Featured Articles

People who suffer from severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are not likely to be violent unless they are also a substance abusers, according to a study from the University of North Carolina.

• Dr. Eric Elbogen and his colleagues went through the records of 34,653 people from a government health survey conducted in 2003.
• Three years later, the researchers checked whether these people had engaged in violence, including sexual assaults, attacks with guns or knives, arson, or physical fighting.
• Those who suffered from severe mental illnesses but did not abuse substances were not at higher risk to committing violence.
• However, the combination of substance abuse plus mental illness put a person at three times the risk for violence.

"The reality is you still have people with mental illness who do commit violent acts," said Dr. Elbogen. "There is a relationship [between mental illness and violence] but it's much weaker than most people think."

If you or someone you love is struggling with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse (also known as dual diagnosis), know a range of treatment options are available to you.
 

Labels: violence, substance use, dual diagnosis, mental health

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Young men are more likely than young women to abuse alcohol or other drugs when their romantic relationships go bad, according to a new study from Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

• Dr. Robin Simon studied 1,611 men and women of college age, interviewing them twice in a two year period.
• Both genders reported depression when relationships were troubled.
• Males were more likely to abuse substances at those times.

"Simply being in a relationship may be more important for a woman's identity," said Dr. Simon. "Having a relationship is something that is emphasized constantly for women."

However, the strength of the relationship is helpful to men, and difficult times are particularly hard on them, she said.

"Part of our emotional culture is that men should not feel sad," she said. "While women are free to feel and express emotion, men turned to mood-altering substances to get rid of culturally inappropriate feelings."
 

Labels: binge drinking, relationships, mental health

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A study of emergency room records from 2007 found that mental health and drug abuse issues (also know as co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis) are common in patients’ visits. Of the 95 million ER visits in 2007, about 12 million of the visitors had either mental health or substance abuse issues, or both.

“Of these visits, about two thirds involved patients with a mental disorder, one quarter was for patients with a substance abuse problem and the rest involved patients dealing with both a mental disorder and substance abuse.” [Source: Citizen-Times (Asheville, NC)]

About 23 percent of the patients had alcohol-related problems. The study also found that mental health and substance abuse issues dramatically increased the likelihood that a patient would be admitted to the hospital, rather than being treated and released.

Labels: substance use, dual diagnosis, mental health

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Sara Carlin had been taking anti-depressant medication for about a year before she committed suicide. Her parents asked for an investigation into what role – if any – her medication might have played in her death.

“A lawyer for Ms. Carlin’s family attempted to draw a strong link between her death and Paxil, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication that the young woman had been taking… Over the months after she began taking Paxil, he said, she told friends she was suicidal, wrote a note in which she said she was tired of life and later landed in hospital after a session of drinking and cocaine use.” [Source: The Globe and Mail (Canada)]

A lawyer for the pharmaceutical company, however, pointed to medical records in which doctors stated that Sara’s mood and sleep began to improve as a result of Paxil. The inquiry can’t place blame for Sara’s death, but it can request recommendations – including a requirement that doctors inform patients of possible side-effects associated with Paxil.

Labels: suicide, mental health, antidepressants

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

In March 2010, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. Six months later, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced $100 million in grants made possible by the law’s Prevention and Public Health Fund.

“The grants will support a variety of critical public health programs in states and local communities; everything from tobacco quit lines to HIV testing to programs that help address and tackle substance abuse and mental health issues.” - Source: MediLexicon

A total of $26.6 million will be allocated to state and local substance abuse and mental health programs through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Proponents of the grants tout their focus not only on treatment of issues like substance abuse, but prevention as well.

Labels: substance use, treatment, mental health

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments