“This finding surprised us,” said principal investigator Alexandra Wang, a third-year medical student at the university. “It shows we need to start earlier with prevention of drug and alcohol use and treatment of social phobia [in children].”

The study was consisting of 195 teens ages 14 to 18 which 102 of them or 52 percent \ were teenage girls.  They met the current diagnosis of substance use disorder and had received medical detoxification if needed.

The researchers evaluated the participants’ history of drug and alcohol use and digged into whether they’d had any of three anxiety disorders: social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and agoraphobia.

Out of 195 teens, 92 percent had marijuana dependence and the most disturbing part was it is starting at the age of 13 years.  And on the other hand, 61 percent were alcohol-dependent, having started drinking at 13.5 years on average.  This shows that marijuana was the most popular drug of choice.

Teens with either social anxiety disorder or panic disorder were far more likely to have marijuana dependence, Wang said. Before marijuana dependence both of these disorders were more likely to occur.

More or less 80 percent of teens suffering from social anxiety disorder and 85 percent with panic disorder had symptoms of that disorder previous to the onset of their substance abuse.  In addition, panic disorder has a propensity to start before alcohol dependence and came about in 75 percent of alcohol-dependent adolescents.

According to the authors, there was no clear evidence showing whether agoraphobia came before or after either marijuana use or the first drink.

A limitation of the study, according to the research team, was that 128 (66 percent) of the teens were juvenile offenders who had received court-referred treatment for their substance abuse. These findings might not generalize to a less severely addicted population.

Yet again, interventions to lessen social anxiety might help avoid substance abuse in teens.

“We need to treat these young patients initially with non-pharmacologic means, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or mindfulness meditation,” said Christina Delos Reyes, M.D., a psychiatrist specializing in addictions at University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

Patrick Bordeaux, M.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Quebec, Canada, said that “comorbidities tend to be the rule in adolescents, not the exception.”

“Adolescents are more likely to have social and mental disorders that make them more likely to use drugs,” said Bordeaux, who was not involved with the study.

The post Teens with Social Anxiety Engage in Earlier Alcohol, Marijuana Use appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

People who exercises are more secluded against stress-related disorders even past studies have shown this. And scientists know that the perception of control can benefit a person’s mental health.  But an open question has been the topic of some debates   whether an individual, who undergoes the feeling of a forced to exercise, getting rid of the discernment of control, would still gather the anxiety-fighting advantages of the exercise.

Benjamin Greenwood, an assistant research professor in CU-Boulder’s Department of Integrative Physiology said people who may feel forced to exercise could include high school, college and professional athletes, members of the military or those who have been prescribed an exercise regimen by their doctors.

“If exercise is forced, will it still produce mental health benefits?” Greenwood asked. “It’s obvious that forced exercise will still produce peripheral physiological benefits. But will it produce benefits to anxiety and depression?”

To look for an answer to the matter Greenwood and his colleagues, as well as Monika Fleshner, a professor in the same department, designed a lab experiment using rats. Throughout a six-week period, a few rats stayed inactive, whereas some exercised by running on a wheel.

The experiment went this way; the rats that exercised were divided into two groups that ran a roughly equal amount of time while one group ran whenever it chose to, at the same time as the other group ran on mechanized wheels that rotated according to a predetermined schedule.  The motorized wheels turned on at speeds and for periods of time that mimicked the average pattern of exercise chosen by the rats that voluntarily exercised, for the study.

Then six weeks after, the rats were exposed to a laboratory stressor prior to testing their anxiety levels the next day.  The anxiety was measured by quantifying the length the rats froze when they were put in an environment they had been conditioned to fear.  It is likely what is happening to a phenomenon similar to a deer in the headlights.  Then the stress can be measured by, the longer the freezing time, the greater the residual anxiety from being stressed the previous day.  For assessment, some rats underwent to a test for anxiety without being stressed the day before.

“Regardless of whether the rats chose to run or were forced to run they were protected against stress and anxiety,” said Greenwood, lead author of the study appearing in the European Journal of Neuroscience in February. The sedentary rats froze for longer periods of time than any of the active rats.

“The implications are that humans who perceive exercise as being forced – perhaps including those who feel like they have to exercise for health reasons – are maybe still going to get the benefits in terms of reducing anxiety and depression,” he said.

