Mental HealthInfo Center

Pro Bowl Linebacker Seau Dies
One of the most feared linebackers in the NFL died today as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.
Nuts May Help Your Noggin
Have an extra slice of salmon each week, or add some almonds to your weekly snacks - it may help keep your mind clearer for longer as you get on in years. A recent study has found a link between eating foods with omega-3 fatty acids and lower levels of a protein that's related to Alzheimer's disease. Foods like fish, nuts and chicken are sources of omega-3s . Regularly eat foods with omega-3 fatty acids, like chicken and nuts. lead author Nikolaos Scarmeas , MD, of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, and colleagues set out to find connections between specific nutrie...
Multi-tasking Makes Us Feel Good
Media multitasking is becoming ever more popular but some studies have shown that our cognitive abilities may be reduced by it. If multitasking actually reduces productivity, why are more and more people doing it? A new study suggests that the cause may be emotional. Students self-reported that they felt higher levels of emotional satisfaction after media multitasking despite being less focused. You may work and study more effectively without multi-tasking. "There's this myth among some people that multitasking makes them more productive," said Zheng Wang, PhD, assistant profess...
Is a Good Night's Sleep Enough
If your child is acting up at school or struggling to focus or learn, it may not necessarily be a psychiatric condition or learning disability. They might just be really, really sleepy.
Violence Alters Kids' DNA
Stress can make people look tired, worn out and even older than they really are. It turns out, that stress from being around violence during childhood can start the aging process on a cellular level too. A recent study that looks at the aging of DNA cells finds evidence that major stressors, like acts of domestic violence, can effect kids as young as 5 years old. Report violent acts, especially when a child is involved! Idan Shalev PhD., is working on his post-doctoral studies in psychology and neuroscience at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, and his resear...
Words Not Fists
Ever wonder why some kids fight and some kids don’t? There are exceptions to every rule, but parental attitudes towards physical violence plays a role in kid’s fighting behavior. A recent study asked why some children fight while others walk away. Results suggest that kids learn a lot about fighting from their parent’s examples and beliefs. Talk to your kids about conflict resolution instead of fighting. Rashmi Shetgiri MD., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and her team studied 65 teens from the Dallas Independent ...
Pregnant Moms' Narcotic Use Increasing
The use of opiate drugs among pregnant women has more than quadrupled from 2000 to 2009 - which has led to approximately one baby being born every hour with signs of drug withdrawal. The rate of babies born in 2009 with neonatal abstinence syndrome is approximately three times the rate in 2000, and the increase has had even greater impact because of increased costs associated with the condition, according to a recent study. Ask a therapist about drug addition programs. Neonatal abstinence syndrome is a complex condition in newborns that includes a range of problems resulting fro...
Bigger Waistline Know Taglines
Think outside the bun for some finger lickin ' good food. Head for the border and have it your way. And if you recognized all those taglines , you might be more likely to be obese. Although past research has shown a link between TV watching and obesity, less evidence exists regarding possible links between obesity and fast food advertising. But an unpublished study recently presented at a conference offers just that. Limit your child's access to fast food. Auden McClure, MD, an assistant professor of the Department of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, led the ...
Arthritis Anxiety
Arthritis affects an estimated 50 million people in the United States alone. Physical joint pain may not be the only negative effect, psychological disorders may accompany arthritis as well.
Mom's Stress Could Affect Junior
Feeling stressed out during your pregnancy? A round of yoga or a meeting with your therapist for stress management tips may help your baby too. An unpublished study being presented at a conference on children's health points to the possibility that first trimester stress for mom might translate to less iron for her baby. Low iron levels could mean slower physical and mental development later. Plan ways to relieve stress during your pregnancy. Rinat Armony-Sivan , PhD, director of the psychology research laboratory at Ashkelon Academic College in Israel, led a study to investig...