Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Las companias de bebidas alcoholicas en Puerto Rico

En un periodico local se debate hoy la idea acunada por las companias de bebidas alcoholicas de eliminar el arbitrio que pagan al pais. Esto en relacion al proyecto para una contribucion a las ventas o "sales tax".

Las companias cervezeras extrajeras en Puerto Rico tienen razon en buscar su interes economico. Esa es su meta; no el buscar o promover la salud de los puertorriquenos. Sabemos sin embargo que las bebidas alcoholicas son un arma de doble filo. Por un lado ayudan a tener una calidad mejor de vida para algunos. Por otro lado son responsables de parte de las enfermedades fisicas y mentales, de los accidentes de transito, de la violencia domestica, del abuso de ninos y adolescentes y del encarcelamiento de muchas personas ingenuas que no pudieron controlar el uso de bebidas alcoholicas. Es un dilema para todos. Como en toda nacion democratica, esperamos tener la oportunidad de aportar a las ideas que logren unas mejores leyes relacionadas al alcoholismo y la drogodependencia.
Nestor J Galarza

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

thanks to our voluntary speakers

The Puerto Rico Psychiatric Society wants to document our appreciation to our voluntary speakers at two consecutive evening radio programs on WKVM. We discussed the management stress during the fiscal crisis in Puerto Rico on two consecutive Mondays: May 2nd and May 9th.

Rosa Gonzalez, RN from the VA Caribbean Healthcare System
Enrique Ramos Garcia, MSW from the VA Caribbean Healthcare System
Vivian Rodriguez del Toro, PhD from the Asociacion de Psicologia de Puerto Rico

Brenda Matos, MD from the Puerto Rico Psychiatric Society
Vilma McCarthy, MD from the Puerto Rico Psychiatric Society
Alfonso Martinez Taboas, Phd from the Asociacion de Psicologia de Puerto Rico

Monday, May 8, 2006

research by psychiatric residents at UPR

This is positive news I found in the internet today. Psychiatric residents presented their research as part of their training at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and Department of Psychiatry:


Marital Satisfaction of Resident Physicians
at the University of Puerto Rico
Presenters: Vivianne R. Aponte, M.D., Glory Ann
Franco, M.D., María C. Vicente, M.D., Vilma T.
McCarthy, M.D.

The objectives of this poster are to:
1. Describe the
marital satisfaction of resident physicians at the
University of Puerto Rico
2. Determine if there is
any difference in marital satisfaction between
surgical and non-surgical residencies as well as
between gender
3. Create greater awareness about the
importance of marital satisfaction in the lives of
resident physicians.
4. Promote the development of resources to detect
and assist residents who encounter marital problems
5. Provide an example of how research findings can
be used to promote resident's well being, which can
eventually result in improved patient care.

Studies about martial satisfaction of physician
marriages suggest that the demands of this profession
affect family and couple relationships. Physician
marriages have been described in the literature as
chronically unsatisfactory but stable. Physicians who
report higher levels of marital satisfaction also report
higher levels of family competence, work satisfaction
and fewer psychiatric symptoms. By obtaining
information on the degree of satisfaction in residents’
marriages, we could improve their overall
performance in all six core competencies by
envisioning resources that could help them improve
their marital satisfaction.

Thursday, May 4, 2006

You call that stress?

I was given the opportunity to speak on a TV program on behalf of a fellow psychiatrist who had to be in a medicolegal case as an expert at the time the program was to be aired. So I went there in the middle of a fiscal crisis in Puerto Rico on 3 May 2006.
I was slightly late to get to the TV station to video tape the program. On arrival at the parking lot I found repairmen where working on the entrance to the lot. I was asked to wait until they fixed it. So I waited for 5 minutes. It began to rain. I parked and ran to the building. Had left my umbrella a the office.

Once in I heard a conversation among TV station employees that somebody had just arrived from the emergency room where they doctors took X rays and injected the person with anti tetanus toxoid. He had had an accident, where a large lamp had fallen on his head in the morning. Also heard comments about a large number of employees being laid off days before after some occupational problem.

the host of the TV program asked who I was, since they were waiting for my psychiatrist friend to show up for the program. He welcomed me fine. Then he said he was sorry the air conditioner was not working and also sorry that the lady who fixes you up to appear on TV had to leave to take care of some personal emergency.

The program host asked me what I was going to talk about. I said: "I will talk about how to manage stress! And I did.

Durante la crisis en Puerto Rico

Asociación Psiquiatrica Americana
Capitulo de Puerto Rico
POB 33113
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00933

4 de mayo del 2006

Cerca de 20% de los puertorriqueños padece de algún trastorno emocional. De manera que durante esta crisis en Puerto Rico, la Asociación Psiquiatrica Americana, Capitulo de Puerto Rico hace una exhortación a las personas que padecen condiciones emocionales y a sus médicos, terapistas o consejeros a

1. asistir a las citas de tratamiento que tienen unos con otros
2. hablar de este asunto como algo que nos afecta a ambos, pacientes y sus médicos o terapistas
3. evitar buscar culpables o hablar de política partidista
4. discutir la diferentes maneras de disminuir el estrés, como las siguientes


Para manejar el estrés

Organice sus actividades diarias
Decida como utilizar el tiempo libre
No posponga decisiones. Hágalas ahora.
Duerma y descanse regularmente
Reserve un tiempo para divertirse
Coma una dieta balanceada
Haga ejercicio todos los días
Enfoque su atención en lo que no ha perdido
Desarrolle un sistema de apoyo emocional
Haga chistes y anécdotas del pasado
Busque ayuda profesional
Hable con su consejero espiritual
No se refugie en el alcohol o drogas
Recuerde que somos expertos en sobrevivir huracanes
Este huracan tambien pasara


Néstor Jose Galarza Díaz
Presidente

Monday, May 1, 2006

En la crisis, con tu salud en mente

No se pierda esta noche el programa del Capitulo de Puerto Rico de la Asociacion Psiquiatrica Americana, con tu salud en mente. esperamos la colaboracion del los presidentes de la Asociacion de Psicologos, del colegio de Trabajadores Sociales y de la Division de Salud mental del Colegio de Profesionales de Enfermeria.

Colaboraremos juntos en este programa radial hoy alas 7:30 PM en WKVM para dar nuestras recomendaciones para mantener la calma, y la paz a pesar de la crisis fiscal del pais y la crisis emocional de muchas familias en Puerto Rico. No somos responsables del manejo del estres de cada puertorriqueno o ciudadano que viven en Puerto Rico, pero si somos responsables de dar nuestras recomendaciones durante esta crisis.

Exhortamos a los terapistas a utilizar ellos mismos los mecanismos de liberar tensiones, para contagiar con alguna paz a nuestros pacientes o clientes.

Los metodos de relajamiento y la fe espiritual son algunos de las maneras como podemos manejar las tensiones recientes. Al final de la tormenta, vendra la calma.








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