Coffee and Depression - a cause and also a remedy
What is the link between coffee and depression? Truth is, there are extremely mixed reactions and feedback from coffee drinkers regarding depression and being depressed.
While some of them believe coffee acts as an antidepressant, some indicate that by abstaining from coffee, the symptoms of depression reduced considerably. Therefore, it would seem that linking coffee with depression or lack of it depends on individual reactions, both psychologically and physiologically.
People who are used to drinking a hot cup of coffee every morning swear that it is an instant pick-me-up and gives them the zest to go through their routine activities. On the other hand, people who experienced depression and were asked to give up coffee and sugar experienced elevated moods.
And there are research findings supporting both theories of coffee and depression, too. For example, surveys conducted at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in the year 1993 stated that nurses who consumed coffee had lower risk of committing suicide as compared to non-coffee drinkers. This study was later confirmed by Dr Ichiro Kawachi, an epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School, who also studied the reactions of registered nurses between ages 34 and 59. Therefore, it was more or less concluded that the caffeine in coffee does act as a mild antidepressant. It is thought that caffeine reacts with various neurotransmitters, like acetylcholine and dopamine, and helps elevate the mood in people going through depression.
On the other side of the coffee and depression coin, reports and studies published by various institutes and organizations also indicate that consuming too much coffee can lead to depression. For example, an article published by the Kansas State University indicates that people should try and reduce the overall consumption of coffee, because coffee only gives people a temporary kick, and what follows is to the contrary. It clearly suggests that caffeine in coffee has the ability to increase the release of insulin into the blood. And as most of us are aware, insulin reduces blood sugar levels, which makes people experience low energy levels, and feelings of depression might then set in.
Therefore, to ascertain the coffee and depression connection, coffee drinkers must experience for themselves how their body and mind react to drinking coffee or decreasing their coffee consumption. Their observations will then help them to decide whether or not to continue drinking the beverage.
People who suffer from depression should always take a close look at their lifestyle, food, and drinking habits. This is because certain foods and beverages can affect people’s moods, and coffee is definitely one such beverage. Based on individual reactions to coffee, one can then take a call on whether or not to drink it.
29 October 2010
Depressed? You must like chocolate
people who were depressed ate an average of 8.4 servings of chocolate per month, compared with 5.4 servings among those who were not.
And people who had major depression based on results of a screening test ate even more -- 11.8 servings per month. A serving was considered to be one small bar, or 1 ounce (28 grams), of chocolate.
"Depressed mood was significantly related to higher chocolate consumption," Dr. Natalie Rose of the University of California, Davis, and University of California, San Diego, and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Many people consider chocolate a mood-booster but few studies have actually confirmed the connection between the confection and mood. And most studies have looked only at women.
Rose and colleagues studied the relationship between chocolate and mood among 931 women and men who were not using antidepressants. People in the study reported how much chocolate they consumed and most also completed a food frequency questionnaire about their overall diet.
Their moods were assessed using a commonly used depression scale. What they found was a marked association between chocolate consumption and depression. And unlike other studies that looked only at women, the link was true of both men and women.
What the study could not say was why people who are depressed eat more chocolate.
It could be that depression stimulates chocolate cravings, and people eat chocolate as a sort of self treatment, confirming some studies on rats that suggest chocolate can improve mood, the authors said.
Or, it could be that depression may stimulate chocolate cravings for some other reason without providing any mood benefit. People in the study did not have any such "treatment benefit" from chocolate, the team said.
And they said it may be that eating a lot of chocolate actually causes people to feel depressed, another possible explanation for the association they saw in the study.
It may be something physiological about chocolate, such as providing additional antioxidants. Or the mood-boosting effect of chocolate could be fleeting, like the temporary euphoria from drinking alcohol, leaving people feeling even lower after the brief euphoria has passed.
"Distinguishing among these possibilities will require different study designs," the team said.
They said future studies will be needed to determine whether chocolate is a cause of depression, or a temporary salve.
Depression and how dark chocolate can help.
Antidepressant Properties: Cocoa is a potent source of serotonin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine. These are three well-studied neurotransmitters which help alleviate depression and are associated with feelings of well-being.
Cocoa contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) which help improve our mood because they allow serotonin and dopamine to remain in the bloodstream longer and circulate in the brain without being broken down.
As one lives longer, the level of neurotransmitters decreases. This leads to less creativity, less joy, more physical rigidity -and more rapid aging!
Cocoa, with its supply of MAO inhibitors, helps keep plenty of neurotransmitters in circulation, and thus facilitate anti-aging and rejuvenation.
Cocoa contains anandamide which stimulates blissful feelings. Cocoa also contains B vitamins, which are associated with brain health
And people who had major depression based on results of a screening test ate even more -- 11.8 servings per month. A serving was considered to be one small bar, or 1 ounce (28 grams), of chocolate.
"Depressed mood was significantly related to higher chocolate consumption," Dr. Natalie Rose of the University of California, Davis, and University of California, San Diego, and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Many people consider chocolate a mood-booster but few studies have actually confirmed the connection between the confection and mood. And most studies have looked only at women.
Rose and colleagues studied the relationship between chocolate and mood among 931 women and men who were not using antidepressants. People in the study reported how much chocolate they consumed and most also completed a food frequency questionnaire about their overall diet.
Their moods were assessed using a commonly used depression scale. What they found was a marked association between chocolate consumption and depression. And unlike other studies that looked only at women, the link was true of both men and women.
What the study could not say was why people who are depressed eat more chocolate.
It could be that depression stimulates chocolate cravings, and people eat chocolate as a sort of self treatment, confirming some studies on rats that suggest chocolate can improve mood, the authors said.
Or, it could be that depression may stimulate chocolate cravings for some other reason without providing any mood benefit. People in the study did not have any such "treatment benefit" from chocolate, the team said.
And they said it may be that eating a lot of chocolate actually causes people to feel depressed, another possible explanation for the association they saw in the study.
It may be something physiological about chocolate, such as providing additional antioxidants. Or the mood-boosting effect of chocolate could be fleeting, like the temporary euphoria from drinking alcohol, leaving people feeling even lower after the brief euphoria has passed.
"Distinguishing among these possibilities will require different study designs," the team said.
They said future studies will be needed to determine whether chocolate is a cause of depression, or a temporary salve.
Depression and how dark chocolate can help.
Antidepressant Properties: Cocoa is a potent source of serotonin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine. These are three well-studied neurotransmitters which help alleviate depression and are associated with feelings of well-being.
Cocoa contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) which help improve our mood because they allow serotonin and dopamine to remain in the bloodstream longer and circulate in the brain without being broken down.
As one lives longer, the level of neurotransmitters decreases. This leads to less creativity, less joy, more physical rigidity -and more rapid aging!
Cocoa, with its supply of MAO inhibitors, helps keep plenty of neurotransmitters in circulation, and thus facilitate anti-aging and rejuvenation.
Cocoa contains anandamide which stimulates blissful feelings. Cocoa also contains B vitamins, which are associated with brain health
09 October 2010
World Mental Health Day-NO HEALTH WITHOUT MENTAL HEALTH
World Mental Health Day
No health without mental health
10 October 2010
World Mental Health Day on 10 October raises public awareness about mental health issues. The Day promotes more open discussion of mental disorders, and investments in prevention and treatment services. The treatment gap for mental, neurological and substance use disorders is formidable especially in poor resource countries.
Physical and mental health are intertwined. There is a real need to deal with mental health problems of people with chronic physical illnesses and physical care of mental health consumers through a continued and integrated care.
On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day, WHO is launching its Mental Health Gap Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) this year on 7th of October which will be the inception of the implementation phase as well.
No health without mental health
10 October 2010
World Mental Health Day on 10 October raises public awareness about mental health issues. The Day promotes more open discussion of mental disorders, and investments in prevention and treatment services. The treatment gap for mental, neurological and substance use disorders is formidable especially in poor resource countries.
Physical and mental health are intertwined. There is a real need to deal with mental health problems of people with chronic physical illnesses and physical care of mental health consumers through a continued and integrated care.
On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day, WHO is launching its Mental Health Gap Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) this year on 7th of October which will be the inception of the implementation phase as well.
22 September 2010
Pacifiers
Pacifiers
Pacifiers are very handy in pacifying a crying baby. A pacifier stops a baby from crying by giving her a feeling of comfort. Pacifiers can be used as a preventive measure for thumb sucking. Read here to know everything about pacifiers.
Sometimes sticking a pacifier into a baby's mouth has the same effect as waving a magic wand that makes your wish come true. In this case, the baby stops crying. This miraculous object has a deceptively simple appearance. A pacifier is a nipple without a hole that is attached to a plastic disk. The disk prevents the baby from accidentally swallowing the nipple. It is not very clear how exactly a pacifier stops a mildly irritated baby from bawling. Either the act of sucking is a comfort in itself or the pacifier just keeps the baby's mouth occupied.
Sucking a pacifier vs. thumb-sucking
Parent share similar fears about thumb-sucking and the use of pacifiers to soothe babies. They are apprehensive that sucking the pacifier or a thumb may develop into a nasty little habit. According to Dr. Spock, pacifiers are the lesser of the two evils. He has observed that babies who use pacifiers without restriction in the first few months rarely become thumb-suckers, even if they give up the pacifier in 3 or 4 months. In addition, it has been observed that babies who develop a habit of sucking a pacifier voluntarily shun the pacifier after three or four months. The same object that they have been sucking blissfully for months is rejected. A three-month old baby will probably spit out a pacifier without any coaxing. At the latest, a child will give up the pacifier when she is one or two years old. On the other hand, babies who become thumb-suckers in the first three months continue to suck their thumbs until they are three, four, or even five years of age - sometimes even longer. Another disadvantage of thumb-sucking is that it has a tendency to push the baby's teeth out.
Parents who have starting trouble
All parents envision laughing, gurgling, babbling, smiling, even crying babies. However, a baby with a pacifier in her mouth spoils the picture. A pacifier somehow seems to put your baby on hold. The baby with a pacifier in her mouth somehow seems to lose her personality, like watching television with the mute button on. This is the reason that some parents express reluctance to calm their babies with pacifiers even when the doctors indicate that there is no harm. The problem occurs when these parents change their minds after a few weeks and offer the pacifier to the baby. It may be too late and she may not be willing to accept this object of comfort any longer.
Parents who can't seem to stop
Some parents, noting the effectiveness of a pacifier in calming a fretful or colicky baby, have a tendency to use pacifiers for their convenience rather than the baby's. Believe it or not, life does go on after the arrival of a baby. For parents rushing around trying to do a hundred things at the same time, it can be quite a nuisance to drop everything to comfort a whimpering baby. Sometimes it is so much easier to pop the pacifier into your baby's mouth and have her entertain herself. However, the problem begins when this becomes a habit with the parents even after the baby is ready to give up the pacifier by the time she is three or four months old. Continued use of the pacifier even after this point could result in the baby perceiving the pacifier as a source of comfort rather than something that assuages her need to suck. In these circumstances, the baby may not be willing to give up the habit till she is almost a year and a half old.
The pacifier as a preventive measure against thumb-sucking
Parents should try to pre-empt thumb-sucking by giving their baby a pacifier in the first few days or weeks of life. The idea is to get her used to the pacifier before she becomes accustomed to and enjoys the sensation of sucking her thumb.
No restrictions
Whenever parents notice the baby reaching out for something to suck, they should pop the pacifier in her mouth. Initially, babies are awake only before or after feeds. In all likelihood you will only need the pacifier at these times. However, do not hesitate to use the pacifier freely in the first three months of the baby's life. The aim is that the baby be given every opportunity to suck so that she gets it out of her system by the time she is three months old.
Phasing out the pacifier
Removing a pacifier is not as easy as popping it in the baby's mouth. Most babies protest vigorously. The best time to remove the pacifier is when the baby is feeling drowsy or has just fallen asleep. Babies who become accustomed to falling asleep with a pacifier can ruin their parents sleep. This is because when the pacifier falls out, the distressed baby begins to wail lustily and will persist till you replace the pacifier.
In normal circumstances, most babies decide on their own that the days of the pacifier are over. They usually indicate that they have outgrown the pacifier by spitting it out when it is offered to them. However, this does not mean that she is willing to give up the pacifier overnight. She may feel the need for it on days when she particularly needs comforting. You can resume your attempts to decrease the use of the pacifier when she seems willing again.
Pacifier care
Remember to wash the pacifier with soap when you first get it. You don't need to keep washing it unless it falls on the floor, because the only place it's been is the baby's mouth. Old nipples can crumble when babies chew on them. Remember to replace crumbling pacifiers.
Pacifiers are very handy in pacifying a crying baby. A pacifier stops a baby from crying by giving her a feeling of comfort. Pacifiers can be used as a preventive measure for thumb sucking. Read here to know everything about pacifiers.
Sometimes sticking a pacifier into a baby's mouth has the same effect as waving a magic wand that makes your wish come true. In this case, the baby stops crying. This miraculous object has a deceptively simple appearance. A pacifier is a nipple without a hole that is attached to a plastic disk. The disk prevents the baby from accidentally swallowing the nipple. It is not very clear how exactly a pacifier stops a mildly irritated baby from bawling. Either the act of sucking is a comfort in itself or the pacifier just keeps the baby's mouth occupied.
Sucking a pacifier vs. thumb-sucking
Parent share similar fears about thumb-sucking and the use of pacifiers to soothe babies. They are apprehensive that sucking the pacifier or a thumb may develop into a nasty little habit. According to Dr. Spock, pacifiers are the lesser of the two evils. He has observed that babies who use pacifiers without restriction in the first few months rarely become thumb-suckers, even if they give up the pacifier in 3 or 4 months. In addition, it has been observed that babies who develop a habit of sucking a pacifier voluntarily shun the pacifier after three or four months. The same object that they have been sucking blissfully for months is rejected. A three-month old baby will probably spit out a pacifier without any coaxing. At the latest, a child will give up the pacifier when she is one or two years old. On the other hand, babies who become thumb-suckers in the first three months continue to suck their thumbs until they are three, four, or even five years of age - sometimes even longer. Another disadvantage of thumb-sucking is that it has a tendency to push the baby's teeth out.
Parents who have starting trouble
All parents envision laughing, gurgling, babbling, smiling, even crying babies. However, a baby with a pacifier in her mouth spoils the picture. A pacifier somehow seems to put your baby on hold. The baby with a pacifier in her mouth somehow seems to lose her personality, like watching television with the mute button on. This is the reason that some parents express reluctance to calm their babies with pacifiers even when the doctors indicate that there is no harm. The problem occurs when these parents change their minds after a few weeks and offer the pacifier to the baby. It may be too late and she may not be willing to accept this object of comfort any longer.
Parents who can't seem to stop
Some parents, noting the effectiveness of a pacifier in calming a fretful or colicky baby, have a tendency to use pacifiers for their convenience rather than the baby's. Believe it or not, life does go on after the arrival of a baby. For parents rushing around trying to do a hundred things at the same time, it can be quite a nuisance to drop everything to comfort a whimpering baby. Sometimes it is so much easier to pop the pacifier into your baby's mouth and have her entertain herself. However, the problem begins when this becomes a habit with the parents even after the baby is ready to give up the pacifier by the time she is three or four months old. Continued use of the pacifier even after this point could result in the baby perceiving the pacifier as a source of comfort rather than something that assuages her need to suck. In these circumstances, the baby may not be willing to give up the habit till she is almost a year and a half old.
