Dr. Henry Paul, MD

Psychiatrist, Author and Educator

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

October 28th, 2015

Domestic violence impacts women, men, and children of every age, background, and belief. Nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men in the United States have suffered severe physical violence by an intimate partner. Presidential Proclamation 2015

46184702_sOn September 30th of this year, President Barack Obama proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For many decades, domestic violence was not recognized as a serious offense. Victims found very little support to help them escape their abusive relationship and rebuild their life.

I read stories all the time about abuse and see them every day in the news.
Back in 2014, I wrote about the cases of both NFL football players Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice. Both men were thrust into the national spotlight after being accused of violence against their loved ones; Rice’s then girlfriend and now wife and Peterson’s son.

This began a national dialogue that played out for many months as the NFL sought to punish their own and to make an effort to support DV awareness. Make no mistake, both domestic violence and child abuse are unacceptable, and the focus should be on helping the victim first and foremost. Their safety and well-being as a victim of domestic violence or child abuse is of the utmost importance. But I want to add that we need to look at how we can help the abuser. If there is no abuser, there is no DV.

Domestic violence happens in all types of situations including dating violence, sexual assault and abuse, stalking, domestic and intimate partner violence, and same-sex relationship violence. It also includes violence against parents, children, and siblings.

DV includes physical, sexual, psychological attacks, and often economic control. Having no options to leave many victims stay in hopes that things will change. Sadly, they often don’t!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) first designated by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in October 1981. It evolved from the “Day of Unity” held to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The common themes that unite all the efforts of DVAM include:

  • Mourning those who have died because of domestic violence
  • Celebrating those who have survived
  • Connecting those who work to end violence

According to the U.S. Department of Justice Nonfatal Domestic Violence, domestic violence (DV) accounted for 21% of all violent victimization from 2003 to 2012 and the majority of reported DV incidents were committed against females – 76% compared to 24% for men.

As we close in on the final days of October, I hope you will think about how you might be able to help in your community. There are shelters that need clothing donations for adults and children. Many times victims flee with no belongings. Many shelters need volunteers to help man their hotline. They need help with fundraisers, mailings and community outreach.

President Obama said it best in his proclamation. “I call on all Americans to speak out against domestic violence and support local efforts to assist victims of these crimes in finding the help and healing they need.”

Let’s make sure to keep these efforts at the forefront long after you blow out that last Halloween pumpkin this weekend!

Links:

We Need to Help the Abusers. Too!
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Womenshealth.gov – Resources by State on Violence Against Women

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

THE DOCTOR CAN SEE YOU NOW – ON YOUR COMPUTER!

October 26th, 2015

“Some states are promoting wider use of long-distance telepsychiatry to fill the gaps in care.”  The Blade

44975778_sThe shortage of child psychiatrists in the United States today is no surprise to me. Many of us who are practicing saw it coming. What we didn’t see coming was the rapid rise in the use of long-distance telepsychiatry where patients see their doctor through videoconferencing.

Long before there was a national shortage of psychiatrists, there was a dire shortage of psychiatrists in rural areas of the country. This shortage prompted practitioners to find new ways of reaching and treating patients in these remote areas. These were patients of all ages who were dealing with everything from mild depression, substance abuse and learning disabilities to those in the midst of a psychotic episode. Up to this point, for many of these people access to proper treatment was the barrier to recovery.

So what is telepsychiatry? It is part of a growing national trend called telemedicine, in which physicians can see patients from remote locations using secure videoconferencing. Using this system, a psychiatrist or other professional can talk to and physically view the patient through a video screen with a web camera and microphone. On the other end, the patient can view the psychiatrist through a similar audio-visual system.

States like South Carolina, Texas, Colorado and North Carolina have led the way in telepsychiatry. In North Carolina, Gov. Pat McCrory supports the use of telepsychiatry and the legislature there appropriated $2 million in 2013-14 and $2 million for 2014-15 for the program. That shows real commitment by the elected officials to the success of the program.

Telepsychiatry is new territory for medical and legal professionals, as well as for insurers. There are many issues that still have to be worked out. The most urgent seems to be HIPAA and health insurance coverage including Medicaid and Medicare.

In the end, telepsychiatry certainly creates its challenges for the medical community but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Shrinking profession: Serious shortage of psychiatrists facing much of U.S.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

YOU ARE GETTING SLEEPY, VERY SLEEPY….THE DANGERS OF HYPNOSIS

October 20th, 2015

42398177_sRecently a court in Florida sided with the families of three students who died after their principal hypnotized them. The principal who was hypnotizing the students to help them deal with such things as test anxiety, trouble concentrating and dealing with pain held no license to practice therapeutic hypnosis. He had been told several times by the district’s school board that he was not to hypnotize students.

The former principal admitted to hypnotizing more than 75 students, staff and others between 2006 and 2011. Among those who were hypnotized, three of those students died in 2011; two from suicide and one was in a fatal car accident after apparently self-hypnotizing to deal with pain from a toothache, a technique the principal had taught the teenager to overcome pain during football games.

In general, hypnosis is usually a benign experience, but there are risks. In this case, I suspect that the posthypnotic effects of suggestion were in play.

