Health News Review

is a website that rates the completeness, accuracy, and balance of U.S. news stories about. It builds on other similar initiatives, such as the Media Doctor website in Australia and the Behind the Headlines project in the UK. Its 10-point grading scale includes whether a story gives information about its sources and their competing interests, quantifies the benefits of a treatment, and appraises the evidence supporting the story's claims

The website monitors the the three leading U.S. newsweekly magazines, and the top 50 U.S. newspapers, measured by circulation. In its first 22 months, the website reviewed 500 news stories, and found that they usually failed to discuss evidence quality, alternative options, costs, and absolute sizes of benefits and harms; 41 (8%) of the stories got the highest scores, and are listed at their website

Gary Schwitzer, the founder of Health News Review, was formerly a journalist at and founded the website while teaching journalism at the

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Hearings

The Tribunal conducts hearings in hospitals and community health centres throughout the Sydney, Wollongong, and Newcastle metropolitan regions, and also in Goulburn and Orange. The Tribunal conducts hearings for people living outside these areas either by videoconference or by telephone.

A person may have a lawyer to represent him or her at a hearing. In some cases, non-lawyers can represent a person with the permission of the tribunal.

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Jurisdiction

The tribunal determines cases under the It may also have jurisdiction to deal with cases under other laws. The tribunal has jurisdiction in respect of:

• the release or disposition of persons acquitted of crimes by reason of mental illness;
• whether a person is fit for further trial after a jury has found the person unfit for trial;
• reviewing the cases of detained patients (both civil and forensic) to determine whether they should continue to be detained;
• hearing appeals against a medical superintendent’s refusal to discharge a patient;
• making, varying and revoking community treatment and community counselling orders;
• determining applications for treatments and surgery on detained patients; and
• making orders for financial management where people are unable to make competent decisions for

themselves because of psychiatric disability.

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Possible Abolition

The New South Wales Government enacted the Mental Health Act 2007 on 15 June 2007. When this law commences, the present tribunal constituted under the Mental Health Act 1990 will cease to exist, and a new tribunal under section 140 of the Mental Health Act 2007 will be created in its place. There is no indication at present when this new law will commence.

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Course of the tribunal

Tribunals normally sit in private and take place in the hospital or community unit where the patient is detained. Physical location aside, the tribunals resemble court hearings, during which appropriate witnesses are invited to speak in turn. These include the detained person, his or her solicitor, the member of the multi-disciplinary team responsible for the detained person's care in hospital, known as the Responsible Clinician or RC (usually a consultant psychiatrist), a representative of the nursing staff at the hospital and the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP). Additionally, the RC and AMHP (or more frequently the patient's care coordinator) are required to submit written reports on the person's state of health to the Tribunal in advance of the hearing. Sometimes the primary inpatient nurse for the patient may also submit a written report.

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How the decision is made

Each member of the Tribunal is entitled to an equal voice on questions of law, procedure and substance. All the members participate in the making of decisions and, although the legal member is expected to draft and sign the written record, this is done only after taking into account the contributions of the other members. If the members do not all agree then a decision of the majority of members of the Tribunal is taken as the decision of the Tribunal.

The Tribunal will consider the case and the patient as presented on the day. The Tribunal cannot question the circumstances that gave rise to the detention. The Tribunal decides whether or not to end the patient's detention in hospital. The Tribunal has the power to order a deferred discharge which may be conditional (for example that an aftercare package is put in place).

Decisions of the Tribunal can be appealed in the High Court, usually by way of Judicial Review.

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Role of the medical member

The medical member has a dual role to perform. They are required by the Tribunal Rules to carry out an examination of the patient before the hearing and to take any steps that they consider necessary to form an opinion of the patient's mental condition. At the hearing they, together with the other members, have the judicial responsibility of deciding whether or not the patient should continue to be detained. If the medical member's opinion of the patient differs significantly from other medical witnesses then this should be made known at the beginning of the hearing. This is because it would be unfair and contrary to a basic principle of natural justice if the Tribunal members were to take notice of information that had not been shared with all the other parties at the hearing. The medical member is invariably a consultant psychiatrist of several years' standing. He or she will be able to advise the other members of the Tribunal on any medical matters

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The bodies

The first body is a Judicial Tribunal with the responsibility for hearing applications or references concerning people detained under thev The Tribunal members are appointed by the . There is a Liaison Judge appointed to the Tribunal to lead its development.

The second body is the Mental Health Review Tribunal Secretariat. This is staffed by members of t deapartment of healths and has responsibility for the administration of the Tribunals

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Our special blend of 3 wild species of Gigartine ( skottsbergii, tenella & stellata ) provides abundant sulfated polysaccharides known to be natu.

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Education

TREAT Asia’s clinical sites provide a critical foundation for expanding HIV/AIDS education and training activities among healthcare professionals and community members throughout Asia and the Pacific. TREAT Asia sponsors and conducts workshops and training sessions, and has helped improve treatment literacy through specially tailored programs in several countries in the region.

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Do you know the difference between HIV and AIDS?

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). When HIV infects someone, the virus enters the body and begins to multiply and attack immune cells that normally protect us from disease. Eventually the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off so-called "opportunistic infections" and other illnesses, ranging from pneumonia and cancer to blindness and dementia. It's only when someone with HIV begins to experience these specific infections and illnesses that they're diagnosed with AIDS.

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Women and HIV

In the United States• Women account for more than one in four new HIV/AIDS diagnoses and deaths caused by AIDS.• The proportion of AIDS diagnoses reported among women has more than tripled since 1985.• 71% of women diagnosed with AIDS in 2005 contracted the disease through heterosexual sex.• African Americans constituted 66% of women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2005.• In 2005, teen girls represented 43% of AIDS cases reported among people aged 13 to 19.• African Americans and Hispanics represent 24% of all women in the U.S. but they account for 82% of AIDS cases among women.• African-American women are 23 times more likely to have AIDS than white women.• AIDS is the leading cause of death for African-American women aged 25 to 34.

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When and how can I get tested?

Most people develop detectable HIV antibodies within three months of infection, the average being 20 days. In rare cases, it can take 6-12 months. For this reason, the CDC recommends testing six months after the last possible exposure, i.e, unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sharing needles. You can be tested at your doctor’s office, local health department, hospital, and sites specifically set up to provide HIV testing. All HIV test results are confidential and can only be shared with people authorized to see your medical records. Anonymous testing sites allow you to get tested without giving your name.It is important to seek testing at a place that also provides counseling about HIV and AIDS. Counselors can answer questions about behavior that may put you at risk of contracting or transmitting HIV and suggest ways you can protect yourself and others in the future. They can also help you understand the meaning of the test results and refer you to local AIDS-related resources.The CDC provides a national database of HIV testing sites (see sidebar).

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What types of HIV tests are available?

Several HIV antibody tests are used today. The most common are blood and oral fluid tests. Unlike most testing methods, which can take anywhere from three days to several weeks, rapid HIV testing offers results in 20 minutes to an hour. Although these tests are very accurate, all positive HIV results must be confirmed with a follow-up test before a final diagnosis of infection can be made.

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Am I at risk?

Anyone can become infected with HIV, but you are at greater risk if you:• Have ever shared injection drug needles and syringes or “works.”• Have ever had unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with multiple sex partners, anonymous partners, or men who have sex with men.• Have ever been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB) or a sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis.• Exchanged sex for drugs or money.• Received a blood transfusion or clotting factor between 1978 and 1985.• Have had unprotected sex with someone who would answer yes to any of the above questions.If you are unsure of a sexual partner’s risk-taking behavior or if you or they have had many sex partners, you are at greater risk of infection.The CDC recommends that all pregnant women be screened for HIV. In the U.S., mother-to-child HIV transmission is highly preventable if the mother begins treatment before or during childbirth.

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All sexually active people, particularly those who have had multiple sex partners — gay or straight— should get tested.

Even people in monogamous relationships should be tested and should know their partner’s status.What is an HIV test?When HIV enters the bloodstream, it begins to attack certain white blood cells known as CD4 cells. The immune system then produces antibodies to fight off infection. When you take an HIV test, doctors are actually looking for the presence of these antibodies, which confirm that HIV infection has occurred

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Why should I get tested?

Early diagnosis is crucial in preventing life-threatening health conditions and combating the spread of HIV. Knowing your status will allow you to take steps to protect your health and the health of others. If you know you are HIV-positive and pregnant, you can take medications and other precautions—such as refraining from breast-feeding— to significantly reduce the risk of infecting your child.

