Saturday, December 18, 2010

Patient Health Education

Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and Vitamin D Numbers
This articles examines blood pressure, blood sugar and vitamin D numbers. Also advice on how to keep these numbers in a normal range.
How Beads of Courage Helps Sick Children Cope With Illness
The Beads of Courage program offers sick children in the United States hope and help. Find out more about the Beads of Courage program and help if you can.
Step by Step Guide to Quitting Smoking
7 steps simplify the difficult process of quitting smoking. Proper planning and developing good long-term habits increase the chance of success.
Surgical Complications in Orthopaedics
Orthopaedic surgery is not risk-free. Don't agree to have surgery until your surgeon discusses these surgical complications with you.
Medical Treatment of Impotence or Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Male Impotence, sexual dysfunction or Erectile Dysfunction (ED) can be caused by multiple factors. So a holistic approach is needed to treat it.
How to Quit Smoking and the Benefits of Quitting
Smoking cessation methods, supported by statistics and medical research, aid people in quitting. The benefits of quitting also provide motivation.
Medical Causes of Impotence - Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Sexual dysfunction or impotence, especially erectile dysfunction (ED), can be a sign of serious underlying diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
Preparing For Blepharoplasty Sagging Upper Eyelid Surgery
Stopping blood thinners and starting eye drops are only part of the process for preparing for droopy eyelid surgery.
Helping Paramedics Help You
A look at the actions you can take before you ever need to call 911 and when the paramedics are on their way in order to save time and, possibly, a life.
Blood is the Liquid of Life
Blood contains plasma and cells that are vital to maintaining life. Learn about the functions of blood and why it's so important to the body.
How To Stay Safe and Prevent Drug Errors
Flu season is the most prevalent time for prescription medication mix-ups. Protect yourself from lethal medication errors and possible malpractice suits.
BMI and Health
Body Mass Index is a calculation involving a patient's weight and height. This is often used as a predictor of health. Learn how to calculate and use BMI.
Home Health Testing Kits
Testing for cholesterol and glucose at home is a convenient way for patients to take control of their health.
What is Phlebotomy?
Phlebotomy is the process of obtaining blood through a puncture of the veins. Learn why this procedure is necessary and what it entails.
Proper Disposal of Prescription Medication or Prescription Drugs
Flushing prescription medications down the toilet is no longer recommended, yet there are ways to safely dispose of medications from home.
Falls are Preventable – Find Out How
Become informed about keeping yourself safe, preventing falls, making a plan to get help and what you can do to minimise harm if you do fall.
Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is epidemic right now and contributes to many serious health problems. These factors should be understood by parents to help their kids.
Does Sunscreen Give You Cancer?
Although direct sunlight can lead to health problems, a small amount will boost vitamin D levels.
Flavoring Prescription Medications at the Pharmacy
Many pharmacies are able to flavor liquid prescription medications. Flavoring improves the taste and tolerability of certain drugs.
Being An Organ Donor: Facts and Myths
There are many myths regarding organ and tissue donation, but it is important to find the truth when it comes to being an organ and tissue donor.

More in Health & Wellness

Abuse ADD/ADHD Allergies
Autism/Asperger's Syndrome Disabilities Eating Disorders
Fitness General Medicine Health Field
Infertility Massage Therapy Men’s Health
Mind/Body Fitness Natural Medicine Nutrition
Pregnancy & Childbirth Seniors' Health/Medicare Sports Medicine
Weight Loss Women’s Health
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Health education news, articles and information:

Institute for Integrative Nutrition offers a new education path for health-minded adults; a conversation with founder Joshua Rosenthal

10/24/2006 - Mike: This is Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and today I am joined by Joshua Rosenthal, founder and director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, talking about this unique school where students can learn to transform their health from the inside out and at the same time be trained to help others....

Chant 'Om' for Better Heart Health (press release)

8/7/2006 - Meditation may do more than bring you inner peace; a new study claims it may improve your cardiovascular health by decreasing the risk of metabolic syndrome. In a study reported in the June 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers report that the practice of transcendental meditation...

