Treatment | Hawaii Psychiatric

Treating Depression

Depression is a common psychological problem that nearly 17 million Americans face each year. Depression causes emotional stress as well as affects the lives of those around you and your life as well. You may feel down quite often, but when you have depression, you are constantly in a sad state, making it hard to function properly because nothing seems to matter anymore. There are several different ways you can treat depression.

Often times, depression is treated with drugs. These drugs work with your body to release chemicals that will help balance your mood. There are several different types of drugs you can take, but everyone reacts differently to each drug. You should talk to your doctor to know which one is right for you.

Psychotherapy can also help patients with depression. Psychotherapy works by meeting one on one with a professional to help you sort out your problems. Usually, you will find some sort of relief by having a professional help you out.

An easy way to help treat depression is to simply exercise. Exercise helps to release chemicals in the brain that put you in a good mood. If you are severely depressed, you may not be able to rely completely on exercise as a remedy, but it will still help.

Other than these options, there are plenty of other ways to treat depression including natural ways. You may have to work with a variety of these treatments to get over your depression such as exercising and seeking psychotherapy. Other treatments include eating a balanced diet, getting a decent amount of sleep, and receiving routine massages.

Filed Under: Health, Mental Health, Treatment Tagged With: Health, Mental health, Psychotherapy

Behavioral Health Considerations in Health Insurance Plans

Typically when it comes to health insurance coverage, people think about a few specific parts of coverage such as preventative medicine, doctor visits, prescription drug coverage, emergency room coverage, ambulance coverage, and so on. Unfortunately, sometimes certain aspects of health are not covered in a health insurance plan, and so you need to look a little deeper to find the right coverage to meet your individual needs.

For example, behavioral health is not covered in every health insurance plan, or rather it does not come standard in many health insurance programs. It is important for you to include behavioral health as part of your health insurance coverage, however, especially if you are already dealing with behavioral health issues such as a serious mental illness. When appraising the benefits and features of various online insurance quotes, you are going to want to pay particular attention to whether or not mental or behavioral health is a consideration, so that you can ensure the specific types of coverage that you need.

Most people that are suffering from a major illness requiring health insurance coverage may also be suffering from a mental illness like depression. As such, it would be a smart idea to add mental health coverage to your health insurance coverage so that you can get the mental health help that you need if a problem should ever arise. Obtain insurance quotes from health care suppliers in your area in order to determine how much it is going to cost for you to add this type of coverage to your health care plan.

If your current health care insurance provider does not offer mental health insurance then make sure you find a provider who does so that you will have the most well-rounded health insurance coverage possible because this is ideal for maintaining optimal health at all times.

Filed Under: Health, Treatment Tagged With: Behavioral health, Health, Health insurance, Insurance, Mental disorder, Mental health, Prescription drug, Preventive medicine

Metabolic Syndrome Can Be Defeated

A cluster of conditions makes up what is known as “metabolic syndrome.” This cluster of symptoms greatly increases a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as numerous other conditions. An estimated 50 to 75 million Americans are affected by this disorder.

Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed in people who have three or more the following:
• Abdominal obesity – having a large waist circumference. Healthy waistlines should be 35 inches or less for women and 40 inches or less for men.
• High triglycerides – these are fat cells in the blood. A high level is 150 mg/dl or more.
• Abnormal cholesterol – when HDL or “good” cholesterol is 50 mg/dl or less for women and 40 mg/dl or less for men, and when LDL or “bad” cholesterol is 100 mg/dl or above.
• High blood pressure – a reading of 130/85 or more
• Abnormal glucose – blood sugar of 110 mg/dl or above after fasting

The greatest risk factor for developing metabolic syndrome is obesity. Other risks include having a low level of physical activity, smoking, women who are post-menopausal, and having a high carbohydrate, high fat diet.

In addition to heart disease and diabetes, metabolic syndrome can cause liver and kidney disease. It can result in polycystic ovary syndrome in women, and is associated with an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment as a person gets older.

Individuals with metabolic syndrome can improve their health by becoming more physically active on a regular basis, losing weight, stopping smoking and eating a healthier diet. Their doctor is likely to prescribe several medications to address their cholesterol, sugar and blood pressure problems.

For those who adopt a healthier lifestyle and lose weight, they are often rewarded with lower blood pressure, normalized cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lower blood sugar. Some patients have been able to discontinue several of their medications and find their overall quality of life is greatly improved.