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A Practical Guide to Getting Tested for HIV

June 2008 — Health experts estimate that approximately 25% of Americans infected with HIV do not know their status — a figure that has profound public health implications. In fact, evidence suggests that most new infections stem from people who are unaware of their HIV status, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

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How can I reduce my risk of becoming infected with HIV through sexual contact?

If you are sexually active, protect yourself against HIV by practicing safer sex. Whenever you have sex, use a condom or "dental dam" (a square of latex recommended for use during oral-genital and oral-anal sex). When used properly and consistently, condoms are extremely effective. But remember:• Use only latex condoms (or dental dams). Lambskin products provide little protection against HIV.• Use only water-based lubricants. Latex condoms are virtually useless when combined with oil- or petroleum-based lubricants such as Vaseline® or hand lotion. (People with latex allergies can use polyethylene condoms with oil-based lubricants).• Use protection each and every time you have sex.• If necessary, consult a nurse, doctor, or health educator for guidance on the proper use of latex barriers.

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How can I help fight HIV/AIDS?

Everyone can play a role in confronting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Here are just a few suggestions for how you can make a difference:• Volunteer with your local AIDS service organization.• Talk with the young people you know about HIV/AIDS.• Sponsor an AIDS education event or fund raiser with your local school, community group, or religious organization.• Urge government officials to provide adequate funding for AIDS research, prevention education, medical care, and support services.• Speak out against AIDS-related discrimination.• Support continued research to develop better treatments and a safe and effective AIDS vaccine by making a donation to amfAR.

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brain tissue loss in aids

HIV is not an easy virus to pass from one person to another. It is not transmitted through food or air (for instance, by coughing or sneezing). There has never been a case where a person was infected by a household member, relative, co-worker, or friend through casual or everyday contact such as sharing eating utensils or bathroom facilities, or through hugging or kissing. (Most scientists agree that while HIV transmission through deep or prolonged "French" kissing may be possible, it would be extremely unlikely.) Here in the U.S., screening the blood supply for HIV has virtually eliminated the risk of infection through blood transfusions (and you cannot get HIV from giving blood at a blood bank or other established blood collection center). Sweat, tears, vomit, feces, and urine do contain HIV, but have not been reported to transmit the disease (apart from two cases involving transmission from fecal matter via cut skin). Mosquitoes, fleas, and other insects do not transmit HIV.

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HIV transmitted? how is

A person who has HIV carries the virus in certain body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted only if such HIV-infected fluids enter the bloodstream of another person. This kind of direct entry can occur (1) through the linings of the vagina, rectum, mouth, and the opening at the tip of the penis; (2) through intravenous injection with a syringe; or (3) through a break in the skin, such as a cut or sore. Usually, HIV is transmitted through:• Unprotected sexual intercourse (either vaginal or anal) with someone who has HIV. Women are at greater risk of HIV infection through vaginal sex than men, although the virus can also be transmitted from women to men. Anal sex (whether male-male or male-female) poses a high risk mainly to the receptive partner, because the lining of the anus and rectum is extremely thin and is filled with small blood vessels that can be easily injured during intercourse.• Unprotected oral sex with someone who has HIV. There are far fewer cases of HIV transmission attributed to oral sex than to either vaginal or anal intercourse, but oral-genital contact poses a clear risk of HIV infection, particularly when ejaculation occurs in the mouth. This risk goes up when either partner has cuts or sores, such as those caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), recent tooth-brushing, or canker sores, which can allow the virus to enter the bloodstream.• Sharing needles or syringes with someone who is HIV infected. Laboratory studies show that infectious HIV can survive in used syringes for a month or more. That's why people who inject drugs should never reuse or share syringes, water, or drug preparation equipment. This includes needles or \tsyringes used to inject illegal drugs such as heroin, as well as steroids. Other types of needles, such as those used for body piercing and tattoos, can also carry HIV.• Infection during pregnancy, childbirth, or breast-feeding (mother-to-infant transmission). Any woman who is pregnant or considering becoming pregnant and thinks she may have been exposed to HIV-even if the exposure occurred years ago-should seek testing and counseling. In the U.S., mother-to-infant transmission has dropped to just a few cases each year because pregnant women are routinely tested for HIV. Those who test positive can get drugs to prevent HIV from being passed on to a fetus or infant, and they are counseled not to breast-feed.How is HIV not transmitted?HIV is not an easy virus to pass from one person to another. It is not transmitted through food or air (for instance, by coughing or sneezing). There has never been a case where a person was infected by a household member, relative, co-worker, or friend through casual or everyday contact such as sharing eating utensils or bathroom facilities, or through hugging or kissing. (Most scientists agree that while HIV transmission through deep or prolonged "French" kissing may be possible, it would be extremely unlikely.) Here in the U.S., screening the blood supply for HIV has virtually eliminated the risk of infection through blood transfusions (and you cannot get HIV from giving blood at a blood bank or other established blood collection center). Sweat, tears, vomit, feces, and urine do contain HIV, but have not been reported to transmit the disease (apart from two cases involving transmission from fecal matter via cut skin). Mosquitoes, fleas, and other insects do not transmit HIV.

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HIV/AIDS? How many people are affected .

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that there are now 40 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide. Most of them do not know they carry HIV and may be spreading the virus to others. In the U.S., approximately one million people have HIV or AIDS, and 40,000 Americans become newly infected with HIV each year. According to the CDC, it is estimated that a quarter of all people with HIV in the U.S. do not know they are carrying the virus.Since the beginning of the epidemic, AIDS has killed more than 25 million people worldwide, including more than 500,000 Americans. AIDS has replaced malaria and tuberculosis as the world's deadliest infectious disease among adults and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Fifteen million children have been orphaned by the epidemic.

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What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system.When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are immune cells that normally protect us from disease. The hallmark of HIV infection is the progressive loss of a specific type of immune cell called T-helper, or CD4, cells. As the virus grows, it damages or kills these and other cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the person vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and other illnesses ranging from pneumonia to cancer. A person can receive a clinical diagnosis of AIDS, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if he or she has tested positive for HIV and meets one or both of theses conditions:• The presence of one or more AIDS-related infections or illnesses;• A CD4 count that has reached or fallen below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. Also called the T-cell count, the CD4 count ranges from 450 to 1200 in healthy individuals.

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Kaiser HIV/AIDS Report

The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS plans to call on President Obama to develop a national strategy to address the HIV/AIDS among blacks in the U.S., the AP/Yahoo! Canada News reports. The organization's head, Virginia Fields, will discuss the state of HIV/AIDS in the black community on Thursday in New York City. According to the AP/Yahoo! Canada News, Fields will examine HIV/AIDS education, treatment, resources and other issues during her speech. The commission coordinates volunteer efforts among business leaders, religious leaders, elected officials and policy experts. The AP/Yahoo! Canada News reports that Obama has said that he aims to launch a strategy to address HIV/AIDS-related health disparities.Fields' speech comes ahead of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which is scheduled for Feb. 7 (AP/Yahoo! Canada News, 2/4). The awareness day has the theme of "Black Life is Worth Saving," and organizers aim to raise awareness about the disease and promote testing, treatment and community involvement among blacks (South West Review, 2/4). According to CDC, blacks comprise 12% of the U.S. population but account for almost half of new HIV infections and almost half of all people living with the virus in the U.S. "To turn the tide, we all must continue to confront the realities of this disease in African-American communities," Kevin Fenton -- director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention -- said, adding, "While race itself does not increase risk, high prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in black communities means African-Americans face a greater risk of HIV infection with each sexual encounter than other groups. Stark realities of some African-Americans' lives -- including poverty and limited access to health care -- increase the likelihood of HIV infection. Stigma and homophobia also contribute to keeping HIV alive in black communities

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Brain Power

Walk and Talk - Recent research shows the brain-boosting and mood-boosting value of exercise. Walking in particular seems most helpful. From your own experience you may also know how much a good conversation can clarify your thinking and help you generate new ways of looking at things. So why not combine the two, and take a walk with someone with whom you can have an intelligent conversation. It will be good for your body and mind

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Mood Disorder

Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, mania and bipolar disorder

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Mental Health

Any disease of the mind, the psychological state of someone who has emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to require psychiatric.

Types of Mental Illness

There are many different conditions that are recognized as mental illnesses.
The more common types include:

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Psychotic Disorder

Psychotic disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. Two of the most common symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations -- the experience of images or sounds that are not real, such as hearing voices -- and delusions -- false beliefs that the ill person accepts as true, despite evidence to the contrary. Schizophrenia
is an example of a psychotic disorder.

