Archive for August 31, 2011
Resilience in a Time of War – Tips for Parents and Teachers of Elementary School Children
Signs & Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Overview
Bipolar disorder was formerly known as manic depression. It is characterized by excessive mood swings that go from seriously manic (or ‘high’) to very depressed. More than two million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder. While it is not curable, it is treatable with medication and psychotherapy.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
One of the most recognizable symptoms of bipolar disorder is the extreme mood swings – going way beyond the simple ‘moodiness’ many persons experience. Someone who is bipolar can go from having a very high level of energy, fantastic thoughts or ideas, and impulsive or reckless behavior to being very depressed and sometimes suicidal in a matter of hours or days. However, substance abuse, poor performance in school and trouble at work are a few situations that can make bipolar disorder hard to diagnose.
Symptoms of Mania
The symptoms of mania associated with bipolar disorder often last a week or more, if not treated. According to Mental Health America, some of these symptoms include:
• Excessive energy, activity, restlessness, racing thoughts and rapid talking
• Denial that anything is wrong
• Extreme ‘high’ or euphoric feelings (a person may feel on top of the world and nothing, including bad news or tragic events, can change this happiness)
• Easily irritated or distracted
• Decreased need for sleep – an individual may last for days with little or no sleep without feeling tired and unrealistic beliefs in one’s ability and powers
• Uncharacteristically poor judgment when a person says or does things that don’t match their personality quite right
• A long time when they act or dress differently
• Start collecting things they don’t normally or become obsessed about things like cleanliness
• An unusual sex drive
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Aggressive or paranoid behavior
Symptoms of Depression
The depressive side of bipolar disorder has many symptoms, also. According to the Mayo Clinic, they include:
Sadness
Hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Anxiety
Guilt
Sleep problems
Appetite problems
Fatigue
Loss of interest in daily activities
Problems concentrating
Irritability
Chronic pain without a known cause
Treatment
Treatment is essential in order for someone to recover from bipolar disorder, keep it under control and lead a normal life. Without a combination of medication, professional therapy and support from friends, family and co-workers, a person cannot fully stabilize their emotions and behavior. Without all of these elements working together, the person will continue to be manic and depressive uncontrollably. Some of the most common medications used to treat bipolar disorder are Lithium, Zyprexa, Tegratol and Depakote. But only a health care professional can properly diagnose and treat bipolar disorder.
Source: Mental Health America
Why Multi-tasking May Make You Less Productive
Nancy Bistritz is senior director at Nurun where she is responsible for marketing and communications initiatives in the U.S. You can follow Nurun on Twitter at @NurunUSA and read its blog at digitalforreallife.com.
We’ve all been there before. You’re out having what you think is a nice meal with someone, and then the inevitable happens: the vibration on the table that can’t be ignored. It can be anything from an “urgent” call to a “How R U?” text. Even after your company apologizes for the intrusion, you can’t help but notice his eyeballs always on the phone, checking for that red dot. You might call this behavior rude, but he insists he’s listening and credits his mastery of multitasking.
But in truth, it’s a barrier in the way of our ability to listen and focus, not to mention the onset of new social norms that permit distracted behavior — but that’s a topic for another time. The real question is, in the age of effortless information, are we really multitasking as well as we think we are?
The Mechanics of Multitasking
Multitasking not only hinders productivity but it’s actually difficult to pull off. According to a March 30, 2011, article published in Psychology Today, multitasking (engaging in two tasks simultaneously) is only possible when two conditions are met: First, one of the tasks has to be so ingrained that no focus is necessary, and secondly, they involve different types of brain processing.
The article explains that reading while listening to music without lyrics is possible because “reading comprehension and processing instrumental music engage different parts of the brain.” However, if the music has lyrics, your brain’s ability to retain information significantly decreases because both activities involve the language center of the brain. All of those text messages and emails you read on the side are seriously impacting your ability to successfully (and intelligently) respond and participate in meetings, listen to a client, etc.