The pacifier as a preventive measure against thumb-sucking
Parents should try to pre-empt thumb-sucking by giving their baby a pacifier in the first few days or weeks of life. The idea is to get her used to the pacifier before she becomes accustomed to and enjoys the sensation of sucking her thumb.
No restrictions
Whenever parents notice the baby reaching out for something to suck, they should pop the pacifier in her mouth. Initially, babies are awake only before or after feeds. In all likelihood you will only need the pacifier at these times. However, do not hesitate to use the pacifier freely in the first three months of the baby's life. The aim is that the baby be given every opportunity to suck so that she gets it out of her system by the time she is three months old.
Phasing out the pacifier
Removing a pacifier is not as easy as popping it in the baby's mouth. Most babies protest vigorously. The best time to remove the pacifier is when the baby is feeling drowsy or has just fallen asleep. Babies who become accustomed to falling asleep with a pacifier can ruin their parents sleep. This is because when the pacifier falls out, the distressed baby begins to wail lustily and will persist till you replace the pacifier.
In normal circumstances, most babies decide on their own that the days of the pacifier are over. They usually indicate that they have outgrown the pacifier by spitting it out when it is offered to them. However, this does not mean that she is willing to give up the pacifier overnight. She may feel the need for it on days when she particularly needs comforting. You can resume your attempts to decrease the use of the pacifier when she seems willing again.
Pacifier care
Remember to wash the pacifier with soap when you first get it. You don't need to keep washing it unless it falls on the floor, because the only place it's been is the baby's mouth. Old nipples can crumble when babies chew on them. Remember to replace crumbling pacifiers.
21 September 2010
Tips on Coping with Colic
Tips on Coping with Colic
A colicky baby cries incessantly for no reason. A colicky baby tests the patience of the parents as they find it difficult to handle him. Here we have given some tips on handling a colicky baby.
•If your baby has been crying incessantly for no apparent reason, check with the doctor to see whether he has colic.
•The endless sound of a crying baby (even if it's your own) would try the patience of a saint. Remember that it's not unusual to harbour negative feelings towards your baby like anger, even hatred, when nothing you do can make the crying stop. However, if you're worried that these feelings and crazy, even violent impulses may get the better of you, seek professional help immediately.
•Take a break. Don't try to handle things alone. Ask your spouse, neighbour, friend, or relatives for help or get hired help. Take some time out for yourself every day. Go for a walk, have lunch with a friend, or pamper yourself with a massage. You don't have to feel guilty because this will just help you get your strength back to continue the battle against colic.
•If you've done everything you can to make your baby comfortable and he continues to cry, put him down in his cot for about 15 minutes and do something else so that the both of you can take a break.
•Get earplugs.
•Exercise helps to work out frustration.
•Husbands must help. There is no way that they can be allowed to shirk their responsibilities in such a situation. The mother cannot be expected to cope alone.
•It helps to talk about it. So find a friendly shoulder and cry on it. It also helps to talk to other parents who have colicky babies so that you know you're not alone.
•If you have another child, remember not to neglect her. If she's old enough, try and make her understand that it's not her fault and that there's nothing seriously wrong with the baby. Make a little special time for her every day and make her feel that you love her
A colicky baby cries incessantly for no reason. A colicky baby tests the patience of the parents as they find it difficult to handle him. Here we have given some tips on handling a colicky baby.
•If your baby has been crying incessantly for no apparent reason, check with the doctor to see whether he has colic.
•The endless sound of a crying baby (even if it's your own) would try the patience of a saint. Remember that it's not unusual to harbour negative feelings towards your baby like anger, even hatred, when nothing you do can make the crying stop. However, if you're worried that these feelings and crazy, even violent impulses may get the better of you, seek professional help immediately.
•Take a break. Don't try to handle things alone. Ask your spouse, neighbour, friend, or relatives for help or get hired help. Take some time out for yourself every day. Go for a walk, have lunch with a friend, or pamper yourself with a massage. You don't have to feel guilty because this will just help you get your strength back to continue the battle against colic.
•If you've done everything you can to make your baby comfortable and he continues to cry, put him down in his cot for about 15 minutes and do something else so that the both of you can take a break.
•Get earplugs.
•Exercise helps to work out frustration.
•Husbands must help. There is no way that they can be allowed to shirk their responsibilities in such a situation. The mother cannot be expected to cope alone.
•It helps to talk about it. So find a friendly shoulder and cry on it. It also helps to talk to other parents who have colicky babies so that you know you're not alone.
•If you have another child, remember not to neglect her. If she's old enough, try and make her understand that it's not her fault and that there's nothing seriously wrong with the baby. Make a little special time for her every day and make her feel that you love her
Colicky Babies
Colicky Babies
Sometimes babies cry incessantly for hours without any reason. Parents get worried on seeing their bundle of joy, crying. This could be due to colic and this is not a disease. Colicky babies are healthy.
Every parent's worst nightmare
Suvarna Datta recounts her experience when her daughter Prerna had colic. I knew that babies cry, but I thought it was just something that happened in the middle of the night, or when they were hungry, wet or sleepy. I could deal with that. But one day my baby started crying and she went on for hours and nothing that I did helped. I nursed her, changed her diaper, sang to her, carried her, took her outside to the park but the terrible wailing wouldn't stop. I just felt like pulling all my hair out and screaming.
Parents who have survived babies with colic can probably still hear the banshee wails echoing faintly in their brains and are probably wiping their brows with relief that it's all over. Colic is a parent's worse nightmare. Parents can do little more than watch as their baby curls up into a tight ball, squeezes his eyes tightly shut, clenches his fists, and opens his mouth to scream till he is red in the face. And this can go on for hours without a break.
Colic normally raises its ugly head when the baby is two or three weeks old and it doesn't go away for a long time. The crying usually reaches a peak after six weeks, but by the twelfth week, the wailing would either have stopped miraculously or would be on the wane.
Why does it happen?
Colic is still a bit of a mystery to most doctors. They are pretty much in the dark about the causes of colic or how to differentiate between a child who cries a lot and one that has colic. Of course, that does not mean that there aren't a great many theories that have been put forward, most of which have been dismissed. Here are some of the more popular ones.
One theory attempts to link colic to the development of an allergy to something the baby ingested or something that the mother ate (if the baby is breastfed). Naturally, there is a school of thought that theorized that colic is hereditary, but there is no scientific evidence to back up this theory. Another hypothesis explains the crying related to colic as a result of the pain caused by the violent contraction of the digestive tract when the baby passes gas. The current favourite propagates the idea that colic may occur because the inhibitory responses of infant brain have not developed enough to inhibit the crying and so on and so forth. There is one thing that has been established though, and that is that parents who are smokers are more likely to have colicky babies. Nobody knows why, but it's a fact. If you're expecting a baby and you smoke, give up. It's not worth it, because if your baby gets colic, you'll really regret it.
Is there a cure?
Obviously, since the cause of colic is unknown, it would be too much to expect a cure. At any rate, parents needn't worry because colic is not a disease. Even though your baby may scream as if he were being murdered, colic does not leave any permanent emotional or physical scars. Colicky babies are healthy. They develop normally and as quickly as babies that don't have colic and display no behavioural problems in the future.
Sometimes babies cry incessantly for hours without any reason. Parents get worried on seeing their bundle of joy, crying. This could be due to colic and this is not a disease. Colicky babies are healthy.
Every parent's worst nightmare
Suvarna Datta recounts her experience when her daughter Prerna had colic. I knew that babies cry, but I thought it was just something that happened in the middle of the night, or when they were hungry, wet or sleepy. I could deal with that. But one day my baby started crying and she went on for hours and nothing that I did helped. I nursed her, changed her diaper, sang to her, carried her, took her outside to the park but the terrible wailing wouldn't stop. I just felt like pulling all my hair out and screaming.
Parents who have survived babies with colic can probably still hear the banshee wails echoing faintly in their brains and are probably wiping their brows with relief that it's all over. Colic is a parent's worse nightmare. Parents can do little more than watch as their baby curls up into a tight ball, squeezes his eyes tightly shut, clenches his fists, and opens his mouth to scream till he is red in the face. And this can go on for hours without a break.
Colic normally raises its ugly head when the baby is two or three weeks old and it doesn't go away for a long time. The crying usually reaches a peak after six weeks, but by the twelfth week, the wailing would either have stopped miraculously or would be on the wane.
Why does it happen?
Colic is still a bit of a mystery to most doctors. They are pretty much in the dark about the causes of colic or how to differentiate between a child who cries a lot and one that has colic. Of course, that does not mean that there aren't a great many theories that have been put forward, most of which have been dismissed. Here are some of the more popular ones.
One theory attempts to link colic to the development of an allergy to something the baby ingested or something that the mother ate (if the baby is breastfed). Naturally, there is a school of thought that theorized that colic is hereditary, but there is no scientific evidence to back up this theory. Another hypothesis explains the crying related to colic as a result of the pain caused by the violent contraction of the digestive tract when the baby passes gas. The current favourite propagates the idea that colic may occur because the inhibitory responses of infant brain have not developed enough to inhibit the crying and so on and so forth. There is one thing that has been established though, and that is that parents who are smokers are more likely to have colicky babies. Nobody knows why, but it's a fact. If you're expecting a baby and you smoke, give up. It's not worth it, because if your baby gets colic, you'll really regret it.
Is there a cure?
Obviously, since the cause of colic is unknown, it would be too much to expect a cure. At any rate, parents needn't worry because colic is not a disease. Even though your baby may scream as if he were being murdered, colic does not leave any permanent emotional or physical scars. Colicky babies are healthy. They develop normally and as quickly as babies that don't have colic and display no behavioural problems in the future.
New Mom Issues
New Mom Issues
A woman's world becomes topsy turvy on the arrival of a baby. Everything changes for her. A new mother has no time for herself, she feels depressed. Her life revolves around her baby. It takes a lot of time and patience to get used to a fixed routine.
Looking at the world through rose-coloured glasses
The word 'mother' conjures up visions of beatific Madonnas smiling down at the infant in their arms; of warm hugs and comfortable laps; of someone who is always there to wipe away your tears and be your safety net; of someone who always gives, expecting nothing in return. But this is what people see from the outside and what they expect every mother to be like. Consequently, when a woman becomes a mother, she automatically assumes that she will live up to these high standards because the 'maternal instinct' is supposed to be inborn. In reality, motherhood is a rocky road, littered with a hundred obstacles and this always comes as a rude shock to a new mother.
Another pretty picture is of a man carrying his baby, giving her the bottle, playing with her, changing her diapers, etc. This would be the dream dad, but such men are still in the minority (even though there is a rumour that men are becoming more sensitive). It may take men some time to feel comfortable around the baby or they may have no time to help because they're working. Mothers should try to include them in baby activities as far as possible, but not expect too much.
A 24-hour job
It is not unusual for new mothers not to feel the expected rush of maternal love on being confronted with the crumpled, red creature that is their long-awaited baby. They are probably too busy recovering from the ordeal of labour or the effects of the anaesthetic if they've had a caesarean. In that condition, it must be difficult to feel anything at all.
It's smooth sailing at the hospital with the nursing staff at your beck and call and friends and relatives pouring in to coo over the baby. But reality bites once the new mother goes home. Suddenly, she's the one who has to nurse, feed, change, and soothe the baby and this is besides having to get on with the rest of her life. The fact is that without help, looking after a baby can be a truly daunting task. Life will become an endless round of chores at a time when a woman's energy is at an all-time low.
I want my life back
A new mother will have to get used to arranging her life according to the baby's convenience. Babies do not care that you've just fallen or that you're in the middle of dinner or that your hair's a mess because you haven't had the time to go for a haircut. It can be more than a little irritating and quite difficult to get used to.
A new mother's hormones are in a state of flux. This, coupled with the fact that she's not feeling a 100% fit and is trying to adjust to her new round-the-clock job as a mother, can often lead to feelings of depression. It is quite normal to find new mothers becoming teary or irritable for no apparent reason. It's not a sin for them to long for their carefree pre-baby existence and to resent being tied down.
Women often think that they will recover their hourglass figures within a few weeks, once a seven or eight pound baby stops occupying their body space. But this could take up to a year plus a strict regimen of exercise. In the meantime, new mothers are stuck with protruding bellies, no time for grooming, their old jeans still lying abandoned in a corner of the cupboard. In short, feeling frumpy and grumpy.
Mothering comes naturally
New mothers tend to worry about the fact that they fumble when changing a diaper or don't know what to do when their baby gets fever for the first time. This does not mean that they are lacking in the maternal department. Bringing up a baby is pretty much a trial-and-error process and all those people showering advice and criticizing your mothering technique, are people who have probably been as inept in their early days of . There is no correct way of doing things. Every baby and every mother is different and you have to find what works best for you.
It is the greatest folly to think that life will be the same after the . How can it? There is a whole new person in your life. Yesterday you were yourself and a wife. Today, you're a mother in addition to the other two. Your relationship with your spouse and the way you look at the world is bound to change. And this is not something you slide into smoothly. As in all kinds of change, there will be a lot of push and pull, ups and downs. But you can handle it better if you know what to expect.
If the preceding paragraphs have led you to believe that the arrival of a baby coincides with doomsday, that was not the intention. Remember forewarned is forearmed. While motherhood is an experience that should not be missed, it is definitely not a bed of roses.
A woman's world becomes topsy turvy on the arrival of a baby. Everything changes for her. A new mother has no time for herself, she feels depressed. Her life revolves around her baby. It takes a lot of time and patience to get used to a fixed routine.
Looking at the world through rose-coloured glasses
The word 'mother' conjures up visions of beatific Madonnas smiling down at the infant in their arms; of warm hugs and comfortable laps; of someone who is always there to wipe away your tears and be your safety net; of someone who always gives, expecting nothing in return. But this is what people see from the outside and what they expect every mother to be like. Consequently, when a woman becomes a mother, she automatically assumes that she will live up to these high standards because the 'maternal instinct' is supposed to be inborn. In reality, motherhood is a rocky road, littered with a hundred obstacles and this always comes as a rude shock to a new mother.
Another pretty picture is of a man carrying his baby, giving her the bottle, playing with her, changing her diapers, etc. This would be the dream dad, but such men are still in the minority (even though there is a rumour that men are becoming more sensitive). It may take men some time to feel comfortable around the baby or they may have no time to help because they're working. Mothers should try to include them in baby activities as far as possible, but not expect too much.
A 24-hour job
It is not unusual for new mothers not to feel the expected rush of maternal love on being confronted with the crumpled, red creature that is their long-awaited baby. They are probably too busy recovering from the ordeal of labour or the effects of the anaesthetic if they've had a caesarean. In that condition, it must be difficult to feel anything at all.
It's smooth sailing at the hospital with the nursing staff at your beck and call and friends and relatives pouring in to coo over the baby. But reality bites once the new mother goes home. Suddenly, she's the one who has to nurse, feed, change, and soothe the baby and this is besides having to get on with the rest of her life. The fact is that without help, looking after a baby can be a truly daunting task. Life will become an endless round of chores at a time when a woman's energy is at an all-time low.
I want my life back
A new mother will have to get used to arranging her life according to the baby's convenience. Babies do not care that you've just fallen or that you're in the middle of dinner or that your hair's a mess because you haven't had the time to go for a haircut. It can be more than a little irritating and quite difficult to get used to.
A new mother's hormones are in a state of flux. This, coupled with the fact that she's not feeling a 100% fit and is trying to adjust to her new round-the-clock job as a mother, can often lead to feelings of depression. It is quite normal to find new mothers becoming teary or irritable for no apparent reason. It's not a sin for them to long for their carefree pre-baby existence and to resent being tied down.
