Posts Tagged "depression"
Teach your children well
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The youngest of three, Casey did her own thing, her own way. Popular, athletic and prom-queen pretty, she is quick-witted and outgoing, with a sarcastic sense of humor.
When it was time to go to college, we weren’t concerned about her becoming a “girls-gone-wild” casualty because of her focus on academics and general self-assurance.
Beacon Peer’s Hard-Fought Lesson: Heal Thyself
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As a Beacon Health Options Peer Support Specialist raising a child with multiple disabilities, I never fully grasped that recovery is an inside job – until I had to recover myself.
Many Beacon locations employ peers, people with lived experience of mental illness or substance use disorder, to empower the individuals we serve to live their lives to the fullest potential. We might help them to navigate the health care system, or to define their own paths to recovery.
For Parents: Supporting Your College Freshman
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My husband, my daughter and I recently moved the youngest member of our family into his freshman dorm, at a university far from home, where there are no familiar faces.
Maybe your family also has a college freshman. While this is an exciting time for these young people, let’s recognize that some students may need some help navigating this major life transition.
Helping Moms and Kids
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Maternal depression screening is the way to go.
Health care delivery is generally complicated, but it doesn’t always have to be. Change can occur through a simple step. Take the case of maternal depression. It is undisputed that depression is a highly treatable medical condition, especially if identified and treated early.
Addressing the Shortage of Child Psychiatrists—It Doesn’t Take Rocket Science, Phone Call Support Will Do It!
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The numbers aren’t good. Approximately, 16-20 percent of the nation’s children and adolescents have some kind of behavioral disturbance, with 4-7 percent suffering from significant functional impairment, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. That translates to about 15 million youths who need specialty psychiatry. However, there are only 8,300 practicing child and adolescent psychiatrists. If every youth needing treatment was seen by one, that would be more than 1,800 patients per practitioner – an undoable ratio! However, this problem is not new, and with some creativity and practicality, phone consultation projects have been developed to address it. To get an understanding of just how they work, consider the story of Johnny Marks (a fictional case based…
To Run or Not to Run: That Is NOT the Question
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Exercise benefits both our mind and our body. I have been a runner for 20 years, running in everything from 5Ks to marathons. I have run in races all over the world. It is common for the uninitiated to ask a simple question. Why? What is it that motivates me to get out of bed at “0-dark thirty” – as one of my running partners calls it – to put on my running shoes and propel my body? What evidence could be compelling enough to convince even the most sedentary among us to give exercise a try? Exercise’s health benefits are well documented, particularly regarding cardiovascular health. What is less well known, however, are the cognitive benefits, especially as we…
Beware a Brave New World: The Risks of Medicating Social Issues
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Behavioral health is the least evidence-based area of health care today. The reality being there just isn’t a robust evidence base for much of what we deliver in behavioral health care, least of all for children and adolescents. A case in point is an article published by The New York Times several weeks ago. The article cites statistics suggesting one in four women in America now takes a psychiatric medication, compared to one in seven men. The most common antidepressants prescribed in the US are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which enhance serotonin transmission and thus modulate mood. Such medication is not without side effects, including feeling agitated and/or experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort. While sadness and anxiety are undeniably common, it…
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