Why your Therapist is not your Friend
People often develop a close relationship with their therapist. The two of them have been sitting in a room talking about very personal subjects - often once a week for for at least several weeks. Does this make them friends? Some people certainly expect that it does, but the therapist usually does not see it that way.

Do Vacations Really Help?
A Gallop poll suggests that most Americans return tired from vacations. You can have a better vacation with a little planning.

Getting Help for Less
Mental Health care is available even if money is tight.

Memory Problems Increase AIDS Patients' Wish to Die
Patients with advanced AIDS who suffer from problems like memory loss or failing coordination are significantly more likely to wish for an early death than patients without these problems, according to new research. (General Hospital Psychiatry, May-2003)

Father's Absence Increases Daughter's Risk of Teen Pregnancy
Fathers who leave their families may increase their daughters' risk for early sexual activity and teenage pregnancy, suggest the results of long-term studies in the United States and in New Zealand. (Child Development, 2003)

Personality Is Not Set By 30; It Can Change Throughout Life
Do peoples' personalities change after 30? They can, according to researchers who examined 132,515 adults age 21-60 on the personality traits known as the "Big Five": conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness and extraversion. (J. of Personality and Social Psychology, May-2003)

News for Absent-Minded: How to Improve Your Memory
Are you concerned that you couldn't remember the name of the familiar-looking woman who said hello to you in the restaurant last night? You probably don't have much to worry about, says an internationally recognized Alzheimer's disease researcher at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Many Pregnant Women Are Depressed
One in five pregnant women may have symptoms of depression, but few are getting help for it, a new study finds. Those with a history of depression any time before their pregnancy are twice as likely to show signs of depression while pregnant, the results show. (J. of Women's Health, 22-May-2003)

General Medical Costs Higher for Anxious, Depressed Patients
Annual costs of general, non-psychiatric medical care for people with persistent anxiety or depressed mood are 70 percent higher than for other patients, according to new research. (General Hospital Psychiatry, May-2003)

Anti-Psychotic Drugs May Reduce Diabetes Risk in Mentally Ill
Two studies examining the incidence of diabetes and related conditions among patients suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder indicate that it is the illness -- not the atypical antipsychotic medications used to treat the disorders -- that contributes to the increased incidence of diabetes in these patients.

Concerned about SARS? "Don't Worry, Be Healthy!"
Most of us worry about our health from time to time. But a psychological condition called health anxiety becomes a problem when the worries and fears about our health interfere with our lives. The mere mention of SARS, for example, can trigger intense anxiety in some people.

Are Highly Educated at Greater Risk for Mental Health Problems?
Highly educated workers seem to be at greater risk for poor mental health than the general U.S. population, a new study suggests. (Am. J. of Health Promotion, Mar/Apr-2003)

NSAIDS May Protect against Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers have found evidence that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may exert a protective effect against the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Results of the multiple-study analysis will be presented at AAN's Annual Meeting in Honolulu.

Babies' Attachment to Parents Affected by Overnights
Babies who spend overnights in the separate residences of each parent after divorce or separation have difficulty establishing secure attachments to their parents.

World's First Artificial Brain Implant
Scenetists are preparing to test the world's first artificial brain implant in animals. The implant is designed to perform many of the tasks performed by the hippocampus.

Signs that it’s time to end a relationship
A marriage therapist with recommendaitons on ending a relationship.

What Can I Tell My Children About the War?
The National Council on Family Relations has been asked by parents and media personnel as to how parents can deal with war and terrorism issues with their children. Essentially, "What can I tell my children?" NCFR has compiled a list of Web resources online that might be helpful.

Adolescents' Perceived Importance of Religion Lessens Drug Use
When adolescents perceive religion as important in their lives, it may lower rates of cigarette smoking, heavy drinking and marijuana use, according to a study that tracked urban adolescents from middle school through high school. (Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, Mar-2003)

Mom's Psychological Health Determines Whether Kids go to the Doctor
Children whose mothers are the most depressed, anxious and report high levels of psychosomatic symptoms are twice as likely to be taken to a doctor when they complain of a stomache ache than are children whose mothers report the least amount of such mental stress. (Meeting: Society of Behavioral Medicine)

Physicians have Higher Levels of Psychological Problems
A British study found that doctors exhibit higher levels of psychological disturbance than people in equivalent professional occupations. (BMJ, 29-Mar-2003)

Why Real-Time War Coverage Boosts Anxiety Levels
It's not you, it's the situation. And when a situation like the war in Iraq reminds you of a painful memory, your brain's self-defense mechanism will go off like an alarm, according to a University of Michigan researcher.

Woman's Occupation Impacts How She Adjusts to Retirement
Women doctors, teachers and other professionals may have a tougher time adjusting to retirement than do women who hold jobs customarily considered nonprofessional, such as clerical positions and cafeteria help, according to a new study. (J. of Women and Aging)

Are Married People Happier than Unmarried People?
In a large longitudinal study that sheds new light on the association between marital status and happiness, researchers have found that people get a boost in life satisfaction from marriage. (J. of Personality and Social Psychology, Mar-2003)

Anxiety Poorly Managed in Hospitalized Patients
Anxiety is often poorly managed in patients recovering from a heart attack. While records revealed that nearly 75 percent of patients in a recent study had received treatment for anxiety, symptoms of anxiety were documented on less than half of the patients' charts. (Heart and Lung)

Little Variance in Survival Rates of Patients with Eating Disorders
A long-term study of patients in Rochester, Minn., with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa found that their survival rates did not differ from the expected survival rates of others of the same age and sex. (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mar-2003)