Mental Health News

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Recent mental health news concerning the death of a young 22-year-old woman in Adelaide, South Australia is causing local hostels to watch out for those with mental health problems.  This young woman had been mentally ill and staying in an Adelaide backpacker hostel.  The woman’s, Toby Garratt, body was found over New Year’s Eve in the Adelaide Parklands near where she’d been staying.  Another person is currently facing murder charges for her death.

However, this piece of mental health news along with the news concerning the death of a man in his 50s who had also been staying at a hostel in Adelaide is causing concern over the numbers of mentally ill people staying in the local hostels.  In Southern Australia, it’s not uncommon for a mentally ill person to be referred to a backpacker’s hostel from the mental health system when accommodations are limited.

Now, people are concerned that this practice could be exposing the public and other international or interstate travelers to some danger.  Plus, the hostel may not be the safest place for the mentally ill with no other place to go.

To make the hostels safer, South Australia’s Director of Mental Health Operations Derek Wright says that training will be given to staff at backpacker’s hostels to help them recognize and deal with people suffering from mental illness.  He also stated that the staff at hostels will also be given access to a mental health triage hotline.  However, Michelle Lensink of the South Australian Opposition MP stated that these measures fail to address the shortage of accommodations for the mentally ill, which leads to them being referred to the backpacker’s hostels for a place to stay.

A recent mental health study may indicate that women who suffer from major depression could also suffer from losing their sense of smell.  An indicator of this could actually be that you are using too much perfume, because you can’t smell it.  Of course, losing one’s sense of smell may not always indicate depression; it just seems to be one of the symptoms.

Researchers carried out a study on women, led by researcher Professor Yehuda Shoenfeld of Tel Aviv University.  The team focused on links between major depression and autoimmune conditions.  They noticed during the study that women who wore too much perfume tended to do so because they gradually became insensitive to smell.  So, they overcompensated by adding too much perfume. 

These women with insensitivity to smell also tended to have major depression.  Scientific findings suggest that women with major depression also lose their sense of smell as they develop depression.  The lead researcher of this mental health study suggests that depression may actually have a biological cause rather than being a biological disorder.  It could be an immune system response to certain physiological cues.  This is because it appears that the immune system is attacking the sense of smell.

The same researchers behind this piece of mental health news have also looked at the links between depression and lupus, arthritis, and rheumatism.  All of which helped them reach their conclusions for this study.  So gals, cutting back on the heavy perfume may not keep you from getting depression, but if you are finding that you are feeling depressed you may also experience trouble with your sense of smell.

A new study indicates that people who live with asthma and have a tendency to suffer from symptoms of depression and or panic disorders are more likely to end up in emergency care.  There are previous studies that have indicated people with asthma are more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression, such as the one study performed at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. 

The study at Johns Hopkins shows that people with asthma are more likely than those without asthma.  In addition those who are depressed are less likely to follow their asthma care plan, which when neglected can lead to even more severe asthma attacks.

The more recent study which indicates that people with asthma and depression and/or panic disorders are more likely to end up in emergency care followed 185 asthma patients.  They completed 2 questionnaires a year apart about the severity of their asthma, symptoms of depression and emergency room visits.  About 27% of those in the study suffered from depression and 8% suffered from panic disorders.  During the study period about 9% of the participants had to get emergency care at home and 5% were admitted to the hospital

In the end the study found that those participants with asthma and symptoms of depression were six times more likely than other asthma patients to be admitted to the hospital.  Those with panic disorders were found to be five times more likely to receive emergency room care.   Quality of life for those with asthma and symptoms depression or panic disorder is definitely affected.

For many years those suffering from manic depression had only one option for treatment in the drug, lithium carbonate.  Doctors used this drug for almost 50 years in the treatment of bipolar depression in patients.  Although it’s an effective treatment, it doesn’t work for anyone.  So, many patients were left with no treatment at all to help them through the ups and downs of their manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder.

This condition runs its sufferer ragged and leaves them in the dumps.  The average person with manic depression can experience cycles of extreme highs or happiness and extreme lows or sadness, fatigue and depression.  A person with manic depression may spend their high periods partying, living in excess, living dangerously or making dangerous decisions for the excitement all in the extreme.  While this same person in a down period can feel so run down and depressed that they spend days in bed or it takes all of their energy and motivation to get ready for a new day of work.

