Mental Health Screenings: The Importance of Checking-In

Mental Health Screenings: The Importance of Checking-In

by | | Anxiety, Depression, General, Mental Illness, PTSD

October is Mental Health Screening month! This initiative was started by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to raise public awareness of mental health issues. One in five Americans is affected by mental health conditions and despite the high prevalence, mental disorders often go undiagnosed, untreated, or under-treated in primary care. 

What is a mental health screening?

A mental health screening is an exam of your emotional health and helps you detect a mental health disorder. They are private and anonymous, cost-effective, quick, and accessible. Screening assesses risk factors, which can be genetic, behavioral, or environmental. Additionally, benefits include distinguishing between those who could benefit from minimal intervention and others who may require further diagnostic assessment or possible treatment. 

After completing a  screening, a mental health provider (a doctor or a therapist) can give you a full assessment and talk to you about options for how to feel better. Screenings are beneficial, because they allow for early identification and intervention, leading to better outcomes. Screenings may also lessen long-term disability, preventing years of suffering. 

Why are mental health screenings important?

Depression, Anxiety, Eating Disorders, and PTSD are among some of the most common mental health diagnoses detected from mental health screenings. With a high prevalence of condition related symptoms, often we may be unaware of severe underlying problems requiring extra attention. Instead of creating an environment filled with shame or fear, which stops many from seeking help, Ketamine Health Centers urges everyone to do their part in ending the stigma. Mental health illnesses are real, common, and treatable; recovery is very possible with the right steps.  

Participating in a mental health screening is just as important as getting regular check-ups with your doctor. Seven to ten million people in the United States have at least one mental health disorder, in addition to an existing alcohol or drug abuse disorder. Too often, these individuals are treated for only one of the two disorders or receive no treatment at all. In an effort to bridge the gap, mental health screenings help address these discrepancies and allow people to receive not only the help they need, but the help they deserve.  

What can Ketamine Health Centers do for you?

At Ketamine Health Centers, we believe mental health screenings play a crucial role in preventative care and overall well-being, so we will be offering free mental health screenings this October. If you or someone you know is in need of a team to help them regain control, please contact us. From our therapy programs to our cutting-edge treatments, our medical team takes the time to get to know you and your goals, personalizing your experience at any of our locations. What are you waiting for? Better days are ahead.

Effective Solution For Nicotine Dependence

Effective Solution For Nicotine Dependence

by | | General, Mental Illness, Nicotine Dependence, PTSD, Stellate Ganglion Block, Substance Abuse

Stop Smoking Today – Regain Control 

From the debilitating mental health symptoms to the desire to quit smoking, many look for alternative ways to meet their health goals and regain control. The CDC reported an estimated 34.2 million American adults smoke in the United States and of those smokers, more than 16 million live with a smoking-related disease. Of these active smokers, 70% have expressed interest in wanting to stop smoking, but in reality, only 7% manage to successfully quit. Based on these facts, tobacco use is still an issue for many, which can be attributed to the highly addictive nature of nicotine.

Nicotine dependence is linked to many conditions, like heart disease and cancer, and due to its sedative and stimulant properties, can cause a surge of adrenaline by the adrenal glands and a reduction of insulin in the pancreas. These effects lead to increased heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Additionally, nicotine is associated with many brain pathways related to the reward system, which is believed to involve the autonomic nervous system. 

The toll of nicotine dependence can leave many feeling overwhelmed, but Ketamine Health Centers is here to bring hope for a better tomorrow through life-changing techniques. 

What is a Stellate Ganglion Block?

A Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is an injection of local anesthetic (numbing medicine) using ultrasound guidance on the sympathetic nerves, located at the base of the neck. By targeting the sympathetic nervous system, which is a part of the autonomic nervous system, the body’s response to stress, also known as your “fight or flight” response, can be reset to baseline. Dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system can lead to prolonged hyper-arousal, hyper-vigilance, and stimulated PTSD related anxiety symptoms. Stellate Ganglion reduces the nerve impulses and messages sent to the brain center, thereby, providing relief in the symptoms. 

This minimally invasive procedure has low risks and no major side effects and takes less than an hour and a half! Results and relief have been seen within 30 minutes and can last from a few months to years. SGB can be used to treat many conditions such as Anxiety, Depression, Lymphedema, Nicotine Dependence, Migraines, Facial Pain, Upper Extremity Pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Post-Herpetic Neuralgia, Hot Flashes, and Hyperhidrosis. 

The overall benefits of SBG include improved quality of life, better sleeping habits, decreased alcohol and substance use, improved cognitive function, improved physical functioning or exercise capacity, and healthier relationships.

While the Stellate Ganglion is not FDA approved, the FDA has ruled that approval is not needed for this approach since SGB is a conventional procedure that has been used worldwide since 1925.

Schedule Your FREE Consultation

Here at Ketamine Health Centers, we have expert faculty to perform this procedure in the safest and most effective manner. We offer a professional and relaxing environment for the best patient experience.  If you or anyone you know would benefit from this treatment, we urge you to contact our team for a FREE consultation: 1-833-542-3040.