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Mental Heath Recovery

What is Mental Health Recovery and why do I need it? We define mental health recovery as the "individual process of overcoming the negative impact of a psychiatric disability despite its continued presence". More simply said, recovery is the process by which an individual recovers their self-esteem, identity, self-worth, dreams, pride, choice, dignity and a meaningful life

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Getting Know Your Brain

How does learning change the brain? What about memory? How can you enhance your memory or improve your thinking, learning, and creativity? Explore this section to find the answer to these and other questions. Your brain is made up of hundreds of billions of cells. You might think of each of these cells as a musician in an orchestra. Each person in the orchestra plays notes that—in harmony with all of the sections in the orchestra—results in elaborate music. The complex concerto that the orchestra's musicians play is—in this case—your own behavior patterns. Your thoughts, actions, and senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing) affect distinct sets of nerve cells and brain chemicals. How It Works Patterns of chemical and electrical signals travel between the nerve cells in your brain. Nerve cells (neurons) are the workhorses of the brain. Their fibers (axons and dendrites) form connections (synapses) with other nerve cells. When a nerve cell is activated, it sends a low-level electrical current down its axon. This releases brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that reach across the gaps between nerve cells and latch onto receptors. Nerve cells that receive neurotransmitters then pass the signal along, like runners in a relay race. When we repeat experiences (for example, practicing a musical score), we reactivate the same nerve cell connections (synapses) over and over again. After many repetitions, the synapse changes physically, making the connections more efficient and storing the experience or behavior in our long-term memory. Scientists believe that your long-term memories are actually stored—or "encoded"—in specific synapse patterns in your brain's folds and ridges

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Enhance Support

How Peer Support Enhances the Recovery Process When a person experiences a potentially life threatening illness, who do they want to talk to? An expert in treating the illness and someone who has survived it. Because The Main Place's staff is made up of individuals who have overcome the impact that mental challenges had on their lives, they can: 1) Share their wisdom, knowledge and experience in recovery; 2) Make you aware of choices you have and assist in implementing your own personal plan of recovery; 3) Link you to resources beyond the mental health system; 4) Help you master the skills necessary to recover; and 5) Provide comfort and support along the journey.

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How Brain Relate Function

How Parts of Our Brains Relate to Function
The part of our brains called the "frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex"—especially the so-called "prefrontal cortex"—is where important functions like reasoning and planning take place. Other areas of our brains (the hippocampus, the amygdala, and neighboring structures in the temporal lobe) are connected to the cortex by complex nerve cell connections, which form the core of your brain's memory-processing system.

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Difference Between Learning and Memory

Difference between Learning and Memory Not all learning is transformed into lasting memories. "Learning is how you acquire new information about the world, and memory is how you store that information over time," says Eric R. Kandel, M.D., vice chairman of The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology of Medicine for his work on the molecular basis of memory. "There is no memory without learning, but there is learning without memory." For example, you may look up a telephone number and remember it just long enough to make your call. This is sometimes called "working memory." It requires learning—but not for the long haul.

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What does Brain Learning Means

What Does "Learning" Mean? To most of us, "learning" means an attempt to create a memory that lasts. Mastering new dance steps, learning foreign languages, or remembering acquaintances' names require our brains to encode and store new information until we need it. How much do you remember of what you learned in school? Unless you've used skills from school in your day-to-day life, you may have trouble recalling the details. This is why brain researchers draw differences between learning and memory. They are closely linked—but they are not the same thing.

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How you feel pain

Your experience of pain is part biology, but it's also influenced by psychological and cultural factors. Despite years of research, questions linger about exactly what happens between the moment you stub your toe and the moment you say "ouch" — or some other choice word.

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Your Peripheral Nerves

These nerves extend from your spinal cord to your skin, muscles and internal organs. Some peripheral nerve fibers end with receptors that respond to touch, pressure, vibration, cold and warmth. Other types of nerve fibers end with nociceptors (no-sih-SEP-turs) — which are receptors that detect actual or potential tissue damage.

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Pain Message Reaction

Current understanding of pain is based on gate-control theory, which grew out of observations of World War II veterans and their reactions to different types of injuries. The central concepts of gate-control theory are:
Pain messages don't travel directly from your pain receptors to your brain. When pain messages reach your spinal cord, they meet up with specialized nerve cells that act as gatekeepers, which filter the pain messages on their way to your brain. For severe pain that's linked to bodily harm, such as when you touch a hot stove, the "gate" is wide open, and the messages take an express route to your brain. Weak pain messages, however, may be filtered or blocked out by the gate.
Nerve fibers that transmit touch also affect gatekeeper cells. This explains why rubbing a sore area — such as the site of a stubbed toe — makes it feel better. The signals of touch from the rubbing actually decrease the transmission of pain signals.
Messages can change within your peripheral nerves and spinal cord. Nerve cells in your spinal cord may release chemicals that intensify the pain, increasing the strength of the pain signal that reaches your brain. This is called wind-up or sensitization. At the same time, inflammation at the site of injury may add to your pain.
Messages from your brain also affect the gate. Rather than just reacting to pain, your brain actually sends messages that influence your perception of pain. Your brain may signal nerve cells to release natural painkillers, such as endorphins (en-DOR-fins) or enkephalins (en-KEF-uh-lins), which diminish the pain messages.
This last idea explains how your brain — and its psychological and emotional processes — can affect your experience of pain. In fact, how you interpret pain messages and tolerate pain can be affected by your:
Emotional and psychological state
Memories of past pain experiences
Upbringing
Attitude
Expectations
Beliefs and values
Age
Sex
Social and cultural influences
For example, a minor sensation that would barely register as pain, such as a dentist's probe, can actually produce exaggerated pain for a child who's never been to the dentist and who's heard horror stories about what it's like.
But your emotional state can also work in your favor. Athletes can condition themselves to endure pain that would incapacitate others. And, if you were raised in a home or culture that taught you to "Grin and bear it" or to "Bite the bullet," you may experience less discomfort than do people who focus on their pain or who are more prone to complain.

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Electroconvulsive Therapy

With electroconvulsive therapy, electrodes are attached to the head, and while the person is sedated, a series of electrical shocks are delivered to the brain to induce a brief seizure. This therapy has consistently been shown to be the most effective treatment for severe depression. Many people treated with electroconvulsive therapy experience temporary memory loss. However, contrary to its portrayal in the media, electroconvulsive therapy is safe and rarely causes any other complications. The modern use of anesthetics and muscle relaxants has greatly reduced any risk. Other forms of brain stimulation, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and vagal nerve stimulation, are under study and may be beneficial for people with severe depression that does not respond to drugs or psychotherapy.

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Treatment of Mental Illness

Extraordinary advances have been made in the treatment of mental illness. Understanding what causes some mental health disorders helps doctors tailor treatment to those disorders. As a result, many mental health disorders can now be treated nearly as successfully as physical disorders.
Most treatment methods for mental health disorders can be categorized as either somatic or psychotherapeutic. Somatic treatments include drug therapy and electroconvulsive therapy. Psychotherapeutic treatments include individual, group, or family and marital psychotherapy; behavior therapy techniques (such as relaxation training or exposure therapy); and hypnotherapy. Most studies suggest that for major mental health disorders, a treatment approach involving both drugs and psychotherapy is more effective than either treatment method used alone.
Psychiatrists are not the only mental health care practitioners trained to treat mental illness. Others include clinical psychologists, social workers, nurses, and some pastoral counselors. However, psychiatrists (and psychiatric nurse practitioners in some states) are the only mental health care practitioners licensed to prescribe drugs. Other mental health care practitioners practice psychotherapy primarily. Many primary care doctors and other non-mental health care doctors also prescribe drugs to treat mental health disorders.

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Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is the oldest form of psychotherapy and was developed by Sigmund Freud in the first part of the 20th century. The person typically lies on a couch in the therapist's office 4 or 5 times a week and attempts to say whatever comes to mind, a practice called free association. Much of the focus is on understanding how past patterns of relationships repeat themselves in the present. The relationship between the person and the therapist is a key part of this focus. An understanding of how the past affects the present helps the person develop new and more adaptive ways of functioning in relationships and in work settings.

