderly or in the prime of life, this news changes everything for them and their family from that point on.  “Grief is an ongoing process, not a one-time event,” and this quote from Saying Goodbye illustrates clearly the essence of the book.  The result of a collaboration between Barbara Okun, Ph.D. and Joseph Nowinski, Ph.D., their many years of experience as family therapists serve the book’s purpose well in helping families come to terms with what is, what shall be, and what will likely happen in the interim.  The family of the terminally ill person is brought into their loved one’s new reality to address the finality of the diagnosis and ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158497 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:58:34 +0100 5158497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158498&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-a-bully-is-made%2F The short- and long-term harm done to bullying victims has received much attention lately. The complex web of factors which go into creating bullies are less often discussed. Every bully does not have the same psychological profile. But understanding the possible factors behind the behavior can help usturn the tide against a deeply entrenched problem. When my oldest son Alex was 14, he turned into a bully. It started at home, when he would act mean toward his younger brother: teasing him relentlessly, pushing, hitting and scheming to get him in trouble. Later, I found out that he’d hooked up with some other boys in the neighborhood and they, as a gang, had been bullying younger kids. Here’s how I heard Alex describe one such time. The confession came at a wilderness therapy ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158498 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:55:06 +0100 5158498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158499&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fcreativity-crushers-and-8-creativity-harnessing-activities-that-work%2F “Creativity is the ability to combine and recombine bits of information — either from your store of memories and knowledge or from the outside environment — in novel, original, and useful ways,” said Shelley Carson, Ph.D, Harvard researcher and author of Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life. It’s a must for everything from running a business to getting an education. And it’s especially relevant in today’s shaky and ever-changing times, she said. But creativity won’t only help you professionally, “it will enrich your personal life and the lives of those around you.” Indeed, “Creativity is an asset in virtually every area of your life.” Here, Carson discusses what sabotages creativity and the many... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158499 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:34:57 +0100 5158499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158500&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fbipolar-disorder-helping-your-loved-one-manage-a-manic-episode%2F “Depression and bipolar disorder are often family diseases,” according to Psych Central associate editor and author Therese Borchard. So when your loved one is going through a manic episode, you may naturally feel helpless and hopeless. What can you do? Fortunately, there are many ways you can successfully support your loved one and help yourself. Renowned expert David Miklowitz, Ph.D, professor of psychiatry at the UCLA Semel Institute and author of the best-seller The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide and Bipolar Disorder: A Family-Focused Treatment Approach, offers his insight below. 1. Recognize the warning signs. According to Miklowitz, episodes of mania “vary considerably from person to person.” For some people, it takes several months to reach a full manic episode, whil... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158500 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 18:22:53 +0100 5158500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158501&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-to-help-a-loved-one-with-borderline-personality-disorder-part-2%2F When your loved one has borderline personality disorder (BPD), you might feel like you’re already overextending yourself but to no avail. You may feel “directionless, because all you can ever seem to do is react,” writes Shari Manning, Ph.D, a licensed professional counselor in private practice who specializes in treating BPD, in her excellent book Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder. “You go from one extreme to the other, from trying to make sure nothing upsets the person you love to trying to get away from the person at all costs. You may feel like you’re caught in a riptide, unsure when the behaviors that upset you are going to stop and where you’re going to be dropped off at the end.” However, you can take steps to become “unlost,” as Manning puts it,... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158501 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:32:20 +0100 5158501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158502&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-to-help-a-loved-one-with-borderline-personality-disorder-part-1%2F Borderline personality disorder (BPD) can seem like an enigma, even to family and friends, who are often at a loss for how to help. Many feel overwhelmed, exhausted and confused. Fortunately, there are specific strategies you can use to support your loved one, improve your relationship and feel better yourself. In Part 1 of our interview, Shari Manning, Ph.D, a licensed professional counselor in private practice who specializes in treating BPD, shares these effective strategies and helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the disorder. Specifically, she reveals the many myths and facts behind BPD, how the disorder manifests and what mistakes loved ones make when trying to help. Manning also is Chief Executive Officer of the Treatment Implementation Collaborative, LLC, and author of... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158502 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:30:07 +0100 5158502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158503&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-to-train-a-wild-elephant-and-other-adventures-in-mindfulness%2F “Just as an untamed elephant can do damage, trampling crops and injuring people, so the untamed, capricious mind can cause harm to us and those around us[…] when a wild elephant is first captured and led out of the jungle, it has to be tethered to a stake.  In the case of our mind, that stake takes the form of what we attend to in our mindfulness practice.” (p. 9) With the inspiration behind the title of How to Train a Wild Elephant: And Other Adventures in Mindfulness explained, author Dr. Jan Chozen Bays introduces the reader to the practice and value of mindfulness.  As a pediatrician, mother, grandmother, and abbess of a Zen monastery, she has uniquely positioned this book as a practical way to integrate a deeply meaningful spiritual life into the constraints and demands of eve... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158503 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:58:46 +0100 5158503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158504&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fpatterns-the-need-for-order%2F Humans have a tendency to see patterns everywhere. That’s important when making decisions and judgments and acquiring knowledge; we tend to be uneasy with chaos and chance (Gilovich, 1991). Unfortunately, that same tendency to see patterns in everything can lead to seeing things that don’t exist. Defining Patternicity Patternicity: Finding meaningful patterns in meaningless noise (Shermer, 2008) In Shermer’s 2000 book How We Believe, he argues that our brains have evolved as pattern recognition machines. Our brains create meaning from patterns we see or at least think we see in nature (Shermer, 2008). Often, the patterns are real, while other times they are manifestations of chance. Pattern recognition tells us something valuable about the environment from which we can make ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158504 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 13:34:13 +0100 5158504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158505&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fassessing-adult-attachment-a-dynamic-maturational-approach-to-discourse-analysis%2F We describe how to derive functional formulations that can guide treatment both at its onset and, with feedback and updating, across the course of treatment.” Crittenden and Landini then go on to demonstrate exactly how their model can be used as a therapeutic tool, using the initial classification as starting point to guide both the therapist and client toward the resolution of past issues and the reorganization of the thoughts and language that shape both our ideas of self and attachment strategy. Furthermore, this model aims to shift the focus on attachment styles from one of disorder to one of function; from the old deficit-based model to one that is dynamic and optimistic. Rather than an emphasis on diagnosis simply for the sake of identification or labels, the authors stress their ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158505 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 23:43:08 +0100 5158505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158506&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fis-technology-running-your-life-set-some-boundaries%2F I am not very good at separating my work from my life, partially because my work is a big chunk of my life. I’m that person who tucks herself into bed by checking email and reading blogs from my iPhone. And instead of waking up to the bright sunlight, I wake up to the sterile glare of my iPhone for another quick check. I’ve also been known to sleep with my laptop. We all know many people — and you very well might be one of them — who are married to their gadgets, whether it’s their smart phone, iPad, laptop or some other tech toy. All this accessibility and portability, while convenient and entertaining, has its downsides. It’s created unrealistic expectations on the job (respond to email at 9 p.m.? OK, boss!), and can hurt relationships, according to psychologist and coach D... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158506 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:16:05 +0100 5158506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158507&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fcrazy-notes-on-and-off-the-couch%2F Have you ever wondered what’s going through your therapist’s head? Or, if you are a mental health professional yourself, have you ever wondered if you were alone in your thoughts about your job? Whichever side of the couch you’re from (and as this book shows, it’s quite likely you’ve been on both sides), you will find Dr. Rob Dobrenski’s latest work to be an insightful, honest, often funny, and thoroughly engaging look into the daily life of a psychologist. In Crazy: Notes On and Off the Couch, Dr. Dobrenski uses a multitude of clients from his experience to give the reader a broad overview of the types of situations a therapist has to contend with. But this book is not a typical scholarly compendium of “case studies.” What makes this a refreshing read is that it is as much... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158507 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:20:47 +0100 5158507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158508&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fpocket-truths-for-success-365-daily-principles-to-become-the-most-successful-person-you-know%2F “Achieving and sustaining success” and helping others to do so is the premise for Pocket Truths For Success, by B.A. Newman and Dr. Justin B. Short. Other inspirational books have used the day-at-a-time focus and Pocket Truths employs this method to good effect. The difference in Pocket Truths is that it marries business with spiritual principles. As with other disciplines, such as New Age thinking or Buddhism, disciples are taught that your mindset creates your world. Newman and Short have taken that teaching and grounded it in a reality that the average citizen can grasp and make use of. “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out” (Robert Collier), is quote number 333 and reminds us that no lasting change happens without sustained effort. Another recommendat... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158508 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:18:23 +0100 5158508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158509&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fschizophrenia-and-genetics-research-update%2F Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since the theory that less-than-affectionate mothers cause schizophrenia. Today, it’s widely accepted that a complex interplay of genes and environment contributes to schizophrenia, which affects about one percent of the population and is characterized by cognitive dysfunction, delusions and hallucinations. Researchers have made significant strides in teasing apart schizophrenia’s convoluted genetic vulnerabilities, but there’s still a slew of questions. Even with sophisticated technology, researchers are still left scratching their heads about the specifics: what genes are involved, how they incur risk, whether certain mutations link to the different subtypes and so on. Below is a discussion of how genetic research has evolved and what we know t... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158509 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:28:18 +0100 5158509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5138523&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fwhen-conversations-go-wrong-the-anatomy-of-disconnection-in-relationships%2F Ever feel like your conversations with your partner get lost in translation? Or that a seemingly harmless comment sparks a spat? When the two of you communicate you may be unwittingly reinforcing a negative cycle of misunderstanding, bitterness and resentment, according to psychologist and couples specialist Robert Solley, Ph.D. All couples can become disconnected. But “couples in trouble tend to fall into two camps: high-conflict and conflict-avoidant,” Solley said. “Both are disconnected in different ways.” High-conflict couples typically attack each other with “criticism [and] commanding, sarcastic comments.” Similarly, conflict-avoidant couples also may go on the offensive but then withdraw, or they may withdraw all the time. “Withdrawal isn’t bad in itself,” Solle... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5138523 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:51:55 +0100 5138523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130559&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fmodeling-healthy-behavior-for-your-children%2F It is important to recognize that parents can do everything possible and still have a child fall into unhealthy behaviors. But it also is important for parents to understand that one powerful aspect of ‘doing everything possible’ involves working on your own psychological skills and modeling them for your child. Emotional responsibility is one such skill. When most of us think about teaching children responsibility, we think about things such as showing up on time, completing schoolwork or chores, not drinking and driving, and not overspending. These are all valuable. What we often forget to consider, however, is emotional responsibility — recognizing that each of us is responsible for making choices about how we respond to our feelings. Emotionally responsible people are able... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130559 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 13:33:27 +0100 5130559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130560&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-power-of-stories-in-personality-psychology%2F God made man because He loves stories. ~ Elie Wiesel I’ve always loved this quote in part because I’m a sucker for stories. (As a writer I guess that’s a prerequisite, but we’re all storytellers by nature; yes, all of us.) Stories are how we make sense of our lives and the world and how we communicate with others. Stories also are how we make sense of ourselves. According to researcher Dan P. McAdams in his chapter in the Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research: …the stories we construct to make sense of our lives are fundamentally about our struggle to reconcile who we imagine we were, are and might be in our heads and bodies with who we were, are and might be in the social contexts of family, community, the workplace, ethnicity, religion, gender, social class and cultu... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130560 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:33:41 +0100 5130560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125632&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fresponding-to-mental-illness-in-your-workforce-following-the-law%2F In Part 1 of this series, Leading a Culture Change, we talked about specific steps you can take to create a workplace that responds to mental illness in a compassionate, fair and realistic way. Here in Part 2, let’s also talk about how to respond in a way that adheres to the spirit and word of the law. Employment Law vs. Disability Law As you know, all employment law is designed to protect employers, as well as employees. However, people with disabilities have long felt that employment law left them out in the cold. After many years of advocacy, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 to protect all people with physical and behavioral health disabilities. While the passage of the law was significant, its implementation has been difficult and has resulted in hun... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125632 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:15:48 +0100 5125632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125633&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-long-goodbye-a-memoir%2F The Long Goodbye by poet and literary critic Meghan O’Rourke is a beautifully written and poignant memoir about grappling with a mother’s death. In the first of three sections, O’Rourke recounts her mother’s colon cancer diagnosis, her deterioration and eventual death on Christmas Day, 2008. Growing up in a tight-knit family with two younger brothers, O’Rourke had a very close relationship with her mother, which changes and grows deeper as she tries to support her through the disease. The bulk of the book focuses on how O’Rourke tries to deal with her overwhelming grief (and to an extent her family’s) and how our culture mourns (or lack thereof). She also shares tender childhood memories and various slices from her life as she adjusts to life without her mom. To he... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125633 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:18:49 +0100 5125633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107256&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhigher-death-rates-for-the-mentally-ill%2F Researchers have found higher-than-expected death rates from physical health problems for people with mental illness. Dr. Alex Mitchell of Leicester University, U.K., and colleagues in Australia examined findings from 22 studies including 825,754 patients, on outcomes after “acute coronary events” such as heart attack. All the studies were based in the U.S. There was increased mortality in patients who had been diagnosed with severe mental illness. This group was also 14 percent less likely to receive essential coronary care procedures following their heart attack, says Dr. Mitchell. He explains that such procedures, which include revascularization, coronary artery bypass graft and angioplasty, are effective at improving outcomes. Ten of the studies looked at care for people w... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107256 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:15:49 +0100 5107256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107257&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhelping-or-enabling-a-fine-line-when-dealing-with-ocd%2F Parenting for me has often involved following my instincts and using good common sense. Whether it was telling my 15-year-old daughter that she could not go to the co-ed sleepover, or encouraging my shy child to invite a friend over, I seemed to have a pretty good handle on things. But when obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) joined our family and I continued to follow my instincts, all bets were off. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an insidious condition that is capable of tricking and deceiving not only the sufferer, but his or her entire family as well. When my son Dan returned home from his freshman year of college, he was dealing with severe OCD. He was home for about a month before heading off to a world-renowned residential treatment program, and during his time with us I just wan... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107257 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:48:23 +0100 5107257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103266&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-available-parent-radical-optimism-for-raising-teens-and-tweens%2F As the parent of a teen, you might feel exactly like this mother: “My daughter went to high school her first day as a freshman and never returned. I lost my baby!” But you might be surprised to learn that it isn’t that you lost your teen. In fact, it might have more to do with your behavior than you think. “We parents often strike first,” writes psychologist and life coach John Duffy, Psy.D, in his book The Available Parent: Radical Optimism for Raising Teens and Tweens. Duffy specializes in working with teens. Based on his clinical work, Duffy believes that it isn’t teens that are unavailable but largely it’s their parents. “We strike with judgment, fear, anger and ego. Far, far too often, parents are unavailable, and their children simply react in kind.” In his bo... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103266 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:45:11 +0100 5103266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103267&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fadhds-impact-on-relationships-10-tips-to-help%2F Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can dramatically affect a relationship. Research has shown that a person with ADHD may be almost twice as likely to get divorced, and relationships with one or two people with the disorder often become dysfunctional. * While ADHD can ruin relationships, the good news is that both partners are not powerless. There are steps you can take to significantly improve your relationship. Below, Melissa Orlov, marriage consultant and author of the award-winning book The ADHD Effect on Marriage: Understand and Rebuild Your Relationship in Six Steps, discusses the top challenges in these relationships and the solutions that truly make a difference. The Relationship Challenges of ADHD One of the biggest challenges in relationships is when a partner mis... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103267 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:21:12 +0100 5103267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095739&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-is-suboxone-treatment-different-than-drug-abuse%2F Physicians who treat opioid addiction also have the option of utilizing ‘medication-assisted treatment,’ and the most common medications used in the treatment of opioid dependence today are methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine (Suboxone). Most people cannot just walk away from opioid addiction. They need help to change their thinking, behavior, and environment. Unfortunately, “quitting cold turkey” has a poor success rate – fewer than 25 percent of patients are able to remain abstinent for a full year. This is where medication-assisted treatment options like methadone, naltrexone, and Suboxone benefit patients in staying sober while reducing the side effects of withdrawal and curbing cravings which can lead to relapse. Methadone Methadone is an opioid and ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095739 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:27:58 +0100 5095739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095740&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fattributional-style-and-depression-how-your-explanations-influence-your-mood%2F Several weeks ago I took my four-year-old son camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for the first time. At home, when he sleeps, his body takes on the appearance of a wayward compass needle that rotates this way and that until his feet land on his pillow or he headbutts the wall. The first night in the tent was no different; in the wee hours of the morning he woke up, crumpled in a ball at the foot of the tent. Being four, he is still unlikely to wake up in the middle of the night without sharing his insomnia with someone. That night, upon waking up in the pitch black, he declared with a note of rising panic, “My eyes aren’t working!” Clearly, he hasn’t spent much time in the wilderness at night. I flipped on a flashlight and reassured him that his e... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095740 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:26:04 +0100 5095740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095741&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2F8-surprising-myths-about-relationships%2F There are hundreds of myths about relationships, according to Terri Orbuch, Ph.D, a Michigan clinical psychologist and author of 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great. The problem with persistent myths is that they can erode a relationship’s happiness, she said. When you think a relationship should be a certain way, and yours isn’t, frustration sets in. And “frustration is the number one thing that eats away at a relationship,” Orbuch said, and “it’s directly tied to these myths.” That’s why it’s so critical to bust the below misconceptions. So without further ado, here are eight myths about relationships that might surprise you. 1. Myth: A good relationship means that you don’t have to work at it. Fact: “The strongest most enduring relat... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095741 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:55:18 +0100 5095741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095744&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fa-band-aid-for-a-marriage-in-crisis%2F Imagine a heavy-duty truck riding off the road, slipping down a hill and getting stuck in thick, sticky mud. Trying to get out, it desperately spins its wheels, mud flying everywhere with no resolve. After a long time, there is finally a hopeful sight of another car. The truck begins honking like mad, desperately wanting a much needed pull. This is an allegory for many couples seeking therapy. They typically come at a high point of marital distress. The war has reached its peak; the partners are tired of fighting but unable to end it. Attempts to fix things only led to getting trapped deeper in a cycle of confrontation, standoff and increased feelings of hopelessness. They look at the therapist with a mix of hope and despair, ready to bargain for any quick solution. Deep inside, they sense... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095744 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:17:09 +0100 5095744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095745&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fresponding-to-mental-illness-in-your-workforce-leading-a-culture-change%2F As a leader in your organization, you’ve undoubtedly had to handle situations when you’ve been made aware that employees are dealing with emotional distress or mental illnesses. In simple terms, you have a responsibility not only to your organization, other staff and mid-level managers, but also to the people who work for you who are also part of the 25 percent of the U.S. population diagnosed with a mental illness. These illnesses include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and a number of anxiety disorders. While substance abuse is not strictly considered a mental disorder, new science shows that it does indeed result from differences in brain chemistry, and psychiatrists are now being trained to treat it as an illness. Altogether, these illnesses are termed “behavioral”... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095745 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:45:23 +0100 5095745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095746&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ftreating-ptsd-with-surf-therapy%2F For the last handful of years, Britain and the United States have done quiet experiments with a new form of therapy for veterans suffering from combat stress, using a resource neither nation lacks along their coasts: surf. “Ocean therapy,” or surf therapy, will surprise longtime surfers mainly because of the official-sounding name; the idea that an ocean and a surfboard can be good for the body and mind is otherwise not very new. But recent studies have tried to quantify just what happens in the water. The United Kingdom’s National Health Service is still conducting trials in Cornwall, where waves wash in from the Atlantic, to determine whether “surf therapy” deserves taxpayer support. The idea caused outrage at the Daily Mail, where outrage is a business model. “It’s import... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095746 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:25:37 +0100 5095746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095747&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fopioid-dependence-and-withdrawal%2F A person is said to have physical opioid dependence if they have high ‘tolerance’ of opioids, meaning they need more of the opioid to get the desired effect. Opioid withdrawal symptoms occur when the substance is stopped. Most patients who seek treatment for opioid addiction also have some degree of physical dependence. However, physical opioid dependence alone is not sufficient to make a diagnosis of addiction. A person can be physically dependent — as a cancer patient might be when prescribed opioids for severe pain — and not be addicted. The term ‘addiction’ refers to certain behaviors. What Are the Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal? Opioid withdrawal can occur in both the addicted patient and the patient who has opioid dependence but is not experienci... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095747 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:31:07 +0100 5095747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5095748&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ffive-ways-to-create-a-secure-attachment-with-your-baby-without-sharing-your-bed%2F After giving birth the first time, I stayed home for three months, and then began leaving my son with a babysitter for a few hours a day so I could get a break from his colic and ease back into work. When my second son came along, I had a demanding job I loved and didn’t want to lose. So I went back to it full time after just a month, only to find myself so exhausted and alienated from my role as a mother (now with two children under six) that I quit my job, took my 8-week-old out of full-time day care and basically did the same thing with him I’d done with his older brother. According to attachment theory, by staying away from my newborn for up to eight or ten hours a day, I was pushing against instinct, and that’s exactly how it felt. By observing new mothers interact ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5095748 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:18:49 +0100 5095748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086024&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fliving-with-depression-why-biology-and-biography-matter%2F Dr. Deborah Serani’s new book, Living with Depression: Why Biology and Biography Matter along the Path to Hope and Healing is a solid entry in the self-help depression book genre, once you get past the awkwardly and unnecessarily long title. Beginning with a chapter describing her own battles not only with depression, but other challenges in her life (such as postpartum depression after her first child, trying to go off of medications, etc.), it offers the kind of insight and perspective that only can come from a professional who has gone through the same battles as the patients she treats. Savor that first chapter, because it’s one of the best in the book. After the first chapter, the author describes the basics of depression, such as how it’s diagnosed, where researcher... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086024 Sat, 30 Jul 2011 22:18:55 +0100 5086024 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069253&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fin-the-zone-depression-and-emotions%2F This article proposes a non-drug treatment for depression in terms of hidden emotions. It appears that most depression involves the numbing of emotions, especially grief, fear, anger and shame. Depression occurs when these emotions loop back on themselves, having feelings about feelings, sometimes without limit. Feedback loops can produce emotions that are experienced as either unbearably painful or out of control, or at least anticipated to be. However, there is a zone between these two extremes that allows one to feel emotions and to also observe oneself feeling. This zone is possible because of the human capacity for role-taking; seeing one’s self from the imagined point of view of another person. Some implications of these ideas for the treatment of depression are outlined. Modern so... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069253 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:35:44 +0100 5069253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069254&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Frecovering-from-mental-illness-be-your-own-best-friend%2F The bad/sad news: According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in four adults — approximately 57.7 million Americans — experience a mental health disorder in a given year. One in 17 lives with a serious mental illness. The good news: Between 70 and 90 percent of the individuals who are treated for their illness have a reduction in symptoms and improved quality of life. The key factor that determines who recovers and who doesn’t most often is the willingness and ability of the person to engage in his or her own healing. If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or any of the other diagnoses for mental illness, your involvement and attitude make a difference. “Fine,” you say. “But what exactly does that mean?” One way to think ab... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069254 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:56:59 +0100 5069254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069255&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fbrain-effects-of-general-anesthesia%2F New research is shedding light on the effects of general anesthesia on the brain and the body. In the United States, nearly 60,000 patients receive general anesthesia for surgery every day. It causes specific patterns of activity in the brain, which can be viewed on an electroencephalogram (EEG). The most common pattern is a gradual rise in low-frequency, high-amplitude activity as the level of anesthesia deepens. Emery Brown, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital believes, “How anesthetic drugs induce and maintain the behavioral states of general anesthesia is an important question in medicine and neuroscience.” His team investigated general anesthesia versus sleep and coma. They carried out a review of anesthesia studies from a range of areas, including neuroscience and sleep... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069255 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:49:00 +0100 5069255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069256&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fmanaging-the-painful-side-effects-of-antidepressants%2F For better or worse, one of the primary treatments of clinical depression — antidepressants — come with a host of negative side effects. For some people, these side effects will be temporary and will go away on their own (or at least be reduced in intensity as your body acclimates to the medication). For others, the side effects may not go away and, in fact, may become intolerable. Side effects are a normal part of taking virtually any prescription medication. Although the drugs are intended to treat the specific condition — in this case, depression — they also cause unwanted physical symptoms that are usually an annoyance. You shouldn’t feel abnormal, awkward or self-conscious if you have any of these side effects. You should, however, talk to your doctor ab... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069256 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:45:39 +0100 5069256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062032&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-to-overcome-common-financial-pitfalls-when-you-have-adhd%2F Having ADHD can make it difficult to manage your money. “People with ADHD have a higher rate of debt, more impulsive spending and more arguments with their partner/spouse over money issues,” said Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D, a national certified counselor and licensed mental health counselor and author of four books on adult ADD, including ADD and Your Money: A Guide to Personal Finance for Adults with Attention-Deficit Disorder. And “…because these financial pitfalls are directly related to your ADD symptoms, they can seem impossible to overcome.” But there are simple ways you can surmount these potential pitfalls. Here, Sarkis and Sandy Maynard, MS, an ADHD coach who operates Catalytic Coaching, share their advice for financial success. Ditching Disorganization & Paying the B... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062032 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:47:07 +0100 5062032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062033&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-long-do-antidepressants-take-to-work%2F A common treatment for clinical depression is a type of medication called an antidepressant. Antidepressants come in a variety of forms, but all of them work by impacting certain neurochemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Antidepressants are most commonly prescribed by a psychiatrist, but may also be prescribed by a family physician or general practitioner to treat depression. The different classes of antidepressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), norepinephrine (noradrenaline) reuptake inhibitors, atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Different classes of antidepressants take different amounts of time before you will star... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062033 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:34:22 +0100 5062033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057655&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ftolstoy-and-the-purple-chair-my-year-of-magical-reading%2F In her memoir Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading, author Nina Sankovitch recounts the year she spent reading a book a day in hopes of soothing her grief. Sankovitch’s oldest sister, Anne-Marie, whom she greatly admired and loved, passed away from cancer at the age of 46. Distraught and shaken after Anne-Marie’s passing, Sankovitch plunges herself into life, promising to live for both herself and her beloved sister. She writes: I was scared of living a life not worth living. Why did I deserve to live when my sister had died? I was responsible now for two lives, my sister’s and my own, and damn, I’d better live well. I had to live hard and live fully. I was going to live double if my sister couldn’t live at all. I was going to live double because I had to di... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057655 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:04:59 +0100 5057655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050192&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fgetting-ready-to-rejoin-the-workforce%2F After six months on the job hunt following a layoff, you got so discouraged you gave up. Now the savings that kept you going for awhile are almost gone and unemployment benefits aren’t enough to live on. It’s time to renew the search. Or maybe you’ve been able to be a stay-at-home parent for a few years but the recession is making that option more and more challenging. Or perhaps the Web-based business you started didn’t take off as you’d hoped. Or maybe you retired a few years ago but find that the money runs out before the month does. Whatever the reason, getting back to work is a job in itself. It can be a daunting process. Before you start searching the Web or the classifieds in your local newspaper, you may have some personal work to do. People who do well in the job hunt ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050192 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:11:34 +0100 5050192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050193&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fgrief-after-suicide-an-interview-with-dr-jack-jordan%2F With approximately 30,000 suicides happening each year in the US, countless people are grieving the loss of loved ones who have taken their lives. The grieving process is different to those who have lost a spouse, father, sister, or friend to cancer, heart disease, or a stroke. Many “suicide survivors” are left to process their emotions in private because the topic of suicide is still so taboo in this country. One great resource is the Grief Support Services of the Samaritans of Boston. They recently conducted an interview with Dr. Jack Jordan on the topic of grieving a loved one who has committed suicide. Dr. Jordan is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and Wellesley, Massachusetts, where he specializes in working with loss and bereavement. He is ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050193 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:39:14 +0100 5050193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050194&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2F10-tips-for-setting-boundaries-online%2F Good boundaries are important for healthy relationships, but when it comes to our online lives, we rarely think to create clear-cut borders. The most important reason to set boundaries online, according to psychologist and coach Dana Gionta, Ph.D, is for your “safety and protection.” Personally, you don’t want to give out private information to the world, and professionally, you don’t want to compromise your credibility and reputation, she said. So whether you’re using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other social media website — or just writing email — it’s important to proceed thoughtfully with your time online. Here, Gionta doles out key advice on devising and defending your boundaries. 1. Give yourself permission. Many people think that they don’t deserve to ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050194 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:31:26 +0100 5050194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050195&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fblack-and-depressed-two-african-american-women-break-the-silence%2F According to Raymond DePaulo, Jr. M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, African American populations do not have higher rates of depression in the US. However, the statistics may be skewed because African Americans are much less likely to report their symptoms of depression. The stigma and prejudice toward mental health issues in Black communities is especially thick, making it very difficult for persons suffering from depression or anxiety (or any mood disorder) to acknowledge it, let alone seek treatment. When I participated in a six-week outpatient program at Laurel Hospital, half the group was African American. The stories horrified me. Most of the African Americans could not reveal to any member in their family what they were doing (the outpati... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050195 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:23:43 +0100 5050195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050196&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Feating-disorders-spike-among-middle-aged-and-older-women%2F When you hear the term, eating disorder, many people may typically think of a perfectionistic adolescent girl heavily into sports or dance, being raised by an over-controlling parent. By starving herself or binge eating and purging, she is rebelling against the prison of her home. This disease is devastating to young girls: Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents; 95 percent of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25; 50 percent of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight; And 80 percent of 13-year-olds have attempted to lose weight. However, an increasing number of middle-aged and older women are suffering from eating disorders, as well. It’s really no wonder when you consider our culture’s obsession ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050196 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:15:35 +0100 5050196 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050197&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ffeedback-informed-treatment-empowering-clients-to-use-their-voices%2F How often does your therapist ask you how they’re doing? Or give you questionnaires to complete to see how you’re doing? An approach called feedback-informed treatment or FIT does just that — uses a client’s feedback to inform their treatment. FIT “is all about empowering the client and increasing the client’s voice,” said Jason Seidel, PsyD, founder and director of The Colorado Center for Clinical Excellence in Denver. Seidel has been using FIT at his private practice since 2004. Specifically, FIT “involves routinely and most importantly formally soliciting feedback from clients about the process of therapy, working relationship [with the therapist] and overall wellbeing,” he said. The formal aspect of FIT is key because most therapists think they ask for feedback, bu... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050197 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:22:15 +0100 5050197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050198&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fcouples-therapists-reveal-15-lessons-ive-learned-about-relationships%2F Relationships are hard, no doubt about it. There’s no magic elixir or method to making them work. But there are certain skills and insights you can learn when it comes to communicating better, resolving conflict, building real intimacy and having an all-around healthy relationship. For wisdom, we spoke with several couples specialists, who reveal the valuable lessons they’ve learned in their profession along with what makes happy, solid relationships. 