Harm Reduction is a pragmatic and strategic approach to reduce the harmful effects of substance use that has emerged in recent years that recognizes that people with substance use disorders present for care at different stages in their road to recovery and that successful intervention in substance abuse treatment can be applied even with people […]

Last week’s e-weekly reviewed what situations might warrant the use of a safety plan and what is included in one. Safety plans typically include resources, both local and possibly hotlines or websites. The goal for this e-weekly is to provide information on some useful resources that could be utilized in a person’s specific safety plan. […]

Often when a patient is in crisis, we talk about putting a “safety plan” in place. It may not be clear to all providers what a safety plan is or why it might be helpful. The goal of this e-weekly is to discuss what a safety plan is, how to develop and implement one, and […]

The United States has 57% more school threats than all other industrialized nations combined. Most experts agree that this is at least partially related to the relatively easier access to guns in the United States compared to other developed countries, but this e-weekly is not about the gun debate. It is a review of the […]

Recent literature has found a link between vitamin D deficiency and psychiatric illnesses, particularly depression. Several studies have shown that vitamin D supplementation can benefit depression symptoms. The goal of this e-Weekly is to review the literature and provide practical information for providers on using vitamin D supplementation as part of a depression treatment plan. […]

Postpartum depression (PPD) is fairly common, with a prevalence of 10-15%. PPD can occur anytime in the first year after delivery. The postpartum year is one of the highest risk periods for first-onset depression for women with approximately 50% of women who will have a depressive disorder in their lifetime experiencing their first episode of […]

The mainstay of medication treatment for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder is a mood stabilizer. These medications ideally can help manage the manic/hypomanic symptoms as well as the depressive symptoms that can occur in bipolar disorder. Patients with bipolar disorder, either Bipolar I or Bipolar II, typically spend more time in depression than in mania. […]

Serotonin syndrome (SS) and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) are each rare psychiatric emergencies that can lead to fatal outcomes. NMS occurs in 1/1000 patients treated with neuroleptic medications. Because the treatment is very different for these two conditions, it is important to know how to identify symptoms for each and be able to differentiate between […]

Bupropion is an effective antidepressant but is not as commonly utilized as other antidepressants like the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). This is likely because it is less well understood and there are some myths about this medication that limit its use.  Bupropion’s mechanism of action is very different […]

Mental health concerns can occur in the postpartum period, and depression is the most common mental health concern that is seen. Previous e-Weekly’s have discussed the effects of postpartum depression on a new mother and her bonding with her baby. It is not uncommon for a new mother to feel like she has to make […]