Archives for July 2013

In essence, clinical neuropsychologists are defined as professional medical experts who are trained in the assessment, diagnosis as well as treatment of psychological based disorders which are primarily related to certain conditions within the brain. There are different types of areas within which neuropsychologists can involve themselves in. For instance, forensic science is quite common whereas many neuropsychologists will end up teaching at universities or conducting research within facilities that are involved within the study of the brain.

Just as it is with other countries around the world, there is a specific procedure that a person has to follow in order to become a practicing neuropsychologist within the United States. Even after you end up finishing your academic related responsibilities, there are a number of exams and residences that have to be completed before the government can provide you with a license to practice your skills in real life. Learn more about our roles here http://comprehendthemind.com/new-york-city-psychologist/.

Things you should know

When it comes to neuropsychologists, you can expect to be provided with specialized knowledge and expertise in regards to the cognitive, emotional as well as behavioral aspects of the brain. Therefore, these individuals are trained in dealing with a number of conditions or disorders such as traumatic brain injury as well as stroke in addition to dementia. On the other hand, these individuals will also be able to assess the conditions such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, brain infections, learning disorders in addition to Autism-spectrum conditions along with drug/alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorders.

There are two major different types of neuropsychological treatments which can in theory provide treatment for a variety of brain related conditions some of which have been mentioned in the previous paragraph. These two types of treatments include Cognitive Compensation and Cognitive Remediation.

Cognitive compensation is defined as a treatment process within which a person’s specific cognitive deficiencies are catered to via the use of another cognitive ability. For instance, if a patient has extremely dysfunctional visual memory, he or she can compensate for this by using verbal memory which might be in much better shape as compared to the former. That is why this form of treatment is quite apt at helping patients with memory problems.

On the other hand, cognitive remediation is defined as a complete rehabilitation program to enhance the cognitive ability of a person in regards to specific goals that he or she wants to be able to achieve regarding work, relationships and so on.

There are numerous types of psychological disorders that can afflict both children and adults. However, there are certain strains that are only found within children and the only way to detect the onset of these disorders is to be aware of the symptoms. Just as it is with any other mental illness, the sooner you are able to identify it, the better the chances are of a full recovery.

Let us take a look at some of the most common psychological disorders that can impact children of all ages.

Anxiety Based Disorders

Some of the most common symptoms for this particular disease include excessive worry, fear as well as a general feeling of uneasiness. Anxiety disorders can include phobias, general anxiety disorders as well as obsessive compulsive disorder. Phobias include being fearful of specific situations while a general anxiety disorder would involve the onset of a panic attack due to a heightened emotional state. Obsessive compulsive disorder is a state of mind due to which a child will keep on repeating certain procedures over and over again.

Severe Depression

Depression is a common ailment in both children as well as adults. It can be identified by the onset of feelings of worthlessness and sadness within a child. It can also lead to loss of motivation as well as negative changes in sleep and appetite patterns.

If you believe your child has one of these issues please contact us to find out more. You can find more information here.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder involves exaggerated mood swings that can range from times of extreme sadness to elevation. Many times, the extreme mood states will be accompanied by normal moods in between. Elevated mood swings can be identified by a child talking non-stop while also not feeling the need to sleep at all. Low mood states can be accompanied by severe depression as well as suicidal thoughts in some severe cases. However, if this particular ailment is left untreated, it can lead to severe depression and a host of other problems.

Schizophrenia

This is considered to be an extremely dangerous psychological disorder that involves hallucinations as well as a child withdrawing from people around him or her. The withdrawal from reality as well as delusional behavior can often lead to a number of other problems which when left untreated can completely alter the state of the mind of the child. Consequently, the above psychological disorders are considered to be the most common ones amongst children and can be identified by the symptoms described above.

Due to the nature of the work that most of us our involved in nowadays, it is quite common to be stressed out at the office. Globalization has led to an increase in competition which means that most employees are now almost always under pressure to perform to the best of their abilities in order to ensure their survival within the company. There are some industries within which competition is so tough that employees find themselves on the brink of nervous breakdowns in order to ensure that their superiors are always going to be pleased with their performances.

Although it may seem to be a ludicrous task at best, there are numerous ways through which a person can relieve stress while at work. Let us take a look at some of the most common ways to tackle work related pressures which will in turn help you to enhance your productivity and perform to the best of your abilities. If you’re in the New York area and are in need of a NYC Therapist then contact us today.

