Mood Disorders linked with Opioids'Abuse

A recent study has demonstrated that people suffering from a mood disorder are more likely to abuse opioids by getting non-prescribed opioid medication.

This applies essentially to people suffering from Bipolar disorder, Anxiety disorder and Major Depression, who have been reported to take non-prescribed opioids such as codeine, morphine, oxycontin, vicodin and orther related medication. The researchers' findings support the notion that people suffering with mood disorders tend to self-medicate and thus try to appease their moods with opioids.

Besides the obvious dangers of self-medication, there is alsa a concern that use and withdrawal from opioids might trigger anxiety disorders.

If you suffer from a mood disorder, avoid self-medication as it may very likely exacerbate a symptom or even precipitate another one more serious and more permanent.

 

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

On Keeping a Critical Mind When Reading About Scientific Findings

I came across an article last week that made me really irrate.The article, published in the New York Times online, claimed that a "large study" found a link between drinking four or more cups of coffee a day and a reduction in the risk of endometrial cancer for women.

Basically, the study claimed that women who drank at least 4 cups of coffee a day had a lower risk of developing uterine cancer compared to women who had less that one cup of coffee a day! Let me rephrase that; ingesting over 1000mg/day of cafffeine is seen as potentially beneficial to women's health???

Yet, the general consensus among the medical commuity is that 4+ cups of coffee can be detrimental to your phyical and mental health. Let's remind us that notwithstanding caffeine's deleterious effects on the body, numerous studies have conclusively showed a link between excessive caffeine intake and anxiety and panic disorders. There is even evidence that caffeine contributes to heart attacks, which means that it has the potential to kill. So, my question is the following; Does cancer really matter when the health of your heart is in jeopardy?

I would take this finding with a grain of salt because on the one hand the researchers merely point to a link between high caffeine intake and reduced risk of endometrial cancer, which is not similar to saying that one causes the other. On the other hand, the percentage of risk reduction for uterine cancer is only 25% for caffeine drinkers out of a total number of 67,470 participants. Furthermore, the researchers themselves refrained from drawing any conclusion about whether caffeine or other ingredients in caffeine causes this effect.

So, my advice would be to keep a critical mind to everything one reads.

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

Link to the article referenced in the post:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/health/research/four-daily-cups-of-coffee-may-cut-cancer-risk-in-women.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

 

The hallucinogenic property of Caffeine

A recent study has demonstrated that high caffeine intake combined with stress increases the propensity to have hallucinations.

According to the researchers consumption of 5 cups of coffee or more could produce hallucinogenic experiences, such as hearing something when there is nothing there. It is true that people quite rarely consume that many cups of coffee, but it is not such a distant reality when we take into account all the caffeinated beverages or food that we ingest in a day, including soda, chocolates, coffee ice-cream, etc.. When it all adds up, we are more likely to find out that we are ingesting the same amount of caffeine contained in 5 cups of coffee.

According to the study, caffeine triggers hallucinations in people who are already stressed, but they also specify that it not only increases the level of stress but it also increases pronness to hallucinations.

Other studies had linked caffeine to anxiety disorders and panic attacks, and now it has been found to produce hallucinations. It seems that as research focuses more on this compound, it is revealing itself as being quite detrimental to our mental health.

Just keep that in mind!

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

Read more about caffeine and hallucination at http://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/science/caffeine-can-make-you-hallucinate/

 

The hallucinogenic property of Caffeine

A recent study has demonstrated that high caffeine intake combined with stress increases the propensity to have hallucinations.

According to the researchers consumption of 5 cups of coffee or more could produce hallucinogenic experiences, such as hearing something when there is nothing there. It is true that people quite rarely consume that many cups of coffee, but it is not such a distant reality when we take into account all the caffeinated beverages or food that we ingest in a day, including soda, chocolates, coffee ice-cream, etc.. When it all adds up, we are more likely to find out that we are ingesting the same amount of caffeine contained in 5 cups of coffee.

According to the study, caffeine triggers hallucinations in people who are already stressed, but they also specify that it not only increases the level of stress but it also increases pronness to hallucinations.

Other studies had linked caffeine to anxiety disorders and panic attacks, and now it has been found to produce hallucinations. It seems that as research focuses more on this compound, it is revealing itself as being quite detrimental to our mental health.

Just keep that in mind!

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

Read more about caffeine and hallucination at http://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/science/caffeine-can-make-you-hallucinate/

 

High Magnesium Intake Reduces Anxiety and Fear

A new study has found that increasing magnesium in the brain also increases activity in the control centers of the brain (the prefrontal cortex) thereby improving control of the fear response.

How does magnesium achieve this effect? By simply improving cognitive ability. The normal fear response is triggered in a dangerous situation, but in anxiety disorders the memory of the danger or the trauma induces the fear response. The process is automatic and uncontrolled, but by improving cognitive ability, the brain is essentially putting the brakes on this automatic response. The traumatic memory stays, but it no longer affects the brain.

