Teens and Family Dinners

Researchers from the National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse found that teens who have family dinners fewer than three times a week - compared with those who have family dinners five or more times a week - were much more likely to use drugs and alcohol and have less academic success. Teens who say they have family dinners but that there are distractions at the table also have higher rates of substance abuse than teens who have frequent family dinners without interruptions.

September 23 2009 from the National Center of Addiction & Substance Abuse

Study Links Cannabis Use With Psychosis

Young adults who used marijuana as teens were more likely than those who didn't to develop schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms, a seven year Australian study found.

Those who used the drug for six or more years were twice as likely to develop a psychosis such as schizophrenia or to have delusional disorders than those who never used it.

Research involving more than 3,800 young adults, released online by the Archives of General Psychiatry, found long-term users were also four times more likely to have psychotic-like experiences.

The findings build on previous research by author John McGrath Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland. The study was the first to look at sibling pairs to discount genetic or envionmental influence and still find marijuana linked to later psychosis, the authors said.

"This is the most convincing evidence yet that the earlier you use cannabis, the more likely you are to have symptoms of a psychotic illness," said Dr McGrath, a professor a the institute in a statement.

The study also showed that among 228 sibling pairs, those who didn't use marijuana reported fewer psychotic-like delusions compared with those who used cannabis. That difference was statistically significant and reduces the likelihood that the psychotic problems caused by genetics or environment, the authors said.

A simple tip to reduce blood alcohol level

Slow down the speed of that first alcoholic drink to extend about one hour.

“If you skull the first drink, your blood alcohol level goes right up and your body will try to keep it there for the rest of the night”. If you slow down that first drink – you are less likely to drink as much throughout that evening. A simple piece of advice from David McGrath of NSW Health Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Office.

The good news is that in Australia the quantity of alcohol consumed has fallen slightly since 2007-2008 to 9.95 litres per person per year according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. By comparison the Irish drink more than 13 litres per person. Germans, French, Spanish and British drink approximately 11 litres per person per year.

These days, problem drinkers are more likely to seek help.

Help is available from government services.http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mhdao/index.asp

Yoga Relieves Chronic Pain

Chronic Back pain causes significant emotional distress, loss of mobility and is difficult to treat. Chronic pain always requires a multi disciplinary approach. This is because a chronic condition significantly impacts on many aspects of life and there are always psychosocial variables which contribute to the emotional suffering for a better or worse outcome.

Something as simple as yoga appears to relieve pain and improve mood for those with a chronic pain condition. This pain can significantly improve the mobility and quality of life for many sufferers.

90 people with chronic low back pain were assigned to either a yoga group or a control group that received standard medical care in a recent study published in the journal Spine Sept 2009

Those in the yoga group participated in 24 weeks of biweekly yoga classes designed for people with chronic lower-back pain. Six months after the study ended, those in the yoga group reported significantly more improvements in pain and functionality compared with subjects in the other group. In addition, depression was much lower in the yoga subjects. The use of pain medication was reduced, but that reduction was similar in both groups.

"The yoga group had less pain, less functional disability and less depression compared with the control group," Kimberly Williams, the lead investigator, from West Virginia University, said in a news release. "Proponents of yoga have long described its benefits in reducing back pain. But not everyone was convinced. This is a much bigger, much more rigorous evaluation than had been done before."

The classes were taught by an instructor certified in Iyengar yoga, a style that emphasizes posture.