Publications on Mental Health Topics

How PTSD and Addiction Can Be Safely Treated Together, by Maia Szalavitz, Time , Aug 15 2012.

“The vast majority of people with addiction have suffered significant previous trauma, and many people who struggle with addiction suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) simultaneously. But the treatment of these patients has posed a conundrum: experts have believed that PTSD treatment should not begin until the addicted person achieves lasting abstinence, because of the risk that PTSD treatment may trigger relapse, yet addicted people with untreated PTSD are rarely able to abstain for long. ”

Binge Eating Among Men Steps Out of the Shadows, by Abby Ellin, New York Times, Aug 13 2012.

“While about 10 percent of patients with anorexia and bulimia are men, binge eating is a problem shared almost equally by both sexes. A study published online in October and then in the March issue of The International Journal of Eating Disorders found that among 46,351 men and women ages 18 to 65, about 11 percent of women and 7.5 percent of men acknowledged some degree of binge eating. ”

Summer Camp: Great For Kids, Even Better For Parents, by Bonnie Rochman, Time Magazine , Aug 3 2012.

“These days, of course, setting your kids free doesn't have to mean completely severing the ties that bind. Most camps post hundreds of digital photos of campers each day, prompting many a lovelorn mom to sit by her computer all day clicking "refresh." Many camps allow email, and a new service even lets parents forward recent tweets from their kids' favorite Twitter personalities. ”

Colleges Gear Up to Help Students with ADHD, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Aug 3 2012.

“Given the steady increase in students diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), some colleges are proactively developing programs to help the student make a successful transition to college. ”

Sports Psychologists Extend Their Counseling to Athletes' Coaches and Families, by Katherine Harmon, Scientific American , Aug 1 2012.

“Olympic divers, such as David Boudia and Thomas Finchum, as well as other top athletes, use trusted psychological tactics such as visualization and positive self-talk to stay at the top of their games-even when the pressure is on. Yet the sports psychologists who teach these techniques now have more scientific results in hand, and they are learning that the athlete's mental tools are just the jumping-off point to achieving peerless performance. ”

Psychological Abuse: More Common, as Harmful as Other Child Maltreatment, by Laura Blue, Time Magazine , Jul 30 2012.

“It may be the most common kind of child abuse - and the most challenging to deal with. But psychological abuse, or emotional abuse, rarely gets the kind of attention that sexual or physical abuse receives. ”

How Forensic Psychiatry Informs Trials, by Conan, Neal, NPR , Jul 30 2012.

“So how does a court determine a defendant's mental state at the time of the crime and at a trial? Today, forensic psychiatry in the justice system. We want to hear from forensic psychiatrists and from those who work with them - lawyers, judges, medical professionals. ”

Symptoms of Teen Substance Abuse, by Donna White, Psych Central , Jul 20 2012.

“Research has shown that individuals who begin to experiment at a young age have a higher chance of addiction later in life. This is why it is important to notice early the signs of substance abuse in teens and young adults. ”

Homelessness: Cheaper to Fix Than to Let Fester, by James, Charley, Jul 19 2012.

“It costs (government) about $40,000 a year for a homeless person to be on the streets. That works out to roughly $110 a night, or more expensive than staying in a budget motel along the interstate. ”

Internet Surfers Over 50 Less Depressed, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Jul 16 2012.

“Recent studies have linked Internet use to mental health problems and loneliness among young people - but new research shows that older people who utilize the Internet for social purposes are less likely to suffer from depression. ”

Military Suicide: Help for Families Worried About Their Service Member, by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time, Jul 12 2012.

“Each person deals differently with the stresses of war, frequent deployments, separation from family, death of comrades. Many contend with depression and post-traumatic stress upon returning home. There are several programs and support lines for soldiers, but it also helps for immediate families to remain vigilant and to monitor their behavior. Even still, many service members fall through the cracks. ”

Can a teen’s anger mean a mental disorder?, by Kotz, Deborah, Boston Globe , Jul 9 2012.

“While most teens have a violent, angry outburst at some point during their adolescence, nearly 8 percent have regular violent outbursts that would fall into the category of a mental health disorder. That’s according to a Harvard Medical School finding published online last Monday in the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the first studies to measure the prevalence of the disorder - called intermittent explosive disorder- in teens. ”

Facebook Use Leads to Depression? No, Says Study, by ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily , Jul 9 2012.

“A study of university students is the first evidence to refute the supposed link between depression and the amount of time spent on Facebook and other social-media sites. ”

Is This Teen Angst or an Uncontrollable Anger Disorder?, by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time , Jul 3 2012.

“With all those raging hormones, every teenager is bound to "lose it" at one time or another. But a recent study suggests that adolescents' attacks of anger may indicate something more serious than your standard puberty-related mood swings: nearly two-thirds of youth report having had a bout of uncontrollable anger that involved threatening violence, destroying property or engaging in violence toward others, and nearly 8%--or close to 6 million teens--meet the criteria for intermittent explosive disorder (IED), which is characterized by persistent, out-of-control anger attacks that can't be explained by a mental or medical disorder or substance use. ”

Exposure to Violence Has Long-Term Stress Effects Among Adolescents, by ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, Jul 3 2012.

“Children who are exposed to community violence continue to exhibit a physical stress response up to a year after the exposure, suggesting that exposure to violence may have long-term negative health consequences, according researchers at Penn State and University College London. ”