World faces worst crisis since Great Depression: IMF chief

WASHINGTON -- The global coronavirus pandemic has inflicted an economic crisis unlike any in the past century and will require a massive response to ensure recovery, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Thursday.

The warnings about the damage inflicted by the virus already were stark, but Georgieva said the world should brace for "the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression."

With nearly 89,000 deaths in 192 countries and territories and the number of cases now surpassing 1.5 million worldwide, much of the global economy has been shut down to contain the spread of the virus.

The International Monetary Fund expects "global growth will turn sharply negative in 2020," with 170 of the fund's 180 members experiencing a decline in per capita income, Georgieva said.

Just a few months ago, the fund was expecting 160 countries to see rising per capita income, she said in a speech previewing next week's spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank, which will be held virtually due to the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19.

'IT COULD GET WORSE'

Even in the best-case scenario, the IMF expects only a "partial recovery" next year, assuming the virus fades later in 2020, allowing normal business to resume as the lockdowns imposed to contain its spread are lifted.

But she added this ominous caution: "It could get worse."

There is "tremendous uncertainty around the outlook" and the duration of the pandemic, Georgieva said.

The IMF will release its latest World Economic Outlook on Tuesday, with grim forecasts for its members this year and next. In January, the IMF projected global growth of 3.3 percent this year and 3.4 percent in 2021.

But that was a different world.

The US economy has purged 17 million jobs since mid-March, with the latest weekly data issued Thursday showing 6.6 million workers filed for unemployment benefits, and economists projecting a double-digit jobless rate this month.

The World Bank said Thursday the pandemic might cause the first recession in Africa in 25 years.

Researchers at the Institute for International Finance (IIF), a global banking association, expect a 2.8 percent plunge in global GDP, compared to a decline of 2.1 percent in 2009 during the global financial crisis.

That is a sharp reversal from October, when the IIF predicted 2.6 percent growth.

Recovery depends on decisive actions now, Georgieva said. The IMF has $1 trillion in lending capacity and is responding to unprecedented calls from 90 countries for emergency financing.

SEND MORE LIFELINES

Countries already have taken steps worth a combined $8 trillion, but Georgieva urged governments to do more.

"Lifelines for households and businesses are imperative" to "avoid a scarring of the economy that would make the recovery so much more difficult."

The IMF board approved a doubling of emergency lending facilities that will provide about $100 billion, and is moving ahead with debt relief for the poorest countries and also help for countries with unsustainable debt levels.

"The bleak outlook applies to advanced and developing economies alike. This crisis knows no boundaries. Everybody hurts," Georgieva said.

She noted that about $100 billion in investments already had fled emerging markets -- more than three times the capital exodus seen in the 2008 global financial crisis.

US officials have scrambled to apply a tourniquet to stem the bleeding of jobs in the world's largest economy and keep the financial system from freezing up.

The Federal Reserve rolled out another series of lending programs Thursday totaling $2.3 trillion to help small and medium businesses as well as state and local governments facing cash shortages.

The US is moving "with alarming speed" from unemployment near a 50-year low, to a "very high" rate, Fed chair Jerome Powell said in a speech Thursday.

And like Georgieva, he indicated the US government will have to provide more direct support, since the Fed is limited to lending to solvent entities.

"All of us are affected, but the burdens are falling most heavily on those least able to carry them," Powell said.

But he also tried to offer some reassurance, saying the US economic rebound could be "robust."

Agence France-Presse

Justin Bieber on drug abuse: 'It was legit crazy scary'

(Reuters) - Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber has opened up about his past heavy drug abuse, calling it an escape from the pressures of fame that he decided to stop only when he felt he was dying.

Bieber, 25, has written on social media in the past year about his struggles with depression, drugs and fame, but he went into detail on camera for the first time in a documentary series about his life.

Bieber said he started using marijuana when he was about 13, the age at which he rose to fame as a baby-faced singer in Canada. He soon moved onto other substances, including ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, pills and alcohol.

“People don’t know how serious it got. It was legit crazy scary. I was waking up in the morning and the first thing I was doing was popping pills and smoking a blunt and starting my day. It just got scary,” Bieber said in the latest episode of his YouTube documentary, “Justin Bieber: Seasons,” released on Monday.

“I decided to stop because I was like, dying. My security and stuff would come into my room at night to check my pulse,” he recalled.

Bieber said that like other young people, he was experimenting and using drugs to escape. “But my experience was in front of cameras and I had a different level of exposure. I had a lot of money and a lot of things,” he said.

The 10-part documentary chronicles the making of the Canadian singer’s first album in four years, as well as giving fans glimpses of his private life with his new wife, model Hailey Baldwin, and other family members. It follows a long period out of the public eye after Bieber abruptly pulled out of his “Purpose” world tour in 2017, citing the need for rest.

Bieber’s new album, “Changes,” will be released on Feb. 14, followed by a North American tour starting in May.

Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Leslie Adler

Mental health at risk as California wildfire threat grows

PARADISE, California - Tasha Ritza lost her house, her job and her hometown on the day a wildfire destroyed Paradise, California. A year later, her life is still in tatters, she said.

"I'm at a loss. I deal with a lot of anxiety. I can't figure out if I want to stay, if I want to go," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "I haven't worked in a year.

"In a day it was all taken from me, and it's not getting any easier," said Ritza, who ran a kitchen in one of the Paradise public schools before the fire. She has moved to nearby Chico while she struggles to decide what to do next.