The study focused on a magnesium compound called Magtein, which has produced positive results in lab rats. Keep in mind though that the study was funded by ADP, inc, which manufactures Magtein and that it was not evaluated by the FDA

All in all, increasing naturally occurring magnesium (in moderation) will not be harmful to your health but only healthful to your mental.

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

For more info about the study go to http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/05/4101375/new-study-finds-high-magnesium.html

 

High Magnesium Intake Reduces Anxiety and Fear

A new study has found that increasing magnesium in the brain also increases activity in the control centers of the brain (the prefrontal cortex) thereby improving control of the fear response.

How does magnesium achieve this effect? By simply improving cognitive ability. The normal fear response is triggered in a dangerous situation, but in anxiety disorders the memory of the danger or the trauma induces the fear response. The process is automatic and uncontrolled, but by improving cognitive ability, the brain is essentially putting the brakes on this automatic response. The traumatic memory stays, but it no longer affects the brain.

The study focused on a magnesium compound called Magtein, which has produced positive results in lab rats. Keep in mind though that the study was funded by ADP, inc, which manufactures Magtein and that it was not evaluated by the FDA

All in all, increasing naturally occurring magnesium (in moderation) will not be harmful to your health but only healthful to your mental.

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

For more info about the study go to http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/05/4101375/new-study-finds-high-magnesium.html

 

Mainstream UK: Mental illness is still kept in the shadow

Check out this great article that claims that in the UK , media references to mental illness are fairly scarce. I think that this kind of attitude hampers progress in the field and undermines past achievements.

What is your opinion?

Yazzie

http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/12/04/in-mainstream-media-mental-health-sti...

memyselfanxiety.com

 

 

Mainstream UK: Mental illness is still kept in the shadow

Check out this great article that claims that in the UK , media references to mental illness are fairly scarce. I think that this kind of attitude hampers progress in the field and undermines past achievements.

What is your opinion?

Yazzie

http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/12/04/in-mainstream-media-mental-health-sti...

memyselfanxiety.com

 

 

Regular Exercise has been proven to reduce Anxiety

Good news for those of you still suffering from Anxiety. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce Anxiety and promote well-being.

There is now empirical evidence showing the benefits of 20 to 40 minutes of exercise 3 times a week on Anxiety. Several studies have tested whether it is effective and all  the results converge to the same conclusion, it works. Furthermore, exercise has been shown to provide the same benefits as a drug treatment (e.g., clomipramine), thus providing an alternative choice to a drug treatment.

More studies are on the way, but so far the results are very positive.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201111/phobias/exercise-anxiety

Jazzie,

Living with Anxiety

Dreaming reduces the impact of negative emotional events

Dreaming not only helps consolidate memories but a new study shows that it may also help process negative emotional events better.

The study involved participants who viewed emotionally arousing images. One group viewed the images in the morning and in the evening, while the other group viewed the same images in the evening and in the following morning (after sleeping).

The results indicated that the second group showed a decreased emotional reaction to the images compared to the first group. That conclusion was further corroborated by brain scans taken during the study that revealed reduced activity in the amygdala, an almond-shaped brain structure associated with the fear response and anxiety.

Thus, sleeping after experiencing an emotionally-arousing event may contribute to good mental health.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=dreams-help-soothe-your-bad-memorie-11-11-28

Jazzie.

Living with anxiety

Dreaming reduces the impact of negative emotional events

Dreaming not only helps consolidate memories but a new study shows that it may also help process negative emotional events better.

The study involved participants who viewed emotionally arousing images. One group viewed the images in the morning and in the evening, while the other group viewed the same images in the evening and in the following morning (after sleeping).

The results indicated that the second group showed a decreased emotional reaction to the images compared to the first group. That conclusion was further corroborated by brain scans taken during the study that revealed reduced activity in the amygdala, an almond-shaped brain structure associated with the fear response and anxiety.

Thus, sleeping after experiencing an emotionally-arousing event may contribute to good mental health.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=dreams-help-soothe-your-bad-memorie-11-11-28

Jazzie.

Living with anxiety

Thyroid problems can be the cause of Anxiety

The thyroid is a gland wrapped around the trachea that produces hormones. Those hormones contribute to a host of physical processes from hearbeat regulation to cognitive functoning, and more recently their effect on moods is being explored.  

Often people presenting psychiatric symptoms like anxiety or depression also exhibit abnormal blood levels of thyroid hormones. More specifically, links were found between an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and anxiety, as well as between an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and depression. For example, a patient suffering with both anxiety and depression for 10 years saw her anxiety and depression simply disappear after undergoing treatment for her thyroid (with synthetic thyroid hormone replacement).