Hypnosis is defined in the GOOGLE dictionary as the induction of a state of consciousness in which a person apparently loses the power of voluntary action and is highly responsive to suggestion or direction. Its use in therapy, typically to recover suppressed memories or to allow modification of behavior by suggestion, has been revived but is still controversial.

Hypnosis by a trained professional, who is aware of the possible side effects, is generally safe. Licensed professionals are trained to anticipate, minimize, recognize and treat the occurrence and severity of the side effects. Side effects and complications of hypnosis can include unexpected feelings, unexpected trance-like state, delusional thinking, depression, suicidal thoughts, a crisis of identity, impaired memory and changes in personality. Physical side effects include nausea, dizziness and insomnia.

Hypnosis that is conducted by a trained therapist or health care professional is considered a safe, complementary and alternative medicine treatment. Studies as early as 2005 suggested that hypnotists can strongly influence the behavior of their subjects. I believe that hypnosis does work for certain habit disorders, addictions such as smoking, and possibly compulsions. Hypnosis should only be done by licensed and experienced people, and under no circumstance should anyone, including a high school principal, be doing it.

Parents of student killed in hypnosis scandal speak out
Board OKs settlement over principal who hypnotized students

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

47 AND COUNTING!

October 15th, 2015

I never thought that I would be writing a blog about 47 school shootings in one year. And, it’s not even the end of the year, yet, we still have more than two months to go!

39846362_sAfter the Oregon shooting last month, President Obama said, “This is becoming the norm.” The norm? Are we going to say this is the new norm in America? Not for me and I don’t think it’s “the norm” for many of you, either.

In 2014 after the shooting at Reynolds High School in Oregon that left one student dead, the President said at a forum hosted by Tumblr, “We’re the only developed country on Earth where this happens. And it happens now once a week. And it’s a one-day story. There’s no place else like this.”

So how do we change this? The politicians from all parties have shown us their unwillingness to truly take on the mighty NRA (National Rifle Association). But, as the President said, we also have to bear some of that blame ourselves. Are we motivated enough to pressure our members of Congress into making a change? Do we hold them accountable when they don’t? Do we allow time to make us complacent? Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and this issue isn’t going to be resolved overnight, but we have to remain vigilant. We need to be nipping at the heels of our elected officials reminding them that we DEMAND change!

What I found fascinating was the response to President Obama’s speech after this last shooting at Umpqua Community College. A speech that was so rooted in reality and so sensible. He talked of common sense about our country and the possession of almost 300 million weapons and the correlation with domestic violence. If common sense means the sense of what we have in common with others, then it becomes obvious that there is a little commonality of sensibility on this issue.

After the President had spoken, immediately politicians and pundits went on the war path politicizing the issue while yelling that the President was doing just that. I thought most sensible people would agree with the President about the senseless freedom in the USA to acquire guns, but that would be wrong. This country has little sense of commonality of purpose. We are a nation in conflict, notably about gun control, but much else as well. The conflicts seem irreconcilable at this time. That is until more seasoned, mature politicians are elected by the people. I wait with guarded hope, but I’m not too optimistic after the recent Republican debates.

What I did see recently was the love and joy pouring out during the visit of Pope Francis. I saw the hunger of people wanting peace, compassion and love. Those sentiments are still alive and well, and I hope and believe it is that source that will eventually win out.

A Breakdown of the 47 School Shootings So Far This Year

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

WHO IS KIDDING WHO? FLAVORED TOBACCO IS LURING KIDS TO SMOKE

October 8th, 2015

“Youth who use multiple tobacco products are at higher risk for developing nicotine dependence and might be more likely to continue using tobacco into adulthood.” Center for Disease Control CDC

40494647_sLast week the CDC announced its findings in a new study that looked at flavored tobacco and its influence on teens and smoking. The problem for this age group is the growing usage and the misguided perception that e-cigarettes and other tobacco products are safe alternatives to cigarette smoking. I want to be clear – they’re not!

The CDC says that electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are battery-powered devices that provide doses of nicotine and other additives to the user in an aerosol.

This new CDC study looked at flavored tobacco and its propensity for enticing young people to smoke. Guess what? Teens and middle schoolers think that because it tastes better or because it is an e-cigarette that it is safer. The CDC says nearly a quarter of high school students and more than 7 percent of middle-schoolers have used some tobacco product.

In a report to NBC News, CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. said, “Flavored tobacco products are enticing a new generation of America’s youth into nicotine addiction, condemning many of them to tobacco-related disease and early death.”

27863721_s“The increased use of e-cigarettes by teens is deeply troubling,” said Frieden in a recent CDC press release. “Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. Many teens who start with e-cigarettes may be condemned to struggling with a lifelong addiction to nicotine and conventional cigarettes.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)outlawed the use of flavored cigarettes, other than menthol. E-cigarettes don’t fall under the same regulations. E-cigarettes not marketed for therapeutic purposes are currently unregulated by the FDA. What’s concerning to me and should be of concern to parents as well is that because e-cigarettes are new there is still a lot we don’t know. What I do know is that any product that has tobacco in it is not safe for anyone, especially children. Now more than ever it is important to talk to your kids about the dangers of smoking. Check out the links below with more information about tobacco use and children.

Flavored Tobacco Lures Kids, CDC Says

CDC reveals “alarming” news about teen e-cigarette use

Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2014

Youth and Tobacco Use

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.