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Month: May 2022

2022 AAPI Month: Celebrating Mental Health, DEI

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Mental Health and Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

Mental Health + AAPI Heritage Month Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of May, recognizing the incredible ways that Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have contributed and influenced the culture, history, and achievements of the United States. California has a significant and diverse AAPI population. “AAPIs are the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S. and an immensely diverse group of people in terms of income, ethnicity, migration status, and education.” Why Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? As readers may be aware, the AAPI community was subject to a rise in hate crimes with the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The most effective response to harmful rhetoric and attacks against the AAPI community is for our government and industry to collaborate in promoting a diverse, inclusive environment that is reflected in the policies we implement, our workforces, and …

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Using Ketamine Infusion for Depression

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Using Ketamine infusion for depression

Depression affects everyone, whether you have been diagnosed with depression or know someone who struggles. In some cases, people might experience treatment-resistant depression–leading to alternative therapies to find relief, such as Ketamine infusion for depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders defines depression as experiencing a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, persistent low mood, appetite changes, sleep disturbances, fatigue, concentration and memory problems, and low self-esteem for at least two weeks. In America, more than 17 million people experience depression. It affects more women than men, but that may be because women seek help for their symptoms more than men do. Depression is more severe in adolescents and young adults, ages 12 to 24, increasing among college students. Older persons have fewer depression episodes. What Causes Depression? There is not a single factor that leads to depression. Instead, multiple risk factors lead to the manifestation of …

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Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month

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Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness month

What is Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness month? In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives declared May as Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness month. This is largely in part due to the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder’s efforts to educate others about the disorder and its impact; these efforts seek to empower those diagnosed while reducing stigma that surrounds the disorder.  What is Borderline Personality Disorder? According to the American Psychiatric Association, borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by “a long-standing pattern of instability in mood, interpersonal relationships, and self-image that is severe enough to cause extreme distress or interfere with social and occupational functioning” (APA, 2021). To meet diagnostic criteria, an individual must meet five of the following categories: frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation, identity disturbance …

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Signs of High Functioning Depression

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Signs of high functioning depression

Depression affects everyone differently. For some, it is debilitating, making it hard to get out of bed each day. Some days are spent in bed. For others, depression can be seasonal. The seasonal affective disorder occurs during certain seasons throughout the year. For most, it occurs during the winter months, when there is less sunshine and colder weather. As Spring arrives, the depressive symptoms fade. However, another type of depression is high functioning. So what makes high functioning depression unique, and what are the signs of high functioning depression? By looking at someone with high functioning depression, you may think they are happy and living their best life. They may not exhibit outward signs of depression as you know it. What Is High Functioning Depression? The clinical name for high functioning depression is persistent depressive disorder (PDD). Or at least that is the type most closely related to the symptoms of high …

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What is Ketamine Infusion Therapy?

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What is ketamine infusion therapy

It may be surprising to see “ketamine” and “therapy” in the same sentence. But there is enough research on its benefits for treatment-resistant depression. So, what is Ketamine infusion therapy? And how can it help? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Ketamine in a couple of forms: a nasal spray and an I.V. infusion. This version of Ketamine is not the same as the street drug “Special K.” The ingredients are the same, but the way the medicine is delivered is very different.  Ketamine As a Street Drug Ketamine has been around since the 1960s and was beneficial as an anesthetic to soldiers in the field and in hospital operating rooms. It was so effective because it reduces pain and increases feelings of happiness. Like other prescription drugs, they began to be misused by people recreationally. In medical settings, limited doses are administered. When misused recreationally, people would experience hallucinations, …

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