In California communities haunted by wildfires losses and new fire threats, the damage has not been only physical. Anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges linked to the fires are growing - and residents say they fear more trauma is ahead.

"This whole county has PTSD, depression," said Michele Evans, a young mother who worked at a dance studio in Paradise before the fire, referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Everybody could use some counseling, the whole county," she added.

The wildfire that swept through the northern California town of Paradise in November 2018 was the most deadly in state history, killing 85 people.

Panicked residents fled burning homes and abandoned their cars on blocked streets, running through flames down the main roadway to escape their mountain town, once popular with retirees.

Today only about 10% of the 27,000 people who once lived there remain.

Some moved just up the road to the small mountain community of Magalia and others to bigger cities nearby such as Chico and Sacramento. But many left the area altogether after the fire destroyed almost 18,800 structures, more than half of them homes.

In the charred remains of Paradise, a few people still live in trailers on the burned-out lots where their homes once stood.

California has long suffered seasonal wildfires, but longer dry seasons and more powerful winds - which scientists link to climate change - are helping make the blazes far more destructive, raising risks - and fears.

ANXIETY, DEPRESSION

Rebecca Schmidt, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, has studied mental health among pregnant women during wildfires ever since 2017 blazes tore through the state's Napa and Sonoma wine regions.

"The most commonly reported symptom even a year later was stress and anxiety," she said. That included sleeplessness, headaches, difficulty concentrating and depression.

"It's even more worrisome when communities are disrupted, like Paradise. A lot of them lost their support system," she said.

The losses can have long-standing mental health impacts - and fear of more fires also is taking a toll, Schmidt said.

"The feeling of not being safe affects the mental health of people all around, and it's a long-term thing," she said.

In Sonoma County, where the Kincade fire burned nearly 80,000 acres (32,400 hectares) before being extinguished this month, officials are considering asking residents to vote on a 1/4 cent sales tax to fund mental health services.

County officials there also recently declared a climate emergency in an effort to make climate risks a top priority in policies and decision-making.

"I've seen more mental illness in the last two years than I've ever seen in Sonoma County before," said Kellee Ziegler, an emergency room nurse at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

During the Kincade blaze, people filled the emergency room with complaints of PTSD and suicide attempts, she said.

"This fire threw people over the edge," she said.

Dr. Grant Brenner, a New York-based psychiatrist and expert in disaster-related mental health, said mental health threats from disasters tend to be overlooked.

But as global warming brings growing threats - from stronger hurricanes and more frequent floods and droughts to larger fire risks, "the damage psychologically from climate change is going to be massive," he said.

One way to ease the pressure is letting survivors help other survivors, said Janet Leisen, whose home in the northern California city of Santa Rosa burned two years ago.

She and other Santa Rosa residents who lost homes in the 2017 blaze traveled to Healdsburg during the Kincade fire to offer advice and support on recovering and rebuilding, working from a local assistance center set up for newly affected residents.

"As a victim, we know that it's difficult to talk to people who haven't been there," she said. "It's easier to talk to someone who understands that it's not just stuff (lost), that this is a traumatic event."

Jessie Mercer, an art therapist who lived in Paradise, said she poured her grief into creating a "Phoenix" sculpture, built from the keys of homes lost in the blaze.

The sculpture was unveiled as residents returned to Paradise this month to mark the fire's one-year anniversary.

"I brought us home, even if just for today," Mercer said at the unveiling.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

'Depression is real': Mental health advocate is PH rep to Mr. Gay World 2019

MANILA — Janjep Carlos of Cavite on Sunday was picked as the Philippines' representative to the Mister Gay World 2019, an annual international pageant for gay men.

Carlos beat out 17 other candidates and was named Mister Fahrenheit 2019, giving him the honor to carry the Philippine sash at the Mister Gay World 2019 to be held in Cape Town, South Africa in May.

He secured the judges' nods after baring his advocacy for fighting depression through his #IllnessToWellness campaign.

During the final round of the competition, the remaining three candidates were asked why they should be chosen as the flag bearer to the international pageant, to which Carlos answered:

"I think I am the best representative of the Philippines because I always work hard on all the tasks I am committed with... I will also carry the hope of those people with depression because depression is real."

He said he hopes to make an impact by advocating awareness of mental health issues.

"I will carry my advocacy in the international level. And I hope the global community will support me in my advocacy of #IllnessToWellness," Carlos said.

Aside from the top title, Carlos also bagged the special award for best in swimwear.

The competition's runners up were Kevin Garcia of Cebu and Macky Belen of Rizal.

'He's the most ready'

According to Norman Tinio, a pageant expert and one of the judges, Carlos stood out because he carried an "international appeal" similar to that of John Raspado who won the tilt in 2017.

"He's the most ready... When you choose someone you will send to Mister Gay World, you need someone who's 100 percent ready. Someone with an international appeal. Someone who will not be a wallflower," he said.

"Janjep Carlos has those qualities, hindi yan magiging wallflower pagdating sa South Africa. Lalaban 'yan," the expert added.

With barely a month to prepare for the international pageant, Carlos said the next few weeks will be challenging for him.

"I really need to focus on my diet and workout because we know the competition there is very tight... So it's a big challenge for me," he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Teen cannabis use linked to higher risk of adolescent depression

LONDON - Teenagers who use cannabis have a higher risk of developing depression and suicidal thoughts as young adults and should be made aware of those risks by parents and doctors, scientists said on Wednesday.

