How Can Sitting Be Bad for Your Brain?

We have known for some time that sitting for prolonged periods can adversely impact our health. This article published in 2015 discusses some of the negative issues that have been associated with sitting including:

• Impeded cardiovascular and metabolic function
• Depression and psychological distress (for example, a “mental funk”)
• Spike in blood sugar levels
• Increased risk for heart attack, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, arthritis, certain types of cancers, and premature death

As you can see, this list is comprised of serious issues, and the author of the article gives some great suggestions for reducing your time sitting as well as for combating sitting’s negative effects. It is interesting to note that being in good physical shape and exercising regularly does not exempt a person from the damage incurred by sitting for extended periods of time, so the suggestions given can be beneficial for everyone.

A study published on April 12, 2018 in PLOS One (Public Library of Science), with Prabha Siddarth as the study’s first author, sheds even more light on the deleterious effects of prolonged sitting. Siddarth and other researchers at UCLA were interested in how sedentary behavior influences brain health, specifically the regions of the brain that are known to be critical to the formation of memory. They recruited 35 individuals ages 45 to 75 – 25 women and 10 men – and asked each one of them about their level of physical activity and time spent sitting over the previous week. Each person was then given a high-resolution MRI scan, which provided a detailed look at the medial temporal lobe (MTL), a brain region involved in the formation of new memories.

The researchers found that sedentary behavior is a significant predictor of thinning of the medial temporal lobe and that physical activity, even at high levels, is not sufficient to offset the harmful effects of sitting for extended periods of time. Such thinning is known to often be a forerunner to cognitive decline and dementia in middle-aged and older adults.

While these finding indicate a correlation between hours spent sitting and thinner regions of the medial temporal lobe, they do not actually prove that too much sitting causes thinner brain structures. The researchers noted that they focused on the hours spent sitting, but never asked the participants if they took breaks during this time, and if so, for how long. The researchers next hope to follow a group of people for a longer duration of time to determine if sitting causes the thinning. They are also interested in what roles gender, race and weight might play in brain health related to sitting.

While the findings of this study are interesting and certainly reinforce the notion that we all need to keep moving, more research, as the authors of the study suggest, is needed. However, it might just be that in the near future, we will add Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia to the growing list of adverse effects of prolonged sitting.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-can-sitting-be-bad-for-your-brain/

Only One Week Left to Join the Global Hope Challenge

Only one week left to share your story for hope! What is the one thing you turn to when feeling hopeless, anxious, depressed or stressed? Share on our HeroX platform where the top three videos will win prize money ($1,000, $500, and $250).

Kicking things off with powerful submissions from Jack.org’s network of young leaders, the goal is to help inspire others to create, maintain, and sustain hope by sharing a 30-second video of what individuals do in their darkest hour to get through periods of hopelessness and work to get back to a hopeful state of mind.

Suicide and depression among youth are growing at alarming rates, with 36 percent of girls in the US alone self-reporting depression prior to graduating high school. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for 15-19 year-old girls, even though depression and anxiety are treatable and suicide is preventable. A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health suggests that 1 in 9 kids attempt suicide prior to graduating high school, 40 percent of whom are in grade school. As hopelessness is the primary predictor of suicide, and number one symptom of depression, iFred focuses on teaching hope globally based on research it is a teachable skill.

While sharing a message alone won’t create a hopeful mindset, the campaign aims to start the global conversation and bring awareness about the need to learn about the importance of hope. iFred has a full free global curriculum called Hopeful Minds comprised of 12 lessons for youth ages 8-12. The organization hopes to grow the curriculum across all ages and languages as the program gains momentum and funding.

The Global Hope Challenge ends May 31st, and asks organizations, advocates, and individuals to enter and share the contest by submitting the video on the HeroX campaign page and then sharing using the hashtags #OneThing & #Hope. The contest is open to all, though individuals under the age of 18 need parental permission. The hashtags represent the power of having one thing you can turn to since everyone needs at least one thing for hope to help deal with any situation life may bring.

Participants create and share a short video with their personal experience with depression, anxiety, and/or feeling hopeless (if they want), and also must identify one thing they do to create a hopeful state. Vote online June 1st to June 7th for your favorite, where all can vote on the messages, lifting up the ones they find most helpful and inspirational. Winners are to be announced and videos shared at Mental Health America’s meeting in DC in June, 2018.

We hope you join the Global Hope Challenge today at www.herox.com/hope.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/one-week-left-to-join-the-global-hope-challenge/

Psychology Around the Net: May 26, 2018

Happy Saturday, Psych Central readers!

This week’s Psychology Around the Net covers why we get so annoyed when we receive unsolicited advice, how technology (like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant) could be negatively affecting the way children learn to communicate, a new mental health guide in graphic novel format, and more.

