Category: Blog Posts

The winter holidays and the transition to a new year can take worrying to a whole new level. Somehow this time of year brings a mixed blessing even in the best of times. I am confronted with the contradictions in my life such as how to plan for the holidays amid a worsening economy. I alternately look forward to parties and feel guilty for not doing more to help others. I make my gift list at the same time as I wonder if that money should be spent in a more practical way. I want to create a warm and loving holiday celebration for my family, but I worry about what next year will bring to all of us. You have to be careful at this time of year not to get deeply depressed, especially with the current state of affairs in our country and our world. There is just an awful lot to worry about this season.

Today’s crises are no more intense and overwhelming than those humankind has endured for centuries. As a matter of fact do you know what we are celebrating at this time of year? Our year-end holidays celebrate the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Thanksgiving is the holiday started by our Pilgrim forebears because they made it through their first harsh year in New England. Chanukah commemorates a miracle that occurred in the war torn country of the ancient Jews. Christmas celebrates the incredibly humble birth of a poor child who inspired a new world religion.

In other words these holidays are a reminder that even at the worst of times, if you have faith and hope you will not only come through hardship but you will be better for it.

According to the April 2008 edition of Pediatrics, the annual income of parents with autistic children is 14% less than parents without autistic children. Guillermo Montes, PhD, of the Children’s Institute in Rochester, N.Y and his colleagues write, “The average loss of annual income associated with having a child with autism spectrum disorder was $6,200.” Researchers speculate that part of the reason may be due to the different choices regarding work a parent might have to make. For example, some communities may not have the services available for autism forcing parents to relocate.

As a health care provider in the Pacific Northwest, I am determined to give guidance and direction to parents with autistic children. If you are in need of assistance, please contact my office to set up an appointment.

Here are some additional resources in the Portland/Vancouver area:

http://www.autismsocietyofwa.org/ASWSWC.html

http://www.aspergersnet.org/about.html

http://www.oregonautism.com/index.php?fuseaction=groups.region6

A recent study by Nicotine and Tobacco Research showed that people who suffer from ADHD are more likely to smoke and have a harder time quitting than someone without ADHD symptoms. Smoking provides a type of self-medication due to the release of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that is related to attention processes and impulse control.

With this new understanding on smoking cessation and ADHD, physicians will be in a better position to tailor treatments for their patients. For those who desire to be a successful non-smoker, here are two key steps that I recommend to start you off:

First: Change your environment at work and at home so that smoking is not as easy to do.

Second: Recognize that most of your smoking is done to take care of other emotional needs. When you desire a cigarette, ask yourself, “What do I really want instead?” Then take care of the real need.

For more encouragement to stop smoking, click on the link for more information.

The holidays can be a joyous and happy time, but they can also bring about added stress and pressure. Unfortunately, the holiday season is one of the most dangerous times of the year due to the increase of alcohol consumption causing accidents and even death. To keep this time of year happy and safe, I recommend drinking in moderation. Here are a few key ideas to help keep alcohol in its proper place:

1. You don’t have to drink! Many feel pressured to have a drink at a social gathering because it’s been offered to them. If you feel like enjoying a non-alcoholic beverage, you are entitled to do so. Giving into peer pressure can lead you down a disastrous path.

2. If you plan to drink, set your limits. Before you arrive at the party, decide how much you will drink and then do it! If you set the rules, you are more likely to stick to them.

3. Keep alcohol in its proper place – an enhancement. Instead of viewing the party as a opportunity to drink, look at it as a wonderful time to socialize and enjoy good conversation. Then if you choose to have a drink, it’s just an addition to a lovely evening not the focal point.

This time of year is supposed to be fun, festive, and relaxing. Plan ahead of time to avoid becoming a victim to the horrible statistics that we hear about year after year. If you alcohol has been a problem for you in the past, please take a look at this tip http://www.kmarshack.com/therapy/mind-body/tipalcohol.html for more information.

Last month, the U.S. Congress passed the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act of 2008, also known as mental health parity. This is important news – this law will end insurance discrimination against mental health and substance use disorder coverage for 113 million Americans. Some states, like Washington state where I practice, already have a mental health parity law in effect, however this federal legislation insures parity for every American.

When this law takes effect, which for most plans will be January 1, 2010, insurance companies will be required to provide parity benefits coverage in EVERY aspect of plan coverage—both in-network and out-of-network. Psychologists like myself see this as a giant step forward in eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health care.

If you would like to learn more about how the legislation works, including the specific aspects of coverage affected, visit www.apapractice.org.