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A recent prostate cancer study has shown that mindful meditation can help alleviate anxiety, fear and uncertainty for men who have this disease. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine researchers. As men age their chance of developing prostate cancer increases, but in many cases the cancer is very slow growing and may not require immediate treatment. Instead the patient is actively monitored to evaluate the growth of any tumors and determine if treatment is needed and what treatment should be given. Medical social sciences associate professor and principal study investigator David Victorson explained “It’s very understandable that some men will feel concerned with the knowledge that they indeed have prostate cancer but are asked to NOT do anything to remove it. For many men this can create a great deal of inner turmoil. This turmoil can build up over time and eventually lead to men seeking surgical intervention when it may not ultimately be necessary.”
The prostate cancer and mindful meditation study used this form of meditation in order to decrease the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that men experienced while being actively monitored but not treated for their cancer. The scientists found that 1 out of 4 men who had active surveillance after diagnosis ended up receiving a definitive treatment for their tumor even when tumor progression signs were absent. According to Victorson “I believe we have an opportunity to investigate and equip men with additional tools above and beyond surgical intervention that can help them manage cancer-related uncertainty intolerance.”
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In the USA alone around 3.5 million people could benefit from a schizophrenia cure because they struggle with this form of mental illness. In the past schizophrenia was considered to be incurable, leaving suffers with little hope. People who have this mental disorder often experience patterns of speech and thought that are disorganized and even chaotic. Delusions and hallucinations are also very common with this condition. A new research study gives hope that a cure may be possible, and the cure could come from within the individual instead of from external sources. A study performed by a research team from Western University Robarts Research Institute and London Science Centre Prevention & Early Intervention Program for Psychoses Medical Director Dr Lena Palaniyappan has determined that the damage done by schizophrenia in the brain could be repaired over time. The goal is to cure schizophrenia instead of just managing the symptoms of this mental disorder.
The research study on a schizophrenia cure and more effective treatment options for this form of mental illness involved 98 adults who were previously diagnosed with schizophrenia and who were clinically stable. An additional 83 subjects of the study did not have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. According to Dr. Palaniyappan “Even the state-of-art frontline treatments aim merely for a reduction rather than a reversal of the cognitive and functional deficits caused by the illness. Our results highlight that despite the severity of tissue damage, the brain of a patient with schizophrenia is constantly attempting to reorganize itself, possibly to rescue itself or limit the damage.”
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, often called OCD for short, is a serious mental health disorder that can impact every area of life. Someone who has this condition will be preoccupied with order and cleanliness, and with maintaining control every second. This comes at the expense of being open, flexible, and even efficient. Someone with OCD usually has certain rituals that must be followed, and making common every day decisions can be excruciating. While the exact causes of obsessive compulsive disorder are not yet fully understood most professionals believe that this condition is caused by a variety of factors that can include genetics, biology, social development and other social factors, and psychological factors that can be different with each individual. There is not one single factor that can be blamed, instead the condition is caused by a combination of factors combined.
Some of the symptoms for obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD include:
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A preoccupation with order, details, and rules and lists. This preoccupation is so severe that the entire point of the event or activity is lost.
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Perfectionism that causes interference with completing tasks, with standards that are overly strict or even impossible for most people to meet.
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Inflexibility and stubbornness, insisting that others do things according to the exact rules and expectations of the OCD sufferer. This usually makes the individual reluctant to work with other people or to delegate even small tasks to someone else.
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An inability to get rid of things that are no longer useful or needed, even if these items have no practical or sentimental value.
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The latest scientific analysis shows that interventions for alcohol use reduction were not effective at all when the interventions were aimed at fraternity members and possibly sorority members, and the analysis covered data and research for a period of 25 years. The data that was used also represented more than 6,000 university and college students. According to Lori Scott-Sheldon, Ph.D., the lead researcher for the research study, “Current intervention methods appear to have limited effectiveness in reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems among fraternity and possibly sorority members. Stronger interventions may need to be developed for student members of Greek letter organizations.” The study showed that there were no significant differences in alcohol amounts consumed, the frequency of drinking to excess, and even alcohol use related problems between the intervention group and others. In fact in a surprising twist many fraternity and possibly sorority members consumed even more alcohol after receiving an intervention.
