Category: Mood Disorder

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For more than two decades, Screening for Mental Health has developed programs to educate, raise awareness, and screen individuals for common behavioral and mental health disorders and suicide.The vision is a world where mental health is viewed and treated with the same gravity as physical health, and the public’s participation in National Depression Screening Day helps make that vision a reality.

National Depression Screening Day, held annually on the Thursday of the first full week in October, is an education and screening event conducted by hospitals, clinics, colleges, and community groups nationwide. Much like the medical community screens for diabetes and high blood pressure, the goal is to offer large-scale mood disorder screenings for the public. The program provides free, anonymous screenings for depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as referral to treatment resources if warranted.

This year, October 8th, will mark 25 years of this revolutionary event.

Please participate in this milestone National Depression Screening Day and help spread the word to increase awareness of mental health. Take a screening now at http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/#/lindner-center-of-hope and encourage your family, friends and colleagues to do the same.

Facts About Depression

General

  • Up to 80 percent of those treated for depression show an improvement in their symptoms generally within four to six weeks of beginning treatment. (NIH)

Global

  • According to the World Health Organization, depression is projected to become the second leading contributor to the global burden of disease by 2020
  • Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. (WHO)

United States

  • One in five 18 to 25 year olds experienced a mental illness in the past year
  • An Estimated 1 in 10 U.S. Adults Report Depression (CDC)
  • Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44. (World Health Organization, 2004)

Physical & Mental Health Connection

  • One-third of individuals with a chronic illness experience symptoms of depression
  • People with depression are 4 times as likely to develop a heart attack than those without the illness.
  • Many conditions may coexist with depression. Depression may increase the risk for another illness, and dealing with an illness may lead to depression. In fact, according to the NIMH, depression affects:
  • More than 40 percent of those with post-traumatic stress disorder
    • 25 percent of those who have cancer
    • 27 percent of those with substance abuse problems
    • 50 percent of those with Parkinson’s disease
    • 50 to 75 percent of those who have an eating disorder
    • 33 percent of those who’ve had a heart attack
  • Depression is a prevalent and increasingly recognized risk factor for both the development of and the outcome from coronary artery disease (CAD). (National Institute of Health)

Signs and Symptoms

Depression is a treatable mental health disorder that causes persistent sadness and loss of interest. Some of the most common signs and symptoms include:

  • Changes in sleep and appetite
  • Poor Concentration
  • Loss of energy
  • Loss of interest in usual activities
  • Low self-esteem
  • Hopelessness or guilt
  • Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

For a complete list visit: NAMI.org

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a treatable illness defined by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior. These changes are categorized into manic (high) and depressive (low) episodes, ranging from bursts of energy to deep despair. Some of the most common symptoms include:

Mania Symptoms

  • Heightened mood, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence
  • Excessive irritability, aggressive behavior
  • Decreased need for sleep without experiencing fatigue
  • Racing speech, racing thoughts, flight of ideas
  • Impulsiveness, poor judgment, easily distracted
  • Reckless behavior

Depressive Symptoms

  • Changes in sleep and appetite
  • Poor Concentration
  • Loss of energy
  • Loss of interest in usual activities
  • Low self-esteem
  • Hopelessness or guilt
  • Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

For a complete list visit: dbsalliance.org

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that involves chronic worrying, nervousness, and tension. Some of the most common symptoms include:

  • Feeling like your anxiety is uncontrollable; there is nothing you can do to stop the worrying
  • A pervasive feeling of apprehension or dread
  • Inability to relax, enjoy quiet time, or be by yourself
  • Difficulty concentrating or focusing on things
  • Avoiding situations that make you anxious
  • Feeling tense; having muscle tightness or body aches
  • Having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because your mind won’t quit
  • Feeling edgy, restless, or jumpy

For a complete list visit: helpguide.org

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. Some common symptoms include:

  • Intrusive, upsetting memories of the event
  • Flashbacks (acting or feeling like the event is happening again)
  • Nightmares (either of the event or of other frightening things)
  • Avoiding activities, places, thoughts, or feelings that remind you of the trauma
  • Feeling detached from others and emotionally numb
  • Difficulty falling or staying asleep
  • Irritability or outbursts of anger
  • Hypervigilance (on constant “red alert”)

For a complete list visit: helpguide.org

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Lindner Center of HOPE’s Chief Research Officer, Dr. Susan McElroy, was recently cited in a Forbes article about her work in the investigation of an experimental drug that could be used in the treatment of depression.