Women often think that they will recover their hourglass figures within a few weeks, once a seven or eight pound baby stops occupying their body space. But this could take up to a year plus a strict regimen of exercise. In the meantime, new mothers are stuck with protruding bellies, no time for grooming, their old jeans still lying abandoned in a corner of the cupboard. In short, feeling frumpy and grumpy.
Mothering comes naturally
New mothers tend to worry about the fact that they fumble when changing a diaper or don't know what to do when their baby gets fever for the first time. This does not mean that they are lacking in the maternal department. Bringing up a baby is pretty much a trial-and-error process and all those people showering advice and criticizing your mothering technique, are people who have probably been as inept in their early days of . There is no correct way of doing things. Every baby and every mother is different and you have to find what works best for you.
It is the greatest folly to think that life will be the same after the . How can it? There is a whole new person in your life. Yesterday you were yourself and a wife. Today, you're a mother in addition to the other two. Your relationship with your spouse and the way you look at the world is bound to change. And this is not something you slide into smoothly. As in all kinds of change, there will be a lot of push and pull, ups and downs. But you can handle it better if you know what to expect.
If the preceding paragraphs have led you to believe that the arrival of a baby coincides with doomsday, that was not the intention. Remember forewarned is forearmed. While motherhood is an experience that should not be missed, it is definitely not a bed of roses.
Top 5 Concerns of a New Mom
Top 5 Concerns of a New Mom
Mothers are concerned about their newborns. They always think that their baby is not getting enough milk. New Moms are all the more concerned about their babies as they are experiencing all these things for the first time.
1. Is my baby getting enough breastmilk?
This is possibly one of the most often asked questions to our medical team. Most mothers are concerned whether they are producing enough breast milk, or whether their child is drinking enough milk. Pressure from family and friends add to the worries of a mother, who starts feeling that if her child doesn't feed as often as the neighbour's child, something's not quite right. Relax. Psychological stress can affect breastfeeding, so pay no heed to what those around you are saying. As long as your child is gaining adequate weight, you have no cause for concern.
2. My baby usually vomits after I breastfeed her. Why is this? Should I be worried?
Often babies vomit after breastfeeding, due to overfeeding, gas or colic. If the child is gaining weight adequately, even though she vomits once in a while, there should be no cause for concern. But if your baby is irritable when being breastfed, if she seems to be in pain, and if she is not gaining weight, it could indicate a reflux problem, and you should contact your child's doctor.
3. Should my baby sleep on her back or on her tummy?
Your baby should definitely be put to sleep on her back or on her side. Numerous studies have shown that children who sleep on their tummies are at a greater risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). SIDS occurs when an infant dies in his sleep for no apparent reason. Get your child a firm mattress that covers the entire floor of the crib, and which doesn't shift around, to minimize the chance of your child suffocating.
4. Why does my baby cry so much? She seems to be crying all the time! Does she have colic?
Realise that crying is one of the only ways your baby can express her feeling or her wants. If she is hungry, tired or sleepy, she will let you know this by crying. If she refuses to stop crying, try this:
•Lie down in a warm bath, and hold her in your arms. The warm water should relax her.
•Take her for a drive. Babies find the rhythmic movement of the car soothing. In addition, the change of being outdoors should distract her from crying.
•Sometimes, no matter how hard a parent tries to comfort their baby, she will just not stop crying. This worries parents, and leads them to suspect that their child may be suffering from colic. Colic is a stomachache, or more specifically, an intestinal pain, due to which a child cries non-stop. The pain generally begins in the evening, and carries on for a couple of hours. Colic begins when a child is around 2 weeks old, and could carry only until the child is around 3 months. At times, if you are not breastfeeding your child at this age and she develops colic, she may be allergic to a particular formula. She could also be suffering from some other condition like reflux. If your child cries inconsolably almost everyday, it makes sense to show her to her pediatrician.
5. When will my baby sleep through the night?
The older your baby grows, the less often he will wake up at night. The initial months, however, are difficult, as babies seem to wake up constantly at night. Though babies sleep around 18 hours a day, most of this sleep is in short spans. Babies keep waking up every few hours, and need to be patted back to sleep. New mothers often don't get a full night's sleep, so it is best for them to adjust their timing according to the baby's timings. Sleep when the baby's sleeping, and wake up when the baby wakes up.
Don't hesitate when calling your paediatrician, even for what may seem to be a silly reason. You should feel comfortable calling him up as often as you need to, without feeling guilty. If your paediatrician shows annoyance by your frequent questions, it's time for you to look for a new one.
Mothers are concerned about their newborns. They always think that their baby is not getting enough milk. New Moms are all the more concerned about their babies as they are experiencing all these things for the first time.
1. Is my baby getting enough breastmilk?
This is possibly one of the most often asked questions to our medical team. Most mothers are concerned whether they are producing enough breast milk, or whether their child is drinking enough milk. Pressure from family and friends add to the worries of a mother, who starts feeling that if her child doesn't feed as often as the neighbour's child, something's not quite right. Relax. Psychological stress can affect breastfeeding, so pay no heed to what those around you are saying. As long as your child is gaining adequate weight, you have no cause for concern.
2. My baby usually vomits after I breastfeed her. Why is this? Should I be worried?
Often babies vomit after breastfeeding, due to overfeeding, gas or colic. If the child is gaining weight adequately, even though she vomits once in a while, there should be no cause for concern. But if your baby is irritable when being breastfed, if she seems to be in pain, and if she is not gaining weight, it could indicate a reflux problem, and you should contact your child's doctor.
3. Should my baby sleep on her back or on her tummy?
Your baby should definitely be put to sleep on her back or on her side. Numerous studies have shown that children who sleep on their tummies are at a greater risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). SIDS occurs when an infant dies in his sleep for no apparent reason. Get your child a firm mattress that covers the entire floor of the crib, and which doesn't shift around, to minimize the chance of your child suffocating.
4. Why does my baby cry so much? She seems to be crying all the time! Does she have colic?
Realise that crying is one of the only ways your baby can express her feeling or her wants. If she is hungry, tired or sleepy, she will let you know this by crying. If she refuses to stop crying, try this:
•Lie down in a warm bath, and hold her in your arms. The warm water should relax her.
•Take her for a drive. Babies find the rhythmic movement of the car soothing. In addition, the change of being outdoors should distract her from crying.
•Sometimes, no matter how hard a parent tries to comfort their baby, she will just not stop crying. This worries parents, and leads them to suspect that their child may be suffering from colic. Colic is a stomachache, or more specifically, an intestinal pain, due to which a child cries non-stop. The pain generally begins in the evening, and carries on for a couple of hours. Colic begins when a child is around 2 weeks old, and could carry only until the child is around 3 months. At times, if you are not breastfeeding your child at this age and she develops colic, she may be allergic to a particular formula. She could also be suffering from some other condition like reflux. If your child cries inconsolably almost everyday, it makes sense to show her to her pediatrician.
5. When will my baby sleep through the night?
The older your baby grows, the less often he will wake up at night. The initial months, however, are difficult, as babies seem to wake up constantly at night. Though babies sleep around 18 hours a day, most of this sleep is in short spans. Babies keep waking up every few hours, and need to be patted back to sleep. New mothers often don't get a full night's sleep, so it is best for them to adjust their timing according to the baby's timings. Sleep when the baby's sleeping, and wake up when the baby wakes up.
Don't hesitate when calling your paediatrician, even for what may seem to be a silly reason. You should feel comfortable calling him up as often as you need to, without feeling guilty. If your paediatrician shows annoyance by your frequent questions, it's time for you to look for a new one.
THUMB SUCKING
Thumb sucking is very common in babies. Babies suck their thumbs as they find comfort in it and feel secure. Thumb sucking can be a signal for hunger. Thumb sucking can become a habit if not prevented early.
Some babies suck their thumbs more than others, but the fact remains that all babies do. This does not seem much of a consolation for anxious parents who worry that their baby has formed a nasty habit that will make her the butt of jokes and may even result in displaced or damaged teeth. These parents should remember that thumb-sucking comes naturally to a baby whether it is because she is hungry, seeking comfort, or just exploring her body. Do not pull your baby's thumb out of her mouth every time she puts it into her mouth. This is definitely not the way to deal with thumb-sucking. This approach could backfire and actually result in the development of a thumb-sucking habit. Parents should keep in mind that thumb-sucking is a habit that disappears of its own volition, gradually petering out between the ages of three and six.
Hunger and thumb-sucking
Thumb-sucking need not be cause for concern if your baby just sucks her thumb for a few minutes before mealtimes. It is because she is hungry. However, if the baby reaches for her thumb immediately after feeding or snacks on her thumb constantly between meals, it is a sign that you need to distract her from thumb-sucking. Let her have a surfeit of sucking at the breast, bottle or a pacifier. Remember that it is important that thumb-sucking be controlled right at the beginning, not after it has become a well-entrenched habit.
Thumb-sucking and breastfeeding
It has been observed that generally breastfed babies are less likely to suck their thumbs. This is because breastfeeding usually satisfies the baby's need to suck. It is the baby who decides when she is ready to let go of the nipple. The mother cannot tell when her breasts are empty.
Ordinarily, a baby sucks most of the milk from the mother's breast in a space of 5 or 6 minutes. Sucking beyond this point is just to satisfy the craving to suck. If a breastfed baby sucks her thumb, allow her to nurse for a longer period of time. If a baby suckles at both the breasts while feeding and still sucks her thumb, the mother could try feeding her from only one breast the next time, allowing her to nurse to her heart's content. If this does not work, increase the duration for which the baby sucks at the first breast and then allow her to suck at the second breast for as long as she pleases.
Thumb-sucking and bottlefed babies
Thumb-sucking develops in the average bottle-fed baby when she can finish a bottle in 10 minutes rather than 20. This happens because as the baby grows older she becomes stronger, and the nipples become weaker. During the first six months, parents should attempt to slow down the pace of bottle-feeding so that the baby takes around 20 minutes. Keeping more of a vacuum in the bottle and buying new nipples with smaller holes can do this. However, if the hole is too small, the baby may think it is too much of an effort and stop sucking altogether
Cutting down on feedings
As a baby grows older, it is natural that she does not need to be fed as often. However, if she has a habit of sucking her thumb, it is better to think twice before reducing the number of feedings. In all likelihood, her sucking needs are still not being met. She may have begun to sleep through her last feed before you turn in for the night. However, it may still be a good idea to wake her up and see whether she is willing to feed.
Teething and thumb-sucking
Babies who are teething have a habit of chewing on their thumbs, fingers or hands. This probably helps them relieve the pressure off their gums. Parents should try not to confuse this with a thumb-sucking habit. A baby, who has a habit of sucking her thumb, will thumb-suck one minute and chew on it the next when she is teething.
What about the baby's teeth?
It is a fact that thumb-sucking can result in the baby's upper front teeth being pushed forward and the lower teeth back. The extent to which the teeth are displaced will depend on how long the baby sucks her thumb and how she positions her thumb. This displacement of teeth is not permanent, i.e. it only affects the baby's milk teeth. The child's permanent teeth come in around the age of six. So as long as thumb-sucking is curtailed before the age of six, there will be no permanent damage to the child's teeth.
Six months old and still sucking her thumb
As mentioned earlier, babies have an instinctive urge to suck, but this urge normally dies down naturally by the time the baby is three or four months old. If your baby sucks her thumb habitually beyond this age, she is doing it to seek comfort. Such babies when lonely, tired, bored or frustrated, resort to thumb-sucking. This is the baby's way of coping with growing up. She regresses to early infancy when something as simple as sucking her thumb made her happy. However, it is extremely rare that a child will begin thumb-sucking for the first time at 6 months or one year.
Tackling thumb-sucking
The first thing to remember, even if it seems hard to believe, is that thumb-sucking generally subsides of its own accord. It normally stops before the appearance of the second teeth. It disappears in fits and starts. It decreases rapidly, but returns when the child feels the need for some additional comfort. The good news is that eventually it will go for good. It is too much to hope that the child will kick the habit before she is three. Children usually outgrow thumb-sucking between the ages of three and six.
If your child occasionally sucks her thumb, but generally seems happy and well-adjusted, there is no cause for concern. However, thumb-sucking can be an indication of maladjustment or lack of love. Parents should try to identify what is bothering the child and then set it right if possible. May be your child needs companionship, or may be you are being too restrictive or not providing enough stimulation and distraction. There could be any number of reasons.
Tips on dealing with habitual thumb-suckers
•Don't make your child feel conscious about sucking her thumb.
•Don't nag your child.
•Don't worry about it. Your child will pick up on your concern, which will in turn cause her to worry.
•Try to distract her with a toy when she begins to suck her thumb. But do it as subtly as possible or she will catch on.
•You can try bribing or rewarding an older child for not sucking her thumb.
•Corrective measures such as restraints, elbow mitts, bad-tasting substances painted on the fingers, etc. usually backfire. Pulling the child's thumb out of his mouth will only serve to make him rebel against this restraint and encourage him to continue the habit.
•Encourage the child to give up the habit in a friendly, non-judgemental manner.
Some babies suck their thumbs more than others, but the fact remains that all babies do. This does not seem much of a consolation for anxious parents who worry that their baby has formed a nasty habit that will make her the butt of jokes and may even result in displaced or damaged teeth. These parents should remember that thumb-sucking comes naturally to a baby whether it is because she is hungry, seeking comfort, or just exploring her body. Do not pull your baby's thumb out of her mouth every time she puts it into her mouth. This is definitely not the way to deal with thumb-sucking. This approach could backfire and actually result in the development of a thumb-sucking habit. Parents should keep in mind that thumb-sucking is a habit that disappears of its own volition, gradually petering out between the ages of three and six.
Hunger and thumb-sucking
Thumb-sucking need not be cause for concern if your baby just sucks her thumb for a few minutes before mealtimes. It is because she is hungry. However, if the baby reaches for her thumb immediately after feeding or snacks on her thumb constantly between meals, it is a sign that you need to distract her from thumb-sucking. Let her have a surfeit of sucking at the breast, bottle or a pacifier. Remember that it is important that thumb-sucking be controlled right at the beginning, not after it has become a well-entrenched habit.
Thumb-sucking and breastfeeding
It has been observed that generally breastfed babies are less likely to suck their thumbs. This is because breastfeeding usually satisfies the baby's need to suck. It is the baby who decides when she is ready to let go of the nipple. The mother cannot tell when her breasts are empty.
Ordinarily, a baby sucks most of the milk from the mother's breast in a space of 5 or 6 minutes. Sucking beyond this point is just to satisfy the craving to suck. If a breastfed baby sucks her thumb, allow her to nurse for a longer period of time. If a baby suckles at both the breasts while feeding and still sucks her thumb, the mother could try feeding her from only one breast the next time, allowing her to nurse to her heart's content. If this does not work, increase the duration for which the baby sucks at the first breast and then allow her to suck at the second breast for as long as she pleases.
Thumb-sucking and bottlefed babies
Thumb-sucking develops in the average bottle-fed baby when she can finish a bottle in 10 minutes rather than 20. This happens because as the baby grows older she becomes stronger, and the nipples become weaker. During the first six months, parents should attempt to slow down the pace of bottle-feeding so that the baby takes around 20 minutes. Keeping more of a vacuum in the bottle and buying new nipples with smaller holes can do this. However, if the hole is too small, the baby may think it is too much of an effort and stop sucking altogether
Cutting down on feedings
As a baby grows older, it is natural that she does not need to be fed as often. However, if she has a habit of sucking her thumb, it is better to think twice before reducing the number of feedings. In all likelihood, her sucking needs are still not being met. She may have begun to sleep through her last feed before you turn in for the night. However, it may still be a good idea to wake her up and see whether she is willing to feed.
