Kids can get migraines too

(HealthDay)—Migraines aren't just a problem for adults—about 6 percent of children and more than one-quarter of teens aged 15 to 17 have migraines, according to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF).


"There are many things that can be done if your child suffers from migraine, or if you suspect that he or she does," foundation chair Dr. David Dodick, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Scottsdale, Ariz., said in an AMF news release.
If you suspect your child has migraines, take him or her to a doctor to be assessed and receive treatment if necessary. Options include treatment to stop the pain and prevent a migraine from getting worse, along with measures to prevent or reduce the frequency, severity and duration of migraines.

If your child is prescribed a migraine medication, it's important for you to make sure he or she takes the medicine as directed. Inform your doctor if there are changes in your child's migraines, such as becoming more frequent or severe. A new treatment approach may be required, according to the headache experts.
A number of factors may contribute to your child's migraines, such as too little or too much sleep or stress. Parents need to help their children follow healthy lifestyles and cope with stress. Recent research in stress management suggests that a type of counseling called cognitive behavioral therapy can benefit children with chronic headache, according to the AMF.
Other potentially helpful stress-control techniques include relaxation therapy and biofeedback.
Keeping a migraine diary can help youngsters understand why they get migraines and how to prevent them. The diary tracks migraines, the severity, how long they last, what patients were doing before and during the migraine, and what foods they ate.
Mobile phone apps may be an ideal way for children and teens to tracks their migraines and to take their medications as prescribed, the experts suggested.


Source:
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-kids-migraines.html

This post has been edited by zeropoint9: Apr 22 2015, 11:14 PM

In search of tinnitus, that phantom ringing in the ears

About one in five people experience tinnitus, the perception of a sound—often described as ringing—that isn't really there. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on April 23 have taken advantage of a rare opportunity to record directly from the brain of a person with tinnitus in order to find the brain networks responsible.


The observations reveal just how different tinnitus is from normal representations of sounds in the brain.
"Perhaps the most remarkable finding was that activity directly linked to tinnitus was very extensive, and spanned a large proportion of the part of the brain we measured from," says Will Sedley of Newcastle University. "In contrast, the brain responses to a sound we played that mimicked [the subject's] tinnitus were localized to just a tiny area."
In the new study, Sedley and The University of Iowa's Phillip Gander contrasted brain activity during periods when tinnitus was relatively stronger and weaker. The study was only possible because the 50-year-old man they studied required invasive electrode monitoring for epilepsy. He also happened to have a typical pattern of tinnitus, including ringing in both ears, in association with hearing loss.
"It is such a rarity that a person requiring invasive electrode monitoring for epilepsy also has tinnitus that we aim to study every such person if they are willing," Gander says.
The researchers found the expected tinnitus-linked brain activity, but they report that the unusual activity extended far beyond circumscribed auditory cortical regions to encompass almost all of the auditory cortex, along with other parts of the brain.
The discovery adds to the understanding of tinnitus and helps to explain why treatment has proven to be such a challenge, the researchers say.
"We now know that tinnitus is represented very differently in the brain to normal sounds, even ones that sound the same, and therefore these cannot necessarily be used as the basis for understanding tinnitus or targeting treatment," Sedley says.
"The sheer amount of the brain across which the tinnitus network is present suggests that tinnitus may not simply 'fill in' the 'gap' left by hearing damage, but also actively infiltrates beyond this into wider brain systems," Gander adds.
These new insights may help to inform treatments such as EEG biofeedback, where patients learn to control their "brainwaves," or electromagnetic brain stimulation, according to the researchers. A better understanding of the brain patterns associated with tinnitus may also help point toward new pharmacological approaches to treatment, "which have so far generally been disappointing."




Source:
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-tinn...antom-ears.html

This post has been edited by zeropoint9: Apr 25 2015, 03:28 PM

i always feel nervous..especially when i want to go to work or meeting people? social phobia? please advice

It is possible.
Or it could be Avoidant Personality Issue.
According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), a person diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder needs to show at least four of the following criteria:
1)Avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection.
2)Is unwilling to get involved with people unless they are certain of being liked.
3)Shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed.
4)Is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations.
5)Is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy.
6)Views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others.
7) Is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing.
A mental health professional can assess your symptoms and suggest the appropriate treatment options.

