Counseling Clinic | Mental Health Charlotte

Feb

2020 devastated US mental health — healing must be a priority

Opinion piece by Daniel Gillison, NAMI CEO and Andy Keller, president and CEO of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute focused on access to care and how people suffering from inadequately treated mental health issues disproportionately drive excess medical costs. The crisis is now of such magnitude that a failure by legislators and policy makers to shore-up an overwhelmed mental health care system could cripple recovery. Post-COVID forecasts warn that the cost of treating widespread anxiety and depression will create a $1.6 trillion drag on the U.S. economy. The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that untreated mental illness already costs us up to $300 billion annually due to lost productivity and associated costs due to absenteeism, employee turnover and increases in medical and disability expenses.

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Feb

We Asked the Experts: What Will Be the Lasting Effect of the Pandemic on Our Children?

With reports of learning losses, depression and anxiety, and lack of socialization, parents are worried their kids may suffer the consequences of the pandemic for years to come. Jennifer Rothman, senior manager of youth and young adult information/initiatives at NAMI, says we don't know what the impacts of the pandemic on kids' mental health in the long run will be just yet. Data from the CDC show that while overall rates of ER visits have decreased during COVID, the proportion of visits related to mental health emergencies has grown—up 24% for kids ages 5 to 11 and 31% for kids ages 12 to 17. If parents believe their child is struggling with a mental illness, a good first step is to contact their pediatrician for an evaluation, says Rothman. "From there, your pediatrician will be able to refer you to specialists to decide on what treatment options will work best for your child," she says. "The earlier your child starts treatment, the better the outcomes." While parents are naturally concerned about their kids, Rothman's biggest worry is the stress and heaviness that's weighing on all members of a family, including parents. Her No. 1 tip for parents is to make sure they're taking care of themselves and seeking help when they need it. "Self-care is extremely important when you're caring for others," she says.

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Feb

Many Psych Meds Trigger Weight Gain, But New Research Points to Better Options

Scientists may have uncovered the reason critical medications for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder cause weight gain and diabetes, findings they hope will lead to better drugs. In fact, these side effects commonly drive patients to stop taking the drugs, said Dr. Ken Duckworth, CMO, NAMI. Duckworth, who was not involved in the new research, said it's important to understand why those adverse effects occur. These findings, he said, "begin to unravel" the issue. The takeaway, both Duckworth and Freyberg said, is that patients' difficulties with current antipsychotics are being heard. "Scientists are working on this," Duckworth said. For now, the challenge for patients is to manage the side effects the best they can. The first step is being aware that they can happen, Duckworth noted, since people being newly prescribed an antipsychotic are not necessarily able to process all the information they're receiving. For their part, Duckworth said, doctors should be monitoring patients' weight, blood sugar and cholesterol, to catch unhealthy changes.

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Mental Health News

2020 devastated US mental health — healing must be a priority

We Asked the Experts: What Will Be the Lasting Effect of the Pandemic on Our Children?

Many Psych Meds Trigger Weight Gain, But New Research Points to Better Options

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