MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'bipolar'. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:33:18 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967340&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F06%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-november-6-2009%2F I’m attending the 25th Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy today, and I’ll write more about the inspirational work this organization has been doing for 25 years shortly (not just in Georgia, but throughout the entire country). The people who are attending this symposium — as well as the Carter Center itself — have done much to improve mental health care in the U.S., but it’s not something you hear enough about. It’s heartening so many great minds coming together to share best practices and ideas for improvement (especially at this unique time in healthcare history). Not just policy wonks, but also physicians, mental health practitioners, administrators, consumers, CEOs, you name it — they’re all here. All talking about wa... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967340 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:06:23 +0100 2967340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2959061&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2Fstudy_researchers_shoot_down_preadolescent_mania_1.html A study out in this month's British Journal of Psychiatry examined the course of bipolar disorder for as long as 15 years in the offspring of bipolar parents and found no evidence of pre-adolescent mania: "We studied the course of major mood disorders in the offspring of parents with well-characterised bipolar disorder prospectively for up to 15 years. All consenting offspring were assessed annually or anytime symptomatic. The participants began to develop major mood episodes in adolescence and not before. The index major mood episode was almost always depressive, as were the first few recurrences. Onsets and recurrences continued throughout the observation period into adulthood. We did not find evidence of pre-pubertal mania. In summary, adolescence marks the beginning of the high-risk p... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2959061 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2959061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2963157&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F03%2Fthe-fear-of-relapse-5-cognitive-tools%2F A reader recently wrote to me about her overwhelming fear of relapse. She said, “I’m struggling now with it, obsessing over it, and I’m so, so scared. Do I want to crawl into the hole? I fear that. But I can’t. I can’t.” First of all, thank you for being honest. Because so many of us know exactly how you feel. I’m there a lot of the time myself. Less than I was the two years following my hospitalizations, but there too much of the time. Doctor Smith would continually remind me during those first fragile years after my big breakdown that a slight setback in my recovery didn’t mean that I was plunging into a full-fledged depressive episode again, and that it wouldn’t take another 18 months to recover, like it did after my breakdown. These... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2963157 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:39:47 +0100 2963157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954554&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F02%2Fresearch-backed-online-mental-health-interventions%2F So the other week I attended and presented at the First International e-Mental Health Summit 2009 in Amsterdam and already discussed some great online interventions for depression. I’m still planning on talking about additional online interventions for other mental disorders, but am waiting for the conference folks to publish the presentations on their website because the abstract book doesn’t always contain the valuable bits of information I need to properly summarize a topic area. In the meantime, I thought I’d mention Beacon. Beacon is a website that has gone to the trouble of indexing and rating over 70 different online interventions in the following categories: Alcohol (3/3) Bipolar disorder (3/0) Depression (24/11) Eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia) (6/... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954554 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:58:42 +0100 2954554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2944099&cid=t_92589_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3qox1wxAjx8%2F The admission came from Matt Thompson, a sales rep for Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit, who testified in a trial over claims by a former co-worker. In 2002, he said he pushed docs to consider prescribing Risperdal in combination with other drugs, even though this wasn’t approved by the FDA, and he noted that Jannsen’s training didn’t include any specific prohibitions against such promotions. “I’m not saying the company tried to hide it, but we didn’t think about augmentation in the realm of on-label or off- label at that time,” Thompson said. He said he was “probably” aware that promotion of such sales was illegal, Bloomberg News reports. The lawsuit was brought by Lynn Powell, 36, who claims she was fired in 2004 for complaining inside Jannsen about ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2944099 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:04:50 +0100 2944099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934767&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F28%2Ftop-ten-bipolar-blogs-2009%2F Every year the entrants for the Best of the Web awards multiply. In 2009, veterans stood tough as new kids dazzled. It was difficult to narrow the list to just ten (and some more faves we want to mention), but here are our picks for the top blogs written by people who have been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. 1. The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive Do’s and Don’ts for the Mentally Interesting was a BBC Radio play based on Seaneen’s blog produced last May and just nominated for a Mind Mental Health Media Award. Always a compelling and honest read, it was no fluke or sympathy vote that caused us to place this blog near the top of our list last year - it deserves many accolades. Well done. 2. The Trouble With Spikol Another great year for Liz Spikol, a stellar writer an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934767 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:58:05 +0100 2934767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934768&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F27%2Fpatient-stabs-doctor-shot-dead-at-bipolar-clinic%2F A patient being seen at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Bipolar Clinic and Research Program attacked his physician today, stabbing her with a knife during a treatment session according to Boston Police. The incident occurred in an office building nearby the main Mass. General building, where the hospital leases space for the Bipolar Clinic: After at least one gunshot echoed on the fifth floor, two nurses from [a neighboring] office went to treat the patient, who had apparently been shot in the head by the security guard [...] “During the course of the stabbing incident, an off-duty security officer who was armed interceded,” [Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis] said. “He produced a weapon and ordered the suspect to drop the knife. When the suspect did not co... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934768 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:38:36 +0100 2934768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2931275&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPWBlogs-Trouble%2F%7E3%2FykztLfAq-h4%2F Not because she’s a phenomenal actor, which she is, but because she’s just initiated a new project to banish stigma. The project is highly personal, as she explains on Huffington Post: As I’ve written and spoken about before, my sister suffers from a bipolar disorder and my nephew from schizoaffective disorder. There has, in fact, been a lot of depression and alcoholism in my family and, traditionally, no one ever spoke about it. It just wasn’t done. The stigma is toxic. And, like millions of others who live with mental illness in their families, I’ve seen what they endure: the struggle of just getting through the day, and the hurt caused every time someone casually describes someone as “crazy,” “nuts,” or “psycho”. What&#8... The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2931275 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:34:30 +0100 2931275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927364&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F26%2Fare-the-media-becoming-addicted-to-internet-addiction%2F As Dr. John Grohol has cogently argued, there are many reasons to be skeptical of “Internet Addiction” as a discrete and specific “disorder” or diagnosis. Yet I am impressed, and a bit dismayed, by all the attention this issue seems to garner in the popular media. I don’t intend any disrespect to the reporters and journalists who are trying to cover the topic, several of whom have graciously interviewed me. Some reporters are as skeptical as many of us in the mental health field, and a number have asked pertinent questions as to how real so-called Internet addiction is. I simply wish that devastating illnesses like schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder created such a buzz in the media and in the awareness of the general public. Over the last 30... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927364 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:01:59 +0100 2927364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2924848&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F25%2Foptimism-software-technology-meets-self-help%2F Ever since I was discharged from the inpatient psychiatric program at Johns Hopkins, I have kept a mood journal where I daily record the amount of hours I sleep, my mood (rating it a fantastic and serene no. 1 to a frazzled, and I’m-headed-back-to-the-community-room no. 5), any foods that have triggered hyperactivity or irritability (such as a triple espresso and half of a chocolate-mousse pie), my anxiety level, any medication and vitamin/supplement changes, and a list of things I’m obsessing about: weight, job, friends, sisters, yada yada yada. My journal looks like my house: messy … dangerously messy. I scribble something down and then Katherine gets a hold of the pad and draws a mermaid, or a big X through the object of obsession. In other words: it’s not a good... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2924848 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:31:31 +0100 2924848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923308&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F24%2Fglenn-close-tackles-mental-illness-thank-you%2F “Mental illness is just part of the human condition,” Glenn Close said Oct. 21 on “Good Morning America.” Halleluia! A Hollywood response to all the scientology. Today Close spoke out for the first time on television about the legacy of mental illness in her own family: Her sister, Jessie, suffers from bipolar disorder, and Jessie’s son has schizo-affective disorder. Glenn has launched a nonprofit organization called BringChange2Mind, which she hopes will raise awareness about mental illness, strip mood disorders like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia from their unfair stigma, and lend support and information to the mentally ill and their families. Katie Escherich of ABC News writes: Jessie, the youngest of the four Close siblings, was diagnosed with bipolar ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923308 Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:40:57 +0100 2923308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923303&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fonly-perfect-people-should-have.html I hope you know that the title of this post is sarcastic.A reader wrote to us and asked if we'd address the issue of whether people with bipolar disorder should have children:"I have been asked how I could have had children knowing I had bipolar and the person asking would never have known I had bipolar if i did not told them."I enjoyed thinking about this, but I'm punting. I really don't like the idea of putting a value judgment on who should or shouldn't have children. Truly, there are a lot of people out there who shouldn't have babies (because they can't take care of them), but do, and a lot of wonderful people who've been born to people who maybe shouldn't have had babies, but did, and we're all glad they got born anyway. There are no guarantees in life, and I've never heard anyone pu... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923303 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:11:00 +0100 2923303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916420&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2Fchild_psychiatrist_says_kids_overmedicated_wrongly_diagnosed.html This study argues from an individual clinician’s experience that the overwhelming majority of children do no worse and most do considerably better entirely off or at doses of psychotropic medication significantly lower than that prescribed in the mainstream of contemporary child psychiatric care. It seems reasonable to attribute the clinical improvement of these children to diminished efforts to control thinking, affect, and behavior by pharmacologic interventions, while simultaneously increasing the amount and quality of analytically informed treatment. Success in effecting dramatic reductions in prescribed medications suggests that in mainstream child psychiatric care there is excessive overdiagnosing and overmedicating of affectively labile and rageful, aggressive children. Very like... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916420 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2916420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916247&cid=t_92589_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2FGK2kll18QPE%2Fart-and-pride.html Watch Mad But Glad [Part 1] Watch Mad But Glad [Part 2] Mad But Glad Very good UK documentary following Nick van Bloss, a pianist who has Tourette’s syndrome and thrives by using the instrument to channel creative energy and manage his condition. Delves into classic questions about the link between creativity and madness (and dopamine), with animated brain scans and comparisons to some creative correlates of autism, mania, and Parkinson’s. Part 1, and part 2. (Source: Channel N) Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916247 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:39 +0100 2916247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2904926&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F19%2Fwhat-is-a-nervous-breakdown%2F A nervous breakdown refers to a mainstream and often-used term to generically describe someone who experiences a bout of mental illness that is so severe, it directly impacts their ability to function in everyday life. The specific mental illness can be anything — depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or something else. But the reference to a “nervous breakdown” usually refers to the fact that the person has basically stopped their daily routines — going to work, interacting with loved ones or friends, even just getting out of bed to eat or shower. A nervous breakdown can be seen as a sign that one’s ability to cope with life or a mental illness has been overwhelmed by stress, life events, work or relationship issues. By disconnecting from the... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2904926 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:55:47 +0100 2904926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899178&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2Fmcmanamy_tries_criticizing_me_again.html Can I just say that John McManamy, author the Knowledge Is Necessity blog and the book "Living Well with Depression and Bipolar Disorder," is an out-of-touch fool? Back in February, he alleged that I engaged in "dumb anti-psychiatry" for daring to criticize the possibility of a new type 3 of bipolar disorder and now he's gone and re-posted that entry for reasons that escape me, but establish once again that he's a malicious toad. Here's my response to him earlier this year, wherein I noted that he's a huge defender of the child bipolar paradigm, Fred Goodwin and pretty much anything mainstream psychiatry tells him is true. Meanwhile, he's completely missed writing about how bipolar disorder is wrongly diagnosed almost 50 percent of the time, how there's evidence that the disorder resolves... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899178 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2899178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890697&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FxYSuZIOYB1k%2F URL: http://www.facetheissue.com/Features narrated animations and facts about addiction, eating disorders, depression, and other mental health concerns. For: AnyoneTopics: ADHD, Addiction, Anger, Anxiety, Biological Psychology, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Depression, Eating Disorders, Health Promotion, Health Psychology, Health and Social Services, Life, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, Self-helpFeatures: Case Studies, Commentary and Blogs, Documentary, Forums, Information, Self Monitoring, Videos, e-learning Features narrated animations and facts about addiction, eating disorders, depression, and other mental health concerns.  Adds a “real-life” dimension to each disorder listed on the site.  A must see. (Source: PsychSplash) PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890697 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:13 +0100 2890697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2872008&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2Fstudy_large_percentage_of_bipolar_disorder_cases_resolve_spontaneously_by_mid30s.html This study is not proof that bipolar disorder fades with time. The authors call for more studies and longitudinal analyses and so on. It's a study just begging for replication and I hope NIH and others in psychiatry get serious about its finding and undertake other research into the natural course of bipolar disorder (or disorders). Maybe Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca would like to help! Um, probably not. 5. That said, the Sher study is an important piece of evidence. Coupled with a study last year by Mark Zimmerman, a Brown University psychiatry professor, asserting that almost 50 percent of diagnoses of bipolar disorder are wrong (they are commonly cases of depression), it argues for some skepticism both within psychiatry and the media on what we think we know about bipolar disorder and wha... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2872008 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2872008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862558&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F05%2Fprevalence-of-common-mental-disorders%2F In support of Mental Health Awareness Week — meant to increase awareness of mental health issues and helping people better understand mental disorders — we’ve created the graph below to give you a better idea of the prevalence (in the past year) of these disorders in the general American population. The media sometimes emphasizes one disorder over another, distorting the picture of how many people actually have the disorder. For instance, the graph shows that bipolar disorder — the subject of so many advertising campaigns, TV commercials and more — has similar prevalence rates to panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and binge eating. Mental disorders are more common than many people realize, and far fewer people seek out treatment for them than... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862558 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:39:47 +0100 2862558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2846424&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FWPGRnM5gDsc%2F URL: http://www.psycline.org/PSYCLINE is owned and managed by psychologist Dr. Armin Günther, University of Augsburg, Germany. The website started in 1995 under its former name Links to Psychological Journals and has won a high reputation as one of the (if not as the) most comprehensive and up-to-date index of psychology and social science journals on the web. For: Clinicians, Researchers, Students, TeachersTopics: ADHD, Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Behaviour Management, Bipolar, General Psychology, Health Psychology, Mental Health, Psychology and Technology, Teaching, WritingFeatures: Author Lists, Books, Databases, Information, JournalsPSYCLINE is owned and managed by psychologist Dr. Armin Günther, University of Augsburg, Germany. The website started in 1995 under its former... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2846424 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:00:37 +0100 2846424 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2834295&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F26%2Fbounce-6-steps-to-become-more-resilient%2F Resilience. That’s what I’m after. To be able to find my balance after hitting a pot hole. To wake up with hope after enduring a series of frustrations. To look beyond the circumstances of my life in order to enjoy the moment. Yes. I want to become more resilient. So it was with great interest that I read Robert Wick’s book, “Bounce: Living the Resilient Life.” Here are six of the suggestions he presents in his book. A professor of psychology at Loyola University, Maryland, Dr. Wicks is author of numerous books, including “Prayerfulness” that I featured earlier this year. Step One: Become Aware of Acute Stress and Toxic Situations In his first chapter, Dr. Wicks talks about how to recognize chronic and acute stress, and what causes burnout. As a s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2834295 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:05:34 +0100 2834295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820279&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F22%2Fuse-caution-with-positive-thinking%2F Back in July, John Cloud wrote a piece for “Time” Magazine called “Yes, I Suck: Self-Help Through Negative Thinking.” In the article, Cloud lays out the research why “cognitive restructuring,” the process of retraining your thoughts–of changing self-defeating attitudes to constructive ones–simply doesn’t work. Actually, it’s worse than that. Sometimes when we tell ourselves statements that we don’t really believe (”I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me”), it can decrease the little self-esteem we had to begin with. As I mentioned in my post “Happy Thoughts Can Make You Sad,” this is precisely why Dr. Smith told me to stay away from self-help books when I was s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820279 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:56:08 +0100 2820279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796763&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2Fhospital_security_beat_handcuffed_psych_patient_in_oregon.html This incident has my blood boiling: according to documents leaked to KATU-TV in Portland, Ore., hospital security staff at Oregon Health & Science University beat a handcuffed woman after she stormed out of the ER. Here's how the station describes the incident: "Anna Marie Hartwick said she is bipolar, has post traumatic stress disorder, and a personality disorder. She said she has been in and out of the state mental hospital and on heavy medications since she was 12 years old. "She said she’s on a cocktail of three medications: Geodon, Zoloft, and Trazodone, which led to infections and severe pain. "On Sept. 1 the pain became intolerable while she was at the Central Library in downtown Portland. Someone called an ambulance to take her to OHSU. After waiting a long time to see a docto... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796763 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2796763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782303&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fconflicted-researcher-joan-luby-barbara.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782303 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:19:00 +0100 2782303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782279&cid=t_92589_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F10%2Fto-bipolar-beat%2F Re: Which Came First – Substance Abuse or Bipolar Disorder? I’m so happy to have come across this site, particularly this article, as I checked out different areas of my news reader. I’ve been in and out of recovery (from alcohol abuse mostly) for about 20 years, now just two-and-a-quarter years sober again. Not too long before [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782279 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:47:51 +0100 2782279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737991&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F08%2F26%2Fa-message-to-patrick-kennedy%2F First of all: Ted Kennedy’s Health Care Legacy The Cause of Ted Kennedy’s Life Patrick, my condolences on your father’s passing. When your dad’s brothers died, he had to get himself together and stop being an irresponsible, drunken frat boy. He had to become a leader who espoused what they did: social justice, pacifism, equal rights, etc. You [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737991 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:20:16 +0100 2737991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734244&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F08%2F25%2Fliveblogging-primetime-outsiders%2F All the below is about this show. Madigan: They didn’t flatter you with that lighting. David Oaks: You’re looking so handsome! I had no idea. Your eyebrows are very sexy. (I’m completely sincere.) “But critics worry …” That’s journalism-speak for “We don’t have any specific sources who say this, but we’ll generalize it so we have reason to [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734244 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:08:27 +0100 2734244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719953&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2Fthe_onion_pres_obama_has_bipolar_disorder.html Among other things, America's most trusted news network reports that the signs were there in President Barack Obama's campaign last year--the euphoric emails to supporters, his unflinching belief in the airy concept of "hope." And so on. (Source: Furious Seasons) Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719953 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2719953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709371&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2Fso_much_for_bipolar_disorder_being_underdiagnosed.html I imagine two or three of you remember a study that came out last year asserting that bipolar disorder was being overdiagnosed--or wrongly diagnosed--in almost 50 percent of patients. The study was authored by Mark Zimmerman, a psychiatry professor at Brown University, and colleagues and was quite controversial, although some researchers supported his findings. After all, bipolar disorder is supposed to be underdiagnosed and most of the leading lights in psychiatry consider bipolar to be a fixed diagnosis. Once you're diagnosed with it, there is no escape. Shut up and take your meds or you're living in denial and will die and so on. I wrote a lengthy rant about Zimmerman's findings last year. I spoke with Zimmerman last year and asked him if such a large chunk of patients didn't have bipo... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709371 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2709371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2702400&cid=t_92589_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Ffda-saphris-asenapine-approval.html From the FDA:FDA Approves Saphris to Treat Schizophrenia and Bipolar DisorderThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Saphris tablets (asenapine) to treat adults with schizophrenia, a chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder, and to treat bipolar I disorder in adults, a serious psychiatric disorder that causes shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function.“Mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be devastating to patients and families, requiring lifelong treatment and therapy,” said Thomas Laughren, M.D., director of the Division of Psychiatry Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Effective medicines can help people with mental illness live more independent lives.”Read the full FDA press releaseS-P corporat... BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2702400 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:54:00 +0100 2702400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2699656&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F14%2F5-good-reasons-to-track-your-mood-an-interview-with-james-bishop%2F Today I have the pleasure of interviewing one of my first Internet buddies, James Bishop, who runs the site FindingOptimism.com and writes the Finding Optimism blog which has been voted as one of the top depression blogs by Psych Central. James also is the brainiac behind Optimism Software, a tool to help you track your mood. Question: Why did you develop the software, James? Was there a certain “Aha!” moment you’d like to share with us, as though you were sitting on the Oprah set? James: An “Aha!” moment? Yes, I’ve had lots of those. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 6 years ago, and I started on the difficult path of finding appropriate treatment. At the same time Anna started keeping a paper health journal. In 2004 I took part in a 6-part e... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2699656 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:39:37 +0100 2699656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2678684&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F06%2F8-tools-for-happiness-gretchen-rubins-happiness-project-toolbox%2F As someone who suffers from manic-depression, I have a box of tools that I use to help me stay on the path of recovery and get as far away as possible from the black hole of despair. However, they are not all that different from the eight tools that blogger/author Gretchen Rubin uses in her happiness project. Now Gretchen offers a website, The Happiness Project Toolbox, where she helps you tailor the tools to your own life and, in the process, see what others have to say about them. Her site, the Happiness Project Toolbox, offers eight free tools. Like James Bishop’s Optimism Software, Gretchen’s tools help you become an active participant in your recovery, transferring some of the accountability for serenity to you. And because they involve you in the path to peace, you come ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2678684 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:47:48 +0100 2678684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660784&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F1AlYGJZHqq0%2F URL: http://lucidinterval.org/here_we_go_again.shtmlPractical suggestions for avoiding manic episodes or at least reducing their severity. For: Anyone, ConsumersTopics: Bipolar, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Mental Health PromotionFeatures: Articles, Information, Links Practical suggestions for avoiding manic episodes or at least reducing their severity. It is based upon personal experience of bipolar disorder for over some 30 years. (Source: PsychSplash) PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660784 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:00:57 +0100 2660784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2641339&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F27%2Fgive-me-the-gun-when-suicidal-ideations-take-over%2F I have been thinking about this question ever since I read it on a discussion thread in Group Beyond Blue. Meg writes: So, my husband has shown interest in getting a handgun permit. It’s the South, and lots of people have them. I don’t have an issue with the concept of it. He wants to take the class and is really responsible about it. He doesn’t hunt and isn’t a “war games” kind of guy or a gun fanatic. Then I told him that a stipulation would be that when we had children, the way the gun was stored would need to be open to discussion. We would need to agree on a safe way to handle it based on the relative risks involved. He’s fine with that. I next suggested that he look up some gun stores or ranges to call about lessons. I think it was the phrase... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2641339 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:35:34 +0100 2641339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2637861&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F24%2Ffriday-flashback-for-july-24-2009%2F While visiting family over the weekend, I thought you might enjoy these classic entries from our past. 10 Years Ago on Psych Central When Tragedy Provides My essay about the Columbine tragedy, which also just celebrated its 10 year anniversary a few months ago. Tragedy reminds us that we’re human and gives us a chance to reconnect with one another. But nothing can make sense of tragedies such as Columbine. 5 Years Ago on Psych Central Drug Maker Acknowledges Misleading Claims In case you thought that some pharmaceutical companies’ recent problems with telling the whole truth about their drugs is something new, I noted 5 years ago when Janssen admitted that it minimized some of the potential side effects of its drug, Risperdal. According to the story, “the FDA determine... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2637861 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:06:10 +0100 2637861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2621913&cid=t_92589_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E5%2FCxu9Mm76dH8%2Fpodcast Writing About Madness: Life After Public Disclosure of Mental Illness Another great talk by Kay Redfield Jamison, bipolar expert and author. Here she describes reactions and support she experienced after publishing An Unquiet Mind, coming out as a person with a bipolar disorder. The talk has a focus on education, describing challenges for herself and other people with neurocognitive impairment from bipolar. There is some audience Q&A. A podcast preview is available. (Source: Channel N) Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2621913 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:30:35 +0100 2621913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2616842&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2Fsecond_anniversary_offmeds.html As I did last year, I wanted to publicly note my anniversary--this year is the second--of being off-meds. Yes, that's right: I've made it two years, despite the naysayers who told me I'd wind up dead or in the hospital, medicated to the gills. Looks like they were wrong. I'm in pretty good shape and haven't had a lick of anything that would register on any clinical scale in a long time. So two years after my psychiatrist talked me into going off the last of 18 years of psych meds, my case establishes one of four things: that I was a bad diagnosis back in 1989 and was never bipolar at all; that bipolar disorder burns out over time; that I'm a medical miracle of some kind; or, that I am a sick, delusional man, soon to be hospitalized. I lean towards the bad diagnosis and burns-out-over-time... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2616842 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2616842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598462&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F07%2F13%2Flost-to-illness%2F This film came out in 2007, but I haven’t heard much about how the subject of the film is faring. The filmmaker can still be found, but where is Sam? (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598462 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:03:03 +0100 2598462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584213&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F09%2F6-steps-for-beating-depression%2F This study–along with a handful of others like it–suggests that omega-3s may be among the most effective antidepressant substances ever discovered. 2. Engaged Activity According to Ilardi, engaged activity keeps us from ruminating, and ruminating causes depression. I understand his logic, and he is right that we are more isolated now in our lifestyle than even 10 years ago because technology allows us to do our jobs individually. Says Ilardi: The biggest risk factor for rumination is simply spending time alone, something Americans now do all the time. When you’re interacting with another person, your mind just doesn’t have a chance to dwell on repetitive negative thoughts. But, really, any sort of engaged activity can work to interrupt rumination. It can even be som... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584213 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:49:20 +0100 2584213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2576649&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F07%2Fdepression-theres-a-person-underneath-the-illness%2F I think one of the most consoling things a fellow manic depressive ever told me was that I (the person known as Therese) never disappeared during my severe depression. It felt like I did, of course. Because I could barely recognize myself. I would stare into a mirror and question the identity of the ugly chick staring back. People couldn’t recognize me … especially from the back, since I had dropped a few pant sizes. But my friend reassured me that I was there all along. In a letter dated around May of 2006, just as I was starting to ascend from the Black Hole, she wrote me this: Once one walks in the door of a good psychiatrist, the scientist, and finds a good therapist as well as cognitive-thinking help, she realizes how alone she has been most of her life. Your success is ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2576649 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:03:59 +0100 2576649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570607&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F02%2Fbreakthrough-for-schizophrenia-and-bipolar%2F Earlier today, we reported that NIMH-funded researchers at three different genetic research institutes from around the world collaborated and published three new studies yesterday in the journal, Nature, that suggested a true breakthrough in our understanding of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. And to think that just earlier this week, I was dismissing the largely inconclusive findings of genetics research in mental illness. One of the researchers commented on the findings: “There was substantial overlap in the genetic risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder that was specific to mental disorders. We saw no association between the suspect gene variants and half a dozen common non-psychiatric disorders.” This is an important discovery — that some of the roots of schi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570607 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:00:34 +0100 2570607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2571183&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2Fno_charges_against_psychiatrist_in_rebecca_riley_case.html A grand jury in Massachusetts has not returned a criminal indictment against Kayoko Kifuji, a Tufts Medical Center psychiatrist, in connection with the doctor's role in the death of Rebecca Riley, a 4-year-old girl who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD at 2-years-old. The case has gotten a ton of national attention due to the fact that the girl was actually killed in December 2006 by some of the aggressive medication she was on. Meds prescribed to her included Seroquel, Depakote and clonidine. Her parents have been charged with first-degree murder and are in jail awaiting trial. A medical malpractice case brought by the girl's estate against Kifuji continues. I would've been surprised by any criminal charges against the psychiatrist, but the civil case ought to be a tougher g... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2571183 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2571183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561545&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F06%2F30%2Fpeople-first-language%2F One of the biggest challenges I’ve had in the 10 years I’ve been writing on the subject of mental illness is the evolving use of language around disabilities. Sometimes I’ve been relieved by change; other times I’ve been frustrated. I recently had the opportunity to start thinking about this again because I accidentally let a [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561545 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:45:55 +0100 2561545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2553088&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F29%2Fchasing-the-genetic-ghosts-of-mental-illness%2F For decades, scientists have been making claims about the genetic roots of mental illness, ranging from schizophrenia and depression, to bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). And for decades, they’ve largely been chasing ghosts. Eric Kandel, writing for Newsweek, makes the at-least-annual appeal that scientists are making “certain advances in genetics” which give “us new reasons for optimism” in understanding the biological basis for mental illness. As someone who’s been tracking the progress of such genetic advances over the past two decades, I have to say, I remain squarely skeptical. It doesn’t help that Kandel’s own arguments are exercises in circular logic: One major advance has been the discovery that there is much mo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2553088 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:19:49 +0100 2553088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2523750&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F06%2F23%2Fmental-illness-and-migraines%2F This weekend I was asked by some people how mental illness fits into my life nowadays, and I had a realization that was both reassuring and depressing: migraines are a bigger factor in my everyday existence now than bipolar disorder is. I’m glad to be so recovered (despite not exercising and eating poorly — take [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2523750 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:56:55 +0100 2523750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512726&cid=t_92589_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F23%2Fabout-com-bipolar-disorder-called-manic-depression-or-bipolar-disorder-stigma-persists%2F An article arrived in my “in” box today which underlined for me one of the persistent difficulties in living with mental illness – stigma. Stigma interests me a great deal, living as I am with HIV/AIDS, too. I almost feel defensive in talking about my bipolar II condition, particularly around some other recovering alcoholics who look skeptical [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512726 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:03:17 +0100 2512726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2523751&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F06%2F22%2Fyesterday-was-my-birthday-i-am-next-to-normal%2F It feels really different being 25. I can’t imagine how an old person — like 41 — would feel. Ahem. This weekend I went to NYC and saw Next to Normal, a Broadway musical about a woman who’s been diagnosed with the kind of bipolar disorder I have — depressive with psychotic features. In the play, [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2523751 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:00:34 +0100 2523751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513050&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2F1999-2009-ocdadhdpediatric-bipolar.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513050 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:46:00 +0100 2513050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513089&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2Fquestioning_antipsychotics_in_kids_sf_chron_supports_their_use.html From time to time, I simply shake my head at the quality of health journalism in the US, particularly as regards children's mental health. Today's example comes to us from the San Francisco Chronicle in an article entitled "Antipsychotic drugs for kids raise hope, worry." While the article does get at both the hope and worry around the use of these drugs in kids, it remains uncomfortably biased toward promoting the use of antipsychotics in kids to the point where you've got to wonder who the reporter's sources were and who the hell is editing at the Chron these days. The trouble starts in the lede: "Increasingly powerful antipsychotic drugs available on the market, and growing evidence that starting these medications early can help children with conditions like bipolar disorder, is putti... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513089 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2513089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511160&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F19%2F6-ways-to-stay-out-of-the-psych-ward%2F It’s been three years since I’ve dined in the community room of a psych ward with some fellow depressives… Trying to slice a piece of rubber turkey with a plastic knife while wondering what I had to do to get out of there. I would like very much not to return. I came up with these steps to help me. But they are good sanity tools even if you’ve never made it to the community room. 1. Keep a consistent rhythm. I’m not talking about rap, or your tempo on the drums. I’m referring to your circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock which governs fluctuation in body temperature and the secretion of several hormones, including the evil one, cortisol. Here is how you establish good rhythm that assists you with the whole sanity thing: you live a boring life.... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511160 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:11:37 +0100 2511160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513092&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2Ffda_staff_urge_review_of_developmental_delay_autism_linked_to_depakote.html In news just out this morning, FDA scientific staff urge the agency to undertake further review of the anti-seizure drug Depakote, commonly used for various seizure disorders as well as a so-called mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder, due to possible links to cases of developmental delay and autism in children of mothers taking the drug while pregnant. Depakote, made by Abbott Labs, is also known as divalproex in generic form. "Six cases received since its approval in 1983, including two siblings reported to have autism, 'raise concerns,' Food and Drug Administration staff wrote in a May 6 memo released on Friday. "Limitations in the reports 'make it impossible to definitively conclude' the drug played a role, and genetics or other factors may have contributed, especially in the two sibl... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513092 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2513092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511164&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fintroducing-the-psych-central-mood-tracker%2F After taking a look at a few of the mood trackers that have long been available online, I was very unsatisfied with both how they asked you about your mood (”How depressed are you today?”) and the results they displayed (can we say “unhelpful”?). Mood trackers are used to help you track your emotional state on a daily or weekly basis, helping you get a better grasp on your emotions. Mood trackers can also help you determine your treatment’s effectiveness over time. Like a screening quiz for depression or anxiety, you typically can’t just ask a person, “How depressed are you?” and get any kind of answer that you can hang your hat on. People aren’t always the best judge of their own mood states — especially when they are in the down... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511164 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:04:19 +0100 2511164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513062&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fjoint-statement-on-atypical.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513062 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:40:00 +0100 2513062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511166&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F15%2Fonline-mental-health-journalism-awards-2009%2F As we noted here, Mental Health America recently announced the winners of the “2009 Media Awards” that recognize excellence in mental health journalism. Sadly, despite the Internet’s popularity for the past 15 years, the Internet as a category is still missing from the awards. Apparently you can do good journalism online, you just won’t be acknowledged for it. (In Mental Health America’s defense, Pulitzer only began recognizing online journalism this year, too, so go figure.) We thought we’d acknowledge some examples of outstanding online mental health and psychiatry journalism in 2008. You might argue with our broad interpretation of “journalism,” but we believe that writers or producers who can bring new insight, analysis or understanding a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511166 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:29:36 +0100 2511166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513063&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fcabf-child-and-adolescent-bipolar.