Social Anxiety
Social anxiety disorder causes both emotional and physical symptoms. It can make you nervous, sad, or easily upset before or during a social event. You may worry a lot or be afraid that something bad will happen. The anxiety can cause you to blush, sweat, and feel shaky. Your heart may beat faster than normal, and you may have a hard time focusing.
Treatment options for social anxiety:
1) Psychotherapy/Counseling/Coaching-for those who fear only one or a few social situations (such as public speaking or eating in front of others), professional talk therapy to overcome the fear may be all that is needed.
2) Hypnotherapy-Hypno-desensitisation affords the possibility of gradually confronting one's fears using imagination thus avoiding the potentially traumatic consequences of exposure therapy. Self-hypnosis can be taught to address anxiety and to repeat the therapeutic suggestions post session. Age regression can guide the client back in time and help the client re-examine the event that initially triggered the fear from an objective point of view thus re-establishing control; it can also be employed to access positive feelings such a s self-confidence, calmness and assertiveness.
3) Medicines-A combination of medicines (such as antidepressants, benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, venlafaxine) and professional counseling may be effective for long-term treatment for people who have generalized anxiety and fear over many social situations.
4) Biofeedback-EEG biofeedback/Neurofeedback therapy is a safe, non-invasive, alternative option for the treatment of anxiety or phobia related problem. Biofeedback is a self-training, mind-over-body technique developed in the 1940s. Doing biofeedback has a slightly science fiction feel to it. But it's entirely legitimate, and it works. Biofeedback therapy is a highly effective research-based treatment for anxiety disorders. The individual is taught how to properly respond to their anxiety and it is one of the ways he or she can learn how to manage and control it without the use of medications. EEG showing higher activity for hi-beta waves in the brain (these waves increase when the mind is stressed. It also teaches the individual how to control the brain’s activity and maintain the proper brainwave levels to achieve a calm and focused state. By returning the body to a healthier physiological state, the “foggy head” that anxiety can cause, as well as the feeling of fear and panic throughout the body, are removed.


Hope it helps:)



Source:
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/tc/soci...ces-to-get-help
http://www.bsch.org.uk/hypnodesensitisation.htm
http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/biofeedback-therapy
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013...th-biofeedback/

Napping reverses health effects of poor sleep

A short nap can help relieve stress and bolster the immune systems of men who slept only two hours the previous night, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Lack of sleep is recognized as a public health problem. Insufficient sleep can contribute to reduced productivity as well as vehicle and industrial accidents, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, people who sleep too little are more likely to develop chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.
Nearly three in 10 adults reported they slept an average of six hours or less a night, according to the National Health Interview Survey.
"Our data suggests a 30-minute nap can reverse the hormonal impact of a night of poor sleep," said one of the JCEM study's authors, Brice Faraut, PhD, of the Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité in Paris, France. "This is the first study that found napping could restore biomarkers of neuroendocrine and immune health to normal levels."
The researchers used a cross-over, randomized study design to examine the relationship between hormones and sleep in a group of 11 healthy men between the ages of 25 and 32. The men underwent two sessions of sleep testing in a laboratory, where meals and lighting were strictly controlled.
During one session, the men were limited to two hours of sleep for one night. For the other session, subjects were able to take two, 30-minute naps the day after their sleep was restricted to two hours. Each of the three-day sessions began with a night where subjects spent eight hours in bed and concluded with a recovery night of unlimited sleep.
Researchers analyzed the participants' urine and saliva to determine how restricted sleep and napping altered hormone levels. After a night of limited sleep, the men had a 2.5-fold increase in levels of norepinephrine, a hormone and neurotransmitter involved in the body's fight-or-flight response to stress. Norepinephrine increases the body's heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar. Researchers found no change in norepinephrine levels when the men had napped following a night of limited sleep.
Lack of sleep also affected the levels of interleukin-6, a protein with antiviral properties, found in the subjects' saliva. The levels dropped after a night of restricted sleep, but remained normal when the subjects were allowed to nap. The changes suggest naps can be beneficial for the immune system.
"Napping may offer a way to counter the damaging effects of sleep restriction by helping the immune and neuroendocrine systems to recover," Faraut said. "The findings support the development of practical strategies for addressing chronically sleep-deprived populations, such as night and shift workers."
Other authors of the study include: Samir Nakib, Catherine Drogou, Maxime Elbaz, Fabien Sauvet, Jean-Pascal De Bandt and Damien Léger of the Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité.



http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-napp...fects-poor.html

looks like i have both

Every problem has a solution, and usually more than one.

What is psychosomatic illness?

Psychosomatic is defined as concerning or involving both mind and body. Psychosomatic illnesses can be classified in three general types. The first type includes people who have both a mental (psychiatric) illness and a medical illness, and these illnesses complicate the symptoms and management of each other. The second type includes people who have a psychiatric problem that is a direct result of a medical illness or its treatment, such as having depression due to cancer and its treatment.

The third type of psychosomatic illness is somatoform disorders. Somatoform disorders are psychiatric disorders that are displayed through physical problems. In other words, the physical symptoms people experience are related to psychological factors rather than a medical cause.

Somatoform disorders are the focus of this article and include the following:

Body dysmorphic disorder is an obsession or preoccupation with a minor or imaginary flaw, such as wrinkles, small breasts, or the shape or size of other body parts. Body dysmorphic disorder causes severe anxiety and may impact a person’s ability to function normally in daily life.
Conversion disorder is a disorder in which a person experiences neurological symptoms that affect his or her movement and senses and that do not appear to have a physical cause. Symptoms can include seizures, blindness or paralysis.
Hypochondriasis is an obsession or fixation with the fear of having a serious disease. People with hypochondriasis misconstrue normal body functions or minor symptoms as being serious or life threatening. For example, a person with hypochondriasis may become convinced that he or she has colon cancer when having temporary flatulence after eating cabbage.
Somatization disorder is a disorder in which a person experiences physical complaints, such as headaches, diarrhea, or premature ejaculation, that do not have a physical cause.
The exact cause of somatoform disorders is not completely understood. Somatoform disorders are thought to be familial, meaning that genetics may play a role. Somatoform disorders may also be triggered by strong emotions, such as anxiety, grief, trauma, abuse, stress, depression, anger or guilt. People who suffer from somatoform disorders will generally not recognize the role these emotions play in their physical symptoms. However, they are not intentionally producing these physical symptoms or making up their physical problems. Their physical symptoms are real, but are caused by psychological factors.