Teething and thumb-sucking
Babies who are teething have a habit of chewing on their thumbs, fingers or hands. This probably helps them relieve the pressure off their gums. Parents should try not to confuse this with a thumb-sucking habit. A baby, who has a habit of sucking her thumb, will thumb-suck one minute and chew on it the next when she is teething.
What about the baby's teeth?
It is a fact that thumb-sucking can result in the baby's upper front teeth being pushed forward and the lower teeth back. The extent to which the teeth are displaced will depend on how long the baby sucks her thumb and how she positions her thumb. This displacement of teeth is not permanent, i.e. it only affects the baby's milk teeth. The child's permanent teeth come in around the age of six. So as long as thumb-sucking is curtailed before the age of six, there will be no permanent damage to the child's teeth.
Six months old and still sucking her thumb
As mentioned earlier, babies have an instinctive urge to suck, but this urge normally dies down naturally by the time the baby is three or four months old. If your baby sucks her thumb habitually beyond this age, she is doing it to seek comfort. Such babies when lonely, tired, bored or frustrated, resort to thumb-sucking. This is the baby's way of coping with growing up. She regresses to early infancy when something as simple as sucking her thumb made her happy. However, it is extremely rare that a child will begin thumb-sucking for the first time at 6 months or one year.
Tackling thumb-sucking
The first thing to remember, even if it seems hard to believe, is that thumb-sucking generally subsides of its own accord. It normally stops before the appearance of the second teeth. It disappears in fits and starts. It decreases rapidly, but returns when the child feels the need for some additional comfort. The good news is that eventually it will go for good. It is too much to hope that the child will kick the habit before she is three. Children usually outgrow thumb-sucking between the ages of three and six.
If your child occasionally sucks her thumb, but generally seems happy and well-adjusted, there is no cause for concern. However, thumb-sucking can be an indication of maladjustment or lack of love. Parents should try to identify what is bothering the child and then set it right if possible. May be your child needs companionship, or may be you are being too restrictive or not providing enough stimulation and distraction. There could be any number of reasons.
Tips on dealing with habitual thumb-suckers
•Don't make your child feel conscious about sucking her thumb.
•Don't nag your child.
•Don't worry about it. Your child will pick up on your concern, which will in turn cause her to worry.
•Try to distract her with a toy when she begins to suck her thumb. But do it as subtly as possible or she will catch on.
•You can try bribing or rewarding an older child for not sucking her thumb.
•Corrective measures such as restraints, elbow mitts, bad-tasting substances painted on the fingers, etc. usually backfire. Pulling the child's thumb out of his mouth will only serve to make him rebel against this restraint and encourage him to continue the habit.
•Encourage the child to give up the habit in a friendly, non-judgemental manner.
18 August 2010
Climate Change and Mental Health
Climate is known to affect human health in
different ways. The health impacts of climate
change can occur through a number of direct
and indirect causal pathways, and the severity
is in part determined by the adaptive capacity
of the population.People living in poverty,
those geographically vulnerable to extreme
weather events, those highly dependent on
agriculture for their livelihood and those
vulnerable to develop mental illness are at
high risk. The principal and direct concerns
include injuries and fatalities related to severe
weather events and heat waves; infectious
diseases related to changes in vector biology,
water and food contamination; allergic
symptoms related to increased allergen
production; respiratory and cardiovascular
diseases related to worsening air pollution;
and nutritional shortages related to changes in
food production. Major concerns, for which
data to support projections are less robust,
more complex and have multiple determinants
are the mental health consequences,
population dislocation and civil conflict
following the above-mentioned direct
sequels.Mental health consequences need
to be studied from several dimensions:
psychological distress per se; consequences of
psychological distress including proneness to
physical diseases as well as suicide; and
psychological resilience and its role in dealing
effectively with the aftermath of disasters.
different ways. The health impacts of climate
change can occur through a number of direct
and indirect causal pathways, and the severity
is in part determined by the adaptive capacity
of the population.People living in poverty,
those geographically vulnerable to extreme
weather events, those highly dependent on
agriculture for their livelihood and those
vulnerable to develop mental illness are at
high risk. The principal and direct concerns
include injuries and fatalities related to severe
weather events and heat waves; infectious
diseases related to changes in vector biology,
water and food contamination; allergic
symptoms related to increased allergen
production; respiratory and cardiovascular
diseases related to worsening air pollution;
and nutritional shortages related to changes in
food production. Major concerns, for which
data to support projections are less robust,
more complex and have multiple determinants
are the mental health consequences,
population dislocation and civil conflict
following the above-mentioned direct
sequels.Mental health consequences need
to be studied from several dimensions:
psychological distress per se; consequences of
psychological distress including proneness to
physical diseases as well as suicide; and
psychological resilience and its role in dealing
effectively with the aftermath of disasters.
05 August 2010
Culture affects how our brain works=
Washington, Aug 4 (ANI): Where you grow up can have a big impact on how your brain works, according to a study by psychological scientists Denise C. Park from the University of Texas at Dallas and Chih-Mao Huang from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The researchers have discussed ways in which brain structure and function may be influenced by culture.
There is evidence that the collectivist nature of East Asian cultures versus individualistic Western cultures affects both brain and behaviour.
East Asians tend to process information in a global manner whereas Westerners tend to focus on individual objects.
There are differences between East Asians and Westerners with respect to attention, categorization, and reasoning.
For example, in one study, after viewing pictures of fish swimming, Japanese volunteers were more likely to remember contextual details of the image than were American volunteers.
Experiments tracking participants' eye movements revealed that Westerners spend more time looking at focal objects while Chinese volunteers look more at the background.
In addition, our culture may play a role in the way we process facial information.
Research has indicated that when viewing faces, East Asians focus on the central region of faces while Westerners look more broadly, focusing on both the eyes and mouth.
Examining changes in cognitive processes-how we think-over time can provide information about the aging process as well as any culture-related changes that may occur.
When it comes to free recall, working memory, and processing speed, aging has a greater impact than does culture-the decline in these functions is a result of aging and not cultural experience.
Park and Huang note that, "with age, both cultures would move towards a more balanced representation of self and others, leading Westerners to become less oriented to self and East Asians to conceivably become more self-focused."
"This research is an important domain for understanding the malleability of the human brain and how differences in values and social milieus sculpt the brain's structure and function," concluded the authors.
The study has been published in a special section on Culture and Psychology in the July Perspectives on Psychological Science. (ANI)
The researchers have discussed ways in which brain structure and function may be influenced by culture.
There is evidence that the collectivist nature of East Asian cultures versus individualistic Western cultures affects both brain and behaviour.
East Asians tend to process information in a global manner whereas Westerners tend to focus on individual objects.
There are differences between East Asians and Westerners with respect to attention, categorization, and reasoning.
For example, in one study, after viewing pictures of fish swimming, Japanese volunteers were more likely to remember contextual details of the image than were American volunteers.
Experiments tracking participants' eye movements revealed that Westerners spend more time looking at focal objects while Chinese volunteers look more at the background.
In addition, our culture may play a role in the way we process facial information.
Research has indicated that when viewing faces, East Asians focus on the central region of faces while Westerners look more broadly, focusing on both the eyes and mouth.
Examining changes in cognitive processes-how we think-over time can provide information about the aging process as well as any culture-related changes that may occur.
When it comes to free recall, working memory, and processing speed, aging has a greater impact than does culture-the decline in these functions is a result of aging and not cultural experience.
Park and Huang note that, "with age, both cultures would move towards a more balanced representation of self and others, leading Westerners to become less oriented to self and East Asians to conceivably become more self-focused."
"This research is an important domain for understanding the malleability of the human brain and how differences in values and social milieus sculpt the brain's structure and function," concluded the authors.
The study has been published in a special section on Culture and Psychology in the July Perspectives on Psychological Science. (ANI)
05 June 2010
ADHD
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or AD/HD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder.It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age.
ADHD is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, affecting about 3% to 5% of children globally[and diagnosed in about 2% to 16% of school aged children. It is a chronic disorder with 30% to 50% of those individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood. Adolescents and adults with ADHD tend to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for some or all of their impairments. 4.7 percent of American adults are estimated to live with ADHD.
ADHD is diagnosed two to four times as frequently in boys as in girls,though studies suggest this discrepancy may be due to subjective bias of referring teachers.ADHD management usually involves some combination of medications, behavior modifications, lifestyle changes, and counseling. Its symptoms can be difficult to differentiate from other disorders, increasing the likelihood that the diagnosis of ADHD will be missed.Additionally, most clinicians have not received formal training in the assessment and treatment of ADHD, particularly in adult patients.
ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents and the media. Opinions regarding ADHD range from not believing it exists at all to believing there are genetic and physiological bases for the condition. There is also disagreement about the use of stimulant medications in treatment.Most healthcare providers accept that ADHD is a genuine disorder with debate in the scientific community centering mainly around how it is diagnosed and treated.The American Medical Association concluded in 1998 that the diagnostic criteria for ADHD are based on extensive research and, if applied appropriately, lead to the diagnosis with high reliability.
ADHD is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, affecting about 3% to 5% of children globally[and diagnosed in about 2% to 16% of school aged children. It is a chronic disorder with 30% to 50% of those individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood. Adolescents and adults with ADHD tend to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for some or all of their impairments. 4.7 percent of American adults are estimated to live with ADHD.
ADHD is diagnosed two to four times as frequently in boys as in girls,though studies suggest this discrepancy may be due to subjective bias of referring teachers.ADHD management usually involves some combination of medications, behavior modifications, lifestyle changes, and counseling. Its symptoms can be difficult to differentiate from other disorders, increasing the likelihood that the diagnosis of ADHD will be missed.Additionally, most clinicians have not received formal training in the assessment and treatment of ADHD, particularly in adult patients.
ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents and the media. Opinions regarding ADHD range from not believing it exists at all to believing there are genetic and physiological bases for the condition. There is also disagreement about the use of stimulant medications in treatment.Most healthcare providers accept that ADHD is a genuine disorder with debate in the scientific community centering mainly around how it is diagnosed and treated.The American Medical Association concluded in 1998 that the diagnostic criteria for ADHD are based on extensive research and, if applied appropriately, lead to the diagnosis with high reliability.
OCD
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce anxiety, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, or by a combination of such thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions).
The symptoms of this anxiety disorder may include repetitive hand-washing; extensive hoarding; preoccupation with sexual or aggressive impulses, or with particular religious beliefs; aversion to odd numbers; and nervous habits, such as opening a door and closing it a certain number of times before one enters or leaves a room. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and economic loss. The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and come across to others as psychotic. However, OCD sufferers generally recognize their thoughts and subsequent actions as irrational, and they may become further distressed by this realization.
OCD is the fourth-most common mental disorder and is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma and diabetes mellitus.In the United States, one in 50 adults have OCD.
The phrase "obsessive–compulsive" has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone. Although these signs may be present in OCD, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have OCD, and may instead have obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), an autism spectrum disorder, or no clinical condition. Multiple psychological and biological factors may be involved in causing obsessive–compulsive syndromes
The symptoms of this anxiety disorder may include repetitive hand-washing; extensive hoarding; preoccupation with sexual or aggressive impulses, or with particular religious beliefs; aversion to odd numbers; and nervous habits, such as opening a door and closing it a certain number of times before one enters or leaves a room. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and economic loss. The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and come across to others as psychotic. However, OCD sufferers generally recognize their thoughts and subsequent actions as irrational, and they may become further distressed by this realization.
OCD is the fourth-most common mental disorder and is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma and diabetes mellitus.In the United States, one in 50 adults have OCD.
The phrase "obsessive–compulsive" has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone. Although these signs may be present in OCD, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have OCD, and may instead have obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), an autism spectrum disorder, or no clinical condition. Multiple psychological and biological factors may be involved in causing obsessive–compulsive syndromes
26 May 2010
Substance Dependence
substance dependence is defined as:
"When an individual persists in use of alcohol or other drugs despite problems related to use of the substance, substance dependence may be diagnosed. Compulsive and repetitive use may result in tolerance to the effect of the drug and withdrawal symptoms when use is reduced or stopped. This, along with Substance Abuse are considered Substance Use Disorders...."
Substance dependence can be diagnosed with physiological dependence, evidence of tolerance or withdrawal, or without physiological dependence.
The related concept of drug addiction has many different definitions. Some writers give in fact drug addiction the same meaning as substance dependence, others for example provide drug addiction a narrower meaning which excludes drugs without evidence of tolerance or withdrawal symptoms
"When an individual persists in use of alcohol or other drugs despite problems related to use of the substance, substance dependence may be diagnosed. Compulsive and repetitive use may result in tolerance to the effect of the drug and withdrawal symptoms when use is reduced or stopped. This, along with Substance Abuse are considered Substance Use Disorders...."
Substance dependence can be diagnosed with physiological dependence, evidence of tolerance or withdrawal, or without physiological dependence.
The related concept of drug addiction has many different definitions. Some writers give in fact drug addiction the same meaning as substance dependence, others for example provide drug addiction a narrower meaning which excludes drugs without evidence of tolerance or withdrawal symptoms
17 April 2010
PSYCHOLOGY OF LOVE
Psychological basis
Psychologist Robert Sternberg formulated a triangular theory of love and argued that love has three different components: intimacy, commitment, and passion.
Intimacy is a form in which two people share confidences and various details of their personal lives, and is usually shown in friendships and romantic love affairs.
Commitment, on the other hand, is the expectation that the relationship is permanent.
The last and most common form of love is sexual attraction and passion. Passionate love is shown in infatuation as well as romantic love.
All forms of love are viewed as varying combinations of these three components. American psychologist Zick Rubin seeks to define love by psychometrics. His work states that three factors constitute love: attachment, caring, and intimacy.
Following developments in electrical theories such as Coulomb's law, which showed that positive and negative charges attract, analogs in human life were developed, such as "opposites attract." Over the last century, research on the nature of human mating has generally found this not to be true when it comes to character and personality—people tend to like people similar to themselves. However, in a few unusual and specific domains, such as immune systems, it seems that humans prefer others who are unlike themselves (e.g., with an orthogonal immune system), since this will lead to a baby that has the best of both worlds. In recent years, various human bonding theories have been developed, described in terms of attachments, ties, bonds, and affinities.
Some Western authorities disaggregate into two main components, the altruistic and the narcissistic. This view is represented in the works of Scott Peck, whose work in the field of applied psychology explored the definitions of love and evil. Peck maintains that love is a combination of the "concern for the spiritual growth of another," and simple narcissism. In combination, love is an activity, not simply a feeling.
Psychologist Robert Sternberg formulated a triangular theory of love and argued that love has three different components: intimacy, commitment, and passion.
Intimacy is a form in which two people share confidences and various details of their personal lives, and is usually shown in friendships and romantic love affairs.
Commitment, on the other hand, is the expectation that the relationship is permanent.
The last and most common form of love is sexual attraction and passion. Passionate love is shown in infatuation as well as romantic love.
All forms of love are viewed as varying combinations of these three components. American psychologist Zick Rubin seeks to define love by psychometrics. His work states that three factors constitute love: attachment, caring, and intimacy.
Following developments in electrical theories such as Coulomb's law, which showed that positive and negative charges attract, analogs in human life were developed, such as "opposites attract." Over the last century, research on the nature of human mating has generally found this not to be true when it comes to character and personality—people tend to like people similar to themselves. However, in a few unusual and specific domains, such as immune systems, it seems that humans prefer others who are unlike themselves (e.g., with an orthogonal immune system), since this will lead to a baby that has the best of both worlds. In recent years, various human bonding theories have been developed, described in terms of attachments, ties, bonds, and affinities.
