“SAD” MAY BE HEREDITARY

February 26th, 2016

It probably seems odd that I’m writing about seasonal depression when spring
is right around the corner. But in October, I did a blog about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The symptoms mimic those of depression, and the disorder is believed to be triggered by changes in daylight, making it more prevalent in the late fall heading into the winter months when the days get shorter. Well, now it seems there might be a gene that predisposes a person to SAD. The details were published today in the in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Because SAD almost always occurs during the winter months, researchers have believed the condition was triggered by light or rather the lack of light. It is believed that the changes in sunlight affect the circadian rhythms of people with SAD messing up their biological clocks. It is also believed that the increase in the production of melatonin, which is produced at higher levels in the dark could also be a cause.

The researchers in this new study analyzed a group of patients with SAD and also with another sleep disorder called Familial Advance Sleep-Phase syndrome. They identified a mutation in a gene called PER3 suggesting that this gene might both affect sleep and mood.

You can click below to read more of the details of the study. This team of researchers actively believes that there is a gene connection. Dr. Louis Ptáček, also a professor of neurology at the UCSF School of Medicine, said to MNT, “This is the first human mutation directly linked to seasonal affective disorder, and the first clear sign of a mechanism that could link sleep to mood disorders.”
This is an exciting time in research because the more we understand what causes these disorders, the better treatment options we can offer to patients.

LINKS
Seasonal affective disorder: first human gene mutation discovered
Don’t Be Sad
Does seasonal affective disorder actually exist?

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.

FIGHTING THE STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH

February 19th, 2016

There is a stigma surrounding mental health issues, not just here in the United States, but around the world. There always has been! Today the Huffington Post began their “Young Minds Matter” campaign to raise awareness about mental health in children, and the Dutchess of Cambridge is leading the charge. The former Kate Middleton said in the Huffington Post Wednesday that “she and Prince William wouldn’t hesitate to seek help if they thought their children, George and Charlotte, needed it.”

As a guest editor for the Huffington Post, the Dutchess of Cambridge said in her first blog post for the new series “Young Minds Matter” that she wants to “celebrate the amazing work being done to improve and understand the mental health of young children”. She discussed her charity work and how it led her to realize that unresolved issues in childhood were leading to addiction and mental health problems for many adults. She writes, “What I did not expect was to see that time and time again, the issues that led people to addiction and destructive decision making seemed to almost always stem from unresolved childhood challenges. It became clear to me that many children – even those younger than five – have to deal with complex problems without the emotional resilience, language or confidence to ask for help. And it was also clear that with mental health problems still being such a taboo, many adults are often too afraid to ask for help for the children in their care.”

The new series will explore the issues and work on the mental health of the young child.

I applaud the Huffington Post and the Dutchess of Cambridge for starting this dialogue, and I encourage you to follow and join the discussion. The mental health crisis in the UK mirrors the American crisis, and there is a lot to learn from this ongoing dialogue.

LINKS
Let’s Make a Real Difference for an Entire Generation of Young Children
Duchess of Cambridge raises mental health issues in HuffPost

DABBING – WHY PARENTS NEED TO WORRY!

February 8th, 2016

I came across this article yesterday on dabbing. I hadn’t heard of it before, so I was curious. Dabbing is a new method of smoking pot that gets you the quickest, long-lasting high with just one inhale. That’s right – one drag from a pipe or vaping pen can give the effect of smoking many joints.

On the website, Parents Opposed to Pot (POPPOT), they say that “Dabbing is to marijuana as crack is to cocaine.” They go on to say that the addiction from dabbing can be immediate, and once you do it “is nearly impossible to get unhooked.”

So how are “Dabs” made? According to the POPPOT website, “Dabbers take a tiny bit of butane hash oil, BHO – hardened or buttery, and quickly light it up in a small compartment.” The site explains how the THC is extracted from the plant using butane gas and some type of glass tube. THC is what causes a high. By extracting the THC into an oil (hash oil is known for giving a quick and lasting high) or buttery wax that hardens, you can then break it into tiny pieces that give a high that will last all day.

In states like Colorado where pot is legal, parents are fearful that legalization of the drug is why it is now showing up in middle school. We don’t have studies to confirm this, but I think the parents are right to assume this.

NJ.com reported in an article in September 2015, “According to a 2014 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, cigarette smoking by teens is down, but marijuana use has held its own and nearly 45% of the over 41,000 teens polled for the study reported that they’d smoked pot by the time they reached 12th grade, with an alarming number beginning as early as eighth grade.”

Angelo Valente, Executive Director of the Millburn-based Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey told NJ.com, “Kids are starting with pot younger and younger and middle school is a pivotal age for experimentation with pot, alcohol, and tobacco, especially when middle and high schools are located on the same campus.”

What I can say to parents is to know what dabbing is, know the signs and symptoms of drug use to watch for with your kids, and seek advice from a professional when you have concerns. Why should parents worry? Dabbing is new, it’s dangerous, it’s highly addictive, and it can result in injury and death.

LINKS
Kids exposed to marijuana at a younger age, experts say — NJ.com
What is “Dabbing” and Why Parents Need to Worry

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.

LOOK THROUGH MY LENS

February 1st, 2016

I made a great video discovery on YouTube this week. I found this 14-minute video that explained autism. Most impressive was that this video was done, start to finish, by a 16-year-old high school student who wanted to let her peers know what it was like to have autism. No she doesn’t have autism, nor does anyone in her family. But, after she met her friend Jaime with cerebral palsy, she realized that we all need a better understanding of what it is like to live with a physical disability or learning difficulties. With her single YouTube video, she has helped thousands of teens understand a complex disorder.

Alex Jackman told Choices Magazine that it all began when out of curiosity she joined a girl for lunch at summer camp. Jaime was in a wheelchair and often ate by herself. Alex and Jaime became good friends. Alex tells Choices how that might not have happened had she not approached Jaime and sat down with her for lunch.

Jackman says that through her volunteer work at a local autism organization she was inspired to create the video, specifically targeted at teens, to help them better understand the developmental disorder. She told Choices, “I wanted to make something simple that put you in someone with autism’s shoes.”

After a year of interviewing kids she had met through her volunteering, interviewing experts on Autism, and writing, filming and editing – Jackman posted “A Teens Guide to Autism.” And, guess what? It took off. The video has been seen around the world and has won several awards! Kudos to Jackman for making a difference!

LINKS
The Autism Activist

Dr. Henry Paul, MD

Psychiatrist, Author and Educator