Women are more likely than men to have a somatoform disorder. Symptoms usually begin before age 30 and persist for several years. The severity of the symptoms may vary from year to year, but there are rarely times when symptoms are not present. Examples of somatoform symptoms include digestive problems, headaches, pain, fatigue, menstrual problems, and sexual difficulties.


Common symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder

People who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder become obsessed with minor flaws in their physical appearance or may see flaws where none exist. Common concerns include hair loss; the size and shape of features, such as the eyes, nose or breasts; weight gain; and wrinkles. Symptoms and associated behaviors of body dysmorphic disorder may include:

Anxiety and depression
Avoiding being seen in public and withdrawal from social situations
Avoiding mirrors
Constantly checking yourself in a mirror
Seeking reassurance from others about your looks


Common symptoms of conversion disorder

Symptoms of conversion disorder usually look like neurological problems and can include:
Blindness or double vision
Difficulty swallowing
Impaired balance or coordination
Inability to speak (aphonia)
Loss of sensation
Paralysis or weakness
Seizures
Urinary retention
Common symptoms of hypochondriasis

Hypochondriasis is the condition of thinking that normal body functions or minor symptoms represent a serious medical condition. A person with hypochondriasis can interpret a headache as a brain tumor or muscle soreness as a sign of impending paralysis. Typical symptoms of hypochondriasis include:
Anxiety and depression
Feeling that their doctor has made a mistake by not diagnosing the cause of their symptoms
Repeated doctor visits until a diagnosis is made
Seeking constant reassurance from friends and family about their symptoms
Common symptoms of somatization disorder

Somatization disorder is characterized by physical symptoms without a physical cause. Symptoms of somatization disorder include:
Digestive symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea
Neurological symptoms, such as headache and fatigue
Pain
Sexual symptoms, such as pain during intercourse, loss of sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, and extremely painful periods in women
Symptoms that might indicate a serious or life-threatening condition


People with somatoform disorders are at risk for suicidal thoughts and actions. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have attempted to hurt or kill oneself or have had thoughts about hurting or killing oneself.

People with somatoform disorders are also at risk of developing major depression. Seek prompt medical care if you, or someone you are with, have any of these symptoms:
Changes in eating habits, such as overeating or loss of appetite
Difficulty concentrating or remembering things
Fatigue or lack of energy
Feelings of hopelessness, guilt or worthlessness
Irritability and restlessness
Loss of interest in activities and hobbies including sex
Persistent feelings of sadness or emptiness
Sleep problems, such as insomnia or excessive sleeping


http://www.healthgrades.com/conditions/psychosomatic-illness

Bullying May Be Worse for Later Mental Health Than Adult Maltreatment

New research suggests a child has more long-term mental health issues after being bullied by a peer than if they were maltreated by an adult.

While there is already an established link between maltreatment by adults and the mental health consequences for children, researchers wanted to learn if bullying was associated with similar mental health issues.

A research team lead by Professor Dieter Wolke from the Warwick Medical School looked at data from 4,026 participants in the UK ALSPAC study (Avon Longtitudinal Study of Parents and Children) and 1,273 participants from the US Great Smoky Mountain Study.

For ALSPAC, researchers looked at reports of maltreatment between the ages of eight weeks and 8.6 years; bullying at ages eight, 10 and 13; and mental health outcomes at age 18. Data from the Great Smoky Mountain Study had reports of maltreatment and bullying between the ages of nine and 16, and mental health outcomes from 19-25 years old.

The research is published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Said Wolke, “The mental health outcomes we were looking for included anxiety, depression, or suicidal tendencies. Our results showed those who were bullied were more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who were maltreated.

“Being both bullied and maltreated also increased the risk of overall mental health problems, anxiety and depression in both groups.”

In the ALSPAC study, 8.5 percent of children reported maltreatment only, 29.7 percent reported bullying only and seven percent reported both maltreatment and bullying. In the Great Smoky Mountain Study, 15 percent reported maltreatment, 16.3 percent reported bullying and 9.8 percent reported maltreatment and bullying.

Wolke added, “Being bullied is not a harmless rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up; it has serious long-term consequences. It is important for schools, health services and other agencies to work together to reduce bullying and the adverse effects related to it.”


http://psychcentral.com/news/2015/04/29/pe...alth/84055.html

Do you know?

a single cup of zero-calorie coffee for breakfast (without any additional food intake) can be fattening. This is due to the body’s hormonal response to caffeine, which causes the release of the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine. Both cortisol and epinephrine cause a stress response in the body, and cortisol has the added disfavor of signaling the body to store fat.

#nutritionalpsychology

12 Signs that Your Teen Needs Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy By Mihaela Bernard, MA, LCPC

Psychoanalysis has the misleading reputation of being the talking cure for the adult patient. Well, it is not. Children and adolescents can benefit greatly from early intervention and prevention through psychoanalytic work that can help prevent more serious and long-term problems in the future.

