Summary: A new study found that veterans are least likely to seek treatment for common health conditions such as sleep and substance use problems. The study also found that veterans were more willing to seek treatment for physical health conditions such as chronic pain and brain injuries but less willing to seek help for mental health conditions like alcohol or drug use and sleep disorders. In addition, there is a link between the willingness to seek treatment among veterans of color and incidents of discrimination. 

They have sacrificed to protect their country and experienced unique challenges due to their service. As a result, veterans are more likely to experience certain physical and mental health issues than the general population. They may also have different values and experiences that shape their perspective on life.

One of the most notable differences between veterans and the general population is the high rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans. PTSD is a condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. Veterans who have been in combat are at a higher risk of developing PTSD. Due to their service, they may also experience physical injuries, such as amputations or traumatic brain injuries.

Another difference between veterans and the general population is the unique stressors that veterans may face. For example, veterans may struggle with re-adjusting to civilian life after returning from deployment. They may also have difficulty finding employment or accessing healthcare. Due to these unique challenges, veterans may be more reluctant to seek help for issues such as sleep problems or substance use. They may also have different attitudes toward seeking help and may be less likely to seek help from traditional healthcare providers.

According to a recent study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, American military veterans are the least likely to seek treatment for common health conditions such as sleep and substance use problems. The study, which included 334 veterans from 46 states, found that veterans were more willing to seek treatment for physical health conditions such as chronic pain and brain injuries but less willing to seek help for mental health conditions like alcohol or drug use and sleep disorders. The study also found a link between the willingness to seek treatment among veterans of color and incidents of discrimination.

The study involved participants from 46 states, with 66% being men and over 70% identifying as a person of color. They were asked to answer screening questions for 15 different medical conditions, such as insomnia, hazardous alcohol use, drug use, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, they were asked to rate the importance of treatment for each health condition and their willingness to seek addiction treatment programs.

The research found that most participants were willing to seek treatment for both physical and mental health issues but were more inclined to seek treatment for physical health conditions as opposed to mental health conditions. Furthermore, the study revealed that willingness to seek treatment was highest for chronic pain, chronic medical conditions, and physical brain injuries but lowest for alcohol or drug use and sleep disorders.

The researchers suggest that this may be because sleep and alcohol problems are prevalent among veterans. Thus they may be normalized or minimized to the extent that they are not viewed as problems that need treatment such as telehealth programs. Additionally, the study looked into the impact of discrimination on seeking treatment for physical or mental health issues. The results showed that more frequent experiences of discrimination were associated with less willingness to seek treatment for physical or mental health problems.

For veterans of color, discriminatory experiences were associated with less willingness to seek treatment, but only among those who denied using other strategies for coping with stress.

The study suggests that empowering veterans to utilize healthy coping methods may mitigate the negative impact of discriminatory experiences on treatment-seeking. Additionally, doctors treating veterans must be aware of these issues, as without handling these mental health problems treating physical ailments or chronic pain may be challenging in the population group.

It is our mission to bring real hope and transformational change to patients who would otherwise be consigned to a lifetime of medications, doctor’s visits, and suffering. We expose misaligned incentives and return the power of health to the individual. We believe empowered individuals change their communities. We use a combination of lifestyle intervention, medication management, and emerging scientific research to help our patients.  When you are ready or have questions, reach out.

Medical Disclaimer: Keep in mind that the content provided is not direct medical advice for patient care, but is provided for thoughtful discussion.

Summary: Childhood abuse is not rare in the US and affects about one in seven children. It is well known that such a trauma can cause many issues during adolescence and young adulthood. Those exposed to childhood abuse may have mental health issues, behavioral problems, and risky behavior. However, now a study suggests that it may even significantly increase the risk of mental and physical ailments in old age. It may almost double the depression, anxiety, and even COPD risk.

 

Older adults who had a traumatic childhood are more likely to develop chronic painful conditions and various chronic disorders like cancer, depression, anxiety, COPD, and others.
These days chronic non-communicable diseases have emerged as a significant issue. Medical science may manage these conditions well, but they are challenging to treat. Conditions like COPD, depression, anxiety, or even cancer, may not kill immediately, but these issues cause significant pain and disability.