About 7 percent of cases of adolescent depression could be averted if cannabis use was eliminated, according to an analysis of data on mental illness among young people in the United States, Britain and Canada who used cannabis in their teens.

“Although the size of the negative effects of cannabis can vary ... and it is not possible to predict the exact risk for each teenager, the widespread use of cannabis among the young generations makes it an important public health issue,” said Andrea Cipriani, a professor of psychiatry at Britain’s Oxford University who co-led the work.

Cannabis is the most commonly used recreational drug by teenagers worldwide. In Canada, more than 20 percent of teens aged 15 to 19 years say they have used it in the past year. In England, for those aged 11 to 15, about 4 percent say they used cannabis in the last month.

The researchers said the results suggested that, if cannabis use were eliminated, there would be an estimated 400,000 fewer cases of depression in 18 to 34 year olds in the United States, 25,000 fewer in Canada and about 60,000 fewer in the Britain.

“It’s a big public health and mental health problem,” Cipriani told reporters at a briefing in London. “Adolescents should be made aware of the risk.”

The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry and co-led by Cipriani and researchers at McGill University in Canada, was a systematic analysis pooling the best available evidence.

Teva slides on forecast, drags other generic drugmakers. It included 23,317 people from 11 international studies and looked at depression, anxiety and having suicidal thoughts in young adults.

Independent specialists asked to comment on the study said its findings were robust and important.

“Among young adults worldwide, depression is the leading cause of disability, and suicide is the most common cause of death,” said Joseph Firth, a specialist at Australia’s Western Sydney University.

By showing cannabis as a contributing factor to both, he said, the study showed the importance of seeking ways to reduce teenage cannabis use.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Michael Jackson's only daughter downplays treatment report

LOS ANGELES - Paris Jackson, the only daughter of late singer Michael Jackson, on Wednesday played down reports that she is undergoing treatment, saying she is "happy, healthy, and better than ever."

Jackson, 20, said in an Instagram post that she had taken a break from work and social media. 

But she said, "The media is exaggerating" when it reported earlier this week that she had checked herself into a treatment facility for her "emotional and physical health." 

"Yes I’ve taken a break from work and social media and my phone because it can be too much sometimes, and everyone deserves a break, but i am happy and healthy and feeling better than ever!," she wrote.

Jackson, who was just 11 years old when her father died suddenly in 2009, has spoken in the past of struggles with depression. In a 2017 interview, she said she slashed her wrists in a 2013 suicide attempt.

In the past two years, Jackson has forged a modeling career and made her feature film acting debut in the dark comedy "Gringo." Last year she formed a band called The Soundflowers. Her mother is Debbie Rowe, who was married to Michael Jackson for about three years.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Depression in pregnancy may alter babies' brains

Women with depression and anxiety during pregnancy may be more likely to have babies with altered brain development that might be linked to behavior problems later in childhood, a small study suggests.

Researchers asked 101 women to complete questionnaires about depression and anxiety symptoms during their third trimester of pregnancy. Overall, six mothers had symptoms of major depressive disorder, five met criteria for moderate depression, and 42 met criteria for mild depression.

Then, researchers took MRIs of infants’ brains when they were about one month old. They found more alterations in brain structure among the babies born to women who experienced at least moderate levels of depression during pregnancy.

“Our study suggests that moderate levels of maternal depression and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy were associated with variations in the brain’s white matter microstructure or ‘wiring’ at one month of age,” said lead study author Douglas Dean III of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The patterns were different in boys and girls, “which may be related to boys and girls having different developmental trajectories and being differentially impacted by certain early life experiences,” Dean said by email.

Up to one in five pregnant women experience depression and anxiety, and mounting evidence links these conditions with poorer emotional and behavioral outcomes in children, researchers note in JAMA Pediatrics.

That’s true even when mothers’ symptoms aren’t severe, they say.

In the current study, researchers found maternal depression and anxiety linked to changes in what’s known as white matter microstructure in the brain, which is involved in communication between different regions of the brain.

Untreated depression during pregnancy is associated with underweight babies who are more likely to need intensive care after birth. Pregnant women with uncontrolled depression may not eat well or keep up with prenatal visits, and in the most severe cases, they may be at increased risk for suicide.

The study can’t prove whether or how anxiety or depression during pregnancy might directly influence infants’ brain development or emotional or behavioral development.

It’s also not clear whether changes seen on brain scans during infancy would persist as children aged or whether any treatment mothers get for depression or anxiety might impact babies’ brain development.

Still, the results underscore the importance of focusing on both physical and mental health during pregnancy, said David Bridgett, a psychology researcher at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb who wasn’t involved in the study.

“For some, psychotherapy or counseling can be highly effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety, which may help to mitigate any risk to the developing infant,” Bridgett said by email. “Therapy and behavioral treatments for depression and anxiety can be just as effective as medication.”

Like many drugs, antidepressants fall into a gray area during pregnancy, with insufficient evidence to definitively prove the harms or benefits. Often, doctors may reserve drugs for women with more severe depression.

“While there is data suggesting that some medications for depression and anxiety may be relatively safe for pregnant women to take, there also is research suggesting that such medications may have effects on child development,” Bridgett added.

The current study provides fresh evidence that mood disorders do need to be addressed during pregnancy, said Erika Forbes, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh who wasn’t involved in the study.

“Changes in brain development don’t necessarily lead to long-term impairments in cognition, behavior, or emotion,” Forbes said by email.

