February is National Eating Disorder Awareness Month

Canada, The United Kingdom and The United States use February 2007 to mark Eating Disorder Awarness.

Generally, eating disorders involve self-critical, negative thoughts and feelings about body weight and food, and eating habits that disrupts normal body function, and daily life activities.

What causes eating disorders is not entirely clear, though a combination of psychological, genetic, social and family factors are thought to contribute to the disorder.

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa~ Essentially self-starvation, this disorder involves a refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight. In severe cases, anorexia can be life-threatening.

Bulimia Nervosa ~ This involves repeated episodes of binge eating, followed by ways of trying to purge the food from the body or prevent expected weight gain. People can have this condition and be of normal weight.

Binge-eating Disorder~ This is characterized by frequent episodes of overeating without purging.

Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) ~ A range of other disordered eating patterns don’t fit into the other types of eating disorders. These eating patterns are still serious, and intervention and attention are necessary. EDNOS include:

*Eating problems with some, but not all, of the characteristics of a full-fledged eating disorder; for example, people who severely restrict food intake, but who do not meet the full criteria for anorexia nervosa

*Chewing food and spitting it out (without swallowing)

*Bingeing and purging irregularly, such as at times of increased stress


Left unattended, eating disorders can lead to serious health problems or even death. Sadly, one of my blogger friends just died from Anorexia.


Resources


The National Eating Disorder Information Centre: Canada

Eating Disorders Association: United Kingdom

The National Eating Disorders Association: United States

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual

Five major psychoanalytic groups have unveiled a new manual that will improve the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders AND convey a greater understanding of how such illness are experienced [1].

The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual is based on current neuroscience and treatment outcome studies that demonstrate the importance of focusing on the full range, whole-person approach in mental health. It provides a framework for improving comprehensive treatment approaches and understanding both the biological and psychological origins of mental health and illness.

The PDM was created to be used in addition to the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" and the "International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems". But what is great about this new diagnostic tool is how it will educate professionals about the "texture" and subjective experience of mental health.

The diagnostic framework formulated by the PDM describes:

*Healthy and disordered personality functioning.

*Individual profiles of mental functioning, including patterns of relating, comprehending and expressing feelings, coping with stress and anxiety, observing one's own emotions and behaviors.

*Symptom patterns, including differences in each individual's personal, subjective experience of symptoms.


I am all over this!



Resources
The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual


Footnotes
[1] American Psychoanalytic Association, International Psychoanalytical Association, American Psychological Association Division of Psychoanalysis (39), American Academy of Psychoanalysis, National Membership Committee on Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Going With Your Gut

Sciencedaily - A University College London study has found that you are more likely to perform well if you do not think too hard and instead trust your instincts.

The research in the journal Current Biology shows that instinctive snap decisions are more reliable than decisions taken using higher-level cognitive processes.

Participants, who were asked to pick the odd one out on a screen covered in over 650 identical symbols including one rotated version of the same symbol, actually performed better when they were given no time at all to linger on the symbols and were forced to rely entirely on their gut intinct.

The study shows an instance when our rational mind is more likely to perform worse than our subconscious.

Hmmmm....I think Homer Simpson would be the outlier for this study.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Leave a Light On

It's that time of the year when the darkness sets in earlier, and the sun is but a short-lived friend.

While some people can shake the winter doldrums, there are those who become depressed or find their depression deepen during the dark months.

This is called Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Researchers have been able to identify several genes which work in concert with the "Suprachaismatic Nucleus", also known as our body clock, in determining our circadian rhythms.

Light Therapy has been endorsed for many years now for Seasonal Affective Disorder, and many of my patients have found it helpful. Light therapy helps suppress the winter withdrawal hormones, and produces active mood hormones. In essence, it resets the sleep/wake cycle.

I use Light Therapy in addition to the medication I take for depression.

I have my little device next to my computer and click it on and let the bright blue lights wash over me as I blog, surf and answer email. Since using the Light Therapy, I've found myself feeling much better than seasons before. The depression that usually deepens for me in the winter is nowhere to be found.

