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 'depression'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:49:47 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182152&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FrTAjMCPc-Kg%2F Labor Day signals the unofficial end of summer, which is great news if you’re looking forward to finally opening your door to crisp mornings temps and colorful fall foliage. But along with the change of season brings less time at the pool or the beach which could seriously hamper the amount of sunshine we get. That’s a good thing for our skin, but not always beneficial for our mood. Granted, depression can strike women at virtually any time of year and for many different reasons (sometimes there isn’t even a specific reason that can be pinpointed). Approximately 12 million women develop depression each year–twice as many as men, and one out of every eight of us will battle it during our lifetime. Depressing, huh? If you find yourself feeling down, sad and/or tired w... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182152 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:26:53 +0100 5182152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174664&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F29%2Fnutritional-supplements-to-treat-adhd-bipolar-depression-empowerplus%2F In this study, only 49 percent of the participants kept providing the researchers data at 6 months — meaning the majority of them dropped out of the study before the 6 months were up! LOCF is generally frowned upon in good research unless there’s a very good rationale for its use. Why? Because research shows that this method gives a biased estimate of the treatment effect and underestimates the variability of the estimated result. In other words, it stacks the deck to demonstrate a treatment’s effectiveness — even when it might not be. It’s a research slight of hand. The bigger problem with this study and most of the studies cited by TrueHope is that they all suffer from significant design problems. All are open-label designs with biased, self-selected samples... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174664 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:45:54 +0100 5174664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169576&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F99B5X6YMrKA%2F URL: http://www.get.gg/Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has been proven to help mental health problems. This website offers CBT self-help information, resources and tools, including therapy worksheets. For: Anyone, Clinicians, ConsumersTopics: Academia, Behaviour Management, Cognitive, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Common Factors, Counselling, Depression, Eating Disorders, Emotional Health, General Psychology, Life, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, Personality, Personality disorders, Psychology and Technology, Psychology and the Media, Self-helpFeatures: Articles, Assessment Instruments, Clinical Tools, File Sharing, Information, Links, Multimedia, Patient Handouts, Research Tools, Resources, Training, e-learning Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has been proven to help mental hea... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169576 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 17:00:09 +0100 5169576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169573&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F27%2Fzimbardos-infamous-prison-experiment-where-the-key-players-are-now%2F It’s arguably one of the most controversial experiments. It all started in the basement of the psychology building at Stanford University on August 17, 1971 after psychologist Phil Zimbardo and colleagues took an ad out in the paper stating: “Male college students needed for psychological study of prison life. $15 per day for 1-2 weeks.” Over 70 people volunteered for the Stanford Prison Experiment. Twenty-four healthy, smart college-aged men were picked and randomly assigned either to be a guard or a prisoner. The aim of the study was to explore the psychology of prison life and how specific situations affect people’s behavior. But the experiment didn’t last very long — six days to be exact. Zimbardo was forced to pull the plug because of the disturbing behavior of the guard... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169573 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:04:17 +0100 5169573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159198&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F25%2Fcan-religion-or-spirituality-help-ward-off-depression%2F People of all shapes, sizes, colors and nationalities get depression. There seems to be little rhyme or reason to whom it strikes and when. Many people swear by certain things to help them keep depression away. Some people use exercise, while others throw themselves more into their work. Others take a daily dose of a herb like St. John’s Wort or fish oil, because of the association these ingredients have had with a reduction in depression in some studies. But what about religion? Can a strong sense of spirituality or religion help you ward off depression? According to new research that followed a group of people over 10 years, the answer is a qualified “Yes.” The new longitudinal research out of Columbia University wanted to followup on previous research demonstrating th... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159198 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:10:27 +0100 5159198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159550&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FIDhru9OeEyQ%2F According to a new study published by the American Psychological Association, women are more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression, while men face more substance abuse or antisocial difficulties. Researchers also found that women with mental disorders are more likely to internalize their emotions and move into a state of withdrawal, loneliness and depression. Interestingly enough, men, on the other hand, are more likely to externalize their emotions, leading to aggressive, impulsive, coercive and noncompliant behavior. So when it comes to mental illness, it appears that women tend to reach for the antidepressants while men tend to reach for a beer. Go figure. Research like this makes me feel that depression can sometimes seem like the latest trend. These days, if you haven’t be... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159550 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 18:52:04 +0100 5159550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159682&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fout-of-sync.html A life raft made of spheres and oblongs, a handful of pills to chase away sadness, chase away the chaotic mind, smooth the anxiety out like wrinkles on a dress shirt, float me into peace at night and drift me out of flashbacks by day. I feel angry at these pills, angry at my need. I long for the day I throw the bottles out forever, when my personal demons are finally hushed to a whisper and the armor of God is once more light enough to carry.I knew lament so deeply as a nurse working with terminal kids. The bereft, uncomprehending shock of the loss of a child. I heard from those parents that for a while the earth seemed shifted off it's axis, flowers blooming when there should be ice forming, sun instead of rain, beauty instead of desolation. Their souls in gray and unchangeablely out of s... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159682 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:36:00 +0100 5159682 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159431&cid=t_99873_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2FCte1OyUG5vE%2F The Full Story – Soften the Fck Up Mental health issues and young men, in an awareness campaign about depression, anxiety, suicide, shame, and social issues from male perspectives. Clips of personal narrative in a simple, accessible video. Check out other videos and the whole campaign at the Australian web site. (Source: Channel N) Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159431 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:30:40 +0100 5159431 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139875&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F18%2Fintroducing-to-the-edge-and-back%2F Living with a mental health issue or mental disorder as serious as bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety is no easy task. Ask anyone who grapples with these concerns on a day-to-day basis. But what can complicate even serious mental illness is a misdiagnosis of one disorder over another. To the Edge and Back is a blog about the trials, tribulations and triumphs of day-to-day life with a very peculiar psychological impairment. Steven Pace says that he is capable of tremendous achievements in a variety of fields on any given day. However, due to the chaotic and disruptive nature of his affliction, he fears that he may never be able to maintain a consistent level of productivity that would allow him to be recognized as a contributing member of society. This blog will share bits of his journ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139875 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:22:46 +0100 5139875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140109&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F5Hpp2h0kPiA%2F I’ve been seeing an increasing number of stories and studies lately on ‘soft bipolar disorder,’ or bipolar II, which is—in the crudest terms—basically a less serious version of classic bipolar disorder, or bipolar I. According to a University of Texas survey, approximately nine million Americans, or 4% of the population, have this disease. My curiosity piqued, I checked a book out of the library recently called Less Than Crazy: Living Fully With Bipolar II by Karla Dougherty. The writing is … not stellar (it’s like a publishing rule, I think, that self-help books must use cheesy metaphors at least three times per chapter). But overall, the book provides a good base for understanding bipolar II, how it differs from regular bipolar disorder, and why it (alle... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140109 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:15:07 +0100 5140109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139900&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2011%2F08%2F17%2Fonline-mood-chart%2F Buffer Life Charts or Mood Charts are used by psychiatrists and patients with bipolar disorder and unipolar disorder. Keeping track of mood fluctuations such as in depression or manic phase together with medication use and possible triggers can be of immense value to treatment plans. Optimism is a mood chart app that helps you develop strategies to manage depression, bipolar or other physical and mental health conditions. It can be customized completely to suit your specific circumstances, making it relevant to any health condition that affects (or is affected by) mood. Optimism helps you to: Monitor and develop strategies, specific to yourself, that help you remain in good health. Grow in your understanding of “triggers” that affect you, and the early warning signs or symptoms of a d... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139900 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 06:15:13 +0100 5139900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139999&cid=t_99873_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Ftrue-depression-dysthemia-anxiety%2F Dysthyemia is a disabling disorder that is generally experienced as a less severe but more chronic form of major depression, and affects about 6% of the population. The disorder is characterized by feelings of depression (low energy, poor appetite, feelings of hopelessness, etc.) for at least two years,  and impairs one’s ability to regulate mood and prevent sadness from lingering. When a person is suffering from a chronic low mood and self esteem, it can become very difficult to concentrate, hinders the ability to be productive, and to enjoy everyday life. Like depression, Dysthyemia results in impaired functioning at work, and in social and personal situations. There are various prescription drug treatments, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and antidepressants -�... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139999 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:45:24 +0100 5139999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130959&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F-XRPfFwtasI%2F In the latest ‘damned-if-do, damned-if-you-don’t’ health news: New research says that depression increases a woman’s stroke risk—but taking antidepressants makes the risk even higher. And this is no half-hearted, small-scale study we’re talking about, either; Harvard University researchers looked at the health histories and practices of 80,000 women, beginning in 1976. Between 2000 and 2006, women aged 54 to 79 with no previous stroke history were specifically monitored. Ultimately, depressed women had a 29% greater risk of having a stroke, and depressed women who were taking anti-depressants had a 39% greater stroke risk. So what are the serotonin-challenged among us to do? I suppose, firstly, add stroke risk to the many potential side effects of medicatio... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130959 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:40:45 +0100 5130959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130665&cid=t_99873_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fperinatal-mental-health-of-black-and-minority-ethnic-women-a-review-of-current-provision-in-england-scotland-and-wales%2F This report aims to: map current/ proposed perinatal mental health provision for BME women identify gaps in provision identify and share good practice. Publisher: DH Size: 63p. Published: 08/02/11 Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: African people, Asian people, Black people, Depression, Ethnic Groups, Ethnic minorities, Grey Literature, Maternity care, Mixed race people, Postnatal Care, Postnatal depression, West Indian people (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130665 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 08:12:56 +0100 5130665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125695&cid=t_99873_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F12%2Fnursing-times-2011-vol-107-no-26-2%2F This article looks at the prevalence of depression in long-term conditions and why people with long-term conditions get depressed. It also examines how nursing staff can support people with depression as part of their long-term condition. Contact the Library for a copy of this article. Filed under: Journals Tagged: Depression, Long Term Conditions, Long-term Condition, Mental Health Service Users, Nursing (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125695 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:37:00 +0100 5125695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125742&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fincreased-number-of-antidepressants-prescribed-to-patients-without-a-psychiatric-diagnosis%2F2011.08.12 Prescriptions for antidepressants given by nonpsychiatrists to patients without a specific psychiatric disorder increased more than 12% in 12 years, leading to the drug class becoming the third most commonly prescribed, a study found. A study in the August issue of Health Affairs reported that antidepressant prescriptions by doctors who didn’t record a specific psychiatric disorder increased from 59.5% of all prescriptions by nonpsychiatrists in 1996 to 72.7% in 2007. Researchers reviewed data on patients age eighteen or older from the 1996-2007 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys, a national sample of more than 233,000 office-based visits. The proportion of antidepressants prescribed for patients without a psychiatric diagnosis... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125742 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5125742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107794&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F6pmycmcma9U%2F Almost 80% of antidepressants are prescribed by non-psychiatrists—and almost three-quarters of these prescriptions aren’t accompanied by a formal psychiatric diagnosis, Psych Central reports. Perhaps that sounds like cause for major alarm, but let’s remember that a) primary care doctors may not be psychiatric specialists, but they’re not clueless either, and b) many people don’t have access to, or can’t afford, specialized psychiatric care. For the uninsured, being able to get anti-depressants during a physician visit could be a godsend; even those with insurance may find the added expense of psychiatric care too much (especially if they’re under a plan without good mental health coverage). And what if you just plumb can’t get to a psychiatrist at a given time, but have a p... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107794 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:07:43 +0100 5107794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107600&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Fbipolar-disorder-missed-when-presenting-with-depression%2F Coming as a surprise to more than a few mental health professionals, a new study out today suggests that bipolar disorder is often missed in patients who present only with major depression. The study examined 5,635 adults seen at community and hospital psychiatry departments in a number of different countries. The discrepancy was reported because of the use of “bipolarity specifier criteria” that are broader than the DSM-IV criteria, the standard for diagnosis of mental disorders by mental health professionals. Using the broader bipolar criteria developed by the researchers found an additional 31 percent of patients who could have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. So what’s really going on here? Are professionals really “missing” bipolar disorder? Or have ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107600 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:49:39 +0100 5107600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107601&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Fantidepressants-overprescribed-in-primary-care%2F Antidepressants have long enjoyed a reputation as being a quick and “easy” treatment for all types of depression — from a mild feeling of being a little down, all the way up to severe, life-debilitating depression. But like all medications, they have side effects and instances where they should not be prescribed. Hence their continued need for a prescription after seeing a doctor. So what does it mean when primary care physicians are handing them out like candy? It suggests that your family doctor doesn’t really understand how antidepressants work, or what they are approved to treat. In short, it suggests that antidepressant medications are being over-prescribed by well-meaning doctors who are simply not using very good judgment. Melissa Healy, writing for the LA T... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107601 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:35:31 +0100 5107601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103379&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fdepressions-other-symptoms%2F The hallmark symptoms of clinical depression are no doubt sadness and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed. Many people also are familiar with appetite and sleep changes. But there’s a whole set of other physical symptoms that are less known but just as debilitating. In fact, depression can literally hurt. According to a study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, up to about 76 percent of people who report the typical emotional symptoms also report physical signs, such as stomach problems, headaches, backaches and chest pain. Depression also is a chameleon. It can look like various other illnesses and conditions, even, for instance, the flu. Which, not surprisingly, makes diagnosing depression tricky, and thereby finding the right treatment... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103379 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:31:02 +0100 5103379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096786&cid=t_99873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fgardening-in-the-dark%2F Oh yes, it’s true. I do garden in the dark. It does sound a bit dangerous, I’ll grant you that, but it’s not exactly brain surgery or nuclear fission. The only victims might be a live yellow daisy, “dead headed” in error. I do take pity on these victims and bring them indoors and stick them in a small vase, poor things. I do have the guidance of a porch light and a couple of solar powered “rock” lights. Twilight is actually the best time because I can still enjoy the view, there is usually a cool breeze whipping up from the Columbia River and there are no dangerous UVA/UVB rays to worry about. This strange behavior became necessary, for me, many years ago when I first began to have pain in my sitter, fatigue and skin rashes on any area where the sun struck me. I was completel... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096786 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:03:03 +0100 5096786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096339&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-august-5-2011%2F You could be doing everything right: seeking therapy, taking medication, living a healthy life. But then someone or something triggers you and your world is thrown upside down. For me, it’s surrounding myself with people and situations from the past. I can conveniently “forget” who I am is not who I was. On many levels, this could be destructive. It’s forgetting that I am an adult when I am with my family or that I am now allergic to seafood when I was not as a child. I know these seem like minor incidences, but put me in a situation like that for a continuous period of time and I begin to lose myself. For you, it could be believing that you are suddenly immune to outside negative influences-that you can spend the entire summer season with a negative relative or fri... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096339 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:41:43 +0100 5096339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097136&cid=t_99873_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2F7piwh569rg8%2Fnew-anti-depressants-linked-to-falls.html The following is an interesting article that appeared in McKnight's Daily Update on August 4. Elderly patients being treated for depression may have better luck and fewer side effects with older tricyclic antidepressants rather than newer, more popular antidepressants such as Effexor and Prozac, a new study reports. Researchers say that while newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are generally considered safe and effective, there have been fewer studies testing their safety and efficacy in senior citizens. SSRIs, which include Celexa, Paxil and Zoloft, recently have been linked to an increase in falls in the elderly. However, British researchers say tricyclics could be safer in people over 65, especially those at risk for falls. The University of Nottingham analyzed pres... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097136 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:46:00 +0100 5097136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096341&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Fdoctor-is-my-mood-disorder-due-to-a-chemical-imbalance%2F Dear Mrs. ——– You have asked me about the cause of your mood disorder, and whether it is due to a “chemical imbalance”. The only honest answer I can give you is, “I don’t know”—but I’ll try to explain what psychiatrists do and don’t know about the causes of so-called mental illness, and why the term “chemical imbalance” is simplistic and a bit misleading. By the way, I don’t like the term “mental disorder”, because it makes it seem as if there’s a huge distinction between the mind and the body—and most psychiatrists don’t see it that way. I wrote about this recently, and used the term “brain-mind” to describe the unity of mind and body.1 So, for lack of a better term, I’ll just refer to “psychiatric illnesses.” Now, this notion of... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096341 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:35:19 +0100 5096341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096826&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FXwI3P47H6YU%2F I have experienced depression, Many people have. Mine was caused by a few things. I felt a lot of stress from all these different areas […] I’m much happier, more sure, more definite. Who you are at 25 and who you are at 29 is a very different thing. For me it feels like a 20-year age gap. You live, you learn and you come through the drama to a more easy, relaxed perspective. —Kirsten Dunst, as told to British Elle Related posts: 6 Celebrities Who Are Honest About Their Depression to Help Others NFL Star Brandon Marshall Raising Awareness For Borderline Personality Disorder Motivational Mantra: Martha Stewart Says Energy And Action Matter More Than Age Post from: Blisstree (Source: Genetics and Health) Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096826 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:56:24 +0100 5096826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096656&cid=t_99873_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fmale-infertility-risk%2F A young couple, just married, wants to have children to grow their family and have someone carry on their genes and traits and looks.  That is how it should be.  But often a young couple faces an unusual problem that they should never encounter: infertility. Traditionally a woman is to blame first.  But nowadays more and more often a man is to be blamed. Have you ever heard about the “Disappearing Male Syndrome” (1) or “Vanishing Male Syndrome?”  It is all about toxins shutting down the male reproductive system.  But doesn’t the declining fertility rate portend the disappearance of human beings? I think it does. And it is not only a decreased sperm count (2,3): it is also testicular cancer, genital congenital abnormalities, etc. So what are the reasons? Toxins from alm... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096656 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:09:23 +0100 5096656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086590&cid=t_99873_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FJOAObf3pdgE%2F The world lost a great person when Betty Ford passed away three weeks ago at the age of 93. Betty Ford was a courageous person who set a remarkably potent precedent for us all, especially when it comes to living a life without fear while keeping true to your core values. The Truth is Powerful and Liberating It’s easy to forget it in our current culture where we exchange minutia at the speed of a click, but once upon a yesteryear cancer was a topic approached only indirectly and not very often. Breast cancer was barely discussed at all. But Betty Ford faced cancer head on and chin up, staring right into cancer’s two fish eyes full of hate. She refused to bury the truth of her condition and was fiercly outspoken about both her masectomy and the disease itself. And Betty’s bravery bent... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086590 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:02:44 +0100 5086590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086580&cid=t_99873_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F01%2Fwoah-where-the-fuck-have-i-been%2F Wow. It’s been almost 2 years. A lot can happen in 2 years. Lives can change, people can grow, horrible tragedies can happen…. …yeah some of that happened but let’s not get crazy here. It’s really not all that exciting. In fact it’s kinda downright boring. So last I posted I was moving to Seattle. Yay for me! Holy crap that was a long time ago. Sorry I just can’t get over that. Yeah I moved to Seattle for 10 months and decided that I would be insane to continue living there. Depressed infertile divorcing people should not move to Seattle. There should be a law about it. The sky is a unique shade of grey. Let’s just leave it at that because there is good and bad up there but overall I had a hard time. (And to be fair to the lovely residents of... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086580 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:59:57 +0100 5086580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086257&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F01%2Flove-suicide-and-well-being-international-positive-psychology-associations-second-congress%2F We live in a world that needs our help. – James Pawelski, Director of Education and Senior Scholar at the Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, just before asking for a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist act in Norway. From July 23rd through July 26th, the International Positive Psychology Association’s second congress took place in Philadelphia.  Two years ago, during a particularly miserable time in my life, my best friend, Professor Joel Morgovsky, suggested we go to the first congress together. I wasn’t in the mood. But I went, and I was sitting in talk after talk and workshop after workshop; mostly they were interesting, but please, when do we get to go home? Then I heard Barbara Fredrickson speak.  There are a few transformative lect... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086257 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:17:53 +0100 5086257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5078077&cid=t_99873_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F5-qFJHxzqCQ%2F This article is for them. If you are one of them, then this article is for you.   Because I truly want to you help you and make you life more enjoyable and stress-free. I want to elevate you to a higher level and equip you with tools and action points to handle problems (wait for my definition of a problem). Be with me for the rest of this article. Difference between a problem and an activity When you face an unexpected situation or unplanned task, instead of embracing stress and start getting panic attacks, stop here for a moment. Is this really a problem? Or it could be an additional activity you need to perform. Then just do it. Don’t think too much that why this is happening for you. If you don’t know what is that additional action you need to take, then just ask others and se... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5078077 Sat, 30 Jul 2011 05:23:52 +0100 5078077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077768&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F29%2Fdbs-for-depression-still-mixed-results%2F Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment long used for Parkinson’s disease. But in the past decade, some researchers have also examined its use for the treatment of severe clinical depression. Severe major depression is a serious problem in society, because some studies estimate that up to 30 percent of those who attempt to be treated for it find they have “treatment resistant” depression — that is, traditional treatments simply don’t work very well. Deep brain stimulation has mixed results. As we reported on back in February, a long-term followup of 20 patients found an average response rate to DBS of 64 percent. Not shabby, but also not the hopeful, guaranteed cure it was once held out to be. Maiken Scott, the behavioral health reporter for Philadelphia... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077768 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:39:07 +0100 5077768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069534&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FsjrXBlug4Do%2F URL: http://www.psychdomain.com/Welcome to PsychDomain! The goal of this website is to provide psychology students and faculty with up-to-date, relevant, and informative psychology related links, videos, interactions and images. Use the Content by Area navigation on the left to search for content by psychology area. Alternatively, use the the Tag Cloud below to browse the content. For: Anyone, Consumers, ResearchersTopics: Abnormal, Academia, Attachment, Behaviour Management, Clinical Decision Making, Clinical Psychology, Common Factors, Depression, Life, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, Social SupportFeatures: Articles, Collaborative News, Community and Social Networking, Information, Links, e-learningWelcome to PsychDomain! The goal of this website is to provide psychol... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069534 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:00:38 +0100 5069534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069473&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fone-nurse-opens-her-heart-and-talks-about-her-life-in-the-medical-field%2F2011.07.27 Well, not my heart. I was contacted awhile ago and asked if I wanted the chance to read and review Tilda Shalof’s new book, Opening My Heart.  (Amazon link, but NOT an affiliate link – I live in California and due to a new law, Amazon has cut all ties with us). I had the chance to include a story in a book that Tilda edited a couple of years ago called Lives in the Balance.  So I had fond memories I’ll say up front that I enjoyed the book.  I had a range of emotions while reading it – frustration, worry, happiness.  Frustration because although Tilda is a very experienced ICU nurse, she doesn’t take her own health seriously at all.  I read with disbelief as she described her incredible denial of the obvious need to treat the heart condition she was born with. I was amused a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069473 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:00:14 +0100 5069473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062363&cid=t_99873_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2F1Mn8zmxQWT0%2F Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation 2008 Lecture Ian Hickie presents research on mental health issues in the Australian legal profession. He discusses help-seeking behaviours, productivity, disability, economic burden of illness, suicide and prevention efforts, substance use, neurobiology, treatments, gender and age differences, stigma and discrimination, and more. Extremely well-researched presentation with many statistics and perspectives. The 40 minute lecture is followed by a panel discussion, a Q&A session with the audience, and a brief talk by organization co-founder George Jepson. The Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation works to “raise awareness, improve education and build effective models of support which focus on mental health wellbeing” in the legal profession, and... Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062363 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:30:04 +0100 5062363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062294&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F24%2Fmental-illness-is-not-simply-a-brain-disease%2F Last month, Andrew Brown writing for the UK’s Guardian, noted when Professor David Nutt kept referring to depression as a “brain disease” on a popular UK television program. We commend Andrew Brown for his calling out Professor Nutt in trying to dumb down the portrayal of mental disorders to simply “brain diseases.” Mental disorders remain complex disorders that involve all aspect of a person’s functioning and life — their brain and biology, their psychological makeup and personality, and their social interactions and relationships with others. The cause isn’t just one of these things in the vast majority of people who have a mental illness — the cause is all of these things, in differing proportions. I’ve written about this in th... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062294 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:36:25 +0100 5062294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062246&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-effective-are-antidepressants%2F2011.07.24 Antidepressant drugs have been getting a bad rap in the media. I’ll just give 3 examples: On the Today show, prominent medical expert Tom Cruise told us Brooke Shields shouldn’t have taken these drugs for her postpartum depression. In Natural News, “Health Ranger” Mike Adams accused pharmaceutical companies and the FDA of covering up negative information about antidepressants, saying it would be considered criminal activity in any other industry. And an article in Newsweek said  “Studies suggest that the popular drugs are no more effective than a placebo. In fact, they may be worse.” Yet psychiatrists are convinced that antidepressants work and are still routinely prescribing them for their patients. Is it all a Big Pharma plot? Who ya gonna believe? Inquiring minds want ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062246 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:00:36 +0100 5062246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050914&cid=t_99873_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FO712DJOvAhQ%2F Very interesting new data reinforcing two main themes we have been analyzing for a while: 1) We better start paying serious attention (and R&D dollars) to lifestyle-based and non-invasive cognitive and emotional health interventions, which are mostly ignored in favor of invasive, drug-based options 2) Interventions will need to be personalized. The study below analyzes data at the country level, but the same logic applies to the individual level Many fear Alzheimer’s, want to be tested: survey (Reuters): - “The telephone survey of 2,678 adults aged 18 and older in the United States, France, Germany, Spain and Poland was conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Alzheimer Europe, with funding by Bayer AG” - “When asked to identify the most feared disea... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050914 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:26:15 +0100 5050914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051015&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fw1HmzYbzIBY%2F A group of doctors are saying that depression can lead to better mental health. So does that mean those of us who are suffering from depression should just resolve to feeling blue? According to a recent article published in Prevention, maybe. The theory is that pain and sadness during depression has a purpose in our lives and can be a clarifying, healing force. Depression can also be a natural way of getting you to solve important issues in your life, according to Paul Andrews, PhD, an evolutionary biologist at Virginia Commonwealth University: Depression may be nature’s way of telling you to stop and focus on what’s troubling you, so you can move past it and get on with your life. Andrews and his colleague J. Anderson Thomson, MD, a staff psychiatrist at the Student Health Se... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051015 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:01:34 +0100 5051015 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050718&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F19%2Fdepression-and-empathy-in-couples%2F Discussions focused on eliciting support, with one partner playing the role of help seeker and the other playing the role of help giver. The couples were given an alarm that beeped after 6 min, at which point they switched roles and continued the conversation for an additional 6 min.” In the second part, each individual reviewed their recordings separately and after watching the discussion in 30-second segments, paused the recording and wrote down the thoughts and feelings they experienced at that time during the interaction. They were also asked to infer and write down their partners’ thoughts and feelings. In the third part of the study, five coders independently judged “the degree of similarity between perceivers’ and targets’ statements by examining the taped discussi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050718 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:15:54 +0100 5050718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036280&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FILnQI1hFutw%2F URL: http://www.synergyservices.org/Ending violence in our community requires a comprehensive approach of efforts to provide safe places for victims of violence, to empower survivors to rise above their circumstances and to educate the entire community. Through integrated programs in the areas of residential services, clinical services and community education, Synergy touched more than 40,000 people last year. For: Anyone, ConsumersTopics: Anger, Anxiety, Behaviour Management, Child and Adolescent, Clinical Psychology, Depression, Emotional Health, Insomnia, Life, Lifestyle, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Quality of Life, Self-help, Solution Focused, StressFeatures: Collaborative News, Information Ending violence in our community requires a comprehensive approach of efforts to provide... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036280 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:00:23 +0100 5036280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028464&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FfuZ8T941wuc%2F URL: http://www.safersociety.org/Safer Society Foundation is dedicated to ending sexual abuse so that we all can enjoy safer communities, healthier families and happier lives. For: Anyone, ConsumersTopics: Clinical Psychology, Depression, Emotional Health, Family Therapy, Mental Health, Personality, Personality disorders, Physical Health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Sexual Assault, Social SupportFeatures: Articles, Information, Links, e-learningSafer Society Foundation is dedicated to ending sexual abuse so that we all can enjoy safer communities, healthier families and happier lives. Our work focuses on providing information and resources to help create safer communities through prevention and effective public policy, to provide victims with healing and restitution, and to provide off... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028464 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:00:27 +0100 5028464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028453&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F13%2Fwhy-sugar-is-dangerous-to-depression%2F You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to appreciate the link between sugar and depression. Anyone who doubts the relationship need only to spend a night in our house and see what type of behavior happens when two kids consume 12-ounce cans of Coke or Sprite — and the demonic demonstrations that happen after a 7-11 slurpee, especially if it’s red or blue, or God forbid, a mix. People who suffer from depression are especially vulnerable to sugar’s evil power. I am so sensitive to white-flour, processed foods that I can practically set an alarm to for three hours after consumption, at which time I will be cursing myself for inhaling the large piece of birthday cake at the party because I am feeling so miserable. That doesn’t stop me from eating dessert at the next gathering, of c... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028453 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:34:30 +0100 5028453 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029315&cid=t_99873_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F9dFxEIRj2BA%2F Unlocking the riddle of what makes humans happy is the subject of much research, aimed perhaps at finding a formula or creating a map to help us in this endless and universal quest. The following are 10 recent studies that examine the factors at play in human happiness. 1. Disproving the myth of the grumpy old man… Stanford research conducted over a period of a dozen years suggests that age brings increased happiness, balance, and even ability to get along with others – contradicting the stereotype of the grumpy old man. That comes as good news to a society that is, itself, growing older; baby boomers can look forward to leaving behind the frustrations and let-downs of youth, and gain an appreciation for each moment as the time to enjoy them dwindles. 2. Keeping up with the Joneses... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029315 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 06:45:17 +0100 5029315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028428&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34706&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrdeborahserani.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fout-of-body-experiences.html Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are typically associated with individuals who have certain kinds of dissociative or post traumatic disorders. Though people who are generally in good health also report having OBEs, the experience is poorly understood. Often, out-of-body experiences are met by others with skepticism and stigma.A new study, published in the July 2011 issue of Cortex, has shown that OBEs are related to anomalies in the neural systems in the brain's temporal lobes - and that the body's sense of itself, called body awareness, misfires. Data from this study has enabled scientists to better understand how normal "in-the-body" mental processes work... and why, when they break down, they produce such striking experiences.We know that epilepsy, headaches and seizures have a basis in b... Dr. Deborah Serani blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028428 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:13:00 +0100 5028428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028061&cid=t_99873_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F10%2Fnursing-times-2011-vol-107-no-26%2F This article focuses on depression looking at prevalence and symptoms in long-term conditions. The article examines how nurses can support patients who experience depression as part of their long-term condition. Contact the Library for a copy of this article. Filed under: Current Awareness, Journals Tagged: Depression, Long Term Conditions, Mental Health (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028061 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:19:19 +0100 5028061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028673&cid=t_99873_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fpreventing-migraines-meds-close-eyes-truth%2F It is well known that the majority of migraine patients know when a migraine attack is coming because they have so called aura (1) The aura is usually visual and in the form of a wave that lets the sufferer know a headache is coming. They may have fatigue, muscle tightening, nausea, visual disturbances, vomiting, photophobia, etc.  