Mental Health Manual

Anxiety Disorders Risk Factor for Eating Problems

2009-07-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

The results of a new study indicate that many individuals who suffer from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and other anxiety disorders may also suffer from disordered eating.

Dr. Lynne Drummond, a consultant psychiatrist at St. George's NHS Mental Health Trust and South West London, gathered data from individuals suffering from severe OCD who were referred to a specialist unit to receive treatment. Dr. Drummond also collected data from another group of individuals who were referred to the same unit for treatment of other anxiety disorders.

Interestingly, the study showed that one-fifth of individuals who suffered from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder also suffered from disordered eating behavior. Additionally, one-third of individuals with other types of anxiety disorders suffered from disordered eating.

Dr. Drummond suggests that clinicians should be aware that individuals suffering from anxiety disorders may also be suffering from an eating disorder or disordered eating. These individuals should be assessed for possible eating problems, the study suggests.

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Family Systems Therapy Versus the Maudsley Approach for Treating Anorexia in Adolescents

2009-04-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

A new study will compare the effectiveness of Family Systems Therapy versus Behavioral Family Therapy (also known as the Maudsley Approach) for treating anorexia nervosa in adolescents aged 12-18 years old.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa have an intense fear of gaining weight, even though they are underweight, refuse to maintain weight that is 85% of their expected weight given their height and age, have a distorted body image, and miss three consecutive menstrual cycles in a row (for females). Anorexia is a life-threatening illness and has a high morbidity rate.

Both of the therapies that will be examined in the study involve the use of the family in treatment. In the Maudsley Approach, the individual suffering with anorexia attends therapy sessions with his or her parents and siblings. Parents work with the therapist in order to figure out what types of foods and how much of these foods must be consumed in order for the affected individual to gain a healthy amount of weight back. Parents must supervise every meal and work at ensuring that each meal is completed. Siblings are encouraged to act as a support system to the affected individual. Once the affected individual has regained a healthy amount of weight, he or she is gradually granted increasing responsibility for choosing his or her own meals again. Additionally, once a healthy weight has been reached, family and developmental issues are addressed in therapy.

In Family Systems Therapy, family members can address any family stressors or problematic communication patterns during therapy sessions.

Two-hundred and forty adolescents aged 12-18 years old are being recruited to participate in this study. All participants must be between 75-87% of their healthy body weight, and medically stable. All families will be randomly assigned to participate in the Maudsley Approach or Family Systems Therapy for nine months. Each family will attend weekly therapy sessions for the first 7-8 weeks of the study, followed by six bi-weekly sessions, and finally monthly therapy sessions for the remainder of the study.

The study will be taking place at six different locations: New York Presbyterian/Westchester, Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore, University of Toronto, Stanford University in Palo Alto, Washington University in St. Louis, and University of California in San Diego.

If you are interested in participating in this study, you can e-mail the study's coordinator, Samantha Berthod at: sab2024@med.cornell.edu.

The New Face of Bulimia Nervosa

2009-03-23T23:47:00.000-07:00

Researchers have generally believed bulimia nervosa affects predominantly white, affluent women. However, a recent study indicates this may not, in fact, be the case. Bulimia nervosa, may rather affect mostly black woman and those with lower incomes.

USC economist Michelle Goeree as well as fellow economists John Ham from the University of Maryland and Daniela Iorio from the Universitat de Autonoma in Barcelona Spain conducted a 10-year survey with more than 2,300 girls in schools in California, Washington, D.C., and Ohio to determine who really is affected by bulimia. Starting at age 9 or 10 years old the participants were surveyed every year regarding their eating habits as well as psychological characteristics that often accompany bulimia, such as depression and body image.

The results showed that black girls were 50% more likely to suffer from bulimic behavior, including binging and purging, than white girls. More specifically, while 1.7% of white girls were clinically bulimic, 2.6% of black girls were clinically bulimic. Overall, approximately 2.2% of all girls who were surveyed were clinically bulimic, which is close to the national average. Black girls also scored higher on a commonly used index to gage the severity of bulimia.

Bulimia was present among 1.5% of girls who had at least one parent with a college education. However, 3.3% of girls with parents with a high school diploma or less suffered from bulimia.

Finally, girls who had the lowest incomes were significantly more likely to suffer from bulimia than those in the highest income brackets.

The researchers assert that most studies of bulimia get their data from hospitals. Those who are able to be treated in a hospital are most often those who have good insurance and/or can pay out of pocket for eating disorder treatment. Those who have low income or who do not have a lot of education may not have insurance or may not be able to afford eating disorder treatment.

The researchers argue that bulimia may be better off classified as an addiction, given the presence of bulimia among lower income and less educated individuals. This way, they argue, more federal, state, and local treatment programs can be created for bulimia and the out-of-pocket costs to families can be reduced.

Source:

Psych Central: Black Girls At Risk for Bulimia

Donation Button

2009-03-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all having a good week so far!

Like many others, I am struggling in this tough economy. While I receive Disability benefits due to my health condition, it fails to fully cover life's expenses. If you enjoy this blog (or any of my other blogs) or if this blog has ever helped you in any way, perhaps you may consider making a donation to support my blog. Perhaps you want to buy me a gallon of milk, lunch, or some cat food for my companion cats. There is no donation that's too small, and all donations to support my blog and my writing career will be greatly appreciated.

If you wish to donate at any time, please do so by clicking on the, "Donate," button on the sidebar (to the right). Thank you so much for reading my updates. I hope you enjoy them.

Self-Injury Study Needs Participants - Compensation Offered

2009-03-11T01:13:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to post here more often. I really miss posting on this blog, and I miss helping people with the info provided here - or at least I *hope* it has helped someone.

This came from a researcher. Please spread the word if you feel like it or get the chance!

Would you like to help us understand how to help people who self-harm?

Self-injury (sometimes called “self-harm”) involves harming yourself on purpose. Some examples include cutting or burning yourself, taking an overdose of pills, or banging your head. Right now, very little is known about why people start or stop self-harming. The Personality and Emotion Research Lab (PERL), a research team from Simon Fraser University in Canada, is conducting a study to learn more about the experiences of people who self-harm, and we want your help! We are interested in how emotions, life experiences, stress and coping styles affect self-harm. We hope that this research will help other people understand more about why people self-harm and what they can do to help.

What you can do: If you want to participate in this study, you will fill out online questionnaires on self-harm, emotions, coping, symptoms, and life events. These questionnaires will take approximately 2 hours to complete.

Who can participate: We are looking for people who currently self-harm (whether you are trying to stop or not) AND those who have self-harmed in the past and quit.

What’s in it for you: Participants who complete the questionnaires will be paid $5 CAD (either online gift certificates (e.g., Amazon) or money transfers via PayPal). You can also choose to participate in our long-term study, where you will fill out a shorter version of the questionnaires every three months for two years. You will be paid $5 CAD (either online gift certificates or money) each time you complete a set of questionnaires (about 30 min each), and you will get a $15 CAD bonus once you have completed all 9 sets for a total of $60 CAD. Telling us about your experiences will give us important information on how self-harm changes over time, and could help develop and improve treatments for people who want to stop self-harming.

Please contact us at perl@sfu.ca if you are interested in participating or if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Personality and Emotion Research Laboratory (PERL)

Simon Fraser University

Department of PsychologyRCB5246, 8888
University DriveBurnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6

People Obey Authority, Even if It Means Hurting Others

2008-12-22T00:01:00.001-08:00

After decades, someone has finally been able to replicate Stanley Milgram's experiment concerning authority figures' effect on obedience.

For anyone who is not familiar with the experiment, in the 1960s, Stanley Milgram at Yale University conducted a series of experiments where he told volunteers he was studying the effects of punishment on learning. In each experiment, Milgram told the volunteer that he or she would either be acting as a teacher or a learner. The volunteer was always the teacher while a confederate (a person working with Milgram) played the role of "learner."

The learner's arms were strapped into a chair and electrodes attached to him. The volunteer witnessed this as well as the learner becoming apprehensive, telling both the volunteer and Milgram he had a heart condition.

Milgram then took the volunteer into an adjoining room, where he or she could communicate with the learner over an intercom. The teacher was instructed to read the learner questions on a verbal memory test, and was told every time the learner got a question wrong he or she must administer an electric shock to him. The electric shock generator consisted of shocks from 15-450 volts in intensity. Each time the learner got an answer incorrect, the teacher had to administer an increasingly stronger shock to him.

Initially, the learner did not respond to the shocks. However, when he received a shock of 150 volts, the learner cried out in pain. He continued to cry out in pain and even insisted the study be stopped, but Milgram insisted that the study must go on, that the volunteers must continue to administer the shocks for every incorrect answer.

The results of Milgram's study may surprise you greatly. Likewise, the results of the replicated study may surprise you.

To read more about the two studies and their results, please visit:
People Obey Authority Figures, Even When It Hurts Others

"Enhanced" Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Individuals with Eating Disorders

2008-12-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

A new study in the United Kingdom shows a new variation on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy may be effective in treating a majority of individuals with eating disorders.

Eating disorders in the UK are classified somewhat differently than they are in the United States. Mainly, they classify eating disorders as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and "atypical" eating disorders, which is the United States' equivalent to Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. "Atypical" eating disorders in the UK are defined as having both features of anorexia and bulimia, such as self-starvation, binge-eating, making oneself throw up purposefully, taking laxatives, and exercising excessively.

The new "enhanced" Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy was developed from the previous form of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which was specifically designed for individuals suffering from bulimia nervosa by Professor Christopher Fairburn, who is a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. He also developed the new "enhanced" Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, intended to help even more individuals suffering from eating disorders.

Fairburn and his colleagues conducted a study with 154 individuals suffering from eating disorders. Two types of enhanced Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) were developed, a simple version and a more complex version. The simple version focused on the primary issue of the eating disorder while the more complex version of CBT-E focused on the eating disorder as well as other features that are commonly associated with eating disorders, such as depression, self-esteem, and perfectionism.

Each individual participating in the study received 20 50-minute sessions of simple or complex CBT-E over the span of 20 weeks.

The researchers discovered that participants responded well to both types of CBT-E and that these improvements held over a one-year period, the time in which relapse into an eating disorder is most common. More specifically, of the participants who completed treatment, two-thirds made a full recovery from their eating disorders. Although one-third of participants relapsed into their eating disorders, they maintained significant improvement.

This study seems to indicate that CBT-E is an effective treatment for a majority of individuals who are suffering from eating disorders. Fairburn and his colleagues are also conducting a large study in order to measure the effectiveness of CBT-E on individuals suffering from anorexia, specifically.

Source:
Psych Central: Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders

The Most Common Eating Disorder in America

2008-08-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

While Anorexia and Bulimia are given most of the media and clinical research attention, it is actually Binge Eating Disorder that is the most common eating disorder in America today, according to a recently published survey.

Researchers at the Harvard University Medical School along with those at McLean Psychiatric Hospital interviewed 9,000 individuals between the years of 2001-2003 about their psychological histories and their eating habits. They interviewed individuals from all across the nation in order to collect more generalizeable data.

The researchers diagnosed less than 1% of women and 0.3% of men with anorexia, in which the main proponent of the disorder is self-starvation. Additionally, 0.5% of men and 1.5% of women were found to have bulimia, an eating disorder constituted by the binge-eating-purging cycle.

Finally, the researchers determined 2% of men and 3.5% of women suffered from binge eating disorder, significantly more individuals than those who suffered from either anorexia or bulimia. Binge eating disorder was defined as out-of-control eating, even after one felt full - at least twice a week.

One of the authors of the study pointed out those who struggle with binge eating are at risk for obesity, diabetes, certain types of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. In addition, the lead author of the study asserts binge eating disorder should be given more attention, given its high prevalence.

The study noted those between the ages of 18-29 are most likely to have an eating disorder, and individuals with eating disorders often struggle with depression and/or anxiety as well.

Personally, I am glad to see more research being done on binge eating disorder. When I was writing my thesis in college on personality traits and behavioral characteristics common among those with eating disorder, I found very few studies to cite in my paper. I am glad binge eating disorder is beginning to receive the attention it deserves, and I hope more individuals who struggle with binge eating disorder will be able to get help for their struggles more easily.