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Psychotherapy

In recent years, significant advances have been made in the field of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as “talk therapy,” works on the assumption that the cure for a person's suffering lies within that person and that this cure can be facilitated through a trusting, supportive relationship with a psychotherapist. By creating an empathetic and accepting atmosphere, the therapist often is able to help the person identify the source of the problems and consider alternatives for dealing with them. The emotional awareness and insight that the person gains through psychotherapy often results in a change in attitude and behavior that allows the person to live a fuller and more satisfying life.
Psychotherapy is appropriate in a wide range of conditions. Even people who do not have a mental health disorder may find psychotherapy helpful in coping with such problems as employment difficulties, bereavement, or chronic illness in the family. Group psychotherapy, couples' therapy, and family therapy are also widely used.
Most mental health practitioners practice one of six types of psychotherapy: supportive psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, or interpersonal therapy.

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Psychodynamic & Cognitive Therapy

like psychoanalysis, emphasizes the identification of unconscious patterns in current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. However, the person is usually sitting instead of lying on a couch and attends only 1 to 3 sessions per week. In addition, less emphasis is placed on the relationship between the person and therapist.

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Cognitive therapy

helps people identify distortions in thinking and understand how these distortions lead to problems in their lives. The premise is that how people feel and behave is determined by how they interpret experiences. Through the identification of core beliefs and assumptions, people learn to think in different ways about their experiences, reducing symptoms and resulting in improvement in behavior and feelings

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Suppotive Psychotherapy

which is most commonly used, relies on the empathetic and supportive relationship between the person and the therapist. It encourages expression of feelings, and the therapist provides help with problem solving. Problem-focused psychotherapy, a form of supportive therapy, may be conducted successfully by primary care doctors.

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Behavior therapy

is related to cognitive therapy. Sometimes a combination of the two, known as cognitive-behavior therapy, is used. The theoretical basis of behavior therapy is learning theory, which holds that abnormal behaviors are due to faulty learning. Behavior therapy involves a number of interventions that are designed to help the person unlearn maladaptive behaviors while learning adaptive behaviors. Exposure therapy, often used to treat phobias, is one example of a behavior therapy

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Interpersonal therapy

was initially conceived as a brief psychologic treatment for depression and is designed to improve the quality of a depressed person's relationships. It focuses on unresolved grief, conflicts that arise when people fill roles that differ from their expectations (such as when a woman enters a relationship expecting to be a stay-at-home mother and finds that she must also be the major provider for the family), social role transitions (such as going from being an active worker to being retired), and difficulty communicating with others. The therapist teaches the person to improve aspects of interpersonal relationships, such as overcoming social isolation and responding in a less habitual way to others.

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Limitations Of Traditional Drug Treatment Programs

Treatment programs designed for people whose problems are primarily substance abuse are generally not recommended for people who also have a mental illness. These programs tend to be confrontive and coercive and most people with severe mental illnesses are too fragile to benefit from them. Heavy confrontation, intense emotional jolting, and discouragement of the use of medications tend to be detrimental. These treatments may produce levels of stress that exacerbate symptoms or cause relapse

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Dual Diagnosis and Mental Illness (Schizophrenia and Drug or Alcohol dependance)

Dual Diagnosis and Mental Illness (Schizophrenia and Drug or Alcohol dependance)

Families who have mentally ill relatives whose problems are compounded by substance abuse face problems of enormous proportions. Mental health services are not well prepared to deal with patients having both afflictions. Often only one of the two problems is identified. If both are recognized, the individual may be bounced back and forth between services for mental illness and those for substance abuse, or they may be refused treatment by each of them. While the picture regarding dual diagnosis has not been very positive at this point, there are now signs that the problem is being recognized and there is an increasing number of programs trying to address the treatment needs of people with both problems. Research studies are beginning to help us understand the scope of the problem. It is now generally agreed that as much as 50 percent of the mentally ill population also has a substance abuse problem. The drug most commonly used is alcohol, followed by marijuana and cocaine. Prescription drugs such as tranquilizers and sleeping medicines may also be abused.The incidence of abuse is greater among males and those in the age bracket of 18 to 44. People with mental illnesses may abuse drugs covertly without their families knowing it. It is now reported that both families of mentally ill relatives and mental health professionals underestimate the amount of drug dependency among people in their care. There may be several reasons for this. It may be difficult to separate the behaviors due to mental illness from those due to drugs. There may be a degree of denial of the problem because we have had so little to offer people with the combined illnesses. Caregivers might prefer not to acknowledge such a frightening problem when so little hope has been offered. Substance abuse complicates almost every aspect of care for the person with mental illness. First of all, of course, these individuals are very difficult to engage in treatment. Diagnosis is difficult because it takes time to unravel the interacting effects of substance abuse and the mental illness. They may have difficulty being accommodated at home and may not be tolerated in community residences of rehabilitation programs. They lose their support systems and suffer frequent relapses and hospitalizations.

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Characteristics Of Appropriate Programs

Desirable programs for this population should take a more gradual approach. Staff should recognize that denial is an inherent part of the problem. Patients often do not have insight as to the seriousness and scope of the problem. Abstinence may be a goal of the program but should not be a precondition for entering treatment. If dually diagnosed clients do not fit into local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups, special peer groups based on AA principles might be developed. Clients with dual diagnosis have to proceed at their own pace in treatment. An illness model of the problem should be used rather than a moralistic one. Staff needs to convey understanding of how hard it is to end an addiction problem and give credit for any accomplishments. Attention should be given to social networks that can serve as important reinforcers. Clients should be given opportunities to socialize, have access to recreational activities, and develop peer relationships. Their families should be offered support and education.

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Treatment Programs For The Dually Diagnosed

Treatment Programs For The Dually Diagnosed
As many families have probably discovered, service systems have not been well designed with this population in mind. Typically a community has treatment services for people with mental illness in one agency and treatment for substance abuse in another. Clients are referred back and forth between them in what some have called "ping-pong" therapy. What is needed are "hybrid" programs that address both illnesses together. Development of these programs locally requires considerable advocacy efforts.

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Advocacy For Effective Treatment

If no appropriate programs exist in the community, families of dually diagnosed persons may need to advocate for them. References at the end of the paper describe a number of experimental programs that can serve as sources of information. Advocacy should also be directed at research and training. An example of a recommended program is one conceptualized by Sciacca (1987). It uses an educational approach and recognizes the tendency for dually diagnosed individuals to deny their problem. The patient does not have to recognize or publicly acknowledge that he or she has a problem. Patients meet in a group and talk about the issue of substance abuse, view videotapes and involve themselves in helping others. Only later do members get around to talking about their problem and the potential for treatment. A nonconfrontational style is maintained throughout. Rather than send participants to AA or NA, members of these groups are invited to visit the agency. Eventually some of Sciacca's groups do go to AA and NA.

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Family Management And Coping

It is difficult enough to cope with problems presented by a relative's mental illness, but when substance abuse is also a problem, family stress can be multiplied. These families need all the help they can get to help them cope with the additional burdens they face.

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Develop A Plan Of Action

Since it is likely to be difficult at best, select a time when things are relatively calm to decide what to do. Involve as many members of the family as possible and develop an approach all can agree upon. The following set of guidelines may help you come up with a plan:
1. Be sure that all members agree on what the problem is. What exactly have members observed that has to be dealt with? Is it some unacceptable behavior that might be caused by drugs or is there clear evidence of drugs? What is the evidence?
2. Generate a number of possible solutions to the problem with the goal of acting on the one(s) that all agree are the best one(s). Of course, families will differ a great deal in what they think is possible in their situation. What follows is a hypothetical family who might come up with some of the following suggestions: -- Relate your concerns to your relative's psychiatrist or therapist. -- Confront him or her with your observations and request very specific changes in behavior. -- Plan ways to reduce access to money that might be going for drugs. -- Do anything possible to reduce his or her needs for or interest in social groups that use drugs. -- Confront the person with clear evidence that he or she is using drugs and suggest treatment.
3. Come to an agreement about what may be the best approach to try first.
4. Develop very specific steps to carrying out your plans. Decide what role each member will have in implementing the plan. If there is a decision to confront the person directly about drug use, be prepared to give the evidence. State calmly that you believe drug use is occurring, provide the evidence, and what you want the person to do about it. Refuse to get in an argument with the person.
Have a definite plan in mind, including a contact with an available treatment center, telephone numbers, etc., so you can proceed immediately if he or she should agree to treatment. It is important to avoid a moralistic tone about drug use. It is better to focus on the consequences that you have observed for the person and for his or her family. If the family decides that the problem is serious and the individual is likely to be lax about compliance with the family's reasonable requests, then negative consequences may be considered for failure to comply. This must be weighed very carefully. It is not easy to think of negative consequences for adults that one can enforce and, as we have said before, it is never wise to make threats that you don't intend to carry out.
For the usual misbehaviors, the person should be asked to make amends or the person may lose a privilege he or she enjoys. When problems get so severe that other members are at risk, the person may be forewarned that he or she will be asked to leave. Then the family must follow through. This works better if alternate housing can be arranged ahead of time so that the streets do not become the only option. Families often ask if the family should insist on total abstinence from all drug use. While authorities in the field point out that abstinence is by far the safest option, some families may find that tolerance of occasional use or agreement to cut back may get reasonable cooperation whereas insistence on total abstinence will result in denial and inability to communicate further on the subject. Recreational drugs and alcohol and prescribed medications might have serious interactive effects. Clients and families need to be fully informed about these possibilities.

