Barb's Daily Dose

Talking to the Elderly

As I have lived with the elderly, I've become much more interested in how they think. I came across this article from Reuters on how older adults and the elderly are different when it comes  talk therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when treating anxiety and depression.

Your Secret Weapon in Caregiving: BOTT Therapy

In case you're not familiar with BOTT therapy, it's a brand new type of therapy that has been around for centuries, only under a much different name.

BOTT therapy stands for what I and millions of Americans lovingly refer to as:  Biting Of The Tongue Therapy.

After living for the last 6 months with 2 very nice elderly people, I've had to employ this type of therapy repeatedly. Now admittedly, I've lost a lot of blood in the process, but it's a small price to pay for harmony in the household.

1 Million Suicide Attempts

According to a survey done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration about 8.4 million Americans had suicidal thoughts in the past year and 2.2 million made plans to kill themselves. One million people attempted suicide.  These numbers are staggering and yet point to the fact that a significant number of Americans are depressed and anxious,  with reports ranging from 8-25%.

We also know that many people are living with or caring for family members who are seriously depressed or mentally ill, which also creates more depression and anxiety.  On top of that many people are stressed from caretaking elderly relatives which also puts them at risk for depression.  

Study: Nearly 1 in 8 Shy Teens Has Social Phobia

Featured Article Today From: Health.com

Study: Nearly 1 in 8 Shy Teens Has Social Phobia - Health News - Health.com.

Paulina's Midlife Affair with Meds

Paulina Porizkova, a former model, writer, and a mom featured an article on Huffington's Post that I thought would be of interest.

Here's What I Have to Say:

I see a lot of women in midlife and at the other side of hormonal swings, adolescence.  I'm convinced that our brain chemistry shifts dramatically with hormone surges and precipitous drops.  I've seen well adjusted women with everything under control, suddenly become unrecognizable to themselves and their families. I've seen the same thing happen with teens. HMMM?

Military Stress Disorder: Part III - Symptoms and Treatment

Today's Featured Guest Writer is:  Arlene Karidis, Freelance Writer

So how do you know if you or someone you care about is experiencing Military Sexual Trauma (MST)?  The signs, as with anyone who has been sexually abused, could be many....

Symptoms: 

Flashbacks; nightmares; memories of the abuse; anxiety; a feeling of being unsafe; depression; guilt; emotional numbness; new or increased drug or alcohol use; isolating oneself; difficulty controlling emotions such as:

Introduction to Sexual Assault on the Front Line: Part II

This video is part of the series:  Introduction to Sexual Assault on the Front Line,  written by Arlene Karidis, Freelance Writer.  Please take a moment to view this informative video.

Look for the final Part III of this series next week.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arlene Karidis has written extensively on health care for life style magazines, newspapers, and the health care industry.  She brings you news of recent medical breakthroughs; heart-clenching survivors' stories; women's, children's, and seniors' health issues.  And she offers tips and resources for accessing information and supportive services.

To contact Arlene with questions about her write-ups on www.barbsdailydose.com or to inquire about her written services:  agkaridis@msn.com

Introduction to Sexual Assault on the Front Line (Part I)

Part 1 of a 3 Part Series

Featured Guest Writer Today - Arlene Karidis, Freelance Writer

Women serving our country through active duty have more than the Iraqi and Afghanistan militia to protect themselves from, according to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) report.  In the 2009 study one in four women using VA health care reported experiencing sexual trauma while overseas - debilitating physical or emotional problems resulting from sexual assault or blatant sexual harassment.  The problem has become so common it now has a name of its own:  Military Stress Disorder.  (MST)

Smokers More Likely to Be Depressed

I remember when I trained in the psych ward.  Virtually all the patients were smokers.  Was it because they were bored?  Was it because, as Freud would say, they needed oral stimulation? Hmmm.?  There's recent research that found that people who smoke are almost twice as likely to be depressed as people who don't.  This confirms what I've guessed for a long time.  When people smoke, it seems to make them feel less anxious and more at ease.  Ever notice that when someone is stressed, that they "need their cigarette."

Cognitive Dissonance

Like many of you, I am devastated looking at the images from Haiti.  This natural disaster is gut wrenching and the images are overwhelming.  Recently, I heard that there were some prominent personalities in the media who were "blaming the victims" of this tragedy.  I've even heard a few people try to "explain" the situation and attribute some of the fault with the people who live in Haiti.  As a student of human nature, I'm struggling to understand why it is, that when bad things happen, situations that are completely out of  
someone's control, some people feel the need to blame the victims.