The post Anxiety and Stress Benefits From Forced Exercise appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

Physical stature: Don’t be a hypocrite and admit it, this matter, after all everything starts with attraction then the getting-to-know part after.  And again yep, you knew this already, we all do: size really do matters.  Height and weight are right on top of the list of things women notice. “Too much or too little of either immediately classifies the man as unattractive to women, and closes the door before less physically obviously features (such as confidence) can be determined,” says Dr Patzer. Take heart though, the acceptable range is influenced by the woman’s own height and weight.

Appearances and attractiveness: All right, we all agree in some point that beauty is skin deep, but it’s going to get women to discover what lies beneath.  As mentioned earlier, everything starts with attraction then the getting-to-know part after.  Agreed, attractiveness does include what you were born with, thanks to your mom and dad huh, but your genes alone can’t scuttle your chances.  It is very important that you know what to do with your hair, clothes, grooming and basic hygiene, basically how you present and carry yourself.  Women surely are not going to work hard to learn more about you if you can’t even make the effort.

Smile: put a smile in those lips, smile can make anyone look good!  After the  women are finished evaluating your overall build, women will look at your smile. “The ability to smile, particularly within the first few minutes of meeting, sends a welcoming, non-hostile signal to women,” says Dr Patzer. There is one proviso though  and you must take a good consideration of this one because this can make or break it, the smile must show off sensibly good-looking teeth or at least presentable and hygienic teeth. So what are you still waiting for, go and fix an appointment with the dentist!

Humor: One more rationale to show off those pearly white teeth! Women want men who have the ability to laugh and even better have the talent to make the woman laugh. That instantaneously gets you plus points!

Confidence: but never be overdo it.  Women find confident men attractive. According to Dr Sameer Malhotra, head of psychiatry and psychotherapy department at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, within the first few minutes of meeting, women will not only suss out your level of confidence, they will also interpret the vibes you give out and how you think. “Women notice how clear or decisive you are and whether you approach things positively.” Just remember, like stated above, do not overdo it; cockiness and arrogance are not the same as confidence!

Conversation: Men have given the impression to womankind the characteristic of being strong and silent. Consequently women aren’t expecting you to have mad talking skills.  But instead, all you’ve got to do hold her attention. “We know (scientifically) that the more or longer that a woman gets to know a man, the more physically attractive he becomes in her mind,” says Dr Patzer. Forget the one-liners because women are looking for someone to keep up the conversation.

But the most advice is just be yourself, it is always great to be loved for who you are.

The post Six Things Women Firsts Notice About Men appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

CBT is a kind of psychotherapy that was instituted to help nearly half of the 234 patients who underwent it added with normal care from their GP.

People with depression, almost sums up to two-thirds, do not respond to anti-depressants.

Charity Mind said patients should have access to a range of treatments.

CBT is a type of talking psychotherapy to facilitate people with depression to amend the way they think to improve correct how they feel and change their behaviour.

The study followed 469 patients with treatment-resistant depression picked from GP practices in Bristol, Exeter and Glasgow over 12 months.

Two groups were studied which one group of patients continued with their usual care from their GP that would mean anti-depressant medication included while the other group was also treated with CBT

Researchers got to know that 46% of those who had received CBT showed at least a 50% reduction in their symptoms after six months.

This is all with the comparison to 22% undergoing the same reduction in the other group.

The study established CBT was useful in dropping symptoms and improving patients’ worth of life.  The developments had been preserved for 12 months, it added.

Other options

Dr Nicola Wiles, from the Centre for Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Research at the University of Bristol, said: “While the addition of CBT was effective for patients who had not responded to anti-depressants, not everyone who received CBT got better. These patients had severe and chronic depression so it is unlikely that one treatment would be effective for everyone.”

“We need to invest in other research to find alternative treatments for patients whose symptoms have not responded to treatment with anti-depressants.”

The patients who did benefit from cognitive behavioural therapy spent one hour a week with a clinical psychologist learning skills to help change the way they think.

Chris Williams, professor of psychosocial psychiatry at the University of Glasgow, and part of the research team, said: “The research used a CBT intervention alongside treatment with anti-depressants. It confirms how these approaches – the psychological and physical – can complement each other.

“It was also encouraging because we found the approach worked to good effect across a wide range of people of different ages and living in a variety of settings.”

Paul Farmer, chief executive at the mental health charity Mind, said there was no “one size fits all” treatment for people with mental health problems.

“We welcome this research because it recognises that patients should have the right to a wide range of treatment options based on individual needs,” he said.