Now, those with manic depression have other drug choices and alternatives when lithium carbonate doesn’t work or causes complications.  Doctors have begun prescribing anti-depressant and anti-psychotic drugs which work by altering the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain which are involved in helping maintain a person’s mood and are involved in other essential activities in the body.  These drugs can successfully keep manic depression sufferers on an even keel.  However, they can’t help those patients who don’t seek a doctor’s help and medical advice. 

There is hope for the future, especially that of children who live in tough situations because of the ican program.  This recently launched mental health program is designed to prevent mental health problems in young children who are eligible for Medicaid and Title 19. 

These ican programs involve having children work with counselors to build skills for life and work on improving social skills or learn tools for dealing with disrupted relationships.  Many of the children and adults being helped by these programs are facing health problems, aggression, types of depression, anxiety and disrupted relationships and poor social skills.

The mental health program is run by Horizons mental health facilities based out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  The long term goals of the agency include seeking grants to enable the non-profit organization to offer services of this type to private paying clients. 

Many of the clients for ican programs are referred to the mental health facilities through the juvenile court system, project concern and the schools.  The programs run through Horizon are really intended to help people and children especially develop the skills they need to deal with the major problems facing them. 

For instance, if someone comes into ican complaining of anxiety related issues, the counselors will work with them in classes designed to help them build the skills they need to handle their anxiety. 

In addition, the mental health facilities that run ican services also works with other local organizations to really help people develop better lives and deal with mental health problems.

Research has shown that certain foods can improve your mood and lessen the effects of mild anxiety and depression.  This holiday season, why not try some of the following foods to improve your mood and fight depression. 

Milk
Your brain uses an amino acid called tryptophan to make serotonin.  I’m sure most of you have heard that tryptophan in that Thanksgiving Roast Turkey is part of what makes you so sleepy, but it’s also present in milk.  Well, the serotonin that the brain makes from this stuff is also a mild sedative and can help calm you down and make your mood lighter.

Chocolate
No wonder guys bring chocolate to gals on dates.  It’s such a good thing; they hope we’ll associate good stuff with them!  Chocolate contains a lot of mood lifting chemicals to fight depression.  Plus, chocolate increases the levels of endorphins in the brain, which are literally the happy hormones and a painkiller.

Whole Grains
If you are feeling anxious and grouchy most of the time, try switching to whole grain pasta and breads in your diet.  These complex carbohydrates boost serotonin levels, which will increase your sense of calm. Plus, complex carbs can help keep your body fueled longer between meals, helping prevent a mood shattering drop in blood sugar.

Broccoli
Your mom made you eat this as a kid, but Broccoli is quite useful in helping fight depression.  It’s also pretty good with cheese sauce.  This veggie contains lots of stress relieving B vitamins, which help keep your nervous system in good mental health.

Coffee
It’s a drug for sure, but the caffeine in coffee can work to make you more alert as well as activating your brain’s pleasure centers.  On the down side it can also work to increase nervousness and anxiety.  If you are just feeling a little depressed, try one small, regular strength cup of coffee each day with milk and chocolate to see if your mood improves.

For more mood lifting foods check out the Ririan Project. http://ririanproject.com/2007/08/29/kick-start-your-day-with-these-11-mood-lifting-foods/

The Japanese have recently made mental health news with their recently released study that links PMS with depression.   Millions of women experience anxiety and depression around the world and have made the link themselves between their periods and their mental health issues.

It has been found by a study in the magazine, BioPsychoSocial Medicine that PMS is tied to a decrease in the autonomic nervous system activity that occurs in the late luteal phase right before a woman’s period.  This decrease in activity may be a cause of or just another symptom of the PMS that plagues so many women.

Of course this decrease in nervous system activity is also extremely likely to result in some symptoms like anxiety and depression.

This study does also bring some good mental health news.  It provides physicians with a relatively non-invasive method to distinguish women with PMS from those with a non-hormonal disorder.

Many women find PMS to be nothing more than a mild monthly annoyance, however there are millions of women who find that their symptoms are major disruptions in their lives.  There is still no definite conclusion as to the underlying cause of PMS and its severity in some women.

Though mental health news has learned that taking oral contraceptives or SSRIs can reduce the severity of PMS symptoms to some degree.   If you are having major PMS symptoms such as the following each month you should seek medical attention for advice on treatment.