 

Researchers want to understand why certain painful and chronic conditions are rising so quickly despite improved living standards. There are many reasons for the increased mental health disorders and chronic painful conditions. It appears that childhood abuse is one such significant factor.

 

CDC data suggests that childhood abuse and neglect are quite a common problem. It affects almost one in seven children. It means that there are millions of adults who had traumatic experiences in their childhood. Childhood abuse could be physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect. Over the long term, children who were abused are more likely to engage in risky behavior and have unhealthy lifestyles. However, now a study suggests that the ill effects of childhood trauma continue to haunt a person even in old age.

 

A new study shows that childhood abuse continues to cause pain in old age

 

Childhood abuse causing issues at school age, increasing the risk of substance abuse, and risky behavior are well known. Childhood trauma may also cause mental health issues and behavioral disorders in adolescents and young adults. However, what researchers did not know is that painful childhood may significantly contribute to the painful conditions in old age

 

The new study was done in British Columbia, Canada. In the study, researchers enrolled 409 older adults living with various ailments. First, there were all survivors of childhood abuse, and now they were older than 60 years.

 

Researchers did not expect childhood memories and pain to continue to haunt even in old age. Thus, they decided to compare the prevalence of painful conditions in older adults with difficult childhood to those with a normal childhood. Researchers were amazed to see the marked difference between the two groups.

 

The researchers found that childhood trauma increased the risk of anxiety, depression, and COPD by as much as twice. This is a massive difference, something that researchers did not expect. They also found that childhood abuse survivors have a 50% higher risk of cancers and a 70% greater risk of migraines and debilitating pain. They are also at a 33% higher risk of developing arthritis. Interestingly, it seems that childhood abuse only slightly increases heart disease risk.

 

Doctors cannot fully explain the association between childhood abuse and a higher risk of painful conditions in older adults. Nonetheless, they think that there are multiple mechanisms of action. For example, those with childhood trauma have altered stress responses and neural pathways and are more likely to live with chronic inflammation. In addition, they often have abnormal cortisol levels.

 

These findings are relevant as one is not likely to pay much attention to the possible link between childhood abuse and a higher risk of chronic painful ailments in older adults. However, the present study shows that it may be a significant contributing factor in some cases. Furthermore, childhood trauma can significantly increase the risk of multiple health conditions. Thus, anyone treating chronic pain conditions in older adults must have telehealth treatment regarding this

Summary: In recent years, many telehealth platforms have sprung up. Tele mental help has some distinct benefits like accessibility and lower cost. However, experts think that telehealth platforms for mental health conditions may not be effective in many cases. There are many reasons why experts doubt the efficacy of these platforms. Mental health specialists working on these platforms are not well paid. These are often specialists with minimum experience in managing mental health conditions. Although video calls seem to be quite helpful, other ways of communication like texting are not proven to be effective ways of providing help to those with mental health issues. There are also concerns regarding virtual pharmacies, as these platforms prescribe drugs without seeing the patient and physical examination.

Telehealth has some distinct benefits over traditional medicine. It makes healthcare more accessible, with lower consultation fees, better availability, and higher communication. This does make it one of the excellent ways of providing mental healthcare. Nonetheless, it also lacks some of the traits of traditional medicine and the benefits of face-to-face meetings. Additionally, therapists providing help on some online platforms may lack the expertise to manage mental health issues remotely. Thus, experts are skeptical about the benefits of telehealth.

In recent years, telehealth startups have grown significantly, and the industry is undergoing a boom. This may be explained by increasing rates of mental health issues. CDC data shows that almost 40% of US adults are living with mental health issues or substance use disorders. These are significant numbers. It is not possible to provide help to so many people by using traditional methods. This underlines the importance of exploring innovative methods of providing help to those who need it most. It appears that telehealth may be the way.

