The 45 year old Irish singer says she’s needed help since the ending to her short marriage to Barry Herridge, who was a drug counselor for teens. O’Connor had recently tweeted to fans for help saying she needed to resume her medications and was in grave danger if she did not receive assistance. The singer hopes going into the hospital for treatment will help her get it together quickly and feels it is the right decision for her.

The singer stated she has attempted to get help in the past but was routinely treated with drugs instead of having her emotional state evaluated. She added that she has often been misdiagnosed with other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder when the truth was she suffered from serious PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder caused by her upbringing.

O’Connor also admitted she had a baby for another person’s husband and the result of this decision left her suicidal and depressed for five months postpartum. The singer has experienced difficulty in seeking medical treatment she believes because of who she is and has expressed the huge obstacle her celebrity has been in overcoming her depression.

It’s an important question as the nation is in the middle of family budgeting on a grand scale and individuals ought to be contributing to the decisions regarding what gets cut and by how much. Some are worried that mental health budgets are not getting the voice necessary to keep their services available at appropriate levels.

Enter the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), an avowed advocacy group for mental health issues. The group released a report in March 2011 in which it predicted cuts in mental health services based on projected state budgets at the time. However, more cuts and deeper-than-expected cuts were realized, causing NAMI to release an update to its March report.

This most recent document pays particular attention to state dollars set aside for things such as housing for the mentally disabled, access to and availability of psychiatric medications, and funding of community centers. According to NAMI, no fewer than 28 states and the District of Columbia have eliminated a whopping $1.7 billion in mental health spending since 2009.

The NAMI report outlines mental health spending cuts with great specificity. Since fiscal year 2009, most states that made the tough choice to cut mental health budgets did so in single percentage figures, except for South Carolina which chopped mental health spending by 39 percent. The biggest states (who are also in the biggest financial straits) made the deepest cuts:

1. Illinois reduced mental health spending by 31.7 percent.
2. Nevada cut by 28.1 percent.
3. California made a 21.2 percent reduction.
4. Cumulatively, California, New York and Illinois accounted for $1.2 billion in cuts to mental health spending.

As NAMI’s urgent update suggests, the cuts keep coming. California has decided to cut a further $177.4 million, New York another $95.2 million, Illinois $62.2 million and North Carolina $48.2 million more from already reduced mental health state allocations. What is poignant about these reductions is that they continue because of the recession, which ironically has also driven up demand for mental health services.

Not all states have made cuts. A few states have increased mental health spending: Iowa is up 35.5 percent and North Dakota voted a 24.2 percent increase. Arizona, Michigan and Washington are also among states which have augmented mental health spending. Other states have been shifting budget dollars in order to ensure that Medicaid services continue.

The country is experiencing a serious recession, one that is not likely to mend any time soon. Painful budget cuts are being felt by those among us who are most fragile already. On the upside – it is during just such periods of great necessity that new ideas and innovative approaches come into being. Our current economic crisis may be the seedbed which will yield better delivery of mental health services.

The Appeal of Self-Harm

According to the Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a study was done in England which showed that of 6,000 students, about 400 admitted to inflicting self-injuries. The students claimed that they injured themselves to feel relief from bad thoughts, to punish themselves, to show desperation and unfortunately, some did it in hopes of death.

What causes teens to inflict harm in this manner? There has been evidence that serotonin levels are low among those who inflict self-harm. Low serotonin levels can cause depression and lead to the self-harm behavior. Another risk factor is a teen’s childhood. If they suffered from a childhood of sexual abuse, the victims tend to show anger and sadness through self-injury.

Helping Someone Who Hurts

The warning signs of self-injury can be hard to detect. Usually the addict hides the scars and injuries with long sleeves and long pants, but there are other signs. If the person you know has a history of self-injury, has small linear cuts anywhere on the body, covers themselves in heavy clothes even on warm days, or has problems managing their mood they could have a self-injury addiction.

If you have suspicion that a close friend or relative could be suffering from self-injury, it is important that you assist them in finding someone who can help. Make sure that you don’t blame them but be someone they can talk to who can help them receive professional help from a doctor or therapist. From there, the professional can decide if they need to be put on a medication or entered into a treatment facility.

Self-injury is a very serious issue, and should not be taken lightly. An addiction to self-injury is usually rooted in deep emotional issues and self-injury becomes a way to cope with negative feelings or a traumatic past. Working through these feelings and learning new coping techniques will be vital to overcoming this addiction.

Tanning Linked to Cancer

Statistics from the Journal of American Dermatology show that 30 million Americans tan indoors every year, with one million visiting the tanning salon every day. Of those millions, 71 percent are women aged 16-29. Since UV exposure for those under the age of 30 increases the risk of cancer by 75 percent, beefed up monitoring of tanning bed abuse seems the best path toward cancer prevention, particularly for young women.

Dermatologists report that UV damage is cumulative, meaning that repeated exposure builds up over time and with enough of it, melanoma is a certainty. So it is surprising that current FDA regulations treat tanning beds the same way they control Class I medical devices like bandages and tongue depressors. Because of the inherent danger, lack of stronger regulatory control has recently come into question.

Tanning Salons Encouraging Abuse

ABC news recently reported on a University of San Diego study that sought to discover how well tanning salons were adhering to present FDA regulations. According to current recommendations, no one should spend time in a tanning bed more often than three times in the first week.

The UC San Diego researchers phoned numerous salons posing as 15-year-old girls wanting to make their first visits to a tanning bed. They discovered that 89 percent of the salons called were willing to allow 15-year-olds to make six to seven visits in the first week of tanning – more than twice the FDA recommended limit. Beyond permissiveness, by selling unlimited tanning bed visits at a discounted rate, tanning salons seem to be encouraging overuse.

Addicted to Tanning?

Tanning salons seem hesitant to enforce current guidelines, but there is also increasing evidence that the tanners themselves have become part of the problem. Displaying behavior patterns similar to people with addictions, some tanners not only ignore the FDA warnings about UV dangers, they continue to tan even after being diagnosed with melanoma.

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center performed a controlled study to try and determine the legitimacy of claims that tanners experience symptoms similar to people suffering from alcohol or drug addiction. For their study, the researchers recruited people who tanned frequently (27 of the previous 90 days) and asked them to participate in two 10-minute tanning sessions. The tanners also received a dye that would allow examiners to monitor brain activity during their tanning sessions.

During one session the tanner received UV light and during another session UV light was blocked. The person tanning did not know which session provided UV light and which did not. During the session in which UV was allowed, researchers noted increased blood flow to the area of the brain associated with reward – the area of the brain strongly connected with addiction. When UV rays were blocked, the same areas showed diminished blood flow. The study revealed a definite link between UV exposure and brain stimulation similar to that demonstrated by addicts.

The World Health Organization classifies tanning beds alongside the sun as a clear cancer risk. Research has shown that teenagers are susceptible to both addiction and UV-caused cancer. Adults may decide to ignore warnings and continue to tan. However, the full support of the American Academy of Pediatrics is behind new FDA-proposed legislation banning indoor tanning for anyone under the age of 18.

The Rise of Phenazepam Abuse

A new type of drug is making its way into the hands of drug addicts. Used for the treatment of neurological diseases such as epilepsy and anxiety, the drug phenazepam is being used illegally. Recently, scientists familiar with phenazepam issued a letter to the British Medical Journal to warn about the appearance of the drug among youth in the United Kingdom.

Forensic scientists at the University of Dundee in Scotland have witnessed many cases of youth using phenazepam as a recreational drug and have warned that the drug may become a popular substitute for methadone among addicts.

About Phenazepam

Phenazepam is a benzodiazepine drug, created in the 1970s to treat conditions like epilepsy, insomnia, and anxiety. It has also been successfully used to aid in the treatment of symptoms accompanying withdrawal from alcohol dependence. While the drug is not currently controlled in the U.K. or the United States, evidence of its illegal use may require additional regulation to protect individuals from substance abuse.

The scientists recorded three cases in 2010 of phenazepam overdose in East Midlands, while six were documented in Scotland. The small flood of cases raised concern about the safety of the drug. In response, the Scottish government issued warnings and police increased confiscation of the drug.

Peter Maskell and colleagues have begun to conduct regular testing of postmortem blood samples to check for phenazepam in their lab in Dundee. Since the testing began in January 2011, the scientists have identified nine cases in which blood tests revealed a high level of phenazepam.

The cases of phenazepam use were represented by males and females between the ages of 31 to 45. Each had a history of drug abuse and the cause of death was determined to be the adverse effects of opiates in seven cases, and non-drug related causes in two of the cases.

Because of the documented cases of death related to phenazepam, experts are calling for an increased awareness of the misuse of this drug. Its availability on the Internet may allow its use to spread easily among drug addicts.

Based on the study’s findings, one in four Americans who start using any substances of abuse prior to age 18 will go on to have a severe drug addiction in adulthood. In comparison, 1 in 25 Americans who start using any illicit substance after the age of 21 will later develop a substance addiction. CASA’s findings were gathered using nationally representative surveys of thousands of high school students, parents, and school personnel, as well as a number of focus groups involving this population; analyses of several national data sets; interviews with multiple leading medical experts; and a review of about 2,000 scientific studies. The study reveals that 75% of American teenagers (10 million) have used substances like alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or cocaine, with 1 in 5 meeting the medical criteria for addiction.

Furthermore, 46% admit to current use of these substances, with 1 in 3 meeting the medical criteria for addiction. Alcohol was found to be the preferred addictive substance (72.5% reporting use), followed by cigarettes (46.3%), marijuana (36.8%), and prescription drugs (14.8%); 65.1% also reported having engaged in combined substance use. With approximately half the American teenage population admitting to current use of addictive substances, and the majority of addictions being rooted in adolescence—CASA is calling teen drug use the nation’s leading health epidemic.

CASA emphasizes that drug use during the teenage years is a crucial determinant in lifelong health and safety. Because the teenage brain is underdeveloped, introducing psychotropic chemicals and substances during this growth period could hinder its normal development and cause permanent damage. Teenagers who choose to use substances increase their risk for early chemical dependencies and addiction, poor brain function, mental disorders, physical conditions, as well as immediate impacts like poor academic performance, delinquency, sexual risk taking, and even death. Preventing teenagers from drug use will not only avert their current risks for addiction and related behaviors, but will also help avoid the same health problems from occurring later on in life, thereby also lowering the cost of health resources to the community. In its study, Adolescent Substance Use: America’s #1 Public Health Problem, CASA reports that teenage substance abuse is the most preventable health problem, yet it has grown into the nation’s leading public health epidemic because of a lack of public awareness, prevention and intervention resources, and treatment services.

Each year, substance use is estimated to cost local, state, and federal governments $468 billion, according to CASA.

The study also finds that common cultural influences actually encourage substance use by teenagers, including media portrayals, advertisements, and acceptance of drug use among family or community members. About 46% of minors (34.4 million) are currently living in a home where substances such as alcohol and tobacco are used in excess, prescription drugs are misused, or illicit substances are abused. However, less than half of parents (42.6%) reportedly do not consider use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, prescription drugs, or illicit substances by their teenage children to be a top concern. Still, some teenagers may be predisposed to higher risks of substance abuse and addiction due to family history or existing medical conditions, and are therefore in greater need of prevention methods and treatment.

CASA recommends the increase of public education about substance use, access to prevention and screening resources, and treatment options among communities in order to help lower the risk of teenage substance abuse and future levels of addiction. The entire CASA report can be viewed online at http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/NewsRoom.aspx?articleid=631&zoneid=51.

REFERENCES/RESOURCES:

http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/PressReleases.aspx?articleid=641&zoneid=87

http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/NewsRoom.aspx?articleid=631&zoneid=51

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/230004.php
 

During the past year, the Navy reported as many as 17 service members having been admitted to the psychiatric ward of its San Diego Naval Medical Center due to mental complications brought on by Spice use. The otherwise healthy young males were admitted for a range of mental problems caused by Spice use, including anxiety attacks, paranoia, as well as auditory and visual hallucinations in which they heard voices or saw people who were not present. Many of their delusions involved firm beliefs that the government was after them or their families, an indication of psychosis. Most of the users were brought to the medical center by family members or commands after they failed to appear at work. While some patients’ psychotic symptoms subsided within 2–8 days after taking anti-psychotic medication, a few continued having psychotic delusions—prompting the medical residents to implore the scientific community for further research on the dangers of these unregulated chemicals.

This week, following a two-month investigation on Spice use among its members, the Air Force announced the discharge of as many as 30 airmen of varying ranks, who all face punishments such as confinement for at least five years and paying forfeiture in addition to dishonorable discharge. In a statement, the Air Force reported that it punishes its service members for the use of Spice in the same manner it would for the use of any other illegal substance or for other types of egregious misconduct.

Synthetic marijuana first appeared in the European market around 2005, after a research study on cannabinoid receptors in the brain identified several methods of synthesizing the human metabolite of THC. The study’s findings eventually fell into the hands of prospective entrepreneurs looking to profit off the chemical compounds, and the market for synthesized cannabinoids soon spread across the globe. Since 2006, a three-gram bag of the synthesized drugs—sold under such brand names as ‘Blaze,’ ‘Genie,’ ‘K2,’ ‘Sence,’ ‘Skunk,’ ‘Smoke,’ ‘Spice,’ ‘Yucatan Fire,’ and ‘Zohai’—has generally sold for $30 to $40, about half the street price of cocaine.

The substances are marketed under the guise of incense or potpourri not intended for human consumption; in actuality, Spice is merely plant material coated with unknown amounts of the synthetic cannabis which can either be smoked or injected. Because there is no oversight of the manufacturing process, there is no way to know exactly how much of the chemicals are present in each package made by the multitude of producers, and some of the ingredients remain unknown. Likewise, there are around 500 different variations of the synthetic cannabinoid compound, making it difficult to measure or regulate all of the chemicals.

The synthetic cannabinoids have intense purity levels, causing what health specialists describe as an effect 200 times greater than the high obtained from marijuana. Although the chemicals are said to mimic the effects of THC—the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana—the synthetic chemicals are more potent, bind themselves more permanently to receptors in the brain and other organs, and last for much longer periods of time. Additionally, because it takes longer for users to feel the effect of the synthetic chemicals, they tend to erroneously ingest too much of the substance, thinking that more is needed to obtain a high. This mistake often results in users overdosing on the chemicals and landing in the emergency room. By 2009, the Spice and similar products became popular among the American marketplace at such locations at convenient stores, gas stations, head shops, as well as the Internet.

Parents, lawmakers, and lobbyists have called for bans on the Spice-like products, which are mostly purchased by teenagers and young adults due to their availability. Since 2010, the American Association of Poison Control has experienced over 4,500 calls to its various poison centers related to Spice use. In March 2011, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officially banned the five synthetic marijuana compounds most commonly found in products like Spice and K2. The chemicals were raised to Schedule 1 substances under the Controlled Substances Act due to their high potential for abuse and lack of safety and monitoring, making it illegal to distribute, purchase, or possess the ‘fake pot’ chemicals.

According to emergency room physicians and doctors at the naval medical center, Spice users can experience serious adverse reactions including depression, anxiety attacks, dangerously elevated heart rates, increased blood pressure, convulsions, and disorientation, as well as a high risk of nausea, vomiting, paranoia, and hallucinations—the leading symptoms of psychosis.

Sources: US Air Force, Brandice J. O’Brien, Investigation Nabs 30 Air Force Spice Users, June 14, 201

Navy Times, Gidget Fuentes, Doctor: Spice Could Threaten Mental Health, June 6, 2011

The 2009 CAMH Monitor survey, whose results were published June 13, 2011, showed that the amount of adults reporting daily drinking increased from 5.3 percent in 2002 to 9 percent in 2009. The average number of drinks consumed weekly also increased from three drinks in 2002 to 4.6 drinks in 2009. The amount of adults drinking at risky levels remained at 22 percent.

The study did find a significant decline in binge drinking, which fell from 12.6 percent in 2006 to 7.1 percent in 2009. This decline was especially significant among young adults, as their numbers dropped from 24 percent to 11.5 percent.

It also found that the trend of driving within an hour of consuming two or more drinks has declined, from 13.1 percent in 1996 to 6.9 percent in 2009. However, this trend seems to have reversed among young adults, as there was a significant increase in driving within an hour of consuming two or more drinks among 18- to 29-year-olds (from 7.7 percent in 2005 to 12.8 percent in 2009.)

Dr. Robert Mann, Senior Scientist at CAMH and lead investigator on the study, said that the study demonstrates that although the number of people who drink alcohol hasn’t changed, the way they are drinking has changed, as people are drinking more often and could be consuming more alcohol when they drink, even if there are fewer binge drinking occasions.

Dr. Mann noted that the more access people have to alcohol, the more they will drink, which leads to more instances of drinking and driving. He added that random breath testing and lowering legal driving limits to 0.05 percent could reduce drunk-driving deaths, noting that implementing the 0.05 percent legislation in British Columbia seems to have resulted in a 50 percent decrease in drunk-driving deaths.

As for marijuana, the study found that cannabis use has been steadily increasing, from 8.7 percent in 1996 to 13.3 percent in 2009, among both men and women in all age groups. There was also a near two-fold increase in marijuana use among those between the ages of 18 and 29, from 18.3 percent to 35.8 percent.

Dr. Mann said that these increases are concerning, as cannabis may increase the risk of psychosis for people who are predisposed to schizophrenia, and it may worsen the symptoms of other mental disorders.

The study also found a significant increase in cannabis use among older adults, with use by those aged 50 and older increased from 1.4 percent to 4.7 percent between 1996 and 2009. Among past-year users, this number increased from 1.9 percent to 13.9 percent during the same period.

The study did find a decrease in reported cigarette smoking in adults, from 19.7 in 2008 to 18.6 percent in 2009. Although 14 percent of all adult Ontarians report daily smoking, this is a positive sign that smoking has declined since 1996, from 26.8 percent to 18.6 percent in 2009. Dr. Mann noted that the anti-smoking legislation in Ontario likely played a role in this decrease.