Psychologists Have Identified a Very Good Reason Why Unsolicited Advice Is So Annoying: Over the course of several studies, psychologists have found that while giving advice can seem (and often is) a kind and generous move, it 1) isn’t always selfless, and 2) can create a power imbalance — especially when it suggests the person receiving the unsolicited advice actually needs something from the advice giver in the first place.

A Cartoonist’s Playful and Pragmatic Mental Health Guide: When cartoonist Ellen Forney published Marbles, her graphic memoir on bipolar disorder, readers went wild for it. So, she followed up with Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice from My Bipolar Life — not a memoir or even a sequel, but a sort of reference book with 8 chapters that cover 8 specific mental health-related topics and also aims to explain what happens when a person starts to properly manage mental illness.

She Started a Suicide Prevention Site at Age 15. It’s Still Going Strong: “People didn’t view me seriously because I was a 15-year-old girl.” People are taking the now 20-year-old CEO of Buddy Project, Gabby Frost, seriously now.

People with ASD Risk Being Manipulated Because They Can’t Tell When They’re Being Lied To: A new study out of the University of Kent shows people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a diminished ability to distinguish truth from lies, which puts them at a greater risk of being manipulated.

Hey Alexa, What Are You Doing to My Kid’s Brain? Parents are becoming anxious that the ability to demand Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant to tell a story, read a joke, or play a song is teaching their children to communicate as “demanding little twerps” rather than polite and considerate humans — so much so that both companies recently announced their various devices will start requiring a “please” and thanking them for being polite.

The Best Way to Persuade Someone That They’re Wrong Is to Show Them How They’re Right: Sure, at first it sounds conniving, but it’s actually beneficial for everyone if you look at it the way 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal explains it.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/psychology-around-the-net-may-26-2018/

Finding the Medicine for Your Soul

Happiness…it’s the holy grail, right? Dr. Tim Bono, in his book Why Likes Aren’t Enough: A Crash Course in the Science of Happiness, addresses this and other myths about happiness and shares some fascinating research about what really makes us happy. One of the concepts he discusses is “hedonic adaptation” — the notion that we adapt to our life circumstances, so that even if you win the lottery or get that thing that you really wanted, after a short while you will get used to that and it won’t bring lasting happiness.

I got to thinking lately about what really makes me happy. Among the other “distractions” out there that move us away from authentic happiness, such as being constantly bombarded by subtle and not-so-subtle media images and cultural messages of how we should look and live to have the “good life”, I notice how easy it is to get sucked into the abyss of modern technology. While there are so many benefits of being connected at the click of a button, there are also some down sides that are hard to escape.

Our self-worth and attention often become wrapped up in how many likes and follows we get; we can forego old fashioned conversations for text messages that lack the warm glance, the soothing voice, or the indescribable feeling of sitting in the presence of another human being. We can get sucked into the vortex of surfing, hopping from site to site in a manner that scatters our attention. We are tempted by materialism and consumerism at our fingertips, without the feeling of paying paper money that we worked hard to earn. And we spend increasing amounts of time in front of screens of all kinds for our entertainment and companionship — and to escape from boredom and other emotions. While technology might at times bring satisfaction, I think few people would say that it touches their soul and makes them feel alive.

I have had a few really remarkable experiences in the woods lately. On one recent snow shoeing adventure this winter, I made my way through fresh, pristine snow that stretched  endlessly before me in the woods, untouched by human feet lest for one set of cross country tracks. The sun was glorious, shining on the snow in a way that made it shimmer and glisten as if it were filled with jewels at each turn. The birds were my companions, and the sound of crunching and crackling snow delighted me and became my focus of attention as I ventured one foot in front of the next. Honestly, I felt like a kid let loose in a candy shop or a playground, with a joy and feeling of aliveness that is not so commonplace in my fast-paced, technology-filled world. At one point, I sat down in the snow by the pond’s edge and meditated, feeling an indescribable connection to nature and the earth and these gifts in my backyard.

I believe we all have a medicine for our soul. For some people it might be being in nature. For some it might be painting or playing music or creating some unique expression of who they are. For others it might be sitting with a friend over a cup of tea, or volunteering at a food pantry, or letting loose and singing at the top of their lungs in the shower. It doesn’t have to be profound — just authentic to who you are at your core and what truly moves you.

Some questions to ask yourself:

• What makes me feel fully alive or joyful?
• What did I used to do as a child that I loved?
• What brings me a deep sense of peace?
• What allows me to feel a deep connection with other people, the world, or something larger than myself?

Once you have asked yourself those questions, see if you might get quiet and ask yourself what is one thing that you could do this week that would enable you to tap into that? It need not be something that requires setting aside a huge amount of time. I have had some very joyful moments breaking out into dance while washing the dishes and singing to my favorite music. Perhaps it is preparing a delicious meal and savoring it by candlelight, or curling up by the fire and petting your cat, or sitting outside in the sunshine for a few minutes during a work break, or reaching out to a coworker or friend in need.

