Archive for October, 2011

Getting The Mental Health Care You Need

October 30th, 2011

Health insurance is there so that you can stay healthy and get the treatment that you need. With that in mind there are some things covered that are specifically to help your mental issues. Some plans will pay for you to go to the psychiatrist and to get medication. There usually isn’t full coverage to pay for al the trips to a therapist that you might like.

Essentially taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health if not more so. Those who are under stress or depressed have twice as many physical symptoms as those who are mentally more stable. Unfortunately, most people feel that this is not an expense worth investing in if their health insurance won’t cover it but this could be a big mistake.

If you don’t have the coverage that you need then you should look around and see if there are any therapists in your area that will give discounts according to income levels. This is a common practice and deserves to be looked into. Sometimes work can be incredibly stressful and it will begin to wear you down. Many people deal with overwhelming stress in their homes too. If you don’t do something to help yourself through the stress you will begin to suffer insomnia and high blood pressure. These things get worse if not dealt with.

Staying on top of your stress can be very difficult without help. Sometimes people think that they are doing just fine handling all of what they have going on. If you don’t take active steps though you most likely don’t have things under control at all. Some steps that are easy to do are pretty basic. Eat well instead of just grabbing anything is one. Exercise regularly is another. Taking time for quiet meditation is also smart. People get so bogged down that they feel that doing anything more is impossible, that is why help is such a good idea.

It is very important to understand that physical and mental health go hand in hand. It is necessary to take care of yourself both mentally as well as physically and sometimes those both go hand in hand. Go and see your regular doctor and tell them that stress is eating you up or let them know that you are depressed. It will lead to something that will do you some good.

Spousal Impact on Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation

October 27th, 2011

Drug addicts’ spouses can have an enormous impact on both their substance abuse and recovery processes. In some situations, the spouse acts as a caretaker during treatment and rehabilitation. In other unfortunate cases, a spouse can be an enabler for an addict’s dangerous behaviors. Whatever the case may be, husbands and wives can make or break the recovery process for an addict seeking help.

The worst situation is when a drug addict or alcoholic’s spouse is a co-user. Most violence and sexual abuse between couples involve the use of drugs or alcohol, and it can be hard for either addict to escape this abusive relationship. In some cases, an abusive spouse may act as the main provider for the drug to which both parties are addicted. At other times, the victims of violence fear that if they seek addiction therapy, their co-abusing spouses will only respond with more violence. They also fear that their spouse will turn them over to the police if they attempt to seek treatment or leave. Ultimately, one spouse’s recovery often destroys the relationship. When the common bond of drug addiction is severed, there may be nothing left to support the marriage, whether it was abusive or not.

Another role which a spouse can unfortunately play is that of the enabler, someone who triggers the addict’s drug use. Enablers may buy drugs for their spouses, assuming that they’ll just get them elsewhere, anyway. Other enablers may make excuses or even tell outright lies about their spouse’s drug use in order to avoid legal trouble or the emotional intensity of facing the problem head-on.

Despite these negative effects spouses can have on addicts’ substance abuse, they are also critical to the recovery process. They often must take the first step and enroll their husband or wife in a treatment program. Since spouses are typically the most influential people in addicts’ lives, their unwavering support throughout treatment and rehabilitation can also make or break the success of the recovery.

Because they are so important to recovery, spouses and other family members often receive therapy along with the addict. In group counseling sessions, they develop better communication skills and gain a deeper understanding of the root causes, symptoms, and solutions to addictive behavior. However, co-using or enabling spouses can be detrimental to an addict’s treatment, and they are sometimes purposefully excluded from this kind of therapy.

At the very least, spouses should lend support whenever and wherever possible during an addict’s recovery. Though entire families feel the devastating effects of addiction, it is often the spouses whose close relationship with addicts puts them in the toughest spots. Fortunately, they also have the most power to make a positive difference. If your husband or wife is struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction, call the number at the top of your screen for a toll-free, no-obligation consultation. Even if you think your relationship might be headed for failure, don’t hesitate to get help, for your spouse’s sake and your own.

Stress Related Insomnia

October 27th, 2011

Typically, medical conditions are characterised by precise and explicit physical symptoms and signs. Apart from their negative physical impact on personal well-being, medical conditions have adverse emotional consequences and negatively transform the sufferer’s personality, altering their perception of life.

