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Radio Therapy
Colifata Radio is a small station in Argentina, but it has something that makes it unique. This radio station is run by the inmates of a local psychiatric hospital. Colifata -which means "crazy" in Lunfardo, a local slang- was founded by psychologist Alfredo Olivera in an attempt to support people who are mentally challenged. Colifata Radio is a small station in Argentina, but it has something that makes it unique. This radio station is run by the inmates of... more
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Genetics of childhood trauma
Can genes protect abused children from future emotional turmoil?
Have you ever wondered why some people are so much more resilient than others? Why some can bounce back from trauma, whereas others are doomed to a lifetime of depression and other mental angst? A new study indicates that genes may have something (read: a lot) to do with it. Researchers report in the Archives of General Psychiatry that children who are physically and emotionally abused but have the most protective variant of CRHR1, a gene that controls the body's response to stress hormones, are less likely to suffer depression as adults. The finding could pave the way for new antidepression therapies, says lead study author Kerry Ressler, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. "We know that childhood abuse and early-life stress are among the strongest contributors to adult depression, and this study again brings to light the importance of preventing them," Ressler said. "But when these tragic events do occur, studies like this one ultimately can help us learn how we might be able to better intervene against the pathology that often follows." (Archives of General Psychiatry) Can genes protect abused children from future emotional turmoil? ... more -
Shifting the paradigm
A Conversation with Dr. Na'im Akbar and Viv Ahmun. Black Psychology.
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Child development connected to Mother's mental health
Evaluating the emotional health and social connectedness of pregnant women may help determine if their children will need extra help to meet developmental goals later on, Canadian researchers say. ... more -
Electroshock therapy remains common in treating depression
Protests have taken place for a ban on the treatment, but electroshock therapy is frequently used by Canadian psychiatrists to treat severe depression. Protests have taken place for a ban on the treatment, but electroshock therapy is frequently used by Canadian psychiatrists to treat s... more
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"Happiness is.. not having the children"
people invest so much time and money in their children, and focus on the fleeting moments of joy they bring, rather than on the long periods of boredom and irritation, that most continue to believe children will bring them happiness, says Professor Gilbert.
Credit: Sydney Morning Herald people invest so much time and money in their children, and focus on the fleeting moments of joy they bring, rather than on the long p... more -
"New Freedom" for a New Generation
Established as a result of Bush's New Freedom Initiative, the New Freedom Commission was created "to examine specific aspects of mental health services and offer recommendations for improvement." As a result, new guidelines were set up for the mandatory psychological testing and, if needed, forced medication of every public school student in the United States, without parental notification or consent, and more.
"New freedom"... get it? (Neither do we.) Established as a result of Bush's New Freedom Initiative, the New Freedom Commission was created "to examine specific aspects of menta... more -
The good side of depression
Following the news that the British government is set to train up 3,600 more psychological therapists as Prozac is deemed ineffective, leading psychiatrist Paul Keedwell explores whether depression is all bad or if beneficial highs lurk in amongst the lows.
He argues that viewing depression in a purely clinical way is preventing the exploration of our own susceptibility to it, and that depression has been a key factor in the success of some, including leading, much-loved public figures like Stephen Fry. Following the news that the British government is set to train up 3,600 more psychological therapists as Prozac is deemed ineffective,... more -
The unburdened mind
The majority of these individuals are not violent criminals; indeed, those that turn to crime are generally considered “unsuccessful psychopaths” due to their failure to blend into society. Those who do succeed can do so spectacularly. For instance, while it may sound like a cynical joke, it’s a fact that psychopaths have a clear advantage in fields such as law, business, and politics. They have higher IQs on average than the general population. They take risks and aren’t fazed by failures. They know how to charm and manipulate. They’re ruthless. It could even be argued that the criteria used by corporations to find effective managers actually select specifically for psychopathic traits: characteristics such as charisma, self-centeredness, confidence, and dominance are highly correlated with the psychopathic personality, yet also highly sought after in potential leaders. The majority of these individuals are not violent criminals; indeed, those that turn to crime are generally considered “unsuccessful p... more
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Britney Ain't the Only One! Eva Mendes has "Issues" Too!
According to her publicist, Eva Mendes has "issues" and has decided to take some "time off to proactively attend to some personal issues that, while not critical, she felt deserved some outside professional support."
According to TMZ, Mendes checked into a rehab facility in Utah for substance abuse. According to her publicist, Eva Mendes has "issues" and has decided to take some "time off to proactively attend to some personal issu... more -
Spears has 'mental issues,' friend says
NO DUH!
Barbara Walters says Britney Spears' manager and close friend has told her she's been seeing a psychiatrist and that she has "mental issues." Sam Lutfi, the inside source, also said the issues are treatable.
Dang, u know u got problems when ur peeps be saying u got mental issues. But didn't Barbara Wawa say she was getting out of the celeb interview/gossip/so on and so forth scene? What's up with that?
Either way, Britney Spears got issues? Another one to be filed under No Duh! NO DUH! ... more -
The Quarterlife Crisis
A glance at the challenges that young people face as they transition from the ?freedom? of college life into the world of adult responsibility ? and the solutions they discover. A glance at the challenges that young people face as they transition from the ?freedom? of college life into the world of adult respon... more
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Womb hormones 'lead to anorexia'
Women are usually much more likely than men to have the eating disorder, but a University of Sussex study found men with a female twin were more at risk.