Scott-Sheldon explained the results from the study on interventions for alcohol use among Greek college organizations. “We expected that providing Greek members with a thoughtfully designed and carefully administered alcohol intervention would reduce consumption and problems relative to no intervention. Reducing alcohol consumption and problems among fraternity and sorority members will require a different strategy relative to their college drinking peers. Additional research is needed to determine the best approach to reduce alcohol misuse among members of Greek letter organizations. Given the lack of research with sorority members, our findings may not be generalizable to all members of Greek organizations. More research is needed to determine the efficacy of alcohol interventions specifically for sorority members.”
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The results of a new University of Pennsylvania study shows that extreme aggression in children could be reduced in the short term with the use of omega 3 supplements. The study evaluated and followed preteens who had a history of violence and severe aggression, and the researchers found that when these children receive a supplement that is rich in omega 3s, vitamins, and minerals the problem behavior was reduced in the short term. This was especially true in children who had a more emotional and impulsive form of aggression. Previous studies have also found that omega 3s can help reduce aggression and violence in children but none of these studies involved children in the USA. Richard Perry University Professor of Criminology, Psychology and Psychiatry Dr. Adrian Raine has dedicated his career to researching antisocial behavior and the way the brain functions, and focusing on how to modify aggressive or antisocial behaviors. Dr. Raine explained “How do you change the brain to make people better? How can we improve brain functioning to improve behavior?”
The study on omega 3 supplements and extreme aggression in children evaluated and followed almost 300 children who had a history of violence and aggression. The children weer divided into 4 distinct groups for treatment. One group received a juice supplement rich in vitamins, minerals, calcium, and omega 3s. Another group received cognitive behavioral therapy. Group 3 received the supplements and the CBT while group 4 received information and access to resources which targeted aggression reduction in the child. According to researchers “Immediately after three months of the nutritional intervention rich in omega-3s, we found a decrease in the children’s reporting of their aggressive behavior.” According to Dr. Raine “No matter what program you use, could adding omega-3s to your treatment help? This suggests it could. We can’t oversimplify the complexity of antisocial behavior. There are many causes. It’s not just the brain. Is it a piece of the jigsaw puzzle? I think it is.”
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Cancer patients who struggle with depression typically have a lower quality of life and can have problems getting their lives back on track after they receive treatment for their cancer according to a recent research study. The University of Southampton in England and Macmillan Cancer Support researchers found that 20% of colorectal cancer patients suffer from depression at the time that they are diagnosed with cancer. The full study results and conclusions can be found in the PLOS ONE journal. The study found that cancer patients who are depressed have a risk of very poor health seven times higher than the general population, and they are much more likely, thirteen times more likely in fact, to have a quality of life that is also very poor.
Macmillan Cancer Support Professor Jane Maher, who is also the Joint Chief Medical Officer of the organization, explained the study on depression and cancer patients and described how depression impacts the mental health of the patient. According to Maher “In fact, it affects their recovery more than whether or not they’ve been diagnosed early. We know that depression and anxiety often go hand in hand with cancer, but now we can see the extent to which people are struggling to live with these illnesses. Colorectal cancer can have some difficult physical consequences, such as incontinence and sexual difficulties — it’s more than enough for anyone to have to deal with. Mental health issues can be a real barrier to people getting better. This is a stark reminder that every cancer patient is different and so many people are living with many issues on top of coping with cancer. As healthcare professionals we need to consider each person’s individual needs to ensure they get the best support possible. And not just while they’re going through treatment, but for many years afterwards. This research tells us that having depression has an enormous impact on how people live after their cancer treatment.”
