Month: October 2022

Eating Disorders: How To Catch Them in Your Loved Ones

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Eating Disorders: How To Catch Them in Your Loved Ones

By Emily Ferrer

Eating disorders are characterized by severe and persistent troubles related to eating behaviors, food, and weight[1]. There are many different types of eating disorders; however, the most common are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Nine percent of the entire population suffers from an eating disorder and 10,200 deaths are recorded each year due to an eating disorder[2]. After reading about how common they are, I am sure you are wondering, “How do I know if I or someone I know has an eating disorder?” There are many signs and symptoms associated with eating disorders[3]:

Anorexia Nervosa:

  • Extreme weight loss
  • Muscle weakness
  • Bone weakness
  • Amenorrhea
  • Brittle hair/nails
  • Always feeling cold
  • Obsession with food
  • Depression

Bulimia Nervosa:

  • Frequent trips to the bathroom after a meal
  • Chronic sore throat
  • Dental decay
  • Laxative/diuretic misuse
  • Large amounts of food disappearing
  • Fainting from excessive purging

Binge-Eating Disorder:

  • Weight gain
  • Eating very rapidly
  • Eating until very full
  • Eating even when not hungry
  • Hiding large amounts of food
  • Eating alone on purpose
  • Feeling guilty after eating large amounts of food

Eating disorders can be extremely serious if not treated. It is important to stay informed about the signs and symptoms of different eating disorders so you can find help for you or someone you know as soon as possible. Other general signs of eating disorders to look out for are a sudden obsession with food (cooking it, eating it, watching cooking shows/videos), social withdrawal, drastic changes in mood, new attitudes towards food, new dieting habits, self-harm, excessive exercise, obsession with calorie and step count, repeatedly weighing themselves, and body dysmorphia[4]

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Sources:

[1] https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders

[2] https://anad.org/eating-disorders-statistics/

[3] https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders

[4] https://www.lifeworkscommunity.com/eating-disorders-treatment/how-to-recognise-the-early-signs-of-an-eating-disorder

Body Dysmorphia: How TikTok Impacts Self Image

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Body Dysmorphia: How TikTok Impacts Self Image

By Erika Ortiz

            A new social media app called TikTok emerged and swept generations because of its easy use, likability, and relatability created by other users or creators. TikTok is used like a break from stressors in life since it can have a variety of entertaining and funny videos. The TikTok algorithm determines your perception and how you choose to “respond” to each video or comment you see and scroll past. TikTok has tons of videos, from cute cat videos to funny skits, serious world news, and even tips or “how to” for your everyday life. Since TikTok has gained massive popularity, it can be strikingly influential.  TikTok can also instill some negativity in your life.  Many videos go viral for the wrong reasons and are taken to a dangerous extremity. One type of TikTok video that always goes viral is known as, “What I eat in a day”. The creator documents all their meals throughout the day and some even calculate their calorie intake. Some creators claim it is to promote a “healthy lifestyle”, while others say it is solely because these types of videos happen to go viral and do well with their audience. Regardless, these kinds of videos seem to inflict the idea of having body dysmorphia or, ironically enough, an unhealthy eating style. Body dysmorphia or body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition in which people hyper-focus on their flaws and appearances to the point where they will never be “good enough” in their own eyes. Some of these videos show the over consumption of food, too few nutrients in each meal, or sometimes, too much food, and too much sugar and/or greasy foods. These videos have an alarming comment section. Users will comment something to the degree of, “Wow I eat too much”, or, “Maybe I should skip a meal or two.” As you scroll through these TikToks and come across a “What I eat in a day” or a video that promotes an unhealthy body image that makes you feel uncomfortable and/or negative about yourself, press report for “harmful activities”, then press the “not interested” option at the bottom right. Even if you do not necessarily feel that way, others still might, so it is best to do your part in preventing the spread or glorification of unhealthy lifestyles.

If you or someone you know is experiencing body dysmorphia and/or signs of an eating disorder, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Intergenerational Trauma: What is it?

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Intergenerational Trauma: What is it?

By Erika Ortiz

            Intergenerational trauma is a term used to describe the difficulties or challenges a family has experienced for generations. Intergenerational trauma can inflict negative feelings and experiences through either an individual or the family as a whole. It usually starts with one family member who has had a traumatic experience. The family members then goes on to either repeat the action that traumatized them or project their feelings onto family members, continuing the cycle of trauma. Historical trauma can catalyze intergenerational trauma. For example, a great-grandmother survived the Holocaust; however, she now behaves in a very reserved and cold manner, so she struggles to express emotions such as love and compassion. Since she raised her children in such a manner, they may grow and have children and display that same type of avoidant relationship. Another example can be that a mother was sexually abused when she was younger, her daughter was also sexually abused, and her granddaughter suffered from that experience. The individual who suffers the trauma can pass down and then project the feelings that were felt at the time of the incident. Since they most likely did not receive the proper care and treatment to manage the mental health issues that they were experiencing, they relayed that same traumatic feeling to the next generation of their family. Hence, it is critical to seek professional help. Here are some ways to cope/deal with inter-generational trauma:

  • Break the cycle- interrupt and prevent the repetition of trauma
  • Hear each other out- although this can be difficult, listening is key to fixing
  • Get the professionals involved- the best way to cope with any mental health issue or fragmented relationship is to get a qualified professional’s help


Source:

https://www.choosingtherapy.com/intergenerational-trauma/

If you or someone you know is experiencing intergenerational trauma or other traumas, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Suicide Prevention: Warning Signs

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Suicide Prevention: Warning Signs

By: Shameen Joshi

Suicide is a major health crisis with it being the 12th leading cause of death overall in the United States. In 2021, it claimed the lives of over 45,900 people. Suicide is the act of harming oneself with the goal of ending one’s life. A suicide attempt is when the individual has a goal to end his/her life but fails to do so. Some warning signs to look out for when spotting someone who is suicidal is:

  • Talking about wanting to die
  • Feeling like they have no desire to live
  • Having unbearable emotional or physical pain
  • Talking about feeling like a burden to others
  • Talking or thinking about death often
  • Preparing a will
  • Giving away personal important possessions
  • Using alcohol or drugs more often
  • Withdrawing from friends and family members

These warning signs must not be ignored since they are signs of extreme distress that can lead to dangerous outcomes if ignored. The action steps to take include:

  • Asking the individual if they think about harming themselves
  • Keeping them safe by reducing access to lethal items/places
  • Being there and actively listening to their thoughts and feelings
  • Helping them connect to a Suicide & Crisis Hotline number. Call 201-262-HELP (4357)
  • Staying connected with the individual and following up after a crisis.

You are loved and you are making a difference by taking the necessary steps to bring awareness.

If you or someone you know is experiencing Suicidal thoughts, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

The Empty Nest Syndrome

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The Empty Nest Syndrome

By Erika Ortiz

            There comes a time when parents reach the end of raising their kids to become young adults that have to venture off into the real world. As they prepare to face all of life’s trials and experiences that await them, what’s going on with the parents? Many some parents experience the empty bird’s nest syndrome. It is not a mental disorder or illness of some sort; however, it is a deep and perpetuating feeling of sadness parents temporarily experience when their child finally leaves to create a life of their own. Why does this happen? Parents spend the majority of their time raising their children and investing an immense amount of love and care towards them as well. Mom would wake you up for school; Dad would pick you up from practice; Mom made dinner for the family; Dad made you help him with fixing up something in the house every morning on the weekend. Parents’ entire lives revolve around essentially taking care and nurturing the development of their children. Once the realization the child is now “leaving the nest” parents are left with the question; “What now?”

           A great way to cope with this feeling is to start a hobby or activity. Try taking up running again; try cooking that one meal you saw on the Food Network you always wanted to or read that book you saw in the bookstore. It’s important to now refocus on yourself as parents. Parents sometimes suffer an identity crisis or “mid-life crisis” where they feel they lose themselves individually. Of course, your children will always be your children, and you will always be there for them. But realize that it is also necessary to now invest time in you as well. Another way to cope is to try and rekindle your relationship with your spouse or, for single parents, go out and date. Of course, if this feeling becomes severe or you feel helpless, please consider getting professional help. The empty nest syndrome can easily slip into something serious.

If you or someone you know is experiencing severe loneliness or sadness, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Source

https://www.lifehack.org/809725/empty-nest-syndrome

Anxiety & Dissociation: How They’re Related

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Anxiety & Dissociation: How They’re Related

By: Brianna K. Richardson

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a mental health condition in which an individual regularly experiences feelings of extreme nervousness about everyday life. People who experience Generalized Anxiety Disorder often describe feeling ‘on edge’, or feel a frequent sense of impending doom for no reason in particular. A common symptom among people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder is known as dissociation.

What is Dissociation?

People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder often experience dissociation after a panic attack, or after a period of intense worry. Dissociation works as a mental response to alleviate the stress of high anxiety situations by detaching the person from themselves and/or their surroundings. There are two types of dissociation a person may experience, depersonalization and/or derealization.

Derealization vs. Depersonalization

Following a feeling of intense worry, or panic attack an individual can experience derealization and/or depersonalization.

            Derealization is an involuntary mental response in which a person mentally detaches from their surroundings. When a person experiences intense worry, derealization works to alleviate anxiety by numbing the senses to external stimuli. Individuals who experience derealization will usually describe this feeling by saying ‘nothing feels real’ or ‘everything feels like a dream or movie’.

            Depersonalization is an involuntary mental response in which a person mentally detaches from themselves. When a person experiences intense worry, they sometimes become hyper aware of their body and bodily movements. This can be described as feeling ‘outside of the body’ or ‘floating’.

Other Symptoms Include…

  • Feeling emotionally disconnected from your loved ones.
  • Time seems sped up or slowed down.
  • Sounds seem too loud or too soft.
  • Distorted body image.
  • Feeling like your memories are not your own.
  • Physical and emotional numbness.