“They might not be meaningful, and they’re just one factor,” Forbes added. “But they could make some children more vulnerable to serious problems.”

SOURCE: bit.ly/2PboV1x JAMA Pediatrics, online August 27, 2018.

Antidepressants don't work for teens, kids: study

PARIS, France - Most available antidepressants are ineffective for children and teenagers with major depression, and some may be unsafe, according to an overview of medical literature published Thursday.

Only one drug, fluoxetine, was found to work better at relieving the symptoms of depression than a look-alike placebo with no active ingredients, said the study, published in The Lancet.

Another drug, venlafaxine, was linked with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared with placebo and five other antidepressants, it reported.

More broadly, there is a paucity of well-designed clinical trials on the impact of these drugs on youngsters, the authors cautioned.

"The balance of risks and benefits of antidepressants for the treatment of major depression does not seem to offer a clear advantage in children and teenagers," said co-author Peng Xie from The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in China.

The international team of researchers recommended that youths taking such medications be monitored closely regardless of the antidepressant chosen, particularly at the beginning of treatment.

They also called for more transparency and information sharing, lamenting in particular the lack of data at the individual level.

"We can’t be completely confident about the accuracy of the information contained in published and unpublished trials," lead author Andrea Cipriani at the University of Oxford said in a statement.

"Delay in implementing responsible data sharing policies has negative consequences for medical research and patient outcomes."

Major depressive disorder affects about 3 percent of children aged 6 to 12 years, and about 6 percent of teenagers aged 13 to 18 years.

Many clinical guidelines recommend psychological treatments as the first-line treatment for depression.

But in the United States, for example, the use of antidepressants has slowly increased between 2005 and 2012.

The proportion of US children and teenagers taking antidepressants climbed from 1.3 to 1.6 percent, and in Britain from 0.7 percent to 1.1 percent, the study showed.

Sertraline is the most widely prescribed antidepressant in the USA, and fluoxetine is the most common in Britain.

The study covered 34 clinical trials involving 5,260 participants, aged 9 to 18.

Two-thirds of the trials were funded by pharmaceutical companies.

In a comment, also in The Lancet, Jon Jureidini from the University of Adelaide in Australia questioned whether the lack of data about individual patients obscured the true number of suicidal events.

"Claims that appropriate access to such data is incompatible with intellectual property constraints and patient privacy must be strongly resisted."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Online display of affection: A sign of insecurity?

MANILA -- Everybody is in Facebook right now: your parents, friends, your four-year-old cousin, neighbors, officemates, your boss, even your bosses’ dog. Practically everyone who has taken part in your life belongs to various social media platforms in the web, and whether we like it or not, that includes your exes.

Most people turn to social media to express themselves. The integration of social media in the everyday lives of people is so immense that some people will post almost anything and everything about their lives. Their latest #fitspiration? Posted. Viral kitten videos? Shared. Hotdog sandwich snack? Selfie’d. They express emotions of different varieties like depression, fury, excitement, and of course, love.

Signs of affection are present in everyday life. This includes a mother kissing her child goodbye as she leaves home to go to school, a group of friends placing their arms around each other’s shoulder to celebrate (pag-aakbay), close pals greeting with a kiss on the cheek (beso-beso), among others. Displays of affection between people who are romantically involved are classified as public display of affection (PDA).

Filipinos who are conservative, despite internationally changing norms, accept few public acts of affection such as holding hands, hugs, and pecks on the cheek. However, openly kissing each other on the lips and sexual acts are unwelcome.

"’Yung kultura natin, generally speaking, napakalakas pa rin ng moral pressure ng simbahan," said Far Eastern University (FEU) Prof. Fe Atanacio-Blas.

"If you make it (displays of affection) public, you don't exempt yourselves to the judgments, from their judging eyes, especially those from the older generation."

Despite this, Atanacio-Blas, who focuses on sociology, particularly on Asian studies, explained in an interview with ABS-CBN News, that PDA can make a person feel confident and secure.

"Just like marriage, when you do your wedding vows in the church, you're declaring it publicly. ‘Pag nag-PDA kayo, ‘he's mine, she's mine.’ Nandoon ang element of exclusivity," she said.

Online display of affection and insecurity

In the rising age of social media, PDAs can easily be expressed online where, in a touch of the button, the entire world can discover a blooming relationship. Posting relationship status online may not be problematic. However, excessively updating the relationship status is.

According to a study by Lydia Emery, Amy Muise, Emily Dix, and Benjamin Le in 2014 and published in a US psychology journal, more often than not, people on social media are concerned about how other people see them.

Relationship visibility is a form of impression management or setting of stage where they want to have their relationships appear to be an important aspect to their self-concept. When noticed, it gives them a sense of fulfillment, especially when the reaction is positive.

“When you post a picture, you won't post something that is ugly. May filter pa," Atanacio-Blas shared.

She warned, however: "Those who excessively post in social media, especially pertaining to displays of affection are narcissistic and not normal."

Exorbitant posting of seemingly positive status may be a thin veil to obscure the real problem: insecurity.

"One of those signs of insecurity is you don't know how to address it. And then all of a sudden, there is now an easy platform to cure that insecurity," she said.

"Usually ‘yung mga taong ganun, wala silang ipagmamalaki kundi kung anong meron sila. The more that they show more things in Facebook, that only means that's the only thing that they have, nothing more."