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513063 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:54:00 +0100 2513063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473571&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F12%2F9-myths-of-bipolar-disorder%2F Bipolar disorder has been the focus of attention in recent years, as a new slew of psychiatric medications have been developed to help treat it. Such medications drive pharmaceutical marketing and increased educational efforts surrounding bipolar disorder (for better or worse). But many myths surround bipolar disorder — what it is, what it means, and how it’s treated. Here’s to busting a few of the most common ones. 1. Bipolar disorder means I’m really “crazy.” While bipolar disorder is a serious mental disorder, it is no more serious than most other mental disorders. Having a mental disorder doesn’t mean you’re “crazy,” it just means you have a concern that is negatively impacting how you live your life. Left unaddressed, this co... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473571 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:11:46 +0100 2473571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463071&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F07%2Fbipolar-domestic-violence%2F One of the most enduring posts I’ve ever written here is Bipolar Disorder and Dating. Comments have come in continuously, as people are very concerned about relationships with partners who have bipolar disorder. Some think it’s worth it and some do not. What I’ve noticed is that people who love and support partners who take care of themselves too, who aren’t in denial about the diagnosis and who stick with a treatment plan and want to be well, are those who want to stay and those who say it’s worth staying. On the other hand, being with a partner during an untreated manic episode can be bad for your mental health and in some cases physical safety as well. Although it is a myth that mentally ill people are more violent, as shown in epidemiological studies, it i... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463071 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:59:00 +0100 2463071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463080&cid=t_92589_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FTLqXIQsjYm4%2F Bipolar disorder, frequently called manic-depression, is a mental illness that affects almost 6 million adults in the United States - up to 2.6% of the adult population. It strikes men and women equally, although it may be that men develop it earlier than women. This serious mental illness begins most often in the late teen or early adult years, but it can begin earlier or later. In fact, someone may have bipolar disorder for quite a while before it’s diagnosed because some symptoms can be mistaken for depression, for example. Although bipolar disorder is serious, it can be managed with the right treatment - usually a combination of psychotherapy and medications. The problem is that it needs to be diagnosed so it can be treated. And, according to a study presented at the annual meeti... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463080 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:04:36 +0100 2463080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2453055&cid=t_92589_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fliving-in-the-east-on-west-coast-time%2F At just after 1 a.m. EDST I am now contemplating hauling ass to my bed, although any number of distractions could keep me from there. I see my nearly new therapist for the second time Thursday and, if last week is anything to go by, I will be glad it’s a late afternoon appointment. A [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2453055 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:29:08 +0100 2453055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452702&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FeBXZITRCkq8%2F URL: http://www.befrienders.org/index.aspBefrienders listen to people who are lonely, despairing or considering suicide. They don’t judge them, don’t tell them what to do. They listen. That may not sound much - but it can make the difference between life and death. People who feel suicidal are often so focused on a particular problem or pain that they find it difficult to see a way forward. Talking openly to a befriender, in a safe and confidential environment, can help. By listening to a suicidal person, a befriender helps them to listen to themselves. For: AnyoneTopics: Addiction, Anger, Behaviour Management, Bipolar, Counselling, Depression, Emotional Health, Self-harm and suicideFeatures: Articles, Collaborative News, Databases, Group Management, Information, Links Befr... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452702 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:00:41 +0100 2452702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2447691&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F8GM-lW_sLCo%2F URL: http://www.bigsplace.com/Welcome to Big’s Place, a helpful collection of resources on mental health issues - including links to some of the most compelling, informative and relevant healthcare information sites. For: ConsumersTopics: ADHD, Anxiety, Aspergers, Attachment, Autism, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Depression, Emotional HealthFeatures: Articles, Community and Social Networking, Forums Welcome to Big’s Place, a helpful collection of resources on mental health issues - including links to some of the most compelling, informative and relevant healthcare information sites. This is a great site with all kinds of links for AD/HD, ODD, SID, Aspergers, Autism and more. Forums and chats have also been added. (Source: PsychSplash) PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2447691 Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:00:59 +0100 2447691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441692&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F26%2Fupdate-dsm-v-major-changes%2F At the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting last week, a presentation covered some of the likely major changes that will be incorporated into the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, commonly referred to as the DSM by mental health professionals. The DSM provides professionals with the symptom checklists that allow for a mental disorder diagnosis to be made. The most significant change proposed has to do with the inclusion of dimensional assessments for depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment and reality distortion that span across many major mental disorders. So a clinician might diagnose schizophrenia, but then also rate these four dimensions for the patient to characterize the schizophrenia in a more detailed and descriptive m... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441692 Tue, 26 May 2009 18:41:05 +0100 2441692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441699&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F22%2Fhow-do-you-cure-mental-illness%2F One of the challenges faced by people who have a mental illness — such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or ADHD or the like — is that not too many people will talk to you about “curing” the condition. (Except snake-oil salesmen, who will claim they can cure your bipolar disorder with their amazing technique or CD.) In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a professional who talks openly about “cures” for mental illness. For instance, Pete Quily (twitter: petequily) drives the point home with a recent set of twitters: If someone on twitter saying he/she can “Cure #ADHD” with their snake oil/brain machine, donkey ride, miracle ebook etc. Realize 2 things: 1. They’re spammers. 2.They’re ignorant, liars or both. You... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441699 Fri, 22 May 2009 13:50:28 +0100 2441699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424468&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fcodey-will-transform-system%2F The headline at NJPoliticker.com reads: “CODEY BILLS WOULD TRANSFORM PATIENT CARE AT STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS” Explanation: A package of bills sponsored by Senate President Richard J. Codey that are designed to protect patient safety and improve employee training and oversight at state psychiatric hospitals was approved yesterday by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424468 Wed, 20 May 2009 18:54:05 +0100 2424468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424203&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F5MPgCfRu2gg%2F URL: http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/Chock full of health education and wellness tips. They will answer any health question on sex, relationships, drugs, general health and emotional well-being. For: Anyone, ConsumersTopics: Abnormal, Anxiety, Attachment, Behaviour Management, Bipolar, Child and Adolescent, Common Factors, Depression, Eating Disorders, Life, Lifestyle, Medicine, Mental Health, ParentingFeatures: Articles, Commentary and Blogs, Information, Question and Answer ServiceDr. Grohol says:  “Chock full of health education and wellness tips. They will answer any health question on sex, relationships, drugs, general health and emotional well-being. Best yet, they archive all of their responses so you can check out if your question has already been asked in their extensive... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424203 Wed, 20 May 2009 17:00:10 +0100 2424203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424479&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Fpsychiatrist_questions_new_drugs_touts_lithium_old_antidepressants.html One of those occasional columns by psychiatrist Richard Friedman of Cornell University showed up in the New York Times today. I'm not sure what the occasion was, but Friedman questions why some docs (residents in particular) aren't prescribing Lithium to people with bipolar disorder as a first-line treatment versus the trend to give bipolars the latest in "mood stabilizers" and antipsychotics. His argument runs to the age-old claim that Lithium has decades of efficacy data (true, although how efficacious is open to interpretation), is established as a safe drug (debatable, depending on what he means by safe, but yes it's likely safer than Zyprexa) and has loads of evidence for its anti-suicide properties (true, for whatever reason), but doesn't get promoted to docs because it's not patenta... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424479 Tue, 19 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2424479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2417149&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Fstudy_depakote_fails_as_pediatric_bipolar_disorder_treatment.html Well, here's a stunner: in a study just out in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, researchers report that Depakote ER (technically, divalproex ER in the study) had no treatment effect in a four-week, placebo-controlled clinical trial of the drug in treating pediatric bipolar disorder in kids and teens aged 10 to 17. In other words, Depakote did not beat placebo. "The results of the study do not provide support for the use of divalproex ER in the treatment of youths with bipolar I disorder, mixed or manic state. Further controlled trials are required to confirm or refute the findings from this study." Researchers included Karen Wagner of the University of Texas and Timothy Wilens of Harvard University. Both have been subjects of investigations by Sen. Ch... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2417149 Tue, 19 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2417149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406136&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Faustralian_psychiatrists_to_tackle_pediatric_bipolar_disorder_at_apa_convention.html Update: I screwed up. Although I couldn't tell from the materials, Parry tells me that the colleagues who will be presenting with him are actually American child psychiatrists. I regret the error and am glad to see that more American psychiatrists are helping Parry spread the skepticism around. The American Psychiatric Association is about to have its annual convention in San Francisco. I learned yesterday that Peter Parry and a few other Australian psychiatrists will present to the APA membership on the many controversies surrounding pediatric bipolar disorder (ages 10 to 17) and alleged bipolar disorder in small children (prepubertal bipolar disorder, child bipolar disorder) and their recent findings that psychiatrists Down Under and elsewhere outside of the US find the paradigm to be l... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406136 Tue, 12 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2406136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405420&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F11%2Fhiding-akathisia-in-abilify%2F What if your new drug has an unwanted side effect that’s going to impact sales if it becomes widely known? Well, in the case of Abilify (aripiprazole) apparently, you make that side effect’s data difficult to find (or just fail to report it when it’s ugly). CL Psych has the scoop: The authors go through a long list of second-generation antipsychotic medications. The drug that receives the least attention is aripiprazole (Abilify). The authors conclude that “in studies comparing aripiprazole with placebo, akathisia rates in the aripiprazole arm were similar in some studies, and higher in others. As with other SGAs, akathisia rates with aripiprazole were lower than those of FGAs.” So Abilify causes less akathisia than older medications and it’s unclear ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405420 Mon, 11 May 2009 20:29:27 +0100 2405420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2399123&cid=t_92589_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F09%2Fmargaret-trudeau-to-release-book-on-experience-with-mental-illness%2F I have been inspired to read of Ms. Trudeau-Kemper’s progress and I very much look forward to her upcoming book. With a diagnosis on the bipolar continuum myself I can relate to the sense of relief she feels after years of erratic behaviour and depressive episodes. I think it’s marvelous that this historical figure in [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2399123 Sat, 09 May 2009 08:06:57 +0100 2399123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390372&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F05%2Fis-driving-a-civil-rights-issue%2F Thanks to Joe for sending me this article about a man who wanted a driver’s license despite being diagnosed with schizophrenia. In my experience in community mental health, getting a driver’s license was basically impossible with such a diagnosis; psychiatrists didn’t want to sign the paperwork allowing a person to apply for a license. It [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390372 Tue, 05 May 2009 14:58:01 +0100 2390372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390379&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Ffda_approves_new_suicidality_warning_for_epilepsy_bipolar_meds.html The FDA today announced that it has finally approved new warning language for anti-epileptic drugs (anti-seizure drugs, so called mood stabilizers) such as Depakote and Lamictal to reflect suicidality risk. The FDA first raised concerns about the such risks with the drugs in January 2008. Today's announcement also noted that the agency had required "development of a medication guide, to be issued to patients each time the product is dispensed." There are 11 drugs in the anti-seizure class, some of them multi-billion sellers (Lamictal, Depakote, etc.) due to their twin uses in epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Some pharma companies had apparently pushed back against the FDA and said, in effect, "Not with our drug." The agency now claims: "The increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior w... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390379 Tue, 05 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2390379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2387215&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcribbing-from-craigslist%2F I get a lot of emails from people asking me for advice. Much of the time I don’t have good advice. The main thing I want to say is, Find a doctor you’re comfortable with. That’s the best thing you can do for yourself. But there is power in numbers. So I’m going to suggest [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2387215 Mon, 04 May 2009 17:20:11 +0100 2387215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2387216&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fupdate-on-rebecca-riley%2F Rebecca Riley’s doctor now the target of a grand jury (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2387216 Mon, 04 May 2009 15:33:19 +0100 2387216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382555&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F02%2Fvideo-on-courage%2F “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” –Mary Anne Radmacher That’s the gist of this video. Click through to watch. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382555 Sat, 02 May 2009 10:12:04 +0100 2382555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381130&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fa-manic-high%2F Sometimes I really get a kick out of the comments on my YouTube channel. The latest is from a person who thinks my most recent video is evidence of my having a “manic high.” How nice it must be to be able to diagnose someone without knowing them! I haven’t had a true manic high [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381130 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:14:15 +0100 2381130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2367527&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F25%2F90210%25e2%2580%2599s-portrayal-of-bipolar-disorder%2F Whenever TV and movies portray a person with mental illness, it’s usually a “crazy schizophrenic,” an ax-wielding sociopath, a violent, drug-addicted mental patient or an insane asylum escapee — or a combo of all four. Either way, that person is almost always hopeless, dangerous and deranged. When the news media tries to tackle mental illness, it’s typically after a horrific tragedy has occurred. A writer for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Daily Cardinal explains: “The script usually goes as follows: tragic event occurs, media pounces, the feeding frenzy begins, the public is inundated with endless graphic and heart-wrenching details, pundits and analysts play the blame game until the next media firestorm occurs.” Stigma in mainstream media is nothing new, and ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2367527 Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:32:46 +0100 2367527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365421&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35471&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolar-a-way-of-life.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fbright-new-me.html It's been a long time since I last posted. I'm pleased to say that I'm definitely over the worst of it. I even managed to lower my dose of Olanzapine to 10mg a day instead of 20mg. Sadly, in January, I upped the dosage again to 15mg.I've had no thoughts of self-harming of overdosing for months. I even managed the stress of moving home. Actually, moving home has helped a great deal. I was stuck in a flat before, now I have a lovely house and garden - I'm really looking forward to the summer.Another thing that's changed is work. I'm managing to work constantly now instead of in fits and starts. It makes me feel so much better to be earning a wage, and I don't have time to dwell on things. I'm lucky enough to work at home, which helps of course. If anyone's interested, you can find vacancies ... Bipolar: A Way of Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365421 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:23:00 +0100 2365421 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2358872&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fstephen-sheller-helps-government.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2358872 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:05:00 +0100 2358872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354086&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fmedicated-child-pediatric-bipolar.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354086 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:41:00 +0100 2354086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2353883&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fpostpartum-depression-is-real-but-still-stigmatized%2F For decades, thousands of people in dozens of organizations have fought tirelessly to reduce the stigmatization and ignorance associated with mental health issues and mental disorders. Mental illness is not something you can just “get over,” nor is it an invention of the pharmaceutical companies (although I’m sure there are some who believe that). Even within this dedicated group of people who are all fighting for the same things — recognition that mental illness is just as real as physical illness — they is within-group stigmatization. Some mental disorders get the short shrift, or are thought to be less “real” or serious than other disorders. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), for instance, only lobbies and advocates for what it con... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2353883 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:14:14 +0100 2353883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354090&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fprotocol-breach-reported-in-biederman.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354090 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:30:00 +0100 2354090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2353886&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F20%2Fmentalhealthcamp-soon%2F The unconference MentalHealthCamp on social media and mental health happens on April 25 in Vancouver, BC and online. Organizers hope it will become a model adopted elsewhere in the world. The one day program includes a discussion on therapist/client social media boundaries, talks on anonymous blogging, mommy blogging with a mental disorder, blogging as therapy, blogging for students, ADHD, yoga and depression with a blog, and my own presentation on crowdsourcing peer mental health info with social video PSA contests and suicide prevention on Twitter. Featured speakers include Keely Kolmes, Lorraine Murphy, Darren Barefoot, Pete Quily, and many more. Peer resources and crowdsourcing with peers is hot. From a comment left by Robert Johnson at the MentalHealthCamp blog: “The reality is... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2353886 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:43:49 +0100 2353886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354096&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2Fpatient_advocacy_group_calls_on_harvard_for_independent_review_of_harvard_child_psychiatrist.html I learned yesterday that the Alliance for Human Research Protection last week sent a letter to the president of Harvard University, calling for the school to order a broad-based, independent review of the work of controversial Harvard child psychiatrist Joseph Biederman, who is one of the prime movers behind the rush to diagnose America's kids with ADHD and is the chief developer of the bipolar child paradigm. Biederman is already being investigated by the Harvard-owned Massachusetts General Hospital, where he works, over various questions surrounding his financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies. Biederman is also being investigated by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). While I've not seen researchers raise questions about the validity of Biederman's research (they've raised que... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354096 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2354096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326852&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2Fim_living_with_selfhatred_and_denial.html I knew I would catch some heat when Christopher Lane's interview with me went live on Psychology Today's website yesterday, but have mostly been gratified by the response so far (thanks, Liz Spikol). That said, someone decided to slaughter me in comments on the PT website: "PsychTodayReader "This interview was a disgrace. The interviewer, who is a Literature Professor, did not ask anything but softball questions, and let Dawdy viciously attack the work of some of the leading clinicians in the world with nothing to back it up except his opinion. This anti-psychiatry parade, which started with Scientologists and continues with people like Dawdy is destructive to all who are concerned about people with mental illness. 20 years ago they told people with depression to 'pull themselves up by t... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326852 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2326852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313540&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F07%2Fnext-up-nonprofits-and-pharmaceutical-funding%2F Well, if you’ve been involved in the mental health field for any amount of time, you knew it was only a matter of time. U.S. Senator Charles Grassley first focused on the low-hanging fruit — researchers with unreported conflicts of interest (usually unreported money) from pharmaceutical companies, the same companies they conducted drug research for. Now he’s examining nonprofits in mental health, and first up is the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI). Senator Grassley has made clear that this isn’t a witch-hunt as much as a desire to get to the bottom of how the pharmaceutical industry funds its practices that makes it products so popular and widespread. It’s not about receiving money from pharmaceutical companies per se’, but rather being upfro... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313540 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:22:04 +0100 2313540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2320507&cid=t_92589_122_f&fid=35065&url=http%3A%2F%2Feideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fadhd-drugs-no-long-term-benefits.html The 8 year follow-up data from the ADHD MTA Study (Multisite Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)are out and the results argue against the use of ADHD drugs longer than 2 years. Most families tended to stopped the drugs by two years anyway, but some vocal medication-proponents had suggested this was endangering children's health. In fact, besides medications having less symptomatic benefit with chronic use, the latest study also comments on observation that long-term medication may also impair growth (children who took medication for 36 months or longer were 6 lbs lighter and one inch shorter)Excerpt NIMH summary:"A majority (61.5 percent) of the children who were medicated at the end of the 14-month trial had stopped taking medication by th... Eide Neurolearning Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2320507 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:03:00 +0100 2320507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313548&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F02%2Fhow-do-you-practice-mindfulness-eat-ice-cream-for-starters%2F I’ve been trying to master mindfulness in the last few weeks like it’s a cute step sequence in a line dance. I have unofficially hired Dr. Elisha Goldstein, author of Psych Central’s blog, “Mindfulness and Psychotherapy” as my mindfulness personal trainer because he knows this stuff inside and out, and because I don’t have the time or money to hang out with the Buddhist monks in Tibet. I’ve always aspired to better live in the moment–it was one of the gems I picked up in support group meetings back in college–but now I honestly feel like it could save my life–or at least keep my pituitary tumor from growing any wider and shield my heart from any more damage to the aortic valve. How do you practice presence, or mindfulness? The B... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313548 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:21:16 +0100 2313548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300340&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fonion_98_percent_of_infants_have_bipolar_disorder.html This little brief was out recently in The Onion and I thought I'd pass it along for whomever might get a chuckle out of it. "A new study published in The Journal Of Pediatric Medicine found that a shocking 98 percent of all infants suffer from bipolar disorder. 'The majority of our subjects, regardless of size, sex, or race, exhibited extreme mood swings, often crying one minute and then giggling playfully the next,' the study's author Dr. Steven Gregory told reporters. 'Additionally we found that most babies had trouble concentrating during the day, often struggled to sleep at night, and could not be counted on to take care of themselves—all classic symptoms of manic depression.' Gregory added that nearly 100 percent of infants appear to suffer from the poor motor skills and impaired s... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300340 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2300340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300285&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Ffurious-seasonsharvard-child.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300285 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:18:00 +0100 2300285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306660&cid=t_92589_87_f&fid=36710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.organizedwisdom.com%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F03%2Fsometimes-youre-itching-to-read-and-research-sometimes-you-just-want-to-flip-through-pictures-and-captions-we-know-were-li.html Sometimes you're itching to read and research, sometimes you just want to flip through pictures and captions. We know. We're like that, too. That's why the OrganizedWisdom team is so happy to announce the arrival of our latest project -- slideshows. Here are our first three installments. Happy browsing: Famous Fictional ShrinksThey can make you laugh, they can make you cry, but they can't actually write you a prescription. From Dr. Melfi to Frasier Crane, you're sure to find your favorite on-screen psychiatrist on our list.Celebrities with Mental IllnessEveryone has their ups and downs. It's reassuring to know that even the biggest stars are no exception. Find out which conditions celebs like Mel Gibson, Axl Rose, and rapper DMX deal with daily. The Best Foods to B... The Health Wisdom Blog™ (by OrganizedWisdom) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306660 Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:38:50 +0100 2306660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300269&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Ftell-alfred%2F tags: mental health, Obama is a scary man, Obama’s minions, volunteering for drug research, Dar-fur, genocide, charity giving, scared of US government, mental health drugs, orphans, ranting, my opinion by trailerparkbarbie I’ve been running around like a Madoff with it’s head cut off lately. Too much to do. Too much going on. But, I’m gonna try to [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300269 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:57:54 +0100 2300269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306665&cid=t_92589_87_f&fid=36710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.organizedwisdom.com%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F03%2Fhave-you-had-these-questions-now-weve-got-answers.html  Have you ever wondered: How will bipolar disorder affect my relationship? Is gaining weight part of bipolar disorder? Why do I have trouble sleeping? If you're one of the 5.7 adult Americans with bipolar disorder, these are likely the same questions you asked when you were first diagnosed. And how do we know that? They're some of the questions we see coming up in the search queries we look at every day, and we thought it was time they got answered! You see, OrganizedWisdom is taking our focus -- helping people find the health information they're seeking -- to the next level. Our new Frequently Asked Questions section (see our first installment, Bipolar 101) invites doctors and other qualified medical professionals to help answer these hot questions while directing user... The Health Wisdom Blog™ (by OrganizedWisdom) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306665 Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:59:28 +0100 2306665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287230&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F23%2Ffda-approves-symbyax-for-treatment-resistant-depression%2F Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Symbyax for the acute treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It is the first drug approved for this indication. Symbyax is a combination pill that combines olanzapine (Zyprexa) and fluoxetine HCl (a long-acting form of Prozac) in a single capsule. Symbyax is manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company. According to the company’s press release: The new Symbyax TRD indication is for acute treatment of adult patients with major depressive disorder who have not responded to two separate trials of different antidepressants of adequate dose and duration in their current episode. Zyprexa, in combination with fluoxetine, is now approved for the acute treatment of TRD in adults. Symbyax was the first drug approved by the FD... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287230 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:02:51 +0100 2287230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287232&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F23%2Fmentally-ill-violent-in-nursing-homes%2F In yet another example of sensationalism posing as legitimate journalism, the Associated Press’s Carla K. Johnson penned an article over the weekend calling people with mental illness who live in nursing homes a “threat.” What kind of threat? Well, according to the article, it appears to be the usual one, drawing an unscientific and unsupported link between mental illness and violence: Over the past several years, nursing homes have become dumping grounds for young and middle-age people with mental illness, according to Associated Press interviews and an analysis of data from all 50 states. And that has proved a prescription for violence, as Jackson’s case and others across the country illustrate. Younger, stronger residents with schizophrenia, depression or bipola... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287232 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:31:17 +0100 2287232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300294&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fprotocol-breach-reported-in-biederman.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300294 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:58:00 +0100 2300294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300295&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fstanley-medical-research-institute.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300295 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:46:00 +0100 2300295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2277973&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdrjoseph-biederman-i-am-advocate-for.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2277973 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:21:00 +0100 2277973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287237&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F20%2Fdepression-they-just-dont-get-it%2F I’ve learned in 12-step support groups that if you decide to share something important with a loved one, or try to mend a broken relationship, you should do so without any expectation of a response. I wish I had followed that advice the day I sent a family member an incredibly personal piece that I wrote about my severe depression (suicidal thoughts and all), and the first moments of dawn, hoping that it would make us closer. Her response was one word: “Thanks.” I felt like Princess Leia in “Star Wars” when she cries out to Han Solo (before he leaves for some empire war): “I love you!” And he says back, “I know!” But part of my disappointment was my own fault. I sent the piece to her with an agenda. This is what I wanted to hear: &#82... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287237 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:08:02 +0100 2287237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2277975&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdr-jospeh-biederman-harvard-professor.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2277975 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:04:00 +0100 2277975 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2278011&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fseroquel_user_testimony.html As many of you know the FDA's psychopharmacology advisory committee is holding hearings on AstraZeneca's request to have the agency approve Seroquel for three depression indications and generalized anxiety disorder. The committee wants to hear from the public and here's some written testimony submitted to the committee that was passed along to me. "I was prescribed 300 mg.seroquel in 2000 for sleep problems. I gained 75 pounds in 6 months. I developed diabetes. I went through profound withdrawals when I inadvertently missed a dose and had to be hospitalized. The withdrawal caused psychosis which was attributed to a new diagnosis rather than to the drug. I lost all my teeth due to dry mouth. I developed cataracts. I had constant intrusive suicidal ideation. I had akathisia, difficulty swal... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2278011 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2278011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2272035&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F16%2F12-depression-busters%2F The following piece is the most popular Beyond Blue post I have written. Click here for the gallery version. My therapist helped me to build a personalized “toolbox”: a list of a dozen depression busters to direct me toward mental health, and an emergency lifeline in case I get lost along the way. I consult these 12 techniques when I panic, when I get pulled into addictive behaviors, and as armor in my ongoing war against negative thoughts. Here they are: twelve strategies to take us all to the promised land of recovery from depression. 1. Get Some Buddies It works for Girl Scouts, depressives, and addicts of all kinds. I remember having to wake up my buddy to go pee in the middle of the night at Girl Scout camp. That was right before she rolled off her cot, out of the tent and... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2272035 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:02:10 +0100 2272035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2278014&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fseroquel_documents_sex_for_positive_seroquel_studies_included_bondage_corporate_espionage.html Late last week, Jim Edwards at BNET.com had a fine piece detailing some of the sex-for-Seroquel-studies emails which I first reported on last month. It appears, as I reported back then, that Wayne Macfadden, AstraZeneca's former US Seroquel medical director, used sex (and bondage even) to get competitive intell on Abilify and, yes indeed, even suggested prescribing Vicodin, a narcotic pain killer, to a ghostwriter with Parexel MMS. I simply love how Big Pharma does business and I love the fact that the FDA continues to blow off my questions as to whether it has any qualms about its approval of Seroquel for bipolar depression (in 2006) since Macfadden was in charge of the studies, authored some of them, and clearly was putting out questionable research. You'd think the FDA would want to giv... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2278014 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2278014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2268302&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fdefending_seroquel_astrazeneca_plays_race_card.html Yes, you read that right: AstraZeneca, maker of Seroquel, is tossing everything it has at legal cases claiming the company's drug gave people who took it diabetes. Back when Eli Lilly was initially defending itself against similar claims involving Zyprexa, Lilly claimed that mental illness caused diabetes, but that bogus claim only landed the company with billions in settlements. Now, AZ's lawyers are claiming that one patient's ethnicity caused her diabetes, not Seroquel: "In the case of [Nina] Scaife, for instance, lawyers argued that factors including her obesity and African-American ethnicity had already elevated her risk of diabetes before she took Seroquel. "'I can't see how the plaintiffs can win,' said Michael Kelly, a Wilmington-based partner in the law firm McCarter & English, ... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2268302 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2268302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258162&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F12%2F12-things-i-learned-from-my-therapist%2F I’ve spent more time in therapy than I care to think about. More hours on that bloody couch than I’ve spent in the shower, brushing my teeth, or on the phone with telemarketers, because let’s face it, when I’m home, there really are no decision makers at my house. If I calculate one hour a week for 12 years, that’s 600 hours, which is 25 DAYS. What do I have to show for it? Lots of wisdom and advice. Journals and journals of it. But for your sake, I’ll just list 12. And after you get done reading my shrink insights, I want you to tell me yours, because I’m compiling such pearls for a writing project. 1. Know your triggers. From the first year of therapy: know your triggers. If a conversation about global warming, consumerism, or the trash crisis in the U.S. is overwhelming yo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258162 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:58:03 +0100 2258162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260701&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F03%2F12%2Fdepression-confession-matthew-good%2F The Canadian bandleader describes dysphoric mania like this: “Imagine being put in a coffin with the things you fear the most, being buried underground and feeling it start to shrink, and multiply that feeling by 1,000. You think, ‘If I die now, that’d be cool.’” Isn’t that a superb evocation? Good is speaking at a mental health [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260701 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:32:38 +0100 2260701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2256045&cid=t_92589_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D6318 strWebsiteID = window.document.location.toString();strSplitWeb = strWebsiteID.split("/")strWebsiteID = strSplitWeb[2];document.write(”“); from the Malaysian Medical Resources VIDEO: TV Viewing Not Linked to Cognitive Development, Bipolar Parents More Likely to Have Bipolar Children, Swimming Lessons for Toddlers Reduces Drowning Risk (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2256045 Sun, 08 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2256045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2249102&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F07%2Fvideo-on-creativity-and-mood-disorders%2F This video was taped the afternoon of Johns Hopkins’s Mood Disorders Symposium, right after I heard Kay Redfield Jamison speak on the topic of creativity and mood disorders. Given my tumultuous week at that time, I literally wept at parts of her presentation. Here is what I learned. Click through to view the video… (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2249102 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:33:02 +0100 2249102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2240954&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Frebecca_rileys_psychiatrist_accused_of_misdeeds.html There's no more controversial case in the mental health world than that of the 2006 death of 4-year-old Rebecca Riley, a Massachusetts girl who was diagnosed with alleged child bipolar disorder at the age of 2 and was put on a host of medications including clonidine, Seroquel and Depakote. Her parents stand charged with first-degreee murder, allegedly for purposely over-medicating her to death, while the girl's psychiatrist faces a civil lawsuit and a malpractice tribunal. This week, the tribunal heard arguments in the case: "In an initial hearing as part of a civil suit brought by Rebecca's estate against Dr. Kayoko Kifuji, the plaintiffs presented a letter yesterday from a child psychiatrist in Florida they hired to review Kifuji's care of the girl. "Dr. Howard A. Goldman stated in the... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2240954 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2240954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232636&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fjjjanssen_fined_45_million_over_risperdal_misleading_claims.html This just hit the press yesterday: last week, a judge in West Virginia sided with the state's Attorney General over allegations that J&J/Janssen had sent misleading mailings to doctors in the state, ones that made misleading claims about Risperdal and, separately, J&J's pain patch Duragesic. The court assessed a fine totaling $4.475 million. The Attorney General had sued J&J/Janssen in 2004. I don't know if any other states are suing the company over the same mailings. The court found: "'The wording of [the defendants’] November 2003 Risperdal letter was intentionally constructed to modify the FDA’s warning language and mislead healthcare professionals, who rely on this information when prescribing medication for their patients.'" I've not been able to find a copy of the letter, bu... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232636 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2232636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232635&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fseroquel_documents_az_issues_2002_warning_in_japan_but_insists_all_is_well_in_the_us.html Bloomberg reported yesterday that after being ordered to warn doctors in Japan about Seroquel in 2002, AstraZeneca continued to insist in the US market that there was no link to diabetes. "The London-based drugmaker issued a letter to Japanese physicians in November 2002 that said AstraZeneca had received 12 reports that Seroquel users were diagnosed with high blood-sugar levels over a 21-month period, according to company documents unsealed last week in connection with litigation over the drug. "'Since February 2001 when Seroquel started to be marketed [in Japan, US marketing began in 1997], 12 serious cases (including 1 death) of hyperglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and diabetic coma where causality with the drug could not be ruled out have been reported,' AstraZeneca officials said i... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232635 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2232635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227166&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F02%2Fmad-as-hell-anger-and-the-economy-part-two%2F “The hardest part of all this is my loss of security and my lack of control over my own finances and future. I feel vulnerable and completely powerless to change any of this. It angers me that other people are determining my fate. Especially since they are doing such a pathetic job of it.” ~Dawn Carter’s comment on Mad As Hell Part 1 In last week’s post I said we have a right to our anger if it’s there. Here’s the rub: How do we keep it from going nuclear, or imploding into depression? Anger Management is about doing the following three things effectively: 1) The healthiest way to express anger is in an assertive, direct and not aggressive manner. How? ➢ Clearly define what you are angry about and tell, directly, those who need to know. “I am really angry because now ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227166 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:00:14 +0100 2227166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227502&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fmarch-on-this-blog-is-2-years-old.