Concept-related articles:

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Vigorous Exercise Boosts GPA

By Jennifer Gibson, PharmD | Editor Shaheen E Lakhan | 1 Comment | 
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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMany studies have positively linked physical fitness and academic achievement in elementary and middle-school aged children. But a report from the American College of Sports Medicine indicates that college students can also increase their grade point average (GPA) by engaging in vigorous exercise.
The study examined the grades and exercise habits of 266 undergraduates. Overall, students who engaged in vigorous physical activity (defined as an effort of 7-8 on a scale of 1-10) for 20 minutes seven days a week had a GPA that was 0.4 points higher (on a scale of 4.0) than those who did not engage in regular physical activity.
The cross-sectional nature of the study, reported at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 57th annual meeting, was not able to define a causal relationship between exercise and academics, but the researchers adjusted and controlled for variables that might influence the results, such as gender, study time, participation in college sports, and major area of study.  The results still positively associated time spent exercising with higher academic success.
A similar report found that college students who studied three or more hours daily were four times as likely to engage in vigorous exercise, and three times more likely to engage in moderate physical activity, than students who studied less than one hour daily. And, students with GPAs of 3.5 or higher were more likely to participate in vigorous exercise than students with a GPA under 3.0.
So which came first: the desire to exercise or academic success? Are students who are goal-oriented and hard-working when it comes to academics simply more committed to following an exercise routine? Or, does exercise really boost your brain power? If nothing else, the authors recommend that a daily dose of physical activity reduces stress, improves cognitive performance, and increases overall well-being, which at least do not hurt study habits.
Studies have shown that academic achievement is associated with vigorous physical activity among elementary, middle and high school students. On an individual level, academic achievement is influenced by physical activity, but, also, on a school-wide level, schools are more likely to achieve higher total scores on standardized tests when the overall fitness level of the students is higher.
While there is no cause-and-effect relationship defined between exercise and grades, promoting opportunities for physical fitness — and allowing time for much-needed study breaks — can increase the likelihood of academic achievement throughout the years of formal education. More research is needed to uncover any cause-and-effect that does exist, or to extend the findings to success beyond college.
References
Press release: Hit the treadmill – not just the books – to boost grades. American College of Sports Medicine’s 57th Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MD; June 3, 2010.
Aktop A (2010). Socioeconomic status, physical fitness, self-concept, attitude toward physical education, and academic achievement of children. Perceptual and motor skills, 110 (2), 531-46 PMID: 20499564
Chomitz VR, Slining MM, McGowan RJ, Mitchell SE, Dawson GF, Hacker KA. Is there a relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement? Positive results from public school children in the northeastern United States. J Sch Health. Jan 2009;79(1):30-37. PMID: 19149783
Flynn, J., Piazza, A., & Ode, J. (2009). The Association Between Study Time, Grade Point Average And Physical Activity Participation In College Students Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41 (Supplement 1) DOI: 10.1249/01.MSS.0000355455.64403.18
Fox CK, Barr-Anderson D, Neumark-Sztainer D, & Wall M (2010). Physical activity and sports team participation: associations with academic outcomes in middle school and high school students. The Journal of school health, 80 (1), 31-7 PMID: 20051088
Kwak L, Kremers SP, Bergman P, Ruiz JR, Rizzo NS, & Sjöström M (2009). Associations between physical activity, fitness, and academic achievement. The Journal of pediatrics, 155 (6), 914-9180 PMID: 19643438
Welk GJ, Jackson AW, Morrow JR Jr, Haskell WH, Meredith MD, & Cooper KH (2010). The association of health-related fitness with indicators of academic performance in Texas schools. Research quarterly for exercise and sport, 81 (3 Suppl) PMID: 21049834

Jennifer Gibson, PharmD

Dr. Gibson is a practicing clinical pharmacist and freelance medical writer and editor with experience in researching and preparing scientific publications, developing public relations materials, creating educational resources and presentations, and editing technical manuscripts. Her clients include academic research institutions, international authors, pharmaceutical companies, professional organizations, and public advocacy groups.

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Preventing HIV Before Exposure