Source:

Fox News: Survey: Binging Most Common Eating Disorder in America:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,249481,00.html?sPage=fnc/health/mentalhealth

Hello!

2008-07-31T00:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I'm going to try to be better about this. I have run across a lot of interesting information I want to share with you over the next several days or weeks. I look forward to writing to everyone again soon!

FDA Mandates Black Box Warning for Older Antipsychotics

2008-06-24T20:56:00.001-07:00

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated that all older antipsychotic drugs being used to treat dementia-related psychosis in the elderly carry a black box warning because these medications increase the risk of death.

Some of these older anti-psychotics include Haldol, Moban, and Navane. Additionally, in 2005, the FDA mandated all newer antipsychotic drugs to carry black box warnings for the same reasons.

The FDA asserted in a statement that both classes of antipsychotic drugs will carry a warning, stating antipsychotics have been shown to increase the risk of death in elderly patients being treated for dementia-related psychosis in clinical trials.

Although the FDA has not approved the use of antipsychotic medication for the treatment of dementia, doctors are allowed to prescribe the drugs as they feel is appropriate, according to U.S. law.

Source: MSNBC

Free Course on Panic Attacks!

2008-06-23T21:45:00.001-07:00

If you suffer from panic attacks, please head over to my anxiety blog where you can download a free course on panic attacks. :)

Humor, Good for the Spirit

2008-06-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

When I feel down, I find that laughter can help lift my spirits. Everyday I visit my friend Chato's blog at Today.com. He posts great cartoons daily that have to do with mental health. His blog was awarded the Editor's Choice award for last month, too :)

Please go visit him at: http://mentalhealthhumor.today.com

Dentist anxiety series

2008-05-20T00:32:00.000-07:00

I am currently writing a series on identifying and conquering different fears about the dentist. You can read my series in my anxiety blog! I hope many of you stop by to read up on the topic.

I will (hopefully) be updating this blog with new information later today or tomorrow.

Occupation May Affect Cognition After Retirement

2008-05-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

How mentally and intellectually challenging your job is now may have a positive (or negative) affect on your cognitive abilities later in life, after retirement, a new study published in the May issue of Neurology suggests.

The study contained 1,036 twin males. Each participant underwent a test, which determined their learning abilities when they joined the United States military in the 1940s. Each participant underwent follow-up assessments every three to four years after they reached the age of 60.

The study found that those who held occupations, which had intellectual demands had better cognitive abilities after retirement, while those who held occupations, which had physical demands had worse cognitive abilities in retirement.

The study authors note that occupation and age are only two factors that contribute to one's cognitive abilities, but that occupation can have a positive or negative impact on cognition as one ages.

Source: Forbes.

Mother's Day for Everyone

2008-05-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

While Mother's Day is a joyous occasion for some, for others it is a very difficult day.

For individuals who can truly celebrate their mothers, look on their pasts and have fond memories of their mothers, I hope you have a great day celebrating with your moms. Spending some quality time with you mom on this special day will make great new memories for you and your mom.

However, for those who find this day difficult, I hope you find a way to nurture yourselves today.

For some, this day brings forth sadness, loneliness, and loss, as when a loving mother has passed away. For others, today brings forth anger, resentment, and confusion, as with individuals who were abused or neglected by their mothers, abandoned, or for those who do not have good relationships with their mothers.

It is sad and unfortunate when you lose a loving mother or when your mother was the perpetrator of abuse or neglect. Mother's Day can be very painful for you. I think it is important to find ways in which you can nurture yourself on difficult days, such as these. Here's some ideas:

-Take a nice bubble bath
-Read a good book
-Write, draw, or paint
-Treat yourself to a yummy dessert, dinner, or special drink
-If you are Christian, pray, read your Bible, and spend some quality time with God
-Write an old friend a letter or catch up with him or her over the phone

Whatever you do, just make sure you are nurturing yourself and giving yourself permission to relax.

I hope everyone finds a way to feel nurtured today.

Technology Aids Substance Abusers Stay Sober

2008-05-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

Technology may help drug and alcohol users stay sober, according to new research, which was published in the May 1, 2008 on-line issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Seventy-seven participants who desired treatment for alcohol and drug abuse were divided randomly into two groups - one group received traditional substance abuse counseling while the other group received traditional substance abuse counseling and six training sessions with a computer program.

The computer program, developed by Kathleen M. Carroll and her colleagues at Yale University's School of Medicine contained six lessons. In each of the six lessons, the program contained videos of different situations a person recovering from drug and/or alcohol abuse might encounter, such as being offered drugs. The training program also teaches recovering individuals strategies for dealing with and avoiding substance abuse as well as video showing how to use each skill or strategy being taught.

At the conclusion of the study, significantly less individuals who underwent traditional counseling in combination with the computer training program had positive drug tests than people who had traditional substance abuse counseling alone.

Personally, I believe this kind of combination therapy may be very effective for individuals who learn best by seeing a skill or strategy being used. Others might benefit from additional role-plays in therapy whereby they can test their new skills in a safe environment before being confronted with a situation in real life.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/health/feeds/hscout/2008/05/08/hscout615106.html

"Special K" Reduces Depression

2008-05-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

Do you suffer from depression? Have you had to try multiple anti-depressants to treat your depression? Have you found an anti-depressant that is effective to treat your depression yet? If you haven't, you're not alone. Many individuals have to try multiple medications for depression, and some people do not find any current anti-depressants effective at treating their depression. Of course, this adds to the feelings of hopelessness a depressed person feels. However, the results of a new study indicate a new kind of drug is effective for treating depression.

The results of this new study, which has been published in the Archives of General Psychiatry discovered that a night club drug known as "Special K" (ketamine) reduces depression. Thirty-three male participants were given ketamine, which is used as a horse tranquilizer, intravenously. The researchers also took minute-by-minute brain scans of the participants brains during the administration of the drug.

They discovered that ketamine restored a part of the brain that is overactive in individuals with depression back to normal, reducing depression in participants.

Certainly doctors and psychiatrists are not going to give depressed people ketamine for their symptoms, but this study does provide new information that can guide future research in creating new drugs to treat people with depression.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24428510/

New Anxiety Blog

2008-04-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am currently writing an anxiety blog for Today. I'd love if you would come and read that as well.

The link to my anxiety blog at Today is: http://anxiety.today.com.

Happy reading!

A Woman Was Imprisoned for 24 Years...

2008-04-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

I think this is such a sad story.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7371959.stm

I wonder why no one suspected anything happened to her? I cannot even imagine what this poor woman went through with her children. It's just so sad and tragic.

Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating an Issue for Women in America

2008-04-27T23:57:00.000-07:00

I ran across this study tonight and I wanted to share it because I feel it is so important that we teach young children, teenage girls, and young adult women how important inner beauty is.

The findings of this study are really quite disturbing to me, as Americans and American culture is so focused on appearance that we forget about inner beauty, intelligence, and true happiness.

SELF magazine and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill cooperated to conduct this study. More than 4,000 women took a survey on-line regarding their thoughts and behaviors toward food. Women participating in the survey were between the ages of 25-45 years.

The researchers found that older women and younger women had about the same occurrence of disordered eating. Likewise, women who identified themselves as Latino, white, black, Hispanic, and Asian all exhibited disordered eating behaviors.

More specifically, the researchers discovered that:
-More than 31% of women who participated in the survey reported they had taken diuretics, diet pills, and/or laxatives, or induced vomiting in order to lose weight at some point during their lives.
-Approximately 50% of those who engaged in purging behaviors reported they did so at least a few times a week.
-Sixty-seven percent of women who did not have actual eating disorders reported they are attempting to lose weight.
-Thirty-seven percent of women said they skip meals regularly in order to lose weight.
-Twenty-seven percent reported they would be extremely upset if they gained five pounds.
-Thirteen percent of participants report they smoke in order to lose weight.
-Twenty-six percent of participants said they have eliminated certain food groups from their diet altogether.
-Fifty-three percent of women who said they are dieting are already at a healthy weight, and are still attempting to lose weight.
-Thirty-nine percent of the women reported that their weight and concerns about what they eat interferes with their happiness.

The results of the study are to appear in the May issue of SELF magazine.

Veterans Need Our Help

2008-04-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

In this year's presidential race, the war in Iraq is one of the major platform issues each candidate is speaking on, and ultimately, whoever becomes President of our country is going to have some tough choices to make regarding the war and the men and women who have been and are being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

RAND has conducted a large study of men and women returning from the war. They wanted to determine how many men and women veterans are experiencing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and/or major depression and how many are receiving adequate treatment.

The researchers collected information from 1,965 veterans from across the United States. They discovered that half of the veterans reported they had a friend who was either killed or seriously injured in the war. Forty-five percent of participants reported they saw dead or seriously injured non-combatants, and 10% of veterans reported they were injured themselves and spent time in the hospital.

The researchers also discovered the highest rates of major depression and PTSD among Hispanics, women, and those who were enlisted in the military.

Researchers found that 19% of veterans had symptoms of major depression or PTSD. Only 53% of those who had major depression or PTSD sought help for their symptoms, and of those who sought help for their symptoms, only one-half received minimally adequate treatment.

Veterans gave different reasons for not seeking professional help for their symptoms, such as they were worried about the side-effects of medication, they were worried about their friends losing confidence in their abilities, they believed family and/or friends could provide them with more help than a mental health professional, and that they were worried seeking professional help may affect their careers.

The researchers recommend the military create a system that allows military veterans to seek professional help without it affecting their careers, as well as providing veterans with evidence-based treatment strategies to most effectively treat their symptoms.

I believe we, as family members, friends, and co-workers of those who serve in the military, have a responsibility to encourage veterans to seek professional mental health treatment if they experienced a traumatic event in the war and/or if they exhibit signs of depression or PTSD.

To read more on this study, please visit: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417112102.htm.

Report It Now Rally, Boston

2008-04-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Report It Now Rally April 29th at Noon, In front of the State House

Hello, Bostonians!
Please join us on Tuesday, April 29th at 12:00 p.m. in front of the State House at the Boston chapter of the Report It Now rally. The Report IT campaign is a nationwide rally of people affected by sexual violence and abuse speaking with one voice to report it at the same time in states across the country. The campaign was developed to raise awareness on the vast under-reporting of sexual violence including rape, incest, and child sexual abuse. Report IT will, for the first time ever, bring together victims in a show of strength, solidarity and voice to demand an end to sexual violence and improvements in the legal process to stop the systematic re-victimization that discourages reporting. This is also an opportunity for those who, under whatever circumstances, never got the chance to report abuse committed against them.

Please spread the word!

To Write Love on Her Arms

2008-04-22T22:51:00.000-07:00

All of the proceeds from the sale of this shirt will go to TWLOHA, a non-profit organization that helps individuals with depression, addiction, and self-harm.

Here's the link:
http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/store/product.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302028382&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442176304&bmUID=1208744765267

Sleep Medication for Sleeping Problems

2008-04-21T00:07:00.000-07:00

Did you try developing good sleep hygiene and you're still having trouble falling and/or staying asleep at night? Have you tried drinking warm milk, eating a small snack, writing in your journal, and/or reading before bed to help you fall asleep and it hasn't been helping, either?

If you're still having trouble falling and/or staying asleep at night, even after developing good sleep hygiene and trying some of the home remedies for getting to sleep, you may need to speak to your doctor about the possibility of taking sleep medication.

I know some people really do not like the idea of taking medication. However, the benefits of being well rested might outweigh the disadvantages of taking medication. Only you and your doctor can decide if sleep medication, also called sedatives or hypnotics, is a viable option for you.

You may need to try more than one sleep medication before you find the right hypnotic for a chronic sleeping problem. If this happens to be the case with you, don't lose hope. There are several different types of medication doctors can prescribe someone to help him or her sleep. While Ambien may work wonder for a friend of yours, it may not be the right medication for you. Everyone is different, and different medications work for different people.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about all of the symptoms you experience when you have trouble sleeping. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both as well as whether you experience a lot of anxiety when you try to sleep. This information will help your doctor decide what medication may be most appropriate for your specific situation.