Filed Under: Alcoholism Treatment, Treatment Tagged With: High-density lipoprotein, Low-density lipoprotein, Metabolic syndrome, United States

Obsessive Disorder

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There are some people who tend to wash their hands often. They are simply thought of as clean. Some might even joke that they are “germ freaks”. This is common enough and we all tend to roll with it. Others, we may notice, enjoy double checking if the doors are all locked. This, too, is common and so we ignore any other signs or red flags.

Since this can be hidden in social norms, the idea of checking locks and washing hands, it is easy to see that everything is as it should be. Nothing really seems “off”.

However, the reality for some of these “germ freaks” may be far more severe than we can imagine. Behind closed doors, many people suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This means that they have anxiety about certain things, leading them to obsessively take precaution over issues that are anxious over. This can mean they count constantly, wash their hands endlessly, or turn doorknobs around the clock. Due to their fears about germs, forgetting to lock a door, or their aversion to certain numbers, the disease can hinder their everyday normalcy.

While it is not obvious or out in the open, Obsessive Comulsive Disorder is one of the top five metal disorders diagnosed. Mental health medicine practitioners can provide therapy and medication to help the person cope with their obsessive disorder, however, there is probably nothing that will completely rid the patient of this anxiety. There is no magic pill but therapy and meds can bring the person closer to their goals of a normal, worry-free lifestyle.

Doctors and patients will have to work together in order to have the kind of relationship that is productive and geared to assist a patient recover from their obsessive disorder. The recurring thoughts, negative feelings, fear about things that they cannot control but believe they might be able to, can all be brought under control with the help of speaking to their medication practioner. Mental Health advocates are working to bring together a public awareness of the disorder.

Filed Under: Health, Mental Health, Treatment Tagged With: anxiety, Mental health, Obsessive–compulsive disorder

The Trail of Substance Abuse

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The trail of substance abuse can always be traced back to the beginning. Nobody goes down that road “just because.” You may not want to confront those inner demons but they are there and they’re always hungry for more. The destructive cycles of substance abuse can be broken but not without some deep, introspective work. We’ve all heard stories of people hitting rock bottom then going cold turkey and turning their lives around. That might be an appropriate path for some people but for many others the journey out of substance abuse can’t be taken alone.

Being diagnosed with a substance abuse problem is to be diagnosed with a mental disorder. Although heredity factors can come into play, these really are diseases that need to be treated by professionals. Once you’ve gotten clean the real work can begin with the help of a trained psychiatrist. Through intense therapy you can seek out the reasons you began the trail of abuse in the first place. You can still work the traditional and supportive 12 step programs but direct counseling should be part of the overall recovery plan. You may think you’ve lost control of your life but with work you can get it back.

Substance abuse can come in many forms. Whether it is alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription narcotics, anyone who seeks to mask their pain with mood altering substances is really just heading towards a downward spiral with no happy ending. Of course you’re not thinking about that the first time you get high or drunk. You just know it feels pretty good. Yet, when you keep returning to those substances for escape instead of dealing with the real issues, you’re setting yourself up for a fall. And this fall can bring down everyone around you. When you clear your mind of the fog of substance abuse, you can see the kind of emotional and physical pain you’re capable of inflicting on your loved ones. Is that really how you want to live?
The trail of substance abuse can always be traced back to the beginning. Nobody goes down that road “just because.” You may not want to confront those inner demons but they are there and they’re always hungry for more. The destructive cycles of substance abuse can be broken but not without some deep, introspective work. We’ve all heard stories of people hitting rock bottom then going cold turkey and turning their lives around. That might be an appropriate path for some people but for many others the journey out of substance abuse can’t be taken alone.
Being diagnosed with a substance abuse problem is to be diagnosed with a mental disorder. Although heredity factors can come into play, these really are diseases that need to be treated by professionals. Once you’ve gotten clean the real work can begin with the help of a trained psychiatrist. Through intense therapy you can seek out the reasons you began the trail of abuse in the first place. You can still work the traditional and supportive 12 step programs but direct counseling should be part of the overall recovery plan. You may think you’ve lost control of your life but with work you can get it back.

Filed Under: Alcoholism Treatment, Health, Substance abuse, Treatment Tagged With: Addiction, Disease, Mental disorder, Substance abuse

First Time In Therapy

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The truth of the matter is that depending on your circumstances, entering into a relationship with a therapist can be a very important first step towards creating stronger mental well being for yourself. But it is just one step in a long journey. This doesn’t mean you’re going to be in therapy for the rest of your life but you shouldn’t be on the look out for quick fixes.