By Jennifer Gibson, PharmD | Editor Shaheen E Lakhan | 1 Comment | 
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Red PillCurrently, more than 33 million people worldwide are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Each year, there are nearly 3 million new infections. The growing worldwide burden of this infection, which causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), has prompted researchers to investigate novel approaches to infection control and prevention. A recent investigation published by the New England Journal of Medicine, which will likely be known as a landmark study in HIV/AIDS research, reported that a daily dose of a prophylactic pill can prevent the spread of HIV before exposure to the virus.
The study, called the iPrEX (Preexposure Prophylaxis Initiative) trial, involved 2499 men and transgender women (born men) who have sex with men. All participants tested negative for HIV at the beginning of the study, but reported engaging in behavior that put them at high risk for exposure to HIV. Half of the subjects received a daily placebo pill, while the remaining half received a combination pill of 2 antiretroviral drugs: emtricitabine and tenofovir. (This combination pill is currently marketed as Truvada and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat HIV infection.) All study participants also received HIV education and testing, as well as condoms, during the study period. They were followed for a median of 1.2 years.
Overall, the rate of HIV infection in the treatment group was 2.88% at the end of the study — 44% lower than the 5.13% infection rate in the placebo group. Participants who were most compliant with taking the prophylaxis pills — doing so on 90% or more of days — experienced a 70% decrease in risk of HIV infection. Medication adherence was reportedly low, though it is not clear why. Study participants who want to continue taking the prophylactic antiretroviral therapy (ART) will be able to do so as part of an 18-month open-label study of preexposure prophylaxis beginning in 2011. Researchers are hoping that an open-label design will improve medication adherence and strengthen the original findings.
An interesting secondary finding in iPrEX was that individuals enrolled in the study self-reported a decrease in high-risk sexual behavior. Whether taking a daily pill served as a reminder of safer sex practices, or the same result will be seen among larger populations or in the open-label study is not clear. Potentially, once the benefit of daily prophylaxis is confirmed, individuals will not engage in safer sex practices, a phenomenon of risk compensation. The authors of iPrEX warn that preexposure prophylaxis should still be considered a back-up plan, and not first-line defense against HIV infection. Additionally, high-risk sexual practices expose individuals to countless infections and conditions other than HIV, for which ART is not effective prophylaxis.
The iPrEX trial was conducted at 11 sites across the United States, South Africa, Thailand, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. The United States’ National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health funded approximately two-thirds of the costs of the study. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded the remaining costs.
For the last several decades, HIV prevention efforts were basically limited to behavioral approaches: consistent use of barrier methods of protection during intercourse, a reduction in the prevalence of HIV in the blood supply, decreasing the use of dirty syringes among intravenous drug users, and awareness of HIV status. Safer sex practices with fewer partners have, thus far, proven to be the most effective prevention of the spread of HIV. Education efforts among high-risk groups, primarily men who have sex with men, must begin as early in life as possible to improve knowledge, negotiation, and communication regarding sexual practices.
Prevention of HIV infection for people exposed to the virus, after either occupational or nonoccupational exposure, involves a 28-day course of ART. In order to be effective, ART must be started within 72 hours of exposure to HIV-infected fluids, posing a significant barrier to postexposure prophylaxis.
