Anxiety and depression amongst youth as adverse effects of using social media : A Review.

Social media use has become widely popularized in modern society and because of that, human interactions have drastically changed. In parallel, depression and anxiety have reached unprecedented levels among the youth, and concerns have emerged on social media use compromising mental health. The objectives of our review are to explore if there is a relation between social media and the development of those two disorders among youth, to highlight the patterns that could lead to them, and to give recommendations for future research. Methods: Based on the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) Criteria, the authors performed a search of all-time articles published in the Medline database using terms such as social media, social media use, problematic social media use, depression, anxiety, suicidality, self-harm, fear of missing out, cyberchondria, cyberbullying, sexting, and online shopping. The initial search yielded 184 924 articles. After review, 77 articles were included for discussion. Results: Social media use is often associated with depression and anxiety. Different patterns are thought to predict poorer mental health outcomes like multitasking, emotional investment, appearance-based activities, passive media use, problematic social media use, cyberbullying, sexting, and disaster awareness. Conclusion: Specific patterns of engagement with social media appear to be associated with poor mental health outcomes in youth. It is important for physicians to address social networks exposure in well-visits and for parents to communicate about it openly. However, more in-depth research needs to be done to determine a relation of causality.

Bridging science and spirituality: the intersection of religion and public health in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had global impacts on social interactions and religious activities, leading to a complex relationship between religion and public health policies. This article reviews impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religious activities and beliefs in relation to the spread of the virus, as well as the potential of religious leaders and faith communities in mitigating the impact of the pandemic through public health measures and community engagement. Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, with search terms including "religion," "COVID-19," "pandemic," "coronavirus," and "spirituality." We included English articles published between January 2020 and September 2022, focusing on intersection of religion and COVID-19. Results: We identified two main themes emerging, with the selected 32 studies divided in 15 studies focused on the relationship between religious practices, beliefs, and the spread of COVID-19, while 17 studies explored the role of religious leaders and faith communities in coping with and mitigating the impact of COVID-19. Religious activities were found to correlate with virus spread, particularly in early days of the pandemic. The relationship between religiosity and adherence to government guidelines was mixed, with some studies suggesting increased religiosity contributed to misconceptions about the virus and resistance to restrictions. Religious beliefs were also associated with vaccine hesitancy, particularly conservative religious beliefs. On the other hand, religious leaders and communities played a crucial role in adapting to COVID-19 measures, maintaining a sense of belonging, fostering emotional resilience, and upholding compliance with public health measures. The importance of collaboration between religious leaders, institutions, and public health officials in addressing the pandemic was emphasized. Conclusions: This review highlights the essential role of religious leaders, faith-based organizations, and faith communities in promoting education, preparedness, and response efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Engaging with religious leaders and communities can improve pandemic control and prevention efforts. Collaboration between religious leaders, governments, and healthcare professionals is necessary to combat vaccine hesitancy and ensure successful COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. The insights from this review can guide future research, policy development, and public health interventions to minimize the impact of the pandemic and improve outcomes for individuals and communities affected.

A systematic review on gut-brain axis aberrations in bipolar disorder and methods of balancing the gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a mood disorder that affects millions worldwide. Up to half of the diagnosed patients are reported to not receive adequate treatment. This study aims to assess the relationship between the gut-brain axis and BD and to discuss and compare the efficacy of varying methods of balancing gut microbiotas in BD. METHODS: Using PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar from November 2021 to February 2022, we found 5310 studies on gut microbiota and its relation to BD. Using our inclusion criteria, 5283 studies were excluded. A total of 27 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Also, 12 articles that met our criteria and eligibility criteria reported on 613 BD patients. RESULTS: Most studies analyzed found an overall difference in gut microbiota composition in bipolar patients compared to healthy controls, though the alterations found were not consistent. Differences in Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, and Ruminococcus abundance in BD compared to controls were found to be the most consistent across a few of the studies, but their effects on the gut-brain axis conflicted. Probiotic supplementation was found to lower patient rehospitalizations and significantly improve depressive symptoms and cognitive impairments among patients with BD. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple studies included in this review point toward a possible link between BD and the gut microbiota. Probiotic supplements and other gut-balancing therapies could serve as effective adjunctive methods for the treatment of BD. Notable limitations of the studies included for analysis were small sample sizes and majority observational study designs. Furthermore, the microbiota aberrations found in patients with BD were not consistent across multiple studies. Despite these limitations, our findings demonstrate the need for further research regarding the relationship between aberrant gut microbiota profiles and BD, as well as the effectiveness of gut balancing methods as adjunctive treatments.