Child psychoanalyst and psychoanalytic therapists work with children (and their parents) as young as infants. Psychoanalytic technique changes depending on the age and developmental needs of each individual patient but I will leave that for another post.

Let’s look at 12 signs that your teenage son or daughter may benefit from psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Some of these signs you may have noticed earlier in your child’s life and the sooner you get some professional help, the better.

Sign #1. Concern from teachers and school counselors or social workers – school staff are usually the first to alert parents that something may be going on with their son or daughter. If the school counselor or social worker expresses concerned for your teen’s behavior or emotional state, you may want to ask them for a referral or consult with a psychoanalytic psychotherapist.

Sign #2. Unusual change or decrease in academic performance – emotional problems are one of the top deterrers to learning and academic success. If your teen is suddenly struggling to perform at school and the teachers are concerned, this may indicate an emotional difficulty that requires a therapeutic intervention.

Sign #3. Skipping school and classes – truancy and delinquent behaviors are another indicator that something may be interfering with your teen’s ability to function academically and or socially. It is often difficult for teens to talk to their parents about what’s going on with them and skipping on classes is usually a sign that something may be going on.

Sign #4. Frequent arguments at home – every teenager argues with their parents in an attempt to assert their independence and sense of autonomy. However, if the arguments are persistent and worrisome, you may want to consult a professional.

Sign #5. Substance abuse (alcohol, marijuana, etc.) – substance abuse is probably the most widely used, self-medicating tool used by both teens and adults to cope with emotional difficulties. Usually, it is used to relieve anxiety, to temporarily improve depressed mood or simply as an avoidance strategy.

Sign #6. Recent change in the family (divorce, separation, etc.) – parental and marital discord is always hard on the children. When parents decide on divorce, the kids experience variety of emotions, including guilt, anger, hope, denial, sadness, etc. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy offers ways to reduce the negative impact of the disruption for the whole family, especially the child/adolescent.

Sign #7. Loss/death in the family – unexpected life circumstances put strain on every family. Therapy provides a space to make sense of the nonsensical and cope with the loss in a healthy way. If your child/adolescent has experienced a loss in the family, this is a sign that they may benefit from talking to someone.

Sign #8. Traumatic experiences – physical, sexual or emotional abuse are among the most common reasons for people to seek out professional counseling. Trauma is also the number #1 problem that causes severe anxiety in both adults and children. If your teen has gone through a traumatic experience, psychoanalytic psychotherapy is one of the most appropriate therapeutic approaches to address it.

Sign #9. Angry outbursts and getting into fights – what cannot be expressed through words is often communicated through action – fights, delinquent behaviors, drinking, etc. Meeting it with punishments or disapproval does little for the kid and often escalates the internal difficulty. If your teen is angry and violent, this is a clear indication that s/he may benefit from psychotherapy.

Sign #10. Self-injurious and risky behavior - self-injurious and risk taking behaviors are often signs that your teen is struggling with emotional issues and is trying to cope with them the best way they can. It can be very scary for the parents to literally see their child’s pain marked on their body so don’t hesitate and get some help.

Sign #11. Sexual acting out – teens usually engage in sexual exploration one way or another. However, premature sexualized behavior and comments may be signs of deeper struggles.

Sign #12. Withdrawn and isolative behavior can be easily neglected as it is not explosive or loud in any way. However, it may indicate that your teen is depressed and getting a professional opinion is crucial for your kid’s safety.


Source:
http://blogs.psychcentral.com/practical-ps...medium=facebook

This post has been edited by zeropoint9: May 5 2015, 10:13 AM

Children's sleep and mental health are related

Toddlers who take a long time to fall asleep or wake up many times during the night have put many a desperate mom and dad to the test. Tired parents are often told that night waking is part of toddlerhood, and that it will soon pass on its own, but this is not the case for everyone.

Researchers at NTNU's Department of Psychology have conducted a comprehensive survey of nearly 1,000 toddlers that shows that serious sleep disorders in young children can have long-term consequences.
The study shows that four-year-olds with sleep disorders have a higher risk of developing symptoms of psychiatric problems as six-year-olds, compared with children who sleep soundly.
At the same time, four-year-olds with psychiatric symptoms have a greater risk of developing a sleep disorder as six-year-olds, compared with children who do not have these kind of symptoms.

Reciprocal relationship
"It is common for children to have periods when they sleep poorly, but for some children, the problems are so extensive that they constitute a sleep disorder. Our research shows that it is important to identify children with sleep disorders, so that remedial measures can be taken. Sleeping badly or too little affects a child's day-to-day functioning, but we are seeing that there are also long term repercussions," says Silje Steinsbekk, an Associate Professor and Psychologist in NTNU's Department of Psychology.
Her previous research on the relationship between sleep disorders and psychological problems in children has shown that four-year-olds with sleep disorders often also show symptoms of psychiatric problems.
The new study, which was recently published in the respected Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, shows that the correlation between sleep disorders and psychiatric disorders is also found over time and that the relationship is reciprocal.