Spectrum of Mental Wellness

by | | Depression, Mental Illness, PTSD

Processes usually move along a spectrum. Mental health is no different. Our individual mental health changes throughout our life as we develop and experience living in all its variety. We traverse the expanse of mental wellness as we move through the spectrum of mental health, changing as our experiences and coping skills shape us.

Currently, there is a wave of stress that is challenging even the most experienced mental health professionals, as we cope with the enormous changes that we face globally with Covid-19 still on the rise. Without even a chance to prepare for such moments, the required changes to how we behave have also left us with fewer buffers to ease the onslaught. That wave grows in intensity with social and financial stressors, and in many parts of the world, a failure of political leadership. But by recognizing the fluid nature of mental health, we can help mitigate some of the more difficult waves we encounter. Understanding mental health as a spectrum of wellness and illness is a first step towards actively shaping our individual wellbeing and providing support for our loved ones.

Most adults, and sadly more adolescents, live in an almost perpetual state of stress or stimulus overload. Our cultural climate (especially if consumed through social media), and the technology by which we consume it, generate their own levels of stressors. Even before the pandemic, and even if not already stretched by the responsibilities of making a living or supporting others – often experiencing lack of restorative sleep – day to day life has often been overwhelming. We know that we need to follow certain wellness practices to help relieve the pressure, ranging from exercise to meditation, as well as eating a healthy diet, and ensuring restful sleep. Especially in these extreme moments of change, we need to rely on all healthy modes of stress relief and create new modes of human interaction as many have been able to do. But not everyone can find alternative methods as easily. Left unchecked, high levels of stress will move one along the spectrum in the direction of mental illness – towards depression and other physical and emotional conditions. Find a way that works for you to channel that stress into an activity that brings you pleasure to maintain a more balanced mental wellness.

Traumatic life experiences that are left unresolved can also quickly move an individual along the spectrum to PTSD, or towards developing a substance abuse (or an excessive, risky behavior) especially if there is a predisposition to addiction in one’s family history. There are also mental illnesses that do not make themselves evident until a particular age is reached, often around late adolescence to early adulthood. Spotting changes in behavior can help us see early signs of mental health crises that need to be addressed.

The best care we can provide ourselves or our loved ones is to read the signs for help and seek the professional support needed. Social isolation, or changes in mood or energy levels might be easy to spot and may often be the first signs. For introverts, look for changes in behavior towards beloved activities. If you notice a decrease in productivity or activity for some time there may be more serious reasons than burn-out or disinterest. Also consider erratic behavior or distorted thinking as clear signs for help.

Ketamine Health Centers offers a myriad of procedures and therapies to help address the wide gamut of the mental health spectrum. We invite you to review our services to learn about the various therapeutic treatments and wellness options that Ketamine Health Centers provide. We are dedicated to helping our clients reach a balanced state of wellness.

Holistic Therapy and Healing for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

by | | Depression, Mental Illness, PTSD

Many of us experience trauma in our lives. In some respects, hardships are what help us create our character strengths as we grow. Life is hard. Full of great losses and unforeseen events that shape us along the way. But not everyone can overcome every situation as a learning experience, nor with time, reflection or even one’s character armor. Post-traumatic stress disorder may intervene in one’s ability to heal if trauma memories become entrenched and, for a myriad of reasons, block one’s ability to move past the experience. PTSD requires a multifaceted, yet targeted, approach to help an individual process the trauma and move beyond the crippling triggers that impede their healing. 

 Ketamine infusion therapy and trans-cranial magnetic stimulation treatment (TMS), along with the meditative arts and other holistic therapeutic approaches, offer the best way to help individuals who experience the debilitating consequences of PTSD finally heal. According to a 2016 study, only 59% of those afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder find relief from traditional medications, thus alternative methods are required. The study, published in the Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, highlights that “many existing treatments…do not directly target trauma memories that lay at the core of the PTSD pathogenesis. Notable exceptions are medications like ketamine,” among other treatments such as TMS, SGB (Stellate Ganglion Block) and using yoga and mindfulness. 

 It is important to pair PTSD treatment with yoga, tai chi or some type of movement meditation, which allows the body to release pent-up energy, that visceral body tension that helps trigger an individual. Releasing the energy throughout the body is very important. Muscles are controlled by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, and the sympathetic system produces our fight or flight response. Releasing tension in the body is directly tied to healing the body’s nervous system at the muscular and molecular level. Stretching allows for healing at the physiological level with the release of endorphins. Releasing tension also helps one reach deeper sleep states which is necessary to fully process the experience at the subconscious level. Mindfulness and focusing on breathing allow for the release of healing chemicals such as serotonin, “the feel-good” neurotransmitter, thus working at the emotional level by helping strengthen neural connections. This is precisely the site of treatments such as Ketamine, which aims to dislodge entrenched trauma pathways. And Stellate Ganglion Block treatments which directly target the Stellate Ganglion of nerves that are mainly responsible for the fight or flight response.

