The Debt Crunch and Stress-induced Illness

A recent Associated Press-AOL poll, which took another look at the debt-stress crunch now affecting the American consumer, found that 44% of the 1,002 people in the survey indicated migraine headaches, 29% had severe anxiety, 23% suffered from severe depression and half of the study participants had some form of muscle tension or back pain. The results, when compared to a previous study completed in 2004, show significant increases in debt-related stress-induced physical problems. It's no secret that chronic stress brings on physical problems and the emotional toll is hefty, as well.

Americans have piled up $957 billion in consumer debt, according to the Federal Reserve, and much of it is in the form of credit card debt. Twenty percent of after-tax income is now earmarked to pay this debt and that leaves household budgets with increasingly less money to spend on essentials.

What can be done? My first thought is for professional help in credit card counseling from a reputable service and then consider lifestyle changes to help you weather this credit storm. You will survive, but just as anyone who's ever been through a tornado knows, you have to begin to sort things out and reorder your priorities.

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Technorati Tags: economy, recession, stress, debt, credit cards, saving money

Depression for Women, Alcohol for Men

A study which appear in the July issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has added some interesting new insights into the ways that women and men handle stress. It seems that men seek the stress-reduction method of alcohol consumption while women become depressed.

Why might this be? The researchers think it's because men, perhaps, have been socialized to use alcohol or that there are, seemingly, gender-specific brain stress pathways that differ in the sexes. One researcher, however, said she thought it was because women tend to think about negative experiences more while men use distraction techniques, such as alcohol, to calm themselves.

So, is it biological or learned? Perhaps, as in most research findings, a little of both and it indicates that we may need to do a better job of helping men and women learn healthier ways to cope.

Is alcoholism or addiction an issue in your family? We've got support for you on our Addiction and Substance Abuse support group.

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Technorati Tags: stress, men, women, gender, alcoholism

Picture of an Anxious Brain

The brain, to my mind, is the final frontier that is still being explored and with each exploration we learn more of its incredible secrets. The latest finding on social phobia is brought to us through SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) scans which have now verified the biological basis of this problem. We know that two specific neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) seem to be related to the disorder and a small study in Europe has now confirmed an imbalance in the functioning of these chemicals in the brain. The study was published in the May issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Some 15 million adults in the US suffer from social anxiety disorder.

The researchers point out that this is an important first step to making a connection between the disorder and a biological basis for it. They do, however, caution that they can't say whether the people in the sample had the imbalance prior to the appearance of the disorder. So it would seem that this is yet another example supporting a biologic, genetic, environmental basis for some anxiety disorders and to treat them as medical disorders.

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Image Credit: SNM.org

Technorati Tags: SPECT, social phobia, neurotransmitters, anxiety, imaging

Single Session Therapy: One Session and Out?

The increasing difficulty with obtaining insurance reimbursement for mental healthcare may have sparked new interest in an even briefer form of therapy that was discussed in a 1995 book by Michael Hoyt, Ph.D. (Brief Therapy and Managed Care, 1995). It is Hoyt's belief, after noting that up to 40% of psychotherapy clients stop after the first session, that therapy can be effective in only one 60-minute or less session.

While therapists may view the patient's failure to continue with therapy after one session, Hoyt sees it as an indication that perhaps only one or two sessions were needed after all. Other psychologists working as a team at the VA have indicated that just one, 60-minute session with even the seriously mentally ill can be effective. They call it a "motivational interview" and it helps to refocus on the primary problem(s) so that the client could zero in on the problem and begin to come up with a plan to resolve them.

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Work, Stress and Mental Health

Work plays a central role in most people's lives and it is for that reason that the workplace must be one of the most carefully monitored keys to maintaining our mental health. Corporations understand the need for good healthcare for their employees and have even brought in workout equipment, trainers, nutritionists and relaxation experts to help stem the rising cost of employee healthcare. It's a win-win situation when both the employer and the employee realize the gains.

Besides all the programs, where can you find solutions to stress in your workplace? How about spending some time with co-workers and each of you offering support and helpful solutions? Anyone who is currently experiencing high levels of stress needs to understand that they're not alone and they have supportive people around them.

Where do supervisors fit in? Employee Assistance counselors offer both individual help as well as providing programs to teach relaxation and stress-reduction techniques. All employees should be encouraged to take advantage of whichever one is most helpful for them.

What about offering, or requesting if you're an employee, a more flexible schedule where you can keep appointments for mental health or outside appointments with trainers or just to be able to come in late one morning a week and work a bit later on the other days to make up for this? I know many companies that have this flextime arrangement and employees not only enjoy this added freedom, but their attitude toward the company changes. It is this change in outlook at help the corporate environment as well as the bottom line.

Rigid gets us nowhere in terms of our mental health. Even redwood knows they have to bend a bit with the wind in order to survive.

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Technorati Tags: health, stress, happiness, work, balance

Kids, PTSD and Loss

The loss of a parent is a traumatic event, yet the therapeutic interventions for kids have pretty much centered around the traditional belief that grief needs to be the focus of the therapy. Now, researchers at the University of Georgia have looked at how the inclusion of therapy for PTSD might be effective.

They used a therapeutic camp environment to utilize both grief counseling, PTSD treatment and the usual camp activities with 100 children who had lost a parent. The camp environment and group sessions aided in helping the kids view their situation in relation to that of other kids, too.

Comparing results of this camp experience with that of children who didn't attend the camp, the researchers indicate that continuing to experience severe PTSD was up to 4.5 times greater for the kids who hadn't had the opportunities afforded by the camp. Even looking at grief counseling and camp attendance alone, without the PTSD sessions, wasn't as effective as the combination of the two modalities. So, it would seem that the therapeutic focus for kids with this type of loss has to be broadened. The results are in the May issue of Research on Social Work Practice.

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Technorati Tags: PTSD, grief, loss, death in family, children, camp, counseling