Friday, April 30, 2004

Depression Precedes Eating Disorder in Some Women
Reuters Health story at Yahoo - "Women with eating disorders who have attempted suicide may have had a depressive disorder long before their problems with food began, the results of a small study suggest. Researchers found that among 27 eating-disorder patients with a history of suicide attempts, two thirds had major depression before the onset of the eating disorder. That compares with just one of 27 patients who had never attempted suicide."  
  

High Doses of Older Antidepressants Seen Risky
Reuters Health story at Yahoo - "There appears to be an association between the risk of sudden cardiac death and use of relatively high doses of the tricyclic type of antidepressants (TCAs), investigators report. However, the risk is not increased with the newer type of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or TCAs at doses less than 100 milligrams per day, according to results of a study published in the Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics..."  
  

Women Twice as Likely to Suffer Depression as Men According to Harvard Mental Health Letter
PR Newswire item reprinted at PsycPORT - "Worldwide, almost twice as many women as men are dealing with depression, according to the May issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter. One out of eight women will have an episode of major depression at some time in her life. Women are also more vulnerable to bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and dysthymia (low-level, long-term depression)..."  
  

US Warns J&J on Claims About Antipsychotic Drug
Medscape Medical News story - "U.S. regulators have warned Johnson & Johnson unit Janssen Pharmaceuticals that a letter sent to doctors about its Risperdal drug to treat schizophrenia and bipolar mania is misleading. In a warning disclosed on Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration told Janssen that its November letter failed to disclose information added to Risperdal's labeling about excess blood sugar and diabetes and minimized the risk of serious events including coma and even death. The FDA also said the letter fails to recommend regular testing for diabetes and 'misleadingly claims that Risperdal is safer than other atypical antipsychotics.' " [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

NAMI Walks 2004
Press release at the NAMI web site - "Tens of thousands of Americans will take to the streets beginning this weekend, May 1-2, to raise public awareness that recovery from mental illnesses is possible. NAMIWALKS are part of the Campaign for the Mind of America, sponsored by NAMI (the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) during Mental Health Month." See also the page at the site devoted to NAMI Walks.  
  

Minnesotan Honored with Prestigious Mental Health Award
PR Newswire story at Yahoo - "After more than 30 years of work as a relentless mental health advocate, Minnesota State Advisory Council on Mental Health and Mental Health Association of Minnesota member, Bill Conley is recognized as the 2004 Welcome Back Award honoree for his efforts toward destigmatization of depression. ... Always interested in the mechanics of things, including those of society, its politics and solutions, Mr. Conley has puzzled over legislation that marginalizes people with depression and other mental illnesses. He began his work after answering an employment advertisement for a lobbyist and has been eradicating unfair policy ever since. During his tenure with the Mental Health Association of Minnesota, Mr. Conley has eliminated irrelevant mental health hospitalization questions, worked to increase access to care and helped erase stigma in the workplace." See also the web site of the Welcome Back Awards.  
  

The Military's Mounting Mental Health Problems
Story at AlterNet - "Over the past year there have been an unusually high number of suicides among U.S. troops in Iraq, and hundreds of soldiers experiencing psychological problems have been evacuated from the country. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's recent announcement authorizing the extension – by at least three months – of the tours of duty of some 20,000 soldiers set to return home, and the possibility of intensified urban warfare may add to the stress suffered by soldiers serving in Iraq. In response, the U.S. has increased the use of combat stress control teams, established a toll-free crisis hotline for service members having problems dealing with stress, and set up recuperation centers where soldiers can chill out for a few days before returning to the front lines. Questions about whether these actions are too little too late, and how the soldiers will be treated when they return home remain to be answered..."