1. Relationships are complex. This seems like a no-brainer, but many of us don’t appreciate a relationship’s complexities. Think of it this way: Each person has their own multilayered thoughts and emotions, which bring a variety of intricacies to the table, said Robert Solley, Ph.D, a San Francisco clinical psychologist. In fact, ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050198 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:59:31 +0100 5050198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036098&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fchanging-media-depictions-of-mental-illness%2F The perceptions of mental illnesses have come a long way from their characterization as untreatable maladies, thus forcing the suffering individual to be locked away in an asylum. No longer are victims of these disorders viewed as taboo creatures; rather, our society has slowly opened up the discussion and admittance of such problems, coming as far as creating distinct professions to classify and treat these illnesses. Furthermore, many people, if treated, find their lives to be as normal as any other “normal” person. Despite this developing contemporary stance, past prejudice is hard to squelch. Due to a lack of knowledge and past misconceptions, we are forced to resort to other sources to fill this informational void. In an age where information is provided and monopolized by the me... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036098 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 14:04:26 +0100 5036098 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036099&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fi-love-my-mother-but-practical-help-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-relationship%2F In her book, I Love My Mother, But… Practical Help to Get the Most Out of Your Relationship, Linda Mintle, Ph.D, a licensed marriage and family therapist, features hands-on advice and excerpts from the Bible to help daughters improve their relationships with Mom. She includes insight for all types of relationships, even those that have been marred by abuse and other dysfunctional patterns. The book is divided into two parts: Finding New Strategies: Ways to Make Your Relationship Better and Finding New Perspectives: Ways to Better Understand Each Other. The first section delves into changing defensive reactions, dealing with anger, developing empathy for your mom and handling conflict. The second section focuses on facing expectations, coming to terms with your mom’s influence, und... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036099 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:35:05 +0100 5036099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036100&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fovercoming-anxiety-in-todays-tough-tuned-in-plugged-in-world%2F Every era has its ups and downs — war, natural disasters, economic trouble, social problems and crime. But what distinguishes today from any other era is our instant access to these devastating events. Thanks to a slew of ever-amazing technological advances, people can “watch tragedy and disaster on [their] smart phone,” said John Tsilimparis, MFT, director of the Anxiety and Panic Disorder Center of Los Angeles and author of the forthcoming book Retraining Your Anxious Mind: A New Approach to the Art of Anxiety Management. But always being in the know has a downside. In fact, the combination of safety-compromising events — 9/11, its upcoming 10th anniversary, terrorism, tsunamis, tornadoes, earthquakes, unemployment, dwindling economy — and 24/7 access can cause a kind of collec... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036100 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:14:07 +0100 5036100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5027590&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fhow-to-think-straight-about-psychology%2F Conclusion What I have mentioned about the book in this review is a very small part of what it contains. It is written in an easy to follow format and is useful for the lay public, students and college professors. If you have any interest in science, statistics, psychology, cognition, research methods, decision-making, and thinking more clearly about everyday situations do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 9 edition (August 8, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 0205685900 ISBN-13: 978-0205685905 (Source: Psych Central) Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5027590 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:30:44 +0100 5027590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5027591&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-way-of-the-comedian%2F This article has been excerpted from Humor’s Hidden Power: Weapon, Shield and Psychological Salve by Nichole Force, M.A. According to a tale in the Talmud, the prophet Elijah said that there will be reward in the next world for those who bring laughter to others in this one. Although comedians typically garner less prestige than other artists, they are no less creatively endowed and no less essential to society. In fact, comedians may play a far greater role in the psychological health of a society than previously realized. Experts at restructuring and reframing negative and tragic circumstances into humorous ones, comedians often accomplish on stage what therapists hope to accomplish in their offices. Those who seek an effective means of coping with and overcoming everything from minor... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5027591 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:33:55 +0100 5027591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5027592&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fresetting-roles-a-challenge-for-everyone%2F A new study by Forbes Woman and the pregnancy website TheBump.com found that 92 percent of working moms and 89 percent of stay-at-home moms feel overwhelmed by trying to balance responsibilities as a worker, homemaker and parent. Meanwhile, a survey of fathers working at Fortune 500 companies conducted by the Boston College Center for Work and Family shows that although more than half of the men would consider not working if the family could live on their wife’s salary, they did not view the daily tasks of taking care of children as a top priority. While women routinely make compromises with their careers in order to take care of children, it seems that fathers aren’t stepping up to the plate in the same way. They reportedly want to be more involved with their kids but they rarely cu... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5027592 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:15:28 +0100 5027592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5027593&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Ftranscendental-meditation-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work%2F Being that my job is to feature and review books on psychology, spirituality, and especially the intersection between the two, I receive my share of books on meditation. And as a person who has been trying to meditate for two years, but who just can’t seem to get the hang of it, I always open the cover a tad sinister, looking for a magic bullet. The book Transcendence: Healing and Transformation Through Transcendental Meditation was on my decline stack until I read the short bio on Norman Rosenthal, M.D. and became intrigued. He’s a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical School. He conducted research at the National Institute of Mental Health. And he was the one who first described and diagnosed seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Ironically, I knew of him through my goo... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5027593 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:23:56 +0100 5027593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5027594&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fnavigating-college-with-borderline-personality-disorder%2F I was recently diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) after spending two weeks in a mental hospital following two failed suicide attempts. While anything with the phrase “disorder” naturally sounds terrifying at first, it was more than a little bit relieving to have the answer to the one question I had asked all my life: “why am I the way that I am?” What exactly is BPD? Trying to explain it to someone who has never experienced it can be quite a daunting task. My psychiatrist describes borderline personality disorder as having an “emotional sunburn.” Imagine touching the skin of a person without a sunburn as opposed to touching the skin of someone with a horrible, blistering burn. While the person without a sunburn will be fine, the one with a sunburn will be in ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5027594 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:42:59 +0100 5027594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5027595&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Freconnect-with-your-family-have-a-hotdog%2F You may have seen the commercial on TV. A dad comes home, weary after a hard day of work. He goes from room to room to check in on various members of the family. One kid is plugged into his music. A couple more are playing a video game. His wife is on the computer. No one says hello. So he goes into the basement and throws the switch to cut off the power in the house. Black out. Shift scenes. He’s grilling hotdogs and the whole family is having fun around the picnic table in the yard. “How come the neighbors’ lights are still on?” asks one observant kid. Dad just shrugs. A voiceover says, “Our hotdogs: A great way to reconnect with your family.” Cut! Marketing execs are paid big bucks to figure out how to tap into shared human experience that resonates. The ad is a testament to... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5027595 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:15:11 +0100 5027595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5019162&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fthe-psychopath-test-a-journey-through-the-madness-industry%2F by UK-based journalist Jon Ronson (famous for the book-turned-movie The Men Who Stare at Goats) starts out with a mystery. Someone has sent a bunch of neurologists all over the world a package. Inside the package is a book entitled “Being or Nothingness” by an author named Joe K. But this isn’t a typical book. It contains cryptic messages that none of the academics can figure out. So they turn to Ronson to help solve this mystery. Ronson does discover the man behind the enigmatic book, and this kickstarts his investigation into madness and diagnostic labels. Have psychiatrists ever gotten it wrong, become so overzealous with their labeling that they make egregious mistakes? This question brings Ronson to Scientologist Brian Daniels, who works for the Citizens Commission on Human Ri... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5019162 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:21:27 +0100 5019162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5019163&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fmindless-eating%2F We make more than 200 food-related decisions per day. We are unaware of 90 percent of them. In Mindless Eating (2006), Brian Wansink, PhD takes an in-depth look at food psychology and how environmental cues influence eating behavior. Hidden persuaders — including items such as food presentation, advertising, packaging, kitchen design, utensil size and others’ eating behaviors — are all around us. These persuaders often have a big impact on our eating behaviors. Wansink discusses many of them in detail. He pulls his information from a large body of research, and presents it in a manner that is easy to comprehend, even for people who have minimal nutrition knowledge. Diet comes from a Latin word which means “way of life.” Mindless Eating is not about extreme d... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5019163 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:25:50 +0100 5019163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975613&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fintimate-relationships-as-a-vehicle-for-growth%2F The old paradigm for couples was pretty simple: The man went to work, brought home the money and paid for the house, mortgage, etc. He was the provider of security and stability. The woman’s role was to cook, clean, raise the children and take care of the home. She was the provider of emotional nurturing and comfort. The roles were clearly defined and rigid. How many of us have parents who fit this model or at least strived to? Much of this has changed now. Women have jobs and careers, men may stay at home as the primary caregivers, and relationships run across a much broader spectrum than the old “He/She” model. For instance, now there are “He/ He” and “She/ She” models for couples. And there are couples who do not necessarily form a dyad. A “couple” could be in a commit... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975613 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:19:51 +0100 4975613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975614&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fadhd-coaching-9-tips-to-find-the-right-coach%2F When you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), making certain changes, following through on projects, managing your time, accomplishing your goals and even getting to work on time can be difficult. Symptoms such as inattention, distractibility and restlessness cause you to get stuck — on a regular basis. But a coach who specializes in ADHD can help. Sandy Maynard, MS, a veteran ADHD coach who operates Catalytic Coaching, discusses how ADHD coaches can — and can’t — help clients, and how readers can find the right coach for them. What ADHD Coaches Do According to Maynard, ADHD coaches “help clients clarify what’s problematic.” They break down problems into definable goals and steps the client can take. They have a unique understanding of how ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975614 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:19:05 +0100 4975614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968334&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2F168-hours-you-have-more-time-than-you-think%2F Our society is obsessed with time — or, more accurately, our lack thereof. Work takes up most of our time. (We regularly read that Americans work over 60 hours a week, and that’s still considered too little.) We don’t spend as much time as we’d like with our families. We rarely have time for our hobbies, and many of us can’t even spare 15 minutes per day. But, according to Laura Vanderkam in her book 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, the idea of some time crunch is a myth. (In fact, her first chapter is entitled “The Myth of the Time Crunch.”) We actually don’t work as many hours as we think and we do have many pockets of time. And, most importantly, all of us have the same 168 hours a week. She presents convincing statistics to back up... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968334 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:10:56 +0100 4968334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4933772&cid=s_34735_172_f&fid=34735&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Flib%2F2011%2Fdaddies-do-make-a-difference%2F “Congratulations on your wife’s pregnancy,” I said to an acquaintance I ran into in the parking lot at the grocery store. “Oh, we’re getting a divorce. The baby is her thing, not mine. Doesn’t have anything to do with me,” he replied. “I don’t understand,” I said to him. “Your child is going to need you whether or not you love his mom.” “Look. I didn’t ask to be a father so it’s all on her,” he said as casually as if he were talking about the price of bread. There was nothing more I could say, especially to someone who was so matter-of-fact and distanced from what he was telling me. But it certainly got me thinking about the consequences of that kind of attitude. It’s not new information. For almost two decades, father absence has been growing to crisis ... Psych Central news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4933772 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:32:45 +0100 4933772