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 'commitment'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:04:21 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140363&cid=t_158353_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E3%2FIM7W4OaF-vs%2F There hasn’t been a huge change in the way I Life Coach now as opposed to when I first became certified back in 2005. I tend to need less sessions with clients these days to help them achieve the results they want, but I think that’s just a product of experience and knowing if and when I can take short cuts. Probably one difference is now I rarely skip talking to clients about meditation. Continue reading... (Source: Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone :) Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140363 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:19:12 +0100 5140363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062519&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F25%2Fusing-the-chronic-pain-acceptance-questionnaire%2F Over the past few months I’ve been using the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ-8) as part of a battery of questionnaires used at intake and outcome measures.  Along with the CPAQ-8, we use the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, the Pain  Catastrophising Scale, Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire, and Pain Disability Index. The CPAQ-8 consists of two subscales: Pain Willingness and Activity Engagement.  Together they measure “acceptance” or psychological flexibility associated with chronic pain. Let me pull this apart a bit.  Pain Willingness refers to how prepared a person might be to experience an increase in pain so they can get something important done.  For example, I love to dance and I&#82... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062519 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:15:16 +0100 5062519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677137&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2F05%2Fwhat-is-coping%2F When we use the word ‘coping’, what do we mean? Recently, I’ve been reviewing the whole concept of coping in chronic pain.  I’m trying to establish how people with chronic pain view this term, and what they include in their repertoire of ways to cope.  My research is looking at the ways that people who cope well with their pain, and never need input from a chronic pain management team, do so.  And in doing this research, I’m hitting some conceptual snags. The thing is, coping as a concept isn’t defined all that well.  Some definitions refer to the outcome of coping: “he coped well with that” meaning “he managed that stressor in a positive way and the outcome was good”; some definitions refer to the process of coping and don&#8... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677137 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:55:06 +0100 4677137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664499&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F31%2Fmoodjuice%2F I had a nice email from James Hardie from Moodjuice website, an NHS Scotland site developed for both health professionals and individuals to access self help resources. For patients, the site starts by saying “Emotional problems are often the mind and body’s way of saying that something needs to be changed in our life” - I like that!  I like the way the patient area is based on practical problems like housing, childcare, hobbies and interests, meeting people, relationships and so on. For professionals, the feature that really appeals to me is the “build your own resource” area.  This enables you to put together the most relevant handouts for the person you’re seeing – a lovely feature! Then you can print the whole lot off, and it’s a pulled-tog... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664499 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:12:26 +0100 4664499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592359&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZxnzQBPDcpY%2F By Tad DeHavenThe American Action Forum will host a conference on Capitol Hill this afternoon to discuss budget reform (details here). Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) will discuss his “Commitment to American Prosperity Act,” which would cap federal spending at a declining percentage of GDP over ten years. Spending as a percentage of GDP would eventually be reduced to 20.6 percent, which is equal to the average from 1970 to 2008. Corker’s plan properly places the focus of deficit reduction on the source of the problem: too much spending. A concern with Corker’s plan is that it is somewhat complicated, which could make it difficult to explain to the public. Chris Edwards, who will be speaking at today’s event, recently showed that the government can get its finances under control by imposin... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592359 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:23:33 +0100 4592359 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429241&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F03%2Fcbt-approach-in-the-real-world%2F While there are many papers published about the outcomes from using a cognitive behavioural approach, there are very few describing the process ‘in the real world’. This leaves a gap for many clinicians who may read about it, maybe have training in delivering this type of intervention, or work in a team where it’s an integral part of practice – but who may not know how it ‘works’ except as it’s delivered in a pen-and-paper, sitting-in-a-clinic-room kind of way. Today I’m describing one way I go about integrating a CBT approach into my work.    This case study is a compilation of several people I’ve worked with, in order to protect patient privacy. Simone has neuropathic pain in her dominant hand. She’s a tough cookie who worked... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429241 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:33:39 +0100 4429241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419468&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F30%2Foccupational-therapy-the-cognitive-behavioural-approach-for-pain-management%2F I have always resisted being labelled. I am much more than my gender, my marital status, my diagnosis, my professional background.  I also feel quite uncomfortable about being told what I may or may not do (maybe that’s where my kids get it from?!). I don’t like being told what is and isn’t ‘my role’ or someone else’s role.  I’m interested in what works and doing it well and at the right time for the right reason.  Today’s post is the first of a two-part commentary on a paper by Robinson, Kennedy and Harmon published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy this month in which it is argued that occupational therapists who offer cognitive behavioural therapy ‘without sufficient attention to occupational therapy’s professi... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419468 Sat, 29 Jan 2011 19:00:53 +0100 4419468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399841&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F26%2Fpulling-it-all-together-biopsychosocial-assessment%2F Over the past little while I’ve been writing about how a comprehensive pain assessment can be carried out.  Today it’s time to pull that information together to develop a formulation, or set of possible explanations for why this person presents in this way at this time – at least for one or two aspects of his presentation. For example, if the person’s pain is low back pain, where surgery has failed to improve the person’s pain, but he has maintained working in a teaching job where physical demands are reasonably light, but is having trouble with sleep, feels irritable, can’t manage things like mowing lawns, and is very careful not to bend because he was advised after surgery to avoid bending because it may affect healing.   Limited forward flexion, si... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399841 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:00:45 +0100 4399841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337939&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-repeal-how-would-it-affect-coverage-and-cost%2F2011.01.11 [Soon] the new GOP-controlled House of Representatives will be voting on and is expected to pass a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – lock, stock, and barrel. There is virtually no chance the repeal bill will get through the Senate, though, which maintains a narrow Democratic majority, and President Obama would veto it if it did. But let’s say that the seemingly impossible happened, and the ACA was repealed. What would the impact be on healthcare coverage, costs, and the federal deficit? In a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its preliminary estimates of the impact of repeal on the deficit, uninsured, and costs of care, and found that it would make the deficit worse, result in more uninsured persons, and higher premiu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337939 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4337939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152304&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F09%2Fbroaden-and-build%2F Readers may be wondering why I’ve come over all happy clappy and jolly joy germ – well, I realised I’d been writing a lot about experimental and theoretical factors found to influence vulnerability to chronic pain, but I had been writing less about ways to help people cope more effectively with chronic pain. I do have a soft spot for positive psychology because, as we can see in most of the major journals, psychological studies have primarily been interested in what goes wrong, why people may struggle to cope with their pain, and other aspects of vulnerability. Yet more people than not live well with their chronic pain, and rarely seek help for their pain – maybe we can learn something from how these people cope, and in doing so, help people who do need treatment de... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152304 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:40:11 +0100 4152304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125083&cid=t_158353_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FKA3XQQcs-1Y%2F Post from: BlissTree (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125083 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:14:30 +0100 4125083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098517&cid=t_158353_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FsglVUPnGBhU%2F A few weeks ago one of my kids moved back to Phoenix from L.A. I agreed to help her with last minute packing and driving the rental truck. It was good father-daughter time and I looked forward to it. She is her father’s daughter. Arrangements had been made well ahead of time for people to load the truck, take a TV and microwave she didn’t want to move, pick up a car she was donating to a charity, disconnect the cable, and do the final walk through of the apartment. Each of these was reconfirmed one or two days beforehand. One the day of the move, the packers had dropped her from their schedule. The fellow who was going to pick up the microwave decided after several text messages that he didn’t really want it enough to come get it. For some reason the women who was getting the TV thou... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098517 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 02:23:57 +0100 4098517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4061090&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F13%2Fflexibility-of-the-psychological-kind%2F More holiday reading to ponder… One of the fascinating developments in psychology over the past 50 years is the ongoing study into what constitutes psychological health. It’s been known by many names – ego-resilience, executive control and self-regulation – but the work on these areas hasn’t been pulled together into a coherent whole until recently. The authors of this paper suggest that this is partly because of the nature of defining this particular beast – what is health after all? Their argument, and one that I find rather appealing, is that a main feature of health is to be able to apply the right kind of response to the many different situations in which we find ourselves. In other words, flexibility. Occupational therapists in particular will rejo... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4061090 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:38:39 +0100 4061090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055968&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F12%2Fcounting-your-blessings-or-looking-on-the-bright-side-of-life-whistles%2F My family were big on the Andrews Sisters. One of my strong memories as a child is listening to the song ‘count your blessings, name them one by one…’ [no, I will not sing it ok?!]. And I remember the book Pollyanna (you can read it for free here!) and the ‘Glad game’ where she looked for the positive in her rather dire situation when she went to live with her strict Aunt Polly. And guess what?  There is something in this approach to coping that makes a difference! While on holiday, sad person that I am, I did spend one or two days reading journal articles.  Several of them were related to the theme of positive psychology in a special issue of Clinical Psychology Review. While research into optimism, positive affect and even psychological flexibility has bee... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055968 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:36:40 +0100 4055968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003454&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F28%2Ffearanxietyavoidance-%25e2%2580%2593-treatments-review%2F For years, clinicians working in pain management have mixed together a rich assortment of strategies to help people function better.  