The iPrEX trial is not the first to suggest preexposure prohylaxis of HIV as a viable infection control option. Early in 2010, South African researchers evaluated the use of a vaginal gel containing tenofovir, and found it decreased the risk of HIV infection among sexually active women by 39%. But, iPrEX is the first to suggest daily pill-popping as an effective mode of HIV prophylaxis. Unfortunately, ART does pose several risks: renal insufficiency and viral resistance. Renal insufficiency was reversible on discontinuation of ART during iPrEX, but this adverse effect could prove especially problematic among individuals with other diseases or chronic conditions. Viral resistance is the most significant concern regarding preexposure prophylaxis. The widespread use of antiretroviral agents has the potential to create new viral infections — not just HIV, but hepatitis, herpes, and other viruses — that are resistant to current treatments.
The cost of preexposure prophylaxis is also a huge concern. At an annual cost of up to $14,000 for ART, the cost-effectiveness of such modalities are in question, as well as who would pay these costs in the future, if prophylaxis is proved to be effective. As HIV infection rates continue to rise, preexposure prophylaxis may be one option for preventing the spread of infection, but behavioral modifications and education should accompany any such intervention in high-risk populations; the only truly effective prevention to any sexually-transmitted disease, including HIV, is abstinence from high-risk behavior. As clinicians evaluate preexposure prophylaxis to prevent the spread of HIV, they should be prepared for the highly-charged public debate that will accompany this issue.
References
Abdool Karim Q, Abdool Karim SS, Frohlich JA, Grobler AC, Baxter C, Mansoor LE, Kharsany AB, Sibeko S, Mlisana KP, Omar Z, Gengiah TN, Maarschalk S, Arulappan N, Mlotshwa M, Morris L, Taylor D, & CAPRISA 004 Trial Group (2010). Effectiveness and safety of tenofovir gel, an antiretroviral microbicide, for the prevention of HIV infection in women. Science (New York, N.Y.), 329 (5996), 1168-74 PMID: 20643915
Golub SA, Kowalczyk W, Weinberger CL, & Parsons JT (2010). Preexposure prophylaxis and predicted condom use among high-risk men who have sex with men. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999), 54 (5), 548-55 PMID: 20512046
Johnson WD, Diaz RM, Flanders WD, Goodman M, Hill AN, Holtgrave D, Malow R, & McClellan WM (2008). Behavioral interventions to reduce risk for sexual transmission of HIV among men who have sex with men. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) (3) PMID: 18646068
Oster AM Md, Dorell CG Md Mph, Mena LA Md Mph, Thomas PE Phd, Toledo CA Phd, & Heffelfinger JD Md Mph (2010). HIV Risk Among Young African American Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Case-Control Study in Mississippi. American journal of public health PMID: 21088266
Ramjee G, Kamali A, & McCormack S (2010). The last decade of microbicide clinical trials in Africa: from hypothesis to facts. AIDS (London, England), 24 Suppl 4 PMID: 21042052
Romanelli F, & Murphy B (2010). Systemic preexposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus infection. Pharmacotherapy, 30 (10), 1021-30 PMID: 20874040
Supervie V, García-Lerma JG, Heneine W, & Blower S (2010). HIV, transmitted drug resistance, and the paradox of preexposure prophylaxis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107 (27), 12381-6 PMID: 20616092
Weber J, Tatoud R, & Fidler S (2010). Postexposure prophylaxis, preexposure prophylaxis or universal test and treat: the strategic use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV acquisition and transmission. AIDS (London, England), 24 Suppl 4 PMID: 21042050
Grant, R., Lama, J., Anderson, P., McMahan, V., Liu, A., Vargas, L., Goicochea, P., Casapía, M., Guanira-Carranza, J., Ramirez-Cardich, M., Montoya-Herrera, O., Fernández, T., Veloso, V., Buchbinder, S., Chariyalertsak, S., Schechter, M., Bekker, L., Mayer, K., Kallás, E., Amico, K., Mulligan, K., Bushman, L., Hance, R., Ganoza, C., Defechereux, P., Postle, B., Wang, F., McConnell, J., Zheng, J., Lee, J., Rooney, J., Jaffe, H., Martinez, A., Burns, D., & Glidden, D. (2010). Preexposure Chemoprophylaxis for HIV Prevention in Men Who Have Sex with Men New England Journal of Medicine DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1011205
Michael NL. Oral preexposure prophylaxis for HIV – Another arrow in the quiver? N Engl J Med. November 23, 2010 epub ahead of print.