Apart from diseases with a demonstrably physical cause, the environment and lifestyle that a person finds themselves in can lead to psychological disturbances capable of having a very real impact upon their health. At times, a person may suffer from various abnormalities or disturbances, which can be broadly classified into mental, physical, genetic, emotional or functional disorders. A medical condition in a broader sense engulfs all diseases and disorders including mental illness symptoms such as lethargy, depression and insomnia.

In fast paced modern society with all of its tension and anxiety, one can easily fall into the clutches of mental imbalances and disturbances, which can escalate into a vicious cycle if left unattended. The most persistent and unrelenting symptom of stress is insomnia. Insomnia in lay man’s term is the inability to get the right amount of sleep at night required for an individual to wake up refreshed and rested in the morning. It is no exaggeration to say that one-third of the population suffers from stress-related insomnia at some point in their lives. If one has trouble sleeping once in a while it cannot be categorized under insomnia, but if this problem persists for night after night in continuity, then prompt action is required to address this. Insomnia hinders a person’s ability to function normally during the day, results in lack of concentration and takes a toll on a person’s energy – thus making them irritable and short-tempered. Ultimately, if left undiagnosed and untreated it has the potential to lead to health problems related to the heart and diabetes.

Different people require different hours of sleep to be re-energized and revitalized, so it is not only the hours that are spent on the bed but the quality of sleep that defines insomnia. Insomnia is not merely a single sleep disorder but in fact, is usually a symptom of a deeper problem. The root cause of insomnia may be a number of factors that can vary from something as simple as drinking too much of caffeine throughout the day, to more complex stress related issues. By performing an honest and thorough self-examination into the reasons behind an individual’s insomnia, one can often, by implementing some changes in their lifestyle, cure themselves of this problem without being dependent upon medical specialists or turning to sleeping pills.

Whilst it is natural for a sufferer to prefer a quick fix to the problem such as a form of sleeping aid, what ought to be most concerning about that approach is that it only eases the symptoms temporarily without addressing the root cause – which may then manifest in the form of other problems later on. A more lasting and comprehensive solution involves examining one’s own daily routine, sleeping pattern, general physical health, work-related stress and family pressures one might be facing, allowing the sufferer to detect and narrow down the causes of their insomnia and then accordingly follow through with a proactive self-treatment. This can be achieved by eliminating the causes of undue stress where possible, or removing themselves from the stressful environment.

Who can be a better judge than your own self with regards to the problematic areas of your own lifestyle? Important things to assess are whether you are undergoing any unreasonable work related stress, are involved in a problematic personal relationship, or have any unresolved traumatic experiences that need to be addressed. Other more practically addressed factors include assessing whether your sleeping environment is comfortable, quiet and clean, if your caffeine or alcohol intake should be reduced and if your sleeping hours could be intentionally adjusted. If you can take control of many of those factors, then you are well on the way to defeating insomnia and reducing the stress levels during the day time that are caused by a lack of sleep – further reducing stress related insomnia. The continual pursuit of these minor lifestyle changes can and will conquer the condition over time.

It has been noted by many sleep experts that simply eliminating bad routines and daily causes of stress that are instigating sleeplessness is all that is required to conquer the problem of insomnia altogether. At times, those unhelpful habits may be such an integral part of your daily life and so deeply ingrained, that you do not even realise the negative impact they are having on your well-being. After even a short period of time experiencing lower stress levels and a greater amount of sleep, you may notice a tremendous change in all aspects of your health.

Natural ADHD Treatment Options for Any Age

October 27th, 2011

Adults who receive the ADHD diagnosis often feel relieved rather than worried. Many have dealt with chronic inattention and impulsive behavior since their childhood days, and the other symptoms of ADHD may have started to affect their career and personal lives. Getting a diagnosis finally makes them understand why they behave the way they do and how overcome the disorder without using stimulant medications. Here are four natural ADHD treatment options for any age. Even kids can benefit from these too!