The study also found that one in seven Ontarian adults (14.7 percent, or about 1.4 million people) reported having symptoms of elevated psychological distress, and almost six percent reported poor overall mental health. Those between the ages of 30 and 39 were most likely to report poor mental health, and those over 65 reported the lowest rates of poor mental health.

Mental health was strongly correlated with education level: Those who hadn’t graduated high school had higher levels of poor mental health, and those who had graduated from university reported lower levels of poor mental health. This suggests that social factors such as income play an important role in both mental and physical health.

The use of anti-anxiety medication has remained stable over the last few years, but data shows that over the past 10 years, the use of these medications has increased from 4.5 percent to nearly 7 percent of Ontario adults. There is a similar pattern among antidepressant medication. Dr. Mann said this could also be due to more people seeking and receiving treatment for mental health problems, which is a positive sign.

Regionally, those from Northern Ontario were more likely to be current smokers and to smoke daily. Those from Toronto were the least likely to drink alcohol, those from the South West region reported the highest number of drinks consumed weekly, and driving after drinking was most common in the South West and Central South regions of the province.

Source: Science Daily, Drinking, Cannabis Use and Psychological Distress Increase in Ontario, Canada, Survey Finds, June 13, 2011

Patients whose medical history shows substance abuse may not receive preventative health screenings or flu shots as frequently as people without substance abuse problems, indicating a discrepancy that researchers say should impact the way preventative screens are promoted.

Conducted by researchers at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine the study concludes that patients who use health-inhibiting substances are at higher risk for not getting the full spectrum of screenings that can prevent cancer or illness, especially mammograms and the flu shot.

Lives could be saved if populations of people who may not receive the same levels of preventative treatment as others were targeted, say researchers, when information campaigns are planned. Cancer of the breast has a higher survival rate when detected early through mammograms. The flu (influenza) claims thousands of lives annually, but many could be saved if they received a flu shot.

Certain groups of people in the U.S. – including the uninsured and those with lower incomes – continue to lack a full spectrum of screenings and preventative health measures, and the study prompts further examination as to which groups of people may also not be receiving preventative health services.

The study looked at the use of preventative services in comparison to substance abuse for approximately 10,000 patients. Women in the study who had showed what researchers called “unhealthy substance use” received mammograms less often than other women. Among both genders, people whose medical records showed substance abuse received the flu shot less often.

Researchers hope the study will encourage physicians to talk to patients with substance abuse histories and prompt them to seek more preventative treatments such as health screenings.
 

Levels of Internet pornography use in the U.S. have grown dramatically in recent years, with experts saying pornography addiction is nearing epidemic levels. The behavior often linked with sexual addiction and sexual compulsivity, destroys families, careers, finances and relationships, and is connected to higher rates of depression.

For many people who are addicted to pornography, recovery is especially difficult because it is typically free and widely available. So many people have used web sites with pornography that a new extension for Web domains has been created, called “.xxx” Not only are many of the sites widely accessible, but users can escalate their addictions with features like video, sound and interactive chat rooms.

Sean McFarland, a sexual addiction specialist who has been a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show, says people with Internet pornography addictions can become so obsessed that they will do almost anything to get their next “fix.” This can include accessing pornography in the workplace setting. Most employers do not tolerate any pornography usage in the workplace, and many people have been immediately fired for the behavior.

As a person becomes more addicted to Internet pornography, the consequences like loss of job are known, but they are still unable to stop their behaviors. Sexual addictions are progressive in nature, with the person needing more and more of the material to get the same high. In many families, relationships and children are neglected while the user spends hours viewing online pornography, often in a setting secluded from the rest of the household.

Symptoms of Internet pornography addiction can also include irritability, depression, mood swings or neglected work or school responsibilities. People with this illness may also try to hide or conceal their computer or phone and may spend large amounts of money pursuing the addiction. Experts believe pornography addiction may be rooted in a desire to escape or avoid negative emotions, and can be just as addictive as some street drugs – if not more addictive, due to the widely-available status of free or low-cost Internet pornography sites.

Because it can be so difficult to stop viewing pornography online, especially as the addiction develops, self-monitoring sites have become more available. These are systems that monitor and disable a person’s use of pornography on the Internet while teaching users how to create positive and beneficial usage patterns for the Internet. Some programs are adaptable to mobile phones as well and can help people working through other compulsive or addictive situations, such as online gambling addictions.

Treatment for Internet pornography can combine Web monitoring systems with professional counseling, support groups and family counseling sessions. Several sexual addiction treatment centers are also emerging nationwide and globally.