Experts remain skeptical about tele help for mental health

The sheer number of people living with mental health issues shows that mental health therapists cannot cope with the problem through traditional channels. This has forced millions of people to turn to online telehealth startups like BetterHelp, and other similar platforms. These platforms provide quick help through face-to-face online meet and also texting.

However, there are many issues associated with these platforms. For example, these platforms have lower consultation fees when compared to traditional therapists. However, experts say that this also means less attention to the patient. Additionally, many psychologists and mental health specialists on these platforms are not experienced enough. Many of these therapists are just starting their journey and are ill-trained to provide adequate help. There are also concerns regarding how these online platforms offer support.

Therapy via texting

Mental healthcare experts are also skeptical about the way online platforms deliver help. Two main ways of understanding patients’ problems and providing psychological support are face-to-face video calls and texting.

Though many claim that these methods work, there is still limited data regarding their efficacy. Among these two methods, direct face-to-face virtual interaction seems to work, as there is some research into the subject. Some studies suggest that these online calls may be as effective as visiting the therapist’s office. However, such interaction would be helpful only in some mental health conditions and not all mental health issues.

There is a complete lack of data when it comes to the efficacy of messaging, texting, and other similar methods. Therefore, it is difficult to say if such methods have significant value in managing mental health issues. However, experts say this is the predominant way of providing help on the telemental health care platforms.

Virtual pharmacies

Another significant concern is the virtual prescriptions that are merely based on the doctor-patient interaction. Even this interaction is often concise. In many cases, doctors need to prescribe antidepressants, psychotropic substances, and other controlled substances. In the case of telehealth, they do it without a physical examination and sufficient testing. This is quite worrisome. DEA has temporarily allowed prescribing controlled substances virtually, mainly due to Covid-19.

Some healthcare experts think that patients may even imitate mental health issues, get virtual prescriptions, and then abuse these substances. This can do more harm than good.

To conclude, this is not to suggest that telemedicine services are not helpful. However, it has its limitations. It may be good in some cases, but in most cases, the traditional way of visiting the healthcare provider is safe and effective.

Summary: In recent years, a field called nutritional psychiatry has been emerging fast as researchers realize that those living with mental health disorders may benefit from dietary changes. Moreover, mental health issues are challenging to treat with medications, often requiring prolonged treatment, thus causing multiple adverse effects. Dietary measures can help overcome stress, anxiety, depression, and more.

It has been rightly said that you become what you eat. Your diet can influence mental health in multiple ways. It can directly affection the production of neurotransmitters, cause mood changes, influence circadian rhythm, affect gut microflora, and more.

Since diet can influence mental well-being and mood, it also means that one can use food to manage mental health disorders. Thus, anyone living with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues must make dietary changes.

The importance of diet in mental health cannot be neglected, considering that most mental health issues tend to be chronic and even lifelong.

In recent years, nutritional therapy in psychiatry has gained significant importance as researchers have discovered a few things. Science has discovered that the gut produces 90% of serotonin, one of the most vital neurotransmitters affecting mood and mental health. Similarly, science has realized the role of gut bacteria or microbiota in mental well-being. The gut is so crucial for mental health that researchers are now calling it the second brain. They understand that the “gut-brain” axis can influence various brain functions.

Diet and depression

There are numerous studies showing that diet can increase the risk of depression. Those living with the metabolic disorder are also more likely to develop depression. Thus, studies also confirm that certain dietary choices may be suitable for managing depression. Dietary measures are especially useful in mild to moderate depression.

One of the good ways to manage depression is to switch to the Mediterranean diet. Studies show that consuming whole grains, fresh vegetables, and legumes may help. At the same time, reducing the intake of processed foods is also good for mental health.

One of the landmark trials HELFIMED has shown that the Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, nuts, whole grains, lean meat, and dairy product can help significantly reduce depression, especially when combined with fish oil or omega-3 supplements.

Diet for stress and anxiety

Stress and anxiety are pretty common mental health issues. Compared to depression, they might be less severe, but they have a higher prevalence.
Studies show that specific food choices may increase the risk of stress and anxiety. Thus, to reduce these mental health issues, experts recommend reducing the intake of alcohol, caffeine, and added sugars.

Those living with anxiety should especially try to lower their sugar intake. Studies show that sugar can be quite addictive and can even cause withdrawal syndrome. Further studies show that consuming excessive saturated fats may also cause mental health issues.

Foods that are especially good for improving mental health are foods that reduce inflammation, like dietary fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, unsaturated fats, and probiotics-rich fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and more.

Other things to consider

Prevention is better than treatment. Thus, researchers say that for a healthy life, one should focus on increasing the intake of certain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-complex, iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C. Fruits, nuts, seeds, and seafood can be really good to get your daily supply of these vital nutrients.

Secondly, one should consume foods rich in pro and prebiotics like yogurt, buttermilk, garlic, onions, asparagus, barley, oats, and so on.

Further, it is good to consume antioxidant-rich berries. Berries are often associated with romantic moods, and it now appears they really help. In addition, berries are the richest source of specific vitamins like vitamin C and antioxidants.

Finally, remember that disruption in circadian rhythm is one of the reasons for the higher prevalence of mental health issues. Hence, eat meals at regular intervals and at a fixed time of the day to avoid any disruption in the circadian rhythm. Apart from sleep, also regularize your sleep time.

It is our mission to bring real hope and transformational change to patients who would otherwise be consigned to a lifetime of medications, doctor’s visits, and suffering. We expose misaligned incentives and return the power of health to the individual. We believe empowered individuals change their communities. We use a combination of lifestyle intervention, medication management, and emerging scientific research to help our patients. When you are ready or have questions, reach out.

Medical Disclaimer: Keep in mind that the content provided is not direct medical advice for patient care, but is provided for thoughtful discussion.

Summary: Due to technological changes and increased use of gadgets, people are continually being exposed to various information. Some people are overconsuming the news. Therefore, many people are living with problematic news consumption. The new study shows that this causes not only mental health issues in such individuals but also a significant rise in physical health problems.

If you or someone you know is struggling with problematic news consumption and its effects on mental and physical health, consider seeking help from online substance abuse treatment or telehealth programs. These programs can also provide opioid addiction treatment for those dealing with addiction-like behavior towards news consumption. We are living in turbulent times with many events happening around us. The covid pandemic is still ongoing, and then there is a raging war in Ukraine. The global economy had become increasingly unstable. Reading bad news most of the time can make people feel helpless and distressed.

However, here it is worth understanding that this problem is also made worse by technology. We are living in the information age. It means that people are continually fed with information. Ultimately, many of us become addicted to gadgets and start consuming news and other information too frequently. This leads to chronic stress disorder. It is not difficult to guess that this is having a negative impact on mental health. However, studies show that problematic news consumption’s effects are much graver. It not only causes mental health issues but is also harmful to physical health.

Continually following the news can bring us into a state of over-excitement. It may increase sympathetic activity levels and, consequently, stress hormones. And on the other hand, frequently reading all the news may change our outlook, and we may start seeing the world as a small and dark place. It may fill us with hopelessness. For many people, consuming news rather becomes addictive. Instead of taking a break, people start consuming news even more often. They start checking for updates regularly and become obsessed with the news. It is quite like substance addiction, where people need a dose of news to stay in a specific psychological state. Eventually, such an obsession starts interfering with life and the ability to carry out daily tasks.

To understand the gravity of the problem, researchers carried out an online survey of 1100 US adults. In the survey, participants had to answer a multiple-choice question like “I often do not pay attention at school or work because I am reading or watching the news,” and so on. They also answered about how frequently they experienced stress and anxiety. Additionally, researchers paid attention to physical symptoms like fatigue, physical pain, lack of concentration, and gastrointestinal issues.

Researchers analyzed the data and found that about 16.5% reported “severely problematic” news consumption. These were people who were too invested in various news stories. These stories dominated their thoughts and disrupted their life. It made it difficult for them to focus on work and even caused sleep difficulties.

Not surprising that these were also individuals who were more likely to experience various mental and physical health issues.

