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Category: Adult Psychiatry

Using Ketamine for Depression Treatment

Depression is a mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. While traditional antidepressant medications and psychotherapy have been used for decades, a groundbreaking approach has recently emerged: the use of ketamine for depression. Known for its anesthetic properties and recreational use, ketamine could be a potential game-changer in the mental health field. In this blog, I will discuss the ketamine’s mechanism of action, potential benefits, risks, and its role in revolutionizing depression treatment. Understanding Depression: A Complex Mental Health Challenge Depression is not just a fleeting sadness; it is a complex and chronic mental health condition that can severely impact a person’s quality of life. Traditionally, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other antidepressant medications have been used

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How To Choose the Right Psychiatrist for Addiction Treatment

By Samuel Glazer, MD Addiction is understood as a brain disease that is multidimensional, and, to this point, there are still very few effective treatments. What we also know is that addiction responds best to a combination of both medicine and psychotherapy for the addiction, as well as its underlying causes (only once the substance use stops). Unfortunately, though, there is still a great deal about addiction and its treatment that is misconstrued by both patients suffering with addiction and many psychiatrists and therapists treating them. Though there are many excellent therapists and skilled psychiatrists with variable levels of training, the following are some suggestions by our New York City addiction psychiatrist on how to find a psychiatrist who can

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The Effects of the Pandemic Lockdowns: Substance Use, Depression, Anxiety, Attention and Concentration

Written by Britt Gottlich, Psy D As we begin to see an end in sight for the pandemic, I’ve spent time reflecting on my time as a psychologist for the past year. While the pandemic may be ending and places are starting to open up and as we return to a sense of normalcy, I can’t help but wonder what aspects of the pandemic will stick long-term and how I can use what I have learned over the past year to help prepare. Attention and Concentration While Working from Home During the Pandemic The two biggest complaints people have reported have been difficulty with attention/concentration and social isolation. Having to work from home, and quarantine, completely changed our lives in regard

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Neuropsychological Testing and Substance Use Disorders

Written by Ronnit Nazarian, Psy.D. Most of us are aware of the long-standing emotional and behavioral effects of substance abuse. However, the more subtle and detrimental effects that are harder to assess are the negative impacts substance abuse has on a person’s cognitive abilities (e.g., short-term memory, fluid reasoning, processing speed). For example, we see that opioid addiction increases depressive emotions and behaviors. More subtle impacts of opioid addiction, according to research, are the effects on a person’s prefrontal cortex and temporal lobe.2 Consequently, these areas of impact, in turn, affect a person’s cognitive abilities, which our Manhattan psychiatrists can identify with a neuropsychological evaluation. Specifically, with an impact on the prefrontal cortex (e.g., influences emotion, memory, and executive function) and

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction 

By Britt Gottlich, Psy.D. I often meet with people who say they are unsure of whether they have experienced trauma or not. So, what is trauma? Most people define trauma based on how trauma is portrayed in the media. But, in reality, it is a very subjective experience. Something that may be traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another. The American Psychological Association defines trauma as “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster.” The way I like to understand trauma is based on an individual’s interpretation of the event. As children, we live under the assumption that “good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.”

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Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for Addiction and Alcoholism

By Tracey Basset, PsyD Making the decision to seek help for a substance use problem is challenging enough. On top of that, for a lot of people, they face the challenge of choosing where to go, who to see, and what type of therapy will benefit them most. This can be a very confusing and daunting process. My aim for this post is to provide some useful information about the benefits of one type of therapy, my favorite type of addiction therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy? CBT is based on the notion that the way we think influences how we feel and, subsequently, how we behave. Think of it like a domino effect—something happens, you form a

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Stress And Alcohol Abuse Are A Dangerous Combination

Everyone faces stress on some level every day, and everyone develops individual techniques and coping mechanisms for handling different kinds of stress. Some stress is moderate yet persistent over time, while other forms of stress are more acute and traumatic. All types of stress share one common denominator, however: they can all easily lead a person into substance abuse if the person does not develop healthy stress relief techniques and coping strategies.

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Understanding Dual Diagnosis And Co-Occurring Disorders In Addiction Treatment

Addiction is primarily a mental health condition, and the chemical dependency a drug creates often pales in comparison to the strength of the psychological hold an addictive substance can have on a person. When a person suffers from a mental health disorder, there is always a risk of the person developing a substance abuse disorder in response. Self-medication is a dangerous path, and many people who struggle with substance abuse also suffer from co-occurring mental health disorders.

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How Media Impressions Negatively Influence Relationships

The media makes many events – holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays – reasons to celebrate relationships. They depict the occasion as an opportunity to show appreciation for your significant other and enjoy the wonder that is romantic love. That, at least, is the idea. The reality is quite different for many Americans.

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Bipolar Disorder Leaves Teens In Danger Of Addiction

Bipolar disorder is a condition in which the sufferer experiences extreme shifts in mood and energy. A person with the disorder will go through periods of elevated and energetic moods, followed by episodes of depression and anxiety. Everyone can experience mood swings, but those with bipolar disorder have more regular and severe swings.

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