Ketamine Health Centers offers these new mental health tools such as Ketamine infusion and ketamine assisted psychotherapy, TMS, and SGB treatments; especially important alternative methods for patients with treatment resistant PTSD (TR-PTSD), but also effective for a wide range of mental health concerns. The meditative arts help enhance these targeted treatments. A holistic approach allows trauma patients to dislodge old neuropathways and create new connections, working through various levels in the body matrix. The key to lending efficacy to these deeper healing methods. 

The meditative practices that should accompany these various alternative treatments are numerous and should be tailored to an individual’s disposition. Contact one of our clinics today to learn more regarding new PTSD treatment options, and a specialist will help you create a treatment plan that best fits your needs. Treatment can be initiated via telemedicine services. Ask about available insurance options at our Coral Gables clinic. We are here to help you, or your loved one, create a path to mental health and wellness.

Creating a Calming Space for Children

by | | Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Trauma

For several generations now, we have placed greater emphasis on providing better methods of childrearing and parenting strategies, as we’ve increased awareness of childhood developmental stages and overall emotional and mental health for our youngest members of society. However, the rapid societal changes, driven by technological development, has led to increased stressors for all individuals, and arguably the impacts of social media have hit older children the hardest. From cyberbullying to the constant barrage of screen time, as some children move from one device to another in a given day, these aspects of our modern lives add to the emotional stressors that kids face. Often caregivers have a hard time managing the mental and emotional consequences, even when children are not exposed to high anxiety situations in their daily lives. For children who do experience more anxiety, or trauma, it is crucial to provide a variety of outlets to work through their stress, and possibly depression that may develop. While children are quite resilient, they still need the emotional development and mental health focus that we all need in order to become our better selves.

There are a wide range of coping methods and healing strategies to help children find a calming space in their lives. One easy way is to create a quiet corner for your children at home. It doesn’t have to be more than a corner of a room situated with pillows or a comforter that can provide a comfy spot to sit. Allow your child to decorate that space as s/he would like, using various arts and craft projects along the way. Let them add a few calming mantras or objects, and various activity pieces to provide modes of distraction. It can serve as a calming space for ‘time-out’ moments when they need to reflect on their behavior or think of better ways to express their frustrations. It can also serve as a reading space or play area to enjoy a ‘brain-break’ for electronic-free time. I’ve heard reporting on several programs in various school settings across the country, in hard hit opioid centers in some cases, that are implementing similar settings and strategies to help their youngest students cope with trauma, depression, and high anxiety. Even in communities where children experience less stressors, implementing a growth mindset that focuses holistically on the individual’s development can help children and young adults grow into healthier adults and caregivers.

Ketamine infusion therapy can be effective for young adults experiencing treatment resistant depression, according to a 2018 study, although more research is required to learn about the effects of ketamine on growing minds. Please contact us today to discuss your unique mental health concerns, and a member of our team at Ketamine Health Centers will guide you through our treatment options and help you create that internal calming space for you or your loved one.

Guiding our Way to Emotional Health

by | | Anxiety, Depression, PTSD

Mental wellness takes center stage this January as we start off 2020 with an increased focus on emotional health. January also marks National Mentoring Month. Mentorships go hand in hand with helping individuals develop emotional intelligence, as well as relationship bonds that will help strengthen the overall well-being of a given community. Developing coping skills and learning to navigate emotional stressors are essential for children and young adolescents, and can, in part, be taught through peer-to-peer mentoring programs. Elementary schools often have a reading buddy program pairing 5th and 4th grade students with K and 1st graders. Aside from learning to read with a new friend, the relationship bonds that form also help increase self-esteem for all students involved. Middle school is an especially important and vulnerable time for adolescents. A structured mentoring program that pairs older students with the newest members of the school can help guide them into the fold, provide an outlet for those struggling emotionally (which ideally would lead to parental, and if necessary professional, support once identified) and help build an overall sense of community spirit.

As our education system incorporates mental health awareness in school initiatives as a goal to educate the whole individual, mentoring programs will become more commonplace to help achieve that goal – for they help provide support, guidance and a rooted connection through fellowship. We not only garner wisdom from a senior member of a community, we also strengthen our resolve to work through challenges when we feel part of a whole; with the potential to learn to see different aspects of a problem through various lenses, an essential aspect of emotional intelligence. Mentorships can also help us turn our efforts inwards. We become equipped to focus on aspects of our development that we may not have achieved on our own. As we develop emotional intelligence we learn to focus on our own ground and more easily develop our sense of self. By honoring who we are we guide our way to those individuals in our world who resonate with us; who can help guide us towards a fuller sense of self. With early mentorships we can learn to develop these life-coping skills and practices that help us build our inner strengths.

Unfortunately, trauma, genetic predisposition to mental conditions, or the lack of any real connection with others can make the path of self-growth a difficult climb. Ketamine Health Centers provides a variety of treatment options through ketamine assisted therapy, and other procedures, that can help you or your loved one find relief from PTSD, depression, chronic pain and other conditions that impede the journey to emotional wellness. Contact our friendly staff at one of our clinic locations throughout Florida to learn how Ketamine Health Centers can help guide you to a life of wellbeing.

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