There will be no escaping the fact that your first therapy session is going to create some high levels of anxiety. You need to find a therapist you’ll be comfortable with and there is nothing wrong with “shopping” around. For sessions to work you need to go deep and reveal intimate details of your life. Holding back isn’t going to help you solve anything. With guidance, your therapist will be able to take you to the places you need to go in order to resolve whatever issues that brought you into therapy in the first place. If you’re working with a psychiatrist they might be able to prescribe some drug therapies to supplement your treatment. As in life, there is a first time for everything and therapy is no different. After a couple of sessions you’ll wonder what all the worry was about!

The popular HBO series “In Treatment” is an intense and dramatic portrayal of the relationship between a therapist and his patients through their therapy sessions together. What’s unique about this series is the ability to follow the arc of a patient as they travel from crisis to understanding. Naturally, because this is a drama there might not always be a happy ending. The first rule for storytelling is that without conflict there can be no story. If you’re considering therapy for the first time you may think it’s going to be just like it is on television. You’ll meet with your therapist, do a little talking and have all your problems solved in a half an hour. If it were really that simple, we’d all be in therapy all the time!
The truth of the matter is that depending on your circumstances, entering into a relationship with a therapist can be a very important first step towards creating stronger mental well being for yourself. But it is just one step in a long journey. This doesn’t mean you’re going to be in therapy for the rest of your life but you shouldn’t be on the look out for quick fixes.
There will be no escaping the fact that your first therapy session is going to create some high levels of anxiety. You need to find a therapist you’ll be comfortable with and there is nothing wrong with “shopping” around. For sessions to work you need to go deep and reveal intimate details of your life. Holding back isn’t going to help you solve anything. With guidance, your therapist will be able to take you to the places you need to go in order to resolve whatever issues that brought you into therapy in the first place. If you’re working with a psychiatrist they might be able to prescribe some drug therapies to supplement your treatment. As in life, there is a first time for everything and therapy is no different. After a couple of sessions you’ll wonder what all the worry was about!

Filed Under: Discussion, Health, Psychiatric Consultant, Treatment Tagged With: Counseling Services, Intimate relationship, Mental health, Therapy

Trouble Teens Facing Mental Illness

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Too often teens suffering with severe bouts of depression or bipolar disorder are thought to just be going through growing pains. Some parents feel it is best to let them work it out on their own. Unfortunately, that’s not always the best option. A simple period of depression can lead to increased feelings of isolation which can only server to compound the emotional turmoil they might be going through. This doesn’t mean that every teen who throws a fit or acts sullen should be taken to a psychiatric care facility. But those who are exhibiting persistent behavioral problems should seek out professional guidance.

One of the most common problems with teens is their inability to express themselves. You may think that you’ve established open lines of communication with your kids but the reality may be far from your perceptions. A teenager often thinks they are misunderstood. Working with a therapist who specializes in adolescence disorders can help them tap into methods of expression that will allow them to get those troubling issues to the surface. Once a teen realizes that are in a safe environment with a trusted therapist they can begin the work towards healing. The goal is to make sure they don’t carrying these potentially debilitating issues into adulthood.

Just as mental disorders affect different people in different ways, they also have impact on people of different ages. As a young boy or girl makes the formative transition from puberty to adolescence their bodies are raging with all kinds of physical and emotional changes. These can be confusing times for some teens. Matters can be compounded when you add in all the typical angst a teen faces. Even with all the technology and gadgets at their disposal the core issues of a teen remain the same. Some teens can become overwhelmed with feelings of low self-esteem or of being socially inadequate. Throw into the mix family discord and you’ve got a recipe for genuine concern.
Too often teens suffering with severe bouts of depression or bipolar disorder are thought to just be going through growing pains. Some parents feel it is best to let them work it out on their own. Unfortunately, that’s not always the best option. A simple period of depression can lead to increased feelings of isolation which can only server to compound the emotional turmoil they might be going through. This doesn’t mean that every teen who throws a fit or acts sullen should be taken to a psychiatric care facility. But those who are exhibiting persistent behavioral problems should seek out professional guidance.
One of the most common problems with teens is their inability to express themselves. You may think that you’ve established open lines of communication with your kids but the reality may be far from your perceptions. A teenager often thinks they are misunderstood. Working with a therapist who specializes in adolescence disorders can help them tap into methods of expression that will allow them to get those troubling issues to the surface. Once a teen realizes that are in a safe environment with a trusted therapist they can begin the work towards healing. The goal is to make sure they don’t carrying these potentially debilitating issues into adulthood.

