Adjusting Your Attitude About Chronic Pain May Help You Sleep, Reduce Pain.

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

A recent study published in the journal Pain suggests that how and how often people think about their chronic pain can impact sleep and degree of pain.

Cognitive behavioral therapy that helps clients alter how often they think about or focus on their pain can result in improved sleep and reduced daily pain.

Many health psychologists specialize in pain management and offer cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management training and biofeedback training to help those with chronic pain better manage pain and improve quality of life.

If you need help managing acute or chronic pain, health psychologists at Commonwealth Psychology Associates can help.

Excerpts:

The patients filled out questionnaires about sleep quality, depression, their pain levels and emotional responses, including whether they think about their pain often or exaggerate it.

The researchers said that such negative thinking was directly linked to both poor sleep and worse pain.

“We have found that people who ruminate about their pain and have more negative thoughts about their pain dont sleep as well, and the result is they feel more pain,” study leader Luis Buenaver, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, said in a university news release.

“If cognitive behavioral therapy can help people change the way they think about their pain, they might end that vicious cycle and feel better without sleeping pills or pain medicine,” he added.

The findings also may apply to people with other stress-related ailments such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, neck and back pain, and some headaches.

via Adjusting Your Attitude About Chronic Pain May Help You Sleep – US News and World Report.

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Obesity rates drop in state’s youngest children, study shows. Health psychology, nutrition counseling important.

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

A new study shows that obesity rates for children may be declining after three decades of increases. Learning healthy exercise and eating habits early can have a lasting impact on our health and behavior as adults.

If you’d like to improve your health and lifestyle, working with a nutritionist and/or health psychologist can help. As experts in healthy eating and motivation to change behaviors, nutritionists and health psychologists are uniquely able to help people improve their choices and habits.

Check out these services and more at Commonwealth Psychology Associates – 617-259-1895.

Excerpts from article below:

After a three-decade tripling in childhood obesity rates, the trend has leveled off and, for the first time, appears to be on a substantial decline – at least among Massachusetts infants and preschoolers, according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Researchers at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute found that the percentage of obese girls under age 6 dropped from 9 percent to slightly more than 6 percent from 2004 to 2008; the percentage of obese boys under age 6 fell from nearly 11 percent to just under 9 percent during the same time period.

“This is a surprising and encouraging finding,’’ said study leader Dr. Xiaozhong Wen, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Pilgrim.

The study analyzed electronic medical records of nearly 37,000 children from birth to age 5 in Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates’ pediatric practice group in Eastern Massachusetts. The positive results could indicate that increasing public awareness about the dangers of childhood obesity and state health programs to prevent it could finally be paying off.

The next step, Wen said, is “to figure out what led to this decline and whether it’s a national trend.’’

via Obesity rates drop in state’s youngest children, study shows – The Boston Globe.

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Anxiety, Comorbid Depression Linked to Frequent Insomnia. Treatment, Counseling Can Help.

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

Many Americans do not get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep can be associated with poor health and emotional difficulties. And, new research shows a relationship between depression, anxiety and poor sleep.

We have known for decades that depression can result in poor sleep. But, a recent study shows that anxiety also is related to poor sleep. Those with symptoms of both depression and anxiety may be at even greater risk of sleep problems.

While our culture often likes to find a quick fix or medication to fix mood, anxiety or sleep problems, long-term benefits may be gained from participation in counseling or psychotherapy.  Cognitive behavioral therapy can be an especially effective treatment for depression and anxiety, as well as insomnia.

If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety, or if you are having trouble sleeping, working with a psychologist and CBT specialist can help. Find a psychologist and CBT specialist at Commonwealth Psychology Associates by calling 617-259-1895 or visiting them online.

Excerpt:

A study on the sleep habits of more than 94,000 Americans in 16 states indicates that insomnia is often associated with anxiety disorders, as well as comorbid depression.

via Anxiety, Comorbid Depression Linked to Frequent Insomnia.

