Mental Health News

Paxil May Raise Suicide Risk

The antidepressant Paxil may raise the risk of suicidal behavior in young adults, GlaxoSmithKline and the Food and Drug Administration warned Friday in a letter to doctors. (excite.com)

Mental Health of Mother Affects Children by Age 3

A new study has shown that 22% of children of mothers who have mental health problems a year after giving have behavioral problems by the age of 3.

A year after delivery, half the mothers had a condition in at least one of the three categories -- mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence -- and 22 percent of the children had at least one type of behavior problem such as aggression, anxiety-depression, or inattention/hyperactivity. The more problems reported by a mother, the more likely her child was to develop behavior problems by age 3. (Forbes.com)

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Motivation Key in Alcoholism Treatment

A new study shows that many different treatments for alcoholism may work as long as the alcoholic is motivated to quit drinking.

The study "really does open up the possibility of people having more choice and it could significantly expand access," said Dr. Mark Willenbring, director of treatment and recovery research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which funded the research. The findings appear in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. (FoxNews.com)

Experts Defining Psychiatric Diagnostic Criteria Linked to Drug Firms

Every psychiatric expert involved in writing the standard diagnostic criteria for disorders such as depression and schizophrenia has had financial ties to drug companies that sell medications for those illnesses, a new analysis has found. (Washington Post)

Attention Deficit Patch Approved

The FDA has approved the first skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. It contains methylphenidate, which is the same stimulant that is in Ritalin. It is designed to be worn for 9 hours. (USATODAY.com)

Chocolate May Worsen Depression

Chocoholics can happily eat chocolate for pleasure but for those who are stressed and clinically depressed, the high is short-lived and chocolate may even deepen the downer, a review shows. (abc.net.au)

Cautions Issued on Use of Psychiatric Drugs

Newborns whose mothers took antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft in the last trimester of pregnancy had six times the risk of suffering oxygen deprivation after birth compared with newborns whose mothers had not taken the drugs, according to a study published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

And a briefing document prepared by Food and Drug Administration officials reported that adults taking medications such as Adderall and Ritalin to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder might be at higher risk of sudden death and other serious side effects, especially if they have high blood pressure. (Washington Post)

Antidepressants Decrease Suicide Risk

Contrary to what has been feared, the antidepressants known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are initially effective in as many as one-third of depressed patients and don't appear to increase the risk of suicide, two new studies claim. (Forbes.com)

Colin Farrell In Treatment for Exhaustion and Drug Dependency

Colin Farrell is being treated for exhaustion and dependency on prescription medication, his publicist said. The medication was prescribed to the Irish actor after a back injury, publicist Danica Smith said in a written statement Monday. (Washington Post)

Zoloft Side Effects Blamed for Girl's Murder

Lisa Anderson's daughter was shot to death by the girl's boyfriend, Zachary Schmidkunz, in 2003. Schmidkunz blamed his actions on his use of Zoloft. Now Anderson has filed a wrongful death suit against Schmidkunz, his parents, and Pfizer, Inc - the makers of Zoloft.

Lisa Anderson's lawsuit alleges Zachary Schmidkunz's parents, Rhonda and Gail Schmidkunz, should have known about his depression and suicidal thoughts and kept him away from a shotgun. It also claims Pfizer Inc., the maker of the antidepressant drug Zoloft, knew of but failed to warn that Zoloft's side effects could lead to uncontrollable rage in young patients. (AP)

Prejudice May Be Classified as a Mental Illness

Mental health practitioners say they regularly confront extreme forms of racism, homophobia and other prejudice in the course of therapy, and that some patients are disabled by these beliefs. As doctors increasingly weigh the effects of race and culture on mental illness, some are asking whether pathological bias ought to be an official psychiatric diagnosis. (Washington Post)

American Airlines Passenger Had Bipolar Disorder

Rigoberto Alpizar, the man who was shot by a federal air marshal on an American Airlines flight yesterday after claiming to have a bomb, is said by his wife to have had bipolar disorder.

Several supporters of the air marshal program praised the marshals' actions, but the shooting is likely to raise questions about the expanded presence of guns aboard commercial airplanes in recent years, as well as the marshals' training -- in particular, with people who appear to be mentally unstable. Moments before he was shot, Alpizar's wife said he was bipolar. (Washington Post)

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Many Hurricane Katrina Survivors in Deep Mental Distress

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a significant amount of survivors and residents are suffering with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts. Not only was Katrina one of the worst disasters in U.S. history, but it is leaving some of the worst scars as well:

In a clinical survey of Orleans and Jefferson parishes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 45 percent of the residents were experiencing "significant distress or dysfunction" and 25 percent had an even "higher degree of dysfunction," said Dori Reissman of the CDC. Nearly half of those interviewed reported feeling isolated, and a quarter believe at least one family member needs counseling. (Washington Post)

Faith Based Counseling Becoming More Popular

When Mary Bailey of Takoma Park sought help for stress and anxiety, one thing was clear to her: She didn't want to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

A health care worker, mother and evangelical Christian, Bailey says that "being a Christian guides the choices I make and how I make sense of the world. I didn't think a psychologist or psychiatrist would be sensitive to that." (Washington Post)

The Health Benefits of Pets

Pets can have a profound effect on their human companions. As this article explains, pets have been credited with saving lives during emergencies, relieving depression and preventing suicide, reducing stress, and much more.

The pet owning study reviewed research conducted since the 1980s that has helped popularize what BMJ called the "view that pet ownership could have positive benefits on human health." Reputed benefits include higher survival rates from heart attack, lower use of doctors' services, a reduced risk of asthma and allergies in children exposed to pets during the first year of life, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and better physical and psychological well-being in the elderly. (Washington Post)