On October 16, 2014 in Stamford, Laurel House will present the third installment in its Family Seminar Series on the topic of Medication and Symptomology. Carol Monroe, a Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, will talk about the symptoms of some common mental health disorders and the medications that are typically prescribed for them, including […]
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07
Oct
Oct
The United States Commission on Civil Rights has just released its 2014 Statutory Enforcement Report on Patient Dumping, which focuses on the admission and discharge practices of hospitals treating people with psychiatric disabilities. Buried in this report is the finding that “mental health emergencies present unique challenges that may not be suitable for traditional emergency […]
29
Sep
Sep
This Thursday night in Stamford, CT, our affiliate organization Laurel House is hosting a talk on childhood and adolescent anxiety by Eli Lebowitz, PhD, of the Yale Child Study Center. Dr. Lebowitz is co-author of the book “Treating Childhood and Adolescent Anxiety: A Guide for Caregivers” and originator of the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions […]
23
Sep
Sep
Building on last week’s post for National Recovery Month, I would like to draw your attention to an important yet frequently overlooked and under-appreciated aspect of mental health care: rehabilitation services. Of the three basic components of public mental health systems – prevention, treatment and rehabilitation – rehabilitation is the one most closely linked to […]
11
Sep
Sep
Following up on Tuesday’s post on the meaning of recovery, here is an article by the noted psychiatrist and advocate E. Fuller Torrey that appeared in Psychiatric Times which questions whether people living with a severe mental illness are Better Off Without Antipsychotic Drugs? Dr. Torrey acknowledges the many studies showing that 21-29% of patients […]
09
Sep
Sep
What does the term “recovery” mean for a young person diagnosed with a serious mental illness? This website is intended as a resource to help families support the recovery of their loved ones with mental health conditions. But is recovery a meaningful concept for someone diagnosed with schizophrenia? For many people, schizophrenia and other serious […]
28
Aug
Aug
For the most part, the medications people take for schizophrenia treat only one symptom of the illness: the psychosis associated with delusions and hallucinations. Some of the most harmful effects of schizophrenia are the “negative symptoms” of flat affect, inability to take interest or pleasure in everyday life, lack of ability to begin and sustain […]
25
Aug
Aug
A new study at Arizona State University shows that parents of children with anxiety disorders often fall into a “protection trap” that can perpetuate the problem: Parents of Anxious Children Can Avoid the ‘Protection Trap’ Parents may fall into the protection trap in three ways: responding to a scared child’s fears and worries with positive attention […]
18
Aug
Aug
It’s mid-August and that time of year again. Having just dropped off my first-born at college a mere ten days ago, the off-to-school drill for first-year students is fresh in mind: Tuition paid, insurance waiver and other paperwork filed New clothes, laptop, mini fridge, school supplies, etc Figure out transportation options while away at school […]
13
Aug
Aug
Update: Much has changed since Robin Williams’ death in 2014. New information has been released regarding the circumstances of his reported suicide. There have also been changes in the family situation Jay describes in the post from August 13, 2014. For a happier, more positive continuation of this story, read Jay’s most recent post […]
12
Aug
Aug
It’s encouraging to see that someone has written about an important mental health treatment called “cognitive remediation” from the perspective of a family member: The Consequences of Mental Illness That Nobody Talks About As this opinion piece makes clear, there is a growing body of scientific evidence pointing to the benefits of cognitive remediation, a […]
05
Aug
Aug
Yesterday, a reader of my blog, asked a question in the comments section about environmental triggers in schizophrenia. The short answer I wrote in reply was “Trauma, stress, use of marijuana and other psychoactive substances are thought to be common triggers of psychotic symptoms.” I did a little poking around today and found this story […]
01
Aug
Aug
The American musician and comedian Oscar Levant may have been onto something when he said “There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.” Levant, who wrote the humorously titled Memoirs of an Amnesiac, may have been playing on an old cliché about madness and creativity, but he was not entirely joking […]
27
Jun
Jun
We have known for some time that people living with mental illness are much more likely to use tobacco products than those without mental illness. It’s estimated that more than half the cigarettes purchased in the United Sates are consumed by people with mental illness. Now, a recent article in Time magazine, The Weird Link Between […]
13
Jun
Jun
Someone you love needs help. Following the recommendation of a trusted friend, or website such as rtor.org, you have identified a qualified mental health professional and made a first appointment. By all accounts, this person has the experience and skills to do the job. But how do you know he will be a good fit […]
02
May
May
You might think that twenty-five years of experience in the mental health profession would have prepared me for what to do when a mental health crisis strikes at home. It didn’t. When a member of my own family needed urgent mental health care, I had little idea of where to turn for help. The process […]
