People Fear That Which They Don’t Understand

By: Peggy Cunningham, MA, NCC, LPC

Director of Therapeutic Services

Mental illness surrounds us every day.  It lives beside us in our friends, family, co-workers, and the people we pass on the street.  Often there are no visible signs that a problem exists and we just greet the person and go about our daily lives.  On the other hand, sometimes we see that person on the street corner carrying on a conversation with a person whose not really there and wonder what is going on.  Another time we see someone walking down the street when it is 108 degrees with a stocking hat on and do not understand the hat keeps the voices away.  On another occasion a family comes home to find their home in chaos.  One member of the family reports that while others were away aliens invaded their home and a war was waged.  There are stories of being able to read people’s minds, television and radio frequencies that carry special messages to certain people and strange communication skills.  There are discussions of hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and thought broadcasting that we avoid and don’t understand.

Elderly, Depression and the Loss of Pets

By: Patty Putnam, R.N., B.S.N., Director, Senior Adult Unit

RPC's Senior Adult Unit admits many patients who suffer from severe depression as a result of life changing events or losses, often seemingly beyond their control. One loss that is frequently overlooked by both family and physicians is the loss of a special pet. The loss of a beloved pet could be due to the death of the pet or due to the patient having to leave their home and transfer to a long-term care facility where pets aren’t allowed. In many cases, the loss of a pet can be an extraordinary pain for an elderly person. This is especially true for the elderly who have already lost many family members, friends, as well as their spouse. In some cases the pet may have been the last significant 'personal' attachment they had in the world.

The loss of a pet in these cases needs to be treated more seriously. Counselors and other care givers must be alert to the potentially dramatic negative response that can occur following the loss of a beloved animal. Without the relationship and bond that comes from having something or someone to care for, as is often the case with pets and their owners regardless of their age, seniors become susceptible to falling into depression and may lose the will to live. If the elderly person is healthy enough, a new pet or hobby should be sought after. 

We have witnessed the loss of a beloved animal be the last straw, the final blow to a senior's emotional and physical well being. Those who are alert to this often overlooked risk can help reduce the negative impact on the individual and lessen the potential for depression and sense of loss that may follow.

Bruce Springsteen Blues: Musicians ‘Self-Medicating’ Through Their Performances

Stephen M. Jolly, Director, Business Development

Courtesy of yahoo.com

A profile of Bruce Springsteen in the latest New Yorker magazine reveales how the world-renowned rock star has battled depression for most of his life, to the point of considering suicide on several occasions. It should hardly be surprising that many musicians (and other kinds of artists, for that matter) use the stage as a means to purge themselves of the loneliness or the feelings of inadequacy (the “paralyzing depression” in Springsteen’s case) that many of them may feel, despite their rock-god status.

Springsteen goes on in the article about how he wrestles with and expresses his difficult relationship with his father. “My parents’ struggles, it’s [sic] the subject of my life,” Springsteen says. “It’s the thing that eats at me and always will.”

“Summertime and the Living is Easy”

By: Sherry Montgomery, LSCSW, LCSW

Summertime and the living is easy, right?  According to Kelly Sanders, an expert contributor to “Child and Adolescent Issues”, not for the more than 66% of women who work full time jobs and are still responsible for making sure their children are cared for, safe and provided with summer activities to enjoy.

Historically, women have been and continue to be the primary caretakers of their children.  During summer the stressors increase, kids out of school, daycare problems, heat, and a tendency to feel overwhelmed.

The 3 P’s (Patience, Persistence, Perseverance)

By: David Robbins, LPC

A lot of people come to Research Psychiatric Center or to my office with an expectation of getting an immediate fix for their problems.  It’s understandable, especially in our society, but decidedly so when you’re feeling intense depression, anxiety, or whatever symptom or stress you are under.  We humans seek pleasure, and avoid pain.  No one wants to feel the pain.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a magic pill to make things instantly better when it comes to mental and emotional health and wellbeing.  Patients frequently ask me to give them some simple things to keep in mind that apply to all situations, and so I always give them “The 3 P’s”

The More You Know, the More You Grow

By: Cynthia Benbow, MSW, Manager Case Management

“Weak minded,” “troubled spirit,” “crazy talk” are common words used in the African American community to describe someone living with a mental illness.   Despite progress made in the last decade with regard to understanding mental illness, the African American Community continues to lag behind in seeking services for mental health treatment.

According to Dr.  Sarah Vinson, Department of Psychiatry at Emory University, 

“Misinformation, an absence of trust in the system, racism and financial circumstances are some of the forces that can create barriers in making appropriate decisions about seeking treatment,”

Kids Do Well If They Can!

By: Doug Hall, RN, BSN, Nurse Director Adolescent Unit

Often we look at troubled children thinking there is nothing we can do to help them succeed in life. Most blame centers on poor parenting or the environment in which they grew up. In some cases that is true, but what about the child that grew up in a nurturing, loving household that demonstrates these same behavioral issues? All children learn life skills at different intervals in their lives, but what happens to the child that falls behind on these skills. Ineffective life skills lead to frustration, acting out behaviors and a negative mindset, which often causes the child to do poorly in their daily routine of life.

New Generics Now Available!

By: Lisa Conrad, R.Ph, Pharmacy Director

Psychiatric illness can be expensive to treat.  Without insurance, patients can spend thousands of dollars per month on prescriptions alone.  Both the psychiatric health care industry and patients alike have been awaiting the arrival of generic medications with the excitement of a 6 year old at Christmas.  In recent months, Lexapro®, Zyprexa®, Geodon®, Seroquel® and Ritalin LA® have become manufactured as generic.  This is very exciting as these medications treat depression, psychosis and ADHD and have had retail sales of BILLIONS per year.

The Faces of Autism

Peggy Cunningham NCC, LPC, Director of Therapeutic Service

  

There’s a young man I know that people would describe as a little odd, a bit of a loner, and unusual.  He is now completing high school and recently took and scored well on his ACT test.  He has struggled with some subjects, but has found a way to succeed.  He can spend hours alone doodling, playing video games, and thinking.  He has an excellent singing voice and loves acting.  He isn’t the fastest man on the planet but participates in both cross country and track.

Bringing Your Best Game

By Sherry Montgomery, LSCSW, LCSW

A couple of months ago a patient arrived for a scheduled assessment to participate in our Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program.  He was a young man who had a history of more than 1 DUI and was living in a detention facility.  Clearly he was not interested in treatment.  He reported being in three previous treatment programs and needed to meet requirements to get probation.