When asked about mental and physical health issues:

73.6% reported frequent mental and physical health issues, which was merely 8% in those who did not report problematic news consumption. Thus, one can see that the difference is significant.
61% of those living with problematic new consumption reported frequent physical health issues, compared to a mere 6.1% in all other study participants.

The results of the study were as expected. However, what surprised researchers are the difference between those with problematic news consumption and other participants, which is massive. Surely, survey studies are not regarded as a good type of study, as they have many limitations. However, with such a significant difference between the mental and physical health issues faced by those living with problematic new consumption, this study turned out to be an eye-opener.

Though we all need to be aware of the situation. However, it seems that becoming addicted to the news can have many ill effects. Moreover, it is not just bad for mental health but can cause a significant number of physical health issues. Additionally, this study shows that the dramatization of events by news presenters is also causing much harm. Though new agencies are under significant economic pressure, it is time to realize the tactics used by new outlets are causing much damage to society.

Summary: Humans have been using magic mushrooms for religious rituals and as a substance of abuse. However, science discovered unique benefits in mental health, including opioid addiction treatment. Psilocybin, the substance responsible for mind-altering effects, may provide fast and prolonged relief for mental health disorders. It’s expected that pharmaceutical companies may soon introduce magic mushroom pills. Mushrooms have been used traditionally to manage various health conditions, even by ancient Egyptians.

Mushrooms are fungi that have existed for billions of years. They are pretty diverse, some toxic, others nutritious, and some superfoods. People have also used mushrooms traditionally to manage various health conditions. However, some mushrooms are unique, like magic mushrooms. In Mesoamerica, people used it for divine experiences, healing, and religious rituals. There is evidence that even ancient Egyptians used these mushrooms and considered them as “foods of gods.”

There is a reason why people used magic mushrooms in religion for divine experiences. Science now knows that these mushrooms have a hallucinogenic effect. Those who use it experience a unique kind of effect. Some describe its effects as one of the most amazing experiences. Of course, these hallucinogenic or psychedelic mushrooms have now become a substance of abuse. However, science also knows that these unique mind-altering effects are due to a substance called psilocybin.

Though magic mushroom has long been a substance of abuse, things have been fast changing. In recent times, it has been increasingly used in clinical studies. There are now numerous clinical trials showing that magic mushrooms may help manage mental health disorders. Unlike existing drugs that take days to start acting and only help in a small number of cases, magic mushrooms, when used with psychotherapy, may help fast. In addition, these mushrooms may help rewire the brain and thus cure many health disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar and many others.

Pharmaceutical companies first started exploring magic mushrooms in the 1950s and 60s, when they realized their magical or psychedelic effect was mainly due to a chemical compound called psilocybin. In fact, a drug of abuse, LSD, which closely resembles psilocybin, was first created by Swiss pharma company Sandoz in 1963. Though the pharmaceutical industry could create synthetic psilocybin more than half a century back, until recently, doctors could not find any use for psychedelics in clinics. However, now evidence is mounting that psychedelics are amazingly good for managing mental health issues.

Of course, some are also critical about using psychedelics for managing mental health disorders, as there are worries that it may increase misuse of these substances. Additionally, there are worries that such medications are going to be quite expensive. Since psychedelics are readily produced cheaply, many wonder why medications using these substances might be so expensive. A few grams of magic mushroom would barely cost $10, so why are those synthetic psychedelics expected to cost several thousand US dollars?

There are many reasons why medications based on these substances would be expensive. Firstly, such medications would be safer due to their much higher purity and absence of harmful impurities. Secondly, testing drugs in clinics costs. Costs of clinical studies run in hundreds of millions. Further, massive costs are involved in getting FDA approvals. Of course, some may wonder why not simply use magic mushrooms, then. Well, that is not possible, as doctors cannot rely on magic mushrooms for treating health conditions. They need to know the exact dose they are giving to their patients. However, the potency of magic mushrooms varies significantly.

Therefore, if we want to see broader use of magic mushrooms in clinics, they must become available in pills. This is precisely what is expected to happen in the coming years. There are high chances that magic mushroom pills will become available as prescription drugs for managing mental health disorders.