There is a caveat though and that is that it can be diffcult to diagnose abnormal blood levels of thyroid hormones when the actual levels range between the two extremes (too low and too high) as there is no consensus yet about what constitutes an abnormal level. In any event most doctors agree that a person presenting physical symptoms of an abnormal thyroid hormone (e.g.,fatigue, weight gain, inability to concentrate or palpitations, weigh loss and sweating) with psychiatric symptoms should check their thyroid. 

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

Thyroid problems can be the cause of Anxiety

The thyroid is a gland wrapped around the trachea that produces hormones. Those hormones contribute to a host of physical processes from hearbeat regulation to cognitive functoning, and more recently their effect on moods is being explored.  

Often people presenting psychiatric symptoms like anxiety or depression also exhibit abnormal blood levels of thyroid hormones. More specifically, links were found between an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and anxiety, as well as between an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and depression. For example, a patient suffering with both anxiety and depression for 10 years saw her anxiety and depression simply disappear after undergoing treatment for her thyroid (with synthetic thyroid hormone replacement).

There is a caveat though and that is that it can be diffcult to diagnose abnormal blood levels of thyroid hormones when the actual levels range between the two extremes (too low and too high) as there is no consensus yet about what constitutes an abnormal level. In any event most doctors agree that a person presenting physical symptoms of an abnormal thyroid hormone (e.g.,fatigue, weight gain, inability to concentrate or palpitations, weigh loss and sweating) with psychiatric symptoms should check their thyroid. 

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

Direct Instruction VS Play-based Instruction in preschool linked with subsequent emotional problems

Preschool as we know it is disappearing as more and more schools are adopting direct-instruction programs while leaving little to no room for playtime. As a result children as young as 5 year-old learn cold facts such as the geographic location of Vietnam on a map and which they can regurgitate on command to the delight of their parents. Nevertheless, under those circumstances children do not make the connections between that piece of knowledge and their environment that are necessary to make it permanent. In other words, learning becomes dry and empty.

The assumption is that educating children earlier will increase their chances of being accepted in good schools where the competition is so fierce that quantity is now emphasized over quality during the admissions process. What they seem ignorant about is that play lays the foundation for subsequent learning; it allows the child to interact physically with the world and to manipulate it. That in turn titillates their imagination and expand their minds.

To make matters worse, recent research has linked early academic experiences with subsequent emotional and behavioral problems. More distrubing is the fact that since this type of instruction literally feeds children information instead of letting them discover it on their own, their brain may not develop to withstand life stresses and other frustrations thus making them more susceptible to anxiety disorders and depression later in life.

Our society is already slowly killing childhood, but now it is even attacking early childhood with the "baby einstein" trend. What is next, will we take away a baby's cooing and babbling?

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

Direct Instruction VS Play-based Instruction in preschool linked with subsequent emotional problems

Preschool as we know it is disappearing as more and more schools are adopting direct-instruction programs while leaving little to no room for playtime. As a result children as young as 5 year-old learn cold facts such as the geographic location of Vietnam on a map and which they can regurgitate on command to the delight of their parents. Nevertheless, under those circumstances children do not make the connections between that piece of knowledge and their environment that are necessary to make it permanent. In other words, learning becomes dry and empty.

The assumption is that educating children earlier will increase their chances of being accepted in good schools where the competition is so fierce that quantity is now emphasized over quality during the admissions process. What they seem ignorant about is that play lays the foundation for subsequent learning; it allows the child to interact physically with the world and to manipulate it. That in turn titillates their imagination and expand their minds.

To make matters worse, recent research has linked early academic experiences with subsequent emotional and behavioral problems. More distrubing is the fact that since this type of instruction literally feeds children information instead of letting them discover it on their own, their brain may not develop to withstand life stresses and other frustrations thus making them more susceptible to anxiety disorders and depression later in life.

Our society is already slowly killing childhood, but now it is even attacking early childhood with the "baby einstein" trend. What is next, will we take away a baby's cooing and babbling?

Jazzie

Living with Anxiety

Happiness in a Box: Light Therapy to Combat The Winter Blues

For people suffering from the winter blues, a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), there is an easy and affordable remedy: Light Therapy.

Indeed, there is evidence that light therapy effectively reduces the symptoms of SAD in as short a time as a week with very few side effects. Patients generally sit in front of the light box for 30 to 45 minutes every morning while reading or doing other things as it is not required to look directly at the light (staring at the light is proscribed).

The premise behind light therapy is that during the winter months as daylight starts later, people suffering from SAD have difficulty being energized and cheering up, so they are in the grip of depressed moods and fatigue. Light is known to affect the Hypothalamus, which is a gland in the brain responsible for regulating mood, energy and appetite. In addition, light influences serotonin and norepinephrine (brain chemicals necessary to regulate mood) that are also found to be really low in depressed individuals. Therefore, exposure to light in the morning helps reset these systems and raise the mood.

