By Crystal Phend, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Published: June 28, 2012 Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner Action Points This study found lower levels of pyridoxal-5-phosphate, a marker of vitamin B-6, associated with an increased […]

Heroin (and opioid) addiction generally is considered the most serious among drug addictions because of its burden of disease, complications, and persistent nature. For most, a person addicted to heroin seems to be similar to the proverbial “gomer” (get out of my emergency room) from the House of God.1 We do not want to deal […]

he U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling upheld the Affordable Care Act, capping more than two years of debate on the constitutionality of the law and its individual mandate, which requires nearly all Americans to obtain health insurance. The law’s Medicaid expansion also can proceed, but the court wrote that its enforcement provision “violates […]

“Rookhi Sookhy Khai kay ……KHUSHWANT SINGH AT 98 *”Time tested tips on how to stay healthy & live longer – by Khushwant Singh Coming on to 98 and still earning more than I did in my younger days, people ask me how I manage to do it. They regard me as an expert on longevity. […]

What is a nightmare? Nightmares are scary dreams that awaken a child. Occasional bad dreams are normal at all ages after about 6 months of age. When infants have a nightmare, they cry and scream until someone comes to them. When preschoolers have a nightmare, they usually cry and run into their parents’ bedroom. Older […]

Twelve Step Programs Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: A 12 Step program is both a recovery plan and support network. Group members use the 12 steps to support each other as they recover from addictions and compulsions…. Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any […]

Therapeutic Recreation Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is therapeutic recreation? Therapeutic recreation uses leisure activities like games and crafts to help people function better. People who may benefit… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., Inc. […]

The Stresses of Chronic Illness Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is chronic illness? Chronic illness is any disease that lasts for months, years, or a lifetime. Some examples include: AIDS cancer cerebral… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of […]

Tardive Dyskinesia Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is tardive dyskinesia? Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a set of symptoms caused by the long-term use of certain medicines. These medicines, called… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., […]

Stress Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is stress? Stress is when life’s demands seem too heavy. You feel anxious and tense and may be aware that your heart is beating faster. A certain… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information […]

Stress Management Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is stress management? Stress management is the mastery of specific skills that help reduce the negative effects of stress on the body and… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & […]

Social Support Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is social support? Social support is having close relationships with other people. Support often comes from family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers. It… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., […]

Self-Harming Behaviors Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What does it mean to self-harm? Self-harm means injuring your body deliberately in a way that leaves marks or causes damage. It may also be called self-injury,… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information […]

Self-Esteem in Older Adults Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is self-esteem? Self-esteem is a term used to describe the way you feel about yourself. Changes in health, roles, activities, and lifestyle as you get… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains […]

Self-Esteem Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is self-esteem? Self-esteem describes how you think and feel about yourself. If you like yourself and feel deserving of good things in life, you have high… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of […]

Schizophrenia Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. People with this illness have disturbed and disorganized thinking, language, and behavior…. Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., Inc. (One Merck […]

Positive Attitude Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is a positive attitude? Attitude is positive state of mind that shows in the way you think and act. A person with a positive attitude: expects… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information […]

Positive Self-Talk Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is positive self-talk? We mentally talk to ourselves all the time. We give ourselves more feedback than anyone else ever could. Self-talk can be negative… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of […]

Living Successfully with Mental Illness Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: Employers, friends, and neighbors may be very uncomfortable about mental illness. Many people would rather avoid the issue than deal with it. They find it… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains […]

Letting Go of Resentment Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What is resentment? Resentment is a feeling of anger about something that seems unfair. Bad things happen to everyone. Money problems, health problems, or… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of […]

What is decisional capacity? Decisional capacity is the ability to make choices. Sometimes, when you are very sick or very old, you may become unable to make decisions. However, problems making decisions are not a normal part of getting older. If for some reason you lose your decisional capacity, you will need to have others […]

Alzheimer's Disease: Difficult Behaviors Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: What difficult behaviors are commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an incurable brain disease. It slowly destroys memory… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., […]

