Addiction & Substance Use

The Human Genome project has provided an abundance of genetic information, including identification of many disease-causing genes. Clinical applications, genetic counseling and the potential ethical issues raised by the availability of genetic testing are all areas of concern in gene research. Will genetic counseling in classical genetic diseases help to provide guidelines for behavioral disorders?

Research conducted over the past 30 years leads to the conclusion that televised violence does influence viewers' attitudes, values and behavior.

The Child School in New York City provides a unique learning experience for children with learning and developmental disabilities. What teaching methods and curriculum are employed at the school? What is the link between parent and teacher involvement and the children's progress at The Child School?

House Minority Leader, Richard Gephardt addressed the National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers as part of their new Inform America campaign. Gephardt discussed not only what needs to happen for Americans to have good mental health care, but what Congress has already accomplished.

A recent large, randomized, controlled trial showed fluvoxamine to be effective in treating anxiety disorders in children. The eight-week trial raises many questions about anxiety, the most common psychiatric disorder in children. A panel of experts looks at past and future research.

By definition, gambling is the process of placing something of value (usually money) at risk in the hopes of gaining something of greater value (Potenza et al., 2001). It is a human behavior that has persisted for millennia; some of humanity's earliest historical accounts document gambling as a practice of ancient civilizations (France, 1902; Potenza and Charney, 2001).

Bullying and being bullied put adolescents at risk for developing violent behaviors. Depression and anxiety are two of the underlying issues related to this type of behavior. Recognizing the warning signs may help mental health care professionals prevent violence in the adolescent's life.

Several case examples of how psychiatrists can be a valuable asset in a workplace environment are given. What are the similarities and differences between this situation and clinical practice?

A psychiatrist took his expertise in addiction medicine and coupled it with his desire to start a business. An addiction treatment facility clearinghouse, this Internet venture provides consumers with the opportunity to compare and contrast different treatment centers to find the one best suited to their needs.

What is abandonment? Who is responsible? Where is the line drawn between no liability to treat and abandonment? Read how psychiatrists can protect themselves from the legal ramifications of abandonment.

Were you unable to attend the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in May? Read the first part in a series of summaries of important new research presented there.

When treating alcohol-dependent patients, clinicians may be well advised to integrate disulfiram into the treatment plan. Who are good candidates, and who are not? How can you enlist the aid of family members and friends to ensure compliance?

With an increasing number of drugs in the pipeline, the efficacy and safety of drug trials become even more important. Who are the various entities sponsoring these trials, and what are their goals?

On May 3, U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., launched a national plan to reduce the suicide rate in the United States. A collaborative effort by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention maps out 11 goals and provides a blueprint for action on those goals.

There are three types of integration practiced by psychotherapists: Common Factors, Assimilative Integration and Theoretical Integration. How do they differ from each other, and how does psychotherapy integration differ from an eclectic approach to therapy?

Can brain scans show a difference between drug therapy and psychotherapy? A researcher at University of California at Los Angeles uses positron emission tomography to observe the difference in brain changes between these two types of treatment for major depression.

Since adolescent patients often retreat into fantasy worlds of their own making, they can be difficult to treat. Psychotherapists can create a common fantasy world for successful group therapy with the use of popular fiction books, television series and movies.

After the recent decade of the brain and in the present era of evidence-based practice, psychoanalytic treatment of personality disorder is being challenged.

Carveout programs for behavioral health care are becoming more common. Who do they benefit3/4the patient, the doctor or the insurance company?

Stemming from evolutionary man and his simple, primitive act of help in exchange for help and Darwinian theory, Paul Genova, M.D., discusses the role reciprocal altruism plays in the "helping profession" of psychiatry.

Nonverbal cues speak just as loudly as words. How can video be used to capture these subtle cues and help patients make progress in therapy?

There are two goals in the acute treatment setting (e.g., emergency department): initiation of treatment and reducing the symptoms of agitation and aggression that frequently accompany an acute psychotic breakdown. Treatment options and considerations are reviewed.

The FDA approved two new intramuscular, immediate-release formulations of atypical antipsychotics. Both olanzapine (Zyprexa IM) and ziprasidone (Geodon IM) were recommended as safe and effective for the treatment of agitation in patients with schizophrenia.

A groundbreaking program at UCLA goes into inner-city schools to help students work through trauma. By learning how to deal with the trauma itself and reminders of the trauma, students are able to improve their academic and social performance.

Psychiatrists can play a vital role in determining whether or not a patient will be a good candidate for an organ transplant. Using a case vignette, Dr. Garton explains how she helps a transplant team make the best possible decision.

(Additional information regarding violence and trauma can be found in the Special Report section of the April 2001 issue of Psychiatric Times-Ed.)

The author examines how temperature and length of day can affect mood and behavior, both in a general population and a group of inpatients. In both groups, there were two peaks of violent behavior, one in May-June and one in October-November, which correspond with the equinoxes. Is it possible to track violent behavior in various geographical areas depending upon weather and length of day?

In this overview of research into the biopsychosocial changes caused by traumatic events, Dr. Novac discusses psychopathology, brain development and the effect a traumatic event can have on the victim's family-even long after the event occurred.

"Stalking" is defined as repeated and persistent unwanted communications and/or approaches that produce fear in the victim. The stalker may use such means as telephone calls, letters, e-mail, graffiti and placing notices in the media. A stalker may approach or follow the victim, or keep their residence under surveillance.

Most studies have found clear gender differences in the prevalence of depressive disorders. Typically, studies report that women have a prevalence rate for depression up to twice that of men (Bebbington, 1996; Nolen-Hoeksema, 1987).