Some Western authorities disaggregate into two main components, the altruistic and the narcissistic. This view is represented in the works of Scott Peck, whose work in the field of applied psychology explored the definitions of love and evil. Peck maintains that love is a combination of the "concern for the spiritual growth of another," and simple narcissism. In combination, love is an activity, not simply a feeling.
CHEMICAL BASIS OF LOVE
Biological models of sex tend to view love as a mammalian drive, much like hunger or thirst. Helen Fisher, a leading expert in the topic of love, divides the experience of love into three partly overlapping stages: lust, attraction, and attachment.
Lust exposes people to others;
romantic attraction encourages people to focus their energy on mating; and
attachment involves tolerating the spouse (or indeed the child) long enough to rear a child into infancy.
Lust is the initial passionate sexual desire that promotes mating, and involves the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and estrogen. These effects rarely last more than a few weeks or months.
Attraction is the more individualized and romantic desire for a specific candidate for mating, which develops out of lust as commitment to an individual mate forms. Recent studies in neuroscience have indicated that as people fall in love, the brain consistently releases a certain set of chemicals, including pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which act in a manner similar to amphetamines, stimulating the brain's pleasure center and leading to side effects such as increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and an intense feeling of excitement. Research has indicated that this stage generally lasts from one and a half to three years.
Since the lust and attraction stages are both considered temporary, a third stage is needed to account for long-term relationships.
Attachment is the bonding that promotes relationships lasting for many years and even decades. Attachment is generally based on commitments such as marriage and children, or on mutual friendship based on things like shared interests. It has been linked to higher levels of the chemicals oxytocin and vasopressin to a greater degree than short-term relationships have. Enzo Emanuele and coworkers reported the protein molecule known as the nerve growth factor (NGF) has high levels when people first fall in love, but these return to previous levels after one year.
Lust exposes people to others;
romantic attraction encourages people to focus their energy on mating; and
attachment involves tolerating the spouse (or indeed the child) long enough to rear a child into infancy.
Lust is the initial passionate sexual desire that promotes mating, and involves the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and estrogen. These effects rarely last more than a few weeks or months.
Attraction is the more individualized and romantic desire for a specific candidate for mating, which develops out of lust as commitment to an individual mate forms. Recent studies in neuroscience have indicated that as people fall in love, the brain consistently releases a certain set of chemicals, including pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which act in a manner similar to amphetamines, stimulating the brain's pleasure center and leading to side effects such as increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and an intense feeling of excitement. Research has indicated that this stage generally lasts from one and a half to three years.
Since the lust and attraction stages are both considered temporary, a third stage is needed to account for long-term relationships.
Attachment is the bonding that promotes relationships lasting for many years and even decades. Attachment is generally based on commitments such as marriage and children, or on mutual friendship based on things like shared interests. It has been linked to higher levels of the chemicals oxytocin and vasopressin to a greater degree than short-term relationships have. Enzo Emanuele and coworkers reported the protein molecule known as the nerve growth factor (NGF) has high levels when people first fall in love, but these return to previous levels after one year.
PHOBIA
A phobia (from the Greek: φόβος, phóbos, meaning "fear" or "morbid fear") is an intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, or people. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid the feared stimulus. When the fear is beyond one's control, and if the fear is interfering with daily life, then a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made.
This is caused by what are called, neutral, unconditioned, and conditioned stimuli, which trigger either conditioned or unconditioned responses. An example would be a person who was attacked by a dog (the unconditioned stimulus) would respond with an unconditioned response. When this happens, the unconditioned stimulus of them being attacked by the dog would become conditioned, and to this now conditioned stimulus, they would develop a conditioned response. If the occurrence had enough of an impact on this certain person then they would develop a fear of that dog, or in some cases, an irrational fear of all dogs.
Phobias are a common form of anxiety disorders. An American study by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that between 8.7% and 18.1% of Americans suffer from phobias. Broken down by age and gender, the study found that phobias were the most common mental illness among women in all age groups and the second most common illness among men older than 25.
Phobias are not generally diagnosed if they are not particularly distressing to the patient and if they are not frequently encountered. If a phobia is defined as "impairing to the individual", then it will be treated after being measured in context by the degree of severity. A large percent of the American population is afraid of public speaking, which could range from mild uncomfortability, to an intense anxiety that inhibits all social involvement.
Phobias are generally caused by an event recorded by the amygdala and hippocampus and labeled as deadly or dangerous; thus whenever a specific situation is approached again the body reacts as if the event were happening repeatedly afterward. Treatment comes in some way or another as a replacing of the memory and reaction to the previous event perceived as deadly with something more realistic and based more rationally. In reality most phobias are irrational, in the sense that they are thought to be dangerous, but in reality are not threatening to survival in any way.
Some phobias are generated from the observation of a parent's or sibling's reaction. The observer then can take in the information and generate a fear of whatever they experienced.
This is caused by what are called, neutral, unconditioned, and conditioned stimuli, which trigger either conditioned or unconditioned responses. An example would be a person who was attacked by a dog (the unconditioned stimulus) would respond with an unconditioned response. When this happens, the unconditioned stimulus of them being attacked by the dog would become conditioned, and to this now conditioned stimulus, they would develop a conditioned response. If the occurrence had enough of an impact on this certain person then they would develop a fear of that dog, or in some cases, an irrational fear of all dogs.
Phobias are a common form of anxiety disorders. An American study by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that between 8.7% and 18.1% of Americans suffer from phobias. Broken down by age and gender, the study found that phobias were the most common mental illness among women in all age groups and the second most common illness among men older than 25.
Phobias are not generally diagnosed if they are not particularly distressing to the patient and if they are not frequently encountered. If a phobia is defined as "impairing to the individual", then it will be treated after being measured in context by the degree of severity. A large percent of the American population is afraid of public speaking, which could range from mild uncomfortability, to an intense anxiety that inhibits all social involvement.
Phobias are generally caused by an event recorded by the amygdala and hippocampus and labeled as deadly or dangerous; thus whenever a specific situation is approached again the body reacts as if the event were happening repeatedly afterward. Treatment comes in some way or another as a replacing of the memory and reaction to the previous event perceived as deadly with something more realistic and based more rationally. In reality most phobias are irrational, in the sense that they are thought to be dangerous, but in reality are not threatening to survival in any way.
Some phobias are generated from the observation of a parent's or sibling's reaction. The observer then can take in the information and generate a fear of whatever they experienced.
ANIMAL PHOBIA
Animal phobias
Ailurophobia – fear/dislike of cats.
Animal phobia - fear of certain animals, a category of specific phobias.
Apiphobia – fear/dislike of bees (also known as Melissophobia).
Arachnophobia – fear/dislike of spiders.
Chiroptophobia – fear/dislike of bats.
Cynophobia – fear/dislike of dogs.
Entomophobia – fear/dislike of insects.
Equinophobia – fear/dislike of horses (also known as Hippophobia).
Herpetophobia - fear/dislike of reptiles.
Ichthyophobia – fear/dislike of fish.
Musophobia – fear/dislike of mice and/or rats.
Ophidiophobia – fear/dislike of snakes.
Ornithophobia – fear/dislike of birds.
Scoleciphobia – fear of worms.
Zoophobia – a generic term for animal phobias
Ailurophobia – fear/dislike of cats.
Animal phobia - fear of certain animals, a category of specific phobias.
Apiphobia – fear/dislike of bees (also known as Melissophobia).
Arachnophobia – fear/dislike of spiders.
Chiroptophobia – fear/dislike of bats.
Cynophobia – fear/dislike of dogs.
Entomophobia – fear/dislike of insects.
Equinophobia – fear/dislike of horses (also known as Hippophobia).
Herpetophobia - fear/dislike of reptiles.
Ichthyophobia – fear/dislike of fish.
Musophobia – fear/dislike of mice and/or rats.
Ophidiophobia – fear/dislike of snakes.
Ornithophobia – fear/dislike of birds.
Scoleciphobia – fear of worms.
Zoophobia – a generic term for animal phobias
LIST OF PHOBIA
Ablutophobia – fear of bathing, washing, or cleaning.
Acrophobia, Altophobia – fear of heights.
Agoraphobia, Agoraphobia Without History of Panic Disorder – fear of places or events where escape is impossible or when help is unavailable.
Agraphobia – fear of sexual abuse.
Aichmophobia – fear of sharp or pointed objects (as a needle, knife or a pointing finger).
Algophobia – fear of pain.
Agyrophobia – fear of crossing roads.
Androphobia – fear of men.
Anthropophobia – fear of people or being in a company, a form of social phobia.
Anthophobia – fear of flowers.
Aquaphobia – fear of water.
Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Brontophobia, Keraunophobia – fear of thunder, lightning and storms; especially common in young children.
Aviophobia, Aviatophobia – fear of flying.
Bacillophobia, Bacteriophobia, Microbiophobia – fear of microbes and bacteria.
Blood-injection-injury type phobia – a DSM-IV subtype of specific phobias
Chorophobia - fear of dancing.
Cibophobia, Sitophobia – aversion to food, synonymous to Anorexia nervosa.
Claustrophobia – fear of confined spaces.
Coulrophobia – fear of clowns (not restricted to evil clowns).
Decidophobia – fear of making decisions.
Dental phobia, Dentophobia, Odontophobia – fear of dentists and dental procedures
Dysmorphophobia, or body dysmorphic disorder – a phobic obsession with a real or imaginary body defect.
Emetophobia – fear of vomiting.
Ergasiophobia, Ergophobia – fear of work or functioning, or a surgeon's fear of operating.
Ergophobia – fear of work or functioning.
Erotophobia – fear of sexual love or sexual questions.
Erythrophobia – pathological blushing.
Gelotophobia - fear of being laughed at.
Gephyrophobia – fear of bridges.
Genophobia, Coitophobia – fear of sexual intercourse.
Gerascophobia – fear of growing old or ageing.
Gerontophobia – fear of growing old, or a hatred or fear of the elderly.
Glossophobia – fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak.
Gymnophobia – fear of nudity.
Gynophobia – fear of women.
Haptephobia – fear of being touched.
Heliophobia – fear of sunlight.
Hemophobia, Haemophobia – fear of blood.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia – fear of the number 666.
Hoplophobia – fear of weapons, specifically firearms (Generally a political term but the clinical phobia is also documented).
Ligyrophobia – fear of loud noises.
Lipophobia – fear/avoidance of fats in food.
Medication phobia - fear of medications
Megalophobia - fear of large/oversized objects.
Mysophobia – fear of germs, contamination or dirt.
Necrophobia – fear of death, the dead.
Neophobia, Cainophobia, Cainotophobia, Cenophobia, Centophobia, Kainolophobia, Kainophobia – fear of newness, novelty.
Nomophobia – fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
Nosophobia – fear of contracting a disease.
Nosocomephobia - fear of hospitals.
Nyctophobia, Achluophobia, Lygophobia, Scotophobia – fear of darkness.
Osmophobia, Olfactophobia – fear of smells.
Paraskavedekatriaphobia, Paraskevidekatriaphobia, Friggatriskaidekaphobia – fear of Friday the 13th.
Panphobia – fear of everything or constantly afraid without knowing what is causing it.
Phasmophobia - fear of ghosts, spectres or phantasms.
Phagophobia – fear of swallowing.
Pharmacophobia – same as medication phobia
Phobophobia – fear of having a phobia.
Phonophobia – fear of loud sounds.
Pyrophobia – fear of fire.
Radiophobia – fear of radioactivity or X-rays.
Sociophobia – fear of people or social situations
Scopophobia – fear of being looked at or stared at.
Somniphobia – fear of sleep.
Spectrophobia – fear of mirrors and one's own reflections.
Taphophobia – fear of the grave, or fear of being placed in a grave while still alive.
Technophobia – fear of technology.
Telephone phobia, fear or reluctance of making or taking phone calls.
Tetraphobia – fear of the number 4.
Tokophobia – fear of childbirth.
Tomophobia – fear or anxiety of surgeries/surgical operations.
Traumatophobia – a synonym for injury phobia, a fear of having an injury
Triskaidekaphobia, Terdekaphobia – fear of the number 13.
Trypanophobia, Belonephobia, Enetophobia – fear of needles or injections.
Workplace phobia – fear of the work place.
Xenophobia – fear of strangers, foreigners, or aliens.
Acrophobia, Altophobia – fear of heights.
Agoraphobia, Agoraphobia Without History of Panic Disorder – fear of places or events where escape is impossible or when help is unavailable.
Agraphobia – fear of sexual abuse.
Aichmophobia – fear of sharp or pointed objects (as a needle, knife or a pointing finger).
Algophobia – fear of pain.
Agyrophobia – fear of crossing roads.
Androphobia – fear of men.
Anthropophobia – fear of people or being in a company, a form of social phobia.
Anthophobia – fear of flowers.
Aquaphobia – fear of water.
Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Brontophobia, Keraunophobia – fear of thunder, lightning and storms; especially common in young children.
Aviophobia, Aviatophobia – fear of flying.
Bacillophobia, Bacteriophobia, Microbiophobia – fear of microbes and bacteria.
Blood-injection-injury type phobia – a DSM-IV subtype of specific phobias
Chorophobia - fear of dancing.
Cibophobia, Sitophobia – aversion to food, synonymous to Anorexia nervosa.
Claustrophobia – fear of confined spaces.
Coulrophobia – fear of clowns (not restricted to evil clowns).
Decidophobia – fear of making decisions.
Dental phobia, Dentophobia, Odontophobia – fear of dentists and dental procedures
Dysmorphophobia, or body dysmorphic disorder – a phobic obsession with a real or imaginary body defect.
Emetophobia – fear of vomiting.
Ergasiophobia, Ergophobia – fear of work or functioning, or a surgeon's fear of operating.
Ergophobia – fear of work or functioning.
Erotophobia – fear of sexual love or sexual questions.
Erythrophobia – pathological blushing.
Gelotophobia - fear of being laughed at.
Gephyrophobia – fear of bridges.
Genophobia, Coitophobia – fear of sexual intercourse.
Gerascophobia – fear of growing old or ageing.
Gerontophobia – fear of growing old, or a hatred or fear of the elderly.
Glossophobia – fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak.
Gymnophobia – fear of nudity.
Gynophobia – fear of women.
Haptephobia – fear of being touched.
Heliophobia – fear of sunlight.
Hemophobia, Haemophobia – fear of blood.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia – fear of the number 666.
Hoplophobia – fear of weapons, specifically firearms (Generally a political term but the clinical phobia is also documented).
Ligyrophobia – fear of loud noises.
Lipophobia – fear/avoidance of fats in food.
Medication phobia - fear of medications
Megalophobia - fear of large/oversized objects.
Mysophobia – fear of germs, contamination or dirt.
Necrophobia – fear of death, the dead.
Neophobia, Cainophobia, Cainotophobia, Cenophobia, Centophobia, Kainolophobia, Kainophobia – fear of newness, novelty.
Nomophobia – fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
Nosophobia – fear of contracting a disease.
Nosocomephobia - fear of hospitals.
Nyctophobia, Achluophobia, Lygophobia, Scotophobia – fear of darkness.
Osmophobia, Olfactophobia – fear of smells.
Paraskavedekatriaphobia, Paraskevidekatriaphobia, Friggatriskaidekaphobia – fear of Friday the 13th.
Panphobia – fear of everything or constantly afraid without knowing what is causing it.
