Strategy

Therapy Areas

Major Depressive Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Insomnia
Panic Disorder
Schizophrenia
Parkinson's

Major Depressive Disorder:
Major depressive disorder is also known as major depression, clinical depression, or unipolar depression. Different people are affected in different ways by major depression. Some people have trouble sleeping, they lose weight, and they generally feel agitated and irritable. Others may sleep and eat too much and continuously feel worthless and guilty. Still others can function reasonably well at work and put on a "happy face" in front of others, while deep down they feel quite depressed and disinterested in life. There is no one way that people look and behave when they have major depression. However, most people will either have depressed mood or a general loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed, or a combination of both. In addition they will have other physical and mental symptoms that may include fatigue, difficulty with concentration and memory, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, headaches, body aches, and thoughts of suicide.

In adults, major depressive disorder affects twice as many women as men. For both genders it is most common in those who are 25-44 years of age, and least common for those over the age of 65. In children, clinical depression affects girls and boys at about the same rate. Within an entire lifetime, major depression will affect 10%-25% of women and 5%-12% of men. At any one point in time, 5%-9% of women and 2%-3% of men are likely to be clinically depressed. Although major depression can occur at any age, the average age for developing the illness seems to be in a person's mid-20's. However, the average age of onset of the condition appears to be decreasing. Those without a parent or sibling who has had major depression may be 1.5 to 3 times more likely to develop the condition than those without.

It is estimated that 10%-25% of those who develop major depressive disorder have previously had dysthymic disorder, and each year about 10% of those with dysthymic disorder will develop a first major depressive episode. There are some people who have had dysthymia prior to developing major depression. The presence of both conditions at the same time is sometimes called "double depression." Those who are in this situation may have a greater chance of developing additional depressive episodes and have more difficulty fully recovering between the episodes. They may also need to have a longer period of continued care in order to overcome their symptoms.

The development of major depressive disorder may be related to certain medical illnesses. As many as 20%-25% of those who have illnesses such as cancer, stroke, diabetes, and myocardial infarction are likely to develop major depressive disorder sometime during the presence of their medical illness. Managing or treating a medical condition can be more difficulty if a person is also clinically depressed. The prognosis for the medical problem may also be less positive.

It has been shown that other mental health conditions may often co-exist with major depressive disorder. Some of these are alcohol/drug abuse, anxiety and panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and borderline personality disorder.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by 6 months or more of chronic, exaggerated worry and tension that is unfounded or much more severe than the normal anxiety most people experience. People with generalized anxiety disorder usually expect the worst; they worry excessively about money, health, family, or work, even when there are no signs of trouble. Sometimes you may not be worried about anything special, but feel tense and worried all day long. GAD is also accompanied by aches, pains and feelings of being tired.

Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder are unable to relax and may suffer from insomnia. Everyone gets worried sometimes, but if you have GAD, you stay worried, fear the worst will happen, and cannot relax. Research shows that GAD often coexists with depression, substance abuse, or other anxiety disorders.

About 2.8% of the adult U.S. population ages 18 to 54, approximately 4 million Americans, have GAD during the course of a given year. GAD most often strikes people in childhood or adolescence, but can begin in adulthood, too. Recent statistics indicate that it affects women more often than men.

Doctors, therapists and psychologists all agree that general anxiety disorder is a real illness that needs to be treated. Over 80% of people who seek treatment for anxiety related disorders such as GAD actually find help! You Can Too!

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Insomnia:
Insomnia, condition in which a person has difficulty getting sufficient sleep. About 60 million people in the U.S. suffer from insomnia. It can be caused by an overactive thyroid gland, diabetes, violent muscle twitching, or drinking caffeine-containing beverages before going to bed, but experts estimate that in three-fourths of all cases the cause is a psychological one. After anxiety-producing events such as the death of a loved one or loss of a job, a person may experience sleep difficulties for a short period. Many persons recover their normal sleep rhythm spontaneously, but others become frustrated and depressed and develop chronic insomnia. Napping during the day may throw off the sleep pattern further.

