Schizophrenia Symptoms: The Positive, Negative and Cognitive Symptoms

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects around 2.5 million of Americans. The word "schizophrenia" literally translates to "split mind", but it does not actually refer to split personality or multiple personalities. It refers to the disruption in emotion and cognition. Commonly, the symptoms start to develop at from age of 13 to 25. Men usually show the warning signs in their teens or 20s, while women show symptoms when they are in their 20s or early 30s. What are schizophrenia symptoms? The warning signs are classified into three categories: positive, negative and cognitive symptoms.

Positive Symptoms

Patients show positive symptoms when their perception of reality does not exist in the real world. Delusions are one of them; the term refers to the distorted belief that the sufferer strongly holds. One can experience something that is called "delusion of grandeur". This happens when one believes that he or she is well known or has extraordinary powers. Delusions can also be a belief about being followed or being controlled by someone or something. Besides delusions, hallucinations are also categorized as a positive symptom. Hallucinations are disturbances of the perception; usually people experiencing this symptom will see or hear something that is not there. Difficulty in speaking and disorganized behavior are also categorized into this group of symptoms. People suffering from schizophrenia often speak only a little even when they are urged to interact.

Negative Symptoms

Negative symptoms are the absence of the characteristics of normal function. Compared to the positive ones, they are less apparent, and therefore are more difficult to identify. Patients will experience loss of motivation, sense of apathy, social withdrawal, and more. Patients may also show changes in expressing the emotions.

Cognitive Symptoms

Just like the negative symptoms, cognitive symptoms are also hard to identify as they are subtle. They include difficulty in focusing attention, as well as difficulty in understanding information and not knowing how to use them to make decisions. These symptoms can cause emotional distress and sufferers who experience cognitive symptoms will find it difficult to live a normal life.

Those are some common schizophrenia symptoms that you should know. People who are suffering from this debilitating condition need immediate medical attention, but they may not even know that they have it. Thus, it would be your responsibility to find professional help when you find out that your family members or friends are suffering from this mental disorder.

Get more information on schizophrenia symptoms and how you can help schizophrenics deal with the symptoms by visiting our website.

View the original article here ezine.com

Bacopa Monnieri Plant - Helps To Improve Mental And Cognitive Functions

The Bacopa monnieri plant is an annual or perennial plant that thrives in tropical or subtropical areas in North America and India. It grows in fresh water aquariums and even in ponds of warmer climates. The leaves bloom in pairs that are usually white, blue, or purple in color. When the leaves are crushed, they have a strong lemon scent. This plant has been used for thousands of years by ancient healers, and is most well-known for its use in India. This magical plant is widely known in Ayurvedic healing practices to balance the body and maintain health. People everywhere are wondering, "How does Bacopa work?", as scientists are working on answering that question.

How Does Bacopa monnieri Work

This natural ingredient which mainly affect neurotransmitters, the brain, and other associated nerves works to increase the function of mental processes. This substance plays a key role in balancing chemicals associated with brain functions and synaptic activity and is used as a neurotonic, which is solution that aids nerve impulses and transmission.

Benefits of Using the Bacopa monnieri Plant

There are many health benefits associated with the use of this traditional plant. It has the ability of influencing memory, chemical imbalances that cause depression, Alzheimer's disease, Epilepsy, and can work against general stress and anxiety.

If you are wondering how does Bacopa work, just picture a non-invasive natural chemical that works on the brain to improve its function. Most people think of commonly prescribed pharmaceutical drugs to improve these functions, however, prescription drugs can actually have alternate effects on the brain that are not conducive to healing.

Studies and Opinions on Bacopa monnieri

Recent studies on this naturally occurring plant verify that it is truly effective in curing certain diseases because of its strong anti-oxidant properties. A study conducted by the Drug Research Institute in Lucknow showed that this herb is effective in enhancing memory and learning abilities, and may alternatively manage ADD/ADHD in people. Scientists answered the question of how Bacopa works, so that people everywhere can benefit from the many uses of this herb.

Side Effects of Using Bacopa monnieri

The amazing characteristic of this healing plant is that it has no documented side effects. There is, however, a precaution to take, which you should use when taking any herb; always take it in moderation, and do not take more than its recommended dose. If too much is taken it could cause upset stomach, or other mild symptoms of irritation.

Our Tips on Getting the Best From the Bacopa monnieri Plant

To get the most of this wonderful natural substance, you should drink plenty of water, as water helps the conductivity of many organ systems in our body. How Bacopa works on your nervous system and brain is amazing, and it is also said that this substance has and enhances the aging process within your body, so that you look younger and healthier. We recommend that you take this substance as part of a proven all natural alternative health supplement.

Maximilian Rudolf has been an advocate and user of natural health supplements for over 10 years. He has a passion to communicate and share the results of his findings about natural alternative health supplements such as Total Balance. He wants to help people to make great decisions that invigorate their health or even improve conditions they may never have thought possible.

Please visit http://natural-alternative-health-supplements.com/ for a real experience about health.

View the original article here ezine.com

Cognitive behavioral therapy may benefit patients in residential substance abuse treatment programs

ScienceDaily (June 6, 2011) — Patients in residential treatment programs for drug and alcohol abuse may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy for depressive symptoms, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

The article notes, as background information, that depression and substance abuse often co-occur, but that individuals with both disorders are not always treated for both. "The consequences of this unmet need are great," report the authors. "The interactive nature of the two disorders leads to poorer depression and substance abuse treatment outcomes compared with the outcomes when only one disorder is treated."

Katherine E. Watkins, M.D., M.S.H.S., from RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif., and colleagues conducted the study at four Behavioral Health Services facilities in Los Angeles County, Calif. Between August 2006 and January 2009, the sites alternated every four months between usual care for substance abuse and usual care plus cognitive behavioral therapy as modeled in the Building Recovery by Improving Goals, Habits, and Thoughts (BRIGHT) study. The intervention comprised 16 two-hour BRIGHT sessions over the course of eight weeks.

Initially, 1,262 patients were screened for participation in the study. The researchers enrolled 140 patients in the intervention group and 159 patients in the control group. On average, participants scored in the clinically severe range on a scale of depression symptoms and nearly half (45.8%) had a past 12-month depressive disorder.

On the depression-symptom instrument used in the study, at three months patients receiving the intervention generally had mild symptoms and patients receiving usual care alone generally had moderate symptoms. At three months, 55.8 percent of patients in the BRIGHT group had minimal symptoms, compared with 33.6 percent in the control group; at six months, these numbers increased to 63.9 percent and 43.8 percent, respectively. Among patients no longer living in a treatment center at the six-month mark, those in the intervention group had fewer days of problem substance abuse and fewer drinking days than did those in the usual care group.

With the study, the authors hope to address a gap in the substance abuse treatment system, particularly in the public sector. They note that the BRIGHT intervention involved substance abuse counselors, as opposed to other mental health professionals and resources that some substance abuse programs cannot access. "The study demonstrates that it is possible to develop the capacity of substance abuse programs to deliver evidence-based mental health care by enhancing the skills and expanding the clinical roles of substance abuse counselors," the researchers state. This is important, they add, because "Lack of access to efficacious depression treatment for substance abusers is an important public health problem."

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by JAMA and Archives Journals.

Journal Reference:

K. E. Watkins, S. B. Hunter, K. A. Hepner, S. M. Paddock, E. de la Cruz, A. J. Zhou, J. Gilmore. An Effectiveness Trial of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Persistent Depressive Symptoms in Substance Abuse Treatment. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2011; 68 (6): 577 DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.53

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Cognitive behavioral therapy may benefit patients in residential substance abuse treatment programs

ScienceDaily (June 6, 2011) — Patients in residential treatment programs for drug and alcohol abuse may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy for depressive symptoms, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

The article notes, as background information, that depression and substance abuse often co-occur, but that individuals with both disorders are not always treated for both. "The consequences of this unmet need are great," report the authors. "The interactive nature of the two disorders leads to poorer depression and substance abuse treatment outcomes compared with the outcomes when only one disorder is treated."

Katherine E. Watkins, M.D., M.S.H.S., from RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif., and colleagues conducted the study at four Behavioral Health Services facilities in Los Angeles County, Calif. Between August 2006 and January 2009, the sites alternated every four months between usual care for substance abuse and usual care plus cognitive behavioral therapy as modeled in the Building Recovery by Improving Goals, Habits, and Thoughts (BRIGHT) study. The intervention comprised 16 two-hour BRIGHT sessions over the course of eight weeks.

Initially, 1,262 patients were screened for participation in the study. The researchers enrolled 140 patients in the intervention group and 159 patients in the control group. On average, participants scored in the clinically severe range on a scale of depression symptoms and nearly half (45.8%) had a past 12-month depressive disorder.