Jennifer Gibson, PharmD

Dr. Gibson is a practicing clinical pharmacist and freelance medical writer and editor with experience in researching and preparing scientific publications, developing public relations materials, creating educational resources and presentations, and editing technical manuscripts. Her clients include academic research institutions, international authors, pharmaceutical companies, professional organizations, and public advocacy groups.

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Achieving Enlightened Competence

By Simi Agarwal, DDS | Share | 2 Comments
Driving a sedan Have you ever noticed that whether you are learning to drive your new car or learning to speak a new language or even when you are learning to apply a new behavior, it challenges many parts of your brain? While learning new skills or modified behaviors, your brain experiences progressive stages of development of competence. As your brain follows step-by-step instructions, your body learns new muscle movements and thought processes on how to apply them in practice. The new skill now becomes more like second nature. You no longer have to think while enacting your newly learnt skill or behavior. If the human brain could understand the stages of competence development, it may acquire the infinite power to tweak and adjust the application of new skills.
In 1940s, the renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow postulated his theory of “Four Stages of Learning.” Later, Noel Burch from US Gordon Training International played a key role in defining and further developing the “Four Stages of Conscious Competence Theory.” It was published in the early 70′s in the Teacher Effectiveness Training Instructor Guide that learning of any new skill involved four progressive stages: 1) unconsciously unskilled, 2) consciously unskilled, 3) consciously skilled, and 4) unconsciously skilled. In 1982, Madeline Hunter referred to these stages of development of competence as the ways of knowing.
In order to help one analyze at which stage he is at, we must discuss in detail what these progressive stages of development of competence are:
1. Unconscious Incompetence
This is the stage where the human brain is blissfully unaware of what it does not know. At this stage, the human brain does not understand its blind spot or what deficiency it has in particular skill sectors. Since the human brain is not aware of its own deficiency, it is also not aware of the need to develop that skill or competence or what benefit that skill can bring to the being to enhance his personal effectiveness. Any person can make an effort to learn a new skill only if he becomes conscious of what competence he lacks. It is very unlikely that any person in this stage of competence can apply any thought processes to acquire the skill to achieve desired outcomes. People in this stage are not high achievers.
2. Conscious Incompetence
This is the stage in which the human brain knows that it has a deficiency in certain skills which it needs to develop if the being has to perform more effectively.
There is a painful realization in this stage and the mind is in a state of controlled floundering about where the being is and where he ought to be in future. In this stage, the brain makes attempts to assess the extent of its deficiency and level of commitment that will be required to develop the new competency.
It is necessary for the human brain to pass through this stage before moving to the next stage of conscious competence when the human brain begins to form new neural networks.
2. Conscious Competence
This is stage where the being consciously tries to practice the new skill with concentration and intense focus. The being gradually learns to perform the skill without guidance or help, but after conscious thinking only.  The human brain needs to practice the new skill continuously to establish such habits over the time, which will help the brain to implement the skill at an unconscious competence level.
4. Unconscious Competence
When the human brain is at this stage, the being has already developed competence at such levels where the desired actions to execute the skill have become internalized by constant practice as second nature.  The being is able to perform the skill effortlessly without having to think about his actions or what he has to do next. When the being has achieved such competence, he is able to multitask and perform the skill while doing something else. For example, someone who has acquired competence in driving at >unconscious competence level may now be able to hold business negotiations with person sitting next to him in the car while driving at the same time. He no longer needs to drive with conscious attention on driving alone.
This is the stage where most people want to be. However, most people who acquire this stage of unconscious competence are not able to teach others how they have performed a given skillful act. The thought patterns involved in performing such skillful act become so much internalized at the intuitive level of the being that it becomes difficult for the performer to recognize and explain these thought processes to others in sequential manner how he did it.
Furthermore, people in the leadership positions and the high achievers may not be happy in this state of being because when the skillful actions are performed at intuitive level without thinking, repeated performance of the same skill in a different situation is not guaranteed.
5. Enlightened Competence
This stage was not explained originally in the Four Stages of Conscious Competence Theory proposed by US Gordon Training International and was added by Lorgene A Mata, PhD, in 2004.
This is the stage higher and above unconscious competence and has been achieved only by a few skillful people, thus far. With the passage of time, the norms and standards of skillful behavior or desirable outcomes are redefined by evolving human society. The human brain which has acquired unconscious competence to perform skills at intuitive level in previous situations may find itself unable to replicate the same skill on sustained and successful basis when confronted with the new situations or new environment.
In order to acquire the state of enlightened competence, the human brain needs to reach a mindful state where it can reflect and think while performing the skill to direct the knowledge acquired by past experience. Then brain has to use this knowledge to modify and tweak the actions and behavior of the being to achieve the desired outcomes in new situations.
When the being has acquired enlightened competence, then the human brain has reached a stage where it can reapply what it knows to get the desired outcome each time, without any doubt or fear!
References
Dickmann MH, Blair NS (2001). Connecting Leadership to the Brain. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.
Hunter M. (1982). Mastery teaching: Increasing instructional effectiveness in elementary and secondary schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Hunter R. (2004). Madeline Hunter’s mastery teaching. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Simi Agarwal, DDS

Dr. Agarwal is a dental surgeon and published medical writer from the University of Pune, Medical & Dental College and Hospital. She is certified by the General Dental Council, London and is a member of the Indian Medical (Dental) Association. She has been a regular contributor to several medical websites and blogs.

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2 Responses

microphonesstyle says:
June 30, 2010 at 11:14 pm
When the man expect to learn skills, the human brain has to go through so many steps to learn a perfect skill.

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Daytime Napping Improves Memory