If you experience depression, it is important to have it professionally diagnosed. Once your diagnosis is validated, talk to your professional about treatments. Talk therapy, medication and their combination have shown the greatest treatment success for depression. Adding Light Therapy may bring even greater results.

Technology is so cool.

Blognote:
For an array of Light Therapy devices click this link:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_hpc/002-5555505-4180841?url=search-alias%3Dhpc&field-keywords=light+therapy


The picture above is the model I use ~ A Go-Lite P1 .



Resource
Apollo Health

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Analytical Couch and Sir Paul

In an recent interview with Radio Times Magazine , Sir Paul McCartney said that writing music was great therapy but sometimes he sought treatment on the analytical couch - psychoanalysis, that is.

It's great when high profile individuals share their success with psychotherapy. It takes the shame out of going to seek help.

I've adored "The Beatles" my whole life.
And now I love Paul even more.

I don't think my husband will mind.

Source
The Telegraph

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Gene Linked With Mental Illness Shapes Brain Region

Researchers have discovered a gene associated with mental illness that enlarges the region of the brain called the Pulvinar.

"The 5HTTLPR genetic variant of the serotonin transporter (SERT), which consists of a long (SERT-l) and short (SERT-s) allele, has emerged as a major factor influencing emotional behavior and brain anatomy."[1]

The Pulvinar (as shown in the picture) appears to be larger and carries more nerve cells in individuals who experience mental illness than those who do not.

"This might indicate that the brain regions that receive input from the Pulvinar are more strongly influenced in such individuals, and the Pulvinar communicates with brain regions involved in negative emotional issues," said Dr. Dwight German, one of the authors of the research study.

The more I learn about the mind and biology, the more things makes sense. Don't you think? Hopefully, such research will help to take the stigma out of mental illness.

The study is available at Biological Psychiatry - a journal of psychiatric neuroscience and therapeutics.

Genetic research rocks.


Footnotes
[1] Young, K.A., Holcomb, L., Bonkale, W.L., Hicks, P.B., Yazdani, U. & German, D.C. (2006). 5HTTLPR polymorphism and enlargement of the pulvinar: Unlocking the backdoor to the limbic system. Biological Psychiatry. In press.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Map of School Violence

This is a map of school violence in the United States between the year 1996-2005. I saw this first from my blogpal, Renee

Below are just a few examples of where this has happened in the world in the last ten years...

1996 - Dunblane, Scotland: Sixteen children and a teacher are killed by a shooter who then takes his own life.

1997 – Seven Israeli school girls were shot to death by a Jordanian soldier while on a field trip in Bakura.

1998 – A bombing in Algiers on a crowded street packed with students returning home from school killed one person and wounded several others.

1999 – An individual with extremist views opened fire in a childcare area of a Jewish community center in Los Angeles and killed several children.

1999- Two Columbine High School students went on a killing rampage, murdering 12 fellow students and a teacher, as well as wounding 24 others, before committing suicide.

2002 – Two students were murdered and fifteen wounded by a gunman believed to be from an ethnic minority Karen rebel group in an attack on a school bus in Thailand .

2002 - Fourteen teachers, two students, one policeman were shot and killed at a school in Erfurt, Germany. The gunman later committed suicide.

2004 - A group of heavily armed rebel extremists stormed into School No. 1 in Beslan, Russia. The siege ended with a series of explosions and gunfire that killed over 350 people - half of them children.

2006- Montreal Canada. A hail of gunfire occurred at Dawson College which killed one student, seriously injuring19 others. The gunman committed suicide .

2006 - In one-room Amish schoolhouse, a heavily armed truck driver shooting all ten girls, and them himself. Five young girls lost their lives, and five cling to life.



:::Sighs:::

What can be done to minimize such violence?



Resources
Beslan
Key To Safer Schools
School Violence Resource Center

reade more... Résuméabuiyad