Name Change for Schizophrenia?

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Experts are beginning to think that the term “schizophrenia” is becoming outdated. Many are agreeing that the term schizophrenia tends to bring up negative images with significant stigma, suggesting discrimination, labeling, isolation and social rejection. Discussions have started to emerge about whether or not to change the term “schizophrenia” to something that is less stigmatizing. The most accepted new term, as of now, is salience syndrome. Many experts agree that salience would most accurately convey the actual experience of individuals with schizophrenia because it describes the internal process of reacting to and processing stimuli. Patients have yet to weigh in on this decision. Constantin Tranulis, M.D., Department of Psychiatry at the University of Montreal assessed their opinions.

Researchers asked 161 college students and 19 patients who were in the early stages of psychosis about the acceptability, validity, and impact of both diagnostic terms: schizophrenia and salience syndrome. The findings showed that no matter which name was assigned, the college students already had preconceived beliefs about the stigmatizing characteristics of the illness, including social rejection and discrimination. However, for patients who actually had the disorder, almost unanimously chose the term salience syndrome over schizophrenia. Their reason for their choice was that the change in name could help to protect them from experiencing the stigma associated with the term schizophrenia. They are concerned though that people will eventually know that salience syndrome and schizophrenia were the same disorder, and overtime, they will be subjected to the same negative stigmas. Tranulis added, “future studies with larger samples are warranted in order to clarify the role of labels on self-stigmatizing attitudes.”

 

Resource: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/05/12/a-new-name-for-schizophrenia/54719.html

Migraines and Children

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People tend to think of migraines as an adult problem, however kids get migraines too. These migraines may be linked in some way to behavior disorders in children. A recent study found that children with migraine headaches had a significantly higher risk for behavior disorders. This finding is similar to results from previous studies which show that children with migraines have a higher risk for depressive disorders, anxiety, and behaviors such as hyperactivity and attention problems. Behavior problems could be a trigger for migraine attacks in children, or they could be a result of migraines.

“It is hard to tease out the link between problems like depression and hyperactivity from migraine because all these conditions are common in children,” says Andrew D. Hershey, MD, PhD, the associate director of neurology research and professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in Ohio. “Both behavior problems and headaches need to be checked out. The most important thing to realize is that children do get migraines. In fact, migraines are one of the top five childhood disorders, even more common than childhood asthma.”

 

Recognizing Migraine Symptoms in Children

Symptoms to keep an eye on:

  • A pounding type of headache- Children may have pain on both sides of the head or across the forehead
  • Pain that limits their activity or worsened due to activity
  • Pain that is moderate to severe
  • A headache that lasts from one to 72 hours
  • A headache that comes with nausea or vomiting
  • A headache becomes worse by sound or light

Since behavioral problems have been linked to migraines in studies, you should watch your child if they have a headache combined with symptoms like irritability, changes in sleep or appetite, trouble at school, mood swings, crying, withdrawing from friends or family, and lack of energy.

 

Minimizing Migraines in Children

Have your child follow these steps to help prevent migraines and possibly help prevent behavior problems related to migraines.

  • Drink fluids
  • Avoid caffeine
  • Eat healthy foods regularly
  • Get enough exercise
  • Get enough sleep

By helping your child identify and avoid stress, depression and anxiety, you can also help to reduce his or her migraines and behavior problems.

Until more is known about this link between behavior and migraine, the best thing for you to do is to be aware of how your child is feeling. Speak with your child’s doctor if your child is experiencing any symptoms of migraines or behavior problems.

 

Resource: http://www.everydayhealth.com/headache-and-migraine/effect-of-migraines-in-children.aspx

Coping with Depression Setbacks

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As you are on your way to overcoming your depression, it is not uncommon for your depression symptoms to flare up again. You might experience a few bad days, sometimes referred to as setbacks, which are common hurdles in depression treatment that can slow a patient’s progress, says David Blackburn, PhD, a psychologist at Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas. Setbacks can unfortunately cause a vicious cycle, since they can often worsen a person’s depression symptoms. “They might get even more discouraged than they already are,” Blackburn explains.“  Try some of these strategies when you feel yourself slipping back into your depression:

  • Use Coping Techniques: Try to remember the strategies that you learned during your treatment of depression, such as avoiding thoughts that tend toward the absolute- “I can never do anything right.” Blackburn says that people who suffer from depression should try to take stressful events in stride and stop fixating on situations they have no influence over. “It’s important to recognize that you, as an individual, cannot control a situation or people in it,” Blackburn says. “The only thing you can control is how you respond.”
  • Improve Dietary and Exercise Habits: If you take care of your body, you will feel better, both mentally and physically. Even just a small amount of physical activity will improve your outlook. Try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetable per day, as well as plenty of whole grains and low-fat dairy products.
  • Ask About Adjusting Your Medication: If you are taking medicine for your depression, setbacks can occur if the medication becomes less effective. Sometimes a simple switch is all that is needed to move forward. If you feel that your medicine is causing your setbacks, speak with your doctor.
  • Consider Psychotherapy: If you have been managing your depression with medication alone, you might find that adding psychotherapy to your treatment regimen might be beneficial. “Medication can improve your mood to the point where psychotherapy can be more successful,” Blackburn says.

 

Resource: http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/depression-help-coping-with-setbacks.aspx

Foods to Avoid if you have Bipolar Disorder

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Do certain foods play a role in triggering your bipolar mood swings? Apparently it does! Recent research shows that certain foods can even make bipolar disorder harder to manage overall. While it might be hard to eliminate certain bipolar-offending foods from your diet, especially if they are your favorites, in the end it will be very beneficial for you. Not only will it help you keep mood swings in check and reduce periods of mania, you will also improve your heart health as well. To help your bipolar symptoms, you should avoid these snacks:

  • Caffeine: Stimulants should be avoided because they can trigger mania. It can additionally impair sleep and sleep deprivation, which are notorious triggers for bipolar mood swings and mania. Caffeine can also worsen anxiety and might counteract any drugs you are taking.
  • Alcohol: Together, alcohol and bipolar disorder make a very bad combination. Alcohol can negatively affect bipolar mood swings and also may interact negatively with your medications.
  • Sugar: If you have bipolar disorder, you are at a greater risk for metabolic syndrome, which is a pre-diabetes condition that can make it hard to manage your blood sugar levels. Also the highs and lows that come with the sugar roller coaster could add to your bipolar mood swings. If you really want a sweet treat, grab some fruit instead of candy.
  • Salt: If you are taking lithium, moderating your salt intake can be tricky because a change in salt intake can affect your lithium levels. So be sure to talk with your doctor to manage your salt intake.
  • Fat: In your diet, you should opt for lean protein and low-fat dairy products when choosing your meats. Eating a lot of fried, fatty foods just isn’t good for your health!

 

Resource: http://www.everydayhealth.com/bipolar-disorder/the-five-worst-foods-for-bipolar-disorder.aspx

Schizophrenia Tips to Help Family Members and Friends

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Those who suffer from schizophrenia often encounter challenges with their family and friends. Their family often tries to cope with them, but then might become frustrated by their seeming lack of progress in treatment. Some families may reduce their level of emotional support and others may end up cutting off all contact with their family member with the disorder. Friends can also quickly lose interest in continuing the friendship when the person with schizophrenia deteriorates or drops out of treatment. The most common complaint amongst friends and family members of a person with schizophrenia is not understanding how to help them, or give them continued, long-term support. Here are helpful tips to support a close friend or family member with schizophrenia:

  • Become an advocate for the person with schizophrenia: Sometimes only family or friends will be aware of their strange behaviors; therefore, they should be able to assist in the process of evaluating the person with schizophrenia, so that relevant information can be taken into account.
  • Offer strong emotional encouragement and support for continuing treatment: Encouraging and assisting them throughout the treatment process can positively influence their medical care and recovery.
  • Know how to respond to bizarre statements or beliefs: Learn how to respond to strange or false remarks; for the person with schizophrenia, the bizarre beliefs or hallucinations seem real. So, instead of going along with the delusions, acknowledge that things might appear otherwise to them. It is important not to challenge those beliefs and try to move the conversation along to more agreeable topics.
  • Help the person set attainable, simple goals in his or her life: Support and encourage the person with schizophrenia to regain their abilities. Make attainable goals with them and be sure to tell them when they are doing things right. Positivity will work better than criticism.