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227502 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:50:00 +0100 2227502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222564&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fseroquel_documents_az_buried_seroquel_studies.html This came to me too late at night for me to do much poking around. From Bloomberg: "Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Unfavorable studies about the antipsychotic drug Seroquel were 'buried' by AstraZeneca Plc, according to an internal e-mail unsealed as part of litigation over the medicine. "The drugmaker failed to publicize results of at least three clinical trials of Seroquel and engaged in 'cherry picking' of data from one of those studies for use in a presentation, an AstraZeneca official said in a December 1999 e-mail unsealed yesterday under an agreement between the company and lawyers for patients...." "'The larger issue is how we face the outside world when they begin to criticize us for suppressing data,' John Tumas, an AstraZeneca publications manager, told colleagues in the e- mail." M... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222564 Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2222564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210434&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F24%2Fsuicide-when-it-hurts-too-much-to-live%2F What happens when it hurts too much to live? Can it really be too painful to live one more moment with emptiness, depression, and despair? Yes, for some people suicide seems like the only way out. Not every person who contemplates killing themselves is truly interested in ending their time on earth. For many, suicidal thoughts are about escape — musing about the idea of leaving the bonds that bind them to other people, responsibilities to burdens, and the despair of what they can’t change. If they could just escape it, maybe they still could go on somehow. Not right now, but after a while. They just need to get away from it. Suicidal thoughts and actions are also sometimes paired with strong impulses and low inhibitions. This can happen with drugs and alcohol, bipolar disorder... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210434 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:49:45 +0100 2210434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210499&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fgianna_kali_on_madness_radio.html "Madness Radio" is a fabulous interview program that delves into all manner of interesting and rarely-explored issues in mental health. It airs on a couple of Pacifica radio network stations and is available on the web. Back in December the show's host, Will Hall, interviewed Gianna Kali, author of Beyond Meds, and it's now available online. I listened to the first part and it's damn good. Those of you who know Kali's story will find it interesting listening, as she's really seen the horrors of psych meds and the mental health system and it's left her in very tough physical shape. Kali offers her own update on her blog: "Since December a few things have happened. I am indeed, now, completely housebound. I can no longer drive. I remain sane and stable mentally but am grossly physically di... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210499 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2210499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210498&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fnotes_for_psychiatrists_labels_matter.html Christopher Schneck of the University of Colorado wrote an editorial in this month's American Journal of Psychiatry, attempting to sort out the treatment implications of two studies published in the same issue of the journal. The studies report on the problem of mania induction in patients given an anti-depressant who have a baseline diagnosis of bipolar disorder--I've already written about this study--and, separately, on how fully two-thirds of the patients in the STEP-BD study had subthreshold manic symptoms mixed with depression. The big overarching question is who's having a genuine episode of depression and might warrant an anti-depressant versus who shouldn't be given an anti-depressant. Schneck's editorial mostly looks at the studies through the lenses of treatment and diagnosis, a... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210498 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2210498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210500&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fmurder_charges_reinstated_in_death_of_bipolar_child.html News is just out this morning that the parents of Rebecca Riley, a four-year-old diagnosed with alleged child bipolar disorder and ADHD who died in December 2006, are to have first-degree murder charges reinstated against them, after a ruling by a Massachusetts appeals court. Earlier first-degree murder charges had been reduced to second-degreee murder due to a judge's finding that no pre-meditation existed. Riley was on a host of serious medications, especially for a child, including Seroquel and clonidine. The latter is the drug that reportedly killed her in overdose. "The Rileys say they were following the orders of Rebecca's psychiatrist, who had diagnosed the girl with bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But prosecutors say the couple kept Rebecca and two o... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210500 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2210500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2205006&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F22%2F8-ways-to-help-your-bipolar-loved-one-cope%2F Depression and bipolar disorder are often family diseases. Everyone sharing a kitchen and a bathroom is affected. In fact, in his book “Understanding Depression,” J. Raymond DePaulo Jr., M.D., writes that “depression … has a much greater impact on marital life than rheumatoid arthritis or cardiac illness. One study found that only severe forms of cancer affected a family as adversely as depression or bipolar disorder.” My manic depression could have easily wrecked my marriage and my relationships with my two children. Instead, we emerged as a tighter, stronger unit. How? Here are eight ways Eric, my husband, helped me cope — tips for families on how, exactly, to hang in there with a loved one who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 1. Educate your... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2205006 Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:40:28 +0100 2205006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200522&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F543349017%2F URL: http://allpsych.com/Virtual Psychology Classroom. For: AnyoneTopics: ADHD, Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Anger, Anxiety, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Depression, History of Psychology, Psycho-education, Psychodynamic, Psychology and TechnologyFeatures: Articles, Author Lists, Collaborative News, Databases, File Sharing, Forums, e-learningVirtual Psychology Classroom with over 2000 pages of information. Includes three complete psychology texts (General, Personality, and Statistics), a detailed psychology timeline, biographies, a 500+ word psychology dictionary, information on mental disorders, career and educational information, online research, psychology journal, an active psychology student forum, and more. (Source: PsychSplash) PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200522 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:00:22 +0100 2200522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200523&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F542582142%2F URL: http://www.childadvocate.net/childmentalhealth/Addresses mental disorders, behavioral disorders, child abuse, trauma, disaster and advocacy issues. For: Anyone, Anyone, Consumers, Researchers, Students, TeachersTopics: ADHD, Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Anger, Anxiety, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Depression, History of Psychology, Psycho-education, Psychodynamic, Psychology and Technology, ADHD, Abnormal, Academia, Anger, Anxiety, Aspergers, Attachment, Autism, Behaviour Management, Bipolar, Child and Adolescent, Depression, Eating Disorders, Family Therapy, Health and Social Services, Life, Nutrition, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Parenting, Pediatric Depression, Relationships, YouthFeatures: Articles, Author Lists, Collaborative News, Databases, File Sharing, Forums, e-learning... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200523 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:00:27 +0100 2200523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190714&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F02%2F17%2Fhorror-story%2F Some of this may sound very familiar: (emphasis added is mine) She says lithium will stabilise my moods and make me better. But I wonder about this. Perhaps my extremes of emotion are a reaction to the events of my life. For three years I have been battling forces outside my control. Can a drug help [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190714 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:43:55 +0100 2190714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182572&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fbipolar_overdiagnosis_story_1.html The other day, I heard from a new reader who ran into a post from last May on a study asserting that bipolar disorder is overdiagnosed (or perhaps misdiagnosed) 43.4 percent of the time, at least according to the data in that study which appeared in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. "I have suffered from mild depression on and off throughout my life and have seen numerous doctors about it. Antidepressants have been helpful to me although they do have some unpleasant side effects. The other day I went to a new doctor who specializes in bipolar disorder and was told that I have bipolar disorder 'without the mania' part, whatever that means! I was told I had been misdiagnosed all of these years by many doctors. Needless to say, I am looking for a new doctor. Do I think bipolar is overdiagn... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182572 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2182572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182535&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F538220766%2F URL: http://mcmanweb.com/More than 100 articles on all aspects of depression and bipolar, plus news, links, newsletter, forum, books, and message boards. For: AnyoneTopics: Bipolar, DepressionFeatures: Books, Forums, Information, Newsletter, Research, Resources More than 100 articles on all aspects of depression and bipolar, plus news, links, newsletter, forum, books, and message boards. Knowledge is Necessity. Recovery starts with knowledge. I can’t emphasize this enough, In 2004, an editorial in the British Medical Journal cited two Stanford University studies that found that “expert patients” who took the trouble to learn about their illness and took active steps to manage it had much better outcomes than those who did not. “Long live [quite literally, one as... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182535 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:09:34 +0100 2182535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2177518&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fmotley_fool_screws_up_risperdal_injection_not_approved_for_bipolar_disorder.html J&J announced late today that its long-acting injectable Risperdal CONSTA, an atypical antipsychotic, was not approved by the FDA, but that the agency had instead sent a letter to the company requesting additional information about the drug. The company is seeking approval for the injectable for frequently-relapsing bipolar disorder (whatever the hell that is exactly) and also for bipolar disorder in general. It's not clear what information the agnecy is seeking, as it's up to J&J to release the FDA's letter and all the company is saying is that the agency didn't request extra studies. Earlier in the day, The Motley Fool investment news site had essentially predicted smooth sailing for the drug through the approval process. "Candy and Roses from the FDA" was the site's title for its repor... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2177518 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2177518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2172929&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fstudy_antidepressants_cause_mania_in_bipolar_disorder.html Regular readers know that I've been hammering on the use of anti-depressants in bipolar disorder and how the drugs cause mania and hypomania in some patients. My view is that these drugs should go from being standard treatment in bipolar disorder to being used as rarely as possible. Some researchers such as Tufts' Nassir Ghaemi have been brave enough to write about this as well, and during the recent NIH-funded STEP-BD study, we learned that placebo outperforms anti-depressants in treating bipolar depression and that the drugs increased manic symptoms severity. All of these points run counter to what most psychiatrists and doctors think they know about anti-depressant use in bipolar disorder. Hell, as I noted yesterday, there are docs who uses drug-caused mania to diagnose bipolar disorder... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2172929 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2172929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2173022&cid=t_92589_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F09%2Flong-time-no-blog%2F It’s been awhile, I know. (Thanks for asking, Gabriel.) I still have not bothered looked into getting my laptop repaired (and the best I will likely do is a salvage operation on its files.) So it takes just a little bit of effort, roughly equivalent in exertion to opening up my snail-mail [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2173022 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:18:15 +0100 2173022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2169817&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fhow_not_to_diagnose_bipolar_disorder.html Over the weekend, I got an email from a reader asking what I knew about people being diagnosed with bipolar disorder after having a bad reaction to an anti-depressant and whether that was a legitimate way to diagnose someone. I told her that it wasn't and that I keep hearing of this same sort of phenomenon, especially in regards to people having awful reactions to Paxil and then being diagnosed with bipolar disorder on that basis. I actually know people who were diagnosed with bipolar this way. Crazy. In my case, my own bad reactions to Prozac certainly hardened my then-newish diagnosis of bipolar disorder in the early 1990s. Simply put, the drug made me batty and so I became convinced that I actually was bipolar and needed to be on lovely medications for the remainder of my life. I never... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2169817 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2169817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2169816&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Funlike_us_australia_is_skeptical_of_the_bipolar_child_paradigm.html Most of you are well aware of the controversy around child bipolar disorder and of how some of its key proponents have become enmeshed in controversy. I won't restate any of that here. What I will note, however, is that in Australia several child psychiatrists have gotten vocal on the issue, perhaps in an attempt to preempt the controversial diagnosis' invasion of their nation. Anyway, there was a good article on all of this in the Sydney Morning Herald today (actually Jan. 10 over there) and Peter Parry, who's a reader of this site, was quoted. "The British National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence rejects as theory the suggestion that children suffer bipolar disorder. It warns it could lead to overmedication. "In Australia the increase in childhood diagnosis worries Peter... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2169816 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2169816 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167742&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F02%2F08%2Fdefective%2F yes, this IS a mental health post -it concerns your rights & privacy. Read on… You’ll never guess who is sponsoring  this. If you answered: That race baiting congressman from the corrupt city of Chicago, Black Panther and Army deserter, Bobby Rush. You were correct. Click the link at the top and if you are pressed for time, check out these sections [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167742 Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:00:45 +0100 2167742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2163593&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fbiederman_defender_attacks_me_fs_readers.html The other day I noted a newspaper article in Boston in which defenders of controversial Harvard child psychiatrist Joseph Biederman voiced their support for the embattled doctor. I thought what I wrote was pretty tame and non-critical of either the doctor or his supporters' views. Yesterday, one of Biederman's defenders swung through this site to lash out at me and those of you who read this site. "This will be my one and only comment to this egregious blog. Clearly you and those that comment on your blog are either in desperate need of neuropsychological evaluations and suffer from neuropsychiatric brain disorders - OR - you are the ones who are members of a cult called - Scientology -. It is insulting and disturbing beyond measure to live among a citizenship that believes the brain is n... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2163593 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2163593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160387&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fstudy_high_risk_of_early_death_in_bipolar_disorder_meds_partly_implicated_1.html This is a very alarming new paper--a literature review actually--just out in Psychiatric Services and asserting that people with bipolar disorder are at a very heightened risks of premature death due to death from general medical conditions. The basic range of premature death versus the general population runs from a 35 percent greater chance to a 200 percent greater chance of early death. The paper is by Wayne Katon and Babak Roshanaei-Moghaddam, psychiatrists at the University of Washington. The authors don't indicate what constitutes early death--one year less than the average life span? A decade?--or the range of life spans for people with bipolar disorder. So it's unclear whether people with bipolar disorder are dropping dead at 40 or 75 years of age. Either way, the news is not comf... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160387 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2160387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2150763&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F01%2Fcutting-mental-illness-services-at-what-cost%2F When budgets start getting slashed in a recession, sometimes the poorest, neediest people are hit the hardest. In Massachusetts, this has meant the closing of mental health clinics that serve the poor: When Governor Deval Patrick stood before cameras on Beacon Hill in October to announce the elimination of 1,000 jobs and scores of state services, he solemnly warned, “People will feel these cuts.” Five miles away, at this mental health clinic that served some 370 poor and mentally ill patients last year alone, Jepson and Thiboult would feel the truth of those words. The Boston Globe’s front-page story about this topic was a good read, detailing the difficulty many people with mental illness will have now that one of their treatment supports is being removed. The heart-... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2150763 Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:34:30 +0100 2150763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2149695&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fchildhood-bipolar-disorder-dr-joseph.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2149695 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:01:00 +0100 2149695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2144534&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F29%2Fmood-swings-are-exhausting%2F Mood swings are a part of life with some mood disorders like bipolar disorder and cyclothymia. Moods go to extremes, either really happy and energetic or really low and depressed. This is a tough way to live because it takes so much energy. Here’s one way to imagine what it’s like to physically experience extreme mood swings. I really like college football, and I’m especially passionate about my home state alma mater team. I love watching the games, both in person and on TV. Close games, blow-outs, great plays, strategic cliffhanging moments, the whole package. It’s just so exciting, and I totally get into cheering for my team. High Energy Moods Take a Lot of Energy When I go to or watch the big game once a week, I find that I’m emotionally spent by the e... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2144534 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:27:29 +0100 2144534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2125386&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F01%2F22%2Fquick-fix-guess-not%2F Dog Mauling Oh yeah, sure…the media plays the crazy card excuse for a little dog. I’m blaming it’s owner and the vet or whoever the hell put it on drugs instead of giving it a stable home/pack life. AKA  Obedience Training. If this were a bigger dog (such as the sweetie on my couch, who is asleep with her [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2125386 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:02:57 +0100 2125386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2113656&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F01%2F18%2Frsvpmy-i-suck-really-suck-party%2F First, let me hereby acknowledge that I certainly do really, really suck as a person sometimes. Why deny it? It is what it is. At least, I’ve got the balls to admit it. But, let me assure you that I do not really, really suck as a person most of the time.   I wish that I could [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2113656 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:37:02 +0100 2113656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2107725&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F513075448%2F URL: http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/Therese J. Borchard is the author of the hit daily blog “Beyond Blue” on Beliefnet.com, which is featured regularly on The Huffington Post and was voted by PsychCentral as one of the top 10 depression blogs, and she moderates the popular depression support group, Beyond Blue, on Beliefnet’s social networking site. For: AnyoneTopics: Behaviour Management, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Depression, Mental HealthFeatures: Commentary and BlogsTherese J. Borchard is the author of the hit daily blog “Beyond Blue” on Beliefnet.com, which is featured regularly on The Huffington Post and was voted by PsychCentral as one of the top 10 depression blogs, and she moderates the popular depression support group, Beyond Blue, on Beli... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2107725 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:00:33 +0100 2107725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2087039&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F01%2F07%2Fbe-careful-what-you-wish-for%2F “Be careful what you wish for,you may receive it” Anonymous. I’ve got to eat crow now. I’ve spent mucho time whining about psych doctors. Well, not just pdocs, all kinds of doctors. I had one of the strangest doctor’s visits in my whole life yesterday. It was very interesting to say the least. This is my 3rd visit [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2087039 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:49:33 +0100 2087039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2073998&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F01%2Fhappy-new-year-2009%2F In many ways, we’re sad to see 2008 go. We passed some great milestones during the year here at Psych Central, including topping 80,000 members in our collective communities and reaching more people through our website than in any previous year. We started our first two new blogs — Bipolar Beat and Celebrity Psychings — which have both already been great successes. As much as I’m sad to see the year go, I’m excited for the possibilities that 2009 brings. We’ll be rolling out a few more new blogs in 2009, carefully finding insightful and interesting writers who understand how to really tackle mental health topics head-on in a positive manner. We’ll be integrating more of our services and working to make things simpler and easier to access. We&#821... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2073998 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:44:05 +0100 2073998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056048&cid=t_92589_146_f&fid=34960&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fsleep-and-bipolar-disorder.html Sleep disturbance is a cardinal feature of bipolar disorder. During acute mania, patients exhibit markedly reduced sleep time and report a reduced need for sleep. The reduced need for sleep can be further defined as the “ability to maintain energy without sufficient sleep” (Plante and Winkelman, 2008). Even when euthymic, sleep disturbance is common (Harvey 2008). In a recent study, 55% of euthymic bipolar patients had chronic insomnia (Harvey et al 2005). Both insomnia and hypersomnia have been reported in patients with bipolar depression (Harvey 2008). Children with bipolar disorder (who often display ultradian rapid cycling rather than distinct mood episodes) exhibit reduced sleep efficiency and frequent nocturnal awakenings (Mehl et al 2006). Both homeostatic and circadian sleep ab... sleepdoctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056048 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:31:00 +0100 2056048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2053363&cid=t_92589_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Frecognizing-and-treating-seasonal-depression%2F Tis the season to be jolly, but not everyone feels that way. For some, the onset of winter, with its short days, brings on symptoms of depression. In fact, however, by the time winter officially begins on December 21 the days have already been getting progressively shorter and shorter for months culminating in the solstice, the shortest day of the year. So although it’s often referred to as winter blues, seasonal depression actually has a fall onset that coincides with the beginning of the inexorable loss of daylight that occurs in northern latitudes between November and February. For some people, symptoms of depression predictably recur every year when the days grow short in fall and winter and the definition of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is just that; namely, recurring depr... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2053363 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:28:41 +0100 2053363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2046755&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F17%2Fmental-health-year-in-review-2008%2F Pages: 1 2 3 Next »     Single Page As another year comes to a close, it’s time to review what made the biggest news in 2008 in mental health and psychology. Of course, the biggest news of the year — the historic election of Barack Obama — is not directly related to mental health but worthy of note. His policies and appointments over the next four years are likely to make a substantial impact in funding and policies in American healthcare (and mental health care). Highlights from Research This was a bad year for antidepressant research. Antidepressants are a class of psychiatric medications most commonly prescribed to relieve depression, but increasingly being prescribed for practically any ailment. In January, The New England Journal of Medicine ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2046755 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:39:42 +0100 2046755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040014&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2Ffda_orders_suicide_warning_for_bipolar_epilepsy_drugs.html According to Reuters, the FDA today ordered that a warning--and it's not clear if this is in black box form--be placed on anti-seizure drugs such as Lamictal, Depakote and Topamax alerting doctors and patients to suicidal thoughts and actions that might be triggered by the use of these drugs. The 11 drugs in the class are commonly used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder and account for about $6 billion a year in sales. What's interesting is that the FDA first proposed this warning last January, but this summer an FDA advisory panel said a black box was excessive. Anyway, here's some of what the FDA noted today: "'The risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior was generally consistent among the eleven drugs analyzed and was observed in patients who were treated for epilepsy, psychiatric di... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040014 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2040014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2039945&cid=t_92589_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F15%2Foverprescribing-medications-in-children%2F Yesterday, the L.A. Times published an op-ed piece from a psychiatrist describing the epidemic of over-prescription of medications for our children. The boy, a quiet slip of a 10-year-old, had been prescribed two antipsychotics, two mood stabilizers, one antidepressant, two attention deficit disorder medications and another medication to manage the side effects of the antipsychotics. […] During the last year, while they were in foster care, a doctor had diagnosed the 10-year-old with bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder and prescribed eight medications. Say what? Eight medications for a single child? Heck, I wouldn’t want to see an adult taking that many medications for a psychiatric disorder, much less a child of 10. The article didn’t mention whether ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2039945 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:22:05 +0100 2039945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040157&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F12%2F15%2Fdr-not-biederman%2F Laurel L. Williams is not Dr. Biederman. She is program director of the Menninger Clinic’s adolescent treatment program and assistant director of residency training, (child and adolescent psychiatry); and assistant professor in the Menninger department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. I’d also pay money to see her in a room with [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040157 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:50:31 +0100 2040157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035613&cid=t_92589_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2Ftwo_child_physicians_criticize_adhd_meds_the_bipolar_child_pharma_influence.html Ironically, two separate op-eds by two different children's doctors appeared yesterday. Each made similar and different points. First up was Leonard Sax, a psychologist and physician and author of Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving The Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men, who is controversial in some quarters for his call for single-sex education. Writing in the New York Daily News, he noted: "When I first began writing prescriptions for children 22 years ago, it was unusual for a child to be taking powerful psychiatric drugs. Today it's common. How did we get here?....Dr. Joseph Biederman is part of the answer." Biederman is of course the controversial Harvard child psychiatrist and Sax went on to also excoriate former "The Infinite Mind" host Fred Good... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035613 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2035613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035823&cid=t_92589_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F484030227%2Fpure_hypomanics_living_zippedy.php tags: hypomania, bipolar disorder, manic depression, mood disorders, mental health, psychology Image: Michael Witte/NYTimes [larger view]. Have you ever met a person who seems to be on a perpetual caffeine high, without all the shaking? You know the type, those few hyperactive extroverts who are always doing things or meeting people, who have an expansive and optimistic mood yet are easily irritated, and who have an overactive libido or who enjoy really risky pastimes, like jumping out of airplanes or climbing buildings. According to some reading I've been doing, these are apparently those few lucky people who are "pure hypomanics": they have emotional "highs" without experiencing the outrageous slings and arrows of extreme mood fluctuations that a typical person with bipolar di... Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035823 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:14:33 +0100 2035823