Additionally, while all of us celebrate our ability to multitask, it’s really “serial” tasking that we’re doing. In effect, we’re requiring our brain to act like a teenager learning to drive a five-speed: We’re shifting gears quickly and abruptly, and slamming on the brakes in the process. As it sounds, this is not always the best way to get from point A to point B.
There’s Only One Solution: Turn Off the Noise
A few months ago, I was privy to a professional group conversation on LinkedIn, which profoundly asked, “How do we become better listeners?” I watched – one by one – as the responses trickled in. Recommendations included everything from Six Sigma strategies to laundry lists of memory tricks. But in sifting through these tips, it was apparent that the core issue was not being addressed — the original distraction(s) remained.
The only solution? If you need to get things done, turn off all non-essential devices. Unless you’re the president or expecting to deliver a baby, extemporaneous work (or play) does not need to be tended to in real time.
Try stepping away from your cellphone or social media channels for longer periods of time. Let friends and contacts know that you might be out of pocket for a while, but that you will respond to them within the day.
And perhaps most importantly, focus on one task at a time. We live in a culture that trumpets the value of doing many things at once — that multitasking is an asset or strength. As noted above, it only leads to decreased productivity.
Too Much to Take In?
In our race to become gadget gurus, we have become a society of lousy listeners. As real engagement becomes paramount in our business lives, how can we be expected to genuinely connect with everyone all the time? The fact is, we can’t.
So what is to be done? Set ground rules. Establish boundaries. Throughout the day, consciously allocate set amounts of time (whether it’s 5 or 25 minutes) to allow your mind to smoothly and successfully focus and transition from one task to another. These periods should also include dedicated time where you can transition among social networks, news, emails and other forms of communication that require using the same part of your brain.
As human beings, we’re not programmed or wired or built to take in everything, and when we try, we wind up shooting ourselves in the unproductive foot or making critical mistakes that may cost us, our clients or our employers both money and time.
Symptoms of Depression/Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
(adapted from a blog by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D)
Here is a list of common symptoms of depression, also known as major depressive disorder (MDD):
Symptoms of Depression
-
Emotional Symptoms
- Feelings of sadness, emptiness, loneliness, or pointlessness.
- Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, hostility, or aggression.
- Overwhelming feelings of grief, loss, hopelessness, or despair.
- Frequent explained or unexplained crying episodes.
- Loss of interest in enjoyable activities (e.g., hobbies, socializing).
- Recurrent thoughts of self-harm, death, or suicide.
-
Social/Occupational Symptoms
- Becoming overly-apologetic.
- Getting into frequent fights or disagreements with others.
- Having a low tolerance for frustration.
- Skipping events because you don’t want to “bring other people down”.
- Deteriorating or strained relationships.
- Disinterest in other people (e.g., ignoring spouse, kids).
- Social isolation or keeping to yourself because you don’t want to “bother” others (e.g., turning down invitations, making excuses).
- Impaired work/school performance (e.g., missing deadlines or not meeting responsibilities).
-
Self-Neglect / Self-Care Symptoms
- Erratic or dysregulated schedule, such as not having a consistent sleep schedule (e.g., staying up all night, becoming nocturnal).
- Neglecting personal needs (e.g., skipping meals, exercise).
- Caring little or not at all about your physical appearance (e.g., not bathing, shaving, or styling hair).
-
Physical Symptoms
- Difficulty sleeping (i.e., insomnia) or sleeping all the time (i.e., hypersomnia).
- Waking up early and not being able to go back to sleep.
- Poor concentration/memory or forgetfulness.
- Reduced sexual interest and desire.
- General slowness (e.g., walking slowly, taking a long time to dress or eat).
- Low energy and fatigue.
- Headaches, aches and pains, or stomach aches.
- Noticeable changes in your weight or appetite (e.g., unintentionally gaining or losing weight).