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Support And Self-Care For The Rest Of The Family

Coming to terms with chemical dependency of a mentally ill relative does not come easily. For a time, it just feels too painful, too bewildering, too overwhelming to face. The family may feel terribly angry at the person and blame him or her for seeming so stupid, so weak willed as to add problems of substance abuse to an already highly disturbed life.
Feeling angry and rejecting unfortunately does not help the situation and delays rational thinking about how to approach the situation. Parents and siblings may be hurt because the addicted person blames others for his or her problems and breaks trust by lying and stealing, and in general, creates chaos throughout the household. A great deal of fear and uncertainty may prevail as behavior becomes more irrational and violence or threats of violence increases.
Members of the family may feel guilty because they feel their relative's substance abuse is in some way their fault. It is important, first of all, to realize that substance abuse is a disease. The person who is truly addicted is no more able to take control of this problem without help than he or she is able to take control of his mental illness. Thinking of this problem as a disease may reduce the sense of anger and blame. Family members may learn to take negative behaviors less personally and feel less hurt. People may cease blaming themselves and each other for a disorder that no one could have caused or prevented.
Coming to terms with substance abuse in someone you love will take time. It will be easier if the family can close ranks, avoid blaming each other, agree on a plan of action, and provide support to each other. It is also important to seek support from other families who are dealing with dually diagnosed relatives. This subset of families in the local Alliance of the Mentally Ill may find it beneficial to meet separately at times to provide support in a way best done by other people who also have the problem.
Families may want to investigate their local Alcoholic Anonymous (Al-Non) and/or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups. These support groups have proven to be immensely helpful to some families. Finally, it is important to say that families cannot stop their relative's substance abuse. They can, however, avoid covering it up or doing things that make it easy for the person to continue the denial. Families can learn what they can do about the problem, but they must be realistic that much of it is out of their hands. With great efforts some of the painful emotions will subside, members will feel more serene, and life can be worthwhile again.
Twelve Things To Do If Your Loved One Is Addicted To Drugs And/Or Alcohol
1. Don't regard this as a family disgrace. Recovery from an addiction can come about just as with other illnesses.
2. Don't nag, preach or lecture to the addict/alcoholic. Chances are he/she has already told him or herself everything you can tell them. He/she will take just so much and shut out the rest. You may only increase their need to lie or force one to make promises that cannot possibly be kept.
3. Guard against the "holier-than-thou" or martyr-like attitude. It is possible to create this impression without saying a word. An addict's sensitivity is such that he/she judges other people's attitudes toward him/her more by small things than spoken words.
4. Don't use the "if you loved me" appeal. Since the addict/alcoholic is compulsive and cannot be controlled by willpower, this approach only increases guilt. It is like saying, "If you loved me, you would not have tuberculosis."
5. Avoid any threats unless you think it through carefully and definitely intend to carry them out. There may be times, of course, when a specific action is necessary to protect children. Idle threats only make the addict/alcoholic feel you don't mean what you say.
6. Don't hide the drugs/alcohol or dispose of them/it. Usually this only pushes the addict/alcoholic into a state of desperation. In the end he/she will simply find news ways of getting more drugs/liquor.
7. Don't let the addict/alcoholic persuade you to use drugs or drink with him/her on the grounds that it will make him/her use less. It rarely does. Besides, when you condone the using/drinking, he/she puts off doing something to get help.
8. Don't be jealous of the method of recovery the addict/alcoholic chooses. The tendency is to think that love of home and family is enough incentive for seeking recovery. Frequently the motivation of regaining self respect is more compelling for the addict/alcoholic than resumption of family responsibilities. You may feel left out when the addict/alcoholic turns to other people for helping stay sober. You wouldn't be jealous of the doctor of someone needing medical care, would you?
9. Don't expect an immediate 100 percent recovery. In any illness, there is a period of convalescence. There may be relapses and times of tension and resentment.
10. Don't try to protect the recovering person from using/drinking situations. It's one of the quickest ways to push one into relapse. They must learn on their own to say "no" gracefully. If you warn people against serving him/her drinks, you will stir up old feelings of resentment and inadequacy.
11. Don't do for the addict/alcoholic that which he/she can do for him/herself. You cannot take the medicine for him/her. Don't remove the problem before the addict/alcoholic can face it, solve it or suffer the consequences.
12. Do offer love, support and understanding in the recovery.

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Support And Self-Care For The Rest Of The Family

Coming to terms with chemical dependency of a mentally ill relative does not come easily. For a time, it just feels too painful, too bewildering, too overwhelming to face. The family may feel terribly angry at the person and blame him or her for seeming so stupid, so weak willed as to add problems of substance abuse to an already highly disturbed life.
Feeling angry and rejecting unfortunately does not help the situation and delays rational thinking about how to approach the situation. Parents and siblings may be hurt because the addicted person blames others for his or her problems and breaks trust by lying and stealing, and in general, creates chaos throughout the household. A great deal of fear and uncertainty may prevail as behavior becomes more irrational and violence or threats of violence increases.
Members of the family may feel guilty because they feel their relative's substance abuse is in some way their fault. It is important, first of all, to realize that substance abuse is a disease. The person who is truly addicted is no more able to take control of this problem without help than he or she is able to take control of his mental illness. Thinking of this problem as a disease may reduce the sense of anger and blame. Family members may learn to take negative behaviors less personally and feel less hurt. People may cease blaming themselves and each other for a disorder that no one could have caused or prevented.
Coming to terms with substance abuse in someone you love will take time. It will be easier if the family can close ranks, avoid blaming each other, agree on a plan of action, and provide support to each other. It is also important to seek support from other families who are dealing with dually diagnosed relatives. This subset of families in the local Alliance of the Mentally Ill may find it beneficial to meet separately at times to provide support in a way best done by other people who also have the problem.
Families may want to investigate their local Alcoholic Anonymous (Al-Non) and/or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups. These support groups have proven to be immensely helpful to some families. Finally, it is important to say that families cannot stop their relative's substance abuse. They can, however, avoid covering it up or doing things that make it easy for the person to continue the denial. Families can learn what they can do about the problem, but they must be realistic that much of it is out of their hands. With great efforts some of the painful emotions will subside, members will feel more serene, and life can be worthwhile again.
Twelve Things To Do If Your Loved One Is Addicted To Drugs And/Or Alcohol
1. Don't regard this as a family disgrace. Recovery from an addiction can come about just as with other illnesses.
2. Don't nag, preach or lecture to the addict/alcoholic. Chances are he/she has already told him or herself everything you can tell them. He/she will take just so much and shut out the rest. You may only increase their need to lie or force one to make promises that cannot possibly be kept.
3. Guard against the "holier-than-thou" or martyr-like attitude. It is possible to create this impression without saying a word. An addict's sensitivity is such that he/she judges other people's attitudes toward him/her more by small things than spoken words.
4. Don't use the "if you loved me" appeal. Since the addict/alcoholic is compulsive and cannot be controlled by willpower, this approach only increases guilt. It is like saying, "If you loved me, you would not have tuberculosis."
5. Avoid any threats unless you think it through carefully and definitely intend to carry them out. There may be times, of course, when a specific action is necessary to protect children. Idle threats only make the addict/alcoholic feel you don't mean what you say.
6. Don't hide the drugs/alcohol or dispose of them/it. Usually this only pushes the addict/alcoholic into a state of desperation. In the end he/she will simply find news ways of getting more drugs/liquor.
7. Don't let the addict/alcoholic persuade you to use drugs or drink with him/her on the grounds that it will make him/her use less. It rarely does. Besides, when you condone the using/drinking, he/she puts off doing something to get help.
8. Don't be jealous of the method of recovery the addict/alcoholic chooses. The tendency is to think that love of home and family is enough incentive for seeking recovery. Frequently the motivation of regaining self respect is more compelling for the addict/alcoholic than resumption of family responsibilities. You may feel left out when the addict/alcoholic turns to other people for helping stay sober. You wouldn't be jealous of the doctor of someone needing medical care, would you?
9. Don't expect an immediate 100 percent recovery. In any illness, there is a period of convalescence. There may be relapses and times of tension and resentment.
10. Don't try to protect the recovering person from using/drinking situations. It's one of the quickest ways to push one into relapse. They must learn on their own to say "no" gracefully. If you warn people against serving him/her drinks, you will stir up old feelings of resentment and inadequacy.
11. Don't do for the addict/alcoholic that which he/she can do for him/herself. You cannot take the medicine for him/her. Don't remove the problem before the addict/alcoholic can face it, solve it or suffer the consequences.
12. Do offer love, support and understanding in the recovery.