“Initiatives such as the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme has helped to ensure that more treatment options are available for conditions such as depression, however, we know that there still is a huge difference between what treatment people want and what they actually get.”

In whatever though, it will be better to stay protected and on guard of your own self, there are many fraud prevention and scam watch about the topic that you can check to help you.

The post Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Reduces Depression appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

Lesley Pilkington, a Christian psychotherapist, was condemned by the professional body for counselors subsequent to an undercover journalist posing as a patient furtively recorded her during a therapy session at her home.

British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP) ruled that she had breached the profession’s ethical code despite finding that Mrs. Pilkington’s client, Patrick Strudwick, “deliberately misled her”.

She now affronts being chastised off the association’s widely renowned professional register and is considering an appeal.

Mrs Pilkington, 60, practises “reparative therapy”, a contentious method which assumes that homosexual orientation can be “therapeutically changed” in clients who are motivated.

Back in 2009, Mr Strudwick met Mrs Pilkington at a largely Christian conference on therapy of homosexuality.  He told her he said he was unhappy with his gay lifestyle and that he wanted treatment for his same-sex attraction.

Mr. Strudwick recorded a session on a tape machine strapped to his stomach while he appeared to Mrs. Pilkington’s private practice, based at her home in Chorleywood, Herts, and

He collected evidences which he later used in a protest against Mrs. Pilkington to the BACP.  A decision by the BACP panel was made but both sides were advised to treat the issue as confidential while Mrs. Pilkington considered whether to use her right to an appeal.

Mr. Strudwick wrote about the BACP’s decision for the Guardian newspaper while Mrs. Pilkington then issued her own press statement through the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting her case. The BACP has refused to comment, stating that the process has not yet concluded.

The disciplinary panel described Mrs. Pilkington as “reckless”, “disrespectful”, “dogmatic” and “unprofessional” and ruled that her treatment of him constituted “professional malpractice”.

The ruling affirmed that her accreditation to the organization will be suspended at the same time she will be ordered to complete training. If she be unsuccessful to comply she will be forced off the register.

Mr. Strudwick said in his newspaper article, “I am an out, happily gay man. I was undercover, investigating therapists who practice this so-called conversion therapy (also known as reparative therapy) – who try to ‘pray away the gay’.

“I asked her to make me straight. Her attempts to do so flout the advice of every major mental-health body in Britain.”

Mr. Strudwick alleged that Mrs. Pilkington asked him whether he had been the victim of sexual abuse as a child and then prayed for God to “bring to the surface” his past suffering, and suggested he take up rugby.

The Christian Legal Centre released further excerpts from the ruling, which stated that “Mr. Strudwick was not open about his true intention” and “in significant ways deliberately misled” Mrs. Pilkington into believing that he was comfortable and accepting of her approach”.

This had the effect of “lulling Mrs. Pilkington into a false sense of security” in which he could “manipulate” the sessions “to meet his own agenda”.

Mrs. Pilkington said: “I am deeply concerned that the privileged and confidential relationship between a counselor and her patient will be undermined by a journalist seeking a sensationalist story without any substance.

“Reparative therapy is a valid therapy that many people want and it should not be damaged by irresponsible reporting. The hearing is still subject to an appeal.”

The post Christian counselor’s attempt to cure gay man was ‘malpractice’ appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

According to educators and economists “high-quality” preschools means teachers are adequately paid, facilities are adequate, and the ratio of staff to children is low.  Those mentioned are really significant elements of quality and if not achieved there could be serious problems.  In reality, high-quality is otherwise as preschool educators are often very poorly paid, poorly educated themselves, and lack decent facilities.  The low salaries results to a bad quality and poor performance of the teachers.  So this proposal for ensuring universal access to high-quality preschools is aiming high for current preschoolers are already struggling with quality and funding issues.

Aside from money matters, there is a question raised about how preschool programs should be structured.  Compare to no preschool there are a lot of advantages of high-quality preschool.  And although there are a lot of researches supporting the latter, there is fewer research showing different benefits of different preschool approaches.

By means of standard preschool teaching methods the Preschool Curriculum Effectiveness Research initiative weigh against a number of promising approaches to each other and to groups.  You can see the results summarized review on the Best Evidence Encyclopedia.  And consequently only a small number of programs illustrated child outcomes superior to those achieved by other programs, by the end of kindergarten.  The best outcomes for children are planned programs that mainly focused on language and emergent literacy, giving children many opportunities to use language to work together, solve challenges, and develop positive relationships with each other.

