Now We Know: You Don't Slap a "Hysterical" Person

Slate.com has an article that brings up the fact that when Mel Gibson slapped Oksana Grigorieva for being "hysterical," that was not only inappropriate, but could do more harm than good.

Is it wise to slap a hysterical person? Absolutely not. Most psychiatrists avoid the word hysteria, because it's loaded with sexist baggage from the 19th century....

Slapping was a common response to so-called hysterical episodes in the 19th century. At that time, almost all women suffering from psychological problems like hallucinations, convulsions, sleep-walking, unexplained pains, or amnesia were diagnosed with some form of "hysteria," but researchers couldn't agree on what caused it. Some blamed syphilitic parents, others pointed to imbalances in the blood, and many just thought the women were faking illness to avoid their domestic obligations....

Just in Time for Thanksgiving

They say that laughter is the best medicine, but the health benefits of gratitude are quite impressive. According to this Wall Street Journal/FOX News article:

"A growing body of research suggests that maintaining an attitude of gratitude can improve psychological, emotional and physical well-being. Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They're also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have greater resistance to viral infections...."

Over Half of Patients with Depression Give Up

Science Blog reports on a European study that reveals some depressing statistics: Out of a sample of 7,525 patients, the Catalan Institute of Health says 56% stop taking their medications within the first 4 months, less than 25% continue their treatment for more than 11 months, and only 22% complete their course of treatment.

Gene Therapy Being Explored as a Treatment for Depression

A Reuters-MSNBC article describes a technique, which we are careful to mention is still in the experimental phase, offers hope for counteracting a gene (p11) that is linked to depression. We avoid using the "C-word" (cure) because depression may not have a singular cause, but anything that contributes to progress is good in our book.

Don't Tell Me What Kind of Day to Have!

Barbara Ehrenreich explores the darker side of positive thinking on Wimp.com. The bottom line: beware of groupthink!

UPDATE: Dr. David Van Nuys explains the difference between positive thinking and the positive psychology movement pioneered by Martin Seligman.

Congressman Patrick Kennedy Speaks Out for Mental Health

On the Today Show, Patrick Kennedy, son of the late Senator Robert Kennedy, talked about his future life's work: mobilizing public support for research and destigmatization of diseases of the brain.

New Blood Test Offers Hope of Detecting Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

TBI, which affects 1.4 million Americans every year, has always been a challenge for doctors to correctly identify, as X-rays and MRIs often do not detect the damage. Now a blood test has been developed that claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90% for mild traumatic brain injury. This is such a new discovery that it may not be available everywhere, but we expect to hear more about it in the near future.

UPDATE: The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio is doing cutting-edge research on a concussion blood test that can help identify closed-head brain injuries at a fraction of the cost of a CT scan.

"A team of Cleveland Clinic researchers, led by Damir Janigro, Ph.D., are developing a blood test that can help predict the seriousness of brain injury by detecting the status of the blood-brain barrier.

"If a protein (S100B) present only in the brain appears in serum, then the BBB is breached and the patient should be further evaluated.

"If measured within four hours of the injury, the S100B test accurately predicts which head injury patients will have a traumatic abnormality on a head CT scan...."

GlaxoSmithKline to Pay $750 Million Penalty!

MSNBC reports that this major pharmaceutical company is paying a high price for substandard practices at their Cidra, Puerto Rico plant (no longer in operation). One of the products of this plant was Paxil CR (extended-release antidepressant).

"It's a Lie to Think You're Not Good Enough!"

Nicholas Vujicic (pronounced Voy-a-chich) has become quite a motivational speaker because he refused to let a circumstance such as being born without arms or legs stop him from making the most of his abilities. He is far from being a wimp, but his video appears on Wimp.com. You can learn more about him on his Web site, Attitude is Altitude.

Ketamine Can Be Used to Treat Depression

EurekAlert reports that ketamine, also known by the nickname "Special K," is a quick and effective antidepressant that "restores connections between brain cells damaged by chronic stress." This medication for people and domestic animals, often administered intravenously, has been around since 1962. FuturePundit adds that this drug can be used to treat bipolar disorder.