The same study concluded that the more times that a partner feels insecure about his partner’s feelings, he tends to make their relationship more visible online. The goal is to compensate by making others who are online feel that everything in the relationship is going smoothly. The more “likes” and other positive comments people receive with regards to their relationships, the more they feel convinced and reassured of the relationship.

"Yung ego nadagdagan sa kada ‘likes,’ para bang you just fueled the fire and then say 'ay, magpo-post pa ako ng marami because people tend to like it,'” Atanacio-Blas said.

With Facebook now boasting more than a billion users, and other social media platforms gaining popularity, Atanacio-Blas said this paves the way for louder social media presence for couples.

But she reminds them: the more the relationship is secure, the more that the couple would want to keep it private and sacred.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Child abuse linked to later depression for teens

Tough experiences before age six, like family instability or abuse, are tied to changes in brain structure and to a higher risk of anxiety or depression, according to a study of mother-son pairs in England.

“Early adversity increases later symptoms of depression or anxiety, which, in turn, can associate with variation in cortical structure,” said senior author Edward D. Barker of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King’s College London.

“Most children will experience a degree of adversity, but this is not necessarily harmful,” Barker told Reuters Health by email. “Our research suggests that children who experience many forms of adversity are at risk.”

His team followed almost 500 pairs of mothers and sons, starting during pregnancy, from 1991 or 1992.

When the children were eight, 21, 33, 47, 61 and 73 months old, roughly from infancy to age six, their mothers answered questions about 37 types of “adversity” in the home, including interpersonal loss, family instability, and abuse toward the child or mother.

When the boys were seven, 10 and 13 years old, their mothers reported on their symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Between age 18 and 21, the young men had magnetic resonance imaging of their brains.

According to the MRI scans, having experienced more types of adversity before age six was tied to lower gray matter volume in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in emotion, decision-making and empathy, and higher volume in the precuneus, which is involved with episodic memory.

“The relationship is likely similar for girls, but this needs to be confirmed,” Barker said.

Early adversity was also tied to lower volume in the right superior frontal gyrus of the brain, as were later symptoms of anxiety and depression, the researchers reported in JAMA Pediatrics.

The right superior frontal gyrus may be related to self-awareness.

Researchers are still learning what processes the precuneus is involved with and how that might be related to problems after early life stress, said Jamie L. Hanson of the Carolina Consortium on Human Development at Duke University who was not part of the new study.

“It can be difficult to know if an effect is a direct result of an experience (like early life stress) or caused by the other effects of an experience (indirect; early life stress is related to depression, and depression can affect the brain),” Hanson told Reuters Health by email. “This study found that differences in the superior frontal gyrus were related to these “indirect” effects.”

Child maltreatment, extreme poverty, or having a parent with major mental health issues happens to almost a million kids in the U.S. each year, Hanson said.

“Research suggests that the experiences early in life really matter, especially before the age of five,” Hanson said. “This isn’t to say that if a child experiences stress during this period, that they will definitely have physical or mental health issues. Stress during infancy and early childhood, however, does increase the risk for many different problems.”

“Young children are dependent on their caregivers, whereas teenagers have a greater range of experience and autonomy,” Barker said.

Dr. Martin H. Teicher, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, told Reuters Health that early life adversity plays an important role in risk for substance abuse, personality disorders, anxiety disorders and even psychotic disorders.

“We do not yet know if there are actions that can be taken later in childhood or during adolescence that would preempt the consequences of early exposure,” Teicher, who was not part of the study, wrote by email.

Social programs where registered nurses visit low-income first-time mothers have had strong positive effects, Hanson said. “These programs start during pregnancy and typically continue for two years following a child’s birth, and really help maternal and child health outcomes.”

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How to know if you're bipolar

MANILA -- Just like other psychological disorders, being bipolar is often mistaken for either depression or mood swings.

In an interview on "Magandang Gabi Dok" on DZMM, Dr. Bernadette Manalo-Arcenas said bipolar disorder is a disorder wherein the patient suffers extreme changes in moods.

"'Pag sinabi mong bipolar, ups and downs extremes, para siyang South and North Pole apart," she added.

Symptoms of this disorder include being in a hyperexcited state, speaking rapidly, being argumentative, lack of goal-directed activity, lack of concentration, and extreme mood changes.

Bipolar disorder can be detected during late adolescence or early adulthood, when the person starts to discover the world and experience problems.

According to Arcenas, a person with bipolar disorder changes moods within minutes, unlike those people who are just plain moody.

"Minsan sa gabi hindi sila nakakatulog. They feel na parang hindi kailangang matulog. Madami silang gustong gawin pero hindi natatapos... They're very much interested sa mga pleasurable activities," she added.

Those with bipolar disorder also tend to do a lot of things at the same time.

"At times they would have a lot of relationships all at the same time or they would go shopping one to sawa or minsan makikita mo na parang ang dami nilang ginagawa tapos they would be frustrated kasi hindi naman natatapos," Arcenas said.

Studies show that bipolar disorder can be genetic. For Arcenas, bipolar disorder is also a biological problem involving the levels of dopamine and serotonin in a person's brain, causing the changes in moods.

Bipolar disorder can be treated through medication and therapy.

"Nagagamot naman siya sa pagbigay ng mga antipsychotic medications at nagbibigay tayo ng mood stabilizer," Arcenas said.

Bipolar disorder may only need three to six months of treatment. Those in the acute stage, on the other hand, may need at least two years of treatment.

Those with more severe symptoms might need to take medicines and undergo therapy for a longer time.