Naurex, a private company founded by a Northwestern University professor in Evanston, Ill., is reporting that this experimental drug works to help push patients out of a major depressive state within 24 hours of getting a single intravenous shot.

Click here to read the Forbes article.

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REELABILITIES LOGO with hashtag

Festival Runs February 27th – March 7th, 2015

ReelAbilities is the largest national film festival dedicated to celebrating the lives, stories and art of people with disabilities.

Lindner Center of HOPE is proud to be a part of the 2015 ReelAbilities Film Festival organized by Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled (LADD) which runs February 27th through March 7th 2015 in Greater Cincinnati. For the first year, ReelAbilities is including films touching on the subject of mental illness in the festival. For more information about the film festival, click here.

Lindner Center of HOPE is the Host Agency for HERE ONE DAY, a documentary that chronicles filmmaker Kathy Leichter’s move back into her childhood home after her mother’s suicide. The film will be shown at Kenwood Theater on Monday, March 2, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.

Leichter discovered a hidden box of audiotapes. Sixteen years passed before she had the courage to delve into this trove, unearthing details that her mother had kept secret for so long. HERE ONE DAY is a visually arresting, emotionally candid film about a woman coping with mental illness, her relationships with her family, and the ripple effects of her suicide on those she loved. Click here to view trailer.

Following the film, Lindner Center of HOPE will host a brief panel discussion with question and answers with the audience. Jessica Noll, WCPO, will emcee the discussion.

Panel members will include:

Kathy Leichter, HERE ONE DAY filmmaker

John M. Hawkins, MD, Lindner Center of HOPE, Chief of Psychiatry, Deputy Chief Research Officer, Director TMS Services, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry

Charles F. Brady, PhD, ABPP, Lindner Center of HOPE, Staff Psychologist, OCD/CBT Psychotherapist, Professor the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Psychiatry

Angela Ostholthoff, CPRP, CPS, Training Coordinator for The Recovery Center of Hamilton County

Shirley Benoit, Patient/Advocate

Here One Day imageHERE ONE DAY

Kathy Leichter / USA / English / 2012 /

76 min. / Documentary / Open Captions

Monday

March 2nd, 2015 – 7:30pm

at the Kenwood Theater

Benefiting the Lindner Center of HOPE,  Buy Tickets Here.

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Paul Keck image smallMason, OH, November 19, 2014 – Lindner Center of HOPE’s President and CEO, Dr. Paul E. Keck, Jr., was named amongst Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researchers, a listing of the world’s leading scholars in the sciences and social sciences, in honor of his landmark contributions to research in the field of Psychiatry/Psychology.

Thomson Reuters, evaluates and recognizes excellence in the scholarly community as demonstrated by the quantitative impact of the sciences by consistently monitoring the undeniable link between citations and influence. Dr. Keck was selected as a Highly Cited Researcher due to the number of citations his work has received from fellow researchers. Essentially, his peers have identified his contributions as being among the most valuable and significant in the field of Psychiatry/Psychology.

The global nature of this study highlights the researchers, institutions and countries on the cutting edge of science, those who are developing innovations that will lead to a brighter tomorrow. The listing of the Highly Cited Researchers was compiled by assessing papers indexed within the Web of Science™ between 2002 and 2012 in 21 broad fields of study. Analysts tracked authors who published numerous articles ranking among the top one percent of the most cited in their respective fields in a given year of publication. View the list and methodology at highlycited.com.

Dr. Keck was also listed in The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds: 2014. This report is at ScienceWatch.com.

Lindner Center of HOPE provides excellent, patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness. A state-of-the-science, mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization and partial hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and older, outpatient services for all ages, diagnostic and short-term residential services for adults and adolescents, intensive outpatient program for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for adults and research. The Center is enhanced by its partnership with UC Health as its clinicians are ranked among the best providers locally, nationally and internationally. Together Lindner Center of HOPE and UC Health offer a true system of mental health care in the Greater Cincinnati area and across the country. The Center is also affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.

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If you are the parent of a teenager, dealing with moodiness may seem like a fact of life.  But for many teens, something more serious than moodiness is affecting their behavior. Today, at least one in eight teenagers may experience depression. Severe depression in teens can even lead to suicide, the second leading cause of death among adolescents.