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Antisocial Behavior May Be Caused By Low Stress Hormone Levels

A link between reduced levels of the 'stress hormone' cortisol and antisocial behaviour in male adolescents has been discovered by a research team at the University of Cambridge.Levels of cortisol in the body usually increase when people undergo a stressful experience, such as public speaking, sitting an exam, or having surgery. It enhances memory formation and is thought to make people behave more cautiously and to help them regulate their emotions, particularly their temper and violent impulses.
The new research, funded by the Wellcome Trust, shows that adolescents with severe antisocial behaviour do not exhibit the same increase in cortisol levels when under stress as those without antisocial behaviour. These findings suggest that antisocial behaviour, at least in some cases, may be seen as a form of mental illness that is linked to physiological symptoms (involving a chemical imbalance of cortisol in the brain and body).
The scientists, led by Dr Graeme Fairchild and Professor Ian Goodyer, recruited participants for the study from schools, pupil referral units, and the Youth Offending Service. Samples of saliva were collected over several days from the subjects in a non-stressful environment to measure levels of the hormone under resting conditions. The young men then took part in a stressful experiment that was designed to induce frustration. Samples of saliva were taken immediately before, during and after the experiment to track how cortisol changed during stress.

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Stress-related Disorders Affect Brain’s Processing Of Memory

Researchers using functional MRI (fMRI) have determined that the circuitry in the area of the brain responsible for suppressing memory is dysfunctional in patients suffering from stress-related psychiatric disorders. Results of the study will be presented December 3 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)."For patients with major depression and other stress-related disorders, traumatic memories are a source of anxiety," said Nivedita Agarwal, M.D., radiology resident at the University of Udine in Italy, where the study is being conducted, and research fellow at the Brain Imaging Center of McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "Because traumatic memories are not adequately suppressed by the brain, they continue to interfere with the patient's life."
Dr. Agarwal and colleagues used brain fMRI to explore alterations in the neural circuitry that links the prefrontal cortex to the hippocampus, while study participants performed a memory task. Participants included 11 patients with major depression, 13 with generalized anxiety disorder, nine with panic attack disorders, five with borderline personality disorder and 21 healthy individuals. All patients reported suffering varying degrees of stressful traumatic events, such as sexual or physical abuse, difficult relationships or "mobbing" – a type of bullying or harassment – at some point in their lives.
After reviewing a list of neutral word pairs, each participant underwent fMRI. During imaging, they were presented with one of the words and asked to either recall or to suppress the memory of its associated word.
The fMRI images revealed that the prefrontal cortex, which controls the suppression and retrieval of memories processed by the hippocampus, showed abnormal activation in the patients with stress-related disorders compared to the healthy controls. During the memory suppression phase of the test, patients with stress-related disorders showed greater activation in the hippocampus, suggesting that insufficient activation of the prefrontal cortex could be the basis for inadequate suppression of unwanted traumatic memories stored in the hippocampus.

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Medications for Mental Illness

This booklet is designed to help mental health patients and their families understand how and why medications can be used as part of the treatment of mental health problems.
It is important for you to be well informed about medications you may need. You should know what medications you take and the dosage, and learn everything you can about them. Many medications now come with patient package inserts, describing the medication, how it should be taken, and side effects to look for. When you go to a new doctor, always take with you a list of all of the prescribed medications (including dosage), over-the-counter medications, and vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements you take. The list should include herbal teas and supplements such as St. John's wort, echinacea, ginkgo, ephedra, and ginseng. Almost any substance that can change behavior can cause harm if used in the wrong amount or frequency of dosing, or in a bad combination. Drugs differ in the speed, duration of action, and in their margin for error.

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Wearable Technology Helps Monitor Mental Illness

Psychiatric researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine will report important new findings from a study of patients with bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia at the upcoming meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, to be held in San Diego May 17-20.The patented approach developed at UCSD, using a novel device called a “LifeShirt” – a computerized vest that continuously monitors the patient’s movements – shows that patterns of movements differ between patients with the two disorders. The device, manufactured by VivoMetrics©, monitors hyperactive and repetitive movements, and collects data on respiration, heart rate and other physiological measures.
While wearing the vest, subjects’ movements were also recorded by a camera embedded in the ceiling, and the film of their exploratory behavior converted into movement patterns that characterize the manic phase of the disorder. Patients with bipolar disease exhibited hyperactivity and a wide range of exploration when in a novel environment, according to the researchers. Schizophrenic patients, on the other hand, exhibited much more restricted movements.
“When patients are highly symptomatic, it is sometimes difficult for physicians to diagnose whether an individual is exhibiting signs of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder,” said William Perry, Ph.D., UC San Diego professor of psychiatry, who is leading a five-year study of bipolar disorder funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health. “In our first report from the study, we find that patients in the two groups show different patterns of exploration in new environments.”
The “behavioral pattern monitor” research in patients is based upon parallel studies with rats and mice, conducted by co-investigators Mark Geyer, Ph.D., and Martin Paulus, M.D., both UC San Diego professors of psychiatry. When rodents are given drugs such as amphetamines, or have genetic abnormalities that change brain chemistry, they exhibit distinctive, abnormal movement patterns and difficulties in filtering information. The medications that are used to treat bipolar disorder normalize these behaviors and thoughts.
“The LifeShirt and our analyses of their exploratory movements allow us to take precise measurements while the person moves freely,” said Perry. “It offers a promising approach to helping us learn about the underlying function of patients with bipolar disorder.”

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Drug breakthrough for fashionable new mental illness:

Life-changing new drug(chemical name Avafynetyme HCl) has just been marketed for the widely under-recognised disorder Dysphoric Social Attention Consumption Deficit Anxiety Disorder (DSACDAD).
DSACDAD is a where sufferers experience symptoms such as "worrying about life, feeling tense, restless, or fatigued, being concerned about their weight, noticing signs of aging, feeling stress at work, home, or finding activities they used to enjoy, like shopping, challenging."
The drug targets the recently hedonine hormone to boost the brain's reward system for when "feeling better is not enough".
Havidol other next generation drugs Fukitol, Panexa, Progenitorivox and Proloxil as medications that not only affect the brain, but also purify the soul.

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Child and Adolescent Mental Illness and Drug Abuse Statistics

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD, or approximately 2 million children in the United States. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD. (Source: NIMH)
Autism Spectrum Disordersare more common in the pediatric population than are some better known disorders such as diabetes, spinal bifida, or Down syndrome. (Source: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV-TR (fourth edition, text revision). A recent study of a U.S. metropolitan area estimated that 3.4 of every 1,000 children 3-10 years old had autism

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Mental Illness Screening Plan A Boon For Drug Makers

Citing recommendations by the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFC), George W. Bush wants to launch a nationwide mental illness screening program in government institutions, including the public school system, for all students from kindergarten up to the 12th grade.

The New Freedom Commission was established by an executive order Bush issued on April 29, 2002. According to a July 22, 2003, press release, the commission recommends transforming America's mental health care system.

"Achieving this goal will require greater engagement and education of first line health care providers - primary care practitioners - and a greater focus on mental health care in institutions such as schools, child welfare programs, and the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The goal is integrated care that can screen, identify, and respond to problems early," the commission's press release stated.

According to the NFC, its recommendations are being already being promoted in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The truth is, this is nothing but another Bush profiteering scheme to implement a drug treatment program for use in the public institutions that will generate high volume sales of the relatively new, but inadequately tested, high-priced psychiatric drugs. If all goes as planned, the scheme will generate millions of new customers for the drug companies

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Child and Adolescent Drug Abuse Statistics

Did You Know Drug Abuse is Still a Major Problem???
An estimated 19.5 million Americans aged 12 or older were current users of an illicit drug in 2003. This estimate represents 8.2 percent of the population.
Over half (51%) of America’s teenagers have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high school.
An estimated 71 million Americans reported being current users of a tobacco product in 2003, a prevalence rate of 30% for the population 12 years and older.
Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in this country. In 2003, 14.6 million people were current users of marijuana.
For the second year in a row inhalant use has increased in 8th graders with 17.3% reporting use at least once in their lifetime. These drugs are particularly dangerous because they can damage the nervous system even after a single use, and they can be fatal.
Vicodin is one of the drugs most commonly abused by high school seniors. Nearly one in ten 12th graders reported non-medical use of Vicodin in 2004; one in twenty 12th graders reported non-medical use of OxyContin.

