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More Mental Health Care Urged for Kids Who Self-Harm
Posted 2 days 4 hours ago by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, May 25 – Doctors have long known that some kids suffering severe emotional turmoil find relief in physical pain – cutting or burning or sticking themselves with pins to achieve a form of release. But researchers now are questioning whether enough is being done to reach out to these young people and help them before they do themselves irreparable damage. One study this year found that six of every 10 adolescents who went to an emergency room for treatment after harming themselves were released without receiving a mental health assessment or any follow-up mental health care. The findings were reported in the February issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. "Most young people who self-harm suffer from some underlying psychological disorder," said Jeffrey Bridge, a researcher with the Center for Innovation in Pediatric Practice at Nationwide ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety, Depression, Anxiety and Stress, Psychiatric Disorders
Mothers' Stress Could Cause Iron Deficiency in Newborns
Posted 30 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, April 30 – Stress experienced by a mother during the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to iron deficiency in her newborn, putting the infant at risk for physical and mental development delays, a new study says. Iron is important in organ-system development, especially for the brain. Risk factors for iron deficiency in newborns include iron deficiency and diabetes in their mothers, as well as smoking during pregnancy. Preterm birth, low birth weight and multiple pregnancy are also well-known risk factors for low iron. This is the first study to suggest that stress experienced by mothers early in pregnancy is another risk factor for iron deficiency in newborns, according to the researchers. For the study, researchers looked at Israeli women who lived in an area where more than 600 rocket attacks took place during their first trimester of pregnancy. This stress group was ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress, Postpartum Depression, Iron Deficiency Anemia
Wife's Breast Cancer Can Hurt Husband's Health Too: Study
Posted 23 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, April 23 – The stress of caring for a wife with breast cancer can harm a man's health, and this effect can continue for years after her treatment ends, new research says. The Ohio State University study of 32 men found that those who had the highest levels of stress related to their wives' cancer were most likely to have physical symptoms – such as headaches and abdominal pain – and weaker immune responses. Previous research has suggested that people with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to infection and might not respond well to vaccines. The median age of the men in the study was 58, and they had been married for an average of 26 years. "Guilt, depression, fear of loss – all of those things are stressful. And this is not an acute stressor that lasts a few weeks; it's a chronic stress that lasts for years," study co-author Kristen Carpenter, a postdoctoral ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress, Breast Cancer
Anxiety Linked to Smarts in Brain Study
Posted 18 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 18 – Worrying may have co-evolved with intelligence as an important survival trait in humans, new research suggests. For the study, researchers looked at 26 people with generalized anxiety disorder and compared them to a group of 18 healthy volunteers without the disorder. The investigators found that both worry and high intelligence were associated with brain activity measured by the depletion of the nutrient choline in the brain's white matter. This suggests that worry may have co-evolved with intelligence, said Dr. Jeremy Coplan, a professor of psychiatry at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in New York City. "While excessive worry is generally seen as a negative trait and high intelligence as a positive one, worry may cause our species to avoid dangerous situations, regardless of how remote a possibility they may be," Coplan said in a center ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety and Stress
Depression, Anxiety Tied to Physical Disabilities in Seniors
Posted 5 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, April 5 – Seniors with psychological distress such as depression or anxiety are more likely to have physical disabilities, a new Australian study says. Regular physical activity, however, can protect against such problems. Researchers examined data from nearly 100,000 Australian men and women, aged 65 and older, and found that 8.4 percent of them were experiencing psychological distress. Compared to those with no psychological distress, the risk of physical disability was more than four times higher among those with any level of psychological distress and nearly seven times higher among those with moderate levels. The researchers also found that seniors who were more physically active were less likely to have physical disabilities. The study appears April 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. "Our findings can influence the emphasis that we place on older ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety, Depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety and Stress
Study Shows How Stress Triggers Immune System
Posted 23 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Jan. 23 – Shedding some light on why stress might be bad for you, a new study finds that parts of your immune system ramp up when you get into personal conflicts with others. It's not clear how this effect of stress may make you sick, but the activated parts of the immune system – which cause inflammation in the body – have been linked to conditions such as diabetes and cancer. "The message is that the flotsam and jetsam of life predict changes in your underlying biology in ways that cumulatively could have a bad effect on health," said study co-author Shelley Taylor, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. "What this tells me is that people should be investing in socially supportive relationships, and they should not court relationships that lead to a great deal of conflict." It's well-known that stress causes several reactions in the body. ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress
Health Tip: When Stress Becomes Dangerous
Posted 23 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
-- Stress can contribute to a number of serious health problems, so it's important to visit your doctor when you notice warning signs that stress is affecting your health. The Cleveland Clinic mentions these warning signs of serious stress: Seeing a significant decline in performance at work or school. Feeling overly anxious or having irrational fears. Abusing drugs or alcohol, or thinking suicidal thoughts. Being unable to manage in daily life, or withdrawing socially. Seeing major changes in sleep or eating habits. Engaging in behaviors that cause self-harm. Having frequent physical illnesses or discomforts. Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress
Stress Linked to Higher Mortality Risk Among Men
Posted 28 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Oct. 28 – Men who consistently experience more than two stressful life events each year over an extended time period have a 50 percent higher mortality rate than their less-stressed peers, according to a new study. Only three things seemed to help reduce the negative effects of this chronic stress: good health, marriage and the occasional drink. "Being a teetotaler and a smoker were risk factors for mortality," lead study author, Carolyn Aldwin, a professor of human development and family sciences at Oregon State University, said in a university news release. "So perhaps trying to keep your major stress events to a minimum, being married and having a glass of wine every night is the secret to a long life." The researchers examined stress patterns over the 18-year period from 1985 to 2003, and also documented stressors associated with older age groups, such as the loss of a ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress
Health Tip: When You're Under Stress...