Regular Exercise Can Help Maintain Cognitive Function in Later Life
ONLINE FIRST
Activity Energy Expenditure and Incident
Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults
Laura E.
Middleton, PhD; Todd M. Manini, PhD; Eleanor M. Simonsick, PhD; Tamara B. Harris, MD, MS; Deborah E. Barnes, PhD; Frances Tylavsky, DrPH; Jennifer S. Brach, PhD, PT; James E. Everhart, MD, MPH; Kristine Yaffe, MD
Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(14):1251-1257.
doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.277
Background
Studies suggest that physically active peoplehave
reduced risk of incident cognitive impairment in late life.However,
these studies are limited by reliance on self-reportsof physical
activity, which only moderately correlate with objectivemeasures
and often exclude activity not readily quantifiableby frequency and
duration. The objective of this study was toinvestigate the
relationship between activity energy expenditure(AEE), an objective
measure of total activity, and incidenceof cognitive impairment.
Methods We
calculated AEE as 90% of total energy expenditure(assessed during 2
weeks using doubly labeled water) minus restingmetabolic rate
(measured using indirect calorimetry) in 197men and women (mean
age, 74.8 years) who were free of mobilityand cognitive impairments
at study baseline (1998-1999). Cognitivefunction was assessed at
baseline and 2 or 5 years later usingthe Modified Mini-Mental State
Examination. Cognitive impairmentwas defined as a decline of at
least 1.0 SD (9 points) betweenbaseline and follow-up evaluations.
Results After
adjustment for baseline Modified Mini-MentalState Examination
scores, demographics, fat-free mass, sleepduration, self-reported
health, and diabetes mellitus, olderadults in the highest
sex-specific tertile of AEE had lowerodds of incident cognitive
impairment than those in the lowesttertile (odds ratio, 0.09; 95%
confidence interval, 0.01-0.79).There was also a significant dose
response between AEE and incidenceof cognitive impairment (P
= .05 for trend over tertiles).
Conclusions
These findings indicate that greater AEE maybe
protective against cognitive impairment in a dose-responsemanner.
The significance of overall activity in contrast tovigorous or
light activity should be determined.
Author Affiliations: Heart and Stroke
Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Dr Middleton); Department of Aging and Geriatric
Research, University of Florida, Gainesville (Dr Manini); Clinical Research
Branch (Dr Simonsick) and Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry(Dr Harris), National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California(Drs Barnes and Yaffe); Departments of Psychiatry (Drs Barnes and Yaffe), Neurology (Dr Yaffe), and Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Dr Yaffe), School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Tennessee, Memphis (Dr Tylavsky); Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Dr Brach); and Epidemiology and Data Systems Program, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Everhart).
Back To College Means Back To Stress
There are many significant and often stress-filled times in life and going away to or starting college is one of them. It’s exciting, nerve-racking, overwhelming, fun, challenging, and wonderful all at the same time. It can also be scary. Going from your parents telling you what to do and when, to making those decisions for yourself is a huge step. So we’re offering some tips on how to deal with college and keep your life and goals in order.
Classes
If it’s possible, don’t schedule your classes back to back. Why? For two reasons: you’ll wear yourself out and more than that, two of the best times to study are right before and right after class. Try to figure out where your classes are before the first day. That’ll save you time and give you a good indication of where to park, if you’re driving.
Study Time and Tips
Good time management skills begin in college. That’s when you have to take a look at your schedule and decide on the best time to study for each class. Experts agree that for every hour you spend in class, you’ll probably need to study two hours outside of class. And studying for each subject should occur at the same time, in the same place. Remember, studying doesn’t just mean doing your homework—it means going over you’re your notes, labeling, editing and becoming familiar with online applications like Blackboard.
The place where you study should have the tools you need to accomplish your goals—a desk, a comfortable chair, good lighting and the supplies you require. And of course, you want it to be as free of distractions as possible. Also, try to do as much studying during the day as you can. Studying at night tends to take longer.
