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AADT's Session Wrap-Up
> 6/25/2007 11:49:50 AM

Last week, we learned a lot about the power of fear and sadness. Overly-anxious parents can produce anxious children, and antidepressant treatment was found to extend life. Another study found that labeling emotions can lessen their effect on us. Sometimes knowledge is as powerful as emotion.

This wrap-up should give you a little taste of the ongoing debate that comes to define the public perception of psychological issues. Below you will find articles about the definition of addiction, the attributes of a good diet food, and the effect of concussions.

Addiction Experts Say Video Games Not an Addiction- The American Medical Association is backpedaling after initially endorsing the inclusion of gaming as an official addiction in the DSM. The official vote will be next week, but vocal criticism by addiction experts makes it likely that it will not be included until psychiatrists have done additional study.

Could Gene Therapy Help Alcoholics Stay on the Wagon- Breeding alcoholic rats is not just for entertainment purposes anymore. Scientists found that they could halve the rats' consumption by injecting them with a virus that interfers with aldehyde dehydrogenase. There is reason to believe that human addiction can be combated with a similar virus.

Player Silence on Concussions May Block N.F.L. Guidlines- We have been following the NFL's progression from denial to action on the problem of player concussions. This Tuesday, the NFL made a great step by gathering critics and health officials to have an open discussion on the mental health dangers of football. Some major obstacles still remain though. As one player explains, teams have a culture that discourages complaining and might make moot any guidelines based on self-reporting.

More Body Fat Means Better Recovery For Anorexics- Doctor have been worried that anorexic patients might panic and relapse as they regain a healthy weight. A small study indicates that a relapse is actually less likely the more weight patients regain.

Low 'Energy Density' Foods Aid Weight Loss- Diets that involve only cutting calories leave you hungry and more likely to cheat with a midnight pie or two. A new study of obese women found that diet was much more effective if low calorie but filling foods like fruit are incorporated at the same time that fat is cut out.

Diet-Busting Foods That May Surprise You- It may not be as easy as you think to find the low calorie foods like we mentioned above. This article lists some foods that often fool dieters into thinking they are safe.

Why Men Skip Doctor Visits-� Men often wait until they are very sick before seeking medical attention. This article has an interesting breakdown of the reasons they gave for avoiding visits. The second most common, "I am healthy" (23%), is not a great reason because many health problems can be averted before symptoms become noticeable.

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