Nightmares vs. Night Terrors

2008-04-18T23:23:00.000-07:00

What is the difference between a nightmare and a night terror?

A nightmare is a scary or terrifying dream. It usually occurs in the later half of sleep and upon awakening you or your child will be able to recall what the dream was about.

Night terrors are also scary or terrifying dreams. However, night terrors usually occur in deep sleep and you or your child may be difficult to wake up from these dreams. Upon awakening, you or your child will not be able to recall what the dream was about.

Nightmares and night terrors are most common in children, though some adults continue to experience these scary dreams. Please see the post below on how to comfort yourself after having a nightmare.

Comforting Yourself After a Nightmare

2008-04-16T23:38:00.000-07:00

I know that children tend to get nightmares more often than adults do, but many adults still get nightmares occasionally.

Here are some ideas you can use to comfort yourself when you wake up from a nightmare because no matter what age you are nightmares are quite disturbing and distressing.

1. If you have a cat or dog, pet him or her. He or she can be very grounding.

2. If you need to talk about your nightmare and have a partner or spouse who is supportive, you may want to wake him or her up to discuss your nightmare. Alternatively, you can write down the details of your dream to get them out of your head.

3. Get up and have a drink of water.

4. Read something soothing, such as the Bible if you are a Christian.

5. Concentrate on your surroundings in order to remind yourself where you are.

Nightmare Disorder

2008-04-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

You wake up terrified. Your heart is pounding, you're breathing is shaky, and you feel distraught. Most of us have had this experience - waking up from a nightmare, but what happens when it is a regular occurrence?

Nightmare Disorder is another sleeping disorder. While nightmares affect 10-50% of children aged 3-5 years old and 3% of adults report having nightmares frequently, the prevalence of Nightmare Disorder in the United States is not currently known.

Individuals who experience Nightmare Disorder awaken from vivid, frightening dreams during naps or at night. They are able to recall the details of their frightening dreams and quickly realize their surroundings upon awakening. Frightening dreams include those that threaten one's security, safety, life, and/or self-esteem.

Nightmare Disorder is diagnosed when nightmares affect an individuals social, occupational, academic, or other important parts of one's life. Before Nightmare Disorder is made as a diagnosis, however, mental health professionals rule out other mental illnesses, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, general medical conditions, and any substance or medication that could be causing the nightmares.

Central Sleep Apnea Treatment

2008-04-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I discussed some of the treatment options available for obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is much less common; however some of the treatment options available for central sleep apnea are the same ones used for obstructive sleep apnea.

For instance, continuous positive airway pressure is used to treat both central and obstructive sleep apnea. Continuous positive airway pressure involves placing a mask over your nose. The mask is connected to a device that increases the air pressure above the air pressure around you. This helps prevent breathing troubles in individuals with sleep apnea.

Auto-adjusting positive airway pressure is another type of treatment for central sleep apnea that increases air pressure automatically when one's breathing stops and decreases the pressure when breathing begins again.

Other times, individuals with central sleep apnea have an underlying medical condition, such as lung or heart problems. Sometimes, treating an underlying problem stops sleep apnea.

Central sleep apnea is often treated based on what is causing the breathing difficulties.

For more information about central sleep apnea treatment, I encourage you to visit Mayo Clinic at: www.mayoclinic.org.

2008-04-08T01:20:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note for my readers. I am sorry for my absence recently. I have been very ill, but I am on the mend now. I plan to resume regular blogging on Wednesday or Thursday. I look forward to coming back. I will be talking about more sleep apnea treatments in my next post.

I hope you are all well!

Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

2008-04-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

There are several ways to treat obstructive sleep apnea, both surgical and non-surgical.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP is one method used to treat sleep apnea. This is a machine that gives you air pressure while you sleep through a mask you wear over your nose. The machine keeps airways open while you sleep by providing slightly higher air pressure than its surrounding air pressure. This prevents snoring and sleep apnea.

Oral appliances: Dentists can supply different oral devices that can keep airways open during sleep. People suffering from obstructive sleep apnea may need to try more than one mask to find one that is effective.

Maxillomandibular advancement: This is one of the surgical options available for obstructive sleep apnea. Basically, in this procedure, the jaw is moved forward, making the space between the soft palette and the tongue wider, which makes obstruction of the airway less likely.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: This surgical procedure may or may not be successful in treating one's sleep apnea. In a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty the surgeon removes tissue from the top of your throat and the back of your mouth. Additionally, the tonsils and adenoids are also typically removed. The procedure is usually successful for stopping snoring.

Tracheostomy: This surgical procedure is performed if other treatments have failed to treat your sleep apnea and/or your sleep apnea is life-threatening. In this procedure, a surgeon makes a hole in your neck in which a plastic or metal tube is placed. You keep the hole covered during the day, but uncover it at night to allow air to pass through to your lungs; you breathe through the tube in order to bypass the obstruction in your throat.

The specific treatment or treatments you receive will depend on your specific circumstances, which you should discuss with your doctor.

Sleep Apnea

2008-03-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Do you know someone who stops breathing several times an hour for the duration of several seconds to a minute or longer? If you do, you may know someone who suffers from sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which an individual either stops breathing many times during the night or has shallow breathing while he or she sleeps. Sometimes a person who has stopped breathing will give a noisy choking sound or snort when he or she resumes breathing again.

While individuals with sleep apnea may feel very tired during the day due to poor sleep quality, they often do not know they stop breathing during sleep. Rather, it is typically a family member, spouse, or partner who notices the shallow breathing or breathing pauses that occur during sleep.

Three types of sleep apnea exist:

Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when something either blocks the airway or the airway collapses during sleep, causing a person to stop breathing. This is the most common type of sleep apnea.

Central sleep apnea: Central sleep apnea occurs when a person's brain does not send the right signals or messages to the breathing muscles in the body. According to the National Institute of Health, snoring does not usually occur with central sleep apnea.

Mixed sleep apnea: In mixed sleep apnea, both obstructive and central sleep apnea are present and account for breathing difficulties during sleep.

If left untreated, sleep apnea may lead to any of the following, according to the National Institute of Health: irregular heartbeat, increases the risk for heart failure, increases the risk of suffering from diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, and/or stroke, and increases the likelihood of having a driving or work-related accident.

Fortunately, sleep apnea can be treated. I will discuss the treatment options for sleep apnea in my next post.

Narcolepsy Treatment

2008-03-27T20:07:00.000-07:00

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that is very disruptive to one's life. As was discussed in my last post, individuals with Narcolepsy suffer from excessive sleepiness throughout the day and an incredible urge to take brief naps, which may or may not be refreshing and relieve sleepiness for a period of time.

While there is currently no standard treatment for Narcolepsy, the symptoms of the disorder can be managed using a combination of techniques.

First, medication can be prescribed to help alleviate sleepiness during the daytime. Medications typically prescribed to manage Narcolepsy include stimulants, such as Ritalin and Provigil, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) anti-depressants, such as Paxil and Zoloft, and/or tricyclic antidepressants, such as Vivactiil.

Many individuals also develop depression as a result of the sleep attacks associated with Narcolepsy. It is normal for individuals who feel as if they have little or no control over their lives to develop depression.

In order to treat depression, individuals may seek counseling from a social worker, psychologist, or other licensed therapist and/or go to a support group. Anti-depressants may also be prescribed by a physician or psychiatrist in order to treat depression associated with Narcolepsy.

Finally, incorporating specific behavioral changes into one's day can help individuals who suffer with Narcolepsy manage symptoms. Obtaining and maintaining good sleep hygiene is an essential part of managing Narcolepsy. Please visit my post on sleep hygiene to learn what good sleep hygiene is.

Other behavioral practices that can help manage Narcolepsy effectively include taking a few short naps during the day spanning 10-15 minutes each, avoiding operating heavy machinery, driving, and other dangerous tasks whenever possible, exercising regularly, breaking up large and/or tedious tasks into smaller ones, and avoiding ingesting caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.

Additionally, alerting your family, friends, boss, and co-workers to your condition may be helpful to you, as these individuals can help you recall things that happen at work or home if you are unexpectedly hit with a sleep attack. Wearing a medical identification bracelet is also a good idea to alert medical professionals to your condition in any case that you are unable to tell them yourself.

Narcolepsy is a difficult sleeping disorder to handle, but there are treatment options available that may help you or someone you know who suffers from this condition. If you think you suffer from Narcolepsy, talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

Narcolepsy - Sleep Attacks

2008-03-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

In high school, when I first became interested in psychology, I was taking a psychology class taught by my high school. I remember learning about the different sleeping disorders and the way I learned to remember what Narcolepsy was, was to think about my cat.

My cat, like most cats, would suddenly stop walking around, lay down on the floor, and begin sleeping. When my sister and I learned that this behavior is seen as Narcolepsy in humans, we started calling our kitty a "Narcoleptic cat."

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder in which individuals who are affected by it have irresistible sleep attacks, typically between 1-6 times each day. These individuals feel sleepiness and an irresistible urge to go to sleep, which can be perpetuated in situations that do not require a lot of energy, such as listening to a lecture in class, sitting in a meeting at work, or reading the newspaper.

Most people with Narcolepsy say they feel refreshed after a sleep attack, but some continue to feel sleepy. Sleep attacks generally last from 10-20 minutes, but can last for longer periods of time.

In my next post, I'll talk about how Narcolepsy can be treated.

Here's to wishing you a good night's sleep!

Getting Sleep

2008-03-24T23:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know about everyone else, but I've been feeling very stressed lately. I've been having more trouble sleeping, and thought I'd share a technique that tends to help me. I hope some of my ideas help you, too.

Writing in my journal really helps me get all of my worries down on paper and out of my head for a while. When I do this, I can sleep better because I've already organized my thoughts and feelings.

If I eat a small snack and have some milk, I tend to be able to get to sleep better as well.

What do you do to help you sleep? The comments section is open for anyone and everyone to comment!

Developing Good Sleep Hygiene to Improve Sleep

2008-03-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

If you are struggling with sleep difficulties, before you consider taking prescription medication to aid in your sleep, you should ensure you have good sleep hygiene. Good sleep hygiene helps many people get to sleep and stay asleep through the night effectively.

First, set a regular sleeping schedule for yourself. Ensure that you fall asleep and get up at the same time everyday, no matter what. If you cannot fall asleep within a half an hour of laying down, get up and read a book or magazine for a half an hour and try to sleep again. Regardless of what time you actually end up falling asleep, you need to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

You also need to avoid caffeine at least 4-6 hours before you go to bed. This may be challenging, but it is an important part of good sleep hygiene. If you drink coffee, soda, or tea, make sure it doesn't have caffeine 4-6 hours prior to bedtime.

Before you go to sleep, try to do something relaxing. Take a bubble bath, read a good book, listen to some soft music, or practice some relaxation techniques. Personally, I love to listen to Enya before I sleep. I find her music soothing and relaxing.

Another thing to remember is to avoid naps during the day if at all possible. You may be tired if you didn't get adequate sleep the night before, but napping during the day makes it more difficult to sleep at night. If you must nap, nap for 30-45 minutes at the most.

Your sleep environment also needs to be conducive to sleeping. You need to find a comfortable temperature for your room - not too hot or too cold, comfortable blankets and sheets, and comfortable sleeping clothes. Additionally, refrain from using your room as an office or workspace, as this often leads to sleeping difficulties.

Before you go to sleep, you may want to have a light snack and warm milk. Warm milk tends to help people sleep.

Try to let go of your worries, frustrations, and concerns before you sleep. Worry can keep you awake at night, preventing you from attaining adequate sleep.

Taking these steps will help you develop good sleep hygiene. Developing good sleep hygiene may help you more than you think. It's certainly worth developing good sleep hygiene before you consider taking medication to induce sleep.

Primary Hypersomnia

2008-03-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Primary Hypersomnia is the opposite of Primary Insomnia. Primary Hypersomnia is constituted by excessive sleep or sleepiness. Individuals with hypersomnia sleep for extended periods of time or sleep frequently during the day. These symptoms must occur over a month's period of time for a diagnosis to be made.

