Different Mental Problems Faced By College Students

Psychological issues aren’t “all in your head” or something you can conquer through sheer determination. The typical student risks undergoing mental issues that impact educational accomplishment, well-being and weakened functioning. As per the 2013 National Survey of College Counseling Centers, 95% of college counseling administrators reported an improved trend of learners with psychological issues.

Stress:

College is demanding by nature, as you have to deal with several transitions: for example, finding living accommodations, making new friends, managing class schedules, balancing academic and personal requirements and managing your own finances as well. To be honest, stress can encourage you to perform to the best of your capabilities. But too much stress can be hazardous to both physical and mental wellbeing. According to many clinical researches, too much strain can be the source of insomnia, sexual issues, panic attacks and drug abuse.

Anxiety:

Everybody feels nervous at some point in their lives. Common symptoms of anxiety are excess worry, sleep disturbances, feeling of panic and bodily tension. Most of the time, these issues sort themselves out on their own, but if they don’t, it might suggest you have an anxiety disorder. As per the report of Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorder is one of the most common psychological health disorders on college and university campuses today. Anxiety disorders have an effect on your capability to function normally in daily situations. For instance, you may feel terrified to depart your room for no clear reason or experience a panic attack prior to a test.

Depression:

It is common to feel down or blue at times. But when you have the persistent feeling of gloominess or reduced interest in activities that you used to enjoy, you may have clinical depression. College students are specifically susceptible to depression since they are negotiating with increased demands on their time and resources. College students are often overwhelmed by academic and/or financial burden. Signs of depression can encompass frequent tearfulness, sense of unhappiness, change of eating or sleeping habits, unexplained physical pains, touchiness or a fanatical focus on apparent failures.

Substance abuse issues:

For a great number of students, college is a time of partying and amplified experimentation with alcohol and drugs. But for many, alcohol and drugs become a means of escape from daily burdens. When you lose command of your alcohol or drug use, you may experience a substance abuse problem. This encompasses the abuse of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. According to a Clinical Foundation report, prescription drug abuse is widespread on college campuses.

If you are experiencing any of these signs, then it's time to look for professional college student therapy in Pasadena. Proper mental counseling under the supervision of a psychological expert can help you avoid these pitfalls or recover from a disorder as quickly as possible.

Counseling Can Help People With Cancer

Counseling can help you sort out many different types of problems that you may face when you have cancer. For example, it can help with

• Coping with your reactions to cancer
• Family and relationship issues
• Exploring personal issues
• Dealing with practical issues

People have many reactions to a diagnosis of cancer. You may feel fear, have strong reactions to changes to your body, or be anxious about treatment. Some people feel very angