Mental Health Bergen County

Depression: The Significant Impact of Friendship

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By: Nirvana Ramoutar

     Did you know that friendships and other personal relationships have a significant impact on your health? Studies show that adults with strong social connection have reduced risk for many health problems such as depression, high blood pressure, and an unhealthy body mass index. This is often overlooked and individuals do not believe that maintaining healthy relationships are as important as eating healthy and exercising. However if you think about how you feel when you spend time with a true friend where you are able to laugh, cry, and share intimate secrets with, you know how powerful friendships can be.

     Having close friends is undeniably good for us, but psychologists have found that “weak-tie” interactions with acquaintances, and even strangers, can give your mental health a boost. Something as small as complimenting a person, or bumping into a work friend you see once a week can make all the difference. Research has found that the people with more of these “weak-tie” interactions are happier than those who have fewer. We often avoid conversations with strangers as we fear awkwardness, but studies suggest that conversations with strangers tend to be less awkward and more connecting than people expect. To their own surprise, people also prefer having deep conversations with strangers rather than shallow ones.

How do you make friends as an adult?

  • Become a volunteer
  • Ask questions
  • Look for shared interests
  • Accept invitations
  • Reach out to neighbors
  • Take advantage of the virtual community
  • Join a YMCA

     Once again, friendships help you avoid feelings of loneliness; they increase your self-love, and help with personal growth. Loneliness and social isolation can be deadly, as it causes a risk for premature death in 26% of individuals, causing heart disease, dementia, etc. The significance of friendship goes a long way influencing both our well-being and physical health. Remember to cherish and maintain your friendships, and don’t be scared to start completely anew. You can do it!

If you or someone you know may be struggling with loneliness, or their mental health, 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:

Source for photo

Tik Tok: Is It Actually “Rotting” Your Brain?

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By: Nirvana Ramoutar

Have you ever scrolled on Tik Tok or Instagram for far too long and felt completely fatigued after? Research shows that you are not alone. It has been recorded that the more time you spend engaging with social media, the more cognitive challenges may arise. This is due to the overconsumption of short-form content which is repetitive and creates concern on how the brain health of all age groups will be affected. The recent media has coined the term, “Brain Rot” to describe the effects of this overly stimulating content.

Brain Rot may be linked to behaviors that overtax our brain’s reward system. On Tik Tok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, etc. there are algorithms that pick up on what videos you like based on your interactions (comments, likes, shares, watch duration). This makes watching videos addictive as the platform is designed to keep us engaged and responsive. As we continue scrolling, our brain creates short bursts of dopamine with each video we like. Over time, this form of constant stimulation can affect your cognitive health.

What are the effects of brain rot?

  • Reduced attention span making it harder to focus on longer, complex tasks
  • Mental fatigue from the overload of information to the brain
  • Decreased memory retention through the constant shift between digital distractions
  • Increased anxiety or stress from repetitive consumption of negative news, also known as “doomscrolling”

A study by Jin Xie was done where 35 published studies based on excessive screen time, internet addiction, doomscrolling, cognitive performance, attention; memory and problem-solving were examined. The main finding was that there were links between high digital engagement and cognitive challenges. For example, short-form video addiction had a significant positive predictive effect on academic procrastination both directly and indirectly. Students would start procrastinating because of their lack of focus due to repetitive scrolling. Screen time was also associated with increased levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among students. It is important to understand that these effects can happen to people of all ages. However, due to adolescents’ developing brains, it can be inferred that overconsumption of social media can be harmful.

Because of the extent of these negative effects, it may be beneficial to promote activities that do not require us to be in front of a screen. Sometimes it is not possible to stop internet use since there are individuals that work online and use online devices in school; however there are steps you can take to maintain cognitive health.

  • Be intentional about what you consume online. If it is negative, try to stay away
  • Take regular breaks by following the 20-20-20 rule by taking a 20 second break for every 20 minutes of screen time to look at something 20 feet away
  • Set screen time limits within apps of use
  • Engage in offline activities
  • Focus on sleeping instead of staring at screens before bed, as it disturbs sleep patterns

Remember you have the ability to control your screen time. As long as you are mindful of your media consumption you can still enjoy the benefits of technology without getting stuck in negative cycles and while keeping your brain and mind healthy.