Additionally, the hypersomnia must not be better accounted for by another mental illness, medical condition, or substance abuse.

Some of the medications used to treat hypersomnia include tricyclic anti-depressants, manoamine oxidase inhibitors, levadopa, modafinil, amantadine, and pemoline.

Sleep hygiene may also be useful for treating hypersomnia, though its success rate is lower than that of medical treatment.

In my next post, I will discuss sleep hygiene practices that may help with both insomnia and hypersomnia.

Mind Exercise

2008-03-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a little test to exercise your brain.

How many colors can YOU name in five minutes? I could name 37.
http://www.justsayhi.com/bb/view2/colors

Insomnia

2008-03-11T17:58:00.001-07:00

We've all had them. Those nights where it's seemingly impossible to sleep. Or the nights we toss and turn and can't seem to get comfortable.

However, the occasional sleepless night doesn't constitute insomnia. Insomnia is a consistent problem. Insomnia is defined by having trouble falling asleep or maintaining sleep for the duration of at least one month. According the the DSM-IV-TR an individual can only be diagnosed with insomnia when mental illness, substance abuse, and medical conditions are ruled out as the cause of the sleeping problems.

Insomnia interferes with an individual's social, occupational, academic, and/or personal life.

While some individuals need prescription sleeping aids to manage insomnia, others are able to manage it naturally. Please see the post below for some natural ways to battle insomnia.

How to battle insomnia naturally

2008-03-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

Practically everyone suffers an occasional sleepless night. When this happens, there are some things you can do to help you fall asleep more effectively.

In my article I talk about how you can naturally fall asleep, with home remedies or with certain herbs.

To learn how you can naturally battle insomnia, please visit my article.

Here to good sleep!

Stages of Sleep

2008-03-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Before I discuss specific sleeping disorders and problems in this blog, I feel it is important to understand the stages of sleep.

There are five stages of sleep: stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, stage 4, and REM (rapid eye movement), which is probably what most individuals are most familiar with. During the time you sleep, your body cycles through each of the stages several times.

Stage 1: In stage 1 sleep, an individual begins to lose conscious awareness. Some people may experience certain types of hallucinations in this stage of sleep, which are known as hypnagogic hallucinations.

Stage 2: In stage 2 sleep, conscious awareness is lost.

Stage 3: Stage 3 sleep constitutes the beginning of deep sleep. It is in this stage that sleepwalking, bed wetting, and night terrors occur.

Stage 4: Stage 4 sleep is a continuation of stage 3 sleep. Stage 4 sleep is also deep sleep.

It appears that muscle and bone are built, the immune system is strengthened, and tissue is regenerated during deep sleep.

REM: In individuals who do not suffer from sleeping disorders, breathing and heart rate increase in speed and eyes move around rapidly (hence the term Rapid Eye Movement for this stage of sleep). Most of a person's memorable dreams occur in REM sleep.

Infants and children may spend up to 50% of their sleeping time in REM while adults may only spend 20% of their sleep time in REM.

As you sleep the time you spend in REM sleep increases. For instance, the first time you go into REM sleep, it only typically lasts for 10 minutes. But you may spend up to one hour in REM sleep in the last sleep cycle of the night.

Sleep IQ

2008-03-08T23:28:00.000-08:00

National Sleep Awareness Week was March 3-9 this year, and while we are at the close of the week, I've decided I am going to do my next series on healthy sleep, sleep cycles, and sleep disorders.

To start, discover how much you already know about sleep with this Sleep IQ test!

A Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease May Produce Feelings of Relief for Patients and Caregivers

2008-03-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

A new study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that telling patients and caregivers about a diagnosis of Alzheimer's early on does not cause increased depressed mood, as doctors had previously thought.

The current study was conducted at Washington University's School of Medicine. Participants for the study were recruited when potential patients called to make an appointment with the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.

A total of 90 patients and their caregivers participated in the study. Before each patient underwent an evaluation at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, they were asked questions about their mood, expectations for their evaluation, and their family history.

Participants and caregivers were also called two days after their appointment at the Center and were asked questions about their mood and their diagnosis.

Sixty-nine percent of participants were given a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers found that both the patients and caregivers levels of depression did not increase significantly, while their levels of anxiety decreased dramatically.

The authors of this study assert that both patients and caregivers feel a sense of relief when they receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. They hypothesize this is the case because when a diagnosis of Alzheimer's is made early, patients can take an active part in planning their future treatment. An early diagnosis of Alzheimer's also allows physicians to prescribe their patients medication that can delay Alzheimer's symptoms. Delaying symptoms may also delay the need for patients to be placed into a nursing home.

The authors also suggest caregivers feel relief when they get the diagnosis of Alzheimer's because they can prepare for the future as well.

The authors indicate this is the first study that has examined both patient and caregiver feelings about a diagnosis of Alzheimer's shortly after they received it.

I think a major limitation to this study is that the researchers did not continue to follow-up with the patients and caregivers beyond the two-day period. It is unclear if there is merely a sense of relief immediately after the diagnosis is given or if this relief continues for weeks or months after the diagnosis. I think future research should examine patient and caregiver feelings weeks and months after they received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's in order to determine how long the sense of relief lasts.

If you would like to learn more about this study please visit: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303190543.htm.

If you would like to learn more about Alzheimer's disease, you may visit my article about the disease or the Alzheimer's Association.

Treatment of ADHD with Stimulants Not Indicative of Future Substance Abuse

2008-03-04T23:54:00.000-08:00

A new study indicates that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder treated with stimulant drugs are not at increased risk for substance abuse as adolescents or young adults.

Prior research on individuals treated with stimulants for ADHD has produced mixed results as to whether or not these individuals are at increased risk for future drug and/or alcohol abuse.

The most recent study, which is set for publication in the American Journal of Psychiatry included 100 male adolescents and young adults, 10 years after they were initially diagnosed as having ADHD.

The results of the study indicated that 73% of all participants had been treated with stimulant in the past for ADHD and 22% were currently being treated with stimulant drugs.

The results indicated that participants treated with stimulant drugs for ADHD were neither at increased or decreased risk for developing alcohol and/or drug use problems in the future.

The authors of this study assert this study is unique because it is the largest longitudinal study of its kind and takes into account the diagnosis of Conduct Disorder, which is associated with substance abuse.

FDA Approves New Anti-Depressant, Prestiq

2008-03-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

On February 29th the Food and Drug Administration approved a new anti-depressant, Prestiq, made by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

Prestiq is a serotonin-norepinepherine re-uptake inhibitor (SNRI). According to Wyeth, the new anti-depressant takes a different pathway in the brain than Effexor does (which is also manufactured by Wyeth).

The FDA required Wyeth to conduct clinical trials with the new drug before they approved it. Wyeth conducted four eight-week clinical, double-blind studies where some participants received Prestiq and others received a placebo. Prestiq was shown to effectively treat the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder.

According to Wyeth, the most common side-effects of Prestiq in clinical trials were sleepiness, dizziness, hyperhidosis, insomnia, nausea, male sexual dysfunction disorders, anxiety, decreased appetite, constipation, and anxiety.

The FDA has approved Prestiq for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in adults only.

Prestiq will be available on the United States' market later this year.

For more information, you may visit Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

Consequences of Verbal Abuse

2008-03-03T00:53:00.000-08:00

Not only is verbal abuse hurtful at the time of abuse, it has lasting consequences as well.

Individuals who endure verbal abuse on a regular basis, such as from parents, close friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, fiances, and/or husbands/wives, suffer many psychological effects.

Those who endure verbal abuse may experience any number of the following side-effects of the abuse:

-Low self-esteem
-Low self-confidence
-Decreased enthusiasm
-Distrust in other relationships
-Doubting one's ability to communicate effectively
-Doubting one's own perceptions
-A feeling that he or she must be "on guard" all of the time
-The development of an internal "critical voice"
-A tendency to analyze/examine situations to try to figure out what he or she did "wrong"
-Self-doubt
-Wishing he or she wasn't the way he or she is
-Fear that one is crazy or going crazy
-Wanting to run away or escape
-Hesitancy in accepting one's own perceptions and/or coming to conclusions

When the victim of verbal abuse doubts himself or herself, his/her perceptions, thoughts, experiences, and feelings, the verbal abuser feels confident that he or she is successfully gaining control over the person he or she is abusing.

Verbal Abuse - Forgetting

2008-03-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

Another type of verbal abuse is forgetting. While it is perfectly normal for everyone to forget things occasionally, a verbal abuser will "forget" things consistently.

Verbal abusers may "forget" incidents that were upsetting to his or her partner, arguments, and discussions. He or she may also "forget" important commitments, dates, and promises he or she made to his or her partner.

Verbal Abuse - Name Calling

2008-02-28T23:20:00.000-08:00

Name calling is another form of verbal abuse. Name calling is the easiest type of verbal abuse to identify. Anytime your partner calls you a name, he or she is being verbally abusive.

This weekend I will examine the consequences of verbal abuse.

Verbal Abuse - Ordering

2008-02-27T22:47:00.000-08:00

Another form of verbal abuse is ordering.

When one person in a relationship orders or demands another person to do something, he or she is telling his or her partner he or she should be ready at any moment to meet his or her needs, desires, and wants. Furthermore, the abuser denies his partner the right to make his or her own choices.

Here are a few examples of ordering statements:

-Clean that up.
-Take the trash out, now!
-We are not going to discuss this any longer.
-Make dinner.
-You're not going out of the house looking like that!

Feedback from my readers?

2008-02-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

The series on verbal abuse will be ending soon, and I wanted to know what types of things my readers would like to see in this blog.

Would you like to see reviews of research? Are there any specific topics you would like me to discuss in the near future? Do you have specific questions?

I want to make this blog the most useful for all of my readers, so please feel free to leave any feedback and/or questions you have on any post and I will do my best to address all the things you'd like to know about.

You can also e-mail me your questions and comments at: miniemedia@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Eating Disorder Warning Signs and Information

2008-02-25T19:53:00.000-08:00

In light of today's Dr. Phil show on eating disorders, I'm sure there will be some friends and relatives searching for information about eating disorders. I hope the information I provide here can help you help someone you love.

I wrote some posts about Anorexia and Bulimia last year, which I thought may be helpful for people looking for information about the disorders:
What is Anorexia Nervosa?

What is Bulimia Nervosa?

Some warning signs that your loved one may be suffering with an eating disorder include:
-Making excuses to avoid meals or eating, such as, "I already ate," "I'm not hungry," or, "I'm going to eat later with so-and-so."
-Measuring portion sizes or weighing food
-Cutting food into tiny pieces before eating it
-Using diet pills
-Skipping meals
-Wearing layers of clothes or wearing baggy clothes to cover weight loss
-Complaints of being cold all the time
-Weight fluctuations
-Rapid weight loss or gain
-Large amounts of food missing from cabinets or the fridge could be signs of binging behavior
-Noticing several wrappers and food containers in piles could also be a sign of binging
-Taking frequent trips to the restroom after meals could be a sign that your loved one is purging
-Complaints from your loved one about how he or she is fat, disgusting, and/or ugly
-An obsession with food, weight, food, and/or body image

If you believe someone you love is suffering from an eating disorder, please encourage him or her to seek professional help. If not treated properly early on, eating disorders can, and do, become fatal conditions.

Dr. Phil Schedule Feb. 25-29, 2008

2008-02-24T22:11:00.000-08:00

This week's Dr. Phil's shows are as follows:

Monday: Deadly Thin - Dr. Phil talks with a woman who is struggling with Anorexia and Bulimia. Aimee is only 60 pounds, but she still believes she's fat. Dr. Phil also talks with a former guest who has an inspiring story of recovery.

Tuesday: Alter Egos - Dr. Phil talks to guests who lead double lives.

Wednesday: Internet Cheats - Tameka wants her fiance to take down his MySpace profiles because he has already cheated on her twice with them. Her fiance says he needs the profiles to promote his business. Find out what happens when Dr. Phil asks the fiance to take a lie detector test.

