October 10th is Worldwide Mental Health Day, National Bipolar Awareness Day, and National Depression Screening Day

October 13th-19th is ADHD Awareness Week

October 14th is OCD Awareness Week

 

 

National Depression Screening Day 

October 10th is National Depression Screening Day. Depression is something that should never be taken lightly. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or unable to do things that you once enjoyed, consider getting screened for depression.

• You can take an anonymous depression screening at: www.HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org/

  • This will give you access to a validated screening questionnaire and will also provide referral information for treatment.

 

What is ADHD?

Acccording to the DSM-IV TR the following may be present in a case of ADHD:

 

1. Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, other activities

2. Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play

3. Often doesn’t seem to listen when spoken to directly

4. Often doesn’t follow through on instructions and fails to finish school work, chores, or duties in workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions)

5. Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities

6. Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental efforts

7. Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities

8. Often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli

9. Often forgetful in daily activities

1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat

1. Often leaves seat when remaining in seat is expected.

2. Often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate (adolescents or adults may feel very restless).

3. Often has difficulty playing or doing leisure activities quietly.

4. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".

5. Often talks excessively.

Impulsivity

1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed

2. Often has difficulty awaiting turn.

3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games).

 

For ADHD, some of these symptoms that cause impairment must be present before age 7 years.

Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g. at school/work and at home) and there must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment in social, school, or work functioning. These symptoms are not because of another mental disorder.

 

ADHD Intervention

Help is available for those with ADHD. The sooner treatment is saught out the more progress can be made towards lessening the impairment these symptoms cause in school and at home. 

 

Behavioral Interventions for the Home (according to PsychCentral)

1. Create rules for the home.

2. Ignore mild inappropriate behaviors and praise appropriate behaviors (choose your battles.

3. Use appropriate directives (simple yet firm and clear directions).

4. Keep  daily charts (children can see progress on a day-to-day basis) and achieve rewards.

5. Set up contingencies ahead of time (“No TV until your homework is finished…”)

6. Point/token system with reward and costs.

7. Try a level system (levels of rewards).

8. Homework Hour.

9. Contract/negotiate with adolescents.

 

Social Skills Training

• Teach them how to listen and engage in conversation, enter new group situations, give and receive praise and criticism, cope with frustration.

 

Counseling & Family Therapy

• Work with a professional to deal effectively with ADHD behavior.

 

Complementary & Alternative Medicine (consult with a health professional)

 

Resources for ADHD

Children & Adults with ADHD

Attention Deficit Disorder Association

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Pysychiatry

National Institute of Health

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

National Resource Center on ADHD

 

What is OCD?

According to the DSM-IV the criteria for OCD are as follows:

Either obsessions or compulsions:

Obsessions as defined by 

• recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images

• thoughts, impulses, or images (not simply everyday worries)

• person attempts to ignore and suppress obsessions

• person recognizes these thoughts as product of the mind

Compulsions as defined by

• Repetitive behaviors or mental acts that person feels driven to perform

• Behaviors or mental acts aimed at preventing/reducing distress/dreaded event

 

At some point during course of disorder, person has recognized that obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable (doesn’t apply to children). Obsessions or compulsions cause distress, are time consuming (more than 1 hour per day), or interfere with person’s life. Obsessions and compulsions are not because of another disorder and the behavior is not due to substance or other medical condition.

 

OCD Interventions

Help is available for symptoms of OCD through Psychotherapy.

• Behavioral Therapy (always use relaxation skills)

  • Systematic Desensitization (gradually exposing client to anxiety provoking stimuli)

  • Flooding (face the most anxiety provoking situation)

• Relaxation Techniques

  • Imagery, breathing skills, muscle relaxation

• Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques

  • Saturation (do nothing but think of one obsessional thought to lose some of it’s strength)

  • Thought-Stopping (halt obsessive thoughts through proper identification of obsessional thoughts and averting it by doing opposite, incompatible response like yelling “STOP”)

 

Resources for OCD

• Anxiety BC

• Anxiety and Depression Association of America

• OCD & Families

• Beyond OCD

• International OCD Foundation