If you or someone you know is suffering with mental health issues and are in need of treatment, 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:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10756502/

https://www.inspirahealthnetwork.org/news/healthy-living/brain-rot-explained-how-digital-overload-affects-your-mind

Source for Picture:https://providenceproject.org/addiction/behavioural/social-media/

Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder: Similarities and Differences

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Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder: Similarities and Differences

By: Diane Ulloa
Bulimia as categorized by the DSM V under bulimia nervosa is a diagnosis assigned to individuals who recurrently overeat and use inappropriate measures to prevent weight gain afterwards, such as purging, fasting or exercising excessively. A criterion would include, “Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to prevent weight gain such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications; fasting or excessive exercise” (National Library of Medicine).
There are 5 criterion for binge eating disorder that include:

  1. Eating in a discrete period of time (within 2 hour periods), an amount of food that is larger than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances. A feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating. . Eating until feeling uncomfortably full, eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry.
  2. Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to prevent weight gain such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications; fasting or excessive exercise
  3. The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months.
  4. Self-evaluation is unjustifiably influenced by body shape and weight.
  5. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa.

Both have the shared behavior of binge eating food, but what is binge eating? When someone cannot control their eating and they eat much more food than they would normally eat in one sitting often to the point of major discomfort. Oftentimes binging happens when one is not hungry and many report binge eating home alone, or at night when no one is up or around to see them. People may binge eat as a coping mechanism when they are stressed, anxious, bored, or experiencing any other negative emotion. For those struggling with bulimia, binging and then purging can be a way of coping with those negative emotions. For someone who struggles with binge eating disorder, binging can also be a way to self-soothe or distract in the presence of very difficult emotions. Many people who engage in these behaviors have feelings of social isolation and anxiety, and many have reported feeling hopeless and helpless.
What’s the difference? The main difference is that bulimia nervosa is characterized by purging after binge eating. While everyone has very different reasons and experiences, often those who struggle with bulimia also struggle with gaining weight and often have a distorted body image. As opposed to those with binge eating disorders who may feel uncomfortable in their bodies, but do not have as strong preoccupation with their body image, or weight, as those with bulimia.  

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, bulimia nervosa, or binge 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:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 20, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Bulimia Nervosa Comparison. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t16/
Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, et al. Management and Outcomes of Binge-Eating Disorder [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2015 Dec. (Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 160.) Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338301/table/introduction.t1/

https://www.centralcoasttreatmentcenter.com/blog-1/bulimia-v-binge-eating-disorder

Depression: Does Social Media Cause Depression?

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Depression: Does Social Media Cause Depression?

By: Michelle Chinchilla

Around 4.62 billion of us are engaging on social media platforms. You can like someone’s post or share a picture or video- there is always a new update or post. After endless amounts of scrolling it can be pretty tiring. Social media as a whole can make a person feel so many different ways: meaningful, euphoric, isolated, and even depressed.

What type of depression can social media be caused by?

Social media isn’t inherently harmful to your mental health, especially if it doesn’t replace other forms of healthy social interaction. However, exposure to harmful behavior and rhetoric through social media can impact your mood and even cause depressive symptoms. Comparison, jealousy, addiction, and many more are reasons to feeling down.

Prevention

Do you notice you’re feeling more sad, lonely, isolated, or depressed when you spend time on social media? Or do you walk away feeling recharged, or like you have spent your time meaningfully? If you have an iPhone, consider using the “Screen Time” feature to track how you’re using your phone. When social media becomes too distracting, consider turning off notifications for a while or removing the app from your phone until you feel like you’re in a better place to log in again.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, 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 Psychotherapy & Psychiatric Services. Contact our Manhattan, NY or Paramus, NJ offices respectively at (201)368-3700 or (212)722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Reference: https://psychcentral.com/depression/does-social-media-cause-depression#tips

PTSD in Military Veterans

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PTSD in Military Veterans

By: Mercedes Renter

What does PTSD stand for? Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health disorder which often develops after someone goes through or sees a life-threatening event. The symptoms of PTSD tend to start soon after the traumatic event but may not appear until months or years later. There are four common symptoms of PTSD. The first symptom is reliving the event which can feel very scary and real. Nightmares can occur as well as flashbacks and you may see, hear, or smell something that can remind you of the event. The second symptom is avoiding things that remind you of the event. For example, for veterans they may avoid gun ranges when they are not deployed because it can trigger past emotions. The third symptom is having negative thoughts and feelings which did not occur before the traumatic event. An individual suffering from PTSD can feel numb or may think the world is full of danger and have a hard time with trusting anyone. The fourth symptom is feeling on edge which can lead to having a hard time falling asleep, find it hard to concentrate, or even become startled by a loud noise or surprise.

There are lifestyles changes that can help a veteran cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. Interacting with trauma survivors and other veterans who have experienced PTSD can be beneficial. Additionally, exercising can be helpful by providing a steady schedule into your everyday life. Eating healthy and spending more time with loved ones are also healthy habits that can help cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. These are all helpful changes for an individual suffering from PTSD because it allows a positive change in their daily life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with Post-traumatic stress disorder please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrics, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling and 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

Reference: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_veterans.asp

Physician Burnout during a Global Pandemic

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    By Eleanor Kim

    Physicians and nurses around the world have been at the front lines fighting the coronavirus and saving the lives of those infected. Now more than ever, citizens are coming to realize the importance of those within the medical field and the bravery that comes with entering medicine. That being said, there has been an immense amount of pressure placed upon healthcare workers, often causing stress, anxiety, and depression. At the end of the day, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are humans and can feel the effects of burnout during such a heightened and high stakes moment in medical history.