Thursday: Still Choosing the Crown - The guests on this show are wives and mothers, but still want to compete in pageants. Dr. Phil has some words of advice for a woman who is pregnant with her seventh child and still competing in pageants.

Friday: Follow-ups - Dr. Phil brings back some of his most popular guests for follow-ups.

Verbal Abuse - Threatening

2008-02-22T21:27:00.001-08:00

Threats are another form of verbal abuse.

Threats generally take on two forms:

If you (don't).....I'll....

For instance:
If you don't leave me alone, I'll leave.
If you don't have these chores by the time I get home, I'll be really angry.
If you keep arguing with me, I'll hit you.

The second type takes this form:
Do this or I'll....

For instance:
Do the dishes now or I'll make the dog sleep outside in the snow tonight.
Hang up the phone or I'll hurt you.
Do what I say or else.

Music Helps Recovering Stroke Patients

2008-02-20T01:34:00.000-08:00

I posted this in my music news blog, and I thought it might also interest those of you who read this blog:

A new study shows that listening to music while recovering from a stroke can help patients recover their cognitive abilities and maintain better mood.

The study participants were 60 individuals who had recently suffered from a middle cerebral artery stroke in either the right or left side of the brain. Thirty patients listened to audio books or to their favorite music every day during recovery while the remaining 30 patients did not listen to music or audio books. All stroke patients also took part in a standard rehabilitation program.

The researchers discovered after three months 18% of stroke patients who listened to audio books showed a better verbal memory, 29% of patients who listened to neither audio books nor music showed improved verbal memory, and 60% of patients who listened to music showed improved verbal memory.

The researchers also discovered stroke patients who listened to their favorite music every day showed an increased ability to focus and maintained better moods than those who did not listen to music.

The researchers are not sure why music improved verbal memory and attention. Further studies should be focused on discovering the effect music has on the brain in recovering stroke patients.

This study was published in the journal Brain.

Dr. Phil Show Schedule Feb. 18-22, 2008

2008-02-18T00:46:00.001-08:00

This week's Dr. Phil schedule is as follows. I plan to have a more substantial post either tomorrow or Tuesday!

Monday - Sober Up or Else - Two daughters try to get their mother, a long time alcoholic, to sober up once and for all. They say if she refuses to get clean, they will walk away from her forever.

Tuesday - Rules of Engagement Part 2 - Four engaged couples are living in the Dr. Phil house to work on their relationships. Dr. Phil continues to work with the couple through exercises and counsel.

Wednesday - Bully Husband - Dr. Phile talks with a woman who suffers mental abuse at the hands of her husband. She says she stays with him because she loves him and for the sake of her two children. Can Dr. Phil help this family?

Thursday - Family Court Battles - A mother and daughter are at war with one another and are battling it out with one another in court. Dr. Phil talks with this mother and daughter to try to find out the heart of the matter.

Friday - Hell Weddings - Dr. Phil talks to couples who had weddings go bad.

Verbal Abuse - Judging and Criticizing

2008-02-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

Judgmental and critical statments are another form of verbal abuse.

A parter can make judmental and/or critical statments about you to you (as "you" statements) or statements about you to other people (as "he" or "she" statements). Both types of statements are abusive.

Some examples of critical and judmental "you" statements include:
-You can't take a joke.
-Your problem is...
-You have issues.
-You complain too much.

Some examples of "he" or "she" statements an abusive partner may make to others include:
-He doesn't know what he's talking about.
-He can't keep his facts straight.
-She doesn't know which way is up.

Dr. Phil Shows This Week - Relationships, Addiction, and Valentine's Day

2008-02-04T01:23:00.000-08:00

I promise a more substantial entry is on its way! Thank you for continuing to check out this blog!

I found this week's Dr. Phil shows to be interesting and pertinent to the discussion of verbal abuse and relationships in this blog, as of late.

Here's this week's Dr. Phil show schedule:
Monday - Dirty Little Secrets - This show is about how secrets can affect marriages in deep, lasting ways.

Tuesday - The Dr. Phil House - Rules of Engagement - Dr. Phil works with four couples who are engaged and plan on getting married. Each couple has many issues they need to work out. Issues these couples have include verbal, emotional, and physical abuse, intimidation, and commitment.

Wednesday - Pill Popping Twins - This show is part 1 of a 2-part series. Dr. Phil talks with two twin sisters who have a pill-popping addiction. These sisters have managed to ruin many aspects of their lives.

Thursday - Pill Popping Twins Part 2 - Dr. Phil continues to talk to these sisters about how their addiction has affected their lives, encourages them to face their problem and seek help for it, and talks with the twins' parents about their involvement in the problem.

Friday - My Worst Valentine - Dr. Phil and Robin give tips to men on how to be romantic to their wives on Valentine's Day. Robin also works with two people who want makeovers for Valentine's Day. Robin also discusses how to treat yourself well on Valentine's Day if you will be spending it alone.

Please let me know if you like this kind of post, and I'll do more of them if you do!

Blocking and Diverting

2008-01-16T23:55:00.000-08:00

Blocking is a form of verbal abuse in which the abuser controls discussion, withholds information, or diverts his or her partner's attention to something else.

Some examples of blocking include:
That's a lot of crap!
Where did you get a crazy idea like that?
Quit your bitching.
This discussion is over.
You think you know everything!

Other times an abuser will block discussion by diverting her attention to something else.

Some examples of blocking by diverting include the following:
This is too complicated for you to understand
I'm tired of your constant complaining!
Just drop it, I don't need this hassle!
I've already explained it to you before!

Mean Girls - What They Are and How to Cope

2008-01-13T22:58:00.000-08:00

While aggression in teen boys tends to be physical, aggression in teen girls is often expressed in relationships. While adolescent boys use their physical strength as a weapon, adolescent girls use their relationships with their friends as weapons.

Relational aggression can include any and all of the following:
-Gossip - personal information about the victim is shared without her consent.
-Isolation - where a victim is somehow prevented from socializing with her friends.
-Humiliation
-Betrayal
-Lies
-Exclusion
-Spreading rumors about the victim

Relational aggression is not only hurtful when it is happening, it can also have long-term consequences for the victim of "mean girls'" behavior.

Studies have found that long-term consequences of relational abuse include, but are not limited to: depression, suicide, low self-esteem, loneliness, anxiety, and adjustment problems.

Parents should keep an open communication with their teens about relational abuse.

Some of the signs that your teen may be suffering from "mean girl" behavior include (but certainly are not limited to):
-A sudden disinterest in spending time with friends she once spent time with.
-Avoiding talking about friends she used to talk about openly.
-Isolating herself.
-Depression.
-Anxiety.
-Drop in self-esteem.
-Skipping school.
-Poor academic performance.

If you think your teen may be experiencing relational abuse, please talk to her about what she is experiencing. It is also wise to alert school officials to the problem and who is involved in victimizing your daughter. School officials are more aware and responsive to this behavior than they were a decade ago.

In order to avoid long-term damage to your daughter's self-esteem, please take her to a counselor or have her see the school counselor. Remind her that she is worthy and beautiful just the way she is.

Please do not ignore relational aggression. Seek help if you think your daughter (or son) is being victimized by her (or his) peers.

Verbal Abuse - Trivializing

2008-01-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

Trivializing is where an abusive partner makes light of his or her partner's accomplishments or achievements. Oftentimes, the partner of an abuser may not feel he or she is communicating how significant an accomplishment is due to the abuser's trivialization of it.

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Verbal Abuse - Discounting

2008-01-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

Discounting is a form of verbal abuse that leaves the partner of a verbal abuser feeling as if his/her feelings, thoughts, and experiences are worthless or don't matter, according to Patricia Evans in her boo Verbally Abusive Relationships.

Some statements that may be considered as discounting include:

-You don't know what you are talking about.
-You twist my words around.
-You are trying to start a fight.
-You are making a mountain out of a molehill.
-You cannot take a joke.
-You see everything in the worst possible way.
-You think you know it all.
-You think you're always right.
-No one asked you.
-Your feelings don't matter.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T17:16:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyon! I hope everyone has a blessed Holiday season!

Verbal Abuse - Denial

2007-12-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

According to Patricia Evans, denial is another form of verbal abuse. Denial occurs when the abuser outright denies the partner's reality and experiences.

Some examples of statements that deny a partner's experience and/or reality are:
"We never had that conversation."
"That never happened."
"I never said that."
"You're making all of that up."

Although the abuser knows these things have occurred, he or she tells his or her partner they did not in order to make him or her doubt one's experiences and reality.

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Verbal Abuse - Countering

2007-12-20T11:20:00.000-08:00

Countering is a form of verbal abuse in which an abuser tries to dominate or control his or her partner and/or his or her partner’s reality, experiences, and/or feelings, according to Patricia Evans.

Evans remarks in her book The Verbally Abusive Relationship that when an abuser constantly counters his or her partner, the partner cannot truly know what the abuser thinks or feels.

Countering is a tactic in which an abuser will tell his or her partner that he or she is wrong – that one’s reality, feelings, perceptions, and thoughts – are wrong.

Here are some examples of countering.

Example 1:

Partner: I think the acting in that movie was done really well.

Abuser: How can you say that? The acting was horrible!

Example 2:

Abuser: That doctor didn’t know what he was talking about. I wonder if he even went to medical school.

Partner: You didn’t think he knew what he was talking about? I actually thought he seemed very intelligent about his subject matter.

Abuser: You’re wrong.

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Brain abnormalities in recovered anorexic individuals

2007-12-03T23:38:00.000-08:00

A colleague of mine wrote this article on a recent study of individuals who had recovered from Anorexia Nervosa:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/465252/anorexia_nervosa_patients_have_different.html

Increase suicide rates

2007-09-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

This new report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) really reiterates the importance of recognizing signs of suicide and the efforts mental health professionals, teachers, parents, and clergy should be making in suicide prevention.

You can view the report here.

Additionally, you can learn to identify the warning signs of suicide here.

Erasing memories

2007-07-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

Scientists Find Drug to Banish Bad Memories

This is very interesting. I wonder in what cases it would actually be better to forget that something happened? Aren't we, as humans, supposed to remember things, even bad ones, so that we can learn from them?

Verbal Abuse Disguised as Jokes

2007-07-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Trigger warning: This post contains details of verbal abusive situations.

Verbal abuse is often disguised by jokes by the perpetrator. These "jokes" are cutting, getting to the partner's core. They often demean the partner's femininity or abilities.

Some examples are:
~Boy, are you easily entertained.
~What else can you expect from a woman?
~You couldn't find your head if it weren't attached.

When/if you tell your partner that you do not think his "jokes" are funny, he may snap at you or tell you that you are too sensitive or that you cannot take a joke.

Do not think there is anything wrong with your sense of humor. These "jokes" are not funny, they are abusive.

Verbal Abuse - Undermining

2007-07-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Trigger warning: This post contains details of the things verbal abusers may say and do. This post may trigger memories of verbal abuse.

Underming is a tactic verbal abusers utilize to dampen his partner's enthusiasm, happiness, or excitement.

Undermining includes anything a partner uses to dampen your excitement. Some examples might include the following phrases:
-Who cares?
-That's stupid.
-Nobody asked you.
-Who asked for your opinion?
-Who are you trying to impress?
-What makes you think you're so smart?
-You'll never make it.
-It's over your head.

In her book, The Verbally Abusive Relationship, Patricia Evans even describes a situation in which every time one woman sat down to study, her partner took on a very concerned look and asked if she was OK. Over time, the woman became very anxious about studying, something she had originally been very enthusiastic about.

When you are constantly undermined, the verbal abuser tears at your self-esteem by making you feel as if your opinions, thoughts, and feelings don't matter.

Verbal Abuse: Withholding

2007-07-06T22:25:00.000-07:00

Trigger warning: This entry contains detailed description of verbally abusive behavior.

Verbal abuse, unlike physical abuse, can be overt or covert. It isn't always obvious to the victim/survivor or her loved ones that she is being abused.

14 categories constitute verbal abuse, one of which is withholding.