Exercise

Believe it or not, regular exercise is one of the best ways to overcome ADHD. Adults and children these days live very sedentary lives; if we’re not working or at school, we’re in front of the TV or a computer monitor. Exercise is important to a well-functioning brain because the postural muscles, which surround the spine, provide most of the brain’s stimulation. It switches on the brain’s attention system and activates its executive functions – working memory, sequencing, and prioritizing. When we don’t get enough exercise, the postural muscles become slack and fail to keep the executive functions busy, which aggravate impulsivity and inattention. You don’t have to enroll in a gym to benefit from exercise; simply walking at least 30 minutes a day will do the trick.

Chiropractic care

ADHD symptoms can also be caused by spinal subluxations. A spinal subluxation occurs when one or more of the vertebrae in the spine moves out of its position and puts pressure on a nerve. This can cause the nerve to function poorly, thereby interfering with the communication between the nervous system and the rest of the body. When this happens, certain parts of your body will fail to receive the right signals from your nervous system and will not be able to function well. Chiropractic care involves relocating subluxations and realigning the spine to alleviate symptoms behind a disease. Chiropractic has also been very effective for getting rid of ADHD co-morbid conditions like bedwetting in children.

Detoxification

Toxins are unavoidable in our polluted world. While children are more vulnerable to the effects of neurotoxins like lead and mercury, it might help to see a detoxification specialist. Chances are, you may have been exposed to these toxins as a child and need help excreting them from your body.

Cognitive therapy

Adults with ADHD are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. It doesn’t help that your symptoms may have caused problems with your job and your relationships. If you find yourself experiencing depressive episodes, cognitive behavioral therapy might help. This type of talk therapy teaches you how to reframe your thoughts and view situations in a more realistic light. Children and teens can benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy too.

Need Mental Health Continuing Education?

October 26th, 2011

If you’ve ever considered a career as a psychiatrist, you must also consider pursuing mental health continuing education. Quite simply, you can’t have one without the other.

Psychiatry a specialist of the medical field centered around studying and treating the troubles of the human mind, including cognitive, behavioral, affective and perceptual disorders. Because of the complex nature of the work and subject matter involved, it is one of the most challenging fields to both enter and work in in the world.

So how does one pursue a career in this field, or even begin to think about one for that matter? For starters, it all begins with understanding the need for extensive mental health continuing education.

Psychiatrists are physicians, meaning they are not only therapists but actual doctors as well. Unlike many other specialties within the field, they take a biomedical approach to treating disorders of the mind that include prescribing medication. In short for those considering this career path, it often means that double the education is necessary, as prospects are required to study both related types of medicine.

Psychiatrists often also perform psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and must study these aspects of the profession as well, but their required level of understanding of these topics depends upon where they study or intend to practice. Different mental health continuing education programs and state or regional licensing boards feature different requirements for such cross-training that define a student’s specific program.

The requirements to become a psychiatrist are both extensive and significant and vary depending on an individual’s location or school of choice. In the United States, prospective students are able to earn an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in an area of study of their choice, which is most often a related subject, while also completing required core courses that will prepare them for more focused graduate work.

Most graduate programs begin with years of study, training and apprenticeships in order for the student to become a licensed doctor of medicine. That is typically followed by years of work in psychiatry in order for the individual to become fully licensed. The combination of school work, testing and hands-on experience within the profession is designed to prepare students for the work load and challenges they will experience once licensed and able to practice.

The total amount of time often required to become fully licensed to practice within the profession is between eight and 10 years if there are no interruptions or difficulties with any of the programs. Students must also pass various assessments and forms of testing along the way in order to proceed with their studies.

Mental health continuing education is not for everyone, but it can prepare individuals for a career in one of the most exciting and challenging professions in the world.

Seeking the Help of a Substance Abuse Facility

October 23rd, 2011

When you start to look for a substance abuse facility, be prepared to answer some questions. The questions may seem personal to you but they are very important for your care. The elderly or young adults will need different types of help so giving the correct age is very important. Another question you may not want to answer is a list of the drugs you are using on a daily basis.

 

Just remember these questions need to be answered truthfully to decide whether or not the facility is capable of helping you with your type of addiction. Answering questions truthfully will ensure you will be getting the best care that is appropriate for you. Getting over the initial embarrassment is not hard if you keep your ultimate goal in mind and that is finding the help you so desperately need.

