March is MS Awareness Month

MS (Multiple Sclerosis) is believed to be an autoimmune disease that affects the Central Nervous System (CNS). Although anyone can develop MS, it does affect women at rates twice that of men. Symptoms vary greatly from person to person, and can include (but are not limited to) fatigue, difficulty walking, numbness, tremor, stiffness, or speech problems. Some people with MS will develop depression -- at times due to the medications used to treat MS, and at other times due to the psychological impact of the disease process. For more information about MS, please visit the National MS Society or the Ohio Chapter of the MS Society. For a brochure about depression and MS, please click here (opens as a .pdf file).

Did You Know? About Gambling Addiction

The National Council on Problem Gambling is the national advocate for programs and services to assist problem gamblers and their families.

Their research finds that 2%-3% of the US population will have a gambling problem in any given year. That is equal to 6 million to 9 million Americans. However, only a small fraction seek out services, such as treatment and self-help recovery programs.

Warning signs of a gambling problem include:
• Gambling for a longer time and/or more money than intended;
• Gambling in an effort to try to win back what you’ve lost;
• Lying to loved ones about the amount of time or money spent gambling

For more information and fact sheets, please visit the NCPG website at http://www.npgaw.org/.

Did You Know? About Sleep Problems

Fact: Up to 67 percent of women report that they experience sleep problems a few nights a week, and 46 percent of women report that they experience sleep problems every night! (National Sleep Foundation, 2007 Sleep in America Poll).

Details: There are easy behavioral steps that you can take to promote healthy sleep. In fact, behavioral treatment for insomnia is as effective in the short term and more effective long-term than sleep medications. Keys to effective sleep include:

-Getting up the same time every morning.
-Avoiding napping.
-Getting out of bed if you’re not asleep in 20 minutes and doing something else.
-Avoiding stimulants such as nicotine, caffeine and food four hours before bed.
-Avoiding alcohol.
-Exercising regularly, but preferably four hours before bed.
-Keeping a “to do” list or have a “worry time” early in the evening.
-Relaxing before bed
-Turning your clock around; using an alarm.
-Only sleeping in your bedroom (no TV, work or computer use in the bedroom)

Be active: March 3 through March 9 is National Sleep Awareness Week. Visit the National Sleep Foundation for more information at www.sleepfoundation.org.

Information by: Kathleen Ashton, PhD

Eating Disorder Awareness Week

Did you know...
* At least 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. are battling anorexia and bulimia, while another millions more suffer from binge eating disorder.

* Eating disorders are a silent epidemic with devastating and life-threatening consequences. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

* Eating disorders affect people from all walks of life, including young children, middle-aged women and men,and individuals of all races and ethnicity.

* Treatment does work! A team approach with focus on both the body and mind can help people overcome the symptoms and develop a positive body image and live a healthy life.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is February 24 through March 1, 2008. This week we encourage you to visit the OPA EDAW site (http://www.ohpsych.org/Public/EDAW.htm) for more information.

The OPA Public Interest Committee also ask you to consider donating a pair of jeans to a local charity in the spirit of The Great Jeans Giveaway. The theme of EDAW is "Be Comfortable in Your Genes. Wear Jeans that fit the REAL You!" Please visit http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org and click on NEDAW for more information about the giveaway.

If you have questions or would like more information, please marylewis@earthlink.net.