Month: March 2019

Suicidal Ideation: The Inner Voice of Chaos

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Suicidal Ideation: The Inner Voice of Chaos

By: Elizabeth Lynch

              Having a mental illness can be extremely scary especially when suicidal thoughts creep into the mind. These thoughts are known as suicidal ideations; which are not uncommon in people suffering from mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other mood disorders. Suicidal ideations often consist of frequent thoughts about committing suicide but they can extend as far as incomplete attempts. Not everyone with a mental illness attempts suicide. However, many have fleeting thoughts about it which can grow into a more dangerous situation if left unaided.

If you or someone you know may attempt suicide or are experiencing any of the following actions, get immediate help now!

Please call 911 or the suicide hotline 1-800-273-8255

  • Detailed planning
    • Having a step by step plan
  • Role playing
    • Sitting with a bottle of pills or standing on a chair with a noose
  • Incomplete attempts
    • Usually constructed not to be completed or discovered
    • May be fully intended to cause death

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or experiencing any of the following thoughts please seek medical help from your doctor or mental health professional:

  • Fleeting thoughts
    • Example: “I’m nothing” or “I’m worthless”
  • Extensive thoughts
    • Example: “I wish I was dead” or “the world would be better without me”
  • Intrusive thoughts
    • Example: “I could crash my car right now”

Additional Warning Signs:

  • Withdrawal from social contact
  • Mood swings
  • Changing of routines
  • Self-destructive actions
    • Increase use of drugs and alcohol, reckless driving
  • Giving away personal belongings for no logical reasons
  • Acquiring the means to commit suicide
    • Stockpiling pills, unexplained purchases of razor blades, knives, or guns
  • Unexplained notions of love followed by a goodbye that is seemingly to final

If you or a loved one appears to be suffering from Suicidal Ideations, the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

 

Obsessive Preoccupation with Perfect Health

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Obsessive Preoccupation with Perfect Health

By: Toniann Seals

Everyone has heard of the phrase, “too much of a good thing is a bad thing.” Of course, it is not true in all situations, however with healthy living it may be.

Ways to stay healthy:

  1. Exercising daily
  2. Eating regularly
  3. Incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet
  4. Walking/taking the stairs
  5. Improving strength
  6. Eating organic food

If you take these behaviors to an extreme, it could potentially become negative both physically and mentally. Chronic fatigue or body image issues may arise. If exercising gets in the way of daily activities and causes your energy to decline afterward you may need to cut down. Likewise, eating healthy food is amazing for the body; however excessive dieting, calorie counting, and fasting can lead to eating disorders and other mental illnesses.

This could also negatively impact family and friends as your lifestyle could possibly put them in a position where they feel the need to keep up with you.

Patience, as well as understanding that perfection should not be the “goal,” can erase any bad thoughts or influences. Work hard, yet take care of your mental and physical health. Moderation and balance are necessary for a healthy life.

If you or someone you know is dealing with unhealthy lifestyle habits or an eating disorder, speak with one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists. Contact us at our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 respectively to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Image: https://all-free-download.com/free-vector/download/healthy-lifestyle-theme-human-exercise-and-fruit-icons_6826742.html

School Counselors: The Front Line of Help

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

School Counselors: The Front Line of Help

By: Elizabeth Lynch

School counselors have very few regulations mandating the ratio of students per counselor and the positions are often funded out of a school district’s budget. This means that the district governing board is responsible for the decisions about how many counselors are really “needed” and should be hired. Unfortunately, there are many students that tend to fall off the radar and do not receive the proper attention that they require because a school counselors’ position is overlooked and not considered a necessity by the district.

This is a major issue for student’s mental health concerns as school counselors are the first respondents to a child’s behavioral and educational changes. When counselors are given a manageable number of students, they are able to take more time getting to know them. This bond can help school councilors recognize when something is wrong with a student and provide the proper care; whether that’s through simple one on one chats, contacting parents, teachers, or furthering their help by recommending them to a professional. Obtaining the proper care can be vital to a student’s mental health and can help reduce the number of students with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety as well as reduce the number of dropouts; in some extreme cases the proper attention and help can prevent suicide and school shootings. Children are the future leaders of this country so it is extremely important that their mental health is taken seriously. School counselors are the first in line in the prevention of mental health issues and should be recognized for their importance to a child’s life.

          If your child’s school counselor is reporting concerns to you or you yourself have concerns regarding your child’s mental health it is important that you take them seriously for your child’s wellbeing. If you wish to further your child’s mental health past the school walls the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

https://www.schoolcouncelor.org

http://www.qcsd.org

 

Relationships: Toxic and Unhealthy

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Relationships: Toxic and Unhealthy

By Toniann Seals

There are numerous signs of a toxic relationship that can help you identify the problem area. Here we focus on romantic relationships. Hopefully these signs will help anyone reading come to the realization that they may be in an unhealthy relationship and know there is a way out.

1. Your partner never compromises:

They seem to disregard your opinion or not allow your input in decision making as a couple.

