Dr. Henry Paul, MD

Psychiatrist, Author and Educator

Tag Archives: adult depression

THRIVE NYC PREPARES TO ROLL-OUT IN CITY TROUBLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

November 20th, 2015

Next month New York City is preparing to roll-out ThriveNYC, a new mental health initiative that Mayor Bill de Blasio says will help to prevent and treat mental health disorders among the city’s 8.4 million residents.

46628740_sAccording to a report released earlier this month by the city’s Department of Mental Hygiene, at least one in five adults in NYC suffer from depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts or other psychological disorders. This report says that nearly 20 percent of New Yorker’s suffer each year with a mental health disorder and that, “at any given time over half a million adult New Yorkers are estimated to have depression, yet less than 40% report receiving care for it.”

The official website of the City of New York lists these sobering statistics from the report:

  • At least one in five adult New Yorkers is likely to experience a mental health disorder in any given year.
  • 8% of NYC public high school students report attempting suicide.
    Consequences of substance misuse are among the leading causes of premature death in every neighborhood in New York City. Each year, 1,800 deaths and upwards of 70,000 emergency room visits among adults aged 18 to 64 can be attributed to alcohol use.
  • 73,000 New York City public high school students report feeling sad or hopeless each month.
  • Approximately 8% of adult New Yorkers experience symptoms of depression each year.
  • Major depressive disorder is the single greatest source of disability in NYC. At any given time over half a million adult New Yorkers are estimated to have depression, yet less than 40% report receiving care for it.
  • There are $14 billion in estimated annual productivity losses in New York City tied to depression and substance misuse.
    Unintentional drug overdose deaths outnumber both homicide and motor vehicle fatalities.
  • The stigma of mental illness has been found to have serious negative effects on hope and an individual’s sense of self-esteem. Stigma also increases the severity of psychiatric symptoms and decreases treatment adherence.

Kudos to the Mayor and his team for recognizing this problem and doing something about it. Providing services is not going to be so easy in a city the size of New York City. With funding cutbacks to mental health agencies, reorganization and mergers of major hospitals, a shortage of beds and practitioners, and a lack of substance abuse preventative and rehab programs mental health officials face quite a conundrum. Other challenges include overcoming the stigma of mental illness, cultural issues, “income inequality,” and homelessness. I will be watching closely as this program rolls-out. I applaud the Mayor for tackling this!

Links:
Reuters
The New York Daily News
Crain’s New York Business

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

COPING WITH THE HOLIDAYS

December 29th, 2014

“People with mental problems are our neighbors. They are members of our congregations, members of our families; they are everywhere in this country.  If we ignore their cries for help, we will be continuing to participate in the anguish from which those cries for help come. A problem of this magnitude will not go away. Because it will not go away, and because of our spiritual commitments, we are compelled to take action.”   Rosalynn Carter

33275392_s (2)The holidays can be a very fun and joyous time for many, but for others it is stressful and lonely. As we enjoy our holidays, let’s keep in mind those that may find this holiday season a difficult time. Those who are grieving, dealing with divorce or struggling with addiction. Those who have lost their job and are stressed about making ends meet. Those who have loved ones serving overseas and those who are dealing with illness.

NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) has some good “tips for dealing with the holidays” that I would like to share with you. These tips are for those dealing with their mental illness and for those who need to be supportive of their loved ones who are dealing with mental illness including family, friends and the religious community. These holidays are steeped in religion and for many this can be a time to reconnect with their faith and spirituality.

If divorce or loss of a loved one has occurred in your family, make sure to make time for your children if they want to talk. It is important to embrace the season together – whatever it may bring.

Wishing you all a safe and happy New Year!

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED DEPRESSION ANYWAY?

November 18th, 2014

Depression is a scary word to hear, especially from a doctor who is diagnosing you! It is important to remember, when you are diagnosed with depression that you are not alone. Depression affects about 25 million Americans each year. That is about 5-8 percent of adults in the United States. What is startling is that only a fraction of these people receive any treatment.

Depression is a mental disorder. But depressive symptoms present themselves within other mental disorders such as: bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD, panic/anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

Depression can happen a few times in a lifetime, present with several episodes over a year or have ongoing symptoms that get better and worse. When someone comes in and receives a diagnosis of major depression, it is unknown whether this depression (not associated with mania or hypomania) is a plain unipolar depression or one that is part of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of depression and mania/hypomania (like mania but less severe). This is very important because the depression that is part of bipolar disorder, called bipolar depression, is treated differently than simple unipolar depression.

When you first visit your psychiatrist make sure that you can provide a complete history of your mental health. This includes the drugs and treatments you have had over the years, as well as all your symptoms.

Depression symptoms, as listed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI, include:

  • Changes in sleep. Some people experience difficulty in falling asleep, waking up during the night or awakening earlier than desired. Other people sleep excessively or much longer than they used to.
  • Changes in appetite. Weight gain or weight loss demonstrates changes in eating habits and appetite during episodes of depression.
  • Poor concentration. The inability to concentrate and/or make decisions is a serious aspect of depression. During severe depression, some people find following the thread of a simple newspaper article to be extremely difficult, or making major decisions often impossible.
  • Loss of energy. The loss of energy and fatigue often affects people living with depression. Mental speed and activity are usually reduced, as is the ability to perform normal daily routines.
  • Lack of interest. During depression, people feel sad and lose interest in usual activities.
  • Low self-esteem. During periods of depression, people dwell on memories of losses or failures and feel excessive guilt and helplessness.
  • Hopelessness or guilt. The symptoms of depression often produce a strong feeling of hopelessness, or a belief that nothing will ever improve. These feelings can lead to thoughts of suicide.
  • Movement changes. People may literally look “slowed down” or overly activated and agitated.

Your doctor will ask you if you have mania/hypomania to determine if your depression is only depression or if it is bipolar disorder. NAMI also has a good fact sheet with the symptoms of mania. Symptoms of mania/hypomania can include:

  • Feeling overly happy for an extended period of time.
  • An abnormally increased level of irritability.
  • Overconfidence or an extremely inflated self-esteem.
  • Increased talkativeness.
  • Decreased amount of sleep.
  • Engaging in risky behavior, such as spending sprees and impulsive sex.
  • Racing thoughts, jumping quickly from one idea to another.
  • Easily distracted.
  • Feeling agitated or “jumpy.”

DISCLAIMER

Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.