New research reveals that non-traditional forms of treatment occurring over the phone can be very beneficial for patients suffering from depression who are beginning a medical regimen but either cannot or choose not to undergo in-person therapy. The basic concept of phone therapy is hardly new, as hotlines designed to help those considering suicide or suffering from assorted psychological stresses have been employed for years, but it is still a relatively uncommon in clinical practice. The expanding powers of the internet also offer an entirely new angle on therapy.

A study undertaken at Seattle's Center for Health Studies tracked the progress of nearly four hundred subjects for a period of eighteen months after they each began taking anti-depressants as prescribed by a general care provider. Half were then enrolled in a phone therapy program consisting of approximately one session each month. While a majority of patients (63%) reported that their depressive symptoms were "much" or "very much" improved after the 18-month period, the numbers ran considerably higher (77%) among those undergoing phone therapy. Continuity is one of the most important aspects of treatment for depression, and patients also reported that the noticeable benefits of the therapy sessions stayed with them in the six months after the program ended altogether.

These reports are very relevant to several classes of patients: those with physical conditions that make visiting a therapist's office difficult, those who recognize their depression but remain reluctant to begin the therapy because of related stigma and personal shame or an acute sense of privacy, and those who live in underserved areas where licensed therapists are relatively uncommon. Patients seeking experts in a specific field may also find the process much easier online, where specialists from around the country and world could potentially put their crucial knowledge to use (if only in order to recommend local doctors and methods of treatment).

In its most extreme forms, depression can render its victims virtually immobile and stubbornly resistant to interventions or programs designed for their own benefit. Some patients find therapy easier to endure when the therapist is present only as a disembodied voice on a phone, feeling more secure in discussing very personal problems when the procedure is slightly more anonymous. Of course, many who gain from regular psychotherapy find its primary appeal in the personal, visual reassurance and receptive ear provided by face-to-face therapy. But the therapy experience is different for every patient, and all should seek the most effective combination of method and medicine knowing that many options exist. The even newer concept of therapy via webcam can further bridge the gap between doctor and patient without requiring the two to be present in the same room.

The ease of these online therapeutic measures may lower the costs for patients while allowing doctors to counsel more individuals within the same limited blocks of time. Some find uncertainty in new technologies, and the possibility of amateurs advertising their services online may be frightening. Most individuals performing therapy via phone or computer are legitimate licensed therapists, but patients should still make sure that this is the case before choosing a particular provider.

Perhaps the most obvious disadvantage of alternate therapies is the fact that our voices are only one of the methods we use to communicate. Body language can be just as crucial to therapy as it is to intimate conversation, and the patient or therapist may theoretically miss subtle cues when unable to view the motions of the other party. On the other hand, such a situation may require both to listen more carefully to chosen words and their inflections. The fact is that we stand at the cusp of a new age for therapists and their patients. While mental illness will always be an inevitable aspect of our lives, evolving technologies and more flexible methods will render future therapies more efficient and easier to access for people around the world.

A bill calling for legalization of medical use of marijuana in New Mexico was approved in the state legislature after winning the support of Gov. Bill Richardson, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported March 13.

The legislation was approved in the state Senate last week, but went down to defeat in the House on a 33-36 vote. However, a slightly amended version was reintroduced this week and, after two hours of debate, passed by a 36-31 margin.

The measure allows New Mexicans to use marijuana to treat pain and other symptoms of diseases like cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, and spinal-cord injuries. The state Health Department will be charged with developing a system for patients to obtain the drug.

The modified bill now heads back to the Senate for reconsideration and expected approval.

"Medically it just really has no value. For us to approve a drug like this tells our children and tells the rest of the people in this state that we, somehow as leaders, give tacit approval to the use of this drug," argued Rep. John Heaton (D-Carlsbad), a pharmacist, last week. Heaton called marijuana as "the No. 1 gateway drug to abusing other drugs in our society."

But Richardson, who only recently endorsed the bill, said, "This bill will provide much-needed relief for New Mexicans suffering from debilitating diseases while including the proper safeguards to prevent abuse. I am pleased that the legislature did the right thing, reconsidered this important bill and supported a humane option for New Mexicans who endure some of the most painful diseases imaginable."

According to an article in the Contra Costa Times, December 18, 2006, patients in other cultures, such as the Philippines, are almost never left alone in the hospital. Patients have people constantly caring for them from nurses to family members. In other words, there seems to be more warmth and compassion for patients who are in the hospital. In the U.S., according to the article, bathing, taking the patient for a walk, etc. is usually done by the nurse even if the family members are present. In addition, the field of nursing has seen a decrease overall as baby boomers begin to retire...

Question: Do you think lack of compassion is the real issue for limited patient care or lack of staffing due to a decrease in the nursing field? Tell us what you think by clicking the comments link below. To read the entire article, visit:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/16265914.htm

According to the Boston Globe, November 13, 2006, Nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital will vote whether or not to strike. The article reports that nurses are “angry and frustrated” due to lower levels of pay and staffing levels are exceptionally poor, threatening patient safety and causing high staff turnover. If the strike takes place, they will follow in the steps of UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where nurses went on strike one day last month.

Question: Do you think a nursing strike is the best way to resolve the salary and staffing issues or would a strike further threaten patient safety? Tell us what you think by clicking the comments link below.

Nearly three decades ago, two psychologists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahnerman discovered a human phenomenon known as 'anchoring'. This occurs when you don't know the answer to something, whatever the starting point is plays a strong role in determining what you think the right answer is.

The initial number of casualties given for the Iraq war was about 30,000 - 50,000. A new study conducted by a respected Johns Hopkins peer reviewed journal finds the number of casualities to be about 650,000. Many critics dispute this as an accurate number. Source: Washington Post, Oct. 23, 2006 p. AO2

QUESTION: Do you think the initial number of 30,000-50,000 was a deliberate attempt by the media to use as an anchor so that subsequent reports of higher numbers would be difficult for the public to believe?

According to HealthNewsDigest.com, Sep 18, 2006, 07:00, Emory University researchers will begin a new study on Iraq War Veterans with PTSD. This study, headed by Barbara Rothbaum, PhD, ABPP, and Kerry Ressler, MD, PhD and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will use virtual reality therapy combined with a drug called d-cycloserine (DCS). The drug binds to neurotransmitter receptors in the amygdala called NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors. The mechanisms governing the fear response are located in that region of the brain. Previous studies on rodents have shown a positive effect on the extinction of fear. Do you think this study, if successful, will be an effective way to treat PTSD?

Please share your comments by clicking on the comments link below.

(Read entire article on http://healthnewsdigest.com/news/article_4456.shtml)