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December 12 2017

Friday Factoids: Avoiding the Holiday Blues

For many, the holidays become synonymous with stress: finding the perfect tree, having the perfect decorations, finding the perfect gift, and spending time with family. These things can quickly turn holiday cheer into holiday drear. However, there are ways to reduce the stress that can come along with all the holiday hustle and bustle.

Set a budget, and stick to it (even if your budget is free). Send a heartfelt card, make something, offer to help someone else. Gifts don’t have to be material, and often the more heartfelt gifts will be remembered the longest.

Plan ahead and don’t spread yourself thin. Make a list, divide and conquer, delegate to other family members. You don’t have to do everything. Remember, it’s okay to say no. Scheduling conflicts will occur. That’s okay. Things will not go as planned. That’s okay.

Set realistic expectations and don’t strive for perfection. Things will not always go as planned. Sometimes dinner gets burnt, sometimes the cat knocks over the tree, sometimes it snows (or it doesn’t). Sometimes important people aren’t able to make it. It’s okay. Don’t stress over what you cannot control. Do what you can and nothing more. Are there important people who you can’t spend time with? Find ways to keep everyone included. Take pictures, make a phone call, or send a video.

Accept people for who they are. Agree to disagree. Acknowledge your feelings and realize it’s ok to not be okay. Holiday events are not the time to hash out disagreements. Learn to accept others and forgive past transgressions.

Remember to take care of yourself. Give yourself 15 minutes to do something alone. Remember to maintain your healthy habits. This includes exercising, eating healthy, meditating, whatever it is you typically do, keep doing it! Try to give yourself a day of rest before returning to your daily routine.

Get additional support. Reach out to friends, attend community events, volunteer, or seek out professional assistance if needed. Don’t isolate yourself.

Not every get together will look like a Hallmark card. Not every family interaction will be like they are in the movies. Remember, this is real life. And in real life, it is what you make it…even if that means allowing things to be perfectly imperfect.

References

5 Tips for Managing Holiday Stress. (2016). Retrieved November 24, 2017, from

https://www.healthline.com/health/holiday-stress-management-tips

Wiegartz, P. (2011, November 12). 10 Common Holiday Stresses and How to Cope with Them.

Retrieved November 24, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-

age-anxiety/201111/10-common-holiday-stresses-and-how-cope-them-0

Tips for coping with holiday stress. (2017, September 16). Retrieved November 24, 2017, from

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

Crystal Henson, MA
Doctoral Intern

December 12 2017

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: Strategies to Help People With Mental Illness During the Holidays

The Christmas season in America is thought to be carefree and whimsical, associated with joy, food, and fun. However, for some, especially individuals with severe mental illness, it can be a time of despair, loneliness and depressing memories. Turnbull (2015) found in his study, 36% of individuals with mental health problems have engaged in non-suicidal injurious behaviors during the holiday season, but more than half of the participants considered harming themselves around Christmas, while 45% have considered taking their own life. A further 76% of participants in the study reported having problems sleeping, and 60% of people reported experiencing panic attacks over the festive period.

Research has found components that can aid individuals with severe mental illness, such as engaging in leisure activities (Lloyd, King, Lampe & McDougall, 2001), but unfortunately these individuals lack possibilities to spend this time in ways that are meaningful to them (Perese, 1997). Leisure activities for individuals with severe mental illnesses have shown to have the potential to improve quality of life (Pieris & Craik, 2004; Carruthers & Hood, 2004). Leisure around the Christmas holiday for both individuals with and without disorders/disabilities is often what is wanted and hoped for, which is why it seems to be readily researched but the importance of holiday trips for people with severe mental illnesses is not widely known (Pols & Kroon, 2007). Results from Pols and Kroon (2007) found that one can assist individuals with severe mental illness while on a holiday trip by managing their medication, finances, and creating a somewhat structured routine. In addition, the researchers found holiday trips were linked with rehabilitation goals that were hard to identify by staff members who worked with the participants in the institutional setting. Holiday trips for individuals with severe mental illness helped the participants establish and maintain social relationships.

That is what the holiday season should be about, positive supportive connections, with the people that matter most in life. Turnbull (2015) suggested to combat unhealthy activities and coping methods, to “Look out for one another and show that you care by listening supportively, be affectionate, appreciative, or simply by spending time with loved ones.”

References
Carruthers, C. P., & Hood, C. D. (2004). The power of the positive: Leisure and well- being. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 38(2), 225-245.