Thorough interviews and diagnoses
We know that 20-40 per cent of young children struggle with sleep in one way or another, but we lack data on how many of them are suffering from a diagnosable sleep disorder.
NTNU researchers conducted diagnostic interviews with the parents of the children participating in the study. The interview was based on the DSM-IV diagnostic manual, which contains the official diagnostic criteria for mental disorders.

One thousand four-year-olds participated in the study. Parents of around 800 of these children were interviewed again two years later. The comprehensive study is part of a longitudinal study in Trondheim that examines the incidence, progression and risk factors for the development of mental health problems in children. The project conducts follow-up visits with the children and their parents every other year.
"Previous studies of sleep problems in children have mainly used a questionnaire format, with questions like, "Does your child have trouble sleeping?" But what parents define as sleep problems will vary. In the diagnostic interview we ask parents questions until we are confident that we have enough information to assess whether a symptom is present or not. The information we've collected is more reliable than information obtained from the questionnaire," says Steinsbekk.

What comes first?
Can we say that poor sleep causes psychiatric problems – or do psychiatric problems cause poor sleep? The findings from the study suggest that the relationship goes both ways.
One possible explanation for this reciprocity may be that both conditions are biologically determined, by common underlying genetics, for example.
Another explanation may be that insufficient sleep creates general functional impairment, and that the risk of other problems therefore increases – in the same way that psychiatric symptoms often result in poorer everyday functioning, which in turn may negatively affect sleep.


Vicious cycle
Perhaps sleep disorders and mental health issues share the same risk factors. A child who shows signs of anxiety or a behavioural disorder may easily end up in a vicious cycle, where conflict with adults triggers anxiety and in turn leads to trouble falling asleep.
It may also be that difficult and negative thoughts steal both energy and sleep and make us restless and depressed if we fail to gain control over them.
"Given that so many children suffer from insomnia, and only just over half 'outgrow it,' it is critical for us to be able to provide thorough identification and good treatment. Perhaps early treatment of mental health problems can also prevent the development of sleep disorders, since psychiatric symptoms increase the risk of developing insomnia," says Steinsbekk, stressing that this is something that must be examined in further research.

Insomnia is most prevalent
The study shows that insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder. Children who suffer from insomnia struggle with falling asleep and frequent waking. Insomnia was diagnosed in 16.6 per cent of the four-year-olds surveyed, and 43 per cent of these still had insomnia as six- year olds.
Insomnia in four-year olds increases the risk for symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD and behavioural problems as six-year-olds. After the researchers had taken into account the children's psychiatric symptoms at age four, the relationship between insomnia and ADHD disappeared.
Similarly, children who show symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD and behavioural disturbances as four-year-olds have a greater risk of developing insomnia as six-year-olds. When symptoms of insomnia at age four were adjusted for, the relationship between insomnia and anxiety disappeared.
Examples of other types of sleep disorders are hypersomnia, i.e. an extreme urge to sleep, and various cases of parasomnia, such as nightmares, night terrors and sleepwalking. These conditions are uncommon, and the study also shows that, with the exception of sleepwalking, they are shorter-lived.


Source:
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-05-chil...tal-health.html

This post has been edited by zeropoint9: May 7 2015, 07:54 PM

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine (colon). Irritable bowel syndrome commonly causes cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. IBS is a chronic condition that you will need to manage long term.

Only a small number of people with irritable bowel syndrome have severe signs and symptoms. Some people can control their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle and stress. Others will need medication and counseling.


Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can vary widely from person to person and often resemble those of other diseases. Among the most common are:
Abdominal pain or cramping
A bloated feeling
Gas
Diarrhea or constipation — sometimes alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea
Mucus in the stool
For most people, IBS is a chronic condition, although there will likely be times when the signs and symptoms are worse and times when they improve or even disappear completely.
Symptoms that may indicate a more serious condition include:
Rectal bleeding
Abdominal pain that progresses or occurs at night
Weight loss


