Archive for September, 2013

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Use of Oxytocin to Treat Autism Requires Further Study

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Recently, a review article was published in the Harvard Review of Psychology indicating that the use of the hormone oxytocin may be beneficial in treating both autism and schizophrenia. The article was especially exciting for autism specialists and parents of autistic children who have been told that there are few treatment options for autism. While the research that has been done is promising overall, much more information will have to be gathered before any real benefit can be determined.

Many ...

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Impact of Unaddressed Mental Health Issues in Students is Severe

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Unaddressed mental health issues could be a bigger problem in our school systems than we realize, according to a recent study by Andrea M. Spencer. Spencer, who is the dean of the School of Education at Pace University in New York and educational consultant to the Center for Children’s Advocacy, conducted the study to see if she could spot a pattern among 102 case studies drawn from students between the ages of 12 to 16. These students had been referred ...

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Teens With ADHD More Likely to Text While Driving

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For a teenager with ADHD, life is full of distractions and temptations that steal their focus away. A recent study shows that teens who suffer from ADHD are even more likely to be involved in dangerous auto accidents due to texting and driving.Teens as a group are already at an increased risk of distracted driving accidents, and an ADHD diagnosis only compounds those risks.

Texting while driving is extremely dangerous. It makes a car crash up to 23 times more likely. ...

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Oxytocin for Autism?

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According to a review article in the September Harvard Review of Psychiatry, the hormone oxytocin may play a role in autism treatment, as well as the treatment of schizophrenia. While the evidence is still in its preliminary stages, it is encouraging. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide hormone, most known for its role in initiating labor and breast milk flow in pregnant women. The news is exciting for autism specialists and other mental health therapists who specialize ...

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How to Manage Feelings of Distress After a Tragedy

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On Monday morning, tragedy struck in Washington, D.C. A former navy reservist opened fire at the Washington Navy Yard, killing 13 people. Whenever mass shootings or similar violent events occur, it’s normal for people to experience a range of emotions and have some serious concerns about their safety. For people who have already survived such an event, their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can surface.

If you have PTSD, schedule an appointment with your Costa Mesa psychiatrist right away so that ...

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How to Support Someone in Recovery

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We’re in the heart of National Recovery Month, a time to honor and support those in recovery from substance abuse or other disorders. If one of your loved ones has made the decision to begin a treatment program and seek help from mental health therapist, they will need your support. The support of family and friends plays a huge role in addiction recovery, but it can be difficult to know how to help. Here are some tips for being ...

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Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum Face Independent Living Challenges

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As autistic children grow into adults, they face more challenges than their peers who are not on the autism spectrum. About 50,000 youths with autism will become adults this year, and for most, finding a job and a place to live will bring a set of struggles. Although we’ve made progress with autism treatment in our society, there is still much more we can do to help these young adults be more independent.

Two newly published studies on the subject ...

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Tips For Staying Sober During Recovery

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September is National Recovery Month, which promotes the societal benefits of treatment and recovery for mental and substance abuse disorders. Deciding to seek treatment from a Orange County therapist for a drug or alcohol abuse problem is only the first step in the long process of recovery. Recovery takes time, patience, practice and determination.

If you’ve started down the road to recovery, congratulations! Here are five tips to help you stay sober during this challenging time:

  1. Do not underestimate your disease. Addiction ...
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Signs Someone You Know May Be Contemplating Suicide

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This week is National Suicide Prevention week, and September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. For a California psychiatrist, this week serves as a way to draw awareness to this tragic problem. According to statistics from the American Association of Suicidology, suicide ranks third as a cause of death among young Americans (ages 15-24) but it is most common among those aged 54-54. While no one can ever be sure if someone they love is suicidal, there are certainly ...

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Study Shows Children With Cancer At Greater Risk Of Developing Mental Illness

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Being diagnosed with cancer is scary and difficult at any age, but it can be particularly emotionally damaging to a child. And now a recent study is showing that children who survive cancer, along with their siblings, have a greater risk of developing a mental illness. This study points to the obvious link between physical treatment and mental help through child psychiatry.

Researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital studied 7,085 children who were treated for cancer between 1975-2010 and their 13,000 siblings. ...

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Top 10 Tips for Healthy Mental Aging

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September is National Healthy Aging Month. And while the world wide web is flooded with tips on how to prevent the physical aging process, as the popular expression goes, “Aging is all in your mind.” Healthy mental aging is just as important as keeping wrinkles at bay. Here is a list of 10 tips for healthy mental aging:

1. Exercise. Physical activity increases oxygen-rich blood flow to your brain, essential for keeping it young. Older adults who exercise are 60% less ...

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People With Mental Illness At Greater Risk of Accidental Death

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Anyone who struggles with a mental illness already faces numerous challenges in life. And now, recent international research has shown that the mentally ill are up to six times more likely to die in an accident than the general population. If you have yet to seek treatment with a Costa Mesa therapist for your condition, doing so promptly could be life-saving.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden and Stanford University in California studied 6.9 million adults over the age of ...

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