Posted 13 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
-- The first task toward keeping stress under control is recognizing the early symptoms of stress, such as muscle tension, headache or anxiety. The American Academy of Family Physicians says managing stress depends on how you react to it. Recognizing that you're under stress may be easy, compared to changing your response. Here are the academy's suggestions: Don't fret about things over which you have no control, such as the weather. Solve little issues or conflicts first – this may help you tackle bigger ones. Think of change in a positive way. Discuss your stress with a trusted friend or family member. Avoid tackling too much at once. Exercise regularly. Eat a healthy diet, and get enough rest. Engage in activities that tend to ease your stress. Prepare yourself for activities that you know will lead to stress. Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress
Health Tip: Manage Your Stress at Work
Posted 15 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com
-- Job-related stress affects your work performance and can spill over into your personal life. So, learning how to manage stress at work can help you both at home and on the job. The Cleveland Clinic suggests how to manage stress at work: Keep a running, prioritized "to-do" list of tasks. Let your boss know if you feel overwhelmed. Don't blow a problem out of proportion. Leave work-related problems at the office – don't bring them home. Schedule short breaks throughout the work day, particularly when you start to feel stressed. Keep your desk organized and clear of clutter. Exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep. Reward yourself for a job well done. Recognize when it is time to look for a new job. Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress
Americans' Use of Antidepressants On the Rise: Study
Posted 4 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Aug. 4 – Americans are popping more antidepressants than ever before to deal with everyday stress, and non-psychiatrists are increasingly willing to prescribe the drugs to patients with no mental health diagnosis, a new study finds. Antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Lexapro are now the third most widely prescribed group of drugs in the United States, and many people may take them for minor complaints without being fully aware of potential risks, the researchers said. "Both consumers and prescribers of antidepressants should be more knowledgeable about the indications (or symptoms) that antidepressants are better for," said Dr. Ramin Mojtabai, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "Although these drugs do not have many acute side effects, there may be more long-term adverse effects." The study authors ... Read more
Related support groups: Lexapro, Anxiety and Stress, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Paroxetine, Luvox, Escitalopram, Paxil CR, Fluvoxamine, Sarafem
Drinking Alcohol May Prolong, Not Relieve, Stress
Posted 15 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, July 15 – Although many people think that having a cocktail will help them relax, the relationship between stress and alcohol is a two-way street, researchers say. Alcohol can change the way the body manages stress, the authors of a new study pointed out. Meanwhile, stress can also reduce the intoxicating effects of alcohol, causing individuals to drink more to produce the same effect. As a result, turning to alcohol to alleviate anxiety or tension may actually make some people feel worse and prolong their stress, the findings indicate. When faced with stress, a person has separate physiological and emotional reactions that occur at different times after the stressful event, the study's corresponding author Emma Childs, a research associate at the University of Chicago, explained in a university news release. "For example," she said, "the increase in heart rate and blood ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress, Acute Alcohol Intoxication
City Living Tied to More Anxiety, Mood Disorders
Posted 22 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, June 22 – People who are born and raised in cities have a greater lifetime risk for anxiety and mood disorders due to the impact that city living appears to have on two brain regions that regulate emotion and stress, a new international study indicates. The findings may lead to new ways to improve the quality of life for city dwellers, according to the researchers. Previous studies found that urban residents have a 21 percent increased risk for anxiety disorders and a 39 percent increased risk for mood disorders. They also have nearly twice the rate of schizophrenia compared to people who don't live in cities, said study co-author Jens Pruessner, of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute in Montreal. He and his colleagues in Germany used functional MRI to study the brain activity of healthy volunteers from urban and rural areas. They found that city dwellers had ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Anxiety and Stress, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder
Stress Doesn't Boost Risk for Multiple Sclerosis
Posted 30 May 2011 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, May 30 – Although stress can exacerbate multiple sclerosis (MS), it doesn't actually increase a person's risk for developing the disease in the first place, new research indicates. Researchers followed two groups of more than 100,000 nurses each, ranging in age from 24 to 55, from the Nurses Health Study at two separate intervals. Those examined were asked about their levels of stress both at home and at work, as well as any stress stemming from childhood physical and sexual abuse. After taking other factors into account, such as age, ethnicity and smoking, researchers found stress did not increase the women's risk for developing MS. The study, published in the May 30 issue of Neurology, did find the risk of MS is particularly high among young women. Researchers noted their findings could help guide future research into the specific causes of the disease. "This rules out stress ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress, Multiple Sclerosis
Health Tip: Dealing With Anxiety
Posted 13 May 2011 by Drugs.com
-- Anxiety can quickly spiral out of control and interfere with daily life. But there are techniques that will allow you to regain control, the American Academy of Family Physicians says. The academy offers these suggestions: Schedule 30 minutes each day to think about the things that are concerning you. Save your worry for those designated times. Think less about what will happen and concern yourself more with what's happening now. Practice relaxation techniques such as muscle relaxation or deep breathing. Get plenty of regular exercise and enough sleep. Don't abuse drugs or drink alcohol. Restrict or eliminate caffeine. Deal with things that have caused you anxiety in the past. Start by visualizing how you will deal with these factors. Doing so will help you deal with them for real. Talk about your fears with your doctor. He or she can help you devise a plan for how to better cope ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety and Stress, Social Anxiety Disorder, Performance Anxiety
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