Lifestyle and home remedies
In many cases, simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can provide relief from irritable bowel syndrome. Although your body may not respond immediately to these changes, your goal is to find long-term, not temporary, solutions:
Experiment with fiber.When you have irritable bowel syndrome, fiber can be a mixed blessing. Although it helps reduce constipation, it can also make gas and cramping worse. The best approach is to slowly increase the amount of fiber in your diet over a period of weeks. Examples of foods that contain fiber are whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans. If your signs and symptoms remain the same or worse, tell your doctor. You may also want to talk to a dietitian.
Some people do better limiting dietary fiber and instead take a fiber supplement that causes less gas and bloating. If you take a fiber supplement, such as Metamucil or Citrucel, be sure to introduce it slowly and drink plenty of water every day to reduce gas, bloating and constipation. If you find that taking fiber helps your IBS, use it on a regular basis for best results.
Avoid problem foods. If certain foods make your signs and symptoms worse, don't eat them. These may include alcohol, chocolate, caffeinated beverages such as coffee and sodas, medications that contain caffeine, dairy products, and sugar-free sweeteners such as sorbitol or mannitol.
If gas is a problem for you, foods that might make symptoms worse include beans, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Fatty foods also may be a problem for some people. Chewing gum or drinking through a straw can lead to swallowing air, causing more gas.
Eat at regular times. Don't skip meals, and try to eat about the same time each day to help regulate bowel function. If you have diarrhea, you may find that eating small, frequent meals makes you feel better. But if you're constipated, eating larger amounts of high-fiber foods may help move food through your intestines.
Take care with dairy products. If you're lactose intolerant, try substituting yogurt for milk. Or use an enzyme product to help break down lactose. Consuming small amounts of milk products or combining them with other foods also may help. In some cases, though, you may need to stop eating dairy foods completely. If so, be sure to get enough protein, calcium and B vitamins from other sources.
Drink plenty of liquids. Try to drink plenty of fluids every day. Water is best. Alcohol and beverages that contain caffeine stimulate your intestines and can make diarrhea worse, and carbonated drinks can produce gas.
Exercise regularly. Exercise helps relieve depression and stress, stimulates normal contractions of your intestines, and can help you feel better about yourself. If you've been inactive, start slowly and gradually increase the amount of time you exercise. If you have other medical problems, check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.
Use anti-diarrheal medications and laxatives with caution.If you try over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications, such as Imodium or Kaopectate, use the lowest dose that helps. Imodium may be helpful if taken 20 to 30 minutes before eating, especially if you know that the food planned for your meal is likely to cause diarrhea.
In the long run, these medications can cause problems if you don't use them correctly. The same is true of laxatives. If you have any questions about them, check with your doctor or pharmacist.





Research about how clinical hypnotherapy can help Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

The Efficacy of Hypnotherapy in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and meta-analysis
This study provides clearer evidence that hypnotherapy has beneficial short-term effects in improving gastrointestinal symptoms of patients with IBS.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4015203/



Efficacy, tolerability, and safety of hypnosis in adult irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis.
This meta-analysis demonstrated that hypnosis was safe and provided long-term adequate symptom relief in 54% of patients with irritable bowel syndrome refractory to conventional therapy.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24901382


Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditi...on/CON-20024578


This post has been edited by zeropoint9: May 10 2015, 06:46 PM

Research shows sleep loss impedes decision making in crisis

The difference between life and death in the operating room, on the battlefield or during a police shootout often comes down to the ability to adapt to the unexpected. Sleep deprivation may make it difficult to do so, according to a Washington State University study published this month in the journal Sleep.

For the first time, WSU researchers created a laboratory experiment that simulates how sleep loss affects critical aspects of decision making in high-stakes, real-world situations. Their results provide a new understanding of how going without sleep for long periods can lead doctors, first responders, military personnel and others in a crisis situation to make catastrophic decisions.

Overcoming challenge of lab research
Recent history is full of examples of the sometimes devastating consequences of people operating without enough sleep.
Investigations into the Chernobyl nuclear power plant meltdown in Ukraine, the grounding of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker and the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger all concluded that sleep-deprived operators played a role in causing the accidents.
A long-standing conundrum for sleep scientists has been creating a controlled lab situation that sufficiently simulates the circumstances leading to severe lapses in real-world judgment. Previous laboratory research consistently showed sleep loss degrades attention, but its effects on demanding tests of cognition like decision making appeared to be relatively small.
"So there has been a disconnect between decision making in the lab where the effects of sleep loss appeared to be minimal and decision making in the real world where sleep loss can lead to big problems," said Paul Whitney, WSU associate dean and professor of psychology. "Our goal was to bridge the gap and capture the essential elements of real-world decision making in a laboratory experiment."

Adapting to feedback crucial
In a natural context, decision making is a dynamic process that requires a person to learn what is going on nearby as a result of his or her actions and changing circumstances. A surgeon, for instance, might notice a change in a patient's vital signs midway through a procedure. The surgeon can then use this feedback decide a better course of action.

"A novel aspect of this study was using a simple laboratory task that captures the essential aspect of real-world decision making of adapting to new information in a changing situation," said John Hinson, professor of psychology. "Prior studies of sleep loss and decision making have not realized how important adapting to changing circumstances is in determining when sleep loss will lead to decision making failures."
Whitney, Hinson and Hans Van Dongen, director of the WSU Sleep and Performance Research Center at WSU Spokane, along with Melinda Jackson, now of the RMIT University, Victoria, Australia, recruited 26 healthy adults to take part in their study conducted at the Spokane sleep center.
Thirteen of the participants were randomly selected to go 62 hours without sleep two days into the study while the other half of the group was allowed to rest. For six days and nights, the participants lived in a hotel-like laboratory where they performed a specially designed reversal learning task to test their ability to use feedback to guide future decisions.

Mid-study switch confounds sleep deprived
In the task, subjects were shown a series of numbers that, unknown to them, were pre-assigned to have either a "go" (response) or "no go" (non-response) value. They had less than a second to decide whether or not to respond to each number shown.
Every time they correctly identified a number with a "go" value, they received a fictitious monetary reward. Errors resulted in a loss.
After a while, both the sleep-deprived group and the controls started to catch on and selected the right numbers. Then the tricky part came. The researchers reversed the contingencies so that participants had to withhold a response to the "go" numbers and respond to the "no go" numbers.
The switch confounded the sleep deprived participants. Even after being shown 40 numbers with reversed contingencies, they had almost zero success. On the other hand, the rested participants would catch on to the switch within 8-16 numbers.