As a parent, you may wonder what you can do to determine if your own teenager has problems with depression.  Learn more about the nature of depression and how to respond if your teen exhibits warning signs, and you may make a difference in the life of someone you love.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

Depression can affect people of any age, and it often first strikes individuals in adolescence.  The disorder crosses all gender, racial, and socioeconomic lines.  Depression in young people is of particular concern because of the increased impulsivity adolescents often display, as well as the lack of a mature, grounded sense of self.

While most people tend to associate depression with sadness and tearfulness, teenagers often exhibit different symptoms than adults or express feelings in different ways. For example, depressed teens often:

  • Demonstrate rebellious behavior, such as skipping school, sexually acting out, or shoplifting. Rather than showing sadness, teens tend to demonstrate anger, frustration, and irritability.
  • Have many somatic or physical complaints, such as frequent stomachaches, headaches, or fatigue. Other physical changes can include sleep problems, such as insomnia or excessive sleeping, as well as changes in eating habits, often associated with sudden weight loss or gain.
  • Engage in underage drinking or abuse drugs. While teens may use alcohol or drugs to dull their negative feelings, their effects often have the opposite effect.
  • Spend increased time alone, behind closed doors. Teens normally enjoy time with peers and busy schedules, so loss of interest in friends and activities should be of concern.

In addition to the above behaviors, watch for any of the following in your teen:

  • Sudden drops in school grades
  • Restlessness or difficulty concentrating
  • Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and/or excessive guilt
  • Frequent sadness, crying, or anxiety
  • Increased sensitivity to criticism

While any symptoms of depression or other sudden behavior changes should be taken seriously, parents should be particularly alert to warning signs of suicide, such as:

  • Preoccupation with death and dying
  • Giving away possessions to others
  • Talking as if no one cares about them
  • Expressing feelings of hopelessness about the future
  • Expressing suicidal thoughts or threats

How Parents Can Help

The most critical way a parent can help a depressed teen is by recognizing the above symptoms.  By knowing signs and symptoms and by maintaining regular communication with your teen, you can potentially identify depression in its early stages.

If your teenager displays any of the symptoms of depression for an extended period, or if symptoms seem severe, don’t be afraid to intervene.  Begin by talking with your teen. Don’t let depression be the elephant in the room. Explain what you have observed, acknowledge that you are concerned, and explain why.  Make sure you talk in a non-judgmental and caring way.  Encourage your teen to open up to you or another respected adult about his or her feelings.

If your teen is reluctant to talk to you, it may be time to consider professional help. The experience may be less threatening if you begin with a visit to the pediatrician or family physician.  Your doctor can conduct a depression screening, which may include a physical examination and an interview with your teen.  You may then be referred to a mental health professional for follow-up.  Include your teen in the decision-making process so that greater buy-in will be achieved. Treatment may include psychotherapy and/or medication.

While depression can be a confusing and frightening experience for both teens and their parents, prompt treatment is generally successful. A depressed teenager today can go on to live a normal adult life and learn to cope more successfully with both his or her own moods and life’s challenges.

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Statistics can be somewhat ambiguous when it comes to eating disorders. Over the years, there have been countless studies conducted surrounding the prevalence of illnesses such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Although many of these studies convey slightly different findings, one thing is certain: Millions of Americans struggle with eating disorders.

While the majority of eating disorder sufferers are young women and adolescent girls, research has discovered that more and more males — an estimated 10 to 15 percent — are struggling with eating disorders as well. Additionally, incidents of these disorders in older women have been on a steady incline in recent years.

Why the Upward Trend?

New information is surfacing in regard to women in their 40s, 50s and 60s maintaining a negative body image, and as a result, continuing unhealthy eating patterns or developing eating disorders. Recent studies have found that over 60 percent of women 50 years of age and older are acutely concerned about their weight. Roughly 13 percent of these women suffer from some type of eating disorder.

Some older women keep their eating-related struggles hidden for years. Others, after having addressed an eating disorder earlier in life to at least some degree, relapse as they approach middle age. There are of course a variety of other factors that may contribute to the development of eating disorders in middle-aged women. These include a divorce or the loss of a mate where a woman feels she needs to lose weight to regain a level of attractiveness. It’s also not out of the question for a woman to develop an eating disorder for the first time later in life.

