Do these answers look ok to send? Many women struggle with mental health challenges when they’re pregnancy, occasionally for the first time. They are frequently dealing with issues such as anxiety, depression and even panic disorders and OCD during what should be such a special time of their life. Some even develop a severe fear…

Most inpatient treatment for post traumatic stress requires a patient to remain in the treatment center at all times for the program’s full length. They are provided treatment, including medications and any other care deemed appropriate during their stay. The nature of the treatment provided is left to the discretion of the healthcare professionals, including…

Depression and menopause and both challenging, and often painful, experiences in life. So it can be very trying when they are experienced at the same time, which happens for approximately one in five women. But we should not be surprised that these two conditions often overlap, since we know there is a relationship between hormonal…

Acute social withdrawal, sometimes referred to as hikikomori, refers to an extreme version of avoiding interaction with, and spending time with, others. This includes avoiding people and activities that one might usually enjoy. Research suggests such withdrawal is caused by mental health and emotional struggles that a person might be experiencing, and it can also…

Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) are a group of inherited disorders that make people susceptible to not only infections and malignancies but also psychological conditions. Even though the PID / psychological connection is considered under-researched and therefore not fully understood, research shows that PID is strongly associated with psychopathology and even suicidal behavior, especially in women….

It has been proven over many years via much research that mood can have both a positive a negative affect on our health. Anger is usually tied to a strong perception of wrongdoing and a drive to address or undo that wrongdoing. Sometimes anger is a natural response to a set of circumstances and other…

Although we need more research, the age-old practice of covering oneself in cold water has been shown to have beneficial health benefits, including helping to lift your mood. For example, studies show that cold water swimming can tamp down inflamation which is often identified as a cause of depression. And we know that dousing your…

When we exercise, a complex chemical reaction takes place in your brain which can help boost your mood. These chemicals include endorphins and endocannabinoids, which can actually work in tandem to fight depression. Exercise also often gets us out of the house, into the company of others and forces our mind to focus on things…

 An inner monologue is basically the conversation that we have with ourselves, in our own heads, as we go about our days. This process is natural and almost everyone undertakes it in some form. In fact, some people speak parts of their inner monologue out loud: we often refer to this as talking to oneself….

Serotonin is central to many of our behavioral responses. In fact, serotonin has been implicated in practically every type of human behavior, including appetitive, emotional, motor, cognitive and autonomic. The Cleveland Clinic goes so far as to refer to serotonin as your body’s natural “feel good” chemical because of how it helps regulate our moods….

Caffeine is an extremely popular psychoactive substance and central nervous system stimulant. Most commonly consumed in coffee, it is generally considered safe if consumed if moderate amounts. The Mayo Clinic has concluded that, in general, adults can safely consume up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day, approximately the amount in four cups of…

We have recently seen some patients struggling to find Adderall. Last October the Food and Drug Administration announced there was a nationwide Adderall shortage. Some of the problems that created this shortage started with production issues at pharmaceutical companies, but it has also been driven by a supposed shortage of ingredients that go into the…