Lloyd, C., King, R., Lampe, J., & McDougall, S. (2001). The leisure satisfaction of people with psychiatric disabilities. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 25(2), 107-113. doi:10.1037/h0095035

Perese, E. F. (1997). Unmet needs of persons with chronic mental illnesses: Relationship to their adaptation to community living. Issues In Mental Health Nursing, 18(1), 19-34. doi:10.3109/01612849709006537

Pieris, Y., & Craik, C. (2004). Factors Enabling and Hindering Participation in Leisure for People with Mental Health Problems. The British Journal Of Occupational Therapy, 67(6), 240-247. doi:10.1177/030802260406700602

Pols, J., & Kroon, H. (2007). The importance of holiday trips for people with chronic mental health problems. Psychiatric Services, 58(2), 262-265.

Turnbull, A. (2015). Pressures of Christmas lead to rise in mental health problems. Independent Nurse, 1.

Katy Roth, MA, CRC
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

November 11 2017

Friday Factoid: The Tryptophan In Your Turkey: What You Didn’t Know

Tryptophan found in turkey is believed to be the legendary reason why people always doze off for little naps on Thanksgiving Day. In fact, “Tryptophan is an amino acid that can be found in several foods, which include dairy products, soy products, seafood, poultry and beans” (BeneFit from: Tryptophan, 2008) and there is even more tryptophan in cheese and chicken breast than there is in turkey, according to Elder (2009). To debunk the myth, Elder (2009) says, there is not enough tryptophan in your Thanksgiving turkey to tire you out. However, the tryptophan in your turkey is a precursor to calming, feel-good serotonin.

It seems tryptophan in our food is linked to serotonin, and melatonin. Thornton and Whitley (2012) confirmed the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin can be controlled by tryptophan ingestion (p. 40). Interestingly, Esteban, Nicolaus, Garmundi, Rial, Rodríguez, Ortega, EIbars, (2004) found differences in tryptophan ingestion at the beginning of light or dark phases in rats (p. 41). “The administration of L-tryptophan during the light time increased the brain synthesis and metabolism of serotonin. However, at night, tryptophan’s administration led to a smaller increase in the synthesis of serotonin than by day, although the turnover remained unchanged, suggesting that, in the dark phase, serotonin is used as a substrate for melatonin synthesis” (Thornton & Whitley, 2012, p. 40). Esteban et al., (2004) results imply, “The difference between the effects of increased tryptophan intake during light and dark phases suggests that tryptophan hydroxylase activity presents circadian fluctuations which seem to be clock controlled” (p. 41). So, it seems that the legend behind the Thanksgiving naps can in some ways be linked to tryptophan, and tied to our circadian rhythms.

Tryptophan due to its connection to serotonin has been somewhat studied with its role in depression. Parker and Brotchie, (2011) revealed, “There is limited evidence suggesting that depressed individuals, especially those with a melancholic depression, have decreased tryptophan levels. However, results showing a causal contribution or are a consequence of a depressed state remains an open question. Neither the less, the researchers support there is a small database claiming tryptophan preparations benefit people with depressed mood states.”

In conclusion, turkey has tryptophan but other food such as cheese and chicken breast have higher quantities of this amino acid. The amount of tryptophan you eat on Thanksgiving from turkey is not necessarily enough to make you tired, but it could have an impact on your circadian rhythm. The tryptophan you consume impacts your serotonin, and melatonin, which is likely to impact your mood. So therefore, Have A Great Increase of Serotonin on Your Thanksgiving!

P.S. According to The 10 Foods For A Good Night’s Sleep, “Tryptophan works when your stomach is basically empty, not overstuffed, full of protein and not carbohydrates.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

References

BeneFit from: Tryptophan. (2008). Cycling Weekly, 32.

Elder, N. (2009). The Question: Does Turkey Make You Sleepy?. Bon Appetit, 54(11), 47.

Esteban, S., Nicolaus, C., Garmundi, A., Rial, R.V., Rodríguez, A., Ortega, EIbars, C. B. (2004). Effect of orally administered L-tryptophan on serotonin, melatonin and the innate immune response. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 267, 39-46.

Parker, G., & Brotchie, H. (2011). Mood effects of the amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 124(6), 417-426. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01706.x

The 10 Foods for a Good Night’s Sleep. (2007). Office Solutions, 24(2), 9.