Furthermore, light therapy is currently being investigated for the treatment of Depression, Sleep disorders, Bipolar disorder and a slew of other disorders.

The advantages are that light therapy does not require prescriptions and the box can be purchased online (about $200) or rented. The disadvantages are that it does not yet qualify for insurance reimbursement and that it may cause headaches and hypomania (overstimulation).

Your pick!

Jazzie _ Living with Anxiety

For more info visit the Society for Light Therapy at www.sltbr.org

Happiness in a Box: Light Therapy to Combat The Winter Blues

For people suffering from the winter blues, a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), there is an easy and affordable remedy: Light Therapy.

Indeed, there is evidence that light therapy effectively reduces the symptoms of SAD in as short a time as a week with very few side effects. Patients generally sit in front of the light box for 30 to 45 minutes every morning while reading or doing other things as it is not required to look directly at the light (staring at the light is proscribed).

The premise behind light therapy is that during the winter months as daylight starts later, people suffering from SAD have difficulty being energized and cheering up, so they are in the grip of depressed moods and fatigue. Light is known to affect the Hypothalamus, which is a gland in the brain responsible for regulating mood, energy and appetite. In addition, light influences serotonin and norepinephrine (brain chemicals necessary to regulate mood) that are also found to be really low in depressed individuals. Therefore, exposure to light in the morning helps reset these systems and raise the mood.

Furthermore, light therapy is currently being investigated for the treatment of Depression, Sleep disorders, Bipolar disorder and a slew of other disorders.

The advantages are that light therapy does not require prescriptions and the box can be purchased online (about $200) or rented. The disadvantages are that it does not yet qualify for insurance reimbursement and that it may cause headaches and hypomania (overstimulation).

Your pick!

Jazzie _ Living with Anxiety

For more info visit the Society for Light Therapy at www.sltbr.org

Low Calcium Levels can Make People Anxious

Low blood calcium, while rare, can cause severe physical problems like heart failure and osteoporosis, but it can also trigger psychological problems like anxiety and psychosis.

All muscles (including the heart muscle) require calcium to function, which is why it is the most carefully regulated element in the body. Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium regulation to the extent that vitamin D deficiency leads to calcium disregulation. So it is essential to have enough vitamin D, of which the primary source is the sun.

The telltale signs of calcium deficiency are swollen legs, hand twitching, and diffculty breathing as he lungs fill with fluid.

So if you are experiencing sudden anxiety and show those symptoms, take a blood test to check your calcium level.

Also,make sure you get plenty of sunshine!

 

Jazzie722

Living with Anxiety

Altering Frightening Memories: A Potential Treatment for PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is marked by debilitating anxiety triggered by traumatic memories. The individual becomes paralayzed with fear arisen by recollection of the traumatic event or by neutral events that are associated to the original trauma; for example a scent or a place can conjure up the traumatic memory.

Thus, it is the memory that triggers the anxiety and that is what researchers at NYU University are looking to alter. When people experience and learn something, it is immediately placed in short-term memory (temporary storage of information that will be used right away before being deleted, such as a phone number) where subsequently it will either be forgotten or be stored in long-term memory for future recall. According to the researchers every time a memory is recalled, it requires a process called consolidation to put it back into long-term memory and it is that mechanism that is targetted for the treatment of PTSD. In fact, the traumatic memory that is being recalled is then replaced with a more neutral memory, a process called reconsolidation. Interestingly, reconsolidation has only a 10-minute window of opportunity after wich time the memory can never be modified.

This method has not yet been applied to patients suffering from PTSD, but the results are so far very promising. 

Jazzie.

Living with Anxiety

Altering Frightening Memories: A Potential Treatment for PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is marked by debilitating anxiety triggered by traumatic memories. The individual becomes paralayzed with fear arisen by recollection of the traumatic event or by neutral events that are associated to the original trauma; for example a scent or a place can conjure up the traumatic memory.

Thus, it is the memory that triggers the anxiety and that is what researchers at NYU University are looking to alter. When people experience and learn something, it is immediately placed in short-term memory (temporary storage of information that will be used right away before being deleted, such as a phone number) where subsequently it will either be forgotten or be stored in long-term memory for future recall. According to the researchers every time a memory is recalled, it requires a process called consolidation to put it back into long-term memory and it is that mechanism that is targetted for the treatment of PTSD. In fact, the traumatic memory that is being recalled is then replaced with a more neutral memory, a process called reconsolidation. Interestingly, reconsolidation has only a 10-minute window of opportunity after wich time the memory can never be modified.

This method has not yet been applied to patients suffering from PTSD, but the results are so far very promising. 

Jazzie.

Living with Anxiety