Nowadays, early childhood education has also evolved in many ways such as technology has so far played a modest role in it, but this may change as multimedia devices become more commonly used.  Children cannot be technologically late, they must understand how the world works, and technology offers opportunities for teachers to enhance language development by engaging children with brief content that helps them to do so.  They can watch videos on DVD and educational television, things like that helps.

But this doesn’t mean that technology has to replace the early childhood learning although it may help adding the capacity for teachers to show anything they want to their children and to link to the home in ways that have not been possible in the past, and this may result in enhanced learning at this critical age, they still have to manipulate and learn from real objects.  They have to learn to work with each other, sing songs, develop coordination and creativity, and practice appropriate behaviors.

In general, the proposal was a terrific idea, expanding preschool access would really help children’s education but sure thing is it will take a lot of money and time to get in order.  This will be a great help more especially to unfortunate children and if they want to go further in this project then they should motivate immediately.

The post Universal Preschool, What High-Quality Education Really Means appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

Researchers suggest that recalling actual, detailed memories that are positive or self-affirming can help to improve the mood of people with a history of depression.

Sad to say, for people who suffer from depression, this kind of vivid memory for everyday events seems crippled by the victims.

In the new study, Tim Dalgleish, Ph.D., of the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and colleagues hypothesized that a well-known method used to enhance memory — known as the “method-of-loci” strategy — might help depressed patients to recall positive memories with greater ease.

The method-of-loci strategy consists of connecting vivid memories with physical objects or locations.  An example of which are buildings you see on your commute to work every day. To bring to mindall the memories, you just have to imagine going through your commute.

An article published in Clinical Psychological Science the study is further discussed.  In the study, depressed patients were asked to come up with 15 positive memories.

The method-of-loci strategy was used by one group to create associations with their memories and the other group was asked to use a simple “rehearsal” strategy, grouping memories based on their similarities.

The participants were asked to recollect as many of their 15 positive memories as they could after working on the techniques.

Both groups were able to recall nearly all of the 15 memories.  Although the method were equally effective after the initial memory test conducted in the lab, the strategies were not equally effective in the long run.

A surprise call was made by the researchers after a week when they are already at their own homes.  They then asked them to recall the 15 memories once again and the group who used the method-of-loci passed with flying colors while those who used the rehearsal technique did not do the same as the other group.

This made a conclusion and the researchers believe these findings suggest that using the method-of-loci technique to associate vivid, positive memories with physical objects or locations may make it easier for depressed individuals to recall those positive memories.

Recalling and focusing on positive memories, rather than negative projections, may help individuals elevate their mood in the long run.  And also for all of us this may help brighten each day so you may have a great day ahead!

The post Recalling Good Times May Reduce Depression appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

Generally, symptoms of the disorder first appear in childhood then problems only start until early adulthood.  Getting better can take years and treatment can be very hard because problems with emotions and behaviors are hard to improve.

Psychotherapy can treat BPD or Borderline Personality Disorder, it is usually the first treatment recommended.  It can cure some symptoms but more studies are needed to better understand how well psychotherapy works.

The fact that the very nature of the disorder can make it difficult for the patient to have a good relationship with his therapist can make it harder to treat BPD so it is very critical that people in therapy get along with and trust their therapist.

Psychotherapy used to treat BPD include

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help people with borderline personality disorder identify and change core beliefs and/or behaviors that underlie inaccurate perceptions of themselves and others and problems interacting with others. CBT may help reduce a range of mood and anxiety symptoms and reduce the number of suicidal or self-harming behaviors.
2. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). This type of therapy focuses on the concept of mindfulness, or being aware of and attentive to the current situation.¹ DBT teaches skills to control intense emotions, reduces self-destructive behaviors, and improves relationships. This therapy differs from CBT in that it seeks a balance between changing and accepting beliefs and behaviors.
3. Schema-focused therapy. This type of therapy combines elements of CBT with other forms of psychotherapy that focus on reframing schemas, or the ways people view themselves. This approach is based on the idea that borderline personality disorder stems from a dysfunctional self-image—possibly brought on by negative childhood experiences—that affects how people react to their environment, interact with others, and cope with problems or stress.

There are two options to have the therapy, one is one-on-one (therapist-patient) or by group setting.  Group sessions can have added benefit; it may help teach people with borderline personality disorder how to interact with others and how to express themselves effectively.