Whatever you choose, make it a point to do that one thing this week, and notice how it feels. What is it like to tap into this part of you, to honor the authentic part of you that longs to be heard?

As Tim Bono says, true happiness is not about being happy all the time, and it’s not even about striving to achieve some end point of “being happy.” But it is about taking small, consistent steps to be “happier.” Paying attention to the small things that move our hearts and touch our souls may be one place to start.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/finding-the-medicine-for-your-soul/

Best of Our Blogs: May 25, 2018

Mental illness affects everyone.

It’s not always apparent that someone is suffering. Many people are highly functioning and seeking treatment while succeeding in their every day lives.

While many of us struggle with illness in silence, healing requires a systematic approach. It entails compassion and a decision to love rather than continue to radiate fear.

I hope that as mental health awareness month comes to a close this May, we all do our part to make an effort to slough away judgment, open our heart to understanding and courageously share our fears, uncertainties and the truth about our own struggles with mental illness.

6 Ways to Spot a Narcissist from Day 1
(Knotted) – See if you’re a magnet for narcissists and then see if you’ve attracted one.

It’s Official: Compulsive Sexual Behavior (Sex Addiction) Gets a Diagnosis
(Sex & Intimacy in the Digital Age) – The ICD or International Classification of Diseases (the ICD-11) comes out this year and here’s why that’s important.

8 Important Truths About Grief
(Sorting Out Your Life) – If you’re grieving and wonder if what you’re experiencing is normal, you need to read this.

6 Signs of Trustworthy vs. Untrustworthy Partners
(NLP Discoveries) – How can you tell if someone is worthy of your trust? This will save you from unnecessary heartache.

7 Kinds of Crying and What They Mean
(Psychoanalysis Now) – From duration and length to type, here’s all the things you didn’t know about crying.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/best-of-our-blogs-may-25-2018/

Oliver North’s Ritalin Myth

The incoming NRA President, Oliver North, recently offered his theory for the spate of school shootings in this country, blaming “a culture of violence“ and the drug methylphenidate (Ritalin). “If you look at what has happened to the young people, many of these young boys have been on Ritalin since they were in kindergarten,” North said. ¹

As a psychiatrist, I partly agree with North: there are cultural factors in the U.S. that may increase the risk for aggression or violence — including but not limited to bullying, gangs, and substances of abuse. But Col. North is way off base in blaming Ritalin for school shootings. This notion is part of a larger mythology that attributes mass shootings to psychiatric medications of various sorts, including antidepressants. But what is the evidence for such claims?

First off, there is very little evidence that Ritalin and related medications for ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) cause violent behavior, when properly prescribed and monitored. On the contrary, studies going back to the 1990s generally find that Ritalin-type medications actually reduce aggressiveness in children with ADHD. (It is important to note that aggression is not one of the “core” features of ADHD, according to current diagnostic criteria; and when aggression occurs, it is usually due to some co-occurring disorder).

Indeed, a 1990 study by Dr. Kenneth Gadow and colleagues stated, “One of the least documented ‘known’ effects of methylphenidate in hyperactive children is the suppression of peer aggression.” ² More recent studies in the U.S. and Europe have largely borne this out. ³ Of course, if a stimulant like methylphenidate is prescribed inappropriately — say, for a patient with unstable bipolar disorder — irritability or aggressive behaviors may sometimes emerge.

The larger myth that connects psychiatric medications with school shootings was meticulously debunked by psychologist Dr. Peter Langman in a 2016 study. ⁴ Langman pointed out the often-forgotten problem of “reverse causality”; that is, attributing violent behavior to a specific medication, when, in fact, the medication was initially prescribed because the person was already exhibiting aggressive or violent behaviors. Langman reviewed many recent cases of mass shootings in which the shooter was supposedly taking Ritalin or an antidepressant.

He found that in most cases, a causal link between the drug and the shooting could not be established. For example, in the 1998 Thurston High School shooting, Langman notes that the shooter “… had taken Prozac and Ritalin in the past but not anywhere near the time of his attack.”

Similarly, despite speculation in the media to the contrary, there was no evidence that the 23-year-old man responsible for the Virginia Tech shooting (2007) had recently used, or was withdrawing from, psychiatric medication. Langman found that out of 24 secondary school shooters, only two were taking psychiatric medication at the time of their attacks; or, as he puts it, “over 87% of the secondary school shooters were not on psychiatric medications at the time of their attacks.”

