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Medicinal Mushrooms and the Immune System !
The polysaccharides and other active compounds in certain medicinal mushrooms may help relieve or possibly remove the painful symptoms and/or causes of some cancers and many autoimmune disorders. Are Diet Foods Healthy? Let us hear the one major...
No light matter
Question : WHAT is macular degeneration? What are the causes? Can supplements help?
Answer : MACULA refers to the light-sensitive area in the centre of the retina that controls the central visual field and the ability to see colours....
The TRUTH About Low Carb Diets!
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy
interpretation of information, it's no wonder that
confusion reigns when it comes to the value and safety
of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are
raging everywhere!
Whether it's...
Walking: A Key To Weight Loss
Doctors prescribe Walking as the best medicine for weight loss.
We walk everyday. Sometimes we go for long walks with our loved ones. But how often do we realize the real significance of a Good Walk. Thirty minutes of quick walking everyday can...
Zyprexa Side Effects are Deadly: Effects Include NMS
Zyprexa is a prescription drug that treats schizophrenia, acute mania and bipolar disorder. It is a psychotropic drug that treats the psychotic disorders of the mind but unlike other drugs for psychotic disorders, Zyprexa is an atypical...
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Erasing the Stigma of "Mental Illness"
As a physician specializing in psychiatry, I know that many emotional conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders are true medical illnesses with a biologic (physical) origin. Psychiatry has become more and more "biological" in its diagnosis and treatment approaches during recent years, but a very significant stigma still exists against those who are seeing a therapist. This has become increasingly difficult to understand, but it is a social stigma that is so very important to eliminate.
Why does an embarrassment or stigma still exist associated with those who are seeking psychiatric treatment? Why do people wait so long before come for help - to the point of becoming nearly non-functional with their families, children and work environment?
First, many people have a picture in their mind of movies in which psychiatrists are ineffective listeners of problems of patients who are lying on psychoanalytic couches. It is important to remember that psychoanalysis preceded our modern treatment approaches which now have a much higher success rate. We currently have many safe and effective medications, which when used with or without psychotherapy, help many people fully recover.
Another reason for the stigma is in the use of the term "mental illness". The field of psychiatry has undergone many changes in the past twenty years. Research into the functioning of the brain and nervous system has led to the concept of a "chemical imbalance" as the cause of illnesses such as Major Depression and Panic Attacks. In addition, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a condition portrayed so well by Jack Nicholson in the 1997 movie As Good As It Gets, is also caused by a chemical imbalance. Medications were used to help treat the "Obsessive Compulsive" character being played by Nicholson. Many psychiatric illnesses are not "mental" or "emotional,” but are now understood to be "neurochemical illnesses".
Many people are told, "You can do this on your own, be strong,” as if a person can easily will themselves out of depression or anxiety. Can someone "Be
Strong" and make their diabetes or bronchitis just go away? These types of suggestions only result in a delay in seeking treatment or feelings of failure in the individual who finally does seek help. The stigma of psychiatric treatment also leads many people to seek help at the health food store, or other types of self-diagnosis and self-medications.
Men in particular have to overcome an additional obstacle. It may seem "Un-Macho Like" to seek professional psychiatric help when one fails to understand or see their condition as an illness, and instead view it as a weakness in their character. Thus, injury to a man's ego often contributes to their long delays in seeking treatment.
My hope is that the shame and secrecy associated with obtaining professional psychiatric help will gradually diminish and eventually cease to exist. If we understand how the social stigma was established in the first place - the media lack of medical knowledge, societies' understanding or ignorance, etc., then we should realize there is no need to "stay in the closet." Let's wipe out the term "mental illness" and view many of these conditions as "neurochemical illness,” with the same non-prejudicial attitude as we do toward diseases such as diabetes or hypertension.
About the author:
Debra S. Gorin, M.D. received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She has been in private practice as a Psychiatrist for the past sixteen years in the Fort Lauderdale area. Dr. Gorin treats all types of stress-related, emotional and psychiatric problems of children, adolescents, and adults. She is also a trained hypnotherapist. Visit her website (http://www.doctorgorin.com) to view her growing library of psychiatric and health-related articles. Dr. Gorin's weblog can be viewed at http://debragorinmd.blogspot.comShe can be contacted at couchdoctor415@yahoo.com
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American Diabetes Association Home Page |
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Diabetes Overview |
Defines diabetes, including the various types and treatments. Provides information on the impact and cost of the disease, its increasing prevalence, ... |
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Diabetes News - The New York Times |
A free collection of articles about diabetes published in The New York Times. |
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children with DIABETES Online Community |
An online community for kids, families, and adults with diabetes, featuring message boards, chat rooms, and questions/answers from medical professionals. |
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International Diabetes Institute - Diabetes Research, Education ... |
The International Diabetes Institute is the leading national and international centre for diabetes research, diabetes education and diabetes care. |
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Educates and informs people about diabetes, its treatment, prevention, and cure of diabetes. |
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