Severe major depressive disorder readmissions: A national United States population study.

BACKGROUND: National population data are scarce on readmission following hospitalization for severe major depressive disorder (SMDD) in the United States (U.S.). We aim to describe the rates, characteristics, and reasons for readmissions for adults hospitalized for SMDD in the U.S. METHODS: We analyzed the 2018 Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). We included index hospitalizations for all adult patients (≥18 years) with a "principal" diagnosis of SMDD using (ICD)-10 codes. We excluded elective readmissions. Chi-square tests were used to compare baseline characteristics between readmissions and index hospitalizations. The 10 most common reasons for readmission were highlighted. RESULTS: A total of 236,284, 185,737, 120,218, and 21,645 index hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of SMDD discharged alive, were included in the 30-, 90-180- and 330-day readmission analysis. Among these, 27,443 (11.6 %), 36,844 (19.8 %), 32,269 (26.8 %) and 7915 (36.6 %) were readmitted within 30, 90, 180 and 330 days, respectively. 90-day readmissions were older, had more males, greater hospital costs, fewer patients with private insurance, higher comorbidity burden, more patients from lower-income households, present to metropolitan hospitals, and leave against medical advice compared to index admissions. LIMITATIONS: Limitations of our study include possible coding errors, lack of data on race/ethnicity, age of disease onset, duration of illness, medication use, and adherence. CONCLUSIONS: About 1 in 3 patients admitted for SMDD are readmitted within 11 months. Readmissions constitute a significant economic burden and differ from index admissions. SMDD and other psychiatric disorders are common reasons for readmission. Interventions to reduce readmissions are needed.

Most common reasons for emergency department presentation among patients with psychiatric disorders: A United States nationwide analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is a scarcity of national United States (U.S.) data on emergency department (ED) utilization among patients with psychiatric disorders (PD). This study aims to determine the most common reasons for ED visits among patients with PD, and baseline characteristics of patients who present to the ED due to PD. METHODS: We obtained data from the Nationwide Emergency department Sample (NEDS), the largest all-payer ED database in U.S. Each ED visit in NEDS 2018, can have only 1 "principal" diagnosis, which is the main reason for the visit and up to 34 "secondary" diagnoses. We abstracted data for all ED visits with "any" diagnosis of a PD, using the ICD-10 code "F". We highlighted the 10 most common "principal" diagnoses based on organ-system involved, and most specific "principal" diagnoses for all ED visits by patients with "any" diagnosis of PD. We then highlighted baseline characteristics of ED visits with a "principal" diagnosis of PD. RESULTS: A total of 38.4 million ED visits for patients with PD, among these, 5,911,984 had PD as the principal diagnosis. Patients who presented principally due to PD were more likely to come from lower income household. Mental disorders and injuries and poisoning were the most common principal diagnosis by organ system categories for patients with PD. LIMITATIONS: Possibility of coding errors and absence of date on race. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorder, alcohol intoxication and major depressive disorder (MDD) were the most common specific psychiatric "principal" diagnosis for ED presentation among patients with PD.

Olanzapine-induced restless leg syndrome (Willis-Ekbom disease): A case report.

Restless leg syndrome, also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a neurological sensorimotor disorder accompanied by an irresistible urge to move the legs with a fluctuating course of symptoms. It is a common disorder affecting all ages, with existing comorbidities and positive family history being associated with increased prevalence. Herein, we present a case of a 51-year-old female diagnosed with the bipolar affective disorder who developed restless leg syndrome following the use of olanzapine. Olanzapine is a second-generation antipsychotic which can cause restless leg syndrome due to its anti-dopaminergic action on the nervous system, particularly the spinal cord. Existing literature on olanzapine-induced restless leg syndrome has suggested managing this disorder by reducing the dose or replacing olanzapine with other drugs such as clonazepam, quetiapine, and aripiprazole. In our case, olanzapine was not replaced with other medications as the patient showed a significant improvement in bipolar affective disorder symptoms using olanzapine. Instead, clonazepam was added to the treatment regimen which was scheduled to be taken before olanzapine.