Filed Under: Mental Health, Psychiatric Consultant, Treatment Tagged With: Major depressive disorder, Mental health

Private Psychiatric Care Can Help Fill the Gaps

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There has been a lot of talk lately about the issues that returning veterans are facing with regard to their mental health. More cases of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been diagnosed from the vets coming back for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars than in any other military conflict. Because of this, President Obama recently initiated additional resources to be made available to the soldiers diagnosed with PTSD. These resources will be provided by the Veterans Administration hospital. But what happens if the VA becomes overwhelmed with the influx of cases? Luckily for these soldiers and their families there are many private psychiatric care facilities that can step in to fill the healing gap.

No one should ever have to experience the horrors of wars. Unfortunately, those experiences have become all too real for many brave fighting men and women. Long after the physical scars of battle have healed, the emotional scars can linger. The result can be depression, mood swings, anxiety and flares up of uncontrollable rage. That’s why PTSD requires ongoing treatment in order to stabilize the mental health of the person impacted by the disorder. This is treatment that shouldn’t wait. Finding a psychiatric health professional outside the boundaries of any VA facility might be a way to expedite the healing process. These private psychiatrists can offer the very same kind of one-on-one care needed for the vets who are dealing with these complicated issues. Instead of replacing what the VA can offer, think of private care as supplementing the healing.

Of course post traumatic stress disorder doesn’t just occur in soldiers returning from conflict. There are many incidents which can trigger bouts of PTSD. Things like severe automobile accidents or being involved in a natural disaster can trigger PTSD symptoms in many people. Clearly, these folks won’t have access to the VA. That’s when seeking out treatment is essential for your overall well being.

Filed Under: Health, Treatment

Don’t Be Scared of Healing

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The words “psychiatric care” can be extremely intimidating for some people. We’ve all grown up on a steady diet of Hollywood images of mental health facilities. Most recently the film “Shutter Island” presented yet another in a long line of creepy and scary places where the mentally ill are housed. It’s no wonder folks would be afraid of getting help! The truth of the matter is that most mental health care facilities are bright, clean and friendly places that provide a warm atmosphere for healing. You’ll know simply by walking through the door that there’s nothing scary about these places.

The healing journey for people suffering from mental health issues can be a difficult one. On some level, the patient has been dealing with these issues their entire lives. Because of that, it’s going to take some time to find the proper course of treatment. This treatment could become a combination of drug therapies along with intense counseling. Even that counseling can have many levels from one-on-one visits to group therapy to other forms of constructive rehabilitation activities. The bottom line is that a lifetime of pain and confusion can’t be erased in a weekend. The patient will be setting a new course for their lives and that won’t happen overnight.

Support is the key element to any recovery process. The obvious first level of support comes from the experienced mental health professionals charged with the patient’s care. They will be very familiar with all the struggles and know just how to manage them. Everyone’s pain is personal but that doesn’t mean a sufferer won’t find empathy.

The other, and most important, level of support comes from the patient’s family and circle of friends. The goal is to rejoin those groups and continue to heal. A patient needs to see that their family and friends are standing behind them. Their journey towards wellness should be celebrated and not at all feared.

Filed Under: Health, Psychiatric Consultant, Treatment Tagged With: Healing, Health care, Mental disorder

What to Look for in Alcoholism Treatment Centers

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Alcoholism is a terrible disease that is not only destructive to the individual alone, but also to anyone who is associated with the alcoholic as well. It can affect all facets of a person’s life—marriage, family, employment, friends, and neighbors. Getting outside help or external treatment to break the alcohol addiction can be the difference between success and failure and is usually needed for long-term management of alcoholism.

Treating alcohol dependence can be very complex, and you have to find a program that is based on the individual needs of the addict to adequately facilitate recovery. Search out the options available and find an alcoholism treatment center and program that is right for you or your loved one. The treatment options at various alcoholism treatment centers usually are involved with different steps like interventions, residential (or in-patient programs), and out-patient programs.

It’s good to ask questions and find out information when researching which alcoholism treatment center would be best for you or a loved one such as whether the program is accredited and what licensing and credentials the program’s clinical staff holds. You will want to discover if the center offers an individualized treatment program addressing a full range of needs to help including psychological, medical, social, and spiritual as well as health and wellness issues. Also, it’s good to know what the facility and environment are like, the ratio of patients to counselors, whether there is help available for families, and whether there is ongoing support after the treatment is finished. Lastly, investigate if the treatment center deals with insurance companies and find out the cost of the treatment and whether your insurance will cover some of the expense.

Alcohol addiction is hard to deal with, but there are many alcohol treatment programs out there to help you get on the recovery path and rid yourself of alcoholism for a happier and healthier life.

Filed Under: Alcoholism Treatment, Health, Psychiatric Consultant, Treatment Tagged With: Addiction, Centers and Counseling Services, Substance abuse