This suggests the hormones released to aid female development may be key.
Commenting on the Archives of General Psychiatry study, a UK expert said other factors in childhood and adolescence remained important.
A plausible explanation for this phenomenon is that in pregnancies bearing a female foetus, a substance is produced, probably hormonal, that increases the risk of having anorexia nervosa in adulthood
It is estimated that up to 90,000 people will be receiving treatment for eating disorders in the UK at any one time, with many other cases going undiagnosed.
No-one is sure why women are more prone than men. Some experts suggest that the pressures of modern society are partly to blame while others look at brain changes much earlier in life.
Research into twins is a way to examine the factors involved, as the single most important period for brain development is during the months of pregnancy.
Dr Marco Procopio, from the University of Sussex, worked with Dr Paul Marriott from the University of Waterloo in Canada to look at information drawn from thousands of Swedish twins born between 1935 and 1958.
Overall, as expected, female twins were more likely to develop anorexia than male twins.
The only exception was among mixed-sex twins, where the male was as likely to develop anorexia as the female.
The researchers wrote that the most likely reason was because of sex steroid hormones released into the womb during pregnancy.
"A plausible explanation for this phenomenon is that in pregnancies bearing a female foetus, a substance is produced, probably hormonal, that increases the risk of having anorexia nervosa in adulthood.
"Because the male half of an opposite-sex twin pair would also be exposed to this substance, it could account for the observed elevated risk in males with female twins."
Susan Ringwood, from the Eating Disorders Association, said: "There is a lot of research now into the effects of hormones on brain development.
"This is an interesting study, although it's important that we also look at other factors such as perception of body-image in childhood and adolescence."
Women are usually much more likely than men to have the eating disorder, but a University of Sussex study found men with a female twin... more -
Boot Camp for Internet Addiction
South Korea is using an interesting tactic to curb an increasing problem among the youth of one of the most wired nation in the world.
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How Shyness Became a Mental Illness
Oh, you didn't know? Normal human behaviors are now serious psychiatric "disorders" for which pharmaceutical companies are falling over each other trying to make pills to combat these terrible afflictions. Oh, you didn't know? Normal human behaviors are now serious psychiatric "disorders" for which pharmaceutical companies are falling ove... more
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Celebrity Obsession Or Gossip For A Global Village?
Society generally dictates that gossip is a guilty pleasure, but psychologists and anthropologists are discovering it may have a far more profound purpose.
Popular usage defines gossip as small talk or idle talk, but gossip is hardly inconsequential or without purpose, says Temple Universitys Professor Emeritus Ralph L. Rosnow and colleague social psychologist Eric K. Foster in their joint paper on the subject of gossip. It has been theorized that gossip played a fundamental role in the evolution of human intelligence and social life and that it continues to play an active role in cultural learning and as a source of social comparison information.
Gossip appears to be a very sophisticated, multifunctional interaction which is important in policing behaviors in a group and defining group membership," says Professor David Sloan Wilson, who teaches biology and anthropology at the State University of New York. In his book, Darwin's Cathedral, Wilson views society is an organism, and agues that religion is evolution at work, having important biological functions, which furthered mankind through increased social function, with gossip serving as a tool.
So where does our hankering for celebrity gossip fall into this elaborate social equation? Well consider that hundreds of years ago, before societies got so vast in size, and before we had such a plethora of media streams, common social references were easier to come by. 16th century villagers for example, would know everyone in their community. But now, those kind of everyday universal social references are harder to come by, so celebrities fill the void, providing easy points of reference and common benchmarks.
Furthermore, gossip is an important social tool, allowing us to make easy, non-threatening connections with strangers in social situations and providing fodder for everyday human interaction. Its a social skill, not a character flaw, argues Frank McAndrew, a professor of psychology at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. Its only when you dont do it well that you get into trouble.
If everyday social situations, such as parties or business conferences, fill you with anxiety, surely its better to go armed with a handful of gossip than a handful of pills or the indiscriminate courage gained from a bottle of booze. Also, a conversation about a remote celebrity rather than someone you actually know is far less prone to pitfalls. Since youre talking ostensibly about a remote third party, its a non-threatening way of testing boundaries and establishing common values, in order to get to know someone -- or decide if you want to.
But, though celebrity gossip and gossip in general may serve a purpose, its no substitute for developing relationships based on real intimacies. Celebrity gossip, of all the gossip along with sports conversations, which is a form of celebrity gossip, are the least intimate conversations one can possibly have, which doesn't mean it's not useful as a social tool. But if the conversation ends there, what one has an achieved is a false sense of intimacy, warns Los Angeles-based psychotherapist and relationship expert Martin C. Novell. Obviously the skill of gossip is much easier to develop than the skill of sharing and caring, which carries a greater degree of responsibly and thoughtfulness, but also higher emotional rewards.
http://www.dailymantra.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedailymantra Society generally dictates that gossip is a guilty pleasure, but psychologists and anthropologists are discovering it may have a far m... more -
Tom Cruise on psychiatry
Seriously? Tom? I liked you better when you were jumping on chairs on Oprah and screeching like a bloody banshee.
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BBC NEWS | Europe | Czech castration raises worries
BBC News: A European anti-torture watchdog has expressed "serious reservations" about surgical castration being used to treat sex offenders in the Czech Republic. BBC News: A European anti-torture watchdog has expressed "serious reservations" about surgical castration being used to treat sex offe... more
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Psychiatry
