North Shore LIJ

February 05, 2013

It’s Never too Late to Start Over

Thomas Cromer, PhD

Now that 2013 isn't such a new year, are your resolutions fading? Don’t give up. Instead, follow these tips for success:
 
Plan Ahead January 1 is just a date. If you’re committed, you can start over anytime. Consider how strong your commitment is, and use that insight to create a plan.

Make Goals Attainable The best strategies are realistic, specific and build on short-term goals. Make attainable resolutions--otherwise it’s a set-up for disappointment. For example, pledging to exercise 60 minutes daily without factoring in work and family responsibilities isn’t practical if you’re new to exercise. But planning 30 minutes of physical activity for three times a week is realistic, specific and something to build on.

Map a Detailed Plan A detailed plan sheet helps you anticipate challenges and ways to get around them. So if you smoke after you eat, substitute something healthy to distract from the habit you want to break. For instance, call a friend for support or take up an activity you’ll enjoy.

Remind Yourself Write down the resolution and post it where you will see every day--preferably a spot you pass in the morning. Keep focused with a pro and con list; build on it as you progress from one short-term goal to another.

Tell Everyone Tell family and friends about your goals for encouragement--and to get some extra eyes on your progress. Once you share your resolution, you are more likely to keep it. You can even promise friends $10 if they see you break the resolution.

Track Your Progress Record every successful step on the way to a goal on your plan sheet. Full Post - to Detail View

December 06, 2012

5 Things to Watch to Keep from Drunk-Driving

Bruce Goldman, LCSW

On the way home from a party, remember this: No one can drink and drive safely—not even a little bit.

• How much alcohol you drank
• Whether you ate before and while drinking (food slows absorption)
• How long you spent drinking
• Body weight
• Gender (women and men metabolize alcohol differently)

July 31, 2012

Ecstasy: The Rave Drug that Doesn’t Earn Raves

Bruce Goldman, LCSW

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a powerful drug that creates a feeling of mental stimulation, emotional warmth, closeness and a sense of well being. Unfortunately, that initial reaction is misleading.  Ecstasy also causes increased anxiety, restlessness, irritability, impulsivity, sadness, sleep problems, nausea, cramping, high blood pressure and dehydration.

A recent study (“A prospective study of learning, memory, and executive function in new MDMA users”, Daniel Wagner, Benjamin Becker, Philip Koester, Euphrosyne Gouzoulis-Mayfrank & Joerg Daumann Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany) investigated the nature of cognitive deficits noted in ecstasy users. It found that there were significant effects on specific immediate and delayed recall for those who took recreational amounts of the drug over the course of one year.

While it is important to note the potential dangers of ecstasy to long and short term cognitive functioning, its more immediate dangers need to be highlighted.  Usually taken in the context of dance clubs or raves, most users mix ecstasy with other substances including alcohol amphetamines, cocaine, and cannabis. These combinations are dangerous medically and also contribute to high risk behaviors. MDMA has become popular with urban gay males. Reports have linked the use of ecstasy to high risk sexual behaviors that may lead to HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. Lastly, over 43 percent of those who reported ecstasy use met the criteria for dependence upon the drug.

All of this taken together leaves one with a very clear conclusion. The use of ecstasy is dangerous even if done occasionally.  Those who find themselves caught up in a pattern of regular use should seek drug abuse treatment  to minimize the potential long term consequences of any Full Post - to Detail View

November 16, 2011

Kids with Depressed Dads Risk Emotional Problems Too

Victor Fornari, MD

Children who live with fathers with depressive symptoms and other mental health problems are more likely to have emotional or behavioral problems themselves, according to a new study in the December 2011 journal Pediatrics (published online last week).

Increasing the awareness about the higher risk for the development of depression in youth who have a depressed father is so important to facilitate early identification and treatment for vulnerable children and adolescents. Given the increased risk of depression in immediate family members with depression, it is not surprising that the study showed this increase rate of depression in youth if they had a depressed father.

Although there has been greater attention given to children of depressed mothers, recognition that having a depressed father also puts young people at increased risk for depression themselves, is valuable for both public awareness and for professional understanding. Both biologic (genetic) factors as well as psychological factors may be at play here.
 

August 25, 2011

Help for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Elysa LeBron, LCSW, Clinical Director
Jennifer Newman, PhD, Staff Psychologist

A traumatic event is an overwhelming or uncontrollable experience that can happen to anyone. It involves an actual or perceived threat of death or injury that causes someone to feel intensely horrified or helpless. Some people come to think about the world very differently after experiencing a traumatic event. Many factors can impact a person’s reaction, such as the amount of devastation witnessed and the degree of personal responsibility felt for what happened.

In the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, most people will experience some level of traumatic stress symptoms. Some of the more typical symptoms are:

• Nightmares or unwanted daytime images of the event
• Avoidance of thoughts, feelings or reminders of the event
• Emotional numbing
• Social withdrawal or difficulty feeling close to others
• Sleep difficulties
• Anger or irritability
• Jumpiness and/or hypervigilance

With time, however, these symptoms often subside and many people will have a “natural recovery.” For some, these symptoms do not subside and then they may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can be successfully treated through a variety of “talk therapy” treatments with a trained, licensed clinician. Specifically, cognitive behavioral treatments have been shown to be effective.