Archive for January, 2010
Child Sexual Abuse: Problematic, Yes; Traumatic, Not Necessarily
No CommentsSusan Clancy’s important book “The Trauma Myth” (New York, Basic Books, 2009) is drawing the critical fire of a number of people who have not given it the careful reading it deserves. Some of these critics have claimed that Clancy argues against any deleterious effects of sexual molestation in childhood— that she defends pedophiles, and even that she is a pedophile herself or that she blames child victims for the behavior of sexually-exploitative adults.
The Pursuit of Bodily Perfection: An Expert Interview With Susie Orbach
No CommentsSusie Orbach, PhD, is best known for being among the first to raise awareness of women’s body image and eating disorders through the publication of her book, Fat Is a Feminist Issue in 1978. She is a thought-leader in terms of how culture influences women’s attitudes toward their bodies, their self-confidence, and their patterns of eating. Her most recent popular book on the topic is Bodies.
Dr. Orbach is a psychotherapist in private practice in London, United Kingdom, where for 10 years she wrote a column about emotions for The Guardian newspaper. Dr. Orbach is a visiting scholar at the New School for Social Research in New York, and was a visiting professor at the London School of Economics for 10 years. She spoke to Medscape’s Natalia Sloam and Pippa Wysong about body image, cultural and environmental influences, and tips for clinicians working with women.
Scripps research team finds stress hormone key to alcohol dependence
No CommentsA team of scientists from The Scripps Research Institute has found that a specific stress hormone, the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), is key to the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence in animal models. Chemically blocking the stress factor also blocked the signs and symptoms of addiction, suggesting a potentially promising area for future drug development.
The article, the culmination of more than six years of research, will appear in an upcoming print edition of the journal Biological Psychiatry.
“I’m excited about this study,” said Associate Professor Marisa Roberto, who led the research. “It represents an important step in understanding how the brain changes when it moves from a normal to an alcohol-dependent state.”
The new study not only confirms the central role of CRF in alcohol addiction using a variety of different methods, but also shows that in rats the hormone can be blocked on a long-term basis to alleviate the symptoms of alcohol dependence.
Previous research had implicated CRF in alcohol dependence, but had shown the effectiveness of blocking CRF only in acute single doses of an antagonist (a substance that interferes the physiological action of another). The current study used three different types of CRF antagonists, all of which showed an anti-alcohol effect via the CRF system. In addition, the chronic administration of the antagonist for 23 days blocked the increased drinking associated with alcohol dependence.
One hundred babies a month born with drug dependency to mothers hooked on heroin
No CommentsOne hundred babies are born with drug withdrawal symptoms every month, it has been revealed.
The symptoms associated with babies who are addicted to drugs are a loud, high-pitched crying, sweating, fever and stomach upsets.
These babies often need specialised care in hospital before they are allowed home and on occasions are taken from their mothers and placed in care.
A total of 1,233 cases in England – 102 a month – were reported last year, according to statistics obOnly 751 infants were diagnosed with the problem in English hospitals in 1998. The North West of the country was the worst hit area last year with 168 cases of babies born with drug withdrawal symptoms. South West was second with 159 cases, while Yorkshire and Humber were third with 155.
Marks & Spencer champagne ads run on pre-teen gaming website
No CommentsMarks & Spencer has been criticised for allowing alcohol averts to appear on a pre-teen gaming website popular with girls as young as five.
The M&S champagne ads appeared on GirlGames1.com. A mother spotted a four ads running in banner and display slots while her five-year-old daughter was using the site and reported the incident to Alcohol Concern.
The mother had used the M&S website to look for champagne during the festive season and as a result her computer became a target for relevant alcohol advertising.