2. Your partner is overly competitive:

They always try to go one step ahead of you to become more successful or they do not celebrate your accomplishments out of jealousy.

3. You are uncomfortable being yourself:

They make you feel like you have to act differently in front of them and throw away your old self.

4. Bullying is involved:

They embarrass you in front of your peers, tell you that you are never going to be good enough, or yell and fight anytime they are unhappy with you.

5. Your partner isolates you from family and friends:

They convince you that your family and/or friends are bad for you, feed you lies about them, or do not allow any interaction outside of the relationship.

6. Jealousy

They check your phone, track your location, and question your relationships with other people.

Although ending a toxic or abusive relationship is sometimes hard, it is necessary. Take note of these types of relationships and never settle for something that causes discomfort or unhappiness. Seek help when needed whether it is from friends and family or a professional.

If you or someone you know is suffering in an unhealthy relationship, contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Sources:

https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20976691,00.html?slide=117654#117654

(Image) https://www.wilsoncc.edu/domestic-violence-awareness-event/love-shouldnt-hurt-thumb-72/

Anxiety: Test Taking

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Anxiety: Test Taking

By Toniann Seals

Many students are exceptional in class, but find themselves below average on tests (both in class and standardized). How can the student who is continuously participating, going to extra tutoring sessions and always asking questions failing tests? There is a chance they are suffering from test taking anxiety.

Symptoms of test anxiety

While testing:

  • Shaking
  • Nausea
  • Forgetfulness
  • Hot flashes

Effects of test anxiety

  • Feelings of not being good enough
  • Feeling as though you are a failure
  • Negative thoughts
  • Lack of self esteem

Overcoming test anxiety is something that can be handled with a professional, however there are ways you can help yourself in the meantime.

Coping mechanisms

  • Begin studying early so you feel more confident and less anxious
  • Have open communication with your teacher so they understand what you are going through
  • Get enough sleep the night before
  • Meditation can help anxiety
  • Create affirmations and positive thoughts where you picture yourself doing well

If you or someone you know is dealing with anxiety speak with one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists. Contact us at our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 respectively to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Source:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/expert-answers/test-anxiety/faq-20058195

(Image) https://www.psycom.net/test-anxiety-quiz-assessment/

Binge Eating Disorder: Know the Signs

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

secreteating

Binge Eating Disorder: Know the Signs

By Jessica Burgess

It is Tuesday night and Jocelyn has sat down after a long day of work and has just finished dinner. She feels a sudden urge to eat two pork chops, a mound of potatoes, and half a pan of the cornbread she had planned to stretch out for the next week with her family. When she is done, she goes to the store and replaces the pan of cornbread before her husband comes home and sees. She feels uncomfortably full, ashamed, and depressed. Why can’t she control her eating?

Jocelyn and many people like her, suffer from Binge Eating Disorder (BED), an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of overeating, usually quickly until the person is overly full. It is not related to hunger and, in fact, some sufferers are not hungry when the binge begins. People with BED, unlike those with bulimia, tend to not compensate for overeating by purging and BED occurs separately from bulimia or anorexia. Episodes of Binge Eating Disorder are characterized by:

  • Eating, in a certain period of time, more food than most people would eat during that time period
  • And a sense of lack of control during the episode

Episodes also tend to include:

  • Eating faster than normal
  • Eating alone due to embarrassment
  • Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or guilty after an episode

 

If you or someone you know is suffering from binge eating disorder, speak with one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists. Contact us at our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 respectively to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Source: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bed

Image: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=F2C76AFE8AC6C4FF8D667FDD533D889D451488BE&thid=OIP.dKasBi7oeYi1Epsf0KKDcgHaLG&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.psychcentral.com%2Fnlp%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F11%2Fsecreteating.jpg&exph=499&expw=333&q=Secret+Eating&selectedindex=0&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6

“I’m So OCD!”

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By Kyla Izquierdo

Everyone has heard phrases like “I like to have everything organized on my desk, I’m so OCD!” be said all around us. Movies, TV shows, and other media often portray excessive orderly and germ-conscious people as people who are diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – however this is not always an accurate representation.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is classified by the presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both, that greatly impacts a person’s quality of life.

  • Obsessions are: recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images

Obsessions are not simply worries about real, everyday problems; they are defined as feeling distressing and uncontrollable. These might include but are not limited to thoughts of germs or numbers.

  • Compulsions are: repetitive behaviors or mental acts

Similar to obsessions, compulsions are neither routines nor addictions. Rather, they are characterized by abnormal behaviors that are persistent and cause a great deal of anxiety if not done. These might include but are not limited to the acts of washing hands or organizing.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder does not always manifest in the ways that most people think. OCD is a very real, sometimes debilitating disorder that is not just a phase or little quirk. Though the term is often misused and misrepresented, there is lots of ongoing and upcoming research and awareness on the subject that will hopefully reduce even more of the stigma around OCD.