 

Choose a Reputable Substance Abuse Facility

 

When you are looking for a substance abuse facility, don’t forget that you need to make sure the facilities you are enquiring about are licensed to give care.

You need to find a facility with trained professionals who have all dealt with substance abuse problems and their treatment. Don’t waste your time on a new facility that is full of hype with little quality to back it up.

 

Look for a facility that already has a presence in the community as a good place to go. If you choose a facility that has been in business for years, you are probably going to find great experienced staff that can help you no matter what your needs are.

 

A substance abuse facility should take care of you both in your body and in your mind. Just dealing with one problem and not the other will not give you the right tools you need to succeed later on down the road. It is important to get to the root of the problems in order to be able to pass beyond the addiction. Cleaning your body without dealing with your mind will soon leave you feeling empty and drag you right back down through the spiral of addiction.

 

Now that you know what to look for in a substance abuse facility, it should be easier when you make your decision. Take your time and make sure your research is done before committing to the center and you will soon find yourself leading a clean drug free life in a matter of months.

 

 

Substance-Abuse

Substance Abuse and the Interventionist

October 19th, 2011

When someone admits that they have a problem with drugs or alcohol and that they desire help, then you should do what it takes to get the individual into treatment and a rehab program. However, it may be easy to think about when you know that this person lives on street corners and then you are unable to reach them. At this time a substance abuse interventionist is going to be your next step and your main focus.

If you are a friend or a member of a loving family, you can appreciate what it means to lose your family to drugs or alcohol. It is quite overwhelming and hurting, if you were to inquire from many families who face that predicament. The trip back to normalcy can be quite uncertain, long and tough. With no encouragement, it makes it even more difficult.

There are some addicts that find it difficult to quit doing drugs even after trying for many times.

Even if you fail, it does not signify the impossibility of succeeding in drug or alcohol recovery. Family members generally will give their hand of support if they are sure that you are willing to quit. All you have to do is to discuss the matter with them. They will be understanding of your plight and realize that it takes bravery for you to admit your problem and will open their hearts to assisting you by searching for substance abuse interventionist. Some people will still take the easy way out and go back to abusing drugs again even after discussing this with their family member and requesting for help.

Most drug rehab treatment programs are mainly focused on getting the addict into a structured and organized program that helps them to control their destructive habit and learn how to deal with any triggers of going back into drugs after being admitted into the program.

Having direct control over abusing drugs is the most important part of having success. However, most drug addicts will never confess that their lives are not in control. They will come up with any type of excuse of abusing drugs and why it became a part of their lives. This is the crucial denial of their circumstances.

There are various reasons why people abuse drugs and alcohol. Some people like the influence that they think it gives them. They also love the bogus control that has become a delusion, but looks like it is typical to the drug addict. Some see the drugs as soothing. They use it to comfort the feelings of loneliness and lack of confidence that they are feeling.

Many have attempted to put every thing into perception and have been unsuccessful. Others don’t even attempt at trying. Their rehabilitation is like a rotating door where they go in and out of treatment without experiencing complete recovery. Retracting to drug abuse provides them with impermanent reprieve from the stress that life gives and they are unable to deal with it. The drugs and alcohol become their escape from reality until they have to wake up to the truth that they do have a big problem that needs fixing.

Best ADHD Drug? Looking At Two Possible Contenders Which Fail The Test

October 15th, 2011

In a recent survey on the effectiveness of one of the most popular psychostimulant ADHD drugs, there were very mixed results. This is typical of ADHD drugs so it is impossible to know what is the best ADHD drug. Every child will have different reactions and sometimes it is really difficult to get the dosage right which causes many parents headaches and just adds to the stress of the whole thing.

In addition, there is widespread ignorance about ADHD and that is partly due to the hype that the pharmaceutical companies are putting out about these drugs. Not helped either by their lackeys who crowd Facebook and pretend to be parents who of course have tried that drug. There is no doubt in their minds that this is the best ADHD drug! But that is normal in this day of mass communication and massive brainwashing in every media we have around us.

Well, let us look at the results for this particular drug which is supposed to be marvellous. Maybe it is for some people. The scores are out of a maximum of ten. This scored poorly because of side effects and in fact only got five out of ten. The actual effectiveness of the drug scored eight out of ten. As to whether they would recommend it, it got seven out of ten and the same score for ease of use. As we can see, the problem of side effects is the biggest problem and that is why many parents are now seeking alternatives.

