Douglas Hospital hosts its mental health movie series June 1-29, 2005

Don’t panic, you’re not alone – more than one out of ten Canadians is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. This condition is the focus of next week’s (June 8, 2005) "Frames of Mind", the Douglas Hospital’s movie series showcasing five films with a mental health theme. Douglas Hospital Chief Psychologist, Camillo Zacchia, PhD, will host the evening. He will discuss the movie Analyze This, talk about his experience in treating patients with anxiety disorders and about research trends in the area. The community is invited to come watch the movies and participate in the discussion. Entrance is free.

“Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychological problems,” says Camillo Zacchia.“ Analyze This introduces the symptoms of these conditions to the general public in a light-hearted manner. It is great to see mental health issues are getting more profile and attention.”

Anxiety disorders are a group of psychological problems whose symptoms include excessive anxiety, fear, worry, avoidance, and compulsive rituals. They are more commonly diagnosed in women than in men and include:

• Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (fear of people or open space)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder – recurrent thoughts and repetitive behaviours
• Social phobia – unrealistic fear of social situations
• Generalized anxiety disorder – excessive worry
• Specific phobia – excessive fear of an object or situation eg. fear of flying
• Posttraumatic stress disorder – fear following a traumatic event

Researchers at the Douglas are looking at different components of anxiety disorders including how stress and trauma may lead to the development of different disorders. They are conducting clinical studies to identify those individuals who may be more at risk for these conditions. Identifying the genetics of these disorders is also a research goal.

The researchers are also assessing the effects of specialized interventions in the treatment of different anxiety disorders. They have demonstrated the use of early intervention in posttraumatic stress disorder, group therapy in panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia.

Information

Florence Meney
Media Relation
Communications and public affairs
Phone: 514-761-6131, ext. 2769
Cell.: 514-835-3236
florence_dot_meney_At_douglas_dot_mcgill_dot_ca