A Comprehensive Review on the Effects of Vegetarian Diets on Coronary Heart Disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Dietary modifications in the form of a vegetarian diet can perhaps be the key to the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases. The aims of this review are to determine the association between a vegetarian diet and CHD, to compare the risk of CHD in different types of vegetarian diets, and to assess variability in the biochemical predictors of CHD in the various vegetarian diets. Our study inferred that adherence to a plant-based diet was inversely related to the incidence of heart failure risk. Our research further supports the idea that a vegetarian diet is advantageous for the secondary prevention of CHD since it alters lipid profiles, lowers body mass index (BMI), and increases plasma antioxidant micronutrient concentrations. Additionally, eating a plant-based diet starting in adolescence is linked to a decreased risk of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) by middle age. An increase in sensitization and education efforts is imperative to ensure that people are appropriately informed about this option to significantly improve their quality of life.

The Correlation Between Autistic Childhood Disorders and the Development of Anxiety and Depression in Adults: A Systematic Review.

Children with autism spectrum disorder significantly suffer from other mental conditions, including anxiety and depression, compared to the general population. This continues to have a significant effect till adulthood. This study aimed at determining if there is a correlation between autism disorder in childhood and the development of anxiety and depression in adulthood and if behavioral therapy for children with this disorder reduces the likelihood of developing anxiety and depression as an adult.  Three major databases were searched: EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PubMed, using specific search terms. Studies were selected according to population, exposure, comparison, condition or outcome(s) of interest, study design, and context. Overall, there are five articles relevant to this systematic review synthesis; all were observational studies. Our study shows psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression could be related to autism spectrum disorder and early behavioral intervention could be beneficial and reduce the need for anxiety and depression medication.

The Role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Management of Psychosis.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) as a modality of treatment is gaining attention. A number of authors have reported their experiences, including challenges, in administering CBTp for psychotic patients. With CBTp still evolving a lot more research is ongoing to fine-tune its benefits while mitigating the limitations to its use. The objectives of this review are to determine the role of CBTp in the overall improvement of a patient's quality of life, ascertain the number of hospitalizations with acute symptoms after the start of CBTp; and address the common drawbacks to CBTp in the management of psychosis. It was found that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) use can prevent the first episode of psychosis in ultra-high risk (UHR) and is effective in improving depression, self-esteem, and psychological well-being. Its use was associated with positive changes in thinking and mood, and sleep quality leading to improved everyday life. Patients who underwent CBT had fewer hospitalizations with a higher number of voluntary hospitalizations as compared to patients with usual care, who underwent a higher number of involuntary hospitalizations. Drawbacks included cost-ineffectiveness and resource limitation.

A Comprehensive Review on the Effects of Humor in Patients With Depression.

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. Although there are known, effective treatments for depression, people in low- and middle-income areas experience multiple barriers which limit their ability to receive adequate treatment. Some known barriers to effective care include a lack of resources, lack of trained healthcare providers, and social stigma associated with mental disorders and this creates gaps in mental health care and the need for more treatment modalities and adjuvant therapies to address these gaps. This review article was conducted using the scale for the assessment of non-systematic review articles (SANRA). We searched three databases; EMBASE, PubMed (MEDLINE), and Google Scholar using specified search terms. We had a total of nine articles with sample sizes ranging from 37 to 1551, and the age of participants ranged from 23 to 93 years. Articles were diverse in race and geographical locations. The articles were derived from cross-sectional studies, randomized studies, and experimental studies, and they focused on the relationship between humor and depression, and the reduced risk of depression in the study population. The articles identified different aspects of the relationship between humor and depression. The willingness of patients with depression to recognize or participate in humor could be defective resulting in abnormal social interactions such as withdrawal. However, there was some significant influence of humor or its styles on patients with depression either mitigating depressive symptoms or having no impact at all.

