No abstract

The present study replicates that of De Freitas and Schwartz (1979), using more typical chronic patients (on open wards rather than locked wards), and monitoring coffee intake with serum caffeine levels. The serum caffeine levels observed indicate that caffeine can be effectively manipulated on an open ward by switching the type of coffee served. Contrary to our predictions, no significant improvements in patients' behavior occurred when decaffeinated coffee was first introduced, nor was there any deterioration when regular coffee was reinstated. Only after decaffeinated coffee was introduced for the second time did any of the predicted changes occur; however, the improvements were few in number and may be accounted for by the considerable effect of time per se across all time periods. Although the findings cannot be generalized to all psychiatric patients, the results do not support recent calls for a switch to decaffeinated coffee for this population of inpatients (i.e., chronic schizophrenic patients on high doses of neuroleptics who drink large amounts of coffee).

The natural history--including psychiatric symptoms, precipitating factors, onset and course of illness, and personality characteristics--of 47 social phobics, 80 agoraphobics, and 72 simple phobics was examined. The social phobia group differed from the agoraphobia group by having a lower mean age, fewer females and married members, and a higher educational and occupational status. They were less fearful generally, less obsessive, and less likely to follow a fluctuating or phasic course. There was overlap between the two groups with regard to main phobias, and they were similar with regard to adjacent symptomatology. Both the social and agoraphobia groups differed in similar and significant ways from simple phobics.

The case for oxygen-consuming exercise (running, cycling, swimming) as a remedy for dysphoria is presented in the form of seven physiological and three psychological rationales. Manipulative studies of the effect of exercise on psychological states are reviewed. Although little research has been carried out on the effectiveness of chronic exercise in the treatment of mood disorders, the arguments and preliminary findings presented here suggest that routine vigorous physical activity (aerobic exercise) may be an effective strategy for moderating the intensity and duration of depression and anxiety states.