Phasmophobia - fear of ghosts, spectres or phantasms.
Phagophobia – fear of swallowing.
Pharmacophobia – same as medication phobia
Phobophobia – fear of having a phobia.
Phonophobia – fear of loud sounds.
Pyrophobia – fear of fire.
Radiophobia – fear of radioactivity or X-rays.
Sociophobia – fear of people or social situations
Scopophobia – fear of being looked at or stared at.
Somniphobia – fear of sleep.
Spectrophobia – fear of mirrors and one's own reflections.
Taphophobia – fear of the grave, or fear of being placed in a grave while still alive.
Technophobia – fear of technology.
Telephone phobia, fear or reluctance of making or taking phone calls.
Tetraphobia – fear of the number 4.
Tokophobia – fear of childbirth.
Tomophobia – fear or anxiety of surgeries/surgical operations.
Traumatophobia – a synonym for injury phobia, a fear of having an injury
Triskaidekaphobia, Terdekaphobia – fear of the number 13.
Trypanophobia, Belonephobia, Enetophobia – fear of needles or injections.
Workplace phobia – fear of the work place.
Xenophobia – fear of strangers, foreigners, or aliens.
ANXIETY
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that can often occur without an identifiable triggering stimulus. As such, it is distinguished from fear, which occurs in the presence of an observed threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable.
Another view is that anxiety is "a future-oriented mood state in which one is ready or prepared to attempt to cope with upcoming negative events" suggesting that it is a distinction between future vs. present dangers that divides anxiety and fear. Anxiety is considered to be a normal reaction to stress. It may help a person to deal with a difficult situation, for example at work or at school, by prompting one to cope with it. When anxiety becomes excessive, it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder.
Another view is that anxiety is "a future-oriented mood state in which one is ready or prepared to attempt to cope with upcoming negative events" suggesting that it is a distinction between future vs. present dangers that divides anxiety and fear. Anxiety is considered to be a normal reaction to stress. It may help a person to deal with a difficult situation, for example at work or at school, by prompting one to cope with it. When anxiety becomes excessive, it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder.
ROAD RAGE
Road rage is aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Such behavior might include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe or threatening manner, or making threats. Road rage can lead to altercations, assaults, and collisions which result in injuries and even deaths. It can be thought of as an extreme case of aggressive driving.
The term supposedly originated in the USA during the 1980s. The term did originate in the USA during the 1980s, specifically from Newscasters at KTLA a local television station in Los Angeles, California. The term originated in 1987-1988, wherefrom a rash of Freeway Shootings occurred on the 405, 110 and 10 Freeways in Los Angeles. These shooting sprees even spawned a response from the AAA Motorclub to its members on how to respond to drivers with RoadRage and/or Aggressive Manuevers and Gestures.
The term supposedly originated in the USA during the 1980s. The term did originate in the USA during the 1980s, specifically from Newscasters at KTLA a local television station in Los Angeles, California. The term originated in 1987-1988, wherefrom a rash of Freeway Shootings occurred on the 405, 110 and 10 Freeways in Los Angeles. These shooting sprees even spawned a response from the AAA Motorclub to its members on how to respond to drivers with RoadRage and/or Aggressive Manuevers and Gestures.
ASPERGER SYNDROME
Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder, and people with it therefore show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical use of language are frequently reported.
Asperger syndrome is named for the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who, in 1944, described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, demonstrated limited empathy with their peers, and were physically clumsy. Fifty years later, it was standardized as a diagnosis, but many questions remain about aspects of the disorder. For example, there is doubt about whether it is distinct from high-functioning autism (HFA); partly because of this, its prevalence is not firmly established. The diagnosis of Asperger's has been proposed to be eliminated, replaced by a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder on a severity scale.
The exact cause is unknown, although research supports the likelihood of a genetic basis; brain imaging techniques have not identified a clear common pathology. There is no single treatment, and the effectiveness of particular interventions is supported by only limited data. Intervention is aimed at improving symptoms and function. The mainstay of management is behavioral therapy, focusing on specific deficits to address poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness. Most individuals improve over time, but difficulties with communication, social adjustment and independent living continue into adulthood. Some researchers and people with Asperger's have advocated a shift in attitudes toward the view that it is a difference, rather than a disability that must be treated or cured.
Asperger syndrome is named for the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who, in 1944, described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, demonstrated limited empathy with their peers, and were physically clumsy. Fifty years later, it was standardized as a diagnosis, but many questions remain about aspects of the disorder. For example, there is doubt about whether it is distinct from high-functioning autism (HFA); partly because of this, its prevalence is not firmly established. The diagnosis of Asperger's has been proposed to be eliminated, replaced by a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder on a severity scale.
The exact cause is unknown, although research supports the likelihood of a genetic basis; brain imaging techniques have not identified a clear common pathology. There is no single treatment, and the effectiveness of particular interventions is supported by only limited data. Intervention is aimed at improving symptoms and function. The mainstay of management is behavioral therapy, focusing on specific deficits to address poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness. Most individuals improve over time, but difficulties with communication, social adjustment and independent living continue into adulthood. Some researchers and people with Asperger's have advocated a shift in attitudes toward the view that it is a difference, rather than a disability that must be treated or cured.
01 March 2010
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE=
Alzheimer's disease (AD), also called Alzheimer disease or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common type of dementia. Alzheimer's is a degenerative and terminal disease for which there is no known cure.
In its most common form, it afflicts individuals over 65 years old, although a less prevalent early-onset form also exists. It is estimated that 26.6 million people worldwide were afflicted by AD in 2006, which could quadruple by 2050,although estimates vary greatly.The disease was first described by Alöis Alzheimer in 1901.
Each individual experiences the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in unique ways. Generally, the symptoms are reported to a physician when memory loss becomes apparent.
If AD is suspected as the cause, the physician or healthcare specialist may confirm the diagnosis with behavioral assessments and cognitive tests, often followed by a brain scan, if available.
The prognosis for an individual patient is difficult to assess, as the duration of the disease varies from patient to patient. AD develops for an indeterminate period of time before becoming fully apparent, and it can progress undiagnosed for years. The mean life expectancy following diagnosis is approximately seven years, while fewer than three percent of patients live more than fourteen years.
In the early stages, the most commonly recognised symptom is memory loss, such as the difficulty to remember recently learned facts. Earliest occurring symptoms are often mistaken as being noncritical age-related complaints, or forms of stress.
As the disease advances, symptoms include confusion, anger, mood swings, language breakdown, long-term memory loss, and the general withdrawal of the sufferer as his or her senses decline.
Gradually, minor and major bodily functions are lost, leading ultimately to death
In its most common form, it afflicts individuals over 65 years old, although a less prevalent early-onset form also exists. It is estimated that 26.6 million people worldwide were afflicted by AD in 2006, which could quadruple by 2050,although estimates vary greatly.The disease was first described by Alöis Alzheimer in 1901.
Each individual experiences the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in unique ways. Generally, the symptoms are reported to a physician when memory loss becomes apparent.
If AD is suspected as the cause, the physician or healthcare specialist may confirm the diagnosis with behavioral assessments and cognitive tests, often followed by a brain scan, if available.
The prognosis for an individual patient is difficult to assess, as the duration of the disease varies from patient to patient. AD develops for an indeterminate period of time before becoming fully apparent, and it can progress undiagnosed for years. The mean life expectancy following diagnosis is approximately seven years, while fewer than three percent of patients live more than fourteen years.
In the early stages, the most commonly recognised symptom is memory loss, such as the difficulty to remember recently learned facts. Earliest occurring symptoms are often mistaken as being noncritical age-related complaints, or forms of stress.
As the disease advances, symptoms include confusion, anger, mood swings, language breakdown, long-term memory loss, and the general withdrawal of the sufferer as his or her senses decline.
Gradually, minor and major bodily functions are lost, leading ultimately to death
DYSLEXIA
Dyslexia is considered to be a learning disability. It manifests primarily as a difficulty with written language, particularly with reading and spelling.
It is separate and distinct from reading difficulties resulting from other causes, such as a non-neurological deficiency with vision or hearing, or from poor or inadequate reading instruction.
Evidence also suggests that dyslexia results from differences in how the brain processes written and/or spoken language. Although dyslexia is the result of a neurological difference, it is not an intellectual disability. Dyslexia occurs at all levels of intelligence.
The word dyslexia comes from the Greek words δυσ- dys- ("impaired") and λÎξις lexis ("word"). People with dyslexia are called dyslexic or dyslectic.
It is separate and distinct from reading difficulties resulting from other causes, such as a non-neurological deficiency with vision or hearing, or from poor or inadequate reading instruction.
Evidence also suggests that dyslexia results from differences in how the brain processes written and/or spoken language. Although dyslexia is the result of a neurological difference, it is not an intellectual disability. Dyslexia occurs at all levels of intelligence.
The word dyslexia comes from the Greek words δυσ- dys- ("impaired") and λÎξις lexis ("word"). People with dyslexia are called dyslexic or dyslectic.
SPLIT PERSONALITY(DID)=
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), as defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a condition in which a single person displays multiple distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment.
The diagnosis requires that at least two personalities routinely take control of the individual's behavior with an associated memory loss that goes beyond normal forgetfulness; in addition, symptoms cannot be due to substance abuse or medical condition. Earlier versions of the DSM named the condition multiple personality disorder (MPD), and the term is still used by the ICD-10.
There is controversy around the existence, the possible causes, the prevalence across cultures, and the epidemiology of the condition.
The diagnosis requires that at least two personalities routinely take control of the individual's behavior with an associated memory loss that goes beyond normal forgetfulness; in addition, symptoms cannot be due to substance abuse or medical condition. Earlier versions of the DSM named the condition multiple personality disorder (MPD), and the term is still used by the ICD-10.
There is controversy around the existence, the possible causes, the prevalence across cultures, and the epidemiology of the condition.
SERIAL KILLER
A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people (although some have been defined as serial killers based on proof of only two such as Ed Gein) with a "cooling off" period between each murder and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification.
One hypothesis is that all serial killers suffer from some form of Antisocial Personality Disorder.
They are usually not psychotic, and thus may appear to be quite normal and often even charming, a state of adaptation which Hervey Cleckley calls the "mask of sanity." There is sometimes a sexual element to the murders.
The murders may have been completed/attempted in a similar fashion and the victims may have had something in common, for example occupation, race, or sex.
The term serial killer is said to have been coined by Michigan State University alumnus and FBI agent Robert Ressler in the 1970s
Serial killer entered the popular vernacular in large part due to the widely publicized crimes of Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz in the middle years of that decade
One hypothesis is that all serial killers suffer from some form of Antisocial Personality Disorder.
They are usually not psychotic, and thus may appear to be quite normal and often even charming, a state of adaptation which Hervey Cleckley calls the "mask of sanity." There is sometimes a sexual element to the murders.
The murders may have been completed/attempted in a similar fashion and the victims may have had something in common, for example occupation, race, or sex.
The term serial killer is said to have been coined by Michigan State University alumnus and FBI agent Robert Ressler in the 1970s
Serial killer entered the popular vernacular in large part due to the widely publicized crimes of Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz in the middle years of that decade
TRUTH DRUG/SERUM=
A truth drug (or truth serum) is a psychoactive drug used to obtain information from an unwilling subject, most often by a police, intelligence, or military organization. The use of truth drugs is classified as a form of torture according to international law. It has been reported that "truth drugs" have been used by Russian secret services, successors of the KGB and Central Bureau of Investigation (India)CBI
So-called truth drugs have included ethanol, scopolamine, temazepam, and various barbiturates including the anesthetic induction agent sodium thiopental (commonly known as sodium pentathol): all are sedatives that interfere particularly with judgment and higher cognitive function. A book by the former Soviet KGB officer Yuri Shvets based in Washington details the use of near-pure ethanol to verify that a Soviet agent was not compromised by U.S. counterintelligence services
So-called truth drugs have included ethanol, scopolamine, temazepam, and various barbiturates including the anesthetic induction agent sodium thiopental (commonly known as sodium pentathol): all are sedatives that interfere particularly with judgment and higher cognitive function. A book by the former Soviet KGB officer Yuri Shvets based in Washington details the use of near-pure ethanol to verify that a Soviet agent was not compromised by U.S. counterintelligence services
NARCO ANALYSIS
Narco Analysis Test or Narco Test: This refers to the practice of administering barbiturates or certain other chemical substances, most often Pentothal Sodium, to lower a subject's inhibitions, in the hope that the subject will more freely share information and feelings. The term Narco Analysis was coined by Horseley. Narco analysis first reached the mainstream in 1922, when Robert House, a Texas obstetrician used the drug scopolamine on two prisoners. Since then narco testing has become largely discredited in most democratic states, including the United States and Britain. There is a vast body of literature calling into question its ability to yield legal truth. Additionally, narcoanalysis has serious legal and ethical implications
A person is able to lie by using his imagination. In the Narco Analysis Test, the subject's inhibitions are lowered by interfering with his nervous system at the molecular level. In this state, it becomes difficult though not impossible for him to lie. In such sleep-like state efforts are made to obtain "probative truth" about the crime. Experts inject a subject with hypnotics like Sodium Pentothal or Sodium Amytal under the controlled circumstances of the laboratory. The dose is dependent on the person's sex, age, health and physical condition. The subject which is put in a state of hypnotism is not in a position to speak up on his own but can answer specific but simple questions after giving some suggestions. This type of test is not always admissible in the law courts. It states that subjects under a semi-conscious state do not have the mind set to properly answer any questions, while some other courts openly accept them as evidence. Studies have shown that it is possible to lie under narcoanalysis and its reliability as an investigative tool is questioned in most countries. A few democratic countries, India most notably, still continue to use narcoanalysis, but the result of such test can not be used as evidence in the court of law since it violates fundamental right against self-incrimination (Article 20(3) of the constitution of India).
A person is able to lie by using his imagination. In the Narco Analysis Test, the subject's inhibitions are lowered by interfering with his nervous system at the molecular level. In this state, it becomes difficult though not impossible for him to lie. In such sleep-like state efforts are made to obtain "probative truth" about the crime. Experts inject a subject with hypnotics like Sodium Pentothal or Sodium Amytal under the controlled circumstances of the laboratory. The dose is dependent on the person's sex, age, health and physical condition. The subject which is put in a state of hypnotism is not in a position to speak up on his own but can answer specific but simple questions after giving some suggestions. This type of test is not always admissible in the law courts. It states that subjects under a semi-conscious state do not have the mind set to properly answer any questions, while some other courts openly accept them as evidence. Studies have shown that it is possible to lie under narcoanalysis and its reliability as an investigative tool is questioned in most countries. A few democratic countries, India most notably, still continue to use narcoanalysis, but the result of such test can not be used as evidence in the court of law since it violates fundamental right against self-incrimination (Article 20(3) of the constitution of India).
LIE DETACTOR
LIE DETACTOR
Lie detection is the practice of determining whether someone is lying. Activities of the body not easily controlled by the conscious mind are compared under different circumstances. Usually this involves asking the subject control questions where the answers are known to the examiner and comparing them to questions where the answers are not known.
Lie detection commonly involves the polygraph. Voice stress analysis may be also be more commonly used because it can be applied covertly to monitor voice recordings.
The polygraph detects changes in body functions not easily controlled by the conscious mind. This includes bodily reactions like skin conductivity and heart rate.
An fMRI can be used to compare brain activity differences for truth and lie[1]. In episode 109 of the popular science show Mythbusters, the three members of the build team attempted to fool an fMRI test. Although two of them were unsuccessful, the third was able to successfully fool the machine, suggesting that fMRI technology still requires further development.