Scheduling breaks during study time is essential, too. A ten minute break every hour helps you absorb more information.
Use all the resources on campus that you can; labs, tutors, videos, computer programs and yes, even the library. Another good resource is having a study partner for each class. You’ll be more motivated if you have to show up to study with another person. Also, this person can help you understand more.
Remember to be good to yourself. You can’t study properly and absorb a lot of information on four hours of sleep and an empty stomach. Also, experts know that repeated exposures to the class material is far superior to cramming.
Keep in Touch With Your Family
Yes, you’re away from home, but thanks to technology, there are three inventions that’ll make you feel like you’re still there—email, instant messaging and Skype. If those aren’t an option, there’s always a calling card or—Heavens!—snail mail.
Get Involved
College is a time when you can finally be involved in what you’re passionate about—music, theatre, the science club, student government—the opportunities are limitless. Becoming active in campus activities will help you make friends and, hopefully, keep you from getting depressed. You can start by perusing a list of your college’s student organizations and if what you’re interested in isn’t offered, start your own club.
Stay Busy
It’s important to stay busy in college. And that doesn’t mean adding to your party schedule. It means boosting your credit hours, volunteering or even getting a part time job.
Source: Dr. Carolyn Hopper, Learning Strategies Coordinator for the University Seminar at Middle Tennessee State University and author of Practicing College Learning Strategies,5th ed.,Wadsworth/CengageLearning, 2010 and CollegeView.
Dealing with Back to School Stress
As the new school year begins nervous tension can really hit a family hard. Not only do the parents have their usual daily duties, but the kids can also be anxious about the start of the new year. And sometimes parents forget this. Whether it’s starting a new grade or a new school, kids can worry about classmates, teachers, the school building itself, changing schools, facing a tough academic year, or taking the bus to class. “The end of summer and the beginning of a new school year can be a stressful time for parents and children,” says psychologist Lynn Bufka, PhD. “While trying to manage work and the household, parents can sometimes overlook their children’s feelings of nervousness or anxiety as school begins. Working with your children to build resilience and manage their emotions can be beneficial for the psychological health of the whole family.”
Fortunately, children have amazing coping skills given the chance, and their parents can nurture that process by encouraging their kids to share and open up about their feelings.
The American Psychological Association offers the following back-to-school tips:
- Practice the first day of school routine: Getting into a sleep routine before the first week of school will aide in easing the shock of waking up early. Organizing things at home—backpack, binder, lunchbox or cafeteria money—will help make the first morning go smoothly. Having healthy, yet kid-friendly lunches will help keep them energized throughout the day. Also, walking through the building and visiting your child’s locker and classroom will help ease anxiety of the unknown.
- Get to know your neighbors: If your child is starting a new school, walk around your block and get to know the neighborhood children. Try and set up a play date, or, for an older child, find out where neighborhood kids might go to safely hang out, like the community pool, recreation center or park.
- Talk to your child: Asking your children about their fears or worries about going back to school will help them share their burden. Inquire as to what they liked about their previous school or grade and see how those positives can be incorporated into their new experience.
- Empathize with your children: Change can be difficult, but also exciting. Let your children know you’re aware of what they’re going through and that you’ll be there to help them. Nerves are normal, but highlight that not everything that’s different is necessarily bad. It’s important to encourage your children to face their fears instead of falling in to the trap of encouraging avoidance.
- Get involved and ask for help: Knowledge of the school and the community will better equip you to understand your child’s surroundings and the transition he or she is undergoing. Meeting members of your community and school will foster support for both you and your child. If you feel the stress of the school year is too much for you and your child to handle on your own, seeking expert advice from a mental health professional at River Park Psychology Consultants, will help you better manage and cope.
Source: American Psychological Association
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cuts Relapse Rate in Persistent Depression
From Medscape Medical News > Psychiatry
CBT Cuts Relapse Rates in Persistent Depression
August 3, 2011 — Adding rumination-focused cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to standard treatment can decrease persistent depression, new research suggests.