Relieving stress at work

Method One

While sitting on your desk, make it a habit to take a couple of deep breaths every once in a while and slowly allow your rib cage as well as your stomach to expand as you breathe in. Exhale out as slowly as possible in order to relax yourself.

Method 2

Taking small breaks in between such as taking a walk to get some water to drink can also allow you to focus on what you have to do afterwards and will enable you to align your thoughts properly.

Method 3

It is also a good idea to keep some stress relieving games near your workstation such as a dart board, a mini-basketball hoop or even a foam stress ball that you can squeeze now and then. These games can help distract you in a positive way while also keeping you focused on the job at hand. There are also many people who keep soothing music at hand and listen to it a few times during the day to achieve relaxation.

Method 4

The ability to visualize and imagine yourself in relaxing situations is also considered to be a great way to relieve stress. If under severe stress, take a moment to close your eyes and think about one of your most favourite places in the world. Imagine that you are sitting there having the time of your life.

The above mentioned ways to relieve stress are quite easy to integrate into your everyday working environment and are considered to be extremely effective.

Every person in the world is afraid of something and fear is one of the most natural emotions. However, if you develop a constant and excessive fear related to a particular sort of situation or condition then it is known as a phobia. There are lots of common phobias out there and some of them downright weird.

The Fear of being afraid

There is a condition known as phobophobia which is said to manifest in people who are afraid of being afraid. Although that may sound strange, this condition does exist and people who suffer from it will tend to have frequent panic attacks when faced with certain situations.

The Fear of Work

Although many of us sometimes feel that we want a break from the office, there are certain individuals who are actually afraid of venturing into their workplace simply because they are afraid due to a multitude of reasons such as not being accepted by their colleagues or not being able to measure up to the performance standards set by their superiors.

The Fear of Names

Have you ever heard of Onomatophobia? There are certain individuals who suffer from this particular phobia which is related to not being able to stand the sound of certain names, phrases or words. The type of phrase, word or name is different for each person. Research has indicated that there have been patients who have suffered from this particular phobia regarding the sound of their own names.

Fear of Mirrors

If you have ever been into superstitious stuff in your life, I am sure that you may be aware of the belief that if you break a mirror, you will be plagued with seven years of bad luck. Although this is merely superstition, in today’s day and age, it has become a sort of phobia for a lot of people who try to stay away from handling mirrors because they feel that they might end up breaking them and suffering from bad luck for the rest of their lives. This type of phobia is known as eisoptrophobia. Then again, there are also some people who are afraid of looking into a mirror because of contentions that they have with their physical appearance.

Consequently, phobias are quite common and these days, you can actually discover a phobia about any type of situation, circumstance etc. in the world. The one’s mentioned, though being strange, are quite common.

A neuropsychologist is a medical professional well versed in the art of diagnosing as well as assessing and treating patients who show symptoms of cognitive deficits, brain injuries and disorders along with progressive neurocognitive disorders. However, the road to becoming a neuropsychologist is long and a hard one. There are numerous aspects that have to be taken care of before a person can actually start working professionally as a neuropsychologist.

The training programs for neuropsychologists involve numerous aspects such as classroom work in conjunction with clinical practicum experiences.

The first step towards becoming a neuropsychologist is to obtain a Bachelor’s degree from a university. Ideally, you need to major in psychology or biology. You should also opt for courses such as clinical psychology, anatomy, physiology as well as neurobiology along with other highly advanced scientific courses.

Once you have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, you need to get into a good school with a reputed doctorate program. The school that you will end up opting for should offer clinical psychology programs with concentration on neuropsychology. The courses that you will take in neuropsychology such as brain anatomy and physiology in addition to psychopathology will provide you with knowledge that you need.

The training programs will include clinical rotations which you have to complete and pass with exemplary performance. According to the regulations of your doctorate program, you will also have to complete a one year internship at a neuropsychology clinic. This is a requirement that needs to be completed in order for you to get your doctorate.

Next, you will have to get a postdoctoral position at a hospital. You can also opt for the same position at a brain trauma center or some other facility. This will allow you to complete two years of specialized training in neuropsychology.

