DEPRESSION - MyHope

Mood Disorders

Mood disorders, also known as “mood (affective) disorders,” are those conditions that affect your emotional state. For example, depression and bipolar are mood disorders. The mental health profession’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (also known as the DSM5) also includes under mood disorders those brought on by substances such as alcohol and […]

Finding a Community Mental Health Center

Are you looking for a Community Mental Health Center? Although the broad network of community mental health centers established decades ago has been replaced by other locally based helping organizations, it’s often still possible to locate mental health programs and services in your area. A community mental health center may be able to help you […]

Goldberg Depression Test

The Goldberg Depression Test was developed by New York psychiatrist Dr. Ivan K. Goldberg to help individuals determine whether or not they might need to see a mental health professional about possible depression. The 18 questions in the test are designed to assess how you have felt in the previous week, and can also be […]

Autism: Drugs/Medications

Medications Some medications can help reduce symptoms that cause problems for your child in school or at home. Many other medications may be prescribed off-label, meaning they have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a certain use or for certain people. Doctors may prescribe medications off-label if they have […]

Autism: Living With It

Living With Autism Spectrum Disorder After your child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you may feel unprepared or unable to provide your child with the necessary care and education. Know that there are many treatment options, social services and programs, and other resources that can help. Some tips that can help you and […]

Autism: Risk Factors & Diagnosis

Who Is At Risk? Studies measuring autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence—the number of children affected by ASD over a given time period—have reported varying results, depending on when and where the studies were conducted and how the studies defined ASD. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of health and school records of […]

Unhappy Marriage

Is an unhappy marriage driving you to thoughts of separation or divorce? Before you commit to either of these steps, consider whether you might be able to instead learn ways to create a healthier relationship with your husband or wife. A good marriage isn’t always an easy one, and if only one partner is committed […]

Getting the Help You Need – Fast

One of the challenges of living with a mental health issue – either yours or that of someone whose life you’re involved in – is that sometimes an incident quickly escalates from “under control” to crisis level. If you need help immediately, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) lists several resources on […]

Autism: Treatments

Treatments While there’s no proven cure yet for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), treating ASD early, using school-based programs, and getting proper medical care can greatly reduce ASD symptoms and increase your child’s ability to grow and learn new skills. Early intervention Research has shown that intensive behavioral therapy during the toddler or preschool years can […]

Depression Causes

Causes Most likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain involved […]

Should Parents Worry? Video Games and Their Impact on Children

When I started my practice almost thirty years ago, Sesame Street and the benign Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood captured our children’s attention. Disney movies proliferated throughout the video market and they followed a similar fairy tale pattern in which a hero or heroine is pursued by a villain but triumphs in the end. Children learned which […]

Courage

Courage By Michael H. LeBlond, PhD, MBA Licensed Psychologist How often have you heard “just feel the fear and do it anyway.” This actually is not far from the definition of courage. What courage is not is the absence of fear. When most people think of courage they think of it in one […]