Posts Tagged ‘health’

Birth Defects May Be One Of The Side Effects Of Antidepressants In Women

August 31st, 2011 sergit

Being a woman can be a double-edged sword. Certain advantages can be given to them especially if they are viewed as the “weaker” sex. But then, this could also serve as our curse. There are medical conditions that occur most in women and generally, hormones are blamed for it. Depression, for example, happens to more women than men and researchers have shown that hormones can greatly affect the brain which controls our mood and emotions. Women suffering from depression may have an unwanted effect of the antidepressants their taking as it has been associated with birth defects. However, this doesn’t justify the wish to abruptly stop taking the antidepressant she’s taking as it may have more serious side effects. An antidepressant with brand name Zoloft reportedly causes brain zaps when not tapered.

 

Facts on Depression

We all feel sad once in a while but if the sadness progresses to months and it greatly affects an individual’s functioning and thoughts, seeking medical help may be necessary. Major depression is a condition that needs medical intervention. According to research, a lot of factors can cause depression including genetics, psychosocial, environmental, biological, and emotional or a combination of them. Considered as a brain disorder, theories suggest that an imbalance in the brain’s serotonin can lead to this condition. The prevalence of women with depression are twice as that of men and the condition is believed to be the main cause of disability of women, however, it is alarming to note that only 1/5 of those with depression seek help.

 

Some Ways to Manage Depression

Before a treatment plan is made, one has to be diagnosed correctly. Antidepressants are usually prescribed by the physician once a clear diagnosis has been obtained. Antidepressant medications are given to treat the symptoms as well as restore the patient’s normal processes. If the sufferer is experiencing side effects from the antidepressants like Zoloft birth defects for instance, the need to discuss another option may be appropriate. In addition to that, other treatment modalities such as psychotherapy can be included in the treatment plan as a conjunction to drug therapy.

 

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Treating Patients Who Have OCPD

August 26th, 2011 sergit

I was working as a full time psychiatric nurse in one of the mental health establishments in Vancouver.
I was able to handle a lot of patients who’ve mental sickness. In the ward where I was allotted, most of the patients suffer from schizophrenia and some from a bipolarity. But also the patient that actually drew my attention was the one who is afflicted by an undifferentiated type of schizophrenia.
This actual patient has suffered from harsh obsessive compulsive personality disorder or OCPD.

According to a Vancouver counsellor there, the obsessive compulsive personality disorder is a kind of personality disorder that’s identified by re-occurring unwelcome thoughts and the doing of repetitive actions.

Examples of repeated actions might be washing of hands more frequently than ordinary, rearranging things in their homes or offices, and scrubbing of floors and walls from time to time till the time that they begin to neglect doing other activities inside their day to day lives. If not treated, OCPD can become more significant and can even develop into mental diseases including schizophrenia.

This obsessive compulsive personality disorder can be treated by cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT. When OCPD has not yet become something severe or has not led to any major psychological disease, then the employment of the cognitive behavioral therapy can be enough to treat the patient.

In the meantime, if it has turned out to be more complicated, then it may be desirable the person begin taking anti-psychotic medicine as could be prescribed by a physician. You will find that counselling services offer cognitive behavioural therapy. Additionally, a large amount of therapists and psychiatric doctors would encourage making this as the 1st line of treatment in the treatment regimen of a person with obsessive compulsive personality disorder. Also, CBT is thought to be very effective in curing this type of personality disorder.

Jennifer Catigan is a Burnaby counselling student and a regular blog author for various Vancouver marketing firms.

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Precautions On Use For Bipolar Disorder As Well As Association Of Birth Defects Issued By FDA For Zoloft

August 26th, 2011 sergit

 

Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania and/or depression. It is usually misdiagnosed as clinical depression wherein the individual is given with antidepressant medications such as Zoloft. Zoloft is a medication belonging to the SSRI drug class, still a type of antidepressant. However, a precaution has been released by the FDA regarding bipolar disorder and Zoloft use as this may bear undesirable results. Misdiagnosis is not just one of the common problems in the misuse of antidepressants because the absence of psychiatric diagnoses increases antidepressant use as well.

 

Function of Antidepressants

Antidepressants especially those under the SSRI class, work by limiting the reuptake of serotonin. Normal levels of serotonin in the brain are then maintained by way of this. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that has a major effect on our mood. In depression, there is a low level of the mentioned neurotransmitter in the brain. Opposite to that are individuals with symptoms of panic or anxiety.

 

What Happens When it’s Used in Bipolar Disorder?