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Criminal Penalties

While in a foreign country, a citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in their countries and do not afford the same protections available to the individual under their. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in your countrie for similar offenses.
Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Criminal penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect severe jail sentences and fines.

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Road Safety

All traffic operates on the left side of the road, and most vehicles use right-hand drive. Roads in major cities and toll roads are good. Roads are narrower and may be more poorly maintained in rural areas and remote regions. Driving at night outside major cities can be hazardous. Taxis are an affordable means of transportation. The safest option is to call the taxi company directly. Make sure the taxi driver agrees to take you to your destination, never get into a taxi already occupied by another passenger and always insist on using the taxi meter. A list of taxi safety tips, along with a list of more reputable taxi companies, is available from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta.

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Consular Information Sheet - April 24, 1998

Country Description
Indonesia is an independent republic consisting of more than 13,500 islands spread over 3,000 miles. Its economy is developing, and tourist services are plentiful in the major tourist sites.
Entry Requirements: A passport valid for six months beyond the
intended date of departure is required. A visa is not required for tourist
stays up to two months. For additional information about entry requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036, telephone (202) 775-5200,

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Information on Crime

The crime rate in Jakarta is moderate but rising. Minor crimes, such as pickpocketing and thefts, occur in popular tourist sites throughout the country. Incidents of carjackings and robbery have been reported. Lost or stolen passports should be reported to the local police and the citizins. Embassy or nearest consulate.

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Posted 24 April 1998.

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Posted 24 April 1998.

According to press reports, a choking smog from forest fires burning out of control in the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo has compromised the health of thousands of people in the cities of Samarinda and Balikpapan, as well as in surrounding areas. At least 300 cases of pneumonia have been reported, and ailments such as eye infections, respiratory infectionsand asthma are on the rise. One newspaper has reported that at least 2 people have died due to the haze. After dissipating for a few months, the haze has returned to Southeast Asia as land has been deliberately burned and seasonal monsoon rains have been held off by the El Nino weather phenomenon

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Posted 15 May 1998

According to press reports, dengue hemorrhagic fever has claimed the lives of approximately 800 people in Indonesia since the beginning of the year.
Dengue fever is common during the monsoon season, which generally lasts from October to April, but government officials have stated that this year's outbreak is extraordinary. At least 32,000 people have been infected since January 1998.
Localized outbreaks have been recorded in several locations, notably the
district of Palembang in South Sumatra Province, the cities of Bandung and Jakarta in West Java Province, the town of Dili in East Timor Province and the town of Palu in Central Sulawesi Province. Jakarta alone has seen nearly 80 deaths among 10,000 cases. At least 12 of Indonesia's 27 provinces have recorded fatalities, and the number of deaths reported is believed to be a fraction of the actual totals.

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Posted 15 May 1998.

According to press reports, an outbreak of hepatitis A has affected more than 600 people in the regency of Bondowoso in Eastern Java. Eight villages in the districts of Tapan, Wonsari and Sukosari have been affected, the largest in the region's history. Poor hygiene and contaminated river water have been cited as causes of the outbreak.

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Current Health Concerns

According to postings on ProMED, 8 people are dead and 46 others have been hospitalized in the eastern province of Nusa Tangara due to rabies. Initial investigation by health officials seemed to indicate that the disease was not rabies, but further tests proved that dogs carrying rabies were responsible for the deaths. An order has been issued to capture and destroy approximately 170,000 stray dogs in Nusa Tangara.

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Risk areas

Risk exists throughout the year in all areas of Irian Jaya and in rural areas of other islands (exceptions are metropolitan areas of Jakarta, Jogakarta, Surabaya, Medan, and Denpasar plus contiguous tourist beach areas of Bali). Chloroquine-resistant falciparum is confirmed, and chloroquine-resistant .. vivax is reported. Fansidar resistance is reported in several areas and resistance to mefloquine may occur. WHO reports that P. falciparum is responsible for 49% of cases. Java and Bali report a total of 16,000 cases annually, with an added 59,000 reported from the Outer Islands.

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Protective measures

advises that risk is limited to areas not usually visited by travelers and recommends that only travelers likely to have evening or nighttime exposure in risk areas undertake chemoprophylaxis with mefloquine in addition to personal protective measures. Persons with epilepsy, psychiatric disorders or known hypersensitivity to mefloquine should not use this drug and should consider alternate means of protection. Consult your physician regarding additional precautions and potential side effects.

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Disease Risk Summary

The general level of community sanitation and public health awareness is low throughout Indonesia.

	Insect-borne illness: considered an important cause of disease in this area.
	Encephalitis (Japanese type) - occurs (risk may extend to resort areas, including those on Bali)
	Filariasis - prevalent in rural areas
	Malaria - common
	Typhus (mite-borne) - occurs in deforested areas Food-borne and water-borne illness: these diseases are common.
	Cholera - occurs
	Dysentery (amoebic and bacillary) - occurs
	Fasciolopsiasis (giant intestinal fluke) - occurs
	Hepatitis - occurs
	Melioidosis - occurs
	Schistosomiasis - occurs on the island of Sulawesi

Other hazards:
Diseases such as measles and diphtheria are commonly reported, and cases of polio still occur regularly.

	Influenza risk extends throughout the year.
	Rabies - occurs on Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra and Sulawesi
	Trachoma - occurs

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Yellow fever

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from
travelers coming from infected areas. A certificate is also required from
travelers arriving from countries in the endemic zones.

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Rabies

Preexposure vaccination should be considered for travel to Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra or Sulawesi for persons staying longer than 30 days who are expected to be at risk to bites from domestic and/or wild animals (particularly dogs), or for persons engaged in high risk activities such as spelunking or animal handling. Need for vaccination is more important if potential exposure is in rural areas and if adequate postexposure care is not readily available.

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Typhoid

Vaccination should be considered for persons staying longer than 3 weeks, adventurous eaters, and those who will venture off the usual tourist routes into small cities, villages and rural areas. Importance of vaccination increases as access to reasonable medical care becomes limited.
Contraindications depend on vaccine type.
All routine vaccines (such as DTP or Td, Hib, MMR, polio, varicella, influenza and pneumococcal) should be kept up-to-date as a matter of good health practice unrelated to travel.

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Hepatitis B

Vaccination is advised for health care workers, persons anticipating direct contact with blood from or sexual contact with inhabitants, and persons planning extended stays of 6 months or greater (especially those who anticipate using local health care facilities, staying in rural areas, or having intimate contact with the local population).

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Japanese encephalitis

Consider vaccination if staying a month or more on Bali, Irian Jaya, Java, Kalimantan, Lombok, Mollucas, Nusa Tenggara or Sulawesi, especially if travel includes rural areas. Also consider if staying less than 30 days and at high risk (in case of epidemic outbreak or extensive outdoor
exposure in rural areas). While transmission likely occurs all year and varies by island, peak risk is generally from November to March, although it is June to July in some years. Human cases have historically been reported only on Bali and Java.
one-time booster dose is recommended for travelers who have previously completed a standard course of polio immunization. Refer to CDC guidelines for vaccinating unimmunized or incompletely immunized persons. Pregnancy is a relative contraindication to vaccination; however, if protection is needed, either IPV or OPV may be used, depending on preference and time available.

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Immunizations

These recommendations are not absolute and should not be construed to apply to all travelers. A final decision regarding immunizations will be based on the traveler's medical history, proposed itinerary, duration of stay and purpose for traveling.

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Hepatitis A

Consider active immunization with hepatitis A vaccine or passive immunization with immune globulin (IG) for all susceptible travelers. Especially consider choosing active immunization for persons planning to reside for a long period or for persons who take frequent short-term trips to risk areas. The importance of protection against hepatitis A increases as length of stay increases. It is particularly important for persons who will be living in or visiting rural areas, eating or drinking in settings of poor or uncertain sanitation, or who will have close contact with local persons (especially young children) in settings with poor sanitary conditions.

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Specific Concerns

	AIDS occurs. Blood supply may not be adequately screened and/or single-use, disposable needles and syringes may be unavailable. When possible, travelers should defer medical treatment until reaching a facility where safety can be assured.
	The large number of tropical plants and pollution levels inurban areas may cause children and adults with asthma problems severe discomfort.