Angina versus other causes of chest pain: location Did you read? Dear Sir/Madam: mukesh agarwal shared this content with you: Figure 3-5. Characteristics of angina and differentiation… Read more NOND-1023896-0019 04/12 Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., Inc. (One Merck Drive, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA 08889), […]

Depression in headaches: chronification Deligianni, Christina I.; Vikelis, Michail; Mitsikostas, Dimos D. Author Information Neurology Department, Athens Naval Hospital, Athens, Greece Correspondence to Dimos D. Mitsikostas, MD, PhD, 77A Vas. Sofias Avenue, Athens 11521, Greece. Tel: +30 2107254316; fax: +30 2107254317; e-mail: dmitsikostas@ath.forthnet.gr Abstract Purpose of review: Recent evidence supports the suggestion that migraine is […]

We were on something like the 15th round of rummy, and my father was winning decisively. He cracked a wide, toothy grin as he laid his cards on the table. “That’s 321 for BaBa, and 227 for String Bean,” he said, tallying the ledger we were keeping on a piece of scrap paper. The 6th […]

MedWire News: Loneliness is a risk factor for functional decline and death in the elderly, say US researchers. Their study findings show that loneliness ‑ as distinct from depression ‑ is common in adults aged over 60 years, even if they are married and do not live alone. Indeed, study participants who reported being lonely […]

What is grief? Grief is an emotional reaction that follows the loss of someone or something of great value. Grief is a natural response to loss. Any loss can cause grief. Death is the one that usually comes to mind, but there are many others. Losses like divorce, losing a job, losing a pet, or […]

What is anxiety due to a medical condition? Anxiety due to a medical condition means that a medical problem causes symptoms such as feeling nervous, worried, or jittery. You may have panic attacks or feel that something terrible is going to happen. This disorder is different from being nervous and worried about your illness. If […]

What is major depression? Depression is a condition in which you feel sad, hopeless, and uninterested in daily life. Major depression is severe depression that lasts for at least 2 full weeks. Major depression usually improves within a few weeks. Some people have it only once, while others have many episodes. Major depression can be […]

What is loneliness? Loneliness is not just being alone. You can feel lonely even when you are surrounded by people. Loneliness means feeling isolated. It leaves you feeling sad or afraid. You may feel lonely because you are: spending too much time alone grieving over a loss, such as the death of a spouse feeling […]

Employers, friends, and neighbors may be very uncomfortable about mental illness. Many people would rather avoid the issue than deal with it. They find it embarrassing and scary. The stigma can be worse than the illness itself. One survey found that workers are more likely to tell their boss they were involved in a petty […]

Mental illness is a health condition that involves the brain. Mental illness causes problems with thinking, mood, or behavior that interfere with daily life and cause distress. If you are a family member or friend of someone who is mentally ill, you have probably been suffering too. You are likely to feel worried, frustrated, confused, […]

What is depression due to a medical condition? Depression is a condition in which you feel sad, hopeless, and uninterested in daily life. Several medical problems can cause depression. It is not that you are just upset at having a medical problem, but that the medical problem physically causes depression. As your physical condition improves, […]

What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects brain cells. It slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. Over time the ability to speak, remember, control emotions, and make decisions may be lost. People with AD may have a range of symptoms such as: mild anxiety memory loss, including more trouble remembering recent events than events […]

narcotic drugs abuse.

What is narcotic drug withdrawal? Narcotics include drugs such as heroin, codeine, morphine, and methadone. When you are dependent, you need the drug to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Your body’s chemistry has to readjust if you stop taking the drugs. The withdrawal symptoms occur while the body is readjusting. What is the cause? Narcotics change your […]

Know why you want to quit. When you quit smoking, your body gets to work repairing damaged tissues. Here are some of the health benefits: You stop damage to your lungs. You improve the blood flow to your heart, brain, and other body organs. You can fight colds and other respiratory infections more easily. You […]

What are inhalants? Inhalants are chemicals that produce fumes. Examples are glue, paint thinner, and lighter fluid. Dependence means a person feels that they cannot function without using the drug. Children and teens abuse inhalants because they are easy to get and have mind-altering effects when sniffed or “huffed.” These chemicals reach the lungs and […]