Lastly, you are going to have to pass the state licensing examination in clinical psychology while also applying to receive a clinical neuropsychology diploma from the American Board of Clinical Psychology. After this, you will have to pass the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology examination. You can give the exam any of the four times that it is offered during a single calendar year.

You will also have to provide the board with two sample clinical cases in order to receive your final certification. The American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology will also ask you to sit for and pass an oral exam after which you will be officially able to practice as a neuropsychologist within the United States of America.

If you need some direction call one of our New York City Psychologists today!

Every person is susceptible towards feeling anxious at one point or the other. However, if feelings of anxiety get out of hand, they can start interfering with daily functionality of a person. People who find themselves unable to function properly due to feelings of anxiousness are said to suffer from anxiety disorders. There are different types of anxiety disorders which is why there are also different sorts of treatments that involve the use of both cognitive behavioral therapy as well as medication.

Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are associated with intense feelings of anxiety that can occur without any warning and can lead to the incapacitation of a person. The feeling of anxiety can be the result of any type of trigger.

Phobias

Lots of people tend to get uncontrollably anxious due to fear of certain types of situations or things. For instance people are afraid of heights or spiders.

Social Anxiety

Individuals who suffer from social anxiety are ones who are afraid of getting embarrassed due to any reason while being placed in a social environment.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

GAD is a mental illness that is found within individuals who suffer from anxiety all of the time without being able to specifically pinpoint the exact reason behind their condition.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

This disorder is related to thoughts or behavior that is repeated unnecessarily and without any reason.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

People who have had to face a severely stressful event in their lives often end up suffering from this order later on. The feelings of anxiety that they feel are a direct result of the trauma that they experienced.

Treatment for Anxiety Disorders

The psychological treatment for anxiety disorders primarily includes the use of CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Treatment) combined with medication.

On the other hand, CBT is primarily employed to allow people to face their fears in a controlled manner. Allowing them to face their fears and then find out ways to control them is one of the main reasons why CBT is considered to be the best treatment for anxiety due to specific types of phobias.

Also, medication is used for treating anxiety disorders when there is a chemical imbalance within the brain. The three chemicals present within the brain that control anxiety related responses are serotonin, norepinephrine as well as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The medication prescribed in this case can include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors which can regulate chemical imbalances.

Stress and anxiety are one of the most common problems faced by individuals these days. There are a variety of reasons why you might end up getting stressed or anxious. Changes in lifestyle as well as relationship problems in addition to pressure within your working environment can lead to stress. Although talk therapy may be one of the best treatments to opt for, there are many physicians who end up prescribing medication to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety. The type of medicine as well as the daily dosage depends upon the severity of the symptoms.

Individuals who find it difficult to manage anxiety should never opt for medication without consulting a doctor. Read more about the services we offer. Although there are over-the-counter medicines available for which a person does not have to get a prescription, it is much better to first get a proper diagnosis before opting for any type of medication.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

SSRI’s are taken every day and considered to be antidepressants due to their positive impact upon the neurotransmitters within the brain. These medicines include Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa. SSRI’s are considered to be an effective weapon against alleviating anxiety symptoms.

Benzodiazepines

This category of medication known for alleviating the symptoms of anxiety includes Xanax, Valium and Ativan. However, since this medication can be abused and patients can become dependent upon it, physicians are required to carefully monitor every aspect of the treatment in order to ensure that nothing like that will happen.

Mood Stabilizers

For people who are engulfed in massive amounts of anxiety, it is often fruitful to start on a mood stabilizer daily dosage. However, since these prescriptions are more powerful in terms of potency and can have side effects, they should never be taken without consulting a doctor first. These medications include Depakote, Tegretol as well as Lamictal. They can also be taken in conjunction with other similar types of medication and require extensive physician monitoring.

Antipsychotics

Antipsychotic medication includes Abilify, Zyprexa as well as Geodon or Risperdal. These are recommended for patients who exhibit severe symptoms of both anxiety as well as depression. Normally, antipsychotic pills are issued when all other prescriptions fail to have the desired impact.

Consequently, the above mentioned medication can help alleviate both regular as well as severe forms of anxiety. However, in any case, one should never embark on regular dosage of these medicines unless a physician has specifically prescribed them to you. In many cases, talk therapy can fix a lot of anxiety and depression issues.