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An Epidemic of Anxiety and Depression Requires a Reevaluation of Conventional Treatment
The field of psychiatry has been governed by a medical model of illness in recent decades. This model posits behavioral health conditions, including anxiety and depression, are manifestations of biological abnormalities that may be corrected through interventions commonly employed in other branches...
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A Harm Reduction Approach to Informed and Compassionate Care
Harm Reduction allows us to consider and implement practices that help individuals make safe, viable choices in support of overall wellness. Harm Reduction is also “a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs”1 and is “a key pillar...
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The Overlapping Roots of Mental Health Disparities: Poverty, Racism, and Trauma as Social Determinants
Mental health cannot be fully understood — or effectively addressed — without considering the powerful forces that shape people’s everyday lives. Poverty, racism, and trauma are more than just challenges individuals face; they are deeply embedded social determinants of mental health that...
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Bridging the Tech Gap: How Ambient Monitoring Is Modernizing Mental Health Facilities
As a psychiatrist, I’ve witnessed the fragility of patient safety during a psychiatric crisis. As an attorney who’s defended doctors in malpractice cases, I’ve seen the devastation when safety protocols fail. If I’ve learned one truth from my dual careers, it’s that, in behavioral health,...
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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...