 

Resource: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/helpful-hints-about-schizophrenia-for-family-members-and-others/

Headaches that Need Emergency Attention

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While a bad migraine might make you wish for the end of everything, headaches and migraines are usually not life threatening. However, a severe headache can signal something more serious, requiring emergency attention, such as a stroke, aneurysm and meningitis. Here are some signs that you should watch out for:

  • Neck Pain and Fever: If you are experiencing a stiff neck and fever, they could be signs of meningitis. It is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the central nervous system, which can quickly become critical.
  • Nausea: Severe nausea or vomiting and any symptoms of neuro-deficit, such as difficulty speaking or walking, could be signs of a hemorrhagic stroke.
  • The Worst Headache Ever: “The thing we’re taught to look for is someone claiming to have ‘the worst headache of their life,’” says Adam Wilkes, MD, an ER specialist at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. “It may mean that they have an aneurysm in the brain that has begun to leak a little blood, but could turn into a catastrophic full bleed. And that can be life threatening.”

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should see your doctor or go to the emergency room as soon as possible. Whether or not it is just a bad migraine, you should always get checked out first just in case.

 

Resource: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20538984_5,00.html

Mutations and Migraines

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Over 30 million Americans suffer from migraines, and unfortunately, scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes them. However, there is new research from the University of California, San Francisco that has identified a genetic mutation that is linked to migraines. The mutation occurs in a gene called casein kinase I delta (CKIdelta), and the study’s senior investigator, Louis J Ptacek, said that this is the first time that researchers have linked a genetic mutation to common migraines. “It’s our initial glimpse into a black box that we don’t yet understand,” says Ptacek, an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of California, San Francisco, in a news release.

The researchers discovered the gene by looking at the genetics of two families with a history of migraines. From the genetics, they saw that a large portion of the migraine sufferers either had the mutated gene or had a parent who carried the mutated gene. In the lab, the researchers were able to show how the mutation affected production of the gene, which has many important functions throughout the brain and body. “This tells us that the mutation has real biochemical consequences,” Ptacek added.

The researchers then looked at the effects of the mutated gene in a line of mice. They found that the mice that had the mutated gene had a lower pain threshold for nitroglycerin-induced pain versus the mice that did not have the mutation. They also mimicked the sensation of a migraine aura in the mice and saw that the mice with the genetic mutation had less tolerance for this as well. Lastly, the researchers found that astrocytes, which are cells that are essential for neuronal functioning and health, in the brains of the genetically-mutated mice showed an increase in calcium-signaling, compared to the astrocytes in the brains of the normal mice. “This is significant because we think astrocyte functioning is very, very relevant to migraine,” Ptacek said. “This is an enzyme, and so it modifies proteins. The question is, which protein or proteins does it modify that is relevant to migraine? How does it change astrocyte activity?” All this research “puts us one step closer to understanding the molecular pathway to pain in migraine,” says Ptacek, and it could help researchers devise better therapies for migraines.

 

Resource: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/01/genetic-mutation-associated-with-migraines/

Top Migraine Triggers to Avoid

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You might think that your migraines appear to come out of nowhere, but there are actually many known triggers that cause these debilitating headaches. The key is to identify your migraine triggers so that you can try to avoid migraines or at least be able to reduce their severity. Here are some top triggers:

  • Alcohol: Drinking alcoholic beverages, especially red wine and beer, can lead to you having a migraine. If you don’t want to avoid alcohol altogether, try to limit yourself to no more than two drinks in one day if you are a man, and one drink a day if you are a woman.
  • Caffeine: An increase or decrease in the usual amount of caffeine you consume per day can lead to a migraine. Try to have no more than two caffeinated beverages each day.
  • Environmental Influence: Changes in the season, weather, altitude and barometric pressure can trigger migraines. Obviously you can’t control the environment, but you can anticipate these changes and take steps to avoid a migraine.
  • Sleep Patterns: Missed sleep or even too much sleep can set off a migraine. Try your best to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
  • Foods: Certain foods such as chocolate, ripened cheeses, nuts, citrus fruits, snow peas and more have been linked to more frequent migraines. If you notice that you tend to have migraines after eating a certain food, be sure to avoid it as much as you can.
  • Lights: Bright lights, glare from the sun and flickering lights from electronic equipment can trigger a migraine for some people. Carry sunglasses with you on bright days and avoid flashing or bright lights when possible.
  • Noise: Sudden or prolonged noises can set off a migraine. Avoid these whenever possible.
  • Smells: Some people have reported sensitivity to powerful odors like paint thinner, perfumes, flowers, pollution, and secondhand smoke. While it can be hard, try your best to avoid strong odors and ask others to be sensitive to your needs.
  • Stress: Do what you can to avoid stress at work and at home. Take steps to anticipate and minimize stress when you can, and try out some stress management techniques like deep breathing or meditation when you can’t.