They can then take medication from the triptan group to prevent a migraine.  This is the conventional approach (2).  There is also long-term migraine prevention with beta blockers, anti-seizure drugs, etc.  These drugs do an excellent job in preventing migraines. But is taking medication the right thing to do to? Another way to prevent migraines is to find out the root cause of your headache and eliminate it. Here are some possible reasons for migraines tha... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028673 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:49:11 +0100 5028673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028675&cid=t_99873_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fsmart-people-act-stupid%2F When Congressman Anthony Weiner stood before dozens of reporters and announced that indeed he had been “unfaithful” to his wife by carrying on an internet relationship with someone else, everyone was disappointed. “What a dumb mistake,” we all said as we watched him tear up and admit that there was no defense to what he did. Then came the shocker: not only had he done this once, but there were several relationships, that he had been carrying on for years, with women all over the country, sending them photos of himself, from his public email account. There was no hiding it and no denying it. But how could something like this happen? The Congressman had been what his friends and colleagues considered “a contendor,” an up and coming, smart and witty congre... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028675 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:46:56 +0100 5028675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008509&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fu6iLUvhK3-w%2F You know how you can sometimes get a feel for what kind of bugs are going around your city, school or social circle from tweets or Facebook status updates? Sickweather can too. The still-in-beta site —s ure to be a hypochondriac’s new favorite URL — aggregates illness-related data from social networks to produce real-time “weather maps” of flus, fevers and other reported symptoms like some sort of digital epidemiologist. Is this cool or creepy? Sickweather boasts that it can “forecast the movement of everything from stomach bugs to chronic illness and other sickness, including depression.” Someone should inform its copywriter that reflecting is not the same thing as ‘forecasting,’ which implies some sort of prescience with concern to mood disorders, as in, ‘Watch ou... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008509 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:55:16 +0100 5008509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008449&cid=t_99873_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fq6v6sBUFKL4%2F Thinking globally to improve mental health: NIH announces international research initiative (press release): - “The Grand Challenges in Global Mental Health Initiative, led by the National Institutes of Health and the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases, has identified the top 40 barriers to better mental health around the world. Similar to past grand challenges, which focused on infectious diseases and chronic, noncommunicable diseases, this initiative seeks to build a community of funders dedicated to supporting research that will significantly improve the lives of people living with MNS disorders within the next 10 years.“ – “Participating in global mental health research is an enormous opportunity, a means to accelerate advances in mental health care for the diverse U.S. popul... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008449 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:53:39 +0100 5008449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008726&cid=t_99873_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FsrvorhNwPLk%2F Do you have a friend or colleague who complains constantly? If you do, you’ll know how you feel after a conversation with them: tired, drained, feeling a bit fed up about your own life. Do you know anyone who’s always cheerful and positive? If you talk to them, you’ll feel quite differently afterwards: enthused, re-energized, happy. I’m guessing you can see why positive thinking matters. By being grateful for the good things in life – instead of moaning about the bad ones – you’ll find that your mood is better, and that almost miraculously, more good stuff starts happening to you. It’s easy, of course, for me to tell you to “look on the bright side!” – but I know that’s easier said than done. So here are five ways to be more positive about life, every single day: #1... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008726 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:06:08 +0100 5008726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008511&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fv4j0QlFIRDA%2F Well this brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘gut feeling:” Probiotics could be good for your emotional health as well as your tummy! Probiotics are the good-for-you bacteria found in things such as yogurt and kombucha (plus in myriad dietary supplement forms) and alleged to help with digestion, immune-system functioning, stomach issues, diarrhea, lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome. Mark Lyte, a professor at Texas Tech University interested in the intersection of microbiology and neuroscience, thinks neurochemicals (such as serotonin) delivered directly to the gut via probiotics could help not just with gastrointestinal health but also psychological well-being. Lyte’s theory, which was published in the July issues of BioEssays, has yet to be tested in humans. In a ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008511 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:36:55 +0100 5008511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997617&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Freading-the-newspaper-when-youre-depressed%2F Learning to read the daily newspaper when you’re depressed is like learning to feed the ducks in Annapolis without getting crapped on by the seagulls: it demands good timing, a certain strategy, and an obnoxiously wide hat (to shield your head). I can’t check CNN.com every half hour for the most recent headlines like Eric, my husband, does. I’m way too anxious about the world’s doom and gloom. Like all the other important activities in my week, I wait for the right moment: when I have a full stomach of protein and fiber, when I’m semi-rested (very rare with two insomniacs as children), when I’m not too caffeinated (even rarer), and when I’m not ticked off at a family member (rarest). When all these circumstances align, which happens as often as a l... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997617 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:41:36 +0100 4997617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992756&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F01%2Fis-anyone-normal-today%2F Take a minute and answer this question: Is anyone really normal today? I mean, even those who claim they are normal may, in fact, be the most neurotic among us, swimming with a nice pair of scuba fins down the river of Denial. Having my psychiatric file published online and in print for public viewing, I get to hear my share of dirty secrets—weird obsessions, family dysfunction, or disguised addiction—that are kept concealed from everyone but a self-professed neurotic and maybe a shrink. “Why are there so many disorders today?” Those seven words, or a variation of them, surface a few times a week. And my take on this query is so complex that, to avoid sounding like my grad school professors making an erudite case that fails to communicate anything to average folks like me, I often ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992756 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:03:11 +0100 4992756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992757&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F01%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-july-1-2011%2F Once I got to college, I began to love school. The feeling of working hard and then the instant gratification from all that hard work was awesome! One professor told me I’d be a professional student forever. Of course in the real world, you can work as hard as you want and still feel like you haven’t quite made it. And it’s not just your career, but that gnawing, frustrating feeling could also apply to friendships and romantic relationships too. I realized that the formulas that seem to work in school, working hard = A’s, just didn’t have a place in real life. Sometimes you could drive yourself crazy trying to force pieces of a puzzle that just didn’t go together. In the whole process of going to school and finally getting out of it, I realized it was�... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992757 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:10:08 +0100 4992757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992882&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FFkVQLRYvyAY%2F The Daily Mail just announced a list of items, including spending too much time on your computer, that can trigger depression. As if we need to tell you: Sitting around all day playing World of Warcraft on the internet will make you depressed. (Not to mention, earn you a geeky reputation in your social circle… if you still have one.) In general, their list of depression triggers is pretty straightforward, but there were a couple that surprised us — and one that we have a hard time buying. Here’s our take on each miserable-mood culprit: The Pill — OK, birth control just stinks to begin with. According to research studies, women taking the Pill are almost twice as likely to be depressed as those who don’t. Dr. Ailsa Gebbie, vice-president of the faculty of sexual an... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992882 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:02:47 +0100 4992882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984501&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FbjbrRmU_AUk%2F URL: http://psychology.vanguard.edu/amoebaweb/Outstanding resource maintained by Douglas Degelman, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California. Features over 2000 categorized links to quality psychology content. For: Anyone, Researchers, StudentsTopics: ADHD, Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Anxiety, Behaviour Management, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Depression, Eating Disorders, General Psychology, Mental HealthFeatures: Articles, Databases, Information, Links Outstanding resource maintained by Douglas Degelman, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California. Features over 2000 categorized links to quality psychology content. Also, lists monthly featured websites, psychologically related, of cours... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984501 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:00:13 +0100 4984501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984502&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FkcfYVk6uQLw%2F URL: http://watchingthemsurvive.com/This website was compiled by a Partner of a survivor. When she revealed the source of the pain, hurt, confusion and trials, suddenly it became clear to that these episodes of abuse were a tremendously defining event in her life. It had altered her personality, growth and joy for the rest of her life. Our marriage and family was in shambles now, by and large, as the result of the snowballing of twisted reality that she lived with everyday. But now it was time… She could not fight it alone. Each time she tried she was swallowed more and more. So it was time for me to fight. So began another long and hard road, but this time it had purpose, focus and guidance. No longer would she go quietly into the night! Now she would walk in the Light of Truth&#823... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984502 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:00:15 +0100 4984502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984499&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F29%2Ffamilies-affected-by-mental-illness-feel-little-support-from-churches%2F A new study conducted at Baylor University indicated that families with a mentally ill member would like their congregation to offer more assistance. The study, published in the journal “Mental Health, Religion and Culture,” was the first to look at how mental illness of a family member influences an individual’s relationship with the church. “Families with mental illness stand to benefit from their involvement with a congregation, but our findings suggest that faith communities fail to adequately engage these families because they lack awareness of the issues and understanding of the important ways that they can help,” said Diana Garland, Ph.D., dean of Baylor’s School of Social Work and co-author of the Baylor study. The study surveyed nearly 6,000 participant... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984499 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:11:12 +0100 4984499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984500&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F29%2Fan-epidemic-of-bad-infographics-depression%2F In an effort to keep trying to get people’s attention in an increasingly attention-deficit world, we get a lot of inquiries for links to websites promoting education programs and other affiliate websites. The latest effort is focused around “infographics,” those graphics made popular by the USA Today newspaper that combines an interesting graphical element with hard data. A well done infographic ostensibly makes data more engaging. A fantastic infographic puts data into proper perspective and gives it valuable context. What these marketing firms send me, however, are not fantastic or even well-done. So in the interests of demonstrating that any infographic can be worse than no infographic, I’m going to critique one of the latest ones to have come across my desk. It&... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984500 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:34:42 +0100 4984500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975943&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F27%2Fdare-to-be-happy%2F If there is no struggle, there is no progress. ~ Frederick Douglass Let’s get this out in the open: I am bipolar II. That means the mania is really low-key and infrequent and the depression, at least in my case, for most of my life, has been pretty much nonstop. There are degrees of depression, of course. Mine gets severe relatively quickly and stays that way a relatively long time. Yes, I have been an inpatient at psychiatric hospitals. Yes, I have self-harmed. Yes, I have been on every psychotropic medication known to man, and failed most of them. The two that I’m on right now combine for one really annoying side effect. I have even, since about New Year’s, been undergoing a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). My memory is shot, along with many other things, but the suggesti... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975943 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:49:03 +0100 4975943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4976055&cid=t_99873_129_f&fid=27216&url=http%3A%2F%2Flifewithadhd.com%2Fadhd-research%2Fis-it-adhd-or-depression.php Depression can strike anytime, anyplace, and affects people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic levels. On the other hand ADHD always starts before the age of 7 but will continue into adulthood over 50 percent of the time. It is currently estimated that about 20 million Americans currently are struggling with the symptoms of depression with around 8 million suffering from ADHD. Tying the two together Adults with attention deficit disorder are three times more likely to suffer from major depression, and more than seven times more likely to suffer from dysthymia, or chronic low level depression. Researchers believe the close association between ADHD and depression is caused by similar imbalances of brain chemical messengers using the same neurobiological systems. Put simply the areas of t... Life With ADHD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4976055 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4976055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968489&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-approved-drugs-are-not-always-effective-the-benefits-of-alternative-medicine%2F2011.06.25 On Saturday, while thousands of Boston Bruins fans gathered at Government Center to celebrate the team’s recent Stanley Cup victory, a hundred or so true die-hards met a few blocks away at a Massachusetts General Hospital conference to talk about complementary and alternative medicine for psychiatric disorders. While I hated to miss the Bruins parade, I’m glad I attended the MGH conference. I’ve always been a bit of a skeptic about so-called natural therapies for one simple reason: they don’t have to go through the same rigorous testing in clinical trials that medications do. At the same time, I realize that FDA-approved drugs don’t work for everyone. One in three adults with major depression, for example, can’t completely improve their mood and other symptoms even after trying... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968489 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 21:00:31 +0100 4968489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960334&cid=t_99873_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fbetter-treatment-for-women-alcoholics%2F Early treatment for women with alcohol addiction (EWA) reduces mortality: a randomized controlled trial with long-term register follow-up.Gjestad R., Franck J., Lindberg S. et al. Request reprint Alcohol and Alcoholism: 2011, 46(2), p. 170–176.Compared to usual treatment, over the next 27 years introduction of a comprehensively serviced female-only alcohol treatment unit in Sweden substantially extended the lives of its patients – a uniquely convincing demonstration that improving treatment can save lives.Summary Alarmed by rising numbers of alcohol dependent women and their high death rate, in the 1980s Sweden established a female-only unit at a hospital alcohol treatment centre in the capital Stockholm. Compared to ‘treatment as usual’ wards and clinics, the Early Treatme... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960334 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:22:09 +0100 4960334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960277&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fhow-to-survive-rainy-day.html 1. In two words: Easybake Oven2. Throw caution to the wind and go get dirty!3. Come up with a silly game and invite your cousin over.4. Drink...5...or eat something special and warm.6. Take a stroll in the rain.7. Stay inside and pain.8. A beauty treatment or spa day is never a bad choice.9. Prepare to be cuddled. A lot!10. Head for shelter.11. Have a tea party.12. Remember, rain is beautiful,13. and makes flowers grow...14. and it never lasts long! (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960277 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:56:00 +0100 4960277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960120&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F22%2Fcan-you-take-someone-to-the-er-for-mental-health-help%2F When I came home from work, she was sitting on the back porch steps, crying. Another friend was sitting next to her, arms draped around her shaking shoulders, trying to understand the words in between her hiccuped sobs. “Is everything okay?” I asked, even though I knew this wasn’t just a normal bout of tears. Julie (not her real name) had been crying the entire day. When I left for work she had been sobbing in the bathroom, and (I learned later) had turned on the shower to muffle the sound of her emotion from the rest of the house so no one would come and check on her. No one knew how long she had stayed like that, melted to the bathroom floor, clutching a towel to her chest, the shower running hot and humid whenever she felt she was getting too loud. It’s possible ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960120 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:45:24 +0100 4960120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960043&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCoYuX5FPRRM%2F Conclusion is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960043 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:07:17 +0100 4960043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960122&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F22%2Fcan-you-learn-about-happiness-from-virginia-woolf%2F Assay: Recently, I posted a quotation from Virginia Woolf for my weekly quotation. I often quote from Woolf, because she’s one of my very favorite writers. And, as has happened before, I got a few comments from readers saying, in effect, “Why are you quoting Virginia Woolf about happiness? She committed suicide — what can she know about happiness?” This response always surprises me, for a few reasons. First, Woolf aside, there’s a big difference between writers’ works and what they personally experience and how they behave in their own lives. Tolstoy, for example. I love Tolstoy’s fiction, and find it elevating and very illuminating on the subject of happiness, but I can’t bear to read about the actual Leo Tolstoy, who was a dreadful person. Nevertheless, suffering “... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960122 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:17:07 +0100 4960122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952841&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-the-va-can-help-our-female-veterans%2F2011.06.21 Women are the fastest growing segment in the US military, already accounting for approximately 14 percent of deployed forces. According to statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 20 percent of new recruits and 17 percent of Reserve and National Guard Forces are women. As the number of women continues to grow in the military, so does the need for health care specifically targeted to their unique concerns. Historically, lower rates of female veterans have used the VA system. “Research has shown that women didn’t define themselves as veterans in the past, and this is changing,” said Antonette Zeiss, PhD, a clinical psychologist and Acting Chief for Mental Health Services at the VA Central Office in Washington, DC. Now, “Women are among the fastest growing segments of ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952841 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4952841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953291&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fdoing-when-you-dont-feel-like-doing.html Somewhere up in my cerebrum, I know that sitting around or lazily browsing the internet are not good for my mental health. On the other hand, days when depression surges I don't even have the drive to take a shower and get dressed. So here I sit and type in my cardigan and leopard print pajama pants at almost noon. The below verses on laziness are particularly meaningful for me because I have completely lost my appetite through this whole ordeal. So far I've not lost a considerable amount of weight. But every morning I force down a banana, at lunch, maybe a piece of cheese. I try to finish at least a quarter of my dinner plate. Nothing tastes good, smells good, or kicks in my hunger drive.Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry. Proverbs 19:15 (NIV)Some people are ... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953291 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:11:00 +0100 4953291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952984&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2Ftiki-barber-football-retirement-and-depression%2F As a reminder that depression strikes anyone, at any time, for any reason or no reason whatsoever, I give you Tiki Barber. For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Barber, he was a professional (American) football player who decided to retire four years ago at age 32. A good time to retire as a football player, as your body starts to show its age against the physicality of the game. He took jobs as a sports commentator at NBC, both in their sports division and for “The Today Show.” But Mr. Barber’s depression appears to be directly related to a number of events that occurred in his life after his retirement. And now he says he wants to get back into the game, at age 36. His real problems appear to have started when it was revealed he was having an affair with a 23-year-old N... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952984 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:37:49 +0100 4952984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952985&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2F6-tips-to-help-summer-depression%2F The kids are out of school. Your neighbors are whistling on their way to work, greeting you with an enthusiasm peculiar to warm weather. And if you hear one more person ask you about your summer vacation plans, you will throw a US map and atlas at them. You don’t mean to be grumpy. But darn it, you are miserable in the oppressive heat, your kids are home for 90 consecutive days, and you are don’t have the stamina to pretend you are giddy that summer has arrived. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. After publishing a piece recently about the trigger of Memorial Day for me — reminding me that most of my relapses have happened in the summer months — I’ve heard from so many readers that fear this time of year for the same reason: summer depression. Ian A. Cook, MD, the direc... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952985 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:39:48 +0100 4952985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953292&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fday-set-aside-for-thankfulness.html For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. (Hebrews 4:15, 5:1-4)I am thankful to call Christ my High Priest. Thankful that I am free, under His grace, to attend church wherever I feel called. I am thankful to have a new pastor who deals g... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953292 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:40:00 +0100 4953292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934316&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34706&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrdeborahserani.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fliving-with-depression.html It's official. My self-help memoir is available for purchase here.Originally slated for July, pre-ordering requests have led to an earlier release for the hardcover. If you get Living with Depression, please let me know what you think once you've read it. At Amazon, you can also read an excerpt for free to get a feel for things before purchasing. I hope it changes the world a little bit - and helps a whole lot of people. (Source: Dr. Deborah Serani) Dr. Deborah Serani blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934316 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:59:00 +0100 4934316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934641&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F5g94ZQxb0hY%2F Everyone goes through a time (or two or more) when they’re “down,” but a growing percentage of the world’s population is actually depressed and seeking help for it, often in the form of medication. But new research says that antidepressants could make you sad; apparently, popular meds are often no better than placebos, and could even be worse for patients’ overall happiness in the long-term. Dr. Giovanni Fava, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Bologna in Italy, has examined the effects of antidepressants for over 20 years. His newest study, to be published in the next issue of Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, argues that antidepressants used over long periods of time can actually increase a patient’s c... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934641 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:00:22 +0100 4934641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934753&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fhope-breaking-through.html One misty, moisty morning,when cloudy was the weather;I chanced to meet an old man,dressed all in leather.He began to complimentand I began to grin,"How do you do?How do you do?Hod do you do?" again.~One Misty Morning, children's nursery rhyme~After a week of sun, we had rain and dreary skies yesterday. It was also my first day taking care of my home and children all by myself - the first time since late April. The weather matched my mood.I'm a researcher at heart. Constantly on the look-out for trends, patterns, similarities, differences. I find myself applying a grid to this stage of poor mental health, looking for triggers and safe places, keys to shut things off and turn them on. Variables I can adjust.The thing about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is that there are often multiple laye... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934753 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:16:00 +0100 4934753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945314&cid=t_99873_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2Ftfr3hvzm1kk%2F It can be hard to stay focused and productive at the best of times. But when you’re feeling low – whether that’s physically or emotionally – then it can seem almost impossible to concentrate. Maybe you have a daunting number of things to get done … but you can’t seem to summon up the energy to tackle any of them. You might end up doing something totally counter-productive: procrastinating, or tackling the easy, unimportant tasks, or even driving yourself to tears. Here’s how to keep yourself on track: #1: Make a List of Tasks This is a classic time-management technique … because it really works. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, sit down and write a clear list of tasks. What do you need to do today? What could you put off for a few days if necessary? The act of writi... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945314 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:00:28 +0100 4945314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953294&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fwrestling-walk.html I write this because I assume there are other women who do this, somewhere on God's green earth.I tell my husband a few minutes after he gets home from a long day at work. Which equals a long day of work for me as well. My neurons are firing all in disarray and I ask him please can I go for a walk while he puts the children to bed. They are sleepy-eyed and already pajama-d, so how badly could it go, right? (Don't ask.)Late dusk. In the cobalt hews of the very end of the day's light, I start my walk vigorously. Ipod replacing the tape cassette Walkman of my teen years. I need to wrestle over something with God. He knows I've got the gloves off when I wear sneakers instead of flip flops. This is going to be a long walk, pacing back and forth in front of your house, waiting for a call to come... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953294 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:49:00 +0100 4953294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934336&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F14%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-june-14-2011%2F I have a “friend” who spent their entire 2010 stuck in what-ifs. What if I lose my job? What if I never feel better? What if my dreams don’t come true? Do you have a friend like that? Do you have a friend who attacks your self-esteem by laughing at your mistakes, criticizes your weaknesses and points a finger at your flaws. Worse yet, does she ever say, “You won’t ever be successful in life” because all your efforts are “just not good enough.” Some kind of friend right? But what if I told you that friend was not a friend at all, but your thoughts. Closer to you than any friend would ever be, this inner self-critic sits on your shoulders and constantly berates you. That type of constant negative feedback will wear on a person’s soul and ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934336 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:17:46 +0100 4934336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934344&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FrzkA4RCcLVc%2F URL: http://www.nchv.org/veterans.cfmIf you are a homeless veteran or a veteran at risk of becoming homeless, these pages provide information that you can use to seek help. They include addresses, phone numbers, and websites to find out about services, programs, and other help that is available. For: Anyone, Consumers, Researchers, Anyone, Consumers, ConsumersTopics: Abnormal, Attachment, Behaviour Management, Foundation Website, Personality disorders, Relationships, Sexual Assault, Aspergers, Autism, Bipolar, Chronic Disease, Foundation Website, Mental Health, Social Support, Combat Stress, Depression, Emotional Health, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, Military, Physical Health, Substance Abuse, Trauma, Varied, Varied Disorders, Varied TreatmentsFeatures: Articles, Collaborative Ne... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934344 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 17:00:13 +0100 4934344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921697&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fspectator.html First, take a little kid. Any age, really, but for me it was at 7 1/2.Before my mom told me about puberty.Before I had any grid in which to put sexual acts or information.So, it happened. Sexual abuse. Seven years later I locked it in a Pandora's box and put it under my bed. Over time it became invisible even to me. I never thought about it and I certainly didn't think I needed to be healed from it. It was just something that happened when I was a kid.Add to that the sins I entered because of the abuse. I had a lot of trouble with sexual orientation, but I just thought it was because I was a bad person and my bad was leaking through in sexual areas.Now you've got a Pandora's box of long-standing abuse, wrapped neatly in the grotesque shame and guilt you feel for your own sins since. That i... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921697 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:41:00 +0100 4921697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921390&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVVOUecP7aPc%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe standard Keynesian policy proposal for a weak economy is to have the government spend more money, and run deficits to do so.  Clearly much of current government spending is being financed by borrowing.  So current conditions are not subject to the New Deal critique that it was mostly paid for by taxes, as during the Great Depression. Current federal expenditures have increased about 41% since the housing market peaked in 2006.  Has all this government spending generated many jobs?  While keeping in mind that correlation is not the same as causality, it is interesting that the trend in government spending and total non-farm employees mirror one another, but not in the way you’d like.  The more the government has spent, the more people have lost their jobs... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921390 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:35:37 +0100 4921390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921699&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fjoys.html A tea party in the afternoon.A sunset, perfect way to say goodnight to the world.A few joys from my week. Hope you enjoyed them! (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921699 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:30:00 +0100 4921699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921651&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F4k7Y7qWcEB4%2F Next to the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, many patients come to me because they can’t seem to shake that ‘down and depressed’ feeling or obsessive food cravings. But what many people don’t know is that cravings and mental-emotional imbalances can sometimes be caused by a specific vitamin or nutrient deficiency. The first step to identifying the cause in any case, and ultimate best course of treatment, is to take a close look at the symptoms. The most common form of depression, known as atypical depression, appears with mood swings, weight gain, carbohydrate cravings, fatigue, lethargy, and increased sensitivity to rejection. The symptoms, however, may vary and be experienced repeatedly over a few days, weeks, or months at a time, including: changing sleep patterns: oversleepin... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921651 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:53:05 +0100 4921651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911774&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fhow-beautiful.html She's little and her problems seem so large. Whole days swallowed up for therapy, praying constantly for her complete healing, monitoring her for seizures. Miss one dose of her medication, and it's days before the seizures are back under control. She snuggles in my chair on a bad day for seizures, her eyes roll back, lids heavy, and she relaxes, this tense bundle of nerves. She fights the seizures, then fights the deep sleep that comes after them. She is the soldier falling asleep standing up, sword in hand. Afraid if she falls asleep on sentry duty, another seizure will sneak through.We all count days that I haven't given in to temptation. I pray, over and over, aloud in my home, the Lord's Prayer. I like the way Jon Foreman tweaked the words at the end: Keep me far from my vices and deli... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911774 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:14:00 +0100 4911774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902647&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fmy-pregnant-cat-my-object-lesson.html Lessons from a cat. Who knew? I know they're good for cuddling, they love to drink my half and half up at an unreasonable rate, and their claws hurt. We have two outdoor cats: Tom Cat (gender obvious, thanks to the 4 and 3 year olds who named him after Tom Kitten in the Beatrix Potter books); and Tiggy, a very small, tame cat who is currently carrying a LOT of kicking kittens in her belly.What am I learning from my pregnant cat, you ask?First, she is teaching me about seasons. In cat language, I would change Ecclesiastes 3 to "a time to bounce and a time lie around". This pregnant cat, usually almost kitten-like in her bouncy demeanor, has laid in the same spot, changing position frequently for the last week. She literally only gets up to eat, even that she does with a grunt and a large ph... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902647 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:32:00 +0100 4902647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902648&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Flast-sigh.html My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you...Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (from Psalm 42, emphasis added)Don't give up on meI'm about to come aliveAnd I know that it's been hardAnd it's been a long time comingDon't give up on meI'm about to come alive No one thought I was good enough for youExcept for youDon't let them be rightAfter all that we've been through'Cause somewhere over that rainbowThere's a place for meA place wit... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902648 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:21:00 +0100 4902648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902486&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F05%2F6-bipolar-rules-for-eating%2F The following post is by Hilary Smith, author of “Welcome to the Jungle: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Bipolar But Were Too Freaked Out to Ask” (Conari Press, 2010) as well as a cool blog to go with it, Welcome to the Jungle. We’ve all heard about “mood foods” that can promote wellness for people with bipolar and depression–fish oil for brain health, oatmeal for stable blood sugar, chocolate for, well, chocolateness. But it’s also important to think about how we eat. How we eat can have just as big an impact on our mood as what we eat, yet it often gets neglected in conversations about bipolar and food. Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy mood through mindful eating practices. 1. Make eating an art. How you eat is sometimes a r... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902486 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 10:05:30 +0100 4902486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893553&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F04%2Fwhen-should-you-consider-hospitalization-for-depression%2F I wish psychiatrists sent people with depression home with instructions on when to go to the hospital similar to the ones obstetricians give to pregnant women once they reach 37 weeks of gestation: when your contractions last for a minute each and are five minutes apart, start the ignition! “How did you know it was time to go to the hospital?” a friend asked me the other day. “I didn’t,” I replied. “My friends did.” Each psych ward experience is different. And no doctor judges the decision to enter one in the same way. In hindsight, I wonder why my therapist didn’t urge me to commit myself months before I did. I talked about wanting to die most of my hour with her. Because it was all I thought about. That idea, alone, gave me relief. But I ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893553 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:02:02 +0100 4893553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893554&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F03%2F6-tips-for-battling-loneliness%2F The more I’ve learned about happiness, the more I’ve come to believe that loneliness is a terrible, common, and important obstacle to consider. A while back, after reading John Cacioppo’s fascinating book Loneliness, I posted Some counter-intuitive facts about loneliness, and several people responded by asking, “Okay, but what do I do about it? What steps can I take to feel less lonely?” I recently finished another fascinating book, Lonely — a memoir by Emily White, about her own experiences and research into loneliness. White doesn’t attempt to give specific advice about how to combat loneliness, but from her book, I gleaned these strategies… 1. Remember that although the distinction can be difficult to draw, loneliness and solitude are dif... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893554 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:22:22 +0100 4893554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893820&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fmake-me-daisy.html  Turmoil surrounded by sweet scented lilacs.Dandelion cottons looks like owlet feathers as they wait for the wind.My friend and I go for a long hike and muddy our shoes and legs in the coulees of Pepin County.And I pray, and I pray, and I pray that my life will soon be back to yellow. Bathed in sun. Flowers blooming, and my soul free to accept that gift from Father God.For now, I'll take the yellow that splurges out of the darkness, the buds cheerful against the dark foliage deep.Make me a flower, whose scent pleases you, Lord.Make me better as I become less.Fill all the holes in my soul Satan is diggingwith your love, grace, mercy, peace, long-suffering.  I don't want to be the corrugated metal panel patching up an old factory....we pray for you always, that our God wi... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893820 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:41:00 +0100 4893820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893821&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Flessons-at-bird-feeder.html I identify with these anxious birds who flit in and out, buzzing busily, occasionally creating an outburst if another bird lands while they are feeding. Hummungbirds are a new discovery of mine, since buying an aesthetically pleasing feeder and a porch swing just under it.So industrious they seem, as I rock in my chair, trying to clear cloudy thoughts, trying to push away hurtful thoughts, file them somewhere deep in the abyss of the mind where I will never go looking again.I remember distinctly learning in science that hummingbirds never land, but fly always. Now that we have a dozen or so ambushing our porch day and night, I can honestly say they sit aLOT. But only when they're not anxious. When they're anxious, they flit and flicker here and there, emitting a strangled warble now and ag... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893821 Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:07:00 +0100 4893821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876382&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmood-scores-which-day-of-the-week-has-the-lowest-rating%2F2011.05.29 You know that 1979 Boomtown Rats song, “I Don’t Like Mondays.” (This Youtube music video features a very young-looking Bob Geldof.)  The song is about the 1979 shooting spree on a Monday morning at a San Diego elementary school. The shooter’s only state reason for doing it was that she didn’t like Mondays. The silicon chip inside her head Gets switched to overload And nobody’s gonna go to school today She’s gonna make them stay at home It turns out that — contrary to popular impression that Mondays are the worst day of the week — Tuesdays are the worst day of the week.  