Implications of sleep-loss risk
The data show that no matter how hard a person wants to make the right choice, sleep loss does something to the brain that simply prevents it from effectively using feedback. The study provides a new tool for investigating how sleep deprivation produces decision errors in real-life situations where information emerges over time.
"People in high-stakes environments are held accountable for their actions when they are fatigued just like everyone else," Van Dongen said. "However, we now know that when someone is sleep-deprived their brain simply can't process feedback from their actions and changing circumstances.
"Our findings tell us that putting sleep-deprived people in perilous environments is an inherently risky business and raises a number of medical, legal and financial implications," he said.


All retrieved from:
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-05-loss...ion-crisis.html

10 Ways to Make Memory Rehab Work

Physical exercise can rehabilitate bodies that have grown soft and flabby. Can mental exercise rehabilitate brains that have deteriorated because of disease or age? Maybe.

A published scholarly review has examined the research literature on this issue and arrived at several useful conclusions:

Focus, Reduce Distractions. The two common causes of forgetting, in both normal people and those with impaired memory, are a) failure to register new information effectively, and b) interference from conflicting sensations and thoughts.

Customize the Rehabilitation Needed. Rehab need to take into account the type of memory therapy and the cause and severity of the impaired memory capability.

Learn in Small, Frequently Repeated Chunks. New information has to be re-packaged for memory-impaired people so that it is in simple, concrete form, in small chunks, and repeated frequently — with patients required to re-state the information and make explicit associations with what they already know. (Notice how this sounds like the way one needs to teach young children).

Practice Attentiveness. Attentiveness to new information can be enhanced by self-cueing, wherein patients remind themselves to be more attentive at crucial moments. This can even be done by creating a conditioned reflex in which a cue signal conditions greater attentiveness. (Notice how this sounds like how you “clicker” train dogs).

Uses Mnemonics. Mnemonic tips and tricks can help. This includes using acronyms, rhymes, stories, and constructing mental images.

Find Ways to Compensate. Even in patients with severe impairments, some aspects of memory, such as subliminal or implicit memory, may have been spared and can be exploited to compensate for the lost ability.

Spread Rehearsals Over Time. Memory rehearsal is more effective if it is spread out over time rather than bunched into a few closely spaced sessions.

Manipulate the Cues. Be more aware of cues you are using. A “vanishing clues” approach can help. For example, in a rehearsal session, cued retrieval might begin with cueing the first three letters of a target word, then repeating later with two, then one, and eventually no letter cues.

Minimize Error, Lest you Learn the Errors. Trial-and-error learning is generally less effective than learning conditions that minimize error, because error responses can get stored as memories that compete with the right answers. In short, it is better to not know than to generate wrong answers.

Use Memory Crutches. Using external memory aids (sticky notes, wall charts, notebooks, etc.) should help, bearing in mind, however, that using such aids may themselves be a memory task. It is like having a schedule calendar and forgetting to check the calendar. Smart phones and radio paging devices (“NeuroPage”) can be especially helpful because they remind the patient when to check on the stored information. In some patients, repeated use of such aids develops a habit for target tasks and these may even generalize to certain non-target tasks.

These ten approaches are some of the same approaches that work especially well in people with normal memory capabilities. To make them work in patients with impaired memory just takes more effort, patience, and time.

Source: Ptak, R., Van der Linden, M., and Schneider, A. 2010. Cognitive rehabilitation of episodic memory disorders: from theory to practice. Frontiers in Human Research. 4 (57): 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2010.00057.





All retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory...mory-rehab-work

You might have ADHD


You know you can’t just say you have ADHD, right? In fact, if you go around saying it without having a valid diagnosis, there’s a chance you’ll upset someone who has the diagnosis. Especially if you don’t really have ADHD.

And the deal is, that having ADHD, as I’ve said a thousand times, is a mater of having symptoms that are pretty normal and common, but having them with a frequency and intensity that have a real and constant negative effect on your life.


So you know, if you’re going around saying you have ADHD because of things that happen to you or that are caused by you, and you’re saying it a lot … well, you might have ADHD.

And just to help you decide whether or not you should pursue a diagnosis, here’s a few more things you might look for in your life that might be hints.

My list:

If you’ve arrived for an appointment and found out that it was an hour earlier, then, while showing the receptionist the time in your calendar to prove your innocence only to discover that the time of your appointment according to your calendar was … an hour earlier, you might have ADHD.

If you’ve searched the house completely for your keys, and finally given up and grabbed the spare key because you’re almost late, then found your keys in the lock on the outside of your house door … again, you might have ADHD.

If you’ve checked a book out of the library because it looks interesting and then discovered by chapter three, that you’ve already read it, you might have ADHD. (note, this applies to rental movies as well)

If you’ve ever found yourself brushing your teeth, and your hair at the same time, you might have ADHD.

If you’ve ever gone to the grocery store for one thing and come home with two or more bags of groceries, you might have ADHD. FYI, if you came home without the one thing that you went for, you’ve upped the likelihood by a factor of two to three.

If you’re currently reading more than five books, you might have ADHD.

If you spend more than the average amount of time at the emergency ward of your local hospital, you might have ADHD.

If you have had more hobbies, jobs, or relationships than you can count on your fingers, you might have ADHD.

How did you do?

The thing is, the more of these that you answered yes to, the higher the possibility that you have ADHD.

But if you’re planning on telling people you have ADHD … you’re still going to need to get a diagnosis.


All retrieved from:
http://blogs.psychcentral.com/adhd-man/201...ight-have-adhd/

I love this thread so much, very informative.

I have a few questions,

i think i might have the social anxiety, fear to talk in front of people, easily get nervous and sometimes i rather be silent than do talking. any advice for that doc?

Other thing is, i'm very light sleeper, even someone drop a pen it can woke me up, sometimes i feel not having good sleep because of i often woken up by even the slightest sound. Some example situation what really annoys me, everytimes i go for travelling whether by car,bus or plane for long distance journey, light sleeper like me found hard to sleep on moving things somemore got noises, end up affects me headache.

What Makes Someone A Light Sleeper?

For some people, the slightest noise awakens them at night. For others, the wailing siren of a passing fire truck doesn't disturb their slumber. Just why, though, remains a bit of a mystery.

Although many people are self-proclaimed light sleepers or heavy sleepers, researchers have found that little is actually known about why people react differently to noises and other stimuli during sleep.

Genetics, lifestyle choices, and undiagnosed sleep disorders may all play a role. In addition, some studies suggest that differences in brainwave activity during sleep may also make someone a light or heavy sleeper.

Light And Deep Sleep
During sleep, you alternate between cycles of REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) that repeat about every 90 minutes. You spend about 75 percent of the night in NREM sleep, which consists of four stages of increasing relaxation.

Stage one, or the phase between being awake and asleep, is considered light sleep. Deeper sleep begins in stage two, as your breathing and heart rate become regular and your body temperature drops.

Stages three and four are the deepest and most restorative stages of sleep, in which breathing slows, muscles relax, and tissue growth and repair occurs.

In general, young people spend more time in the deeper, heavier stages of sleep as they grow and develop. Older people spend less time in deep-sleep stages and are more likely to complain of being light sleepers.

But sleep experts say the difference between a light and heavy sleeper may be largely subjective. Someone who gets eight hours of sleep a night may not experience as much slow-wave, deep sleep as the person who get six hours of sleep.

"There may be some overlap between what people subjectively feel about the depth of their sleep, and what we find in the lab in measuring the different sleep stages," said David Neubauer, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate director of Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center in Baltimore, Md. "But it's not necessarily the same thing."

What Contributes To Light Sleep
A small study, published in 2010 in Current Biology, suggests that differences in how sleeping people respond to noise may be related to levels of brain activity called sleep spindles. The researchers found that people whose brains produced the most of these high-frequency sleep spindles were more likely to sleep through loud noises. But more research is needed to confirm the results.

Neubauer said that if someone is complaining of not feeling rested because of being a light sleeper, they should look at the factors that might be contributing to the inability to achieve a deep sleep.

A doctor can recommend a sleep study in a sleep lab to see if a sleep disorder may be to blame.

Some sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, may contribute to light sleep by causing awakenings throughout the night because of breathing irregularities.

Neubauer added that it's hard to generalize about what makes some people light sleepers and others heavy sleepers. "It might be some sort of genetics, or it might be that some people have a greater degree of arousal over a 24-hour cycle," he said.

In most cases, however, factors under your own control affect the quality of sleep you get. "There are lots of issues related to lifestyle, medication, alcohol, and caffeine that can lighten sleep," Neubauer said. "People might also not be getting enough sleep because they're not spending enough time in bed due to the choices they make."

Practicing healthy sleep habits -- maintaining a regular sleep schedule; limiting caffeine and alcohol use; and sleeping in a quiet, dark, and cool space -- can all help foster deeper, heavier sleep.


Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/02/l..._n_3843676.html

This post has been edited by zeropoint9: May 20 2015, 02:03 PM

Thanks for support:)

Based on my observation,
Some people can't go to sleep easily. Their brain is still active and any noise or discomfort can make it harder to fall asleep.
I find that people who are fear to talk in front of people and easily get nervous often have a very activated EEG fast brainwave.
Fast brainwave such as Hi-Beta is associated with nervous, anxiety and fear. Based on my observation, fast brainwaves might cause headache too.

Some people don't experience much "relax" mode because either they asleep or awake.
When I look into their EEG brainwaves during neuro-hypnotherapy process, their parietal lobe of the brain shows spindling beta brainwaves.
This could reflect sensory hypersensitivity (Auditory, visual or kinesthetic). Thus, it could be the reason that makes them a light sleeper.
After doing the EEG biofeedback (Increasing the high-frequency sleep spindles) or hypnotherapy, most of them notice significant improvement in term of emotion and sleep pattern.

This post has been edited by zeropoint9: May 20 2015, 02:04 PM

I want to sleep only 4 hrs a day but hard to be applied. I always sleepy and sleep 9 hrs a day. at 9 pm already fell sleep. how to sleep only 4 hrs bro?