Withholding occurs when one partner withholds affection, information, thoughts, and feelings from his partner. When one person in a relationship withholds, intimacy cannot be created. Survivors of verbal abuse who have experienced withholding say they do not know what they did "wrong" to be ignored.

Some examples of withholding might include:

-a partner withholding affection from you until you do what he wants you to do.

-refusing to give you information about where he is going, when he is coming back, about financial resources, and other forms of information.

-withholding material resources - in marriage, especially, withholding a promised food budget, bill payments, etc.

-refusing to answer questions, make eye contact, etc.

-withholding affection and comfort when you need it.

-ignoring you.

Over time, withholding damages self-esteem. The mistake many survivors of verbal abuse make, including myself, is that they try to "fix" the problem. They desperately try to figure out how to make the abuser happy so that he will quit withholding.

The truth is, there is absolutely nothing you can do to please your abuser to get him to quit withholding from you. Withholding, like all other abusive behaviors is about power and control.

Introduction to Verbal Abuse

2007-07-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

First, on an administrative note: I've had to take a long hiatus from posting to this blog due to personal circumstances. However, I now find it appropriate and necessary to post here once again.

Patricia Evans was one of the first authors to explore verbal abuse in her book, The Verbally Abusive Relationship. Over the course of the next 2-3 weeks, I will be taking an in depth look at verbal abuse, the things verbal abusers say and do, how to respond to it, and how to escape it.

Please be advised that many of these entries contain detailed descriptions of abusive behavior. For your own safety, if you find verbal abuse too triggering, please refrain from reading this material.

Families and Friends: Self-Harm

2007-03-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

Your best friend calls you up crying hysterically. You try to ask her what's wrong, but she gets flustered and ends up telling you she has to go. The next day she confides in you that she cut herself again last night. You feel so helpless! You wish you could do something to help her. The good news is, you CAN do something to help.

Here are some things you can do to help your self-harming loved one:

1. Offer a chance for him or her to talk - Some self-harmers are trying to communicate through cutting, burning, hair pulling, and so forth. Given a chance to talk, some self-harmers will be more than happy to talk. Others may not know how to express how they feel. Still others may be reluctant to talk about what's going on. No matter what the case, be patient and don't push. Simply let him or her know that you are there to listen if he or she wants to talk about anything with you.

2. Nurture and care for them no matter whether your loved one has recently self-harmed or not. Some self-harmers feel that they can only get your attention when they hurt themselves. It's important to nurture your loved one regularly. Here are some ideas of caring things to do:
-Send your loved one a paper or e-card.
-Bring her a flower.
-Set some time each week where you and your loved one do something fun together.
-Take her to lunch or a movie.
-Hug her (if she likes hugs).

3. Offer distractions. Sometimes self-harmers merely need a distraction from their feelings for a while. Offer to go to a movie or dinner with your loved one. If you can offer her to spend the night at your house or offer to come stay at her house for the night.

4. Set some boundaries. Tell your loved one that you can talk up until 10PM at night, but if you don't want her to call at 3AM, let her know that. You might also tell her that you care about her, but you don't want her to hurt herself while she is actually talking to you because it hurts you to see her do this.

5. Be available. You can't be helpful if you're not available to your loved one.

6. Be patient. Sometimes families and friends of self-harmers expect them to stop self-harming right away. This may not, and in fact, often does not, happen. Stopping self-harming behavior can take months or years. It requires consistent support from loved ones and professional help for a self-harmer to break this unhealthy coping mechanism.

7. Get support for yourself. If you need to, talk with a therapist about your own feelings regarding someone who self-harms. Sometimes it is important to get help for yourself when you are supporting a loved one.

8. Educate yourself. The more you understand about self-harming behavior, its causes, and other related mental illnesses, the better off you'll be. This is one of the best sites I've ever found on self-harm.

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When People Say, "Enough"

2007-03-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

This topic will probably cause some controversy, but I'm taking the plunge!

Tonight on 20/20 the show aired a segment on a restaurant owner who said "enough" with children who misbehave. 20/20 apparently hired two children actors to misbehave in the restaurant in order to see what other customers', waitresses' and waiters', and the restaurant owner would react.

Several customers were very irritated with the children. A few of them even asked the "parents" if they could better control them because they were in a public place. Several other customers also complained to the manager and waiters and waitresses.

The owner of the restaurant decided to let the "family" finish their meal, but asked them to never return to her restaurant. She proceeded to post a sign on the restaurant door saying that misbehaved children will not be tolerated in her place of business.

I have often thought about when it is appropriate to step in and ask parents to keep a better eye on their children. Sometimes it really irritates and saddens me that some parents don't seem to care about how their children behave. Nor do they seem to care about how their children's behavior affects other people.

Of course, the restaurant owner received a lot of criticism about the sign she posted on her door.

What do you think? Was this restaurant owner responding to out of control children appropriately?

Feel free to discuss in the comments section!

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Important Sexual Assault Legislation Meeting in Minnesota

2007-03-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

I realize this is tomorrow (Monday) morning and I am sorry for the short notice. I just found out about this tonight myself. I hope a lot of people can go and testify to the importance of this legislation at the meeting.

From the Sexual Assault Prevention Network:
Hello:

I just wanted you to be aware of a hearing that was scheduled late Friday regarding legislation to clarify Minnesota's statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse and provide funding the department of Public Safety, in coordination with the National Child Protection Training Center for work on mandatory reporting.

THIS IS CRITICAL LEGISLATION to empower victims of childhood sexual abuse with rights under civil law to HOLD THEIR ABUSERS ACCOUNTABLE.

**** The hearing is in Room 10 of the State Office Building, tomorrow morning, at 8:30 AM in the Public Safety Finance Committee chaired by Rep. Michael Paymar, one of our strong supporters.

**** This has all come about rapidly so my apologies for the short notice. However, the opponents have wasted no time in coming up with a line-up of witnesses AGAINST our bill:

The following witnesses would like to tesity regarding HF2134 Grace Schwab, Minnesota School Boards Association Valarie Dosland, Minnesota Childcare Association Father Kevin McDonough, Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul Reverend Karen Bockelman, Northeastern Minnesota Synod -- ELCA Dan Connolly -- Faegre & Benson Phyllis Willerscheidt

IF THERE IS ANY WAY YOU CAN BE THERE ON SHORT NOTICE TO WITNESS THE HEARING AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS, WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!

Why Do They Self-Harm?

2007-03-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

One of the things I've discovered throughout my psychology and social work education and training is that people do things for reasons. These reasons may not always be clear to observers, however. And like any other coping mechanism, people self-harm for various reasons.

These are some of the reasons self-harmers commonly give for their self-inflicted violence:

-To numb feelings or to escape depression, dissociation, or emptiness.
-On the contrary, some self-harmers self-injure to escape numbness; they want to feel something.
--To prevent suicide (please see my post below for more information).
-To escape tension or overwhelming feelings.
-To communicate their emotional pain.
-As a way of continuing abusive patterns (many self-harmers have experienced abuse).
-To validate emotional pain.
-To gain control over something, their bodies.
-To punish oneself for being "bad".
-To cope with feelings of anger, alienation, depersonalization, depression, or disassociation.
-To get grounded or to escape a flashback.

Self-harmers have found that hurting themselves is a way in which they can cope with their feelings that seem to painful to just sit with. While the behavior may successfully prevent suicide, once the self-harmer is "hooked" on it, it is very difficult to stop. Learning new, healthier coping mechanisms is hard work and takes a lot of time and practice. For this reason it may take self-harmers months or years to completely stop self-harming.

Self-Harm and Suicide

2007-03-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Most people think self-harm is an indication that someone is trying to kill oneself. I have known several colleagues who have even thought this about their mental health clients. However, contrary to the belief, self-harm is not a suicide attempt, nor is it necessarily an indication that someone wants to kill himself or herself.

Self-harmers often have to use this unhealthy coping mechanism to SURVIVE their circumstances. Self-harmers often come from abusive, neglectful, or otherwise traumatic backgrounds.

It is vital that you talk with a self-harmer about their intentions when they self-harm before assuming that they want to kill themselves.

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Who Self-Injures?

2007-03-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

The typical self-injurer is female and is in her mid-twenties to her early thirties. Self-injurers typically begin hurting themselves in adolescence, but some individuals begin harming themselves before or after this period in their lives as well. Self-harmers are generally intelligent, middle to upper-middle class, well-educated, and has suffered from sexual and/or physical abuse. Many self-harmers also have at least one alcoholic parent.

Certain personality characteristics are also typical of self-harmers such as an inability to accept rejection, tend not to plan for the future, tend to hate and invalidate themselves, tend to have poor emotional regulation, are usually angry at themselves, may be suicidal or self-destructive, suffer from depression and anxiety, do not feel as if they have much control, and tend to be avoidant. These individuals also tend to lack healthy coping skills.

Self-injurers may engage in other unhealthy coping mechanisms such as eating disordered behavior, substance abuse, reckless driving, unnecessary risk taking, and/or shoplifting.

Self-injury

2007-02-26T20:21:00.000-08:00

March 1st is National Self-Injury Awareness Day. Please wear a red and black ribbon in support of the day.

This month I will be posting some information about self-injury.

I'll start today with a definition.
Self-harm is any action ones takes with the intent of hurting oneself and leaves marks lasting for more than one hour.

Some types of self-injury include cutting, burning, hitting oneself, interfering with the healing of wounds, bruising oneself, skin picking, hair pulling, and scab picking.

Eating Disorders: Coping with Social Situations

2007-02-22T21:19:00.000-08:00

Individuals with eating disorders often have a difficult time coping with social situations where food is involved, such as the holidays, parties, or other social events.

I have written an e-book entitled Eating Disorders: Coping With the Holidays and Other Social Situations. I used my personal and professional experience and knowledge to create this informative booklet for other women who have difficulty coping in these situations.

The book is $1.95. It's succinct, but packed with useful information.

Click the link above or on the sidebar to order.

Happy Reading!

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Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified IS Real

2007-02-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (ED NOS) is as real as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa.

ED NOS is diagnosed when an individual does not quite meet the criteria for Anorexia or Bulimia Nervosa, yet has disordered eating behavior. For instance, ED NOS might be diagnosed if a teen girl is significantly underweight, but has not stopped having menstruation. Or a young woman might be diagnosed with ED NOS if she has been engaging in binge-eating and purging behaviors for more than three months, but she only does it on average once a week.

Individuals who compulsively overeat are also diagnosed with ED NOS.

Despite the lack of attention the media and even many mental health professionals give individuals with ED NOS, it is a real issue. It's likely that more individuals suffer from ED NOS than from Anorexia Nervosa and/or Bulimia Nervosa.

What lies at the core of disordered eating is often similar whether the individual starves herself, binge-eats and purges, or overeats.

In the end it doesn't really matter WHAT diagnosis the individual with disordered eating has. It matters more that the individual needs help and that she is hurting.

If you know someone with ED NOS, please take their issues and concerns as seriously as you would with an individual that has Anorexia or Bulimia Nervosa.

Books

2007-02-16T21:35:00.000-08:00

If you have a loved one who suffers from an eating disorder, you may not understand his or her mindset.

There are some really good fiction books written about eating disorders that can help a loved one of a family member or friend better understand the condition.

Some of the good fiction books I've read about eating disorders include:

The Best Little Girl in the World by Steven Levenkron

Diary of an Anorecix Girl by Morgan Menzie

Stick Figure by Lori Gottieb

The Monster Within: Facing an Eating Disorder by Cynthia Rowland McClure

What is Bulimia

2007-02-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

Bulimia Nervosa affects about 1-3% of American women and .01-.03% of American men according to the American Psychiatric Association (2000).

The symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa according to the American Psychiatric Association are:
1. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. Binge eating is classified by eating a significantly larger amount of food within any 2-hour time frame than most people would eat in similar circumstances and time period. Binge eating is also classified as a sense of loss of control, feeling that one cannot stop eating, or that one does not have control over what or how much he or she eats.

2. Inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to avoid gaining weight such as taking diuretics, fasting, excessively exercising, purposeful vomiting, or laxative abuse.

3. Binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors (purging) occur together, on average at least two times a week for three months or longer.

4. Weight and shape significantly affect one's evaluation of himself or herself.

Purging type: During the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, the compensatory behaviors include the misuse of laxatives, enemas, or purposeful vomiting.

Nonpurging type: During the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, inappropriate compensatory behaviors include excessive exercise and/or fasting and the person does not regularly engage in the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or self-induced vomiting.

Case example: Lauren is a 20-year old college sophomore. She has good grades, has lots of friends, and is outgoing. She gets together with her friends on Friday night to enjoy a movie. They often have pizza, ice cream, and other snacks when they watch the movie and afterwards when they catch up on that week's happenings.

What her friends don't know is that Lauren binges and makes herself vomit every night before she goes to bed. She does this after most of her dorm mates have gone to sleep so that no one will catch her vomiting in the bathroom.

Lauren's family have started to notice how awful her tooth look and the multiple scratches on her knuckles. When confronted about this, she just tells them that she knows she should take better care of her teeth. She makes up excuses for the scratches on her hands.

Lauren is suffering from Bulimia Nervosa and without medical and psychological help, the consequences of her mental condition could be fatal.

Eating Disorder Awareness

2007-02-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

February is Eating Disorder Awareness month.

I will continue to discuss eating disorders this month.

Here are some other resources where you can find information, support, and other resources:

National Eating Disorder Association - you can find out more information about National Eating Disorder Awareness Week here.

Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

Something Fishy Website

Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders Inc

Pale Reflections

The Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness

I hope these resources are helpful.

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Eating disorders as coping mechanisms

2007-02-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

Eating disorders are coping mechanisms.

When one focuses on food, weight, and his or her body image, he or she is avoiding the emotions that underlie the disorder.

A girl's parents get a divorce and she uses self-starvation to deal with her feelings of guilt, hurt, and sadness.

A boy is bullied at school and he uses binge eating in order to stuff his feelings of inadequacy, rejection, and shame.

Oftentimes, individuals who suffer from eating disorders aren't even aware of why they are using them as coping mechanisms. The goal of therapy is to uncover the underlying issues, to raise self-esteem, and to learn how to cope with feelings healthily.

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Living with Anorexia Nervosa

2007-02-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

Reading the diagnostic criteria for Anorexia Nervosa from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is vastly different than hearing the stories of individuals who have suffered with the condition. In this post, I want to offer some insight into what it is like to live with Anorexia Nervosa.

I initially began starving myself at the age of 13 or 14 as a way to lose some weight, to look as thin as my friends looked. I wanted people to compliment my looks like they did with my friends.

Because I attended a residential school for most of my high school career, starving myself was easy. All I had to do was lie to my mother about what I had eaten that day. No one could force me to eat away from home.

When I transferred schools in the middle of my junior year, I was already obsessed with the amount of food I was eating. It became harder to hide my starving behaviors, though, so I gained a little weight during that time.

However, when I moved to college, I began starving myself with a new vigor I never knew I had. I was determined to be thin, beautiful, and perfect. During my college years I lost a significant amount of weight.

It was during this time, too, that I began to have insight into why I was so intent on starving myself. I learned that I used restricting behaviors to cope with feelings I couldn’t handle, especially “negative feelings”.

I began to explore my restricting behaviors in therapy and I learned that being with my family was especially triggering for my eating disorder. When I went home I felt as if I had no control over what happened to me, and I used restricting behavior in order to give myself control over something – my body and weight.

I hated my body so much. No matter how thin I got, it was never thin enough. I thought thoughts like, “I am so fat!” even when I was extremely underweight, “I am eating too much” when I was only consuming a mere 500 calories or less a day, and “I’m still not good enough”.

As I entered into my Master’s program, I continue to starve myself, at least for the first year of my program. When my boyfriend, Dave, moved in during my second year in the program, however, things changed. I actively sought more intensive therapy for my eating disorder and Dave and I worked on getting my weight to a healthy level.

Since then, I have spent a year in recovery from Anorexia Nervosa. I still have plenty of days where I feel I am too fat, not good enough, or as if I am eating too much. But now I know that when these thoughts occur, I need to pay attention to what is going on inside of me. I need to examine my feelings and I need to examine why I feel as if I have no control over my life.

Recovery is possible for you or a loved one who has Anorexia Nervosa. Recovery is a hard and trying journey, one that you or your loved one will be on for many years. But once you’ve achieved a level of recovery, you’ll never want to go back into your eating disorder.

Eating disorders don’t have to control you; you can beat it with professional help, time, and a strong support system.

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Anorexia

2007-01-30T12:16:00.001-08:00

Eating disorders are serious issues in American society. One of the 3 eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa affects approximately 0.5% of American women and 0.05% of American men, according to the American Psychological Association (2000). Not only do individuals with Anorexia Nervosa suffer physically, they also suffer mentally as well.

What is Anorexia Nervosa exactly?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders defines Anorexia Nervosa with these specific criteria:

1. Refusal to maintain a minimal body weight (less than 85% of weight expected for age and height).

2. An intense fear of becoming fat or gaining weight.

3. Denial of unhealthily low weight, basing one's self-evaluation on his/her weight, or a disturbance in the way in which one experiences his/her body shape or weight.

4. Amenorrhea, the absence of menstrual cycles for at least three consecutive months (in postmenarchael women) or the presence of menstruation only when on hormones such as estrogen.

Anorexia Nervosa has two subtypes:

Restricting type - during the current episode of Anorexia the individual has not engaged in any binge-esting or purging behaviors. Binge-eating is classified as consuming significantly more calories in one sitting than what is considered "typical" for that culture. Purging behaviors could include the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or self-induced vomiting.

Binge-eating/purging type - During the current episode of Anorexia the individual has engaged in binge-eating and/or purging on a regular basis.

Example:
Nancy is a college freshman this year. She has difficult adapting to change and misses her friends and family very much. Nancy became concerned about her weight when her roommate said she could stand to lose a few pounds at the gym with her. It has been six months since Nancy's roommate expressed this judgement, but Nancy continues to worry about her weight. Nancy keeps a chart of the food and calories she consumes, eats very little, and exercises multiple hours a day. Yet she manages to keep good grades.

Friends and family have expressed concern for Nancy, telling her she has gotten too thin and that she needs to eat more. Nancy, however, sees herself as extremely fat and feels she needs to lose more weight.

At her last doctor's visit, Nancy admistted that she has not had her menstrual cycle for four months now, but refuses to go into treatment for her eating disorder, insisting that she doesn't have a problem.

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious condition, and those who suffer from it often face serious medical complications and sometimes even death as a resulf of the lack of nutrients being put into the body and dangerously low body weight.

This post is the first of a series of posts on eating disorders. Later this week, I will discuss how to recognize Anorexia Nervosa in family and friends, how to help those who suffer with the condition, and the medical consequences that result from Anorexia.

Building trust

2007-01-23T20:28:00.000-08:00

I've been talking about trust lately. Last time, I discussed how I believe one can determine whether he/she is able to place increasing amounts of trust in a potential friend. In this post, I'll share my opinions and insights into how one can build trust with another individual.

Relationships are built on trust, so it is important for us, as individuals, to learn how to build trust with other people.

Honesty is the first element in trust I think about when I hear the word "trust". In order for someone to trust you, you have to be honest with that person. And you have to be honest consistently. It's usually easy to be honest about some things while it's difficult to be honest about others. For instance, your new friend asks you if you like the outfit she's wearing. If you love it, you can easily say something like "I love that outfit on you! It really brings out your eyes". However, if you hate the outfit on your new friend, it might be hard to tell her this because you don't want to hurt her feelings.

It is always best to be honest about your feelings, thoughts, and opinions with other people. This doesn't mean that you should be overly critical of others, demean their thoughts, or invalidate their feelings. You can be honest and tactful. In the example above you could say something like "To be honest, I don't think that outfit suits you. The color doesn't bring out your assets the way I've seen colors do for you".

Another aspect of building trust in relationships is consistency. Call every time you need to cancel or reschedule your plans with a friend. Make being late and/or cancelations infrequent. Don't make your friend guess as to how you will react to similar situations. Along with consistency comes consciensiouness, which should be extended to everyone in your life.

You also need to keep the lines of communication open. Openly share and discuss your feelings, thoughts, opinions, and experiences with one another.

Consistency, honesty, and open communication will allow you and the new person in your life to build a solid relationship on trust.

Trust in friendships

2007-01-21T19:28:00.000-08:00

As I discussed in my last post, trust is an essential and difficult aspect of relationships. Trust can be especially difficult for individuals who have been through abuse or trauma.

I know this because I grew up in an abusive household. It wasn't until I went to college that I began to learn the importance of trust in relationships. Whether you are trying to develop a friendship or romantic relationship with another person, trust is the basis on which a relationship is built.

So, how do you know when or even if you can trust a potential friend or partner?

Through my experiences, relationships, and my own therapeutic work, I have learned a great deal about trust in friendships.

First, it is important to realize that trust is built over time. Trust shouldn't be given all at once. Oftentimes survivors of abuse or trauma may let down their guard too easily, allowing others to cross their boundaries too early in a developing friendship.

Don't disclose all of your personal information, background, and/or secrets at once. In fact, you may want to start with "small talk". When first meeting someone, get to know them by asking them what I call surface questions. Examples of these might include:
What is your favorite...?
Where are you from?
What are you studying / what do you do in your current job?
Do you have any siblings?

And so forth. Getting to know someone gradually will allow you to develop a greater sense of trust over time.

Do things you both enjoy. Spending time together will allow you to develop a solid friendship. When you spend time with one another, you also have the opportunity to learn more about each other. When you see a movie, for instance, the movie may inspire you to talk about mutual interests or to bring up things you have not discussed before such as your opinions, thoughts, feelings, or experiences.

Consistency is another factor in trust in my opinion. If your potential friend agrees to meet you at Starbucks at 10AM and she runs into traffic, causing her to arrive late, does she call to let you know she'll be late? Does she offer an apology or explanation for her lateness?

Likewise, does your potential friend call to cancel ahead of time if she can't make your meeting? Are her actions consistent with her words? If she tells you she really wants to get to know you, but then doesn't call, e-mail, or make plans with you for the next three months, her words and actions are not consistent with one another.

There are times when we are ALL late, unable to cancel ahead of time, break someone's confidence accidentally, or neglect to keep good contact with our friends. However if these things are happening consistently, the person in question may or may not be trustworthy.

I believe trust is earned, built over time. If you have concerns about potential friends, talk to the people you trust (long-time friends, counselors, a pastor, etc) to get their take on the situation. Then, you may want to consider talking with your potential friend about your concerns regarding him or her.

The most important thing to remember is to take relationships slowly; don't let new or potential friends cross all your boundaries initially and listen to your instincts!

Trust

2007-01-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

Trust is one of those abstract concepts everyone seems to hold a different opinion about. It appears to be hard to define in any definite terms. But I'd like to share the insights I've gained about trust through my work as a student social worker.

In my first internship in my master's program in social work, I worked in a safe house and transitional housing unit. Not only had many of these women been abused by their former partners, but they had also been abused by family members and friends, people they thought they could trust.

And yet, here I was asking them to trust me, a total stranger. While I have suffered my own significant traumas, I couldn't ethically blurt this out to all the women in the safe house. While the statement might have shown them that I could relate to them, the statement might also make them warier of trusting me. They might feel as if I were too fragile to help them or that they needed to listen to me rather than my doing my job as their counselor.

Thus, I had to figure out different ways of earning their trust, and I did. I built rapport with the mothers and their children by spending a lot of time with them, eating dinner with them, attending their group sessions with them, talking about how their day was, and about their children. I also got to know each child by spending time with them - playing and talking with them, and just allowing them to be the carefree children they deserved to be.

It took two or three months before one mom, which the staff had a particularly hard time connecting with, began to trust me. We took things in baby steps. I got to know her - her likes and dislikes, what she did during the day, her ambitions, and so forth. Eventually, I let her know that if she ever needed to talk that I was available to help her. Opening the therapeutic door for her was an enormous step, one she wasn't ready to take before my internship ended. However, being able to really connect with this woman showed her that there are people out here to support her. I really think the trust she and I built together was monumental considering all that she had been through, and I was truly amazed at how much she accomplished in the short time we had spent together.