But to identify the ‘active ingredients’ of multidisciplinary pain management using a cognitive behavioural approach, it’s been important to tease each element apart.  One size does not fit all – and just as a physician chooses the most effective medication for a disorder, in time I hope we will be able to choose the most effective strategy for the problems each individual experiences rather than applying our current ‘scatter-gun’ approach. Yesterday I gave a brief overview of the three main treatments to helping people who are fearful/anxious of their pain (or harm) and avoid activities as a result. They are: Graded ex... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003454 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:25:26 +0100 4003454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003101&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F27%2Ffearanxietyavoidance-and-some-treatments%2F I’ve been pondering the post by Neil O’Connell on Body in Mind in which he comments on a paper by Foster, Thomas, Bishop, Dunne and Main (2010) in which he makes the point that “There is a huge emphasis on psychological variables in research and current care for low back pain. My experience (the usual biased, unreliable, non-replicable shambles) tells me that this is justifiably so. But in this rigorous study the four psychological variables found to have a unique influence individually explained just 2.5% of the variance or less. The big players were the level of disability when the patient arrived at the GP and demographic factors which together explained 50%.” Now this flies in the face of the general trend towards emphasising psychosocial variables associated wi... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003101 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 05:35:16 +0100 4003101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965719&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F14%2Fessential-skills-for-living-with-pain%2F I could actually head this post with the title ‘Essential Skills for Living’ and leave out the pain part, because as I reflect on the events over the past week, and the aftermath as residents of Christchurch start to demolish then rebuild their homes and businesses, these same skills apply. How do people live well despite adversity? Our lives are not straightforward and both major events and daily hassles are encountered and influence thoughts, emotions and behaviour. It’s normal to have a range of emotions, abnormal to be ‘happy, happy, joy, joy’ all the time (despite the adverts!). It has been postulated that the ability to regulate emotions is a sign of adulthood, and that being unable to regulate emotions is a contributor to much emotional ill-health. Emot... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965719 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:36:20 +0100 3965719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3921093&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F01%2Fmeasuring-changes-during-graded-exposure-acceptance-treatment%2F I have been pondering about the best way to monitor ‘Matt’s progress during graded exposure therapy for his avoidance of activities involving back movement. I introduced you to Matt yesterday. He’s a ‘man’s man’, a real bloke who, for the past four years since he had surgery for a prolapsed disc, has avoided things like mowing the lawns, making the bed, fishing and whitebaiting and even golf. Yesterday I described how we went through 100 photographs of activities of daily living, and of these, Matt identified 67 of the photographs as things he wouldn’t do because of his concern about both the impact on his pain and the ‘strain’ on his back. I have used a simple count of the number of photographs a person decides is in the ‘avoided... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3921093 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:35:59 +0100 3921093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3903145&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F26%2Fon-being-both-a-scientist-and-a-human%2F Discussion presented at the Occupational Therapy Association, District Of Columbia, St Elizabeth’s Hospital, 1924. Lane, D., Corrie, S. What does it mean to be a scientist-practitioner? Working towards a new vision. Retrieved from http://www.coachingmentoring.co.nz/resources/articles/204-prof-david-lane-what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-scientist-practitioner-working-towards-a-new-vision Thursday, 26 August, 2010. Filed under: ACT - Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Chronic pain, Clinical reasoning, health, occupational therapy, psychology, research, therapy Tagged: acceptance, Clinical reasoning, health, mindfulness, occupational therapy, research, science, therapy, values (Source: HealthSkills Weblog) HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3903145 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:57:02 +0100 3903145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3872755&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F17%2Fvalues-informing-goals%2F Unusually for me, this post is not associated with a piece of published research.  I have been mulling over ways to help people set goals that are really meaningful to them rather than superficial ones that are all too easily forgotten or avoided, and being informed by ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) I’ve been looking at values clarification as one way of tapping in to this.  At the same time as doing this I’ve been doing a little reading around the occupational therapy Kawa model which uses the river metaphor to describe ‘life flow’, or words to that effect. I’m not a strong advocate of descriptive models really, because I am more concerned about models that help to explain or predict phenomena in the world, but at the same time I use metaphors a lo... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3872755 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:35:54 +0100 3872755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3795075&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F28%2Fgoals-outcomes-direction-values%2F Someone asked recently, how do you decide the difficulty level of a goal?  Or words to that effect.  It’s a good question – and like most good questions, there doesn’t seem to be a nice clear-cut answer.  So here’s a ramble on where I’ve got to with goals. The first thing I remember about goals is that there is a big difference between a goal that I am aiming for and the actions that I can do to achieve the goal.  What I mean by this is it’s pretty easy to set a goal like ‘I want to get a job by March 2011′ – but this goal could well be setting you up for failure. Why? Not because it’s about working, no, but because it doesn’t depend entirely on your actions – in fact, it depends on an employer deciding that you ar... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3795075 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:28:37 +0100 3795075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3787135&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F26%2Fmindfulness-and-exercise%2F Now I know this might seem a strange heading when we think of mindfulness practice normally, but this isn’t ‘treatment as usual’. The definition of mindfulness in this study is ‘The body scan practice involves systematically moving awareness through each part of the body and noticing the presence of sensation in a detailed and precise way. This enables contact with the actual sensations of the body (as opposed to thoughts, ideas or fears about these sensations). Mindful movement involves bringing awareness to physical activity, thus allowing movement of the body within the limits of its physical capability. This is taught by means of a comprehensive sequence of movements based on yoga and Pilates.’ I’n not sure I could find a better description of how I ... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3787135 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:32:20 +0100 3787135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3780582&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F23%2Fa-quick-observation-on-using-act%2F The last few weeks and months I’ve been starting to work with people using some of the ACT approach.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with ACT, it involves developing an awareness that what we think and feel is not who we are, that if we are open to experiences (even negative ones) they seem to be less distressing, that being present in the ‘here and now’ helps us to live fully, and by being committed to doing what it takes to live out our values in the real world we will be more able to have the life we really want. This site gives you some great information on ACT (Thanks to Russ Harris, who wrote one of the books on ACT that I’ve found exceptionally helpful ‘Act Made Simple’ published by Harbinger Press) Anyway, back to what I’ve been lea... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3780582 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:57:42 +0100 3780582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776629&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F21%2Faccepting-what-life-throws-at-ya%2F This study sought to look at whether the people who are more prepared to accept and be willing to ‘have undesirable psychological experiences without attempting to control them’, might be functioning better and suffer less. The study involved a group of 144 people referred to an interdisciplinary tertiary pain management centre in the UK.  Before treatment, they completed a set of questionnaires including several about acceptance.  And as usual, a whole bunch of statistical things were carried out on the results.  I won’t be too descriptive about these stats, but basically, multiple regression analyses were carried out to ‘establish the contribution of general psychological acceptance to patient functioning, after the variance contributed by patient background ch... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776629 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:17:07 +0100 3776629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714188&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsocial-mission-a-primary-care-score-for-medical-schools%2F2010.06.30 Medical schools are traditionally ranked on criteria like research funding and technological innovation. These rankings are highly significant. A place on the U.S. News‘ annual “Best Medical School” list  is a coveted spot indeed. So that’s why there was some media attention paid to a recent study from the Annals of Internal Medicine, which ranked medical schools according to their “social mission” — a phrase that defines a school’s commitment to primary care, underserved populations and workforce diversity. Using this new criterion, some of the traditionally high ranking schools fell significantly. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714188 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:00:17 +0100 3714188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3633636&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F06%2Fonline-calm-resources-for-calming-the-mind-and-increasing-emotional-resilience%2F I found this website today CALM – it’s put together by three lecturers at the University of Auckland, and has a whole series of downloadable MP3′s on methods that will help develop resilience and positivity for dealing with life’s ups and downs. Actually, the whole website can be downloaded and played from a computer off-line, which is great if you’re wanting to access this for your personal use. The areas covered are Mental Resilience; Managing Stress, Anxiety and Depression; Healthy Relationships; and Finding Meaning in Life. While each area is dealt with quite briefly, there are loads of worksheets and MP3′s in each area. It’s that part that excites me! The MP3′s cover topics like ‘self hypnosis’ (by Dr Bob Large, Psychiatrist ... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3633636 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 01:02:26 +0100 3633636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3610530&cid=t_158353_167_f&fid=38271&url=http%3A%2F%2Frebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F28%2Flets-move-keeps-on-movin-to-reverse-childhood-obesity%2F In a live press conference First Lady Michelle Obama discussed an exciting announcement in regards to the ‘Let’s Move‘ campaign and the ‘Partnership for a Healthier America’ who have begun to seek out a solution to reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity. The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, comprised of sixteen food product companies, have ‘pledged to cut 1 trillion calories from the food they sell’ as well as change products to reduce calories, fat, sugar, sodium and portion size. The four main pillars of the Let’s Move program are to make schools healthier, increase the amount of physical activity children get at school and at home, give parents the information to make healthy decisions, and increase access to food for all families. It seems one major componen... Balanced Health and Nutrition Rebecca Scritchfield's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3610530 Fri, 28 May 2010 23:05:54 +0100 3610530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585869&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F21%2Fvalues-and-outcomes-in-pain-management-occupational-therapists-only%2F This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: Filed under: ACT - Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Chronic pain, Clinical reasoning, Coping