Emergency department utilization by patients with bipolar disorder: a national population-based study.

BACKGROUND: There is a scarcity of national United States (US) data on emergency department (ED) utilization of patients with bipolar disorder (BD). This study aims to determine the most common reasons for ED visits of patients with BD, and baseline characteristics of patients who present due to BD. METHODS: We obtained data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), the largest all-payer ED database in the US. Each ED visit in NEDS 2018, can have only 1 "principal" diagnosis, which is the main reason for hospitalization, and up to 34 "secondary" diagnoses. We extracted data for all ED visits with "any" diagnosis of BD, using the ICD-10 code. We highlighted the 5 most common "principal" diagnoses based on the organ system involved and the 10 most specific "principal" diagnoses for all ED visits by patients with "any" diagnosis of BD. We highlighted baseline characteristics of ED visits with a "principal" diagnosis of BD. RESULTS: A total of 2,200,197 ED visits for patients with BD in 2018. Mental disorders such as BD, suicidal ideations, anxiety disorders and injuries and poisoning were common reasons for presentation to the ED. Among these, 291,319 had BD as the principal diagnosis. These patients were more likely to come from lower-income households. LIMITATIONS: Possibility of coding errors due to ICD coding, and absence of data on race and medication compliance. CONCLUSIONS: BD, suicidal ideation, and anxiety disorders were the most common specific psychiatric reasons for presentation to the ED among patients with BD.

Cannabis use and medication nonadherence in bipolar disorder: A nationwide inpatient sample database analysis.

BACKGROUND: Medication nonadherence among bipolar disorder (BD) is often linked with comorbid substance use disorders. This study aims to investigate cannabis use disorder (CUD) association with medication noncompliance in hospitalized BD patients. METHODS: Using data on 266,303 BD hospitalizations between 2010 and 2014 from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, we obtained medication noncompliance rates stratified by demographics and CUD. Logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with medication noncompliance. RESULTS: Overall mean age, the prevalence of CUD, and medication nonadherence were 41.58 (± 0.11) years, 15.0% and 16.1%, respectively. There were 56.6% females in the overall population. There was a significant difference in the characteristics of those in the medication nonadherence vs adherence groups, including age, sex, race, comorbid substance use, income, insurance type, hospital region, and hospital teaching status (p < 0.001). After adjusting for other variables using multivariate analysis, there remained a statistically significant association of medication nonadherence in BD hospitalization and CUD (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.36-1.48). LIMITATION: Confounding multiple substance use could not be accounted for, and the retrospective nature of the database which includes only inpatients is prone to possible selection and reporting bias. CONCLUSION: CUD statistically predicts increased rates of medication nonadherence among patients with BD. Given the possible association of CUD with medication nonadherence among BD patients, collaborative work between general adult psychiatry and addiction services is imperative in improving the management outcome of patients with BD and comorbid CUD.

Does Cocaine Use Increase Medication Noncompliance in Bipolar Disorders? A United States Nationwide Inpatient Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Medication noncompliance among bipolar disorder (BD) is often linked with comorbid substance use disorders. This study aims to investigate cocaine use (CU) association with medication noncompliance in hospitalized BD patients. Methods Using data on 266,303 BD hospitalizations between 2010-2014 from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, we obtained medication noncompliance rates stratified by demographics and cocaine use. Logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with medication noncompliance. Results Overall mean age, the prevalence of CU, and medication noncompliance were 41.58 (+0.11) years, 8.34%, and 16.08%, respectively. More than half of BD patients with comorbid CU were between 40-64 years (54.4%), while more male patients with BD were in the CU group (53.9%). With univariable logistic regression, CU (odds ratio [OR]: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.66-1.88) increased the odds of medication noncompliance among BD patients, and after adjusting for other variables there was sustained increased odds (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.32-1.50). Conclusion This study showed that CU is associated with medication noncompliance among hospitalized BD patients. This highlights the importance of addressing CU among BD patients. Given the possible association of CU with medication noncompliance among BD patients, collaborative work between general adult psychiatry and addiction services is imperative in improving the management outcome of BD patients with comorbid CU.

The Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Catatonia in a Case of Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (Anti-NMDA) Receptor Encephalitis.

Catatonia is a symptom seen in a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions, including anti-N-Methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis. When associated with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, catatonia is resistant to standard therapy. However, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has shown promising success in management. This case report presents a 25-year-old African American female who presented to the emergency room with nervousness, sweating, insomnia, and visual and auditory hallucinations. She was treated symptomatically for anxiety but returned to the hospital after she continued to experience worsening symptoms. Her anxiety worsened, and she became more agitated, warranting an extensive workup, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG), which showed normal findings. She also had an anti-NMDA receptor antibodies titer done, which showed a positive titer result. She was treated with intravenous steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin G (IgG), plasma exchange, and rituximab, which did not improve her symptoms, and she was discharged home after a prolonged hospital stay. On follow-up visits, she reported worsening confusion, aggression, and suicidal behaviors. The patient was readmitted, during which she experienced catatonia and psychiatric symptoms, and her anti-NMDAR titer had increased to 1:1280. Further treatments with intravenous steroids, intravenous IgG, plasma exchange, and rituximab, including haloperidol and clonazepam, failed to improve her condition. However, her condition improved remarkably following treatment with 12 rounds of ECT. No randomized control trial has been done to demonstrate the effectiveness of ECT in the treatment of anti-NMDAR encephalitis despite various reports of the effectiveness of this treatment modality. This case report adds to the growing clinical evidence in support of the use of ECT in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients with catatonia. ECT can be incorporated as standard protocol in the treatment of catatonia and associated psychiatric symptoms when managing a patient with anti-NMDAR encephalitis associated with catatonic features.

A Case of Carbamazepine-Induced Acute Pancreatitis: A Rare Etiology.

Carbamazepine-induced acute pancreatitis is rarely reported in the literature. A 49-year-old female presented with sudden onset of severe epigastric pain radiating to the back for the last five hours associated with nausea and two episodes of vomiting. She had been taking carbamazepine for trigeminal neuralgia for the last four weeks. On clinical examination, she was afebrile and had mild tenderness in the epigastrium. Serum chemistry revealed elevated levels of amylase, lipase, and total bilirubin. Her lipid profile was normal, and her abdominal ultrasonography was non-significant. Her abdominal CT revealed generalized pancreatic enlargement with imprecise borders and stranding edema of peripancreatic fat. A possible relationship between carbamazepine and acute pancreatitis was considered due to a lack of other possible causes. Carbamazepine was withdrawn and replaced by oxcarbazepine, and she was managed with bowel rest, isotonic fluids, antiemetics, and analgesics. Her condition improved gradually, and she was symptom-free on day six. She was discharged to her gastroenterology doctor for a follow-up. On her recent visit two weeks later, she was doing well.

Sydenham Chorea Managed With Immunoglobulin in Acute Rheumatic Fever.

Sydenham chorea (SC) is common in childhood with extensive differential diagnoses, including inherited disease, autoimmunity, endocrine disorders, and infections. SC due to acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is rare. Herein, we present a case of SC in an eight-year-old child who presented with choreiform movements of her face and limbs, including facial grimacing, difficulty walking, and slurred speech. She also had a runny nose and odynophagia. She had two episodes of sore throat in the last two months, and her physical examination was unremarkable except for hypertrophic tonsils and generalized hypotonia. Throat and blood culture were negative for group A streptococcus. Antistreptolysin O titer was 1139 IU/mL, and anti-deoxyribonuclease B titer was 2100 IU/mL, suggesting a recent group A streptococcal infection. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed hyperintense signals in the thalami and corpus striatum. Echocardiogram was normal with no evidence of carditis. She was diagnosed with ARF and was commenced on amoxicillin and valproic acid. Later on, she was started on IVIG due to the persistence of chorea. Her symptoms improved, and she was discharged a week later on oral haloperidol for the next ten days.