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A study was done to see if music being played during a ride in an ambulance had positive effects on the injured party.

Music was played for eligible adult patients during Critical Care Transport (CCT) while recording vital signs. A questionnaire was subsequently mailed to patients to rate whether the ambulance transport was stressful, the impact music had on transport, whether music changed their anxiety, whether music made them comfortable and relaxed, and whether they would prefer music to be played on future transports. Vital signs were compared between respondents who perceived transport as stressful and those who did not.

One hundred two patients were enrolled; 23 respondents (22.5%) constituted the study group. Four patients (17.4%) reported CCT as stressful (average response, 4.75). Nineteen (82.6%) rated CCT as not stressful (average response, 1.63). Subjectively, patients reported a positive impact of music on transport, with improved comfort and relaxation but only a minimal decrease in anxiety. No statistically significant change in vital signs was observed between cohorts; too few patients were enrolled to generate power to detect any difference.

Music therapy is a simple adjunct for use during CCT that may increase patient comfort and alleviate anxiety.

According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy interventions can be designed to:
- promote wellness
- manage stress
- alleviate pain
- express feelings
- enhance memory
- improve communication
- promote physical rehabilitation

So, in essence it absolutely makes sense that music could ease the mind a bit if you're going through a traumatic ambulance experience.

Labels: music, stress, therapy

There is a growing epidemiological literature focusing on the association between psychosocial stress and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), but inconsistent findings have been published.

I think we all know how linked our emotions are to physical ailments and stress. Depression and anxiety definitely take a physical toll on our bodies. Of course findings are inconsistent though because these are things are extremely subjective.

Despite these limitations, the present evidence from prospective observational studies suggests that further research into interventions to reduce distress/promote coping and examine the consequent effects on mortality and related outcomes in HIV is warranted. Specifically, psychological interventions should be considered in the arsenal of adjuvant therapies for this disease.

Yoichi Chida, Kavita Vedhara, Adverse psychosocial factors predict poorer prognosis in HIV disease: A meta-analytic review of prospective investigations, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 29 January 2009, ISSN 0889-1591, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2009.01.013.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6WC1-4VGPSK1-3/2/964fab7a3b7b9afb23a211a5f7ccbafe)

Over the summer, research from the University of California, Los Angeles, was published which indicated chronic emotional stress ages the immune system. One cam easily surmise that with a diagnosis of the HIV virus a person would undoubtedly be weighed down with stress. And HIV specifically attacks your bodies immune system so it's a double whammy so to speak.

Stress harmones called Cortisol suppress the immune cells’ ability to activate their telomerase enzymes, which keep the cells young and in prime condition by enabling their ability to divide.

Cortisol is an important hormone in the body, secreted by the adrenal glands and involved in the following functions and more:

* Proper glucose metabolism
* Regulation of blood pressure
* Insulin release for blood sugar maintanence
* Immune function
* Inflammatory response

Cortisol is known as the stress hormone, because stress activates cortisol secretion.

And here in lies part of the problem for proving the whole emotional stress, immune system link. Cortisol secretion varies among individuals. People are biologically 'wired' to react differently to stress. One person may secrete higher levels of cortisol than another in the same situation.

Labels: AIDS, HIV, Immune System, psychology, stress

There are so many kids and teenagers I know who are unable to cope with their emotions whether it is love, anger, depression and sometimes even happiness. They react dramatically or without much reason and it is because they just don't know how else to release the feelings.

Kick Out Stress provides teens with ways to relieve their stress and/or depression. When it comes to treating teenage depression I really believe you need to try whatever it takes until you are able to reach the person and help them to overcome the darkness. I have been struggling with depression since I was a teenager. So I struggled with anxiety, eating disorders, depression and the feeling of loneliness. Unfortunately, no one really helped me until I decided to go see a therapist when I was in college.

It's not easy to face children and teenagers when they are at their lowest. You feel helpless, they feel helpless and the situation can spiral quickly.

No one is immune to feeling stress; no matter their age. A lot of what has gone wrong in their lives wasn't in either your or their control. Kick Out Stress can give your teen a stronger sense of control.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: depression, stress, teens