So, what is trust exactly? As I said earlier, trust is really difficult to define, but here is what I believe trust is. Trust is being able to count on someone, to know that you can confide in someone and that that someone won't defy your confidence. Trust is being able to share your innermost throughts, feelings, dreams, and ambitions with someone and that same someone should be able to share theirs with you. When you trust someone, you know that person will not judge you based merely on situational circumstances, but rather, they will look past situations and behaviors to seeing your core being.

I believe trust has to built over a period of time. If you have never been through significant trauma, trust might come more easily to you whereas those who have been abused or traumatized might need to take more time to get to know someone before they begin to place any trust in that person.

I believe trust is earned. And when it is broken, you have to re-earn the trust you lost.

If you're having trouble trusting or struggling with the fact that a friend or family member doesn't trust you, tune in later this week to learn how you can cope with these issues.

Recovery

2007-01-15T13:04:00.000-08:00

If you're recovering from any type of addictive behavior, whether it be an eating disorder, self-injury, alcoholism, drug abuse, or smoking, you know how hard it can be to get through even one day without using your coping mechanism. Some days you just feel there is no hope. You don't think you'll ever recover.

Sometimes we just need a little reminder that recovery is possible. Inspirational stories are a great way to remind ourselves of the possibility of recovery. This is a very inspirational story about a young man who suffered from alcoholism and recovered. He's currently five years sober! Go ahead and read for yourself - I think you'll find his experience truly inspiring.

Self-harm

2007-01-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

Self-harm has been getting increased attention by the media over the past decade. I wanted to share my experiences as a self-harmer with others in order to help dispel the myths surrounding self-harm. I hope my personal essay sheds light on this topic. If you are a self-harmer, know you are not alone. Family and friends of individuals who hurt themselves may want to read the facts versus myths article I have written on the subject.

Coping with trauma anniversaries

2007-01-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

As a trauma survivor I know how difficult trauma anniversaries can be. Other people may tell you to “get over it” or just not think about the trauma around the anniversary time, but we, as trauma survivors, know it’s not always that simple. Thus, I have created a list of suggestions that may help you care for yourself during a trauma anniversary as well as the time surrounding it.

Treat yourself to something you love: It is important during tough times that you remind yourself that you deserve good things and that you did not deserve the abuse, rape, or violence you experienced or witnessed. Sometimes it is hard to know what to do for yourself because when you are in this state of mind you feel as if you don’t deserve good things or to treat yourself well. So, here are some suggestions that may help you think of your own!
- Take a hot bath or shower.
- Put on your favorite scented lotion.
- Enjoy something you love to eat or drink. For instance, indulge in a Starbucks coffee, ice cream, chocolate, fruit, yogurt, or whatever you love.
- Wear comfortable clothes.
- Take a walk, run, bike ride, or whatever you enjoy doing.
- Cuddle with your cat or dog.
- Talk with a trusted friend.
- Plan dinner, shopping, a workout, or other activity with someone you enjoy spending time with.

Grounding techniques: Learning grounding techniques will help you if you are experience flashbacks or panic attacks. These techniques focus on the present, so they will bring you back to the present instead of the past.
- Clap your hands together or stomp your feet on the floor.
- Tell yourself you are safe and in the present.
- Touch the things around you and name them aloud or to yourself.
- Name the noises you hear around you or focus on any conversations taking place near you.

Make a safety plan: A safety plan will allow you to stay safe during an anniversary. You might want to notify trusted people of your trauma anniversary and request their support. It is perfectly okay to ask for the support you need. Think about what is helpful for you and tell trusted people so that they can better support you. You might ask trusted people to talk with you, go out to dinner, shop with you, watch a good movie with you, or just be available to listen to you.

If you have a tendency to self-injure, make a list of individuals, hotlines, and hospitals you can call in times of emergencies. Reaching out to someone, whether it is a friend, pastor or priest, family member, counselor, or a trauma related hotline is a healthy way to cope with your feelings.

Remind yourself that it will pass: It is hard to cope with feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, depression, fear, and anger. It’s also difficult to cope with symptoms you may experience from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder such as nightmares, easily startled, flashbacks, and triggers of the trauma. However, reminding yourself that the feelings and symptoms will pass may help ease the anxiety you feel about them.

Set aside time to relax each day: Setting aside time to relax may ease your symptoms and anxiety. What do you enjoy doing that eases your mind? Here are some suggestions to help you get started.
- Read.
- Write in a journal or a letter to a friend.
- Listen to your favorite music.
- Talk with a friend or other loved one.
- Spend time with your cat or dog.

Pray or meditate: Finally, engaging in prayer or meditation may help you through an anniversary time. If you are religious, pray to your Higher Power for the strength and courage you need to get through this difficult time. Read the Bible to find peace and comfort. Go to church for support from the church community.

If you meditate, make sure you set aside some time everyday to do so. I hear meditation is relaxing to the body, mind, and spirit.

Getting through trauma anniversaries is difficult, but you don’t have to do it alone. The suggestions provided here will help you take care of yourself while struggling through the feelings and symptoms associated with traumatic memories anniversaries often bring to the surface.

How can I help?

2007-01-05T19:04:00.000-08:00

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is not only hard for the trauma survivor, but oftentimes, for families and friends of the trauma survivor as well.

Here are some things you can do to support a trauma survivor suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:

1. Educate yourself: Educating yourself about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, its symptoms, causes, and treatments will go a long way in helping you support a trauma survivor. The more you understand about the condition, they better able you are to be supportive of your loved one.

2. Encourage the trauma survivor to seek help: As I mentioned in the post below, there are no "magic pills" to cure PTSD. The only way a trauma survivor can move forward in healing from a traumatic event is by exploring it in detail in counseling. Understandbly, your loved one will be afraid to go through this process. Reliving a traumatic event is not only tough, igoing through the process can bring up feelings of fear, anger, depression, helplessness, and hopelessness.

3. Show active support: If the trauma survivor decides to enter therapy, support him or her. It might be helpful to think of things you can do to support the individual. For instance, you can offer to sit in the waiting room while the individual is in therapy or to be available for support after the appointment. Alternatively, offer to spend quality time with the trauma survivor so that he or she knows he/she is cared about. Letting the trauma survivor know that you are available to listen is also a good idea.

4. Don't push: While it is a good idea to encourage the trauma survivor to seek professional help, it is not a good idea to try to force him/her to do so. Likewise, offer your ear to the trauma survivor, but don't try to coerce or force the individual to talk about the trauma if he/she doesn't want to.

5. Get help yourself: If you are having a hard time handling the trauma or the feelings surrounding it, you should seek therapy, regardless of whether or not the traumatized individual is.

6. Grounding: Individuals with PTSD often experience flashbacks, where one feels like he/she is going through the trauma all over again. It is important that you know some grounding techniques that you can teach the trauma survivor, if he or she is open to learning them. Here are some grounding techniques one can use in the midst of a flashback or panic attack:
-Stamp your feet on the floor
-Clap your hands
-Touch the things around you and name them out loud or look at the things around you and name them out loud
-Pet a pet
-Talk to a trusted person

All of these techniques help focus the mind on the here and now, rather than on the past.

Mental Illness Profile

2007-01-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are as follows according to the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-TR:

A. The individual was exposed to a traumatic event where both the following were present:
-The individual experienced or witnessed, or was confronted with an event/s that involved actual or threatened death, serious injury, or threat to the physical integrity of the individual or another person.
-The individual's response included intense fear, horror, or helplessness.

B. The traumatic event is persistently reexperienced as evidenced in one or more of the following:
-Nightmares
-Psychological distress when presented with internal or external cues that remind the individual about an aspect of the trauma
-Feeling as if one is reliving the traumatic event through hallucinations, illusions, and/or dissociative flashbacks
-Intense and disturbing recollections of the event such as perceptions, thoughts, and/or images

C. Persistently avoiding of stimuli that remind the individual of the trauma or numbing of general responsiveness, that was not present before the traumatic event as exhibited by three or more of the following:
-The individual makes efforts to avoid feelings, thoughts, and/or conversations associated with the traumatic event.
-the individual possesses an inability to recall certain important aspects of the traumatic event.
the individual avoids activities, places, or other people that remind him or her of the traumatic event
-diminished interest or participation in significant activities
-the individual has a feeling of a foreshortened future.
exhibits a restricted range of affect
the individual feels estranged or detached from others.

D. Exhibits increased arousal by two or more of the following:
-Sleeping difficulties
-Exagerated startle response
-Hypervigilence
-Outbursts of anger or irritability
-Concentration difficulties

Symptoms in categories C and D last for more than one month.

What does all of this mean?

Let me give you an example of what a person with post-traumatic stress disorder may look like.

C was raped by an acquaintance three months ago. Ever since, she has not been sleeping well. She cannot seem to get to sleep at night; however, when she does sleep, she has awful nightmares of the rape. She also experiences flashbacks where she feels as if the rape is happening all over again. These are especially triggered by certain things that remind her of the trauma. For instance, a vanilla candle was burning in the living room when she was raped, it was dark in the room, and the phone kept ringing. Thus, when she hears a phone ring, she will immediately go into a dissociative flashback, where she feels the rape happening all over again. Because C was raped in her living room, she tries to avoid spending as much time in there as she can. She also threw the vanilla candle away, but told her mother the glass container had shattered on the floor while she was dusting the coffee table. C has not told her parents what happened that night and while she tries to pretend that nothing is wrong, her parents have noticed changes in their daughter's personality. C was a relatively calm teenager before the trauma. She made straight A's in school. However, since the rape, she has been irritable and has become angry at her parents, seemingly yelling at them for no reason at all. Her grades have also dropped because C has experienced an inability in concentrating on her schoolwork.
C has also become very jumpy. She looks over her shoulder a lot and starts at every little noise. When she hears a car backfire or any other loud noise, she goes into a panic attack.

C's case shows us what one individual with PTSD might experience on a daily basis. However, individuals with PTSD rarely, if ever, experience the same symptoms in the same ways.

While there is currently no medication to treat PTSD in its entirety, anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax, Ativan, or Buspar might help take the edge off the symptoms. The only "cure" for PTSD is for the individual to work through the trauma in therapy.

Tomorrow, I'll discuss how loved ones might help a family member or friend with PTSD.

Strengths Based Approach

2006-12-31T18:41:00.000-08:00

In my Master's program, the school I attended claimed to work from a Strengths-Based approach. What I didn't know for a full year and a half into the program was that they *didn't* work from a Strengths-Based approach. They focused, instead on people's deficiencies, problems, illnesses, and "areas for improvement". Not once did I hear any professor talk about a client's strengths. Not once did our writing assignments ask us to point out a client's assets. And not once did it come up in class discussions.

It wasn't until I enrolled in the class Community Mental Health Interventions that I learned what a true strengths-based approach was! Two books were key in teaching me what this approach was really all about. The Environment of Schizophrenia: Innovations in practice, policy, and communications by Richard Warner talks about how to use the strengths-based approach with psychotic disorders and The Strengths Model: Case Management with People Suffering from Severe and Persistent Mental Illness by Charles A Rapp discusses how to focus on an individual's strengths in the midst of mental illnesses of all types.

In addition, Dave talks about a strengths-based approach in his podcast Strengthscast.

Everyone deserves to have their strengths and assets pointed out to them and recognized by others. :)

Intro

2006-12-31T15:22:00.000-08:00

As a social worker, sufferer of mental illness, and loved one to others who suffer from mental illness, I have noticed that the world remains uneducated about mental health and mental illness at large. The aim of this blog is to educate individuals on mental health and mental illness and to provide resources for individuals suffering with mental illness or their loved ones who want to help.

I will begin a weekly question and answer post, so if you have a burning question about mental health or mental illness, please leave me a comment and I will use my knowledge and experiences to answer these questions.

I hope you find this blog both informative and helpful.

Regards,
Sierra