    Burnout is when someone becomes overwhelmed by the demands of their daily life, becoming emotionally and physically exhausted and creating a sense of depersonalization and weakened personal accomplishments. Burnout is a common occurrence among physicians and nurses given the great amount of pressure that comes with saving lives. That being said, these feelings of burnout have skyrocketed given the additionally taxing nature of current frontline medical work such as the stress of isolating from friends and family, the extended hours of work, the tragic lack of medical supplies, and the fear of contracting or spreading the virus, to name a few. Physicians are also left to deal with the other struggles and anxieties that the past year has brought upon the general population regarding economic, political, racial, and other personal effects of the pandemic.

    During these elongated periods where healthcare workers are left sleep deprived, improperly fed, and overall anxious about the current status of the pandemic, they are exposed to both mentally and physically long lasting effects. In 2020, there have been a record number of physicians who have reported feelings of burnout and other mental health concerns since the start of the pandemic. Should these issues go untreated, there is an increased risk for depression, self-medication, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts or attempts. Burnout is more than just stress; it is a mental health crisis and should be treated as such.

    If you or someone you know is feeling the effects of physician and healthcare worker burnout, 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/.

    Resources:

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/lipiroy/2020/05/17/doctor-heal-thyself-physician-burnout-in-the-wake-of-covid-19/

    Image Source:

    More than a third of medical staff suffered insomnia during the COVID-19 epidemic in China

    Alcohol Usage Increase during Covid-19

    GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    By. Alexis Yennie

    Alcohol consumption has been rising consistently since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak. Having people see alcohol as an “effective pain killer”, women’s rates of consuming alcohol are much higher than men’s; due to the increase of work stress and also domestic duties (childcare, homeschooling, and being in charge of the household), Experts are becoming gradually more concerned with individuals and the choices they are making about how they choose to ease the pain during the pandemic. During this pandemic, times are uncertain; including things such as death and unemployment.

    A survey that was done by the RAND Corporation and overseen by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) compared different drinking habits from 2019 to the present day with a collection of 1,540 participants. The results showed that both men’s and women’s rates have been dramatically increasing since the pandemic began. It also showed an increase in binging episodes as well. The results also showed that it was on average, five more drinks for men and four more drinks for women, within a couple of hours; women’s consumption amount increase by at least half.

    The study that was done did not only show the amount of excess drinking that occurring but also showed the psychological impact that binge drinking has created for a majority of people.  Emotions such as guilt, shamefulness, and depression, have all been a common theme of emotions between individuals. A lot of individuals feel that there is no better option and it was an easy way to cope with the new “norm”. Unfortunately, there are new innovative ways of obtaining alcohol from the comfort of your home through liquor store home delivery apps; only adding more fuel to an already big fire.

    If you or someone you know is struggling with high levels of alcohol usage, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professionals who deal with drug and alcohol problems. We have psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and psychotherapist Arista Counseling and Psychotherapy is located in Paramus, NJ, and Manhattan, NY you can reach us at (201)-368-3700 or (212)-722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

    Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/alcohol-consumption-rising-sharply-pandemic-women/story?id=73302479

    Image Source: https://www.recoveryintune.com/drug-and-alcohol-abuse/

     

    World Kindness Day: How to stay positive in dark times

    GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    World Kindness Day: How to stay positive in dark times

    By: Zoe Alekel

    As Friday November 13, 2020 is World Kindness Day, it only felt right to talk about the impact that positivity and kindness have on our mental health. Keeping a positive mindset and attitude is seemingly easy when life is smooth-sailing. However, when we hit the inevitable bumps in the road that life comes with, it is a lot easier said than done. Maintaining optimism in difficult times can often seem impossible—at the least, it seems like a lot of work. If you are struggling to stay positive during a difficult time, especially during a pandemic like COVID-19, you can try to focus on the following:

    • Focus on what you can control: Remember there are things in life we can’t control, but the things we can control like how we decide to seize the day and how we treat others.
    • Limit your media intake: Social media and news media can put us in a rut when we are already feeling negative about the world. Make sure you don’t spend too much time on media and give yourself a break from negative news stories.
    • Invest in uplifting others: Acts of kindness can not only uplift others and change someone’s day, but it can also help keep you in a more optimistic mindset.
    • Set personal schedules and goals: By setting small daily goals for yourself, such as making your bed and brushing your teeth in the morning. You can start the day off accomplishing something and setting a productive mindset for the rest of the day.

