Kellevision

FDA Warns that Some "Mood Stabilizers" May Cause Suicidal Ideation

The FDA now requires eight "mood stabilizers" used for the treatment of Bipolar Disorder to carry warning labels saying that they may cause suicidal ideation.  What does this mean and what are these medications?

Expectations, Frustrations and Office Politics

"It isn't fair!" 

One employee is the boss' pet.  They come in late, leave early, do not perform their job duties, have their work assigned to or covered by other people and spend the rest of their day surfing the internet or making personal calls.  Other employees get reprimanded for doing all of these things.   Yet this person gets away with it. 

I hear this complaint a lot with other colleagues and with clients.   How do you deal with it?

Personality Disorders

A lot of clients I see are diagnosed with Axis I disorders like Schizophrenia, Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder when in actuality, they are suffering from a Personality Disorder.  Personality Disorders are rarely discussed because they ultimately cannot be medicated and require long term psychotherapy.  Insurance companies do not cover them and, at least where I live, the county mental health authority does not treat them.  So in order for people with Personality Disorders to get any help, they are mislabeled as one of the "Big Three" (Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder or Major Depression) - disorders which are covered by most systems.  I think this is a great disservice to patients and clients.  People have a right to know what is really going on with them and what the proper treatment provided.  What are Personality Disorders?

Helping the "Helpless"

This article is a response to a question posted on Intent.com, "How do We Help the Helpless?"  Since I work with homeless families in a homeless shelter everyday, this question raised strong emotions for me.  The word "helpless" hit me right between the eyes.  Why?

Self Confidence vs. Shame

Dan Jones has written a beautiful poem called "Shameless" which has a few lines which I think are priceless.  He is talking about the nature of being shameless as well as what self-confidence is, and isn't.  It's absolutely beautiful...

The Most Important Thing for Mental Health

When considering the most important elements for mental health, a really basic one is often overlooked.  It's not stress reduction, a healthy diet, exercise, healthy relationships, or taking your medications.  What is it?

Bipolar vs. Borderline vs. Histrionic vs. PTSD

I continue to see numerous clients who have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and placed on medication.  They often complain of "mood swings" and state this as the reason for being "Bipolar".  Yet when I talk to them I find that what they often are is "emotional".  This emotionality can be the result of circumstances in their lives (divorce, death of a loved one, job loss) or from a diagnosis other than Bipolar Disorder.  What are these diagnoses and why does this trend to overdiagnose and medicate for Bipolar Disorder concern me?

Mood Stabilizers for Bipolar Disorder

"Mood Stabilizers" are medications which are commonly prescribed for Bipolar Disorder.  They are a special class of drugs and are very serious medications with very serious health risks.  Yet many times they are given to patients for "mood swings" or for "sleep".  What are some of these medications, why do I put "mood stabilizers" in quotation marks, why is their administration a concern and what are the risks?

Modern Day Parenting: Praise the Positive

Many parents I work with are stressed, and with good reason.  With the current economic situation and the state of the world in general life can be very stressful.  We are working longer for less.  We are also a culture which is constantly on the "go".  Squeezing good parenting habits into busy, overworked schedules can be really difficult.  We sometimes tend to only focus on behavior that needs to be stopped and forget to "Praise the Positive".  And this is unfortunate.  What do I mean by "Praise the Positive" and why is it so important?

Treat Your Own Depression - Naturally

When battling depression, many people go to their medical doctor and get a prescription for an antidepressant.  The recommended treatment for mild to moderate depression is psychotherapy and, if needed, a prescription for an antidepressant.   Medication seems to be the first line of defense.  Psychotherapy is rarely mentioned.  In addition, there are many things clients can do for themselves to reduce depression symptoms, yet this information is rarely presented either.  You can try these techniques instead of medication if you are mildly or moderately depressed.  You can use them in addition to medication if more severely depressed.  What are some of these things you can do for yourself?