According to a piece by Chris Hall (@hallicious) on HealthCentral, Tuesdays are the worst day of the week (moodwise) while Sundays are the best. This is based on mood rating s... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876382 Sun, 29 May 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4876382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876528&cid=t_99873_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FQ33t9A5G-Ug%2F “When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion.” ~ Abraham Lincoln Who doesn’t want to feel good about themselves? We all do. Though, in our own good, unique ways. I have jotted down my feel good factors and I would be happy to know if you could add your take to the list. Receiving Compliments: ‘I can live my entire life on a good compliment’.. someone must have said this keeping a person like me in mind. I love receiving compliments and that’s the reason I am quite generous in paying compliments. I remember a few things that people told me about myself, that manage to bring smile to my face even in the darkest hours. When the middle aged Air India Flight attendant complimented me on my smile it was unforgettable and when my... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876528 Sat, 28 May 2011 05:48:00 +0100 4876528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872238&cid=t_99873_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fhours-sleep%2F As Americans we are always running ragged to keep up with our hectic lives. We sleep for six hours, we deal with families, work, social lives, and of course, time on Facebook. And day in and day out this is our routine. We are tired usually, but function just fine on our solid six hours. Many of us claim that we are just fine on six hours of sleep. But can that be true? No, it can’t.   How many times have we had to defy nature’s plan in order to be productive? How many things do you compromise on when it comes to your health? How many short cuts do you take every day when it comes to food, health, or sleep.? Unfortunately, when we come up with creative ways to achieve more every day, we usually have to sacrifice something that’s important to us, and have to say no to somethin... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872238 Fri, 27 May 2011 18:05:52 +0100 4872238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872370&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Frebuilding.html Here, my dearThis is whereWe'll shake the nightmares freeI dream to hold you in my armsI dream to hold you in my armsTo hold you in my armsWide awake in my armsI think I figured it outWe need to be togetherLike the shore and the seaWe are not one thingWe're drawn here togetherMy ocean and meLove we sleep apartFor the last timeFor the last time~Jon Foreman, Hold You in My Arms~I keep waking up pummeling my husband at the end of a nightmare. Rape. It's a word we don't say out loud very often. Hush, hush! Who wants to admit it happened to them, too?Rebuilding the house is difficult, draining, stretches me to the end of my perseverance. I celebrate small victories: no self-harm for over 2 weeks now, laughing at a joke with my husband. family sing-alongs around the piano, giving Rosy her piano ... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872370 Fri, 27 May 2011 17:06:00 +0100 4872370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872337&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FFN-w4diRYYI%2F Have you ever wished you could swallow a pill and forget all about your past? We haven’t, but it turns out researchers have: University of Montreal researchers say that the drug metyrapone, which reduces the stress hormone cortisol, can effectively block bad memories, therefore alleviating the negative emotions that come with them. Sounds a little scary to us, but for patients who’ve suffered traumatic events that cause significant anxiety or depression, it could be a Godsend. Researchers say that when we recall a negative or traumatic event, we actually re-write it into our memory; administering metyrapone close to the time of re-forming the memory can alter — or erase — our perception of the past. Sonia Lupien, Ph.D., who directed the study, explains: The results show tha... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872337 Fri, 27 May 2011 16:14:40 +0100 4872337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872240&cid=t_99873_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fbotox-limit-emotions%2F A recent article on WebMD highlighted a study where one doctor says he found that not being able to express emotion, may actually impact the emotion. He did this by studying people who had Botox injections and  Joshua Ian David, PhD was out to prove that not being able to express actually takes away from the emotional experience. But a second opinion on the study actually states the exact opposite, saying that Botox normally makes people feel more beautiful, look happier and actually nicer. See the full story here (http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/news/20100623/botox-may-affect-ability-feel-emotions) The idea that facial expression Botox limits emotions seems far fetched. When a person gets Botox they should leave the office looking and feeling beautiful. The most important thing to know... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872240 Fri, 27 May 2011 15:37:16 +0100 4872240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872161&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F27%2F8-tips-for-teenage-depression%2F Teenagers are moody. Absolutely. Fluctuations in hormones cause anger outbursts, irritability, emotional hysteria, bursts of anger, defiant behavior, and weepiness. So it’s very difficult to tease apart teenage drama from legitimate depression and other mood disorders. However, it’s worth the effort because depression and other mood disorders that begin in adolescence often become much more serious and difficult to treat as adult disorders. A 1996 study by the National Institute of Mental Health estimated that more than 6 percent of adolescents, between the ages of 9 and 18 years old, suffered from depression during the six-month period of the study, and almost five percent suffered from major depressive disorder. Moreover, many of the 20 percent of people who suffer from depression a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872161 Fri, 27 May 2011 15:27:51 +0100 4872161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872257&cid=t_99873_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2FyMfsA_JSQ1s%2F Caleb Interview with Caleb Poirier about his experiences of depression, becoming homeless, and eventually founding Camp Take Notice, a tent city for people without homes in Ann Arbor, MI. Read more at InvisiblePeople.tv, and watch another interview with Poirier with more details about the camp, its peer support, principles, and progressive solutions. Very articulate and perceptive views that challenge stereotypes and conventions. The camp is a registered non-profit and accepts online donations. (Source: Channel N) Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872257 Fri, 27 May 2011 12:30:02 +0100 4872257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872162&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F27%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-27-2011%2F I remember the first time I ever felt in control of my life. I was about 8 or 9 years old at the time and had a reoccurring nightmare about two kids chasing me down the street. When I told my dad about it he said, “You know you can control your dreams right?” He told me all I had to do was visualize what I wanted to happen in the dream before I went to sleep. Because I had the kind of faith in magic and pure wonder that only occurs in childhood, I wholeheartedly believed him. The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face. In my dream, the two kids that were chasing me finally caught up. But in their hands were melting ice-cream cones they had been trying to give me. That dream was years ago, but I will never forget it. More than teaching me how to control my dreams, it tau... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872162 Fri, 27 May 2011 10:40:45 +0100 4872162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872282&cid=t_99873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fdilapidated-me-and-learning-to-rejoice%2F My body is a wreck. My condition, never “mint;” Sometime, when I was gone My body came and went. If I was a horse Irregardless how I cope, I’m certain that by now I’d be a bar of soap. Each time I stand or move I fear parts of me will escape. Since it might be parts I need, Guess I’ll use more tape. I often feel confused How can I look so good? I belong in a dumpster, After all I’ve withstood. If I was a goose, I’d be stark naked A pillow stuffed with down. If I was a waddling white duck My tail would rub the ground. I admit I’m partially in ruins But the part of me that’s left Should shut up, be quiet and Stop feeling so bereft. As long as I draw breath and My heart beats within my breast, I thank God for insurance To restock my medicine chest. It’s easy... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872282 Thu, 26 May 2011 22:13:41 +0100 4872282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872165&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F26%2Fwhen-mental-illness-stigma-turns-inward%2F This study shows in some cases, it might even be increasing.) We see stigma everywhere. Every time violence is automatically connected to mental illness in an article or news report, we see it.* We see it in movies and other forms of media. We see it at work where stereotypes might be perpetuated, where employees are afraid to “come out” with their diagnosis. We see it with our families or friends, who might say versions of “just snap out of it” or “get over it already” or offer “advice” like sleep more, eat less, look on the bright side and try harder. There’s also just pure ignorance, especially when it comes to serious mental illness such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. As E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., wrote in Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872165 Thu, 26 May 2011 12:00:16 +0100 4872165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862796&cid=t_99873_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F1LBPNBAZ-yA%2F A new study from Japan has revealed the possible links between depression and the chemicals found in our blood. The medical research group Human Metabolome Technologies studied the concentration of phosphoric acid in the blood of 66 people. When 31 subjects were diagnosed with depression, the team found that many of them were low in ethanolamine phosphate, which could account for their depression. What are these chemicals? How do they play a role in our feelings? And is this treatable? “Ethanolamine phosphate or Phosphoethanolamine is needed for mitochondria to function normally,” says Dr. Dale Archer, a clinical psychiatrist. “It affects lipid metabolism, which may play a role in depression– and [this new study posits] the theory as to why this may be a marker. Exa... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862796 Wed, 25 May 2011 21:05:27 +0100 4862796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862634&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FovqaR0_pg1c%2F URL: http://www.mincava.umn.edu/The Minnesota Center against Violence and Abuse (MinCAVA) has information on these subjects: child abuse, domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, trafficking, workplace violence, youth violence and more. Most information is in PDF form, but some are in regular text or web pages. For: AnyoneTopics: Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Anger, Behaviour Management, Child and Adolescent, Clinical Psychology, Common Factors, Depression, Emotional Health, Family Therapy, General Psychology, Life, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Quality of Life, RelationshipsFeatures: Articles, Grants & Funding, Information, Links, Multimedia, Resources We are an online resource community only.  Our services are limited t... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862634 Wed, 25 May 2011 17:00:13 +0100 4862634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862546&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fno-single-intervention-can-cure-poor-medication-adherence%2F2011.05.25 You are sick with something-or-other and your doctor writes you a prescription for a medication.  She briefly tells you what it’s for and how to take it.  You go to the pharmacy, pick up the medication, go home and follow the instructions, right?  I mean, how hard could it be? Pretty hard, it appears.  Between 20 percent to 80 percent of us – differing by disease and drug – don’t seem to be able to do it. There are, of course, many reasons we aren’t.  Drugs are sometimes too pricey, so we don’t fill the prescription. Or we buy them and then apply our ingenuity to making them last longer by splitting pills and otherwise experimenting with the dosage. Some drugs have to be taken at specific times or under specific conditions, posing little challenge when you are taking only ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862546 Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:37 +0100 4862546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862843&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fcloser-i-am-to-fine.html Last night I spent 4 hours holding a beautiful baby. This morning, my car was enveloped in a storm of cotton from the trees, glittering in the sunlight. Lunch with my friend was a happy spot in my day. A coffeehouse, my Ipod, got some writing done to finance my upcoming trip to South Carolina. My husband put up a porch swing for me, and I am addicted (and ever grateful). We watched Amelia and decided that we are happy with our choice in naming our own Amelia.In between were flashbacks and one horrifying nightmare. I am on the brink of checking myself back into the hospital to have my meds tweaked. I am thankful for every moment of today. And that's all I have to say!I'm trying to tell you something about my lifeMaybe give me insight between black and whiteThe best thing you've ever done fo... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862843 Wed, 25 May 2011 09:52:00 +0100 4862843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862514&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FBrZgMjl4-q0%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThere’s a great piece in the spring issue of The Independent Review on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke by San Jose State Professor Jeffrey Rogers Hummel.  Although a bit long, its well worth the read for anyone wanting to understand both Bernanke’s thinking and his actions during and since the financial crisis. First, Prof. Hummel discusses the differences between Bernanke’s and Milton Friedman’s explanations for the Great Depression.  Those that debate whether Bernanke’s actions, especially the quantitative easings, would be approved of by Friedman will get a lot out of this discussion.  From this comparison, you get the point that Friedman was concerned about overall credit conditions and liquidity, whereas Bernanke is less focuse... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862514 Tue, 24 May 2011 19:15:18 +0100 4862514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862630&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F24%2Ftwitter-chat-tonight-on-mental-health-in-older-adults-mhsm%2F I’ll be hosting my first Tuesday night #mhsm chat on twitter tonight, on the topic of mental health in older adults. I blogged about this issue earlier this month, and we recently started a whole blog about getting older, Boomers on the Rise: Aging Well. Older adults have the same human needs, wants and desires as the rest of us (as we’ll all find out first-hand soon enough). Sometimes loneliness and depression is a factor for seniors, and sometimes seniors feel forgotten in life, as they watch their children grow up, move away, and have lives quite independent of their parents. It is a time of change, a time of recognition that our bodies often can’t do all the things they once could, but also a time of new discovery and reinvention. Much of an older adult’s mental... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862630 Tue, 24 May 2011 18:55:22 +0100 4862630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862635&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2Fa9JCMwbkQUE%2F URL: http://psychfutures.ning.com/PsychFutures is an open network, albeit designed for individuals at various stages of their psychology career, from A-Level to degree-level to professionals. Primarily, we are about choosing your next step in psychology. For A-Level psychology students who are thinking about studying the subject at degree level, there’s advice on exam preparation and applying to university or college. For undergraduates thinking about post-degree options, our members provide peer-to-peer advice about postgrad psychology. For those looking beyond studying we have a section devoted to psychology careers. For: Anyone, Anyone, Clinicians, Researchers, Students, TeachersTopics: Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Anger, Behaviour Management, Child and Adolescent, Clinical Psycholo... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862635 Tue, 24 May 2011 17:00:53 +0100 4862635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862844&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fnext-first-dance.html We were standing as we would at a wedding dance, limbs akimbo.We sit hunched, inches apart, minds flying in opposite directions. He reels me in with the touch of a hand, the electricity of him + me. We sit in the china blue twilight as the frog song goes from song of the forest, wafting, to near cacophony like the blower from the next farm down running straight through the night, all the while you wondering, huddled. Messy.The dog slumps and huffs into her place behind us. She plops down like a worn-out sack of flour, and snuffs at us. I stiffen and enter the gridlock, I am stealthy and disassociated and I nod "yes", shake head "no", insert a "good job sweetheart" as the children speak like rushing water one tumbling over the next to describe thier t-ball game. It is hard to untangle at th... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862844 Tue, 24 May 2011 09:31:00 +0100 4862844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852937&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F23%2F10-things-you-should-know-about-male-depression%2F What looks and feels like depression to a woman may not to a man, which is why so many men in America are misdiagnosed or missed altogether. However, considering that the rates of completed suicide of men are three to four times that of women, we need to educate ourselves about male depression and its unique symptoms. The following are 10 things you should know about male depression, compiled from Johns Hopkins Depression and Anxiety Bulletin and other sources. 1. Depression affects about 6 million American men and 12 million American women each year. But these numbers don’t tell the story of men, and older men, in particular. 2. Suicide in men peaks in the 20s and again in the 60s and 70s. 3. Many men experience “depression without sadness,” which makes it more challenging for prima... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852937 Mon, 23 May 2011 16:45:23 +0100 4852937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852863&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprediction-physicians-will-retire-earlier-and-earlier-because-medicine-is-no-longer-fun%2F2011.05.21 I wonder if we’re in danger of stifling fun in medicine. Certainly there are still fun things to do in medicine (ablating a pesky accessory pathway safely, for instance). But as I watch the newly-minted medical school graduates emerge from their long, sheltered educational cocoon, I wonder what their attrition rate will be from medicine once they see our new more-robotic form of health care community. There is a social camaraderie in medicine when you train. Maybe it’s the “misery loves company” syndrome. In medical school you stick together through thick and thin because few others understand what you’re going through. You strive for the day when, collectively, you earn the designation of “doctor of medicine.” There’s a strength in numbers. ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852863 Sat, 21 May 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4852863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4848004&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F20%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-20-2011%2F You probably noticed by now, but we’re all excited that it’s not only Mental Health Awareness Month, but a few days ago on May 18, our bloggers participated in blogging for mental health. It’s been a wonderful week spreading information about mental health and busting stigma that still exists on mental illness. Why is spreading mental health awareness and fighting prejudice so important? About ten years ago, I was talking to a college classmate about depression. He was just 20 years old and I was a few years older and several years ahead of him in terms of my experience with mental illness. I had witnessed the impact depression had on my grandfather when I was 16. When the topic of mental illness and depression came up, he passionately voiced his opinions to me. He felt t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4848004 Fri, 20 May 2011 10:24:20 +0100 4848004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841580&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2Fadhd-and-depression-common-bedfellows%2F Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression commonly occur together. According to Ari Tuckman, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in ADHD and wrote the book More Attention, Less Deficit: Successful Strategies for Adults with ADHD: “ADHD makes people’s lives harder, so it makes sense that they have more to be depressed about. This is especially true because ADHD difficulties usually persist — it’s not like going through a bad break-up where things get better with time.” Because ADHD is lifelong, it “robs the person of optimism that things will ever improve, at least before a diagnosis is made and treatment started.” Below, Tuckman talks about both disorders, which is treated first and what readers can do. Depression Signs At f... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841580 Thu, 19 May 2011 15:35:03 +0100 4841580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841583&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2Fmental-health-blog-party-why-do-i-blog-about-mental-health%2F As part of May Is Mental Health Awareness Month, many of us here at PsychCentral are participating in a Mental Health Blog Party hosted by the American Psychological Association. Today, May 18, we are all blogging about mental health awareness. Here’s my contribution. Why do I blog about mental health? I want to explain to people that depression and other mood disorders aren’t yuppie diseases for folks with the time and resources to ruminate and obsess, that they can be life-threatening illnesses. That’s right. Depression kills. It killed my godmother — my mom’s younger sister — at the tender age of 43. It kills approximately 800,000 people across the globe every year. Suicide takes more lives than traffic accidents, lung disease, and AIDs, and it is the second leading cause o... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841583 Wed, 18 May 2011 14:01:37 +0100 4841583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841584&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2Fincreasing-mental-health-awareness-too-much-of-a-good-thing%2F Today is the American Psychological Association’s “Blog Party” in recognition of May being mental health month. The marketing effort behind designating a specific month a time to recognize and help increase awareness of a certain disease, disorder or condition is intended to help people learn more about various medical and mental health concerns. But a few weeks ago, physician H. Gilbert Welch wrote an op-ed in the LA Times that questioned whether the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Have we become a nation of people who will get diagnosed for all sorts of sub-clinical problems at the drop of a hat? Indeed, I think there is a very real danger of that becoming the case. And nowhere is that more likely than in mental health. Dr. Ron Pies talked about some of these... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841584 Wed, 18 May 2011 10:14:06 +0100 4841584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841728&cid=t_99873_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2F7-Ut69Nbsfo%2F I Am Alive “I am alive because…” An excellent compilation of reasons to live for those who are suicidal, from people’s comments on why and how they are alive now after they experienced suicidal crises. Helpful without being patronizing. Reminders like these at the right moment can save a life. Today is the APA Mental Health Month Blog Day, and I’m blogging about suicide prevention since I’m alive because of good online info, and want to share it with others who benefit. If you’re having mental health issues, please find help with PsychCentral’s guide, or try an international list of phone hotlines or online hotlines. And replay this great video. Click the image to see the web-wide list of bloggers writing about mental health, and click here ... Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841728 Wed, 18 May 2011 04:05:23 +0100 4841728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841585&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F17%2Fnew-study-says-treating-mom-helps-childrens-mental-health%2F In this study, researchers learned that children’s improvement, in terms of both depressive symptoms and social functioning, is associated with the time it took their mothers to get better.” I sort of cringe when I read those facts because it took me two years to get better when I was severely depressed. My kids were the ages of one and three when my symptoms began, and they were three and five when I finally regained some stability. And yes, there were huge behavioral ramifications. Especially in my son. I suspect much of the anxiety he suffers today goes back to that frightening time in his life. Wall Street Journal columnist Melinda Beck writes about the new study in this week’s “Health Journal.” Beck mentions a report published in the journal Pediatrics that says at early a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841585 Tue, 17 May 2011 22:15:42 +0100 4841585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841586&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F17%2Fthe-healing-power-of-laughter%2F A year and a half ago, John McManamy interviewed me on the topic of humor in relation to mental health in a post he called “On the Dark Side of Humor.” I explained to him that of all my tools to combat depression and anxiety, humor is by far the most fun. I realize I run into trouble with some folks who think there is nothing funny about being depressed and not able to get up from bed. But even if you have a broken funny bone while buried in the Black Hole, the minute you surface I think it’s helpful to look back and poke fun of what just happened. If that is at all possible. I wasn’t always able to laugh at myself. In fact, on my dad’s deathbed, he urged me to have more fun. That was his only wish. I took life WAY too seriously and was annoyed by people who didn’t. And then it... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841586 Tue, 17 May 2011 18:05:20 +0100 4841586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828855&cid=t_99873_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FlopNtY9ZBac%2F By Daniel GriswoldCarrying on an annual tradition dating back to President Franklin Roosevelt, President Obama issued a proclamation on Friday declaring this third week in May “World Trade Week.” Of course, every week is world trade week at the Cato Institute’s Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, but in order to do our part as good citizens, we’ve organized a book forum this Tuesday, May 17, at 4 p.m. on a new book by Dartmouth College economist Douglas Irwin, titled, Peddling Protectionism: Smoot-Hawley and the Great Depression. The Smoot-Hawley tariff bill is a fitting subject for any World Trade Week. As we note in the invitation: More than 80 years after its passage, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 still resonates in today’s debate over trade policy. A... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828855 Mon, 16 May 2011 15:39:29 +0100 4828855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829225&cid=t_99873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fwe-see-faith-as-strong-steel-bands-that.html We see faith as the strong steel bands that bind us to God's will, meted out with each drop of blood on the Cross. We feel it is something we have to maintain, work at, and suffer for.But the big picture tells us that the steel bands are Christ's grip on, the shorter, weaker pole to which Greatness of lashed. And that, for each good deed we do, He deserves the credit for victory of life over death.He is with you when your faith is deadAnd you can't even get out of bedOr your husband doesn't kiss you anymoreHe is with you when your baby's goneAnd your house is stillAnd your hearts are stoneCrying "God what'd you do that for?"He is with youThere's a time for yesAnd a time for noThere's a time to be angryAnd a time to let it goThere's a time to runAnd a time to face itThere's love to seekIn a... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829225 Sun, 15 May 2011 20:47:00 +0100 4829225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820920&cid=t_99873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F13%2Fusing-music-to-relieve-depression%2F Caught in a terrible conundrum of whether I should break my diet over New York Super Fudge Chunk or Chunky Monkey at Ben and Jerry’s yesterday, I was reading the different fliers pinned to the community bulletin board inside this 200 square feet of ice-cream heaven. One flier read: “Got the blues? Learn to play them!” I don’t know whether to blame the kids or my depression for my stupidity (the death of my brain cells in the prefrontal cortex), but I had to read these seven words four times (that’s 28 words) before I understood the message, which is an important one: Music can help treat depression. Back before my Prozac and Zoloft days, music was my sole therapy. I pounded out Rachmaninoff’s “Prelude to C Sharp Minor” as a way of processing... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820920 Fri, 13 May 2011 15:37:54 +0100 4820920