    Keeping these pointers in mind is important when trying to stay optimistic during a difficult time. Some additional ideas of ways to cope with a difficult time are:

    • Find a therapist or mental health professional: This can become an outlet to help you process the difficult time you are having and to get professional recommendations for keeping a positive mindset.
    • Find a hobby or a group to join with people that have similar interests as yours.
    • Invest in self-care: Make sure you are taking care of you! Do things that bring you joy, even if it is as simple as taking a warm shower, eating a meal you enjoy, listening to music, or calling a loved one or friend.
    • Take a few minutes every day to write down the positive events that happened during that day, or things for which you are grateful.

    If you or someone you know is struggling with keeping positive or with mental illness, 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/

     

    Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stronger-fear/202003/how-stay-positive-during-the-pandemic?collection=1151836

    Image Source: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/bb/e7/2c/bbe72cda72203d29a2f24459962c6f7a.jpg

    Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, ADHD, Et al: How to Support a Friend with Mental Illness

    GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

      By: Sarah Cohen

      When helping a friend with a mental illness, the first step should be assessment of their symptoms. Sometimes they just might be going through a difficult time, but if certain common symptoms associated with mental health issues persist it is imperative to respond sensitively. Majority of the time, friends will just want to know they have your support and that you care about them. A good way to show your support is by talking to them. If you provide a non-judgmental space for them to speak about their issues it will help encourage them to be open with their problems. Let them lead the conversation and don’t pressure them to reveal information. It can be incredibly difficult and painful to speak about these issues and they might not be ready to share everything. If you aren’t their therapist do not diagnose them or make assumptions about how they are feeling, just listen and show you understand. If someone doesn’t want to speak with you, don’t take it personally, just continue to show them you care about their wellbeing and want to help as much as possible. Just knowing they have support can give them the strength they need to contact someone who can help them.

      If a friend is having a crisis, such as a panic attack or suicidal thoughts, you must stay calm. Try not to overwhelm them by asking a lot of questions and confronting them in a public setting. Ask them gently what would be helpful to them right now or reassure them. If they hurt themselves, get first aid as soon as possible. If someone is suicidal, contact the suicide hotline at 800-237-8255 immediately.

      The best way to help someone is by connecting them to professional help. By expressing your concern and support you can show them that they can get help and their mental health problems can be treated.

      If you or someone you know needs support with their mental illness, 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/

      https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/supporting-someone-mental-health-problem

      https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/friends-family-members

      Mental Illness: Genetics or Environment?

      GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

        Mental Illness: Genetics or Environment?

        By: Isabelle Siegel

        The term “Nature vs. Nurture” describes an age-old scientific debate regarding whether behavior, personality, and other individual characteristics are the result of nature—one’s biology and genetics—or nurture—one’s environment and upbringing. The development of mental illness is a prime example of the Nature vs. Nurture debate, as scientists and others seek to understand: Is mental illness caused by genetics or environment?

        The Big Question. Is Nature or Nurture responsible for mental illness? This is essentially a trick question, as both Nature and Nurture contribute to the development of mental illness. In fact, it is ultimately the interaction between one’s genes and one’s experiences and environment that leads a person to develop a mental illness. According to the Diathesis-Stress Model, genetic predispositions develop into mental illnesses when they are met with stressful environments and/or experiences. For example, a person can be born with a genetic predisposition for depression, but that person may not develop depression unless they experience stressful environmental events such as abuse.

        Nature. What are the biological and genetic causes of mental illness? It is well-documented that mental illness can be hereditary, or passed on within families. For example, a person is four to six times more likely to develop Bipolar Disorder if someone in their family has or had Bipolar Disorder. Another potent biological factor contributing to the development of mental illness is brain anatomy and brain chemistry. Research suggests, for instance, that people with schizophrenia have less active prefrontal cortices (the area of the brain associated with decision-making, planning, and personality). Other biological factors implicated in the development of mental illness include exposure to infection or toxins, damage during pregnancy, and use of substances.

        Nurture. What are the environmental causes of mental illness? The development of mental illness can often be associated with one’s childhood experiences. Exposure to abuse is a potent example of an environmental factor that can lead to mental illness. Other experiences can also result in the onset of mental illness, including death, divorce, and/or other forms of grief or trauma.

        In conclusion, neither Nature nor Nurture is solely responsible for the development of mental illness. Rather, genetic and biological factors combine with environmental and experiential factors to result in the onset of mental illness. 

        If you or a loved one needs support for 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/

        Sources: 

        https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/nature-versus-nurture

        https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-causes-mental-illness

        https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201112/nature-and-nurture

        https://dictionary.apa.org/diathesis-stress-model

        Image Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-nature-versus-nurture-2795392