Sándor Kalmár M.D., Ph.D.
Suicide is a serious public health problem. However, we need to realize that suicide is preventable. Most suicide are associated with diagnosable mental disorders, mainly treatable depressive disorders but other psychological, psychiatric, cultural, social and spiritual factors also play role in the development of suicidal behavior. For example, negative life events, recent global financial crisis, unfavorable economic conditions, unemployment, job insecurity, isolation, easy accessibility to lethal devices, serious chronic or acute psycho-social stress, etc. may contribute to the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior.
How could we decrease the suicide rate in Hungary?
Read more...The Coimbra Meeting
Leo Sher, M.D.
In Fall 2012, Dr. Celia Franco sent an invitation to the Members of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) Section on Dual Disorders/Pathology to attend the Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Association on Dual Pathology on February 21-22, 2013 in Coimbra, Portugal. It was proposed to organize a special session of the WPA Section on Dual Disorders/Pathology during this Annual Meeting to discuss future activities of the Section. After the Coimbra meeting, Dr. Nestor Szerman, the Chair of the WPA Section on Dual Disorders/Pathology sent the meeting statement to all Members of the Section. The Members of the Section submitted multiple comments which were included in the final document.
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In Fall 2012, Dr. Celia Franco sent an invitation to the Members of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) Section on Dual Disorders/Pathology to attend the Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Association on Dual Pathology on February 21-22, 2013 in Coimbra, Portugal. It was proposed to organize a special session of the WPA Section on Dual Disorders/Pathology during this Annual Meeting to discuss future activities of the Section. After the Coimbra meeting, Dr. Nestor Szerman, the Chair of the WPA Section on Dual Disorders/Pathology sent the meeting statement to all Members of the Section. The Members of the Section submitted multiple comments which were included in the final document.
WFSBP Guidelines for the treatment of anxiety disorders
Leo Sher, M.D.
Founded in 1974, the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) is a non-profit worldwide organization composed of 63 National Societies of Biological Psychiatry and individual members representing professionals from over 70 countries. The WFSBP has created a significant number of Task Forces to address various clinical and scientific issues. The WFSBP Task Force on Mental Disorders in Primary Care is developing guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders in primary care. “Guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in primary care” were the first Guidelines developed by the WFSBP Task Force on Mental Disorders in Primary Care.
De-Politicising by politicising policy making
Said Shahtahmasebi, Ph.D.
The process of policy formation is by default a political one. The main reason is that national and local resources are finite but more importantly controlled by politicians. The fact that politicians are elected by the public and have unlimited access to a wide range of scientific tools and/or scientists to seek evidence in support of a decision ought to be reassuring. However, the reality is that these facts actually cloak personal ‘political’ preferences and hence the process of decision making.
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The process of policy formation is by default a political one. The main reason is that national and local resources are finite but more importantly controlled by politicians. The fact that politicians are elected by the public and have unlimited access to a wide range of scientific tools and/or scientists to seek evidence in support of a decision ought to be reassuring. However, the reality is that these facts actually cloak personal ‘political’ preferences and hence the process of decision making.
Mental health consequences of the Great East Japan Earthquake
Masahito Fushimi, M.D., Ph.D.
The Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred off the coast of Japan on March 11, 2011, was one of the most severe earthquakes ever recorded in Japan. It led to a tsunami that devastated large portions of coastal Japan, particularly Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures. In response to this event, firefighters of the Fire Department of Akita City were dispatched to the affected communities (Yamada Town and Miyako City in Iwate prefecture and Minamisanriku Town in Miyagi prefecture).
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The Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred off the coast of Japan on March 11, 2011, was one of the most severe earthquakes ever recorded in Japan. It led to a tsunami that devastated large portions of coastal Japan, particularly Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures. In response to this event, firefighters of the Fire Department of Akita City were dispatched to the affected communities (Yamada Town and Miyako City in Iwate prefecture and Minamisanriku Town in Miyagi prefecture).
DHA and EPA in the Modern Diet
Jane E. Persons, Jess G. Fiedorowicz, M.D., Ph.D.
Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosahexaenoic acid (EPA), have been suggested to have a protective effect on mental health. The United States Institute of Medicine recommends a daily combined intake of DHA and EPA of 100 mg (1); however, it has been suggested that a daily intake of 500 mg, and even up to 1,000mg, may be beneficial (2). Short of eating fish every day, is this level of intake even attainable without resorting to supplement use? The answer is not quite so simple, becoming less a matter of what food we eat, and more a matter of what we feed our food.
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Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosahexaenoic acid (EPA), have been suggested to have a protective effect on mental health. The United States Institute of Medicine recommends a daily combined intake of DHA and EPA of 100 mg (1); however, it has been suggested that a daily intake of 500 mg, and even up to 1,000mg, may be beneficial (2). Short of eating fish every day, is this level of intake even attainable without resorting to supplement use? The answer is not quite so simple, becoming less a matter of what food we eat, and more a matter of what we feed our food.
Is aggressive behaviour of patients against health care workers becomes an epidemic?
Amra Zalihic, M.D., Ph.D, Adna Zalihic Pita, M.D.
We witness aggressive behaviors of patients towards health care workers more frequently. The health care reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina is still ongoing. For eleven years, family medicine is functioning (or, at least trying to function), in the way that is functioning in most western countries. Before the establishment of the family medicine model in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there was a general medicine model where doctors handled very few things. Their basic work was to to refer to specialists and to prescribe medications according to the advices of specialists.
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We witness aggressive behaviors of patients towards health care workers more frequently. The health care reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina is still ongoing. For eleven years, family medicine is functioning (or, at least trying to function), in the way that is functioning in most western countries. Before the establishment of the family medicine model in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there was a general medicine model where doctors handled very few things. Their basic work was to to refer to specialists and to prescribe medications according to the advices of specialists.
Different aspects of suicidal behavior
Sándor Kalmár, M.D., Ph.D.
There is no other complex physical, biological, somatic, mental, psychological, psychiatric, cultural, social and spiritual phenomenon like suicide. We can never be traced back to one single reason. There is always large number of biological, psychological-psychiatric, historical, social and cultural factors which play role in its development but the strongest suicide risk is an unrecognized and untreated mental disorder.
The victims of suicide are never healthy individuals. They always suffer from some psychiatric, mental, physical or somatic, cultural (social, historical, mythological) and spiritual disorders.
Read more...
There is no other complex physical, biological, somatic, mental, psychological, psychiatric, cultural, social and spiritual phenomenon like suicide. We can never be traced back to one single reason. There is always large number of biological, psychological-psychiatric, historical, social and cultural factors which play role in its development but the strongest suicide risk is an unrecognized and untreated mental disorder.
The victims of suicide are never healthy individuals. They always suffer from some psychiatric, mental, physical or somatic, cultural (social, historical, mythological) and spiritual disorders.
Let's free our hearts from hatred. Let's give more. Let's expect less. Let's remember that life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, or a quest for power, but a quest for meaning...