Thornton, S. H., & Whitley, B. L. (2012). Tryptophan : Dietary Sources, Functions and Health Benefits. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Katy Roth, M.A., CRC

WKPIC Doctoral Intern

November 11 2017

Article Review: Ray, S. L., Wong, C., White, D., & Heaslip, K. (2013) Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, Work Life Conditions, and Burnout Among Frontline Mental Health Care Professionals

Professionals who work directly with individuals who have intensive mental health needs can sometimes find themselves affected by this work in ways they had not originally considered. Along with compassion satisfaction (CS) professionals may also experience burnout or compassion fatigue (CF). CS is the positive feeling that can come from helping others, while burnout and CF are the negative results of this work. They can be identified by feelings of tension or psychological stressors caused from working with others who have experienced trauma. Research has shown that both burnout and CF can lead to a decrease in CS, resulting in a greater use of sick time, higher staff turnover rates, and lower morale among professionals.

Research has also identified 6 areas of work life that can result in burnout if they do not match with the individual. These include the individual’s work load, the amount of control the individual has in making important decisions about their job, the rewards an individual receives for doing the work, the worker’s sense of community regarding relationships with supervisors and co-workers, fairness perceived through openness and respect present within the organization, and a congruence between an individual’s values and those of the organization.

The study conducted by Ray, Wong, White, and Heaslip hypothesized that higher levels of CS and increased person-job match would result in lower levels of burnout and CF. This was based on the idea that higher levels of CS would result in a more positive work environment or better match between person and areas of work life. Those who reported higher levels of CF would perceive their work environment as more negative and would have a lower match level between person and areas of work resulting in higher levels of burnout

The researchers surveyed 169 individuals providing “frontline care” to individuals with mental health needs. Respondents included nursing staff, social workers, psychologists, case managers, and mental health workers. Each participant was asked to complete the Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue/Secondary Traumatic Stress subscales of the Professional Quality of Life – Revision IV Questionnaire, the Areas of Work Life Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey, and a 16-question demographic questionnaire.

Their results supported the hypothesis that higher levels of CS, lower levels of CF, and higher person-job match in the six areas of work life were predictive of lower burnout in frontline staff providing mental health care. This study found similar results to other studies where it was reported that work life conditions can contribute to both CS, CF, and burnout. It is noted that those employees who reported a personal history of trauma may need to receive additional support or supervision to help combat CF and burnout. Along with trauma history, working more hours and having less work experience were also identified as potential risk factors for CF.

Ways to help prevent burnout and CF while also increasing CS include building stronger relationships among colleagues, promotion opportunities, and greater awareness of workers’ emotions. Environments with a low staff/patient ratio and emotional distance between staff and patients also lead to an increase in CS. Environments that can pair new staff with mentors or promote more relationship building between new and senior staff may also serve as protective factors against CF and burnout.

Ray, S. L., Wong, C., White, D., & Heaslip, K. (2013). Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, work life conditions, and burnout among frontline mental health care professionals. Traumatology, 19(4), 255-267. doi:10.1177/1534765612471144

Crystal Henson, MA
Doctoral Intern

November 11 2017

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: How Biological Processes Impact Sleep

There are many factors that contribute to sleep deprivation for example bathroom trips, sleep schedules, temperature, noise, and technological devices. However, there are biological processes that impact sleep as well. Specifically, there are three biological processes that are controlled through involvement of the brainstem, and two divisions of the hypothalamus, which are the anterior hypothalamus and the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN).

First, the brainstem plays a vital role in REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non- rapid eye movement). “The brainstem controls events of REM sleep” Pinel, 2010, pg. 364). REM occurs under the eyelids and was discovered in the 1950’s (Pinel, 2010, pg. 343). Reinoso-Suárez, de Andrés, Rodrigo-Angulo and Garzón (2001) found, “The ventral part of the oral pontine reticular nucleus (vRPO) is a demonstrated site of the brainstem REM sleep-wake cycle, as well as with other brain components responsible for the production of different occurrences related to REM sleep.” Non-REM sleep (NREM) is referred to as slow wave sleep (de Andrés, Garzón, & Reinoso-Suárez, 2011). NREM is vital for standard physical and intellectual functioning and behavior (de Andrés, Garzón, & Reinoso-Suárez, 2011). Further, Villablanca (2004) stated, “Waking can occur independently in both the forebrain and brainstem, but true NREM and REM sleep producing mechanisms exist entirely in the forebrain and brainstem.”