For Arcenas, hyperactivity connected with bipolar disorder is different from hyperactivity caused by ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

"Magka-link sila at usually ito 'yung nagiging problem sa diagnosis kasi hyper din 'pag ADHD ang pasyente so kailangan talaga ma-tease out ano ba ang mas mataas, ang mood problems or 'yung attention kasi magkaiba 'yun," she said.

Bipolar disorder can also be linked to depression, which is a state of prolonged sadness and lack of motivation.

While depression and bipolar disorder may share symptoms, Arcenas clarified that suffering from depression is only one part of being bipolar as they tend to go from depressed to hyper in a short time.

Arcenas explained that those suffering from bipolar disorder or other mood disorders should not hesitate from talking to a psychiatrist.

She also advised patients not to stop from taking medicine unless instructed by their doctors.

People who have relatives and family members suffering from bipolar disorder should also be more patient and understanding.

"They have the right to be treated. Marami naman tayong ospital all over the country na makatutulong. Seek help para magamot ang pasyente. Hindi sila magagamot sa pagkadena lang. Kailangan talaga silang ayusin, gamutin and they will live a better life," Arcenas said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Depressed adolescents face increased heart disease risk

Adolescents with major depression or bipolar disease face an increased risk of early heart disease and may need early intervention to prevent it, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA).

“We expect that the statement itself will come as quite a surprise to most,” said Dr. Benjamin I. Goldstein from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto, who chaired the committee that issued the report.

“This is precisely what makes the statement so important and potentially impactful; it takes a largely unrecognized and under-appreciated body of evidence, and positions it squarely on center stage,” Goldstein told Reuters Health in an email.

Goldstein and his coauthors say major depression affects nearly 9 percent of U.S. adolescents. Bipolar disorder, the fourth most disabling condition, affects about 2.6 percent of U.S. adolescents.

The National Institute of Mental Health explains on its web site that people with major depression have persistent severe symptoms that interfere with their ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy life. In bipolar disorder, which is less common, people have mood changes that go back and forth between extreme highs (e.g., mania) to extreme lows (e.g., depression).

In developing the new scientific statement, Goldstein and his colleagues evaluated the existing data at the behest of the AHA’s Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young.

Although research on the association between these mood disorders and heart disease is limited, what is available shows a significant increase in traditional heart disease risk factors in adolescents with major depression or bipolar disorder, the team reported in the journal Circulation.

These risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

Childhood maltreatment, sleep disorders, physical inactivity, and smoking – factors common in adolescents with depression and bipolar disorder – can also contribute to an increased heart disease risk.

Even the treatments (antidepressants and mood-stabilizing medications) can cause weight gain and other metabolic changes that increase the risk of heart disease, the statement points out.

Based on the available data, the authors say, these adolescents should be considered to be at moderate risk for early heart disease.

Prevention efforts should focus on maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure, healthy levels of cholesterol, and blood sugar in the normal range. The first step in achieving these targets is intensive lifestyle management that emphasizes regular physical activity, a healthy-heart diet, and, if necessary, weight loss.

“When considering cardiovascular risk among youth with mood disorders, screen more and take action earlier and at lower thresholds,” Goldstein advised.

Dr. Viola Vaccarino from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta, who wasn’t involved in developing the statement, told Reuters Health, “It is time to end the traditional separation between mental health and physical health. Stigma from mental disorders remains widespread and results in low recognition and management of psychiatric problems outside of mental health clinics. But cardiovascular disease and depression are linked conditions; they both rank highest as causes of disability in the United States, and (are) also rapidly growing worldwide.”

“Cardiovascular disease is a chronic, progressive condition that starts in youth, even if the disease becomes clinically manifest later in life,” Vaccarino concluded. “This is why identification of risk conditions such as depression early in life provides an important opportunity for cardiovascular disease prevention.”

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Researchers measure average penis size

PARIS -- What is an "average" size for a penis?

The enduring question now has a scientific answer: 13.12 centimeters (5.16 inches) in length when erect, and 11.66 cm around, according to an analysis of more than 15,000 appendages around the world.

In a flaccid state, it found, the penis of the average Joe is all of 9.16 cm in length and has a girth of 9.31 cm.

The numbers should help "reassure the large majority of men that the size of their penis is in the normal range," said British researchers who had assembled data from studies where participants had their member measured by a professional.

The team then used the collated numbers to devise a graph that doctors can use in counselling men with "small penis anxiety."

In the worst cases, men may be diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder -- a debilitating psychological condition that can lead to obsessive and anti-social behavior, depression and even suicide.

In reality, only 2.28 percent of the male population have an abnormally small penis, said the study -- and the same percentage an unusually large one.

The study participants were men aged 17-91 who had their penises measured in 20 previously published studies conducted in Europe, Asia, Africa and the United States.

The team found no evidence for penis size differences linked to race, though most of the study participants were of European and Middle Eastern descent and a full comparison could thus not be made.

Nor did the researchers find any convincing correlation between a man's foot size and the length of his manhood.

They acknowledged their results may have been somewhat skewed by the possibility that men who volunteer to be examined may be more confident in their penis size than the general population.

The team said their work, published in the BJU International journal of urology, was the first to combine all existing data on penis length and girth into a definitive graph.

The information may be useful for reassuring men worried about their size. But it may also have the unintended effect of shriveling the egos of those who thought they were abnormally well-endowed.

Doctors may also use the graph to help men find well-fitting condoms, said the team.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

What you need to know about depression

MANILA – While it is a serious medical condition, depression can be cured and treated, a psychiatrist said.