By Chalita Thanyakoop, PhD | Editor Shaheen E Lakhan | 5 Comments | 
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Sleeping dogNapping sounds like just the thing for babies and elderly, but even healthy adults can rely on a daytime snooze to improve their mood, alertness, and memory. Napping has been shown to enhance memory performance and counteract the effects of fatigue. Firefighters, doctors, astronauts, pilots and other professions that handle complicated procedures for long hours are often advised to take a nap during rest time. While many studies support the notion that napping strengthens existing memory, a recent study suggests that napping also reorganizes memory and links information together to form memory networks for easy retrieval at a later time.
A recent research article published in Neurobiology of Learning and Memory examines the role of daytime napping in memory processing. Thirty-one healthy participants are given a task to memorize two sets of photographs called “face-object pairs,” in which the same objects appear in both sets. That is, each object is associated with two faces: one from each set. A group of the participants is allowed to nap for up to 90 minutes, whereas the other group must remain awake and watch a non-arousing video about topics unrelated to the memory task. After the nap group fully wakes up and joins the non-nap group, all participants are tested to see if they remember the face-object pairs. In addition, participants are asked to match the two faces that are associated with the same objects. For instance, if face A is paired with a teacup, and face B is paired with a teacup, participant has to match face A and face B in order to score.
The nap group performs better than the non-nap group at memorizing face-object pairs. More importantly, the nap group also performs better than the non-nap group at matching faces associated with the same object. The nap group even scores higher as the nap gets longer. Since the participants directly learned only the face-object pairs, they have to perform face-matching task using indirect, or relational memory. Therefore, daytime napping not only enhances memory, but also helps reorganize and combine memories with common features together for later recollection.
Short daytime napping is consisted solely of the dreamless non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM), which also represents up to 80% of nighttime sleep. Research studies suggest that interaction between the neocortex and the hippocampus in the brain is important for forming long-term memory peaks during NREM sleep. Therefore, daytime napping allows our brain to organize and consolidate memory for better performance while we are awake. Nighttime NREM sleep is likely to have a similar beneficial effect on memory. All in all, it appears that the best way to cram for exams is to include a full night’s sleep or, at the very least, a restful nap.
References
Ficca, G., Axelsson, J., Mollicone, D., Muto, V., & Vitiello, M. (2010). Naps, cognition and performance Sleep Medicine Reviews, 14 (4), 249-258 DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2009.09.005
Lau, H., Tucker, M., & Fishbein, W. (2010). Daytime napping: Effects on human direct associative and relational memory Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 93 (4), 554-560 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2010.02.003
MOLLICONE, D., VANDONGEN, H., & DINGES, D. (2007). Optimizing sleep/wake schedules in space: Sleep during chronic nocturnal sleep restriction with and without diurnal naps Acta Astronautica, 60 (4-7), 354-361 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2006.09.022

Chalita Thanyakoop, PhD

Dr. Thanyakoop, PhD, currently works as a postdoctoral researcher in a microbiology laboratory at University of California, Berkeley. She holds a PhD in biochemistry.

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5 Responses

  1. Jellybean says:
    November 9, 2010 at 9:43 pm
    That’s why my memory was good when I was in college (lots of naps). Working schedules make it impossible to nap. I forget things easily nowadays.
    Reply
  2. Sophie says:
    November 11, 2010 at 7:30 am
    Giving your self a break is absolutely important for an individual and the result to our body and mind is very positive. Actually a simple situation for discussion sake… imagine taking the exam without getting enough sleep you will definitely be flying and can not concentrate. Your mind will definitely malfunction (lol).
    Reply
  3. Aneurysm Survivor says:
    November 12, 2010 at 11:09 pm
    As I recall both Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein were well know for taking naps during the day.
    Reply
  4. gw8721 says:
    November 16, 2010 at 1:13 am
    That’s why my memory was good when I was in college (lots of naps). Working schedules make it impossible to nap. I forget things easily nowadays

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Social Media and Mental Health