A person with this condition may be depressed at one time and irritable or extremely active on the other. Drugs used in management for this disorder are mood stabilizers including lithium and anticonvulsants. Antidepressants were given as an adjunct therapy to mood stabilizers before. Rapid cycles of depression and mania are being avoided hence the adjunct therapy. However, future studies have proven that antidepressants are no longer effective in managing bipolar disorder even with mood stabilizers. Atypical antipsychotics are also used in bipolar disorder but other medications should also be taken together with the drugs to avoid serious side effects. Most drugs, if not all, have side effects. Zoloft for example, an antidepressant, is associated with Zoloft birth defects which prompted the FDA to release warnings on the drug apart from precautions on it not to be used in cases of bipolar disorder. There are other management for Bipolar disorder that doesn’t concern medications such as psychotherapy but it usually takes a long time to see the effect. 

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A Fast Outline of the Importance of Behavioural Psychotherapy

August 24th, 2011 sergit

In counselling, there are lots of things that a counsellor must take into account when providing care for those people who are mentally unwell and for those people who have problems in coping with things in their life. There are a lot of psychotherapists who use behavioural psychotherapy.

Behavioural psychotherapy is a type of treating clients who are having problems with their physical, mental, and emotional state of mind. This kind of psychotherapy is proven to be very efficient and safe as there is absolutely no negative reactions or side effects unlike undergoing some
pharmacological interventions.

Behavioural psychotherapies include cognitive restructuring and repatterning. It doesn’t only explore the mentality of the person but also it helps the person achieve ideal mental health. Many counsellors offer this type of mental treatment.
Indeed, there are quite a number of individuals who undergo this sort of psychotherapy. Additionally, there are plenty of psychological specialists and psychiatric doctors who use this particular sort of psychological therapy as their primary sort of treatment or this treatment serves as their first line of treatment to those individuals who are having issues in their psychological state of mind. Behavioural psychotherapy includes building or creating a very healing relationship with the patient.

When starting a healing relationship with the patient, the counsellor will first build rapport with the patient. Here’s where the counsellor will be building trust with the patient or client. Similarly, once trust has been established, there will be a simpler and freer communication channel with the patient. The client will be more eager and willing to share all of their experiences and deep seated thoughts.

In behavioural
psychotherapy, there is an exploration of thought and venting out of feelings, this is only effective if the counsellor has gained the client’s trust. Additionally, the counsellor will be able to gain the cooperation of their client if they can build a particularly therapeutic relationship with them.

Jennifer Catigan is a student of counselling in Vancouver. She also regularly contributes articles for local Vancouver counsellors.

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My Story of Dealing with PTSD from a Vehicle Accident

August 24th, 2011 sergit

Last year, my chums and I experienced a motor vehicle accident when we were on our way back from a superb summer holiday. I never expected that after such an excellent time with them, such a bad and extraordinarily tragic event to occur. That event was terribly traumatic and it took me months to be totally recovered from it.

A day after the accident, I was a victim of unwanted and reoccurring thoughts about the accident that kept running thru my mind. Also, I was having sleep-deprived nights and lost all appetite. Above all, I was just having a hard time moving on as the memories and thoughts about the accidents kept on bothering me.

I had been suffering from the aforementioned emotions for a few days which was adversely influencing my daily activities. Due to this, my mother and father made a decision to let a counselling service see and check me.
According to the psychotherapist, I suffered from PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a psychological disorder that is due to tragic and terribly traumatic events that have occurred in a person’s life.

PTSD customarily happens when the individual isn’t able to cope up with the tragedy that happened. The majority of the people that suffer from PTSD have experienced a particularly traumatic experience for the first time. And, in my case, it was my first time to experience being in a vehicle accident.

With the help of the counsellor, I was able to recover from this disorder. During my sessions, I underwent lots of treatments like cognitive behavioural treatments, decatastrophizing treatments and also learned about numerous “thought stopping” techniques. I was able to get rid of the unwanted thoughts regarding the accident and was in a position to totally move on from it. If you have experienced something similar in your life, I would suggest making contact with a counsellor in your city, as they may be able to help overcome this!

Jennifer Catigan is a student of counselling in Vancouver, BC and also regularly writes essays for local counselling related blogs.

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Women Are More Likely To Suffer From Depression Than Men

August 24th, 2011 sergit

 

Anyone has the chance to develop depression, especially women. The National Mental Health Association had a study and results showed that about one in every eight women is likely to have major depression. In the United States alone, approximately 12 million women in a year are diagnosed to have major depression. A lot of factors can be taken into account on why women are twice as likely to suffer from this condition from men but the treatment are more or less the same. It includes the use of medications such as Zoloft, psychotherapy and other treatment modalities that can be ideal for the patient’s condition. The primary line of defense for depression is antidepressant but in cases like dementia, it is not given. A study done in Britain showed that Zoloft is ineffective at treating depression in patients with dementia.

 

What Can Cause Depression in Women?