According to St. Luke’s Medical Center psychiatrist Bernadette Manalo-Arcena, the key to battling depression is observing the signs and knowing when to seek medical help.

“When you see that you’re not functioning anymore, you don’t see happiness in your life, or if you feel that you are not your normal self anymore, you may be depressed,” Manalo-Arcena said in an interview on “Mornings@ANC” on Thursday.

“Depression can happen to anyone. Wala siyang pinipili, even if you’re on top of the world. Actually, mahirap ‘yun kasi a lot of expectations are coming from other people. There’s a lot of pressure,” she added.

Manalo-Arcena’s interview comes after reports confirmed that actor-comedian Robin Williams, who died on Monday (Tuesday in Manila), hanged himself with a belt in his home after he had sought treatment for depression.

She said death by depression should not happen to anyone “because there is a solution.”

Here are some things that you need to know about depression, as mentioned by Manalo-Arcena during the interview:

1. Sadness is different from depression

A person occasionally gets sad over certain things – from family and relationship problems to money woes and work issues – and this is normal, Manalo-Arcena said.

But if the person has been experiencing sadness for two straight weeks – meaning no “happy moments” in between – it’s time to take a second look as this may already mean depression.

“It’s not like I’m happy now and I’m sad later on. It’s continuous. Oras-oras, araw-araw, you are sad,” she said.

The sadness will eventually show on a person’s physical appearance, mainly in the form of weight loss and lethargy.

“You have no appetite, you always feel remorse or guilt about doing anything,” she said. “The things that used to matter to you are not important to you anymore.”

2. If you’re thinking about wanting to die, you may be depressed

Unless it is said purely as a joke and it is not mentioned consistently, a remark about wanting to die should be considered as a depression red flag, according to Manalo-Arcena.

“The thought and idea of wanting to hurt yourself, that is already a symptom of being depressed,” she said. “No need to wait for an attempt… A person saying that he wanted to die is [more than enough]. Even if it is situational and is not mentioned again.”

When asked about those who have committed suicide despite appearing happy in the company of their friends and family, Manalo-Arcena said: “There are people who would silently think about suicide and nobody knew about it. But they would do their normal chores, they would say hi to you. Tapos maya-maya, you would here that she died.”

3. What usually causes depression

A lot of factors may come into play when it comes to depression, but Manalo-Arcena mentioned some common causes based on her experience with patients.

“It could be genetics. It could be the use of alcohol, it could be the use of substance. It could be a chemical problem – very low serotonin can lead to anxiety and being depressed,” she said.

When asked about the issues that depressed people often struggle with, Manalo-Arcena said: “Relationship issues is a big factor, as well as financial problems and problems with work.”

4. Nothing wrong with going to a psychiatrist

Manalo-Arcena admitted that one of the reasons why many people continue to suffer from the effects of depression – suicide included – is the stigma associated with visiting a psychiatrist for treatment.

She said this is not only evident in the Philippines but also in other countries.

“There’s a stigma associated with psychiatry. But I hope that it would be lessened because of the fact that incidents of depression are increasing,” she said.

Aside from treating medical conditions, psychiatry can also significantly help a person cope with life’s stresses, Manalo-Arcena added.

“You will learn more about yourself… You can be more functional. You can work and you can love again,” she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Baron Geisler admits he is bipolar

MANILA, Philippines – After being involved in yet another controversy, actor Baron Geisler finally broke his silence and admitted that he has been dealing with bipolar disorder, which causes severe depression and mood swings.


In an interview with ABS-CBN News on Monday, days after he was sent to jail last Friday, Geisler said he was having a bad day when he figured in a scuffle with neighbor Ray dela Rosa.

“I’m a very patient person. Nagkataon lang na talagang I was having a bad day noong araw na iyon. Nagse-self medicate kasi ako dahil masyado akong naging confident and parang in denial also na 'yung sinabi sa akin na I am bipolar and my chemical imbalance,” he said.

Bipolar disorder is defined as "a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and depression."

Asked how long has he been dealing with this illness, he said: “It’s a secret dahil sino ba namang tao, especially dito sa Pilipinas hindi naman natin pinag-aaralan ito... people are very quick to judge. Iisipin nila mental case iyan, huwag na nating pagkatiwalaan iyan baka biglang mag-snap. Matagal na siyang sikreto but I’ve been seeing a doctor mga four years na.”

Geisler said there were moments when his insecurities would still eat him up despite all the good things that are happening in his life and career.

“Hindi actually mood swings ang nangyayari sa akin. It’s more on insecurities, ang daming negative thoughts na pumapasok na hindi ko ma-explain. Kasi kumbaga maganda naman ang nangyayari sa akin, masaya naman kami ng pamilya ko pero bakit may masakit na hindi ko maintindihan? It hurts in the head, it hurts in the heart. Hindi ko maintindihan,” he said.

Quick to judge

Geisler spent at least 14 hours in jail after he allegedly slammed a chair into dela Rosa's sari-sari store and punched dela Rosa in front of his three-year-old child, who was allegedly traumatized by the incident.

The actor said he feels bad that a lot of people got the wrong news, prompting some to misjudge him anew.

“Mali-mali po 'yung bigla bigla na lang akong nananapak ng kapitbahay or lasing ako or nakainom ako. Parang ang nilabas nila isa akong hayop na walang pinag-aralan, basta basta na lang kumikilos ng masama or gustong manakit ng tao lalo na sa mga taong talagang nakakakilala talaga sa akin,” he explained.