Lots pf people thought that with the launch of the non stimulants which use atomoxetine, this would be the answer to all their prayers. It is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and there was a lot of hype about this. One advantage seems to be the fact that there is little chance of addiction which is a big defect with the stimulants. But this drug also fails on the essential criteria. For example nobody knows exactly how it works, there are still health risks and nasty side effects and the drug will certainly NOT cure your child’s ADHD. Its side effects include suicidal thoughts. As we can see, this is certainly not the best ADHD drug!

So, conventional medicine using allopathic drugs does not cure ADHD but many people are under the impression that it does. They are also convinced that children will outgrow ADHD and that once they reach adulthood, they will be alright. The reality is very different. That is why it is essential for parents and schools to take a more comprehensive view of the whole ADHD treatment issue.

Mental Health Benefits

October 14th, 2011

When you think of health insurance, you probably think of coverage for prescription drugs, visits to the doctor, hospital stays, surgery expenses, and the like. But your overall health also includes your mental health, so don’t overlook benefits that can help your outlook. Depending on the type of health insurance plan you have, coverage for mental health expenses may or may not be included. Review your policy with an eye for the following.

What are mental health expenses?

Depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders affect countless Americans. So do substance abuse problems. Treatment for these problems may include consultations with doctors, private counseling, group therapy, prescription medications, hospital stays, outpatient programs, alternative living arrangements, and other expenses.

Read your health insurance policy to determine whether mental health benefits are provided

Whether you have a private health insurance plan or participate in a group health plan at work, you’ll need to read your policy carefully to find out what is and isn’t covered.

If your policy provides coverage for mental health care, consider the extent of that care.What types of benefits are provided? What do you have to do to get benefits, and how do you appeal decisions you don’t agree with? There could be a different set of procedures for mental health care than for other forms of medical treatment in your plan. You should also pay close attention to treatments that are excluded from coverage and any limitations (e.g., hospitalization coverage for a maximum of 14 days).

Pay close attention to the types of mental health care providers and the approval process

Find out which mental health professionals are covered by your plan. Are social workers, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists included? What if you choose a licensed professional not covered by the plan? Some plans will deny coverage if you go outside their network of providers.

You should also determine who’ll make the decision regarding the type of treatment you’ll need. You may need to speak with your primary care physician (PCP) or call a toll-free number to explain your situation. Must you get approval before seeing a mental health specialist? Find out how long it takes to receive approval for treatments, and whether your mental health care provider will have to request approval for subsequent treatments.

Continuity and coordination of your behavioral health and medical care are important, so it is to your advantage to include your PCP in your treatment for mental health issues. If your policy does not use the same network of providers for mental health and medical care, make sure that your physicians share information in order to carefully monitor medication usage.

In addition, look to your policy to determine how your privacy will be protected. For example, if your medical information is transmitted, stored, or used for any purpose as data, will anything that identifies you be removed to protect your privacy? Will the information be transferred to others or sold? If your policy is unclear or fails to address important issues, ask your insurance agent.

Group health insurance plans and mental health

Group health insurance plans are usually not required to include mental health coverage. However, some states do have laws that mandate this type of coverage. If your plan provides this type of coverage, federal law prevents the plan from placing annual or lifetime dollar limits on mental health benefits that are lower than the limits for medical and surgical benefits. For example, if your health plan has a million lifetime limit on medical and surgical benefits, it cannot put a 0,000 lifetime limit on mental health benefits. (This law does not apply to individual health insurance plans or to groups with fewer than 50 employees.) Some states have their own additional requirements.

Group health plans may put other restrictions on mental health benefits and still comply with the law. For instance, mental health benefits can have higher co-payments or a lower number of allowed treatments, as compared to medical and surgical benefits.

What to do if you need help

If you’re concerned that you’re suffering from a mental disorder, be aware that physical conditions may be causing your symptoms. Behavioral disorders can have a medical basis or implications for your physical health. Your PCP can help determine if your symptoms are related to a medical cause. Medically related causes for mental or behavioral disorders will be covered under your medical care policy.

