Posts by:
MaryAPRN.com/ Advanced Practice Psych LLC
Mental Health issues from a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury? Be aware
We all know about it as having a concussion, a head impact from playing football or any other contact sport that puts shock / pressure on the brain.
The long term effects of it are yet to be fully understood, yet the research lends itself to reasons to be concerned. Here is some very useful information from a recent Psychiatricadvisor.com article:
[During the last decade, medical science has elucidated a myriad of expressions of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and shown that in some cases, there is the presence of cellular and ultrastructural alterations. mTBI, also known as a concussion, is expressed in how neurons and their supporting cells utilize their energy substrate, glucose, and this impairment is termed “metabolic vulnerability,” implying that sustaining a second impact, while still symptomatic, is detrimental to successful recovery or could lead to long-term effects.
Most instances of concussions are self-limited, and resolve within the first week. However, there is the chance that in about 10% of cases, a more prolonged clinical course will transpire, constituting post-concussion syndrome (up to 8 weeks post-injury), or the prolonged post-concussion syndrome (9 weeks and longer). Concussion symptoms usually consist of the following: Headache, memory loss, dizziness, balance abnormalities, sleep disturbance, visual abnormalities, poor school performance, and others.
Mental Health & Energy Drinks | Know the effects, be safe
Drinking energy drinks is very much a version of self medicating, be smart about it.
Mental Health Awareness | distortions, hallucinations, a larger issue
Mental Health Awareness | Visual distortions and hallucinations were symptoms particularly strongly linked to self-destructive behavior.
It is important to get help before things get out of hand. Here is some great information on why recognizing these types of patterns can help according to a recent study conducted at the Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
Logic vs. Emotional decision making - Mental Health improvements that work
E-cigs increased Cancer risk 15 fold when turned up
E-cigarettes, facts and how the marketing behind them is just like the 60’s, inaccurate.
Depression Loneliness - Binge Watching may be a link
Binge watching, it was only a matter of time before this creates havoc on our lives. Too much of anything can be the path to increased depression and loneliness.
Mental Health Institutions or Psychiatric Hospitals, the discussion must go on
Mental Health Today, getting beyond our old stigmas and ignorance
With the advancement in medicine and psychiatric therapies, people are getting better, leading more fulfilling lives than ever before. There is a downside though....
Post Partum Depression | Progress that helps improve diagnosis and outcomes.
Post Partum Depression, getting the help you need.
The birth of a baby can trigger a jumble of powerful emotions, from excitement and joy, to fear and anxiety. But it can also result in something you might not expect — depression. (Mayo Clinic)
Depression, is there a Genetic Connection? Mental Health Minneapolis
Is there a Genetic link to Depression?
While many suffer from depression, the underlying core information or genetic links to it are still being studied to better understand cause / effect. In this study excerpt by the Harvard review of Psychiatry, the complexity of depression and its
origins continue to baffle researchers. So, in the meantime what do we do to better understand depression, and treat it?
We know that depression is known to run in families. Based on studies of twins, it's estimated that genetic factors account for about 40 percent of the variation in population risk of depression. So, we need to keep pushing forward with larger studies and more data to seek patterns that lead to better outcomes. knowing that there are many factors that lead to depression help explain that there is not one size therapy for all.
Genetics matter in treating depression, it is our goal as a society to give patients what they need to improve their current condition and lead productive lives.
An excerpt from the study:
In contrast to their success identifying genes associated with other psychiatric disorders, genome-wide association studies have yet to find any genetic variants associated with depression, according to a report in the January Harvard Review of Psychiatry.