Health Diaries > Health News > Mental Health News > December 2005
December 13, 2005
Colin Farrell In Treatment for Exhaustion and Drug Dependency
Colin Farrell is being treated for exhaustion and dependency on prescription medication, his publicist said. The medication was prescribed to the Irish actor after a back injury, publicist Danica Smith said in a written statement Monday. (Washington Post)
Posted by news editor at 09:23 AM
December 10, 2005
Zoloft Side Effects Blamed for Girl's Murder
Lisa Anderson's daughter was shot to death by the girl's boyfriend, Zachary Schmidkunz, in 2003. Schmidkunz blamed his actions on his use of Zoloft. Now Anderson has filed a wrongful death suit against Schmidkunz, his parents, and Pfizer, Inc - the makers of Zoloft.
Lisa Anderson's lawsuit alleges Zachary Schmidkunz's parents, Rhonda and Gail Schmidkunz, should have known about his depression and suicidal thoughts and kept him away from a shotgun. It also claims Pfizer Inc., the maker of the antidepressant drug Zoloft, knew of but failed to warn that Zoloft's side effects could lead to uncontrollable rage in young patients. (AP)
Posted by news editor at 07:55 AM
Prejudice May Be Classified as a Mental Illness
Mental health practitioners say they regularly confront extreme forms of racism, homophobia and other prejudice in the course of therapy, and that some patients are disabled by these beliefs. As doctors increasingly weigh the effects of race and culture on mental illness, some are asking whether pathological bias ought to be an official psychiatric diagnosis. (Washington Post)
Posted by news editor at 07:15 AM
December 08, 2005
American Airlines Passenger Had Bipolar Disorder
Rigoberto Alpizar, the man who was shot by a federal air marshal on an American Airlines flight yesterday after claiming to have a bomb, is said by his wife to have had bipolar disorder.
Several supporters of the air marshal program praised the marshals' actions, but the shooting is likely to raise questions about the expanded presence of guns aboard commercial airplanes in recent years, as well as the marshals' training -- in particular, with people who appear to be mentally unstable. Moments before he was shot, Alpizar's wife said he was bipolar. (Washington Post)
Posted by news editor at 04:08 AM
December 07, 2005
Many Hurricane Katrina Survivors in Deep Mental Distress
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a significant amount of survivors and residents are suffering with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts. Not only was Katrina one of the worst disasters in U.S. history, but it is leaving some of the worst scars as well:
In a clinical survey of Orleans and Jefferson parishes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 45 percent of the residents were experiencing "significant distress or dysfunction" and 25 percent had an even "higher degree of dysfunction," said Dori Reissman of the CDC. Nearly half of those interviewed reported feeling isolated, and a quarter believe at least one family member needs counseling. (Washington Post)
Posted by news editor at 07:28 AM
December 06, 2005
Faith Based Counseling Becoming More Popular
When Mary Bailey of Takoma Park sought help for stress and anxiety, one thing was clear to her: She didn't want to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.
A health care worker, mother and evangelical Christian, Bailey says that "being a Christian guides the choices I make and how I make sense of the world. I didn't think a psychologist or psychiatrist would be sensitive to that." (Washington Post)
Posted by news editor at 07:32 AM
The Health Benefits of Pets
Pets can have a profound effect on their human companions. As this article explains, pets have been credited with saving lives during emergencies, relieving depression and preventing suicide, reducing stress, and much more.
The pet owning study reviewed research conducted since the 1980s that has helped popularize what BMJ called the "view that pet ownership could have positive benefits on human health." Reputed benefits include higher survival rates from heart attack, lower use of doctors' services, a reduced risk of asthma and allergies in children exposed to pets during the first year of life, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and better physical and psychological well-being in the elderly. (Washington Post)
Posted by news editor at 07:05 AM