 

Resource: http://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/headache/top-migraine-triggers.aspx

Bad Headache or is it a Migraine?

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Migraine pain is complicated. Every person experiences migraines differently, which is why it is hard sometimes to know when you are having a migraine and not a headache. The key to understanding your migraine and knowing when it is a migraine, says neurologist Robert Cowan, MD, a clinical professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, is to “pay attention to your environment and see what triggers the headaches.” Here are some common alerts for you to look out for:

  • Yawning: A day or so before your migraine hits, you might notice yourself yawning more frequently than usual. It might be a bothersome early warning sign, but it also gives you time to initiate your migraine treatment plan.
  • Aura: If you notice any vision effects, such as seeing spots or stars, blurred vision or tunnel vision, chances are in about 30 minutes to an hour, they will go away and your migraine pain will hit, so be aware of these signs.
  • Nausea: While some signs and symptoms vary among people who experience migraines, others such as nausea are a key component of the condition’s definition. “If you have headache without nausea, you don’t have migraine,” points out Cowan.
  • Pain on one side of your Head: Tension headaches and other headache types tend to cause your head to ache all over or at least on both sides. If you are experiencing greater pain on one side of your head, it is a telling sign that you are having a migraine and not a headache.
  • Severity to Light or Sound: People who have migraines often complain that their headache pain is accompanied by acute sensitivity to noise or light. For some, light, sound, and certain smells can also be migraine triggers. Cowan explains that people who have migraines seem to have an overactive brain stem, the area of the brain that determines whether stimuli in the environment are painful.
  • Pins and Needles: Feeling of tingling in your hands or feet, or numbness in your arms, legs, or parts of your face are all signs associated with having a migraine.
  • Blurry Vision: Blurred or shimmering visual sensations can occur as part of the aura stage of a migraine or with the migraine pain itself.

 

Resource: http://www.everydayhealth.com/headache-migraine/signs-youre-having-a-migraine.aspx

Schizophrenia Myths and Actual Facts

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It is probably safe to say that there is no mental disorder that is more shrouded in mystery, misunderstanding and fear than schizophrenia. While most Americans can recognize that schizophrenia is a disorder, only few are actually familiar with it. Whether you or someone you know has schizophrenia, or you would like to learn more, gaining a better understanding of the illness helps demystify the disease and is a huge help to those who suffer from it. Here are some myths, followed by actual facts of schizophrenia:

  • Individuals with schizophrenia all have the same symptoms: There are actually different types of schizophrenia. Even individuals diagnosed with the same subtype of schizophrenia often look different and have different problems.
  • People with schizophrenia are dangerous, unpredictable and out of control: When someone with schizophrenia is treated with mediation and psychosocial interventions, he or she is no more violent than the general population. They are more often the victims rather than the perpetrators of violence. Although, untreated mental illness often increases the risk of aggressive behavior
  • Schizophrenia is a character flaw: Lazy, lacking in motivation, lethargic, easily confused, are just some of the qualities individuals with schizophrenia appear to have. However, the idea that schizophrenia is a character flaw is no more realistic than suggesting that someone could prevent their epileptic seizures if they really wanted to. What often appears as character defects, are actually symptoms of schizophrenia.
  • Schizophrenia is untreatable: While it is not curable, it is eminently treatable and a manageable chronic illness, just like diabetes or heart disease. The key is to get the right treatment for your needs.
  • Sufferers need to be hospitalized: Most individuals who suffer from schizophrenia do well living in the community with outpatient treatment. The key is the right treatment and adhering to that treatment, especially taking any medication that is prescribed.
  • Individuals with schizophrenia can never regain normal functioning: Unlike for example dementia, which worsens over time or doesn’t improve at all, schizophrenia seems to be a problem that is reversible. There is no line that once it is crossed signifies that there is no hope for a person who suffers from schizophrenia. There is treatment.

 

For more myths and information: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2010/illuminating-13-myths-of-schizophrenia/