GeneralHealthTopics.com - Mental health

Phobias: Its Terms and Causes of Fear

irfan — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 09:36:06 +0000

What is a Phobia? A phobia is an abnormal fear of a specific object or a certain situation. It is a type of anxiety disorder which can precipitate a panic attack. People with phobias tend to avoid these situations or objects and become anxious when they anticipate having to meet them.

Some Facts about Suicide and Depression

irfan — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:22:54 +0000

WHAT IS DEPRESSION? Depression is the most prevalent mental health disorder. The lifetime risk for depression is 6 to 25%. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 9.5% or 20.9 million American adults suffer from a depressive illness in any given year. There are two types of depression. In major depression, the symptoms listed below interfere with one’s ability to function in all areas of life (work, family, sleep, etc). In dysthymia, the symptoms are not as severe but still impede one’s ability to function at normal levels.

Tips on How You Can Help When Your Loved One is Depressed

irfan — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:56:57 +0000

Depression Is Real

Young Children Develop In an Environment of Relationships

irfan — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:23:32 +0000

NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL ON THE DEVELOPING CHILD is a multidisciplinary collaboration of leading scientists in early childhood and early brain development. Its mission is to bring sound and accurate science to bear on public decision-making affecting the lives of young children. THE ISSUE Healthy development depends on the quality and reliability of a young child’s relationships with the important people in his or her life, both within and outside the family. Even the development of a child’s brain architecture depends on the establishment of these relationships.

What Causes Dementia?

irfan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:09:05 +0000

The exact cause of Alzheimer's Disease, a form of dementia, is still unknown. However, scientists have been able to indentify several contributing factors. Alzheimer's Disease is known to have a genetic componant as well as an environmental one. While Alzheimer's is a form of dementia, dementia is not necessarily Alzheimer's. There are many forms of demetia, some which are entirely curable. It is imporatant to understand the distinction between Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Possibly Other Dementias

irfan — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:04:51 +0000

Given the reduced risk of AD for persons with at least 8 years of education, it is reasonable to recommend active, regular use of thinking skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic. For example, research in the area of use-dependent plasticity has shown that persons who use language skills have larger, more elaborate connections in the areas of the brain related to language function. Also, we routinely see, clinically, patients with AD who have particular talents that are well preserved until moderately demented.

Three-year-olds Capable of Firing Available Guns

irfan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:46:39 +0000

Contrary to the belief of some parents, police officers, and other professionals familiar with firearms, many young children are strong enough to fire most commercially available guns, according to an article in the December 1995 issue of the AMA's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Sara M. Naureckas, M.D., Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Ill., and colleagues tested the pull strength of 556 children. The mothers of the children were also tested.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

irfan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:15:11 +0000

More than 150 symptoms have been reported in association with PMS. There are five basic categories: Anxiety (includes nervousness, mood swings, irritability & impatience) Depression (includes crying, confusion, social withdrawal & insomnia) Pain (includes backache, cramps and breast pain) Water retention (includes abdominal bloating, weight gain & swelling) Hypoglycemia (includes headache, craving sweets, increased appetite & fatigue)

10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

irfan — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:57:38 +0000

Alzheimer's disease, a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain in which brain cells die and are not replaced. According to the Alzheimer's Association, its ten chief warning signs are: Recent memory loss that affects job skills Difficulty performing familiar tasks Problems with language Disorientation of time and place Poor or decreased judgment Problems with abstract thinking Misplacing things Changes in mood or behavior Changes in personality Loss of initiative

Parenting for Self-Esteem

irfan — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:14:02 +0000

Virtually every child, teen, and even adult I see in my clinical practice, suffers from a self-esteem problem in some way, shape, or form. And essentially all parents seeking information or counseling about their child's emotional development want to know how to build their child's self-esteem. Whether intuitively or from exposure to psychological research findings, we all seem to recognize the importance of self-esteem to a person's emotional well-being and mental health.