health news

Programs that stress sexual abstinence have had no impact on HIV infection rates in the U.S., according to a new research review. But an abstinence education expert says the study is flawed.

Investigators analyzed findings from 13 studies comparing abstinence-only education to other forms of sexual education or no sexual education at all. Some 16,000 preteens and teens in the U.S. participated in the self-reported studies.

"We found no evidence at all that these abstinence-only programs resulted in lower HIV infection rates for any targeted subgroup," researcher Paul Montgomery, DPhil, of the University of Oxford's Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, tells WebMD.

SOURSE - WebMed

| Tags: Addiction, Depression, HIV and AIDS |

Labels: Addiction, Depression, HIV and AIDS, Stress

If you sometimes have problems remembering things, try following these tips from the American Academy of Family Physicians:

Keep lists of things you need to remember, a detailed calendar, and follow a regular daily routine.
Make connections in your mind to help you remember -- like associating places with certain landmarks.
Keep objects you use regularly -- like your keys -- in the same place each time.
When trying to remember the name of a person you just met, repeat his or her name to yourself.
Keep your mind and body busy and active.

Sourse - HealthDay News

| Tags: Anxiety, Depression |

Labels: Anxiety, Depression

Typical signs of depression actually show a change in the way a person has come to think about himself.
“I just can’t get myself to do any work around the house. My marriage is falling apart.”
“My hair is thinning. I’m losing my looks. No one will care about me anymore.”

These are typical thoughts of people who are depressed and show a change in thinking, feeling and acting.

Here are other signs of depression :
Continual feelings of sadness, emptiness and helplessness that seem to have no cause
Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities
Decreased energy, fatigue
Sleep and/or eating problems
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness
Irritability, excessive crying
Chronic physical aches and pains that do not go away
Feelings of hopelessness
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

If a person shows several of the above signs of depression for an extended period (2 weeks or more) he should consult a physician.
| Tags: Anxiety, Depression, Sleeping Disorders |

Labels: Anxiety, Depression, Sleeping Disorders

Resulting brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

People who are often stressed out or depressed are far more likely to develop memory problems than those with sunnier dispositions, U.S. researchers said on Monday in a finding that sheds light on early predictors of Alzheimer’s disease.

They said those who most often are anxious or depressed were 40 times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, a form of memory loss that is often a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia.

“Not only are these individuals losing cognition, but they are showing many of the changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease,”

| Tags: Anxiety, Depression, Stress |

Labels: Anxiety, Depression, Stress

1) Chronic Pain
This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication to manage breakthrough pain. Volunteers 18-80 who have had chronic pain for at least three months may be eligible.
The research site is in Phoenix, Ariz.
More information
Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat45.html.

2) Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or Heartburn
Volunteers 18 and older who have endoscopically confirmed erosive esophagitis may qualify for this study of GERD and heartburn.
The research site is in Mount Pleasant, Ohio.
More information
Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat70.html or http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat175.html .

3) Bipolar Disorders
Feelings of being on an "emotional roller coaster" may be a symptom of bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. This study is enrolling adults 18 and older who may have bipolar disorder.
The research site is in Portland, Ore.
More information
Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat20.html.

Labels: Depression

Studies show that the incidence of mental illness on college campuses is rising, and a new survey of 2,785 college students indicates that more than half of students with significant symptoms of anxiety or depression do not seek help.

This is despite the fact that resources are available at no cost on campus, said Daniel Eisenberg, assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Eisenberg and doctoral students Sarah Gollust and Ezra Golberstein conducted the Web-based survey in an attempt to quantify mental health service use and factors associated with whether or not students seek help.

A study looking at the same issues at 12-15 universities nationwide will begin this fall, Eisenberg said.


For more on Eisenberg, see: http://www.sph.umich.edu/iscr/faculty/profile.cfm?uniqname=daneis

| Tags: Anxiety, Public Health and Safety, Sleeping Disorders |

Labels: Anxiety, Depression, Public Health, Sleeping Disorders

Suicide attempts dropped among people with depression soon after they started treatment, either with antidepressant drugs or psychotherapy, a study of more than 109,000 patients shows.

The study results come after a controversial 2004 recommendation on antidepressant labeling from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That move slapped a strong "black box" warning on the labeling of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include Celexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.

Sourse - HealthDay

| Tags: Anxiety, Depression |

Labels: Anxiety, Depression