In a phase 2 randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 42 patients with residual depression, those receiving up to 12 sessions of the combined therapy showed significantly improved symptoms, increased remission rates, and decreased relapse rates compared with those receiving treatment as usual (TAU) only.
“The key messages are that rumination might be a maintaining factor in residual depression and that adding a psychological treatment for rumination to antidepressant medication produces significant improvements in this hard-to-treat group,” lead study author Edward R. Watkins, PhD, professor of Experimental and Applied Clinical Psychology and cofounder of the Mood Disorders Center at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, told Medscape Medical News.
The investigators note that this is the first RCT to show benefits of rumination-focused CBT in this patient population.
However, they write that it “lacked an attentional control group so cannot test whether the effects were as a result of the specific content of rumination-based CBT vs nonspecific therapy effects.”
The study was published online July 21 in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Room for Improvement
“About 20% of major depressive episodes become chronic and medication refractory and also appear to be less responsive to standard CBT,” the investigators write.
“Our combined psychological and pharmacological treatments for residual depression need improvement. Whilst there is considerable evidence about the impact of rumination in the course of depression, to date, there had been no studies directly attempting to target it,” added Dr. Watkins.
For this study, 42 outpatients in England older than 18 years diagnosed as having residual depression were randomized to receive either rumination-focused CBT plus TAU (n = 21; 67% female; 95% white; mean age, 43 years ) or TAU alone (n = 21; 48% female; 95% white; mean age, 45 years). All participants were evaluated at baseline and 6 months later.
Depressive rumination was defined as “repetitive thinking about the causes, meanings, and implications of depressed feelings, symptoms, problems, and upsetting events.” Rumination-focused CBT is designed to shift these negative thoughts to constructive rumination. It differs from standard CBT because it focuses on directly modifying the process of thinking.
“TAU consisted of ongoing maintenance antidepressant medication and outpatient clinical management,” the study authors write.
The primary outcome measure was a significant lowering of residual depressive symptom severity, as shown with a 50% or more decrease in baseline score on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD).
Secondary outcomes included changes in self-reported rumination, number of comorbid psychiatric disorders, and number of patients in remission (an HRSD score <8 and Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] score of <9 at the end of the study) and/or relapse.
Greater Treatment Response
Results showed significantly fewer residual depressive symptoms in the group receiving rumination-focused CBT compared with the TAU group on both the BDI (P = .002) and the HRSD (P = .009).
In addition, this group showed a significantly greater rate of treatment response (81% vs 26%, P < .001) and remission (62% vs 21%, P < .05), lower rates of relapse (9.5% vs 53%, P < .010), and less comorbid Axis II diagnoses (P = .02). There was also a nonsignificant trend for fewer comorbid Axis I disorders (P = .068).
“Our findings are encouraging as they suggest that focusing on 1 aspect of residual depression — rumination — in addition to ongoing antidepressant medication, may yield improvement in depressive symptoms in a medication-refractory group,” write the investigators.
“Nonetheless, as the first exploratory trial, there is a need for further RCTs to replicate these findings in other settings based on the extant effect sizes observed in this study and to examine cost-effectiveness in a fully powered phase 3 trial.”
Dr. Watkins reported that his team now want “to better understand the mechanisms by which the treatment might work through both experimental and dismantling studies,” in addition to examining the other modalities of therapy delivery.
“We are currently conducting studies looking at an Internet-based version of the intervention in adolescents and young adults, in collaboration with colleagues in Amsterdam. These studies also provide the opportunity to examine the efficacy of the treatment approach in a large-scale trial,” he said.