 

If you or someone you know appears to be suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source: https://iocdf.org/about-OCD/

Image: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55832ca1e4b047816d3d9c8b/t/58af9ec2b3db2b50981df064/1487904458151/the-little-known-nutrient-that-can-help-treat-anxiety-and-depression-inositol-pmdd-panic-disorder-agoraphobia-ocd-binge-eating-bulimia

Emotional Support Animals: A Helping Paw for College Students

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Emotional Support Animals: A Helping Paw for College Students

By: Liz Lynch

            Colleges have recognized that animals have an innate ability to reduce stress; this is why they organize campus events such as petting zoos and therapy dog visits around midterm and finals times. However, college students have taken a particular interest in Emotional Support Animals in recent years to help combat mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Unlike Service Dogs, Emotional Support Animals do not have specific training; this is a very important distinction as Service Dogs have life saving jobs that they are trained and licensed to do.  Emotional Support Animals on the other hand could be considered a pet with a project; but don’t let the cute name fool you though, their project is very important to the student’s mental health as they provide companionship and comfort 24/7.   

           Students who are interested in having an Emotional Support Animal with them at college must go through a short process before the animal is permitted on campus. They must receive a letter of recommendation from their licensed therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist explaining the circumstances that require them to have an ESA. The letter, vaccination forms, and a contract of responsibility must be signed and approved by the school before the arrival of the animal. Once the animal is approved and moved in their project begins!

ESA Benefits:

  • Reduce feelings of stress and anxiety
  • Lowers feelings of loneliness/ isolation
  • Offers a feeling of security and familiarity
  • Provides mental and psychical stimulation
  • Creates a feeling of responsibility and purpose

           If you or a loved one appears to be suffering from a mental illness, the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Picture: https://iptc.org/

Self-Harming

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Self-Harming

By: Liz Lynch

Self-harming is classified by the Statistical and Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as non-suicidal self-injury disorder (NSSID). It is an actual disorder that many people often write off as an angsty teens way of getting attention. While self-harming often starts in the teenage years it can persist long into adulthood which has a number of physical, emotional, and social consequences. To most people self-harming is an obvious thing not to do; however, what they don’t realize is that self-harming releases soothing, pain-killing chemicals such as endorphins and endocannabinoids which brings on a feeling of relief.

Why doesn’t everyone do it then? Well research suggests that people who self-harm have significantly lower levels of these naturally produced endorphins. This mean that some people are in a way compensating for these lower levels by self-harming just to feel “normal” without even realizing it. This disorder can bring on a lot of shame and guilt for the sufferer causing them to hide their personal abuse making it more difficult to identify and aid.

Types of Self-harming:

  • Cutting
  • Scratching
  • Burning
  • Biting
  • Hitting or punching one’s self
  • Banging head or other body parts against another surface
  • Piercing the skin with sharp objects (not including body jewelry)
  • Pulling out hair
  • Abusing alcohol / medication

Reasons people self-harm:

  • Provides them with temporary relief of negative emotions
  • Provides them with a distraction from chaotic thoughts and emotions
  • Provides them with a sense of control
  • Form of self-punishment from guilt or shame
  • Sees it as a way to express emotions

Need Immediate Aid?

  • Call 911
  • Call 1-800-273-TALK (24-hour hotline)
  • Text the Crisis Line at 741741 (24-hour text line)
  • For therapy see information below

          If you or a loved one appears to be suffering from self-harm, the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

 

PTSD: Trauma

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

PTSD: Trauma

By: Elizabeth Lynch

                   Every day you unknowingly pass by, interact with, or speak to someone who is suffering from PTSD. In the US alone 70% of adults experience some kind of trauma throughout their life; 20% of them will develop PTSD from the events they faced. While PTSD is known to develop more frequently in women than in men this mental illness does not discriminate across gender, race, sexual orientation, social status, or age. This is what many people don’t realize about PTSD. It doesn’t just affect those who go off to war. It can affect anyone who experienced a major trauma.

Experiencing the following could lead to the development of PTSD:

  1.        Sexual Assault or Rape
  2.        Severe beating or physical assault
  3.        Serious accident or injury (car or train accident)
  4.        Being a victim of or witnessing a shooting or stabbing
  5.        Sudden, unexpected death of a family member or friend
  6.        Child’s life-threatening illness which can affect both child and parents
  7.        Witness to murder or serious injury
  8.        Natural disasters

Look for the signs:

       Behavioral

  • Irritability
  • Social Isolation
  • Self-Destructive Behavior
  • Hyper-vigilance
  • Easily Startled

       Psychological

  • Flashbacks
  • Mistrust
  • Avoidance of places, people, or things that serve as a reminder of trauma
  • Difficulty Remembering

       Sleep

  • Frequently Disturbed
  • Nightmares/Terrors
  • Insomnia
  • Bed wetting

       Mood

  • Guilt
  • Loneliness
  • Loss of interest
  • Hopelessness
  • Fear
  • Tension/ Anxiety

If you or a loved one appears to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/