Skills, occupational therapy, psychology, therapy Tagged: occupational therapy (Source: HealthSkills Weblog) HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585869 Thu, 20 May 2010 20:27:12 +0100 3585869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585579&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fdating-advice-burn-your-relationship-books%2F Read Giulia’s post from last week on friendship etiquette here. And see below for a chance to win a copy of Giulia’s book: I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti! When I was in my mid-thirties and in a bit of a panic about being single, I kept a pile of dating advice books at my bedside that I relocated to the back of a closet whenever a man came over. I studied The Rules as if they were the Gospels – and like the Gospels, I liked the idea of them, but had a very hard time living by them. I read He’s Just Not That Into You, How to Find a Husband at 35 (Based on What I Learned at Harvard Business School), and a little known tome called If I’m So Wonderful Why Am I Still Single? I told myself I was reading those books as a lark, sort of like how, when I was nine, I believed that... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585579 Thu, 20 May 2010 15:47:48 +0100 3585579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3577663&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F19%2Fan-accidental-form-of-control-when-mindfulness-produces-happiness-acting-well-living-well-iv%2F I’ve had some success while working with a man I’ll call Peter.  He’s got chronic pain, and has been incredibly fearful of what it might mean – in fact, you’d probably call him a classic catastrophiser because each time his pain flared up he immediately thought it was something like cancer and he would rush off to his GP or the Emergency Department to have it checked out.  Luckily any scans he’s had haven’t shown anything operable because I’m sure with the amount of distress he was been experiencing, he would have been able to persuade a surgeon to operate had there been anything odd-but-common found. We’ve been using mindful breathing as a way to get in touch with the sensations, emotions and thoughts that occur to him, and especiall... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3577663 Tue, 18 May 2010 19:58:08 +0100 3577663 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573967&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F18%2Fact-ing-well-living-well-iii-acceptance-willingness%2F One thing that strikes me as very different about the ACT approach is the very different way therapists are encouraged to respond to difficult emotions.  Part of ACT is to encourage acceptance of, and ‘sitting with’ negative thoughts or emotions or sensations rather than attempting to change them or ignore them – and in my learning about ACT and trying to model ACT consistent behaviour in therapy, I find I need to become more mindful of my own responses to other people’s thoughts and emotions. What I mean by this is that I initially have a response to avoid experiencing another person’s distress – so if the person I’m working with is tearful or angry or afraid, I have often tried to mop up the tears or calm the person down or reassure them.  What... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573967 Mon, 17 May 2010 19:43:46 +0100 3573967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3570085&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F17%2Fa-dilemma-act-ing-well-living-well%2F In this study, an intervention in which individuals considered their personal values (in other words, what is important to them, what influences the direction in which they take actions) was carried out, and its influence on tolerance to a cold pressor test was evaluated. Two previous studies have shown that low levels of experiential avoidance and high acceptance are reportedly related to higher pain tolerance, conversely one would expect that high levels of experiential avoidance and low levels of acceptance would be related to lower tolerance to pain.  A couple of definitions here: pain tolerance is about how long a person is prepared to ‘put up with’ pain before attempting to move away from it, as opposed to pain threshold which is the point at which the person identifies ... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3570085 Sun, 16 May 2010 19:21:00 +0100 3570085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552194&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F177833%2F Is cheating nature or nurture? Possibly both, says the New York Times, which looks at the science of commitment. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3552194 Tue, 11 May 2010 14:56:55 +0100 3552194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549591&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F10%2Fact-ing-well-living-well-ii%2F The second in a series about ACT and its use in pain management from an occupational therapy point of view. My last post (here) talked about ACT and ‘doing what matters’, or ‘valued action’ – this involves identifying what is important to a person, then helping them do it, while being careful not to encourage ‘experiential avoidance’, or avoiding coming into contact with experiences we’d rather not. Here’s the ‘hexaflex’ or diagram that provides an overview of ACT.  What ACT tries to develop in people is ‘psychological flexibility’, or the ability to be in the here and now, open to experiences (even negative ones) and do what matters to live a life in alignment with what is important.  In people who lac... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549591 Mon, 10 May 2010 06:23:26 +0100 3549591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549592&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F10%2Fact-ing-well-living-well%2F For some time I’ve been learning more about ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (normally pronounced ‘act’, not A – C – T).  While I have to admit that I have been flummoxed by relational frame theory, a behavioural theory of human language and cognitionthat underpins ACT (go here for a tutorial that may enlighten somewhat), there are some very simple principles that ACT employs that I’ve found useful in my own life – and in the lives of people I work with. Over the next few days I want to outline a bit more about ACT and how I use it within pain management – I’ll be referring to journal papers that explore the use of ACT in pain management, but a lot of what I’ll cover comes more from my own experiences with moving fro... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549592 Sun, 09 May 2010 23:33:21 +0100 3549592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3342940&cid=t_158353_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E5%2FbpIdWg7HrTo%2Ftimb_howtoberichandhappy.wav The cool thing with writing in depth on Life Coaching is that I know I have the really hardcore people with me. People that actually intend to make changes rather than talking about doing so, or hoping they will happen by reading a post and doing nothing else. Newsflash: Positive change will not happen from staring at a list of bullet points or sitting on your arse watching TV. Trust me, I spent 40 years trying the latter! So if you read my previous post, What Are Values? and have come back for more, then you my fine friend are up for it and a very rare breed indeed. So give yourself a hearty pat on the back and let’s get going. You now know what a value is and what impact they are having on your life on a daily basis, so how can you use that knowledge to make life hunky dory? When I d... Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3342940 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:00:08 +0100 3342940 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3251403&cid=t_158353_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fcommitment%2F The two minds of commitment As we walk through life, there are many things and people we may lose, or lose out on, if we are unwilling to commit. We need to make a commitment for relationships to grow beyond the dating stage, to have the home or apartment we want, the job we want, or the car we desire. We must commit, on deep levels, to careers, to goals, to family, friends, and recovery. Trying something will not enable us to succeed. Committing ourselves will. Yet, we need never commit before we are ready. Sometimes, our fear of commitment is telling us something. We may not want to commit to a particular relationship, purchase, or career. Other times, it is a matter of our fears working their way out. Wait, then. Wait until the issue becomes clear. Trust yourself. Ask your Higher Powe... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3251403 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:31:19 +0100 3251403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056615&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGXyHS1DnxYA%2F Last month, Cato (joined by Cato senior fellow Randy Barnett) filed a brief in United States v. Comstock, a case regarding the constitutionality of a law authorizing the federal government to civilly commit anyone in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons whom the attorney general certifies to be “sexually dangerous.” The effect of such an action is to continue the certified person’s confinement after the expiration of his prison term, without proof of a new criminal violation. As I wrote in a previous blog post, “the use of federal power here is unconstitutional because it is not tied to any of Congress’s limited and enumerated powers.” Moreover, the government’s reliance on the Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8), “is misplaced because that cla... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056615 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:03:28 +0100 3056615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3029849&cid=t_158353_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fmy-three-shrinks-podcast-47-genital.html [46] . . . [47] . . . [48] . . . [All]Happy Thanksgiving!!!As a big thank you to our readers (and listeners), we three shrinks got our act together and edited one of our most recently recorded podcasts and got it out there, finally. I did the editing and posting this time instead of Roy, which means that it will be less polished, more crackle-and-pop filled and less balanced volumetrically (if that's a word) than usual. So be it. After leaping over a high Garage Band learning curve I figured that was enough of a time investment to begin with and I'd figure out the more polished aspects later. But enough about the process. On to the podcast.For podcast 47 we started out with a discussion of gender bias in civil commitment when we discussed the book (which none of us have read) entitled Mad,... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3029849 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:15:00 +0100 3029849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967269&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F9EFrsxlKdi4%2F In 2006, Congress passed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. One provision of the law authorizes the federal government to civilly commit anyone in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons whom the attorney general certifies to be “sexually dangerous.” The effect of such an action is to continue the certified person’s confinement after the expiration of his prison term, without proof of a new criminal violation. Six days before the scheduled release of Graydon Comstock — who had been sentenced to 37 months in jail for receiving child pornography — the attorney general certified Comstock as sexually dangerous. Three years later, Comstock thus remains confined in a medium security prison, as do more than 60 other similarly situated men in the Eastern District ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967269 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:07:43 +0100 2967269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865728&cid=t_158353_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fafraid-of-commitment.html Posted for Roy (taken from his comments on the Demystify Me? post)So is knowing your doc got a cute new puppy who likes cat toys TOO demystified?And, to AA's point, civil commitment to prevent a suicide is indeed a proper concern, though I'd argue that ignoring a suicide risk is also of concern. Most states require us to hospitalize if there is a risk, but how that risk is defined varies from state to state.The area of consternation is likely that different docs interpret "risk" in different ways, so one could go to an ER on 2 different occasions after overdoses taken while drunk, and end up committed one time and released another.Commitment demystification: factors that increase the chance of hospitalization after a suicide attempt:-lethality of the amount/drug type taken-planning it out ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865728 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:07:00 +0100 2865728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832433&cid=t_158353_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E3%2FO1sx-pVPSJE%2F I got the following e-mail today from Lord Johnny of Truant and I asked him for permission to reproduce it here for you: “I’d like to set up some more coaching in the near future. Things have really, really picked up and a month from now, I may well be signing and dancing for joy. At that point, I need to work on getting my house in order and organizing tasks, priorities, and goals. I’m doing well, but I’m scattered and starting to get a bit frazzled.” Now let me say first and foremost, I love Johnny Truant! He makes me laugh, and what he has done over the last few months has been nothing short of astounding. In all sorts of financial difficulties (publicly documented  on his blog by the way, I’m not breaching client confidentiality) though property investm... Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832433 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:18:13 +0100 2832433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820279&cid=t_158353_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=2725325&cid=t_158353_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E3%2FV2rrswSGilg%2F As you are reading this I’m probably lying by the pool in Vegas soaking up the rays, sipping on a cocktail and hurling obscenities at Scrabble on my iPhone for cheating and using words I’ve never heard of again. However, I didn’t want to desert you whilst in the desert so I thought I’d leave you this post to keep you going. Feel free to browse the archives in my absence and if you really want to make an old man very happy indeed, grab yourself a copy of ‘Don’t Ask Stupid Questions’ in either hardback or ebook. The book of which sales guru (and I use that word advisably, this guy has sold millions of books) Jeffrey Gitomer said: “I recommend you buy it now, read it as soon as you get it, and put it into practice an hour after you read it” Good old Jeffers, that’s wha... Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2725325 Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:00:49 +0100 2725325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441257&cid=t_158353_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fbetting-on-weight-loss%2F Take a gamble People bet on the horses, football, basketball, and pretty much any sport in between. So why not bet on weight loss? That’s what over a 1,000 dieters in the United Kingdom have signed up for on the StickK website. The American based start-up was created last year by two Yale professors who wanted to help people achieve their goals and objectives by enabling them to form Commitment Contracts. Dieters in the UK have been joining up and betting on their ability to lose a specified amount of weight in a specified time frame. If  you don’t succeed,  you lose money. But you don’t just lose a designated amount of money. The money that you lose is paid to a charity that you nominated when you join up. But wait, there’s a twist. You have to nominate a charity that you would ... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441257 Sun, 24 May 2009 10:49:24 +0100 2441257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074001&cid=t_158353_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F29%2F5-tips-to-make-your-resolutions-stick%2F This article was originally published on Beyond Blue at Beliefnet.com and is reproduced here with permission. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074001 Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:16:52 +0100 2074001 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074002&cid=t_158353_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F28%2Fthe-psychology-of-new-years-resolutions%2F As we put the holidays behind us and dig out from underneath all of the wrapping paper (or snow! or both), many of us turn to the upcoming New Year’s celebration to engage in a ritual that any visiting alien might be puzzled by — New Year’s resolutions. Why do humans pick a single point in time each year to try and change certain things in their life — behaviors, attitudes, whatnot — make resolutions about them, and then proceed to fail at them within a month’s time? The most popular New Year’s goals people set, according to Miller and Marlatt (1998) are: 37% - Starting to exercise 13% - Eating better 7% - Reducing the consumption of alcohol, caffeine and other drugs, or quitting smoking According to the same survey, most people — 7... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074002 Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:22:17 +0100 2074002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2067393&cid=t_158353_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F27%2Flocked-away-for-years-nobody-cares%2F What if someone you loved had a mental disorder that nobody knew how to treat? The disorder causes your loved one to act out against others, because they see hallucinations or believe delusions about others trying to harm them. Sometimes, the delusions might cause them to act out, sometimes even harming other people. Medical and psychological science don’t yet have all the answers. Sadly, we cannot treat, much less cure, everyone with every concern. But medicine and science have come a long way from the 1950s, when all we did was handcuff people to chairs or strap them into beds in order to deal with unruly or violent behavior. Or has it? According to a story last week reported by the Associated Press in The Washington Post, there are dozens of cases of people reportedly being ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2067393 Sat, 27 Dec 2008 21:22:31 +0100 2067393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1991675&cid=t_158353_151_f&fid=35793&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejunkyswife.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fthank-you-all.html Thanks to everyone who has sent me kind messages after this weekend's mess.You can read an update at The Second Road. (Source: Heroin Addiction Codependence) Heroin Addiction Codependence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1991675 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:57:00 +0100 1991675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1970820&cid=t_158353_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F11%2F19%2Fcarrying-on-with-self-management-strategies-doesnt-make-a-difference%2F Continuing in the vein of yesterday’s post where I discussed a study showing no additional benefit from adding graded exposure or graded activity to treatment by classification, today I want to discuss a recent finding showing that all the hard work put into helping people develop and use self management may not make a difference to their recovery in the end.  It’s this study (doi:10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.06.009) by Charlotte Curran, Amanda C. de C. Williams, and Henry W.W. Potts - Cognitive-behavioral therapy for persistent pain: Does adherence after treatment affect outcome?  European Journal of Pain What?! Shock and panic around the world! Pain management skills are not used! The whole basis of self management lies with the idea that people develop practical skills they can... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1970820 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:23:28 +0100 1970820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870668&cid=t_158353_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fwashington-state-task-force-recommends.html An article by Carol Smith in the Seattle Post-Intelligence discusses a task force's recommendation to the state's involuntary commitment laws after a man with a psychotic illness murdered Sierra Club worker Shannon Harps last year.James Williams, a repeat violent offender with severe schizophrenia, has been charged with first-degree murder in Harps' death. Williams, who was under community supervision at the time of the murder, wasn't complying with court-ordered treatment and had been off the medications that helped control his violent hallucinations when he allegedly stabbed Harps to death.Community corrections officers supervising Williams used every tool the system provided to try to keep Williams in treatment and out of trouble, said King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, who convened... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870668 Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0100 1870668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1133951&cid=t_158353_140_f&fid=35438&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwrithesafely.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F01%2F07%2Four-overlord-foucault-is-at-it-again%2F A witfree friend of the mentally ill left a comment at ama’s blog, claiming that the SPMI have all but been abandoned by the “consumertocracy literati.” Doesn’t that just roll off the tongue. The myth that we are hippie pomo philosophy majors with no real world knowledge of what we denounce is standard low-hanging [...] (Source: Writhe Safely) Writhe Safely blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1133951 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:32:43 +0100 1133951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1108725&cid=t_158353_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Freading-is-fundamental.html Opponents of AOT will often rely on hyperbole to argue against providing necessary assisted care for individuals with a severe mental illness. You’ll commonly hear that programs like Kendra’s Law will run roughshod over all consumers, or that it’s “social control” targeting those who may just act differently. Of course, we know the reality is quite different. AOT programs like Kendra’s Law focus care toward the most mentally severely ill, reducing the crushing consequences of nontreatment – arrests, incarcerations, homelessness, and victimization. Unfortunately, most opponents of AOT simply haven’t even bothered to read the eligibility criteria associated with an AOT program, preferring to rely instead on overheated rhetoric.So today, we’re providing you with an example o... Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1108725 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:43:00 +0100 1108725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=952203&cid=t_158353_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fnew-mental-institutions.html Today's Roanoke Times explores an alarming reality of today's forensic system. When the mental health community adicates its responsibility to treatment people with severe mental illnesses, the responsibility too often falls on those who can't say no - jails and prisions.We really are doing a disservice to our people when we put them in jail," said Bill Farrington, president of the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness…Even if there's bed space available, the civil commitment process can be so time-consuming that police officers who encounter the mentally ill are often reluctant to use it, Farrington said."They recognize that it's a mental health issue, but they also recognize that 'I brought this person in three times before for the same thing' " on a civil commitment... Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=952203 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:10:00 +0100 952203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=947409&cid=t_158353_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fmichael-clayton-slate-and-important.html Slate.com and the movie Michael Clayton bring up an important question regarding mental health treatment. Do you know what getting someone involuntary care entails in your area? If you have a loved one that may need involuntary care at some point, it pays to research the answer now, before a crisis occurs. A crisis situation is no time to begin understanding the confusing and often nonsensical process of commitment. Take some time to look up your state’s commitment laws. Find out what forms you’ll need to fill out and who you’ll need to contact if the situation ever arises. Research what your area’s standard for commitment actually says (you may find it’s quite different than what people think!) Check out your state/local mental health departments to see what materials they provi... Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=947409 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:28:00 +0100 947409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=703145&cid=t_158353_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fhandcuffs-commitment-standards.html Being committed to a psychiatric facility can rescue a person from the uncontrolled symptoms of a severe mental illness. Involuntary treatment, at the same time, should not be used if voluntary care is a viable alternative. No one wants to unnecessarily invoke a measure that, by its very nature, is laced with restriction.Yet, the coercive tone of an inpatient commitment can be muted.For too long, for instance, a trip to a hospital has automatically included a police car and handcuffs for people being committed to treatment. Vermont has ended the mandatory use of restraints in that situation. A recent law in the state requires that mechanical restraints not be used unless circumstances dictate that such methods are necessary. Restraints are still used if required to maintain safety, but th... Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=703145 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:55:00 +0100 703145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676791&cid=t_158353_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fis-law-really-dangerous.html Mental health professionals and others frequently say that, “by law, you have to be a danger to self or others” in order to get court-ordered treatment for severe mental illness. But, is that actually TRUE?No. In most states, an individual with severe mental illness may qualify for court-ordered inpatient or outpatient treatment before deteriorating to a point of “dangerousness.” Many states have provisions for treating who are “gravely disabled” and some permit treating people based on their “need for treatment.”Don’t just accept the word of your local officials – read the law for yourself and be accurately informed! TAC has online resources to help: a compilation of TEXT excerpts from the actual state commitment codes and a CHART summarizing the required criteria for ... Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676791 Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:34:00 +0100 676791