How Can a Psychiatrist Help With Child Behavior Issues?

Specializing in diagnosing and treating disorders in children, a psychiatrist uses their specialized knowledge to help guide the parents in diagnosing behavior and thought disorders and then devising a treatment plan.  This plan may include behavior modification plans, medication and therapy to help the child learn to control and minimize certain thoughts and behaviors.

If your child has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD), a psychiatrist who specializes in treatment of children, can be a valuable member of your treatment team.  These conditions can be managed with psychiatric intervention and a treatment plan that may involve medication and/or behavior therapy.

A psychiatrist can also act as an advocate for your child with schools, other doctors, agencies or other organizations.

When to Seek Treatment for my Child?

It can be a difficult task to understand a troubled child’s behavior and decide whether or not that behavior warrants evaluation.  Even under the best of circumstances, children can display behaviors and emotions that are consistent with typical development and those that could be cause for concern.  So it is important to remember that many of the symptoms of these disorders may, in fact, be typical childhood behavior.

In general, if a child’s troubling behavior stays active for a few weeks or longer or begins to have a negative impact on family or friend relationships or school function, then you might want to consider seeking professional help.

If a child’s behavior is deemed unsafe – or they talk about wanting to harm themselves or others, seek help immediately.

Some Helpful Tips:

• Seek immediate help if a child engages in dangerous behavior or talks about a desire to hurt self or others.
• Early recognition and treatment may help prevent more serious problems in the future.
• An evaluation or treatment may be helpful if:
  • Disruptive issues are present for longer than a month and are interfering with school, home life, friendships or other relationships.
  • Fear or worry causes disruption to normal activity, such as sleep, activity outside the home, playing with others.
  • Your child has lost interest in things they used to enjoy or seemingly in anything.
  • Your child engages in risky or destructive behavior or encourages it in others or engages in self-harm activity.
  • You child believes someone is trying to control their mind or thoughts or believes they can hear things others cannot hear.
  • Your child spends excessive time alone or actively avoids social behavior.

If I am Concerned About my Child’s Behavior, What Should I do?

If you are concerned about your child’s behavior, where should you begin?  To determine if the incidents are isolated or affecting him/her in other settings, begin by talking with your child’s teachers or caregivers from other settings.  Determine what the child’s behavior is like in other social arenas such as school, daycare, church groups…etc.

Make an appointment to talk with your child’s doctor and describe the behavior and observations from others.  Ask for a referral to a mental health professional for an evaluation and possible intervention.

If you would like more information, click here to email us or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bello, call 325-754-8002 or click the button below to schedule an assessment.

Geriatric Psychiatry

As we age, it is equally important to remain aware of our mental  health as our physical health. Older adults are more susceptible to several mental health disorders such as depression, dementia, anxiety, and substance abuse.  And the life changes that often happen rapidly in later life can also negatively impact mental health and function for many older adults.  So it is important to recognize these changes in ourselves and our loved ones and be willing to seek help and guidance when necessary.

Diagnosis help and treatment for these late life issues can be provided by a geriatric psychiatrist.  The professional help and family support provided by this physician can help improve the quality of life for the one suffering as well as help the caregivers.

At Eden Springs Behavioral Services, we are experienced in diagnosing and treating geriatric psychiatric issues such as the following:

Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease – While there may be no cure for these issues, treating the symptoms can help to slow progression and enable the patient to function and enjoy a higher quality of life.  If you or a loved one shows signs of dementia, consult a psychiatrist who specializes in geriatric care.

Depression and Anxiety – While depression or anxiety can strike at any age, it is estimated that anxiety affects 10-20 % of older adults in undiagnosed cases. As the brain and body age, the natural biological changes that happens actually put older adults at a higher risk of depression.

Older adults often do not recognize or acknowledge their symptoms of anxiety for a number of reasons and untreated anxiety can lead to cognitive impairment, disability, poor physical health and a decreased quality of life.

Substance Misuse and Abuse – Increasingly a larger number of older adults are misusing prescription drugs and alcohol, sometimes unknowingly! As our bodies age, the way it reacts with certain medications and even alcohol, can change.  Medications can be confusing and multiple prescriptions make managing the administration of them confusing.

The good news is that older adults tend to have a quicker recover time from substance abuse disorders than their younger counterparts.

You or your loved ones do not have to be defined by these mental health issues.  There are treatment options available to you at Eden Springs Behavioral Center.

If you would like more information, click here to email us or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bello, call 325-754-8002 or click the button below to schedule an assessment.