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Panic Disorder:
Panic Disorder is a serious condition that approximately one out of every 75 people might experience. It usually appears during the teens or early adulthood, and while the exact causes are unclear, there does seem to be a connection with major life transitions that are potentially stressful: graduating from college, getting married, having a first child, and so on. There is also some evidence for a genetic predisposition; if a family member has suffered from panic disorder, you have an increased risk of suffering from it yourself, especially during a time in your life that is particularly stressful.

Panic Attacks: The Hallmark of Panic Disorder
A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling of being 'stressed out' that most people experience. Symptoms of a panic attack include: racing heartbeat, difficulty breathing, feeling as though you can't get enough air, terror that is almost paralyzing dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea, trembling, sweating, shaking, choking, chest pains, hot flashes, or sudden chills, tingling in fingers or toes ('pins and needles'), fear that you're going to go crazy or are about to die.

You probably recognize this as the classic 'flight or fight' response that human beings experience when we are in a situation of danger. But during a panic attack, these symptoms seem to rise from out of nowhere. They occur in seemingly harmless situations--they can even happen while you are asleep.

In addition to the above symptoms, a panic attack is marked by the following conditions: it occurs suddenly, without any warning and without any way to stop it. The level of fear is out of proportion to the actual situation; often, in fact, it's completely unrelated. It passes in a few minutes; the body cannot sustain the 'fight or flight' response for longer than that. However, repeated attacks can continue to recur for hours.

A panic attack is not dangerous, but it can be terrifying, largely because it feels 'crazy' and 'out of control.' Panic disorder is frightening because of the panic attacks associated with it, and also because it often leads to other complications such as phobias, depression, substance abuse, medical complications, even suicide. Its effects can range from mild word or social impairment to a total inability to face the outside world.

In fact, the phobias that people with panic disorder develop do not come from fears of actual objects or events, but rather from fear of having another attack. In these cases, people will avoid certain objects or situations because they fear that these things will trigger another attack.

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Schizophrenia:
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease.

Approximately 1% of the population develops schizophrenia during their lifetime. More than 2 million Americans suffer from the illness in a given year. Although schizophrenia affects men and women with equal frequency, the disorder often appears earlier in men, usually in the late teens or early twenties. Women are generally affected in their twenties to early thirties. People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. Their speech and behavior can be so disorganized that they may be incomprehensible or frightening to others. Available treatments can relieve many symptoms, but most people with schizophrenia continue to suffer some symptoms throughout their lives; it has been estimated that no more than one in five individuals recovers completely.

This is a time of hope for people with schizophrenia and their families. Research is gradually leading to new and safer medications and unraveling the complex causes of the disease. Scientists are using many approaches from the study of molecular genetics to the study of populations to learn about schizophrenia. Methods of imaging the brain’s structure and function hold the promise of new insights into the disorder.

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Parkinson's:
Parkinson disease is a brain disorder. It occurs when certain nerve cells (neurons) in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra die or become impaired. Normally, these cells produce a vital chemical known as dopamine. Dopamine allows smooth, coordinated function of the body's muscles and movement. When approximately 80% of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson disease appear.

What are the signs and symptoms of Parkinson disease?
The loss of dopamine production in the brain causes the primary symptoms of Parkinson disease.† The key signs of Parkinson disease are:
Tremor (shaking)
Slowness of movement
Rigidity (stiffness)
Difficulty with balance
Other signs of Parkinson disease may include:
Small, cramped handwriting
Stiff facial expression
Shuffling walk
Muffled speech
Depression

Who gets Parkinson disease?
Parkinson disease affects both men and women in almost equal numbers.† It shows no social, ethnic, economic or geographic boundaries.† In the United States, it is estimated that 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, joining the 1.5 million Americans who currently have Parkinson disease.† While the condition usually develops after the age of 65, 15% of those diagnosed are under 50.

How is Parkinson disease diagnosed?
The process of making a Parkinson disease diagnosis can be difficult. There is no X-ray or blood test that can confirm Parkinson disease.† A physician arrives at the diagnosis only after a thorough examination.† Blood tests and brain scans known as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be performed to rule out other conditions that have similar symptoms.† People suspected of having Parkinson disease should consider seeking the care of a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson disease.