The study was funded by a Young Investigators Grant to Dr. Watkins from the National Alliance for Research into Schizophrenia and Depression. The study authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Br J Psychiatry. Published online July 21, 2011
Dr. Bruce Nystrom – representing Kansas psychologists on a national level
Dr. Nystrom serves on the Council of Representatives for the American Psychological Association (APA) as the representative of Kansas psychologists. This is for a three year term and involves two council meetings per year with several committee meetings and discussions inbetween. The Council of Representatives is the governing body of the APA; the APA Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer all report to the Council of Representatives. With 154,000 members, the APA is the world’s largest association of psychologists; it is also a very complex organization. The mission of the APA is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people’s lives. The APA aspires to excel as a valuable, effective and influential organization advancing psychology as a science, serving as:
- A uniting force for the discipline
- The major catalyst for the stimulation, growth and dissemination of psychological science and practice
- The primary resource for all psychologists
- The premier innovator in the education, development, and training of psychological scientists, practitioners and educators
- The leading advocate for psychological knowledge and practice informing policy makers and the public to improve public policy and daily living
- A principal leader and global partner promoting psychological knowledge and methods to facilitate the resolution of personal, societal and global challenges in diverse, multicultural and international contexts
- An effective champion of the application of psychology to promote human rights, health, well being and dignity
Personality Plays Role in Body Weight – Study Says
July 18, 2011
Impulsivity strongest predictor of obesity
WASHINGTON—People with personality traits of high neuroticism and low conscientiousness are likely to go through cycles of gaining and losing weight throughout their lives, according to an examination of 50 years of data in a study published by the American Psychological Association.
Impulsivity was the strongest predictor of who would be overweight, the researchers found. Study participants who scored in the top 10 percent on impulsivity weighed an average of 22 lbs. more than those in the bottom 10 percent, according to the study.
“Individuals with this constellation of traits tend to give in to temptation and lack the discipline to stay on track amid difficulties or frustration,” the researchers wrote. “To maintain a healthy weight, it is typically necessary to have a healthy diet and a sustained program of physical activity, both of which require commitment and restraint. Such control may be difficult for highly impulsive individuals.”
The researchers, from the National Institute on Aging, looked at data from a longitudinal study of 1,988 people to determine how personality traits are associated with weight and body mass index. Their conclusions were published online in the APA’s Journal of Personality and Social Psychology®.
“To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to examine whether personality is associated with fluctuations in weight over time,” they wrote. “Interestingly, our pattern of associations fits nicely with the characteristics of these traits.”
Participants were drawn from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, an ongoing multidisciplinary study of normal aging administered by the National Institute on Aging. Subjects were generally healthy and highly educated, with an average of 16.53 years of education. The sample was 71 percent white, 22 percent black, 7 percent other ethnicity; 50 percent were women. All were assessed on what’s known as the “Big Five” personality traits – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism – as well as on 30 subcategories of these personality traits. Subjects were weighed and measured over time. This resulted in a total of 14,531 assessments across the 50 years of the study.
Although weight tends to increase gradually as people age, the researchers, led by Angelina R. Sutin, PhD, found greater weight gain among impulsive people; those who enjoy taking risks; and those who are antagonistic – especially those who are cynical, competitive and aggressive.
“Previous research has found that impulsive individuals are prone to binge eating and alcohol consumption,” Sutin said. “These behavioral patterns may contribute to weight gain over time.”
Among their other findings: Conscientious participants tended to be leaner and weight did not contribute to changes in personality across adulthood.
“The pathway from personality traits to weight gain is complex and probably includes physiological mechanisms, in addition to behavioral ones,” Sutin said. “We hope that by more clearly identifying the association between personality and obesity, more tailored treatments will be developed. For example, lifestyle and exercise interventions that are done in a group setting may be more effective for extroverts than for introverts.”
Article: “Personality and Obesity Across the Adult Life Span,” Angelina R. Sutin, PhD, Luigi Ferrucci, MD, PhD, Alan B. Zonderman, PhD, and Antonio Terracciano, PhD, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 101, No. 3.
Dr. Sutin can be contacted through the NIA Office of Communications by
email or by phone at (301) 496-1752
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 154,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