Premenstrual Problems

Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle contribute to symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) like bloating, irritability, fatigue and other mood changes. Usually, PMS symptoms are mild in most women but some have really bad cases of PMS that it can disrupt their function. Women with severe cases of PMS are diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

Role Strain

Today, a woman’s role is no longer limited to being a mother and/or a wife. Working women are slowly increasing and that is another role for them to perform. Role strain happens when these roles are not met. The overwhelming responsibilities may be felt by the woman which could lead to stress and depression.

Pregnancy

Like in the menstrual cycle, the hormones fluctuate during pregnancy and that can ultimately increase the risk of a woman to have major depression. Some other factors that can predispose a woman to depression are unwanted pregnancies, fertility problems, spousal neglect and strain in relationships.

Postpartum Depression

For most women, they feel the blues after childbirth for a couple of weeks however, longer than that may be postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is known to be influenced by the sudden drop in hormones but other factors such as birth defects can trigger this condition. Birth defects can be caused by certain medications such as the antidepressant Zoloft. Those women whose babies developed birth defects might blame themselves for not being careful when they were pregnant. The aggrieved parties filed Zoloft birth defect lawsuits to be rightfully compensated for all the sufferings that they’ve had.

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Congenital Defects May Cause Mothers To Suffer Postpartum Depression

August 22nd, 2011 sergit

The time after a woman’s baby is born is called the post-partum period, and caring for her will not end during this time. Special attention is still given to the mother in the same way that her needs were addressed when she was still pregnant. Although the risks are relatively not as much as when the woman was still pregnant, certain complications may still arise during this time. One complication that may arise during this time is postpartum depression. Others might mistake this as similar to post-partum blues but the two are different. Postpartum blues normally goes away after a couple of days or weeks without affecting the woman’s normal functioning. While postpartum depression is a medical condition which requires treatment or attention by a professional. A number of factors might be considered on why a woman may have postpartum depression such as one who took Paxil and craniosynostosis, a type of birth defect was seen as an effect on her baby.

 

Possible Causes of Postpartum Depression


  • Hormonal Changes

Sudden drop in hormones namely estrogen and progesterone may contribute to changes in mood. This can also have an effect on the body’s other functions that can make the woman tired and sluggish which could later be a factor in developing postpartum depression.

  • Sick Baby

Emotions are considered to be a big factor for a woman to develop postpartum depression. The woman now centers her time and attention on her new-born. If she has a baby with a birth defect(s), she’s more likely to suffer from post-partum depression as she may blame herself for her baby’s condition aside from being anxious on the baby’s state of health.

  • Poor Support System

A woman who doesn’t get the adequate support from her partner and family might feel the emotional toll on her. The woman, to be more effective in her role, needs all the support she can get especially if she’s a first-time mother. Postpartum depression may result from the lack of support, especially emotional.

  • Lifestyle Changes

Changes immediately happen during the postpartum period. To begin with, the woman’s sleeping pattern will be altered as she needs to nurse and attend to the infant’s needs for most of the time. Some women may have difficulty in coping up with the changes and demands which could lead to postpartum depression.

 

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Depression And Psychotherapy

August 22nd, 2011 sergit

 

In the U.S., an estimated 17 million adult Americans are known to have depression during a 1-year period. Depression is one of the mental illnesses that has been misinterpreted over time. People see it as a weakness and a choice rather than an illness requiring medical intervention. Other mental disorders like bipolar disorder has symptoms of depression so it is usually misdiagnosed. When a confirmed diagnosis has been made, the first line of treatment will usually consist of antidepressant medications. One medication often prescribed is Zoloft. However, this can also serve as a risk because reports showed that children and young adolescents under antidepressant therapy such as Zoloft had increased tendencies in having suicide ideations. Aside from that information, reports have surfaced that Zoloft can cause more than the cardiac birth defects when taken by pregnant women. There are other treatments for depression and one of them is psychotherapy.

 

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a treatment modality that is performed in patients with depression as well as in other mental disorders. This treatment plan sees the individual as a person with normal response to experience and survival. Unlike the medical model where it views depression as a disease, the psychotherapy model tries to understand the person and heal by knowing the source of depression. Psychodynamics regards depression as a defense mechanism to shut down from future emotional pain or suffering.

 

How Can Psychotherapy Help?

The initial goal is to help the person gain self-awareness. Your therapist is there to help you identify the problems that may have contributed to your condition and may give you solutions in solving or improving them. He/she can also point out negative behaviours or ideations that come with the illness. However, the main role of your therapist is for you to uncover the real meaning behind all your thoughts and feelings. Your therapist will help you develop the coping mechanisms best suited for your situation so you may be able to regain control and enjoyment in your life. Psychotherapy can be used in adjunction with medications as this is also helpful in mood stabilizing. However, side effects can occur like the birth defects caused by Zoloft, a kind of SSRI antidepressant.