For general resources on taking care of an aging relative or loved one, see our list of resources here – Finding Care for an Aging Senior Loved One

Should I Use a Psychiatrist for Addiction Treatment?

Psychiatrists are physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health and psychiatric disorders. A psychiatrist is a doctor who can prescribe medicine and also offer therapy and other treatment options beneficial to those suffering from these disorders.

When it comes to treatment of addiction – whether alcohol, opioid dependence or other addiction – a psychiatrist can be a beneficial member of your team of physicians, therapists or drug and alcohol counselors who work with you in overcoming that addiction.

A psychiatrist can play an especially important role in the first phase of recovery which is the detoxification phase when an addict is safely weaned off the addictive substance.  The medical approach of a psychiatrist is especially helpful, because addiction can alter and affect the brain’s neurochemistry.

If the substance abuse occurs along with another psychiatric disorder such as Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression or anxiety, a psychiatrist can be especially helpful because treatment often involves medication along with behavioral therapy.

What Can I Expect from a Psychiatrist Who Treats Addiction?

A psychiatrist who treats drug or alcohol addiction will want to know the patient’s full medical history and will work in conjunction with any current counselors or doctors.

When looking for a psychiatrist to treat addiction, you want to make certain that have experience dealing with addiction cases. Dr. Bello is certified and trained in treatment modalities for addiction including buprenorphine

If you or someone you love requires treatment for an addiction, visiting a professional can be helpful. Contact Eden Springs Behavioral Center at 325-754-8002 or click here to email us or click the button below to schedule an assessment.

PTSD Diagnosis and Treatment in Abilene TX

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD) is a mental health issue that may develop in some people after they have experienced or witnessed a life-threatening event. While we may be most familiar with events such as combat or war-time events, other traumatic events can also contribute such as a being a victim of a car accident, sexual assault or involved in a natural disaster.

And while it is normal to experience upsetting memories, fear of stressful circumstances, trouble sleeping…etc after these events, most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months of recovery.

If it has been longer than a few months and you or your loved one still suffers from symptoms, then PTSD may be the cause. And for some, PTSD symptoms can start later or the symptoms may come and go over time.

Symptoms of PTSD:

• Recurrent, Distressing Memories – Re-living or re-experiencing the memories which makes you feel as if you are going through the event again. This can be in nightmares, triggered through everyday events or severe emotional distress.
• Avoidance – You may go out of your way to avoid a situation that triggers memories or reliving the event, or keep yourself extremely busy to keep from thinking about it.
• Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood – The way you see the world and think about situations is changed in a negative manner. This may result in a constant feeling of hopelessness, pervasive negativity or difficulty relating to others and can escalate into believing everything is dangerous and no one cares about you.
• Hyper-arousal Symptoms – Your physical and emotional reactions are super-charged. People may begin to comment that you seem jittery or jumpy or you seem to get angry more easily. You may feel like you have trouble concentrating and startle easily and have trouble sleeping.

When Do I See a Doctor for PTSD?

If you find that you have experienced these symptoms for over a month or they seem to be escalating or recurring, or if you just feel like you want to get your life back under control, talk to your doctor or seek help from a mental health professional.

At Eden Springs Behavioral Services we can help determine if you suffer from PTSD and then develop a treatment plan that works for you and in your schedule. Contact us here for more information or click the button below to schedule an assessment.

Dr. Bello is available to offer his expertise in Forensic Psychiatry, including the following:

Expert witness giving expert testimony to jury during the course of a trial.
Preparing psychological evaluations and reports.
Evaluate specific areas and prepare reports involving issues such as anxiety, depression, dementia, malingering, and psychosis.
Document evidence of physical and psychological trauma in PTSD and depression.

If you would like more information, click here to email us or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bello, call 325-754-8002.

Telepsychiatry

Telepsychiatry is the system of providing psychiatric care for a patient through distance using technology such as videoconferencing. It involves providing psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and various forms of therapy in real-time and with face-to-face interaction using secure and HIPAA-compliant technology feeds.

Direct interaction between a psychiatrist and a patient and may also encompass psychiatrists supporting primary care providers with mental health consultation and expertise.

The benefits of telepsychiatry include improving access to mental health care in areas that may be underserved such as rural areas, reducing delay in care when a patient can seek care as needed. It also serves to reduce the barrier of stigma and enhance discretion.

If you find yourself in need of psychiatric care, but feel that barriers such as transportation or the inability to take off work may make it difficult for you to schedule visits, then telepsychiatry can be a great solution.

Interested in learning more about our Telespsychiatry program?  Contact Dr. Bello for more information.  Call 325-754-8002 or click here to email him.