Posts Tagged ‘Dual Diagnosis | Mental Illness’
Co-occurring Disorders Require Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment
What happens when co-occurring disorders treatment doesn’t happen? Consider the following exchange I had with one of my clients, a 45-year old male who had been ticketed for a DUI. His wife was threatening legal separation. He was worried about losing his license, which would cost him his job. The DUI had prompted him to complete…
Read MoreHarm Reduction – Why I Consider It a Viable Option by Kate Bartenhagen, MFT
Harm reduction is often a controversial approach to treating addiction and/or minimizing the impacts of alcohol abuse or drug abuse. In her guest post, Kate Bartenhagen, MFT, shares her views on why she now considers harm reduction a viable option in her work as a family therapist to reduce suffering and improve relationships. Kate Bartenhagen…
Read MoreBipolar Disorder – Dr. Fred Von Gunten Shares His Experiences and Successes
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness. Like all mental illnesses, it changes the way the brain works, which in turn changes the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. Often these brain changes cause the person with bipolar disorder to use and/or abuse alcohol or drugs – an effort sometimes referred to as “self-medicating.” Mental…
Read MorePsychopharmacology Explained
Psychopharmacology is a term that appears in discussions with family members who have a loved one with a dual diagnosis. To answer the question, “What is it,” here is the definition from American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology: Psychopharmacology is the study of the use of medications in treating mental disorders. The complexity of this field…
Read MoreSteve Hauptman Writes About Depression and Control
Depression and control is the topic of the following guest post by Steve Hauptman. Steve is the founder of Monkeytraps: A blog about control, which has two authors: Steve Hauptman, LCSW, and Bert. That’s Bert in the photo to the right, looking depressed. Bert speaking:) Steve says depression is called the “common cold” of mental illness. Interesting way to view…
Read MoreAdolescent Major Depression – Some 2 Million Experienced It in 2011
Adolescent major depression is often masked or minimized, yet the consequences of it going untreated can be devastating. The opening sentence from Melissa Healy’s April 29, 2011 Los Angeles Times article, “Depressed Teens Mostly Struggle Alone,” reads: Some 2 million Americans adolescents experienced a bout of major depression last year, but only about a third…
Read More“Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?” A Story of Bipolar Disorder
As you know, I often write about dual diagnosis (co-occurring disorders — having both a mental health illness and an addiction), as well as the fact that mental illness is one of the five key risk factors for developing an addiction (whether it’s to drugs or alcohol). [The other four are childhood trauma, social environment,…
Read MoreTop 10 Myths About Mental Illness
It’s the myths about mental illness that keep it shrouded in secrecy and shame making it terribly difficult for people to get the information and help they need. The following is a post by Pamela Kulbarsh, RN, BSW, a psychiatric nurse for over 25 years. She has worked with law enforcement in crisis intervention for…
Read More