For Geisler, what happened was just a misunderstanding.

“Pumunta ako ng tindahan tapos bumibili ako ng tinapay. ‘Tao po, tao po.’ Lagi kasing ganon na hindi ako pinapansin or mabagal, laging nakasimangot. So ako, matagal na 'yung alitan namin ni Ray. Taon na iyan eh. I was having a bad nung araw na iyon, so sabi ko ‘Sige hindi mo ako pinapansin so I got the chair tapos pinalo ko. I know mali ang ginawa ko pero tao lang ako, napupuno rin,” he said.

Geisler said he was hurt by how people treated him like he was an “animal.”

“Unang una itong kaso na ito, wala namang kaso eh. Dapat ito nagsisimula sa barangay. May proseso po iyan. Ang ginawa sa akin hindi tamang proseso. Nagkataon lang na inisip nila masama akong tao, bad boy ako, may reputasyon na ganito, trinato nila akong animal so diniretso nila ako [sa kulungan],” he said.

Abused in jail

The actor also revealed that he was physically abused while he was in jail.

“Well at first pagpasok ko, parang may initiation iyan na itatakal ka pero naging close kami sa loob. Tapos sinabihan ako ng mga inmates na, ‘Ayos ka pala Baron pero pasensya ka na kung nasaktan ka namin, hindi naman namin kagustuhan iyan eh, binulungan lang kami. Kung hindi namin gawin, baka kami naman ang masaktan,’” he said.

In spite of everything that happened, Geisler said what’s important is that he and dela Rosa have already patched things up.

“I’m really glad it’s over, okay kami ni Ray. Iyon ang pinakaimportante kasi kapitbahay ko siya. Sa press, hindi sila sanay na kapag inireklamo si Baron, hindi umaatras. Misunderstanding lang talaga ito na pinalaki lang ng mga tao,” he said.

The actor also said he is just glad to have his family around him through this difficult time.

“Of course they’re very disappointed dahil sa mga balitang lumalabas and sa mga comment ng mga tao pero gumagawa sila ng paraan para matulungan ako. Si mommy siya ang tumawag sa sekretarya ni dok. Actually dapat bukas pa ang schedule pero bigla na lang puwede. Gumagawa naman sila ng paraan para matulungan ako,” he said.

Geisler also has a message for those who are trying to put him down.

“Hindi naman sila ang Diyos para bigyan ako ng taning sa mundo or kahit sa trabaho. Medyo sanay na rin ako. Pero ang laking epekto sa akin niyan kasi iyan na ang sistema. I just have to roll with the punches so tanggapin ko na lang na ganyan talaga. Basta tuluy-tuloy lang siguro,” he said.

“It’s not how many times you fall. It’s how you stand up and fight. I’m gonna fight this depression and I’m still looking forward to have a good life,” he added. -- with a report from Marie Lozano, ABS-CBN News

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Psychiatrist's advice for Valentine's: Don't love too much; cry out your pain

MANILA, Philippines - On the day of hearts, a ranking officer of the Philippine Psychiatric Association had unsolicited advice for all lovers: “too much love can kill you”.

Dr. Bernadette Arcena explained she simply meant too much love can “kill” one who plunges into depression, low self-esteem or even temporary insanity.

“Wag masyado magmahal … masama. Yung tama lang. Magkakasakit ka. Parang sakit din yan, kapag kumain ng too much sugar, magkakasakit ka [Don’t love excessively, or you could get sick. That’s like a disease. If you eat too much sugar, you’ll get sick],” she said.

A state of depression among individuals may lead to low self-esteem, insecurity, paranoia or even obsession, Arcena said, citing recent examples. Late last year, a 13-year-old boy shot his alleged 16-year-old male lover before shooting himself inside a shopping mall in Pampanga.

Soon after, a woman shot dead her husband and tried to shoot herself in a shopping mall in Quezon City. A young security guard at the mall who tried to stop her from shooting herself was himself killed.

Gripped by extreme jealousy, a confessed gay man tried to leap from the window of the 16th floor of a building in Quezon City, admitting that he was “mentally stressed” because he was jealous of his partner. He also tried to slit his wrist and called on “men who have gay lovers to stay faithful.”

“The problem there is your insecurity, [because] you are not in your proper mind,” Arcena said. Still, she advised the lovesick not to despair. “There is another chance for you to love again. If you have been with a bad person, maybe there is someone better [who is] meant for you.”

She also advised those who are heartbroken to cry it all out, to release the pain and anger that lie within.

source: interaksyon.com

Actress Heather Locklear in hospital after 911 call

LOS ANGELES - "Melrose Place" actress Heather Locklear was taken to the hospital on Thursday after emergency services were called to her home near Los Angeles, police said.

The Sheriff's department in Ventura County, west of Los Angeles said that emergency services responded to a 911 call from Locklear's home and "determined that she needed to be transported to the hospital for further medical attention."

Representatives of the actress did not return calls for comment but celebrity websites TMZ and RadarOnline said Locklear may have mixed prescription drugs and alcohol.

Locklear, who also appeared in the TV comedy "Spin City" has a history of depression, spending time in rehab in 2008.

The actress was married to rock star Tommy Lee and later Richie Sambora in the 1990s. In 2007 she began dating fellow "Melrose Place" actor Jack Wagner but their engagement was called off two months ago. — Reuters

source:gmanetwork.com