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Low-Sugar Diet Can Reduce Irritable Bowel Symptoms. Boston Nutritionist, Nutrition Counseling Can Help.

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

More research demonstrates how what we eat can impact our health. Gastrointestinal problems including symptoms of irritable bowel are known to be impacted by stress and also diet.  New research indicates that reducing intake of some sugars can reduce irritable bowel symptoms for some patients. Working with a nutritionist who offers nutrition counseling and coaching can help identify helpful dietary changes to improve health and reduce symptoms of various disorders. Boston nutritionist, Laura Foresta, RD, LDN can help.

Excerpts from report:

A diet that is low in certain natural sugars can reduce symptoms in patients with certain gut disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome IBS. That is the message that Peter Gibson, MD, head of the Eastern Clinical School at Monash University in Victoria, Australia, shared at this years American Journal of Gastroenterology lecture here at American College of Gastroenterology 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course.

His talk — Food Choice as a Key Management Strategy for Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms — addressed how certain food components can induce or trigger functional gut symptoms, and examined how avoiding those food components can lead to a global improvement in symptoms in patients with functional bowel disorders, including IBS.

via Low-Sugar Diet Can Reduce Irritable Bowel Symptoms.

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Dramatic Increase in Antidepressant Use. Few Seeing Therapist or Psychologist.

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

New information indicates that there has been a staggering increase (up to 400%) in the use of antidepressant medication for treating depression. Unfortunately, for those on a single antidepressant medication, less than 1/3 saw a mental health professional such as a counselor or psychologist in a one year period.

The lack of participation in psychotherapy is concerning because research indicates that the combination of therapy and medication often is most effective.

If you are having symptoms of depression such as feeling blue or sad, effective treatments are available. To find psychotherapy and or psychopharmacological treatment in Boston or Newton, MA, visit Commonwealth Psychology Associates or call them at 617-259-1895.

Excerpt of article:

Antidepressant use by Americans has risen dramatically in the last 5 years, with almost 1 in 10 individuals older than 12 years now taking these agents, according to data released from the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

However, the survey, which was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also showed that less than one third of those taking a single antidepressant between 2005 and 2008, and less than half of those taking multiple antidepressants, visited a mental health professional in the past year. Those who did make such visits were significantly more likely to be men than women.

“Females are more likely than males to take antidepressant medication at every level of depression severity,” writes lead author Laura A. Pratt, PhD, from the Office of Analysis and Epidemiology at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) in Hyattsville, Maryland.

The study was published online October 19 as an NCHS Data Brief.

400% Increase

According to a 2010 report released by the CDC, antidepressants were the most frequently prescribed prescription drug between 2005 and 2008 for adults aged 18 to 44 years, and the third most commonly used drug for all ages.

That report also showed that use of antidepressants increased by almost 400% for all ages from between 1988 and 1994 to the period between 2005 and 2008.

via Dramatic Increase in Antidepressant Use.

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Pain psychologists can help patients learn effective, natural pain management skills.

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

Did you know that there are health psychologists who specialize in working with clients with acute or chronic pain? We know that stress, anxiety, depression and other psychological factors can exacerbate pain. Health psychologists help clients learn to manage their own pain by learning stress management and relaxation skills, anxiety reduction techniques and other cognitive and behavioral methods for minimizing pain.

Pain specialists often utilize biofeedback training, which can be an effective, natural way to learn to understand one’s mind-body connection and how to influence it. Cognitive behavioral therapy is also another effective method that is often utilized by health psychologists and pain specialists.

To learn more or to contact a health psychologist that specializes in pain management, visit the page of Dr. Anna Cassel at Commonwealth Psychology Associates. If you are in pain, don’t wait another day to get the right help.

 

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Many Don’t Tell Their Doctor They Feel Depressed. Boston Depression Treatment Available.

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

A new study indicates that people are afraid to talk to their doctor about depression. That means many people never get the help they need. Depression is a treatable condition and often it can be treated with psychotherapy. Medications are often not necessary, although the combination of psychotherapy and mediation treatment has been shown to be most effective for some patients. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your doctor about your symptoms of depression, you can simply contact a psychologist on your own.