Secondly, the hypothalamus plays a key role in sleep. Specifically, the anterior hypothalamus and adjacent basal forebrain are thought to promote sleep (Pinel, 2010, pg. 355). The anterior hypothalamus is in the basal-forebrain area. “Activation and deactivation of certain cells in the hypothalamus shuts off the arousal system during sleep. Other hypothalamic neurons stabilize the activation and deactivation, however if the switching of cells/neurons is absent this results in inappropriate sleep occurrences, such as disorders like narcolepsy” (Saper, Scammell & Lu, 2005).

From literature the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the hypothalamus plays a role in sleep also. “The suprachiasmatic nuclei is situated bilaterally in the hypothalamus, just above the optic chiasm” (Hobson & Pace-Schott, 2002). The SCN is composed of two major subdivisions, the core and the shell. “The core region of the SCN obtains information about the daily light cycle through the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT)” (Takahashi, Hee-Kyung, Ko & McDearmon, 2008). “Neurons in the SCN core correspond with the rhythmic SCN shell. Cells in the rhythmic SCN shell comprise molecular clocks driven by an autoregulatory transcription translation loop” (Antle & Silver, 2005). The SCN controls circadian rhythms (also known as the circadian clock). Interestingly, “Circadian rhythms govern a variety of biological processes in living systems, stretching from bacteria to humans” (Takahashi, Hee-Kyung, Ko & McDearmon, 2008). The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the mammalian hypothalamus contains a circadian clock for timing of diverse neuronal, endocrine, and behavioral rhythms, such as the cycle of sleep and wakefulness (Sakai, 2014). The timing mechanisms of the SCN are dependent on the firing patterns of SCN neurons. During the night SCN neurons tend to be inactive, start to fire at dawn, and fire at a leisurely stable pace all day (Pinel, 2010, pg. 354). Importantly, it seems as though genetics also influences the SCN. Hobson and Pace-Schott (2002) stated, “The molecular circadian clock is genetically controlled and synchronously expressed holistically and individually by 20,000 cells in the mammalian hypothalamus.”

While it is important to be mindful of the many factors in the sleep environment that may impact how much sleep we get, and how rested we feel, there are also biological processes located in our brain, as well as genetics to some degree which impact sleep. It seems our brain has a major role in REM sleep, NREM sleep, and our natural Circadian rhythm as well.

References

Antle, M. C., & Silver, R. (2005). Orchestrating time: arrangements of the brain circadian clock. Trends in neurosciences, 28(3), 145-151.

de Andrés, I., Garzón, M., & Reinoso-Suárez, F. (2011). Functional anatomy of non-REM sleep. Frontiers in Neurology, 2, 70. doi:10.3389/fneur.2011.00070

Hobson, J. A., & Pace-Schott, E. F. (2002). The Neurobiology of Sleep: Genetics, cellular physiology and subcortical networks. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 3, 591.

Pinel, John P.J. (2010). Biopsychology, Ninth Edition. Pearson Education, Inc.

Reinoso-Suárez, F., de Andrés, I., Rodrigo-Angulo, M. L., & Garzón, M. (2001). Brain structures and mechanisms involved in the generation of REM sleep. Sleep medicine reviews, 5, 63-77.

Sakai, K. (2014). Single unit activity of the suprachiasmatic nucleus and surrounding neurons during the wake–sleep cycle in mice. Neuroscience, 260, 249-264.

Saper, C. B., Scammell, T. E., & Lu, J. (2005). Hypothalamic regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms. Nature, 437, 1257-1263.

Takahashi, J. S., Hee-Kyung, H., Ko, C. H., & McDearmon, E. L. (2008). The genetics of mammalian circadian order and disorder: implications for physiology and disease. Nature Reviews Genetics, 9(10), 764-775. doi:10.1038/nrg2430

Villablanca, J. R. (2004). Counterpointing the functional role of the forebrain and of the brainstem in the control of the sleep–waking system. Journal Of Sleep Research, 13, 179-208. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00412.x

Katy Roth, M.A., CRC

WKPIC Doctoral Intern

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Friday Factoids: Avoiding the Holiday Blues

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: Strategies to Help People With Mental Illness During the Holidays

Friday Factoid: The Tryptophan In Your Turkey: What You Didn’t Know

Article Review: Ray, S. L., Wong, C., White, D., & Heaslip, K. (2013) Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, Work Life Conditions, and Burnout Among Frontline Mental Health Care Professionals

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: How Biological Processes Impact Sleep

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