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Health Precautions

General Cautions
Recent medical and dental exams should ensure that the traveler is in good health. Carry appropriate health and accident insurance documents and copies of any important medical records. Bring an adequate supply of all prescription and other medications as well as any necessary personal hygiene items, including a spare pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses if necessary.
Drink only bottled beverages (including water) or beverages made with boiled water. Do not use ice cubes or eat raw seafood, rare meat or dairy products. Eat well-cooked foods while they are still hot and fruits that can be peeled without contamination. Avoid roadside stands and street vendors.
Swim only in well-maintained, chlorinated pools or ocean water known to be free from pollution; avoid freshwater lakes, streams and rivers. Wear clothing which reduces exposed skin and apply repellents containing DEET to remaining areas.
Sleep in well-screened accommodations. Carry anti-diarrhea medication. Reduce problems related to sun exposure by using sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen lotions and lip protection.

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Skin cancer

There are several different types of cancer referred to under the general label of skin cancer. The most dangerous is the melanoma; the most common type is squamous cell carcinoma.

Skin cancer is an increasingly common condition due to the degradation of the ozone layer and the consequent increased levels of ultraviolet radiation.

Minor surface skin cancers are readily treatable by simple surgery, but if the cancer is allowed to grow then it will penetrate through the layers of skin and affect the lymphatic system. It may also metastasize and spread to other parts of the body.

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2008 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report

The Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee reviewed existing scientific literature to identify sufficient evidence to develop a comprehensive set of specific physical activity recommendations..

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2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Toolkit

The toolkit provides resources that will complement what your organization is doing now to encourage people in your community to get the amount of physical activity they need, based on the 2008 Physic

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2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

The Federal Government has issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. They describe the types and amounts of physical activity that offer substantial health benefits to American.

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Brain tumor

A brain tumor is a mass created by abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells either found in the brain (neurons, glial cells, epithelial cells, myelin producing cells etc.) (primary brain tumors) or originating in another part of the body and spreading to the brain (secondary brain tumors or metastatic brain tumors). Brain tumors are usually located in the posterior third of the brain in childhood and in the anterior two-thirds of the brain in adulthood.

Primary brain tumors are named due to the cell types, from which they are originated. Frequently encountered histologic brain tumor types are glioma, glioblastoma, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, medulloblastoma, meningioma and neuroglioma. Tumors can be benign and are usually, but not necessarily, localized to a small area. They can also be malignant and invasive (i.e., spreading to neighbouring areas). Brain cells can be damaged by tumor cells by (i) directly being compressed from growth of the tumor, (ii) indirectly being affected from inflammation ongoing in and around the tumor mass, (iii) brain edema (swelling) or (iv) increased pressure in the skull (due to brain edema or to the blockage of the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid).

Local tissue damage (either by direct or indirect mechanisms) causes focal neurologic symptoms, which vary due to the location of the brain tumor. Hemiparesis, aphasia, difficulty speaking, ataxia, hemihypoesthesia (numbness and decreased sensation of touch on one side of the body) and localized headache are some of the symptoms occurring due to the local effects of the brain tumor. Increased pressure in the skull or brain edema cause more generalized symptoms like generalized headache, nausea and vomiting, loss of consciousness (stupor or coma) and intellectual decline. Seizures due to the local irritating effect of the brain tumor or metabolic changes caused by the cancer are also frequently observed. Since the development of the skull is incomplete during infancy, infants with brain tumor may have increased head perimeter, bulging fontanelles or separated sutures.

Neurologic examination reveals local (specific to the location of the tumor) or generalized neurologic changes. Slowly progressive nature of the neurologic symptoms is suggestive of a possible brain tumor and the diagnosis is confirmed by CT scan or MRI of the head. Angiography, EEG examination or brain biopsy may aid in diagnosis in difficult cases. Although slow progression is an important hallmark of the disease, some brain tumors may enlarge very quickly and thus may cause sudden neurologic changes. Treatment includes the surgical removal of the tumor mass or the destruction of the tumor cells by radiation (radiotherapy) and/or drugs (chemotherapy) in cases with contraindications for a surgical operation.

Secondary or metastatic brain tumors take their origins from tumor cells which spread to the brain from another location in the body. They are more frequent than primary brain tumors. Approximately, one quarter of metastatic cancers spread to brain. Lungs and breasts are most common locations from which secondary brain tumors originate. Tumor cells travel to brain by blood vessels. Since brain has no lymphatic drainage system like other organs (cerebrospinal fluid system acts like lymphatic system in the brain), spreading of tumor cells by lymphatic route (which is very typical for cancers of other organs) is impossible for brain. Different from primary brain tumors, metastatic tumor masses may occur in various remote locations in the brain. Highly aggressive brain tumors like glioblastoma may also be observed in more than one location but usually in the advanced stages of the disease. Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment are quite similar to those of primary tumors, however in case of secondary tumors the initial location of the tumor cells must be identified and treated, as well.

Primary or secondary, brain tumors may cause herniation of the brain (displacement of one part of the brain tissue due to mass effect of a lesion, usually causing the compression of the neurons controlling the respiratory system in the brainstem and eventually death) and permanent neurologic changes including intellectual decline.

Tumors located in distant locations may affect the nerve cells and cause neurologic changes by mechanisms other than directly invading the brain tissue. Diseases caused by remote effects of tumor cells are called paraneoplastic diseases. Tumors may affect brain cells from a distance by consuming too much food and energy that is crucial for neurons, by secreting endocrine substances altering nerve cell functions or in the majority of the cases by causing the immune system of the body to develop antibodies (autoantibodies) directed against nerve cells. In the last mentioned mechanism, antibodies developed to kill tumor cells are suggested to accidentally (probably due to molecular similarities between tumor cells and normal nerve cells) bind neurons and destroy them. Paraneoplastic diseases due to autoantibodies are not confined to brain cells (e.g. Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome). Most frequent paraneoplastic diseases are cerebellar ataxia, peripheral sensory neuropathy, limbic encephalitis and brainstem encephalitis. The neuroimaging studies are usually not helpful in paraneoplastic diseases and diagnosis is established by immunological methods.

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Patent Medicines

During the 1800s and early 1900s a number of companies marketed cure alls in the form of pills, lotions and ointments. These Patent Medicines were said to cure impotence, restore hair, make you strong an healthy. For the most part these cures did not work and were likely dangerous or at best placebos. A cynic might say that there is a parallel between today's health food industry and some of the more audacious claims made by these patent medicines.

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Learn How To Manage Stress of Modern Life With the Common Sense Princi

Jan Fiore, Ayurveda Lifestyle Counselor and stress management consultant now offers in-person and long distance Ayurveda lifestyle counseling. Sessions focus on learning how to work in harmony with your true nature instead of against it in the areas of diet, exercise, activities

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Health and Anti-Aging

Are scientists getting close to solving the what makes us age? Can medical breathroughs make us live longer? This article discusses how aging occurs to the the macroscopic, tissue, cellular and genetic levels. These add up as the..

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The Vitamin Breakdown

Vitamins are organic compounds that the human body cannot produce and therefore must acquire through the diet. To help maintain good health, humans need 13 different vitamins. These include: vitamin A, the various B and D vitamins, vitamin C

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Birth Certificates

The ROI section is also responsible for issuing birth certificates . At the time of birth, relevant forms are filled in by the parents, which are delivered at the bedside to mothers, and forwarded to the department along with copies of computerised national identity cards (CNIC) of both parents. A birth certificate is then issued the next working day. It may be noted that only the father or mother of the baby can collect the same.

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Health Information Management Services (Medical Records

The Health Information Management Services (HIMS) at Aga Khan University Hospital , Karachi (AKUH,K) offers comprehensive services for medical record keeping, maintenance and dissemination of patients' clinical information.

A medical record (MR) number (part of a sequencing format since 1984) is issued to the patient at his/her first visit to the hospital and is then referred to whenever the patient revisits the hospital. In this way, a comprehensive medical record is maintained throughout. It may be noted that the medical record is purged if the patient remains inactive for five years. In case, the patient revisits after being inactive, a new file is created bearing the patient's original medical record number.

To date HIMS have issued over 1.4 million MR numbers with an average increase of 300 per day. About 3000 medical record files are circulated by the department both within campus and also to offsite locations daily.

The department also provides expertise in Medical Coding, Medical Transcription and Document Imaging all of which are instrumental in maintaining an updated clinical record with emphasis on proficient patient care.

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