 

 

 

 

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Easy Ways To Enjoy Your Improved Health

August 20th, 2011 sergit

These days there is a great amount of information out there if you wish to live a lifestyle that’s healthier. By looking at books, weight loss programs and articles like this one, everybody can make choices to live more healthily. However, the key question is how much do you really want to become healthier? If you really are serious, you have to take action on the information that you receive.

Stress is perhaps the most important issue to overcome if you want to have better health. Science has shown that stress has a terrible effect both on your emotional health and physical health. It’s super hard to feel healthy each day if life is making you feel stressed and tense all of the time. There are many ways to deal with stress, but the first step is to acknowledge that it’s a problem for you.

If you have a great deal of stress you need to manage, you may want to seek counseling. There are also a variety of self help techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, self-hypnosis or even reading inspiring books that can help you control stress. Remember that stress isn’t just annoying or uncomfortable, it can be deadly.

It is now widely accepted that the social life of a person has a major impact on his or her health. Being active and social helps improve a person’s overall health (and the length of their lives). This is another of those changes that is always possible to make. Make a concentrated effort to find a social kind of activity that you enjoy doing or partaking in. If you can find a social and physical activity it is great; it helps you work out and socialize all at the same time. Don’t just sit back and wait for people to come to you, make an honest effort to reach out to others and plan events yourself.

Lots of people have a hard time staying away from junk food and unhealthy snacks even though they know that those things get in the way of reaching healthful goals. It’s easy to justify a serving of soda, french fries or a single piece of candy but over time all of those things add up. These foods might be easy and fast but they’re bad for your health.

If you’re used to eating candy and other junk foods, don’t try to quit eating them altogether all at once. Gradually begin replacing the unhealthy stuff like salt, starch, and candy and bring in veggies, fresh fruit, nuts and trail mix. It helps to see healthy eating as a long term commitment that you can start working on today. To conclude, there are lots of aspects to being healthy, including your diet, workout routines, emotional well being and how much sleep you get each night. Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by attempting to change your lifelong habits in one night. If you take these tips to heart and resolve to take your time making the necessary changes, you’ll probably see a radical improvement in your health very quickly.

Phyllis B.Colvin writes about Healthier Lifestyle  along with Father of the Groom Speech.To know more about Father of Groom Toasts Click here.

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Become Healthy And Improve Both Mind And Body

August 20th, 2011 sergit

Desiring a fit, good looking figure or being able to put on clothes that once used to fit you are only two reasons for better bodily health aspirations. The desired outcome of beginning a new get fit endeavor is initially in the physical realm of appearance. In maintaining the motivation to do this, we usually use our minds to picture ourselves when we have changed our bodies and this keeps us going. A great tool for getting exercise is a step aerobics dvd.

Not only does the body benefit health wise, but so does the mind as well as we work toward and reach physical goals In this article, we will look at what a few of these benefits are and this should push you to aim for a healthy body. It’s long been known that those who achieve their objectives have one thing in common and that is a lot of self-confidence. People who have an air of assurance about themselves are likely to pull in others towards them in social and business interactions.

You will discover that one of the benefits of working out is to increase your levels of self assurance and esteem that grow as you become more physically fit. You will obviously feel this in any event right after you work out, which can be terrific if you can do this before any important events in your life. Nonetheless, it is not only at the time of working out that you will have this feeling and as your body gets more fit, you will start to feel self-confident most of the time because of the changes you have made in how you look..

Stress is nearly inevitable these days at one time or another, but how terrible it appears depends upon how well you are able to cope with it. Essentially, stress can be terrible when we are afraid and anxious all of the time whereas if it is more of a feeling of excitement, then this can be a good thing. Having a healthy body helps you to cope with stress and as you continue to exercise, you may notice changes in how you approach stress.

Despite having everything going for them in life, many men and women nonetheless experience persistent stress because they have unhealthy lifestyles and are not very fit. Work towards a healthy lifestyle because no one should needlessly run the risk of aging prematurely or perhaps premature death due to stress. Setting yourself workout goals and having the determination to reach them molds your mind into new ways of thinking.

You really need to be focused and to discipline yourself every day to build up a healthy body. Your employment, education or recreation are only three other areas of your life that could benefit from a more focused and disciplined approach. Because you can prove to yourself that you are able to have a healthy body, this will give you the confidence to go out and achieve more things in your own life..

The fact that you are more energetic will make this easier and guarantee you can savor any rewards this brings to you.. The old saying of “a healthy mind in a healthy body” remains true and as we have seen, there are both mental and physical gains when building yourself a healthy body.

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