Commonwealth Psychology Associates has 25 psychologists in three convenient locations in Boston and Newton, MA. To learn more about depression treatment or their services, give them a call at 617-259-1895 or visit them online.

Excerpts from report:

More than two-fifths of adults may not tell their doctor that they have been feeling depressed, according to a survey.

The reasons vary, but many are concerned that their doctor would prescribe an antidepressant that they dont want to take. Other reasons include the belief that it is not the job of a primary care doctor to address emotional issues and concerns about keeping medical records confidential.

Regardless of why people dont want to talk about depression, the result is the same: Depression falls under the radar.

The new findings are published in the Annals of Family Medicine.

via Many Dont Tell Their Doctor They Feel Depressed.

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Probiotics helped mice fight depression, stress and anxiety in study.

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

A new study suggests that what we eat might one day help us beat depression and reduce stress and anxiety symptoms. While the study addressed probiotics in particular, we already know that good nutrition in general can be a key ingredient to feeling better physically and emotionally. State of the art behavioral health treatment also takes into account the eating and exercise habits of those looking to feel better and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.  Commonwealth Psychology Associates recently added nutrition counseling services to the range of behavioral health services that they offer. To learn more, visit the page for nutritionist Laura Foresta.

Excerpt from research study:

What if you could treat depression, anxiety and other mood disorders without drugs or invasive procedures but simply by eating probiotic yogurt, or drinking a probiotic broth? A new study in mice suggests this may be possible someday.

An international team of researchers found that mice who drank a broth spiked with the organism Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 were less likely to be anxious or stressed than control mice who drank a bacteria-free broth. The mice who drank the probiotic broth also produced less of the stress hormone corticosterone in their brains in response to a stressful event compared with the control group of mice.

Read more at: Probiotics helped mice fight depression, stress and anxiety in study – latimes.com.

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Common antipsychotic no help to vets with PTSD. Boston counseling & psychotherapy can help.

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

A new study shows that risperidone, a common anti-psychotic medication often used to treat non-psychotic disorders, is of little benefit for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.  For most individuals suffering from PTSD, which is one of a few anxiety disorders, psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy and other medications can offer significant benefit. If you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD or other anxiety problems including social anxiety, counseling and psychotherapy can help.

Commonwealth Psychology Associates offers specialized treatment for anxiety known as cognitive behavioral therapy. Psychologists at CPA have training and experience in treating anxiety disorders including PTSD. Many have trained at VA’s and are skilled at working with veterans who wish to pursue services in a private setting. Call or contact CPA today for help.

Excerpt of report:

In a cautionary tale about the use of unproven medicine, a new study shows an antipsychotic given to thousands of U.S. veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder has a negligible impact on the common condition. However, veterans who got the drug, called risperidone, experienced significant side effects, including weight gain and sleepiness.

“We know there are large numbers of veterans who have been getting risperidone for a long time, and our study suggests that is not helpful,” said Dr. John H. Krystal of the Veterans Affairs VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven, who led the study.

While talk therapy and antidepressants are both effective against post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a considerable proportion of patients still have troubling symptoms.

Read more at: Common antipsychotic no help to vets with PTSD | Reuters.

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Anxiety common, most prevalent among women. More treatment needed.

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Andrea Piatt, Ph.D.

Research shows that women are 60% more likely than men to suffer from an anxiety disorder. And, women in their 30′s and 40′s are particularly affected. Unfortunately, many do not pursue or receive treatment. There are effective treatments for anxiety and panic attacks, including cognitive behavioral therapy and psychotherapy counseling.

If you are in need of treatment for anxiety in Boston, Commonwealth Psychology Associates may be able to help. With 25 psychologists and psychopharmacologists in three locations in Boston and Newton, MA, they offer a wide array of services and specialized treatments. Visit their website or call today to learn more: 617-259-1895.

Read more at: www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1ANYANX_ADULT.shtml

 

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