There Are Only Three Kinds of Psychotherapy
November 1st 2001Dr. Genova offers the antidote to the complexities of manualized and proceduralized psychotherapy that have arisen in imitation of procedural, technology-driven medicine. Supportive, directive and relational types of therapy and their correlation with various power structures within the doctor-patient relationship are described.
Resources for Coping With Disaster
November 1st 2001Since Sept. 11, health care professionals and their patients have been trying to make sense of the tragedy as well as cope with the possibility of future attacks. While the following list of books, articles, Web sites and so forth is certainly not exhaustive, it serves as a starting point of information sharing.
Executive Functions in Parents With ADHD
November 1st 2001Over the past two decades, there has been considerable progress in understanding the functions of the prefrontal cortex of the brain and its regulation of mental activities that allow for self-control and goal-directed behaviors. These mental activities are unified under the term executive functions.
Posttraumatic Spectrum Disorder: A Radical Revision
November 1st 2001The introduction of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) into psychiatric nosology has brought about a great deal of insight as well as controversy. Have complex clinical manifestations of PTSD created a need for further clarification of the disorder?
Introduction to Culture-Bound Syndromes
November 1st 2001In the glossary of our book The Culture-Bound Syndromes, Charles C. Hughes, Ph.D., listed almost 200 folk illnesses that have, at one time or another, been considered culture-bound syndromes (Simons and Hughes, 1986). Many have wonderfully exotic and evocative names: Arctic hysteria, amok, brain fag, windigo.
Clinical Uses and Ethical Implications of Psychiatric Genetic Counseling
October 1st 2001The Human Genome project has provided an abundance of genetic information, including identification of many disease-causing genes. Clinical applications, genetic counseling and the potential ethical issues raised by the availability of genetic testing are all areas of concern in gene research. Will genetic counseling in classical genetic diseases help to provide guidelines for behavioral disorders?
Neurosteroids and Psychiatric Disorders
October 1st 2001Although many of the physiological functions of neurosteroids are currently unknown, evidence suggests that these endogenous molecules may play a role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders and treatment strategies. Neurosteroids have been linked to SSRI action and may be relevant to antipsychotic drug effects. Do neurosteroids have neuroprotective properties or HPA axis effects?
Teaching Children With Disabilities How To Succeed
September 1st 2001The Child School in New York City provides a unique learning experience for children with learning and developmental disabilities. What teaching methods and curriculum are employed at the school? What is the link between parent and teacher involvement and the children's progress at The Child School?
Congressman Gephardt Gives Historic Talk On the Future of Mental Health Care
September 1st 2001House Minority Leader, Richard Gephardt addressed the National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers as part of their new Inform America campaign. Gephardt discussed not only what needs to happen for Americans to have good mental health care, but what Congress has already accomplished.
New Developments in Treating Anxiety Disorders
September 1st 2001A recent large, randomized, controlled trial showed fluvoxamine to be effective in treating anxiety disorders in children. The eight-week trial raises many questions about anxiety, the most common psychiatric disorder in children. A panel of experts looks at past and future research.
Ensuring Appropiate Treatment for Patients
September 1st 2001In Illinois, the Department of Public Health and a nursing home facility came under fire after two mentally ill residents were charged with murder. Two recent federal government reports look into the nature of nursing homes and their role as long-term care mental health facilities. Are nursing homes providing appropriate care for mentally ill patients or are these facilities merely being used as warehouses for mentally ill patients?
Pathological Gambling: A Present Problem From the Past
September 1st 2001By definition, gambling is the process of placing something of value (usually money) at risk in the hopes of gaining something of greater value (Potenza et al., 2001). It is a human behavior that has persisted for millennia; some of humanity's earliest historical accounts document gambling as a practice of ancient civilizations (France, 1902; Potenza and Charney, 2001).
An Early Warning Sign for Violence
September 1st 2001Bullying and being bullied put adolescents at risk for developing violent behaviors. Depression and anxiety are two of the underlying issues related to this type of behavior. Recognizing the warning signs may help mental health care professionals prevent violence in the adolescent's life.
Addiction Resource Guide: An Internet Publishing Adventure
August 1st 2001A psychiatrist took his expertise in addiction medicine and coupled it with his desire to start a business. An addiction treatment facility clearinghouse, this Internet venture provides consumers with the opportunity to compare and contrast different treatment centers to find the one best suited to their needs.
CMS Proposes to Change Rule of Restraints
August 1st 2001Restraint rules for young people are filled with troublesome provisions. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration) want to change some of the restraint use rules that apply to Medicaid residential facilities for patients under the age of 21.
How Can a Psychiatrist Make a Fair Agreement With a Patient?
August 1st 2001The doctor/patient relationship has become more complicated and less effective with the introduction of third-party managers into the payment process. The authors propose a middle path solution to this problem that emphasizes clear, up-front communication in order to ensure fairness, privacy and informed consent.