Common PMS Symptoms
Source: Women to Women http://www.womentowomen.com/menstruation/pmssymptoms.aspx

irritability
depression
anxiety
angry outbursts
confusion or fuzzy thinking
tearfulness
fatigue
insomnia
changes in libido
overeating
cravings, especially for salty or sweet foods
alcohol intolerance
acne
hives
abdominal and pelvic cramps
bloating
weight gain
headaches
menstrual migraines
breast swelling and pain
edema
asthma
sinus problems
sore throat
worsening of chronic conditions like arthritis and ulcers
difficulty with coordination
being more prone to accidents
dizziness
decreased balance
heart pounding
nausea
fainting
urinary problems

As we come up on the holiday season many experts are warning people about the possibility of depression and anxiety resulting from a variety of areas.  The holidays hit at the same time every year, but not everyone feels the same about the holidays.

There is quite a lot of build-up to the holiday season, especially New Year’s Eve, when most Americans feel that this is the night they have to party.  Not everyone has someone to party with on New Year’s Eve, or they may not even feel like partying.  This can lead to sadness or a feeling that something is wrong with you.

Director of Pastoral Care and Social Services at Lima, Ohio Memorial Health Systems, Dottie Kaiser recommends that people without plans for the big yearly party just enjoy the time by yourself.  There is a lot of external pressure to have someone to be with for the holidays or someplace to go.  However, you can easily have a nice comfortable evening with yourself.  Snuggle up with a good book and some hot cocoa.  Watch the alcoholic consumption because mixing beer with a bad mood can lead to major depression over the holidays.

Another part of the holiday season usually involves setting unrealistic or vague New Year Resolutions which can also lead to anxiety and depression because of the let down in not fulfilling your resolutions.  Experts recommend setting achievable, specific and realistic goals for the New Year so you don’t get depressed trying to achieve the impossible.

Those who survived Katrina or left only to come back to the ruins of New Orleans are still suffering and it shows in their mental health.  Many of the survivors of Katrina are showing signs of depression. 

A study released in November found that almost half of the pre-hurricane residents of New Orleans and one-fourth of those living in other affected areas had evidence of an anxiety or mood disorder about five to seven months after the Hurricane hit. 

The hurricane created a disaster area in the United States that is as large as Great Britain and killed more than 1,000 people.  Two years later, the city is still a shadow of it’s former self and many residents are still living in tents.  The strain of continuing to live in difficult conditions is likely one of the causes of depression in the survivors.

A telephone survey was conducted between Jan. 10 and March 31, 2006 with a little over 1,000 people who provided the information for the study.  It was found that a vast majority of those in the New Orleans metro area about 91.9% reported experiencing at least one of the 10 categories of hurricane related stressors.   The stressors such as death of a loved one down to robbery resulted in signs of depression and other anxiety/mood disorders occurring.

One of the major preventable causes of the mental health decline in New Orleans and surrounding area residents is concluded by the study to be the slow government response to Hurricane Katrina in evacuating, providing aid and more.

It seems that the government has been slacking off in mental health policy of late.  Washington D.C.’s mental health agency has failed to recover millions in denied Medicaid claims over the course of several years.  A recent audit has uncovered the gross ineptitude of the mental health agency’s financial system. 

The audit also found that of the approximately 1.4 million Medicaid claims that were submitted by the Department of Mental Health between 2002 and 2006, 500,000 of those claims were rejected.  However, by certain mental health laws the department is allowed to process and resubmit those claims so that they have a better chance of being approved, within a time frame of two years.  Yet, the audit found that the government has practically no system or process for doing so set up!

The Director of the Mental Health Department, Stephen Baron has issued a written response to the report that claimed the $30 million dollar figure quoted by the audit as unclaimed funds is over inflated by $5 million dollars.  Baron also admitted that his agency did lack the mental health policy to resubmit the claims prior to September 2006, but they have since then corrected the problem and resubmitted a total amount of $12.9 million in Medicaid claims for approval.  These resubmitted claims have resulted in reimbursement of $8 million.

The audit also found that the Department of Mental Health also failed to prevent it’s vendors from overspending their work orders and thus going over budget to the tune of $16.1 million dollars in the fiscal year of 2006.