By Isabella Mori | Editor Shaheen E Lakhan | 6 Comments | 
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Social media icons denimIn a few days (July 10), the third Mental Health Camp will be held in Vancouver, Canada. Mental Health Camp is an (un)conference that addresses the intersection between mental health and social media (e.g. blogging, Facebook, Twitter). The organizers, Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega and myself, believe that social media can be used as a force for good to help with mental health issues. First and foremost, we have seen how social media can help decrease stigma. For example, there are many people who formerly were quiet about their mental illness. Through social media and its relative anonymity they can explore being more open about mental illness. This in turn makes it easier for others to speak out.
However, in the interest of providing balanced information, it’s also good to look at how social media can impair mental health. A while ago, ThoughtPick posted an article about just that. Let’s look at some of the issues the writer addresses, and whether there are rebuttals.
Insomnia & Sleep Disorders: insomnia is “difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both”.
… social media can cause it as well as [?] insomnia at a more advanced stage. I take myself here as an example. I use social media from morning till after midnight and I confess Twitter has kept me up for early morning hours on several occasions.
While there is a difference between deciding not to sleep and not being able to sleep, it’s clear that overuse of social media that results in things like tweeting into the wee hours of the morning can’t help with already existing insomnia. It’s interesting, though, how social media is often immediately equated with excessive use of it.
ADHD: ADHA [?] is primarily characterized by “the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone.”
In such a fast moving environment that we live in, we are becoming like goldfish; with a rather limited attention span… I think that the use of social media and the many distractions the various channels, tools and sites cause [?] actually help promote ADHD for all of us!
As far as I know, the causes of ADHD are not yet known. For example, in a recent study at Texas Tech University on the connection between ADHD and TV, a phenomenon similar to social media, the researchers could not find that TV watching caused ADHD in children. Checking the web site of Dr. Ned Hallowell, a well-known expert on AHDH  did return anything on the connection between social media and ADHD. On the other hand, Pete Quily, another well-known blogger on the topic of ADHD, often talks quite favourably about social media, for example here, where he discusses the advantages of having ADD when working in the tech industry.
However, it would be unrealistic to claim that social media is only a boon to people with ADD/ADHD. Even people who don’t officially suffer from such a clinical condition are often adversely affected by the fragmented attention that social media tends to promote. Tony Schwartz quotes Dr. Hallowell as saying “In the world we live in, there’s an increasingly thin line between what’s viewed as necessary and even optimal when it comes to paying attention and what is literally pathological.”
Addiction: is a ‘term used to is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence’.
There are alcohol addicts, drug addicts, cigarette addicts and there are social media addicts! … Social media provides a well-prepared platform for weak people who can’t organize their time and control their social media use.
While I have a problem with the writer referring to “weak people” – addiction is a mental health condition, not a weakness — there is definitely some truth to what she says. Having thousands of social media sites available at one’s fingertips, from Facebook to Twitter to YouTube to MySpace, is like planting a casino right beside a gambler’s house.
There is still some debate among academics as to whether there is actually such a thing as internet addiction. My stance on addiction is that it is primarily a behavioural problem, not a problem associated with a specific substance/thing — thus, one can develop an addiction to just about anything.
Just like the situation with ADHD, an interesting question is whether problematic internet use, as it is sometimes referred to, is a personal problem or a problem that pervades all of society.
Anxiety & Depression: refers to ‘a state of low mood and aversion to activity’ which is highly correlated with anxiety.
Sometimes, locking yourself inside, staying in solitude and keeping away from face-to-face interaction can cause depression and anxiety. I believe social media encourages people to spend more time alone, on their computers, rather than with others.
Again, the writer’s description of depression and anxiety leaves a bit to be desired. The question of isolation is an interesting one. First of all, there is no question that isolation is extremely detrimental to mental health, and is particularly harmful for people who experience depression. The question, though, is whether social media actually does increase isolation. It is, after all, “social.” Many people report deeply meaningful connections online, and often these connections turn into face-to-face connections (as is the case in Mental Health Camp). Social media is detrimental only insofar as it specifically prevents meaningful and/or face-to-face connections.

Isabella Mori

Mrs. Mori is a psychotherapist in private practice in Vancouver. She has been working in the field of mental health, counseling, psychotherapy and movement therapy for 18 years.

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6 Responses

  1. Brian says:
    July 7, 2010 at 7:25 am
    how social media can impair mental health
    How does social media itself create the action of impairment?
    Social media is detrimental only insofar as it specifically prevents meaningful and/or face-to-face connections.
    Can social media itself “prevent meaning connections” or is it the person using it that does the preventing?
    This article seems to externalize technology and imbue it with human attributes and qualities it does not in itself possess.
    Reply
  2. isabella mori says:
    July 8, 2010 at 7:34 am
    Brian – you’re right, I could have drawn attention to the fact that social media is a tool, used by real live human beings. I would be interested to hear from you how the thrust of the article would have changed had I made it abundantly clear that social media is just a tool?
    Reply
  3. Brian says:
    July 9, 2010 at 6:36 am
    Perhaps you might focus more on the essence, origin and nature of specific kinds of behavioral patterns that are considered to be unhealthy or addictive, and how those behaviors are projected/displayed/performed through the technology. The technology is a tool used to express a behavioral pattern. I sense it is our silent assumptions and hidden beliefs about ourselves and our life that lie at the root of the issue.
    Technopomorphism is a play on anthropomorphism – we should try to craft language so that we do not imbue technology with human qualities. Technology can be viewed as a kind of prop in a larger performance – this is my perspective on it anyway. In this sense, even pen and paper (i.e. – the technology of handwriting) has the potential to be used as a tool/prop to entrench isolation if we embrace it through obsessive or addictive behavioral patterns.
    Your ideas are very important. The problems and challenges you describe are very serious and unfortunately seem to be affecting more and more people. I think many people take on the mindset, perhaps unconsciously, that they are victims of technology. Perhaps this is one of those unchallenged assumptions that might encourage behavioral problems.
    Reply
  4. Anonymous says:
    October 26, 2010 at 4:43 pm
    The brain is a funny thing, ive been thinking about mdai a lot lately
    Reply
  5. Kristin says:
    November 22, 2010 at 11:20 am
    It’s my opinion that facebook, myspace, and television are bad for one’s mental health. I am a blogger and have found that both reading others’ blogs and writing on my own blog eases my mind, inspires me, and documents my progress.
kindly look for more details on the advertisements
Posted by pesapay at 1:04 AM 0 comments