Electroencephalography is used to detect changes in brain waves.
Brain fingerprinting uses electroencephalography to determine if an image is familiar to the subject. This could detect deception indirectly but is not a technique for lie detecting.
Truth drugs such as sodium thiopental are used for the purposes of obtaining accurate information from an unwilling subject. Information obtained by publicly-disclosed truth drugs has been shown to be highly unreliable, with subjects apparently freely mixing fact and fantasy. Much of the claimed effect relies on the belief of the subject that they cannot tell a lie while under the influence of the drug.
Cognitive chronometry, or the measurement of the time taken to perform mental operations, can be used to distinguish lying from truth-telling. One recent instrument using cognitive chronometry for this purpose is the Timed Antagonistic Response Alethiometer, or TARA.
Lie detection is the practice of determining whether someone is lying. Activities of the body not easily controlled by the conscious mind are compared under different circumstances. Usually this involves asking the subject control questions where the answers are known to the examiner and comparing them to questions where the answers are not known.
Lie detection commonly involves the polygraph. Voice stress analysis may be also be more commonly used because it can be applied covertly to monitor voice recordings.
The polygraph detects changes in body functions not easily controlled by the conscious mind. This includes bodily reactions like skin conductivity and heart rate.
An fMRI can be used to compare brain activity differences for truth and lie[1]. In episode 109 of the popular science show Mythbusters, the three members of the build team attempted to fool an fMRI test. Although two of them were unsuccessful, the third was able to successfully fool the machine, suggesting that fMRI technology still requires further development.
Electroencephalography is used to detect changes in brain waves.
Brain fingerprinting uses electroencephalography to determine if an image is familiar to the subject. This could detect deception indirectly but is not a technique for lie detecting.
Truth drugs such as sodium thiopental are used for the purposes of obtaining accurate information from an unwilling subject. Information obtained by publicly-disclosed truth drugs has been shown to be highly unreliable, with subjects apparently freely mixing fact and fantasy. Much of the claimed effect relies on the belief of the subject that they cannot tell a lie while under the influence of the drug.
Cognitive chronometry, or the measurement of the time taken to perform mental operations, can be used to distinguish lying from truth-telling. One recent instrument using cognitive chronometry for this purpose is the Timed Antagonistic Response Alethiometer, or TARA.
05 February 2010
Subspecialities Of PSYCHIATRY
Subspecialities Of PSYCHIATRY
Various subspecialties and/or theoretical approaches exist which are related to the field of psychiatry. They include the following:
Biological psychiatry; an approach to psychiatry that aims to understand mental disorder in terms of the biological function of the nervous system.
Child and adolescent psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry that specialises in work with children, teenagers, and their families.
Cross-cultural psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry concerned with the cultural and ethnic context of mental disorder and psychiatric services.
Emergency psychiatry; the clinical application of psychiatry in emergency settings.
Forensic psychiatry; the interface between law and psychiatry.
Geriatric psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry dealing with the study, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders in humans with old age.
Liaison psychiatry; the branch of psychiatry that specializes in the interface between other medical specialties and psychiatry.
Military psychiatry; covers special aspects of psychiatry and mental disorders within the military context.
Neuropsychiatry; branch of medicine dealing with mental disorders attributable to diseases of the nervous system.
Social psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry that focuses on the interpersonal and cultural context of mental disorder and mental wellbeing.
Various subspecialties and/or theoretical approaches exist which are related to the field of psychiatry. They include the following:
Biological psychiatry; an approach to psychiatry that aims to understand mental disorder in terms of the biological function of the nervous system.
Child and adolescent psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry that specialises in work with children, teenagers, and their families.
Cross-cultural psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry concerned with the cultural and ethnic context of mental disorder and psychiatric services.
Emergency psychiatry; the clinical application of psychiatry in emergency settings.
Forensic psychiatry; the interface between law and psychiatry.
Geriatric psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry dealing with the study, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders in humans with old age.
Liaison psychiatry; the branch of psychiatry that specializes in the interface between other medical specialties and psychiatry.
Military psychiatry; covers special aspects of psychiatry and mental disorders within the military context.
Neuropsychiatry; branch of medicine dealing with mental disorders attributable to diseases of the nervous system.
Social psychiatry; a branch of psychiatry that focuses on the interpersonal and cultural context of mental disorder and mental wellbeing.
HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY-1
Physicians in Ancient Greece sought to explain and treat mental disturbance, notably melancholy and hysteria, but medieval thought focused on the concept of demonic possession or supernatural spirits. The first hospital wards for the mentally disturbed opened from the 8th century in the Middle East, notably at Baghdad Hospital under Rhazes, with the first dedicated asylums opening from the 15th Century in Egypt, Spain and then the rest of Europe, notoriously at Bedlam in England.
In the 16th century, Johann Weyer famously argued that some cases of alleged witchcraft were actually mental illness, as others had argued before him. Different categories of mental illness became systematically considered by physicians in the context of neurology, a term coined in the 17th century from the work of Thomas Willis. In 1758, William Battie gave impetus to the study and treatment of mental disturbance as a medical speciality. From the late 18th Century, the moral treatment movement sought to make asylums more humane and therapeutic as well as custodial, an approach developed partly from the work of physicians, notably Philippe Pinel, who also developed new ways of categorizing mental disorders.
Psychiatry developed as a clinical and academic profession in the early 19th Century, particularly in Germany. The field sought to systematically apply concepts and tools from general medicine and neurology to the study and treatment of abnormal mental distress and disorder. The term psychiatry was coined in 1808 by Johann Christian Reil, from the Greek “psyche” (soul) and “iatros” (doctor). Official teaching first began in Leipzig in 1811, with the first psychiatric department established in Berlin in 1865. Benjamin Rush pioneered the approach in the United States. The American Psychiatric Association was founded in 1844. Psychiatric nursing developed as a profession.
Early in the 20th Century, neurologist Sigmund Freud developed the field of psychoanalysis and Carl Jung popularized related ideas. Meanwhile Emil Kraepelin developed the foundations of the modern psychiatric classification and diagnosis of mental illnesses. Others who notably developed this approach included Karl Jaspers, Eugen Bleuler, Kurt Schneider and Karl Leonhard. Adolf Meyer was an influential figure in the first half of the twentieth century, combining biological and psychological approaches. Women were admitted as members of the profession and as patients, too
Psychiatry was used by some totalitarian regimes as part of a system to enforce political control, for example in Nazi Germany [4], the Soviet Union under Psikhushka, and the apartheid system in South Africa [5]. For many years during the mid-20th century, Freudian and neo-Freudian thinking dominated psychiatric thinking. Social Psychiatry developed.
From the 1930s, a number of treatment practices came in to widespread use in psychiatry, including inducing seizures (by ECT, insulin or other drugs) or cutting connections between parts of the brain (leucotomy or lobotomy). In the 1950s and 1960s, lithium carbonate, chlorpromazine and other typical antipsychotics and early antidepressant and anxiolytic medications were discovered, and psychiatric medication came in to widespread use by psychiatrists and general physicians.
Coming to the fore in the 1960s, the field attracted an anti-psychiatry movement challenging its theoretical, clinical and legal legitimacy. Psychiatrists notably associated with critical challenges to mainstream psychiatry included R.D. Laing and Thomas Szasz.
Along with the development of fields such as genetics and tools such as neuroimaging, psychiatry moved away from psychoanalysis back to a focus on physical medicine and neurology[6] and to search for the causes of mental illnesses within the genome and the neurochemistry of the brain. Social psychiatry became marginalised relative to biopsychiatry. “Neo-Kraepelinian” categories were codified in diagnostic manuals, notably the ICD and DSM, which became widely adopted. Robert Spitzer was notable in this development. Psychiatry became more closely linked to pharmaceutical companies. New drugs came in to common use, notably SSRI antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics.
Psychiatry was involved in the development of psychotherapies. Neo-Freudian ideas continued, but there was a trend away from long-term psychoanalysis to more cost-effective or evidence-based approaches, particularly cognitive therapy from the work of Aaron Beck. Other mental health professions, particularly clinical psychology, were becoming more established and competing with or working with psychiatry.
During the last third the 20th century, the institutional confinement of people diagnosed with mental illness steadily declined, particularly in more developed countries. Among the reasons for this trend of deinstitutionalization were pressure for more humane care and greater social inclusion, advances in psychopharmacology, increases in public financial assistance for people with disabilities, and the Consumer/Survivor Movement. Developments in community services followed, for example psychiatric rehabilitation and Assertive Community Treatment.
It has been argued that different methods of historical analysis, for example focusing on individual/technical achievements or focusing on social factors and social constructs, can lead to different histories of psychiatry
In the 16th century, Johann Weyer famously argued that some cases of alleged witchcraft were actually mental illness, as others had argued before him. Different categories of mental illness became systematically considered by physicians in the context of neurology, a term coined in the 17th century from the work of Thomas Willis. In 1758, William Battie gave impetus to the study and treatment of mental disturbance as a medical speciality. From the late 18th Century, the moral treatment movement sought to make asylums more humane and therapeutic as well as custodial, an approach developed partly from the work of physicians, notably Philippe Pinel, who also developed new ways of categorizing mental disorders.
Psychiatry developed as a clinical and academic profession in the early 19th Century, particularly in Germany. The field sought to systematically apply concepts and tools from general medicine and neurology to the study and treatment of abnormal mental distress and disorder. The term psychiatry was coined in 1808 by Johann Christian Reil, from the Greek “psyche” (soul) and “iatros” (doctor). Official teaching first began in Leipzig in 1811, with the first psychiatric department established in Berlin in 1865. Benjamin Rush pioneered the approach in the United States. The American Psychiatric Association was founded in 1844. Psychiatric nursing developed as a profession.
Early in the 20th Century, neurologist Sigmund Freud developed the field of psychoanalysis and Carl Jung popularized related ideas. Meanwhile Emil Kraepelin developed the foundations of the modern psychiatric classification and diagnosis of mental illnesses. Others who notably developed this approach included Karl Jaspers, Eugen Bleuler, Kurt Schneider and Karl Leonhard. Adolf Meyer was an influential figure in the first half of the twentieth century, combining biological and psychological approaches. Women were admitted as members of the profession and as patients, too
Psychiatry was used by some totalitarian regimes as part of a system to enforce political control, for example in Nazi Germany [4], the Soviet Union under Psikhushka, and the apartheid system in South Africa [5]. For many years during the mid-20th century, Freudian and neo-Freudian thinking dominated psychiatric thinking. Social Psychiatry developed.
From the 1930s, a number of treatment practices came in to widespread use in psychiatry, including inducing seizures (by ECT, insulin or other drugs) or cutting connections between parts of the brain (leucotomy or lobotomy). In the 1950s and 1960s, lithium carbonate, chlorpromazine and other typical antipsychotics and early antidepressant and anxiolytic medications were discovered, and psychiatric medication came in to widespread use by psychiatrists and general physicians.
Coming to the fore in the 1960s, the field attracted an anti-psychiatry movement challenging its theoretical, clinical and legal legitimacy. Psychiatrists notably associated with critical challenges to mainstream psychiatry included R.D. Laing and Thomas Szasz.
Along with the development of fields such as genetics and tools such as neuroimaging, psychiatry moved away from psychoanalysis back to a focus on physical medicine and neurology[6] and to search for the causes of mental illnesses within the genome and the neurochemistry of the brain. Social psychiatry became marginalised relative to biopsychiatry. “Neo-Kraepelinian” categories were codified in diagnostic manuals, notably the ICD and DSM, which became widely adopted. Robert Spitzer was notable in this development. Psychiatry became more closely linked to pharmaceutical companies. New drugs came in to common use, notably SSRI antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics.
Psychiatry was involved in the development of psychotherapies. Neo-Freudian ideas continued, but there was a trend away from long-term psychoanalysis to more cost-effective or evidence-based approaches, particularly cognitive therapy from the work of Aaron Beck. Other mental health professions, particularly clinical psychology, were becoming more established and competing with or working with psychiatry.
During the last third the 20th century, the institutional confinement of people diagnosed with mental illness steadily declined, particularly in more developed countries. Among the reasons for this trend of deinstitutionalization were pressure for more humane care and greater social inclusion, advances in psychopharmacology, increases in public financial assistance for people with disabilities, and the Consumer/Survivor Movement. Developments in community services followed, for example psychiatric rehabilitation and Assertive Community Treatment.
It has been argued that different methods of historical analysis, for example focusing on individual/technical achievements or focusing on social factors and social constructs, can lead to different histories of psychiatry
02 February 2010
ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY=
NOWADAYS PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEM IN ADOLESCENT IS INCREASING
MOSTLY THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM HEADACHE,ANXIETY,DEPRESSION,IRRITABILITY AND ACADEMIC PROBLEMS.
REASON BEHIND PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEM IS MOSTLY STUDY RELATED STRESS=BURDEN OF STUDY,
PRESSURE OF EXAM,
COMPETITION,
PARENTS HIGHER EXPECTATION,
MULTI-MEDIA(T.V.,INTERNET,CELL PHONE,VIDEO GAMES)
WRONG STUDY METHOD
WHAT IS OUR ROLE TO PREVENT THIS?
TEACHER,STUDENT AND PARENTS ARE LIKE A ONE CHAIN
IF ANY PART OF CHAIN IS WEAK THAN IT'S STRENGTH LOSS
SO ALL THREE SHOULD HAVE TO DO THEIR BEST
NEVER BLAME EACH OTHER
IF THIS SYSTEM IS WORKING TOGATHER THAN NO STUDENT HAS REQUIRE PSYCHIATRIC HELP
MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO HELP STUDENT,NOT FORCE HIM,NEVER EXPECT HIGHER GOAL OUT OH HIS STEMINA
BETTER WAY IS TO UNDERSTAND STUDENT'S STEMINA AND THAN TEACH HIM ACCORDING TO HIS MEMORY,RECALL CAPACITY,UNDERSTANDING AND CAPACITY
IF STILL PROBLEM IS PERSIST THAN YOU SHOULD TAKE ADVICE OF PSYCHIATRIST.
NOWADAYS PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEM IN ADOLESCENT IS INCREASING
MOSTLY THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM HEADACHE,ANXIETY,DEPRESSION,IRRITABILITY AND ACADEMIC PROBLEMS.
REASON BEHIND PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEM IS MOSTLY STUDY RELATED STRESS=BURDEN OF STUDY,
PRESSURE OF EXAM,
COMPETITION,
PARENTS HIGHER EXPECTATION,
MULTI-MEDIA(T.V.,INTERNET,CELL PHONE,VIDEO GAMES)
WRONG STUDY METHOD
WHAT IS OUR ROLE TO PREVENT THIS?
TEACHER,STUDENT AND PARENTS ARE LIKE A ONE CHAIN
IF ANY PART OF CHAIN IS WEAK THAN IT'S STRENGTH LOSS
SO ALL THREE SHOULD HAVE TO DO THEIR BEST
NEVER BLAME EACH OTHER
IF THIS SYSTEM IS WORKING TOGATHER THAN NO STUDENT HAS REQUIRE PSYCHIATRIC HELP
MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO HELP STUDENT,NOT FORCE HIM,NEVER EXPECT HIGHER GOAL OUT OH HIS STEMINA
BETTER WAY IS TO UNDERSTAND STUDENT'S STEMINA AND THAN TEACH HIM ACCORDING TO HIS MEMORY,RECALL CAPACITY,UNDERSTANDING AND CAPACITY
IF STILL PROBLEM IS PERSIST THAN YOU SHOULD TAKE ADVICE OF PSYCHIATRIST.