Dissociation can last anywhere from days to months, If you or someone you know are experiencing anxiety and/or dissociation please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/dissociation-anxiety-4692760

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-derealization-overview

Trauma: Coping Strategies

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Trauma Coping Strategies

By: Shameen Joshi

Traumatic events can be scary and they can cause high levels of stress for an individual going through the experience. It can affect the individual both physically and mentally. Traumatic events can range from natural disasters such as hurricanes or floods, violence such as abuse or mass shootings and other traumatic events such as car crashes and accidents. Responses to trauma can vary, however, the most general responses can include:

  • Being anxious
  • Angry
  • Sad
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Continually thinking about the incident

Individuals who do not seek help from professionals or do not have support from family or friends may develop more severe symptoms. To deal with severe symptoms without help, individuals may turn to drugs or alcohol in order to cope. The relief may be temporary but drugs, and alcohol can lead to a whole new set of problems that can be significantly harder to address.

There are healthier ways to cope with the traumatic event such as:

  • Avoiding alcohol and other substances
  • Spending time with those who are closest to you such as close friends and family
  • Actively trying to follow healthy routines in regards to meals, exercise and sleep

Staying active is a great way to cope with stressful feelings about the traumatic situation. If the feelings are persistent then talking to a psychologist, psychiatrist, and other mental health professionals can be a great way to relieve those symptoms.

You are not alone and there is a way out of those persistent feelings.

If you or someone you know is experiencing Trauma, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Anxiety: Test Taking Anxiety. What is it & How to overcome it?

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Anxiety: Test Taking Anxiety. What is it & How to overcome it?

By: Julissa Acebo
Do you ever experience a feeling of agitation and distress while taking an important test or exam? Followed by rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, or struggle to catch your breath? These are all symptoms of test taking anxiety which is common among many people. Some anxiety is natural and helps to keep you prepared for an exam, or mentally and physically alert, but too much can cause physical distress and/or concentration difficulties.

Test taking anxiety can:
• Impact your ability to study or perform well on a test
• Derail weeks and months of hard work
• Cause poor understanding and association of content, which inhibits your ability to recall information

Test taking anxiety tips:

  1. Be prepared
    • Talk to teacher, professor, or boss to get an idea of what to expect on the test
    • Leave ample time to study for the test. Do not wait for the night before
  2. Let go of perfectionism
    • It is impossible to learn every detail of the material that was taught
    • Focus on the most important concepts and learn them well enough to teach them
    • When you know that you have done your best and worked hard it is the only thing that matters, not the perfection.
  3. Make sure to get enough sleep the night before
    • At least 7-9 hours of a good night’s sleep will help concentration and memory
  4. Control negative thoughts
    • Counter any negative thoughts with other, more valid thoughts
    • For example, replace “I’m not good enough,” “I didn’t study hard enough,” or “I can’t do this” with “I CAN do this,” “I know the material,” and “I studied hard.”
    If all else fails, seek professional help to help you overcome your test taking anxiety.

If you or someone you know is experiencing Test Taking Anxiety, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Sources:
https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/health-topic/test-taking-and-anxiety#:~:text=Test%20anxiety%20is%20a%20feeling,emotional%20upset%2C%20and%20concentration%20difficulties.
https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/counseling-and-psychological-services/managing-test-anxiety
https://northhowler.com/2291/news/test-anxiety-affecting-students/

Bulimia Nervosa: Benefits of Therapy

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Bulimia Nervosa: Benefits of Therapy

By: Julissa Acebo

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder marked by binging (consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time), followed by methods to avoid weight gain (i.e. self-induced vomiting). Primary treatments for bulimia nervosa include psychotherapy (i.e. cognitive behavior therapy), antidepressants, and nutritional counseling.

The major benefits of therapy for bulimia nervosa include, but are not limited to:

  1. A chance for clients to express themselves in a safe environment
    • An individual may have several questions or concerns about their disorder and their ability to overcome it which can be addressed in therapy
    • Provides clients with an opportunity to speak freely about their feelings and concerns
    • Judgement free zone
  2. Enhancement of the client’s understanding of their condition
    • A therapist can help you understand the unique factors that led to the development of your eating disorder
    • You will gain insight into the risks and effects of the disorder on your life
    • Your therapist will discuss steps needed to be taken to overcome bulimia nervosa
  3. Identification and treatment of co-occurring disorders
    • Patients with eating disorders often have co-occurring mental health problems (i.e. bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, etc.)
    • Your therapist will look for and will identify any co-existing disorders and proper treatment will be recommended, this will improve patient outcomes overall
  4. Development of better body image and self-esteem
    • One of the goals in therapy will be to evaluate the client’s self-esteem and body image
    • If your therapist finds that you have low self-esteem and/or a negative body image, they will work with you to correct these issues through therapy
    • In turn will reduce the chances of relapse after treatment is complete

If you or someone you know is experiencing Bulimia Nervosa please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or 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, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Source:

Outlining the Benefits of Eating Disorder Counseling