Psychotropics and Youth, Part 2 – The Solutions

By Courtney Sherman, BA | Editor Shaheen E Lakhan | 7 Comments | 
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Child Front“Prescribed psychotropic medications are now high on the research agenda,” assert Lakhan and Hagger-Johnson. Their study advocates new approaches to research to address the rising concern over dramatic increases in psychotropic prescriptions for both children and young.
Our first post delineated the five erroneous myths often adhered to when prescribing youth’s psychotropic medication. Here are the three areas of recommended research to address this “alarming” problem.
1) Clarify child/adult differences for psychotropics. The future promises to see questionnaires and interviews tailored specifically to children and adolescents. Prominent will be the initiation of normative data for youth mental disorders. Studies will need to focus on specific age groups, disorders and treatments.
2) Attend to the growth of “cosmetic” use of psychotropics in children and adolescents. Researchers’ alarm over the marked increase in psychotropic prescriptions for youth has spilled over into the public arena. Recent media attention, in conjunction with changes in clinical practice standards and drug product labeling, has juggernauted psychotropic investigation to the forefront of the research agenda.
3) Address concerns about the diagnostic validity of mental illness in the current DSM classification system. Due to lack of psychotropic research on youth, the current DSM system is flawed, Lakhan and Hagger-Johnson noted. Ethical challenges such as reluctance to enroll children in psychotropic clinical trials and the lack of “well-designed”, placebo-controlled trials have traditionally been barriers to effective research. Increasingly, the idea of hands-on research with children is more palatable.
Lakhan and Haggar-Johnson remind us that “for the first time, we can begin to record and measure, rather than assume, the impact of prescribed psychotropics on children and adolescents.” The final verdict — children and adolescents need accurate, age-appropriate data that does not exist today.
Reference
Lakhan, S., & Hagger-Johnson, G. (2007). The impact of prescribed psychotropics on youth Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health, 3 (1) DOI: 10.1186/1745-0179-3-21

Courtney Sherman, BA

Ms. Sherman is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (History). She is a writer living in Los Angeles.

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7 Responses

  1. Bill says:
    March 4, 2010 at 5:13 am
    Interesting piece. The third point really struck me. So the medical establishment believes its unethical to test these drugs on children — yet it’s all right to prescribe them willy-nilly without testing? Hello, people! — don’t we see a problem here?
    Reply
    • Shaheen E Lakhan, MS, MEd, PhD, MD says:
      March 5, 2010 at 7:54 am
      Dear Bill,
      I wrote on this issue for The Lancet Student last year:
      It is true that research done on children is ethically questionable but the medical community and critics should be aware that innovative non-invasive measures are being used worldwide to help make medications safer for children. The great myths in pediatrics — children are little adults and children can be prescribed a lower dose of the same drug — have been widely dispelled [Ref]. But, we must now measure pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and response effects across different age ranges and establish the true differences of drug effects on adult and pediatric populations. Perhaps virtual models can place us one step closer to this goal.
      You can read the full article here. I would like to know the public’s opinion on traditional clinical trials or using virtual models for testing medications on pediatric patients. Thank you.
      Sincerely,
      Shaheen
      Reply
  2. David Stein says:
    March 4, 2010 at 11:40 pm
    I agree Bill. They’d like to test children if society allowed it, but it’s not “in vogue” in the public sphere right now. You make a good point.
    Reply
  3. Courtney Sherman says:
    March 5, 2010 at 9:27 pm
    Thank you for your comments, Shaheen. Your article was quite interesting and your point astute. We should be well past the point where people recognize that children are not little adults, and be on a path to matching treatment to the specific ages and characteristics of the children involved. One-size-fits-all should never be a recipe for medical treatment of our children.
    Reply
Psychotropics and Youth, Part 1 – The Five Myths | Brain Blogger says:
February 28, 2010 at 8:44 am

kindly look for more details on the advertisements
Posted by pesapay at 1:03 AM 0 comments
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