There are no simple explanations for why someone becomes a school shooter or carries out a mass shooting, though psychological “profiles” have revealed some common features among these individuals; for example, a history of having been bullied by peers; strong feelings of anger and resentment ⁵; or a history of morbid preoccupation with guns and violence. But it is wrong to heap blame, as Oliver North did, on medications prescribed for psychiatric illnesses.

 

References

1. Mele, C., & Caron, C. (2018, May 21). Oliver North Blames ‘Culture of Violence’ for Mass Shootings. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/us/nra-oliver-north.html
2. Gadow KD, Nolan EE, Sverd J et al. Methylphenidate in Aggressive-Hyperactive Boys: I. Effects on Peer Aggression in Public School Settings. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry , 1990; 29, Issue 5 , 710 – 718
3. Sinzig J, Dopfner M, Lehmkuhl G et al. Long-acting methylphenidate has an effect on aggressive behavior in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2007 Aug;17(4):421-32.
4. Langman P. Psychiatric medications and school shootings. Researchgate.net. Feb. 2016 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308220517_Psychiatric_Medications_and_School_Shootings
5. Knoll JL 4th. The “pseudocommando” mass murderer: part I, the psychology of revenge and obliteration. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2010;38(1):87-94. http://jaapl.org/content/jaapl/38/1/87.full.pdf

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/oliver-norths-ritalin-myth/

Podcast: Diverse Diseases, Allied Advocates

Listen to part two of the episode recorded live on location at HealtheVoices 2018. (Part one was posted last week, so check it out if you haven’t, already.) In this continuation of the multi-advocate panel discussion, our panelists talk about the most difficult aspect of their advocacy and how they deal with it. They also address misconceptions and ignorance about their diseases, such as the difference between AIDS and HIV or IBD and IBS, the fact that lupus is not contagious, and that men can have breast cancer. To close out the episode, each panelist shares his/her thoughts on what advocates for different conditions have in common.

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LIVE Show Highlights:

“I get a lot of people who mistakenly make the assumption that I can treat myself or…cure myself if I just change my diet.” ~ Rasheed Clarke

[0:33]   Each panelist shares what they find most difficult about their advocacy.

[8:32]   AnnMarie speaks about breast cancer in men.

[10:48] AnnMarie shares her thoughts on joking about diseases.

[12:45] Marisa tells of the misconceptions the public has about lupus.

[16:05] Daniel speaks of his advocacy work in schools.

[18:30] Rasheed comments on the common confusion of IBD and IBS.

[20:30] Each panelist shares their observations on how advocates are the same, regardless of their conditions.

 

 

About Our Guests

Rasheed Clarke lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and works as a communications coordinator and freelance writer. In 2011, he published a book of short stories about living with ulcerative colitis titled, Three Tablets Twice Daily. Rasheed had his colon removed in 2013 as a result of the disease. He now lives with a pelvic pouch, and blogs about his experiences with it at www.rasheedclarke.com. Aside from discussing digestive diseases, he enjoys running, soccer, design, nature, and pizza.

Follow Rasheed on Twitter.

 

 

Daniel Garza has been an HIV advocate since 2001, sharing the basics of HIV along with his story at high schools, college and universities. He also educates through his podcast, Put It Together, and on social media pages, such as, HIV Positive Life on Facebook.

Follow Daniel on Facebook.

 

 

 

 

AnnMarie Otis parlayed a cancer diagnosis into an advocacy powerhouse, giving voice to people impacted by breast cancer, MS, and mental health issues. Since establishing the non-profit Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer organization in 2012, AnnMarie has worked tirelessly to engage the community through awareness programs and fundraising initiatives, and to ensure that everyone who suffers is heard. She currently serves as community manager for Wisdo.com.

Follow AnnMarie on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

 

Marisa Zeppieri is a health and food journalist and author, in addition to being the founder of LupusChick, an autoimmune community and nonprofit, and board member for The Lupus Foundation of America. LupusChick provides patients and their families support, educational materials and resources, and the nonprofit has awarded five partial college scholarships to students with lupus. She is the reigning Mrs. New York and works with government officials via her platform of Lupus awareness. May is officially Lupus Awareness Month. She lives in NY with her husband and rescued terrier, and enjoys food photography and aerial yoga.

Follow Marisa on Instagram.

 

 

About The Psych Central Show Hosts

Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar and anxiety disorders. In addition to hosting The Psych Central Show, Gabe is an associate editor for PsychCentral.com. He also runs an online Facebook community, The Positive Depression/Bipolar Happy Place, and invites you to join. To work with Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

 

 

Vincent M. Wales is a former suicide prevention counselor who lives with persistent depressive disorder. In addition to co-hosting The Psych Central Show, Vincent is the author of several award-winning novels and the creator of costumed hero Dynamistress. Visit his websites at www.vincentmwales.com and www.dynamistress.com.

 

 

 

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-hev2/