OCD
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce anxiety, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, or by combinations of such thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions).
The symptoms of this anxiety disorder range from repetitive hand-washing and extensive hoarding to preoccupation with sexual, religious, or aggressive impulses. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and economic loss.
Although the acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and come across to others as psychotic, OCD sufferers often recognize their thoughts and subsequent actions as irrational, and they may become further distressed by this realization.
OCD is the fourth most common mental disorder and is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma and diabetes mellitus.
In the United States, one in 50 adults has OCD.The phrase "obsessive–compulsive" has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone.
Although these signs may be present in OCD, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have OCD, and may instead have obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), an autism spectrum disorder or some other condition.
The symptoms of OCD can range from difficulty with odd numbers to nervous habits such as opening a door and closing it a certain number of times before one leaves it either open or shut.
The symptoms of this anxiety disorder range from repetitive hand-washing and extensive hoarding to preoccupation with sexual, religious, or aggressive impulses. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and economic loss.
Although the acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and come across to others as psychotic, OCD sufferers often recognize their thoughts and subsequent actions as irrational, and they may become further distressed by this realization.
OCD is the fourth most common mental disorder and is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma and diabetes mellitus.
In the United States, one in 50 adults has OCD.The phrase "obsessive–compulsive" has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone.
Although these signs may be present in OCD, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have OCD, and may instead have obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), an autism spectrum disorder or some other condition.
The symptoms of OCD can range from difficulty with odd numbers to nervous habits such as opening a door and closing it a certain number of times before one leaves it either open or shut.
BIPOLAR MOOD DISORDER
Bipolar disorder or manic–depressive disorder (also referred to a bipolarism or manic depression) is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania.
Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time.
These episodes are usually separated by periods of "normal" mood, but in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, known as rapid cycling.
Extreme manic episodes can sometimes lead to psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. The disorder has been subdivided into bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, and other types, based on the nature and severity of mood episodes experienced; the range is often described as the bipolar spectrum.
Data from the United States on lifetime prevalence varies, but indicates a rate of around 1% for Bipolar I, 0.5–1% for Bipolar II or cyclothymia, and 2–5% for subthreshold cases meeting some, but not all, criteria.
The onset of full symptoms generally occurs in late adolescence or young adulthood. Diagnosis is based on the person's self-reported experiences, as well as observed behavior.
Episodes of abnormality are associated with distress and disruption, and an elevated risk of suicide, especially during depressive episodes. In some cases it can be a devastating long-lasting disorder; in others it has also been associated with creativity, goal striving and positive achievements.
Genetic factors contribute substantially to the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder, and environmental factors are also implicated. Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood stabilizer medications, and sometimes other psychiatric drugs.
Psychotherapy also has a role, often when there has been some recovery of stability. In serious cases in which there is a risk of harm to oneself or others involuntary commitment may be used; these cases generally involve severe manic episodes with dangerous behavior or depressive episodes with suicidal ideation.
There are widespread problems with social stigma, stereotypes and prejudice against individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.People with bipolar disorder exhibiting psychotic symptoms can sometimes be misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia, another serious mental illness.
The current term "bipolar disorder" is of fairly recent origin and refers to the cycling between high and low episodes (poles). A relationship between mania and melancholia had long been observed, although the basis of the current conceptualisation can be traced back to French psychiatrists in the 1850s.
The term "manic-depressive illness" or psychosis was coined by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in the late nineteenth century, originally referring to all kinds of mood disorder. German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard split the classification again in 1957, employing the terms unipolar disorder (major depressive disorder) and bipolar disorder.
WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time.
These episodes are usually separated by periods of "normal" mood, but in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, known as rapid cycling.
Extreme manic episodes can sometimes lead to psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. The disorder has been subdivided into bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, and other types, based on the nature and severity of mood episodes experienced; the range is often described as the bipolar spectrum.
Data from the United States on lifetime prevalence varies, but indicates a rate of around 1% for Bipolar I, 0.5–1% for Bipolar II or cyclothymia, and 2–5% for subthreshold cases meeting some, but not all, criteria.
The onset of full symptoms generally occurs in late adolescence or young adulthood. Diagnosis is based on the person's self-reported experiences, as well as observed behavior.
Episodes of abnormality are associated with distress and disruption, and an elevated risk of suicide, especially during depressive episodes. In some cases it can be a devastating long-lasting disorder; in others it has also been associated with creativity, goal striving and positive achievements.
Genetic factors contribute substantially to the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder, and environmental factors are also implicated. Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood stabilizer medications, and sometimes other psychiatric drugs.
Psychotherapy also has a role, often when there has been some recovery of stability. In serious cases in which there is a risk of harm to oneself or others involuntary commitment may be used; these cases generally involve severe manic episodes with dangerous behavior or depressive episodes with suicidal ideation.
There are widespread problems with social stigma, stereotypes and prejudice against individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.People with bipolar disorder exhibiting psychotic symptoms can sometimes be misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia, another serious mental illness.
The current term "bipolar disorder" is of fairly recent origin and refers to the cycling between high and low episodes (poles). A relationship between mania and melancholia had long been observed, although the basis of the current conceptualisation can be traced back to French psychiatrists in the 1850s.
The term "manic-depressive illness" or psychosis was coined by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in the late nineteenth century, originally referring to all kinds of mood disorder. German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard split the classification again in 1957, employing the terms unipolar disorder (major depressive disorder) and bipolar disorder.
WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT BIPOLAR DISORDER?
SCHIZOPHRENIA
Schizophrenia from the Greek roots skhizein and phrēn is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a neuropsychiatric and mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality.
It most commonly manifests as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction.
Onset of symptoms typically occurs in young adulthood.
Diagnosis is based on the patient's self-reported experiences and observed behavior. No laboratory test for schizophrenia currently exists.
Studies suggest that genetics, early environment, neurobiology, psychological and social processes are important contributory factors; some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or worsen symptoms.
Current psychiatric research is focused on the role of neurobiology, but no single organic cause has been found.
As a result of the many possible combinations of symptoms, there is debate about whether the diagnosis represents a single disorder or a number of discrete syndromes.
Despite its etymology, schizophrenia is not the same as dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder or split personality, with which it has been erroneously confused.
Increased dopamine activity in the mesolimbic pathway of the brain is consistently found in schizophrenic individuals. The mainstay of treatment is antipsychotic medication; this type of drug primarily works by suppressing dopamine activity. Dosages of antipsychotics are generally lower than in the early decades of their use.
Psychotherapy, and vocational and social rehabilitation are also important.
In more serious cases—where there is risk to self and others—involuntary hospitalization may be necessary, although hospital stays are less frequent and for shorter periods than they were in previous times.
The disorder is thought to mainly affect cognition, but it also usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. People with schizophrenia are likely to have additional (comorbid) conditions, including major depression and anxiety disorders;the lifetime occurrence of substance abuse is around 40%. Social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty and homelessness, are common. Furthermore, the average life expectancy of people with the disorder is 10 to 12 years less than those without, due to increased physical health problems and a higher suicide rate.
Subtypes=
The DSM-IV-TR contains five sub-classifications of schizophrenia.
Paranoid type: Where delusions and hallucinations are present but thought disorder, disorganized behavior, and affective flattening are absent. (DSM code 295.3/ICD code F20.0)
Disorganized type: Named hebephrenic schizophrenia in the ICD. Where thought disorder and flat affect are present together. (DSM code 295.1/ICD code F20.1)
Catatonic type: The subject may be almost immobile or exhibit agitated, purposeless movement. Symptoms can include catatonic stupor and waxy flexibility. (DSM code 295.2/ICD code F20.2)
Undifferentiated type: Psychotic symptoms are present but the criteria for paranoid, disorganized, or catatonic types have not been met. (DSM code 295.9/ICD code F20.3)
Residual type: Where positive symptoms are present at a low intensity only. (DSM code 295.6/ICD code F20.5)
The ICD-10 defines two additional subtypes.
Post-schizophrenic depression: A depressive episode arising in the aftermath of a schizophrenic illness where some low-level schizophrenic symptoms may still be present. (ICD code F20.4)
Simple schizophrenia: Insidious and progressive development of prominent negative symptoms with no history of psychotic episodes. (ICD code F20.6)
It most commonly manifests as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction.
Onset of symptoms typically occurs in young adulthood.
Diagnosis is based on the patient's self-reported experiences and observed behavior. No laboratory test for schizophrenia currently exists.
Studies suggest that genetics, early environment, neurobiology, psychological and social processes are important contributory factors; some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or worsen symptoms.
Current psychiatric research is focused on the role of neurobiology, but no single organic cause has been found.
As a result of the many possible combinations of symptoms, there is debate about whether the diagnosis represents a single disorder or a number of discrete syndromes.
Despite its etymology, schizophrenia is not the same as dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder or split personality, with which it has been erroneously confused.
Increased dopamine activity in the mesolimbic pathway of the brain is consistently found in schizophrenic individuals. The mainstay of treatment is antipsychotic medication; this type of drug primarily works by suppressing dopamine activity. Dosages of antipsychotics are generally lower than in the early decades of their use.
Psychotherapy, and vocational and social rehabilitation are also important.
In more serious cases—where there is risk to self and others—involuntary hospitalization may be necessary, although hospital stays are less frequent and for shorter periods than they were in previous times.
The disorder is thought to mainly affect cognition, but it also usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. People with schizophrenia are likely to have additional (comorbid) conditions, including major depression and anxiety disorders;the lifetime occurrence of substance abuse is around 40%. Social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty and homelessness, are common. Furthermore, the average life expectancy of people with the disorder is 10 to 12 years less than those without, due to increased physical health problems and a higher suicide rate.
Subtypes=
The DSM-IV-TR contains five sub-classifications of schizophrenia.
Paranoid type: Where delusions and hallucinations are present but thought disorder, disorganized behavior, and affective flattening are absent. (DSM code 295.3/ICD code F20.0)
Disorganized type: Named hebephrenic schizophrenia in the ICD. Where thought disorder and flat affect are present together. (DSM code 295.1/ICD code F20.1)
Catatonic type: The subject may be almost immobile or exhibit agitated, purposeless movement. Symptoms can include catatonic stupor and waxy flexibility. (DSM code 295.2/ICD code F20.2)
Undifferentiated type: Psychotic symptoms are present but the criteria for paranoid, disorganized, or catatonic types have not been met. (DSM code 295.9/ICD code F20.3)
Residual type: Where positive symptoms are present at a low intensity only. (DSM code 295.6/ICD code F20.5)
The ICD-10 defines two additional subtypes.
Post-schizophrenic depression: A depressive episode arising in the aftermath of a schizophrenic illness where some low-level schizophrenic symptoms may still be present. (ICD code F20.4)
Simple schizophrenia: Insidious and progressive development of prominent negative symptoms with no history of psychotic episodes. (ICD code F20.6)
DEPRESSION
Major depressive disorder (also known as clinical depression, major depression, unipolar depression, or unipolar disorder) is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities.
The term "major depressive disorder" was selected by the American Psychiatric Association to designate this symptom cluster as a mood disorder in the 1980 version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) classification, and has become widely used since.
The general term depression is often used to denote the disorder, but as it can also be used in reference to other types of psychological depression, more precise terminology is preferred for the disorder in clinical and research use.
Major depression is a disabling condition which adversely affects a person's family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health.
The diagnosis of major depressive disorder is based on the patient's self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives or friends, and a mental status exam.
There is no laboratory test for major depression, although physicians generally request tests for physical conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
The most common time of onset is between the ages of 30 and 40 years, with a later peak between 50 and 60 years. Major depression is reported about twice as frequently in women as in men, and women attempt suicide more often, although men are at higher risk for completing suicide.
Most patients are treated in the community with antidepressant medication and some with psychotherapy or counselling.
Hospitalization may be necessary in cases with associated self-neglect or a significant risk of harm to self or others. A minority are treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), under a short-acting general anaesthetic.
The course of the disorder varies widely, from one episode lasting months to a lifelong disorder with recurrent major depressive episodes.
Depressed individuals have shorter life expectancies than those without depression, in part because of greater susceptibility to medical illnesses and suicide. Current and former patients may be stigmatized.
Psychological, psycho-social, hereditary, evolutionary and biological causes have been proposed.
Psychological treatments are based on theories of personality, interpersonal communication, and learning.
Most biological theories focus on the monoamine chemicals serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, which are naturally present in the brain and assist communication between nerve cells. Monoamines have been implicated in depression, and most antidepressants work to increase the active levels of at least one.
In clinical practice most of the patient with Depression not know their illness,they are mostly present with sleep disturbance,headache and multiple vague complain.
So proper history and evaluation require to rule out Depression.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT DEPRESSION?
The term "major depressive disorder" was selected by the American Psychiatric Association to designate this symptom cluster as a mood disorder in the 1980 version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) classification, and has become widely used since.
The general term depression is often used to denote the disorder, but as it can also be used in reference to other types of psychological depression, more precise terminology is preferred for the disorder in clinical and research use.
Major depression is a disabling condition which adversely affects a person's family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health.
The diagnosis of major depressive disorder is based on the patient's self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives or friends, and a mental status exam.
There is no laboratory test for major depression, although physicians generally request tests for physical conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
The most common time of onset is between the ages of 30 and 40 years, with a later peak between 50 and 60 years. Major depression is reported about twice as frequently in women as in men, and women attempt suicide more often, although men are at higher risk for completing suicide.
Most patients are treated in the community with antidepressant medication and some with psychotherapy or counselling.
Hospitalization may be necessary in cases with associated self-neglect or a significant risk of harm to self or others. A minority are treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), under a short-acting general anaesthetic.
The course of the disorder varies widely, from one episode lasting months to a lifelong disorder with recurrent major depressive episodes.
Depressed individuals have shorter life expectancies than those without depression, in part because of greater susceptibility to medical illnesses and suicide. Current and former patients may be stigmatized.
Psychological, psycho-social, hereditary, evolutionary and biological causes have been proposed.
Psychological treatments are based on theories of personality, interpersonal communication, and learning.
Most biological theories focus on the monoamine chemicals serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, which are naturally present in the brain and assist communication between nerve cells. Monoamines have been implicated in depression, and most antidepressants work to increase the active levels of at least one.
In clinical practice most of the patient with Depression not know their illness,they are mostly present with sleep disturbance,headache and multiple vague complain.
So proper history and evaluation require to rule out Depression.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT DEPRESSION?
PSYCHIATRY
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT PSYCHIATRY BRANCH?
TODAY WORLD IS PROGRESSING VERY FAST BUT STILL PEOPLE HAS LACK OF AWARENESS OF PSYCHIATRY.
STILL TODAY LOTS OF PEOPLE NOT ACCEPTING MENTAL ILLNESS AND
NOT APPROACHING PSYCHIATRIST.
PEOPLE FEEL SHAMENESS TO CONSULT PSYCHIATRIST
WHEN WIL THIS STIGMA OF OUR SOCIETY DISAPPEAR?
TODAY WORLD IS PROGRESSING VERY FAST BUT STILL PEOPLE HAS LACK OF AWARENESS OF PSYCHIATRY.
STILL TODAY LOTS OF PEOPLE NOT ACCEPTING MENTAL ILLNESS AND
NOT APPROACHING PSYCHIATRIST.
PEOPLE FEEL SHAMENESS TO CONSULT PSYCHIATRIST
WHEN WIL THIS STIGMA OF OUR SOCIETY DISAPPEAR?
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