Follow your policy’s guidelines to get help. If your policy does not cover mental health benefits, check with your state department of public health for any publicly funded programs where you may be able to receive services for substance abuse or mental health. Also, many employers provide on-site counseling or reimburse external agencies to provide the service for their employees under their employee assistance program.

Many states require insurance carriers to provide mental health benefits, so find out if your state mandates behavioral health and substance abuse benefits. Be sure to take notes and get the full names of anyone you speak to at your insurance company. If you don’t follow the insurance company’s rules, you could have to pay for the appointment yourself.

 

The Effects Of Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse

October 14th, 2011

One thing that you would acknowledge is that the drug addiction crosscuts the prescription and non-prescription medicines. In fact, abuse or addiction to prescription medicines makes for the most prevalent these days. This may actually be as a result of their ease of availability as well as the low costs in which they come at. Irrespective of the fact that most of these substances fall under the ‘controlled’ category, they are not only available from medical practitioners but also from pharmacies as well as illegal outlets and streets.

Whether one is addicted to non-prescription or prescription drugs, the abuse is always characterized by the defiance of a qualified medical practitioner’s prescriptions. One would actually be taking the items for reasons other than those for which the medicine was prescribed or against the prescriptions of a qualified medical practitioner.

Substance abuse starts with development of psychic or even physical dependency to a particular drug. Now it would be important to understand that every drug whether non-prescription or prescription will always produce physical dependency. This is a situation where the individual starts craving for it and would not feel normal if he or she does not take it or stays off it for too long. It would be important to acknowledge that physical dependency would not necessarily imply that the individual has become dependent or is abusing it. All that it implies is that the normal functioning of the body systems and especially the brain and the central nervous system have become dependent on the presence of the substance.

If the individual continues taking the drug, there is the possibility of development of tolerance (chemical tolerance). This results from the deposits of residue building up in the body. With these, the individual would realize that the drug becomes ineffective especially as far as bringing about the initial effects is concerned. These could be the euphoric feelings, pain relieving, suppression of coughs, relieving fever or any other reason for which it was consumed. To bring about these effects, the individual would need to take more of whatever substance they had already consumed. One thing that you need to acknowledge is that as much as chemical tolerance and physical dependency do not indicate that the individual has become addicted or is abusing the drug, it definitely could lead to addiction if the individual continues increasing the amounts consumed. This is because chemical tolerance progressively builds up meaning the individual would need to continually increase the amounts. Eventually, the individual may end up overdosing because of this.

In most cases, it is quite difficult to determine the cause and effect of addiction. Actually, you may never determine what caused the other; for example, did depression result in substance abuse or did the addiction cause the depression initially? However, one thing that you would acknowledge is that, the effects of substance abuse crosscuts every aspect of an individual’s life be it behavior, psychology, mental capacity, family life and even health. Actually, health and mental aspects happen to be the most affected.

There are varied effects of the addiction mainly depending on the amounts taken, the type taken, time over which the drug is taken as well as the health of the individual. You will acknowledge that the effects are worse or more severe when an individual has been abusing several substances together.

Looking at the physiological effects, the drug may induce severe effects to the individual’s entire body system. Initially, addiction would induce such physiological effects like blood pressure, irregular breathing, sudden loss of weight or gain and increased heart rate. In the long term, the effects actually happen to be more serious. The most common long term effects of addiction include heart disease, brain damage, lung diseases and arthritis. In cases where individuals share syringes used for injecting, there are possibilities of contracting HIV/AIDS.

On social and psychological effects of drug addiction, you will acknowledge that the individual has no control over the substance. In such scenarios, if an individual does not consume the amount needed, he or she would be restless, anxious and depressed therefore increasing the craving for it. Given the high cost of some of these drugs, the individual may find it hard to keep up with the price and therefore resort to stealing and other unethical behaviors like prostitution. Actually, this addition has been touted as one of the prime causes of high crime rates. Having in mind that the individual will be focusing all efforts on attaining the substance, he or she would be hard pressed fulfilling their obligations either at work or in the family. In most cases, the addicts prefer keeping to themselves and may have behavioral changes such as extreme irritability, mood swings and irritability. Given the adherence of these drugs to the normal functioning of the brain and the central nervous system, the individual may have reduced mental as well as physical capacity.