On the depression-symptom instrument used in the study, at three months patients receiving the intervention generally had mild symptoms and patients receiving usual care alone generally had moderate symptoms. At three months, 55.8 percent of patients in the BRIGHT group had minimal symptoms, compared with 33.6 percent in the control group; at six months, these numbers increased to 63.9 percent and 43.8 percent, respectively. Among patients no longer living in a treatment center at the six-month mark, those in the intervention group had fewer days of problem substance abuse and fewer drinking days than did those in the usual care group.

With the study, the authors hope to address a gap in the substance abuse treatment system, particularly in the public sector. They note that the BRIGHT intervention involved substance abuse counselors, as opposed to other mental health professionals and resources that some substance abuse programs cannot access. "The study demonstrates that it is possible to develop the capacity of substance abuse programs to deliver evidence-based mental health care by enhancing the skills and expanding the clinical roles of substance abuse counselors," the researchers state. This is important, they add, because "Lack of access to efficacious depression treatment for substance abusers is an important public health problem."

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by JAMA and Archives Journals.

Journal Reference:

K. E. Watkins, S. B. Hunter, K. A. Hepner, S. M. Paddock, E. de la Cruz, A. J. Zhou, J. Gilmore. An Effectiveness Trial of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Persistent Depressive Symptoms in Substance Abuse Treatment. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2011; 68 (6): 577 DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.53

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Frontiers: News - A Radical New Autism Theory - The Daily Beast

People with Asperger’s syndrome, a high functioning form of autism, are often stereotyped as distant loners or robotic geeks. But what if what looks like coldness to the outside world is in fact a response to being overwhelmed by emotion—an excess of empathy, not a lack of it?
People with Asperger’s syndrome, a high functioning form of autism, are often stereotyped as distant loners or robotic geeks. But what if what looks like coldness to the outside world is in fact a response to being overwhelmed by emotion—an excess of empathy, not a lack of it? This idea resonates with many people suffering from autism-spectrum disorders and their families. It also jibes with new thinking about the nature of autism called the “intense world” theory. As posited by Henry and Kamila Markram of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, suggests that the fundamental problem in autism-spectrum disorders is not a social deficiency, but rather an hypersensitivity to experience, which includes an overwhelming fear response. “I can walk into a room and feel what everyone is feeling. The problem is that it all comes in faster than I can process it.” “There are those who say autistic people don’t feel enough,” says Kamila Markram. “We’re saying exactly the opposite: They feel too much.” Virtually all people with ASD report various types of oversensitivity and intense fear. The Markrams argue that social difficulties of those with ASDs stem from trying to cope with a world where someone has turned the volume on all the senses and feelings up past 10. If hearing your parents’ voices while sitting in your crib felt like listening to Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music on acid, you, too, might prefer to curl in a corner and rock. But of course, this sort of withdrawal and self-soothing behavior—repetitive movements, echoing words or actions and failing to make eye contact—interferes with normal social development. Without the experience other kids get through ordinary social interactions, children on the spectrum never learn to understand subtle signals. Phil Schwarz, a software developer from Massachusetts, is vice president of the Asperger’s Associaton of New England and has a child with the condition. “I think that it’s a stereotype or a misconception that folks on spectrum lack empathy,” he says. Schwarz notes that autism is not a unitary condition—“if you’ve seen one Aspie, you’ve seen one Aspie,” he says, using the colloquial term. But he adds, “I think most people with ASD feel emotional empathy and care about the welfare of others very deeply.” So why do so many people see a lack of empathy as a defining characteristic of ASD? The problem starts with the complexity of empathy itself, which has at least two critical parts: The first is simply the ability to see the world from the perspective of another. The second is more emotional—the ability to imagine what the other is feeling and care about their pain as a result. The fact that autistic children tend to develop the first part of empathy—which is called “theory of mind”—later than other kids was established in a classic experiment. Children are asked to watch two puppets, Sally and Anne. Sally takes a marble and places it in a basket, then leaves the stage. While she’s gone, Anne takes the marble out and puts it in a box. The children are then asked: Where will Sally look first for her marble when she returns? Normal four year olds know that Sally didn’t see Anne move the marble, so they get it right. By 10 or 11, mentally retarded children with a verbal IQ equivalent to three-year-olds also guess correctly. But 80 percent of 10-11 year-old autistic children guess that Sally will look in the box, because they know that that’s where the marble is and they don’t realize that other people don’t share all of their knowledge.

Frontiers: News - A Radical New Autism Theory - The Daily Beast