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Polyvagal Exercises for IBS Symptom Management
It is hard to separate gastric distress from psychological distress due to the connection between the brain and the gut. One can lead to the other, and ultimately, while medications can support managing physiological symptoms, psychological interventions may be needed to reduce ongoing symptoms...
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Childhood Anxiety Treatment: Should You Choose Pills or Skills?
Finding the right treatment for your child’s anxiety can feel overwhelming. Parents are often faced with the choice between two options: skills-based therapy or medication (pills). Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer as each child’s needs are unique. The best plan will be one that...
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Beyond the Chemical Imbalance: Rethinking Depression and Anxiety
For decades, much of the mental health field has operated under the assumption that certain individuals simply do not produce “enough” of a particular neurotransmitter, and that the most effective way to address this imbalance is through medication, supplemented by therapy focused on...
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Enhanced Care for Older Adults with Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depressive disorders are the most common mental health conditions experienced by older adults. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 20% of people aged 60 and older live with anxiety or depression, a number I expect may be a good bit higher given that older adults are...
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Suicide Risks with Depression, Anxiety and Co-occurring Depression/Anxiety
The fact that depression increases the risk of suicide should come as no surprise. Less well known are the suicidal risks of anxiety and the synergistic effect of co-occurring depression and anxiety. Additional life factors can function as triggers and increase those risks even more. We will look...
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How Multidisciplinary Care Improves Outcomes for Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression affect physiology, cognition, behavior, and social functioning. Addressing only one domain—prescribing a medication without psychotherapy or offering therapy without coordinated pharmacologic care—often leaves residual symptoms and increases the risk of...
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From Childhood Fears to Adult Anxieties: Understanding Anxiety Across the Lifespan
Anxiety is a universal human emotion that we all experience, both children and adults alike. In fact, it is normal to experience some anxiety and worry at times, as anxiety can be adaptive in nature and serve both as a motivator and as a means of keeping us safe. For example, anxiety can indicate...
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Managing Polypharmacy in Individuals with Anxiety and/or Depression
Many people who take medications to treat anxiety and/or depression also take drugs to manage additional chronic conditions. So-called polypharmacy – which is generally defined as the concurrent use of five or more medications – can lead to a host of problems, including increased risk of...
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From Research to Recovery: Transforming Anxiety and Depression Care in New York
Our state has a long history as an innovator when it comes to improving the mental well-being of New Yorkers. From establishing the first state-funded psychiatric center to creating the first research institute dedicated to exploring mental health, this spirit of innovation has influenced and...
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Staff Engagement Improves Patient Wellbeing in Psychiatric Settings
Inpatient psychiatric units are often the first point of stabilization for individuals in crisis, many of whom are experiencing acute anxietFy or depression. Standard treatment models include group therapy, individual sessions with psychiatrists and therapists, medication management,...