Never Too Late to Begin Treatment

Regardless of age or gender, anorexia treatment, bulimia treatment and treatment methods for other eating-related illnesses have evolved throughout the years. The percentage of successful outcomes continues to increase. Treatment for eating disorders usually consists of a combination of nutritional counseling, individual or group therapy, and in many cases, medications.

With the discovery of eating disorders in so many older women, mental health professionals are realizing that life-long care may be required even after a young woman has shown significant signs of recovery. However, those who get help for eating disorders early do have the best chance at long-term recovery.

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This blog is written and published by Lindner Center of HOPE.

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When the subject of disabilities surfaces in our thoughts or conversations, it is common to first consider those caused by some type of physical ailment or affliction. Conditions such as arthritis, heart disease and back problems are certainly primary causes of long-term disabilities in our nation. However, mental illness is the leading cause of disability in U.S. citizens ranging in ages from 15 to 44, according to National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) statistics.

What these numbers show is that many Americans and people around the world are affected by illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and a host of other mood and anxiety disorders in the prime of their working lives. Unfortunately, these numbers show no sign of subsiding anytime soon. In fact, they continue to rise, as do the number of filings with the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) for disability benefits due to mental illnesses.

The SSA and Mental Illness Claims

The SSA has established specific criteria that qualify those suffering with mental disorders for disability benefits. Basically, it must be determined that an existing mental condition limits or impairs one’s ability to fulfill their work obligations. In most situations, assessments and evaluations must be performed by mental health professionals. Additionally, evidence must be submitted to the SSA that indicates the individual in question is unable to perform their assigned job duties as a consequence of their condition.

Getting Back on their Feet

It is important for those with mental health issues to make their employers aware of their situation. All too often, workers are hesitant or afraid to address their condition with their employers for fear of negative repercussions. But behavioral or productivity problems could lead to termination, which also often results in the loss of insurance, creating even more problems for these individuals in regard to receiving treatment.

When documented mental health issues are reported to an employer, they are obligated under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations to accommodate that employee with whatever they need to successfully perform their job duties, or to make their working situation as comfortable as possible. In lieu of applying for disability benefits, this can allow an employee to continue to work while receiving mental health treatment and take measures that will eventually enable them to effectively manage their condition.

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This blog is written and published by Lindner Center of HOPE.

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Shire BP Depression - Blue Man - 11-17-10

 

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This blog is written and published by Lindner Center of HOPE.

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Anxiety affects many people, and sometimes it may seem impossible to stop worrying about things you cannot control. These questions and fears can be paralyzing and sometimes might affect your daily life. However, there is a way to push these fears aside and get on with your normal routine.

Start by letting yourself worry, but only for a certain amount of time. Set a time each day to go over these worries, for example 20 minutes each day at noon. It should be a time of day far from bedtime, but during this period you’re allowed to worry about whatever is on your mind.

Outside of this time however, no worrying allowed. If a worry comes up during the day, write it down and save it for your worry period.

During your worry period, ask yourself if this problem can actually be solved. If so, start thinking of ways you can solve the problem and find a solution. If it’s not a problem that can be solved, you must find a way to accept that, so you don’t continue to worry about it.

Another good way to combat anxiety is to be aware of how others make you feel. The way other people act around us can be contagious, so pay attention to they way other people affect you. Keeping a journal is a good way to take note of this behavior so you can avoid these people in the future.

When you start to notice certain people making you feel anxious, make an effort not to be around those people. Perhaps a certain conversational topic makes you feel anxious, so make note of it, and avoid that topic from now on.

By following these simple tips, you will be able to control and combat your anxious feelings from now on.

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This blog is written and published by Lindner Center of HOPE.

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Are you struggling from Depression?

Are you experiencing sadness, lost of interest, feelings of emptiness or trouble sleeping?

If so, and you are between the ages of 18-65, you may be interested in participating in a clinical research study of an investigational medication or placebo for adults suffering from depression. An investigational medication is one which has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A placebo contains no active medication. Participants will receive study-related evaluations, visits and tests without charge.

For more information please contact Jessica at 513-536-0704 or visit www.lcoh.info

All inquiries are kept confidential.

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This blog is written and published by Lindner Center of HOPE.