It may also be hard to detect borderline personality disorder because some symptoms may come and go.  But the core symptoms of highly changeable moods, intense anger, and impulsiveness tend to be more persistent.  Although symptoms improved some people may continue to face issues related to co-occurring disorders, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Natural treatments may also help, omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce symptoms of aggression and depression.  This is according to one study done to 30 women who suffers from BPD.  Aside from having few side effects, the treatment also seem to be well tolerated like the common prescribed mood stabilizers.

It is important for people with borderline personality disorder to be patient and to receive appropriate support during treatment.  BPD can be cured with proper treatment and precautions.

The post Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder: How Psychotherapy Helps appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

Over 2000 16-25 year olds were surveyed by prince’s trust across UK.  They have discovered that those who are jobless and out of school are the most discontented.  Due to this they are the most unhappy, these are the people who are likely to have grown up without anyone to talk to and converse their issues with.

“I used to apply for jobs but after getting knocked back, it hit my confidence. I’d wake up and just not know what to do with the 24 hours in the day”, says Leon White, 24.  He is currently living with his family but his father passed away ten years ago and he left school without receiving any qualifications.  He dreams of a career in music, but has only recently been able to secure a full-time job in a hotel, after taking a hospitality training course.

The survey indicated that almost three out of ten people that were questioned said they felt their career prospects had been permanently damaged by the recession.

Government said they are not satisfied with the rate of employment while the level of unemployment is at its lowest since 2009.

A spokesman from the Department for Work and Pensions said: “Youth unemployment has fallen recently, and excluding full-time students, there are now 626,000 unemployed 16-24 year olds – the lowest figure since early 2009. But we are not complacent about the scale of the challenge we still face.

“Through our Youth Contract we’re offering nearly 500,000 work experience placements, wage incentives and apprenticeships over the next three years to help young people gain the skills and experience needed to get a job.”

The post Everyday Life’s a Struggle for 25 Years and Younger appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.

You may not recognize depression because some normal pregnancy changes cause similar symptoms and are happening at the same time that is exactly why it was not treated.  Tiredness, problems sleeping, stronger emotional reactions, and changes in body weight may occur during pregnancy and after pregnancy and these are also symptoms of depression.  For a lot of women, joyfully anticipated pregnancy and motherhood bring depression as an unexpected accompaniment.  Depression is not only risky for mothers but for their children as well.  During pregnancy, depression may result in poor prenatal care, premature delivery, low birth weight, and, just possibly, depression in the child.  Depression after childbirth aka postpartum depression can lead to child neglect, family breakdown, and suicide.  A depressed mother may fail to bond emotionally with her newborn, raising the child’s risk of later cognitive delays and emotional and behavior problems.

If the depression is detected soon enough, help is available for mother and child.

Signs of depression during pregnancy:

• History of depression or substance abuse
• Family history of mental illness
• Little support from family and friends
• Anxiety about the fetus
• Problems with previous pregnancy or birth
• Marital or financial problems
• Young age (of mother)

Signs of postpartum depression or after giving birth:

• Feeling restless or irritable
• Feeling sad, hopeless, and overwhelmed
• Crying a lot
• Having no energy or motivation
• Eating too little or too much
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions
• Feeling worthless and guilty
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations (the heart beating fast and feeling like it is skipping beats), or hyperventilation (fast and shallow breathing)
• After pregnancy, signs of depression may also include being afraid of hurting the baby or oneself and not having any interest in the baby.

Postpartum psychosis (seye-KOH-suhss) is rare and is need to be treated by the doctor.  It occurs in about 1 to 4 out of every 1,000 births.  It usually begins in the first 2 weeks after childbirth.  Women who have bipolar disorder or another mental health problem called schizoaffective (SKIT-soh-uh-FEK-tiv) disorder have a higher risk for postpartum psychosis. Symptoms include:

• Seeing things that aren’t there
• Feeling confused
• Having rapid mood swings
• Trying to hurt yourself or your baby

The problem with some women is that they do not tell anyone about their condition because they embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty about feeling depressed when they are supposed to be happy.  They may think that they will be judge as unfit parents, bad and not together mom but this can happen to any mothers.  Remember that your child is also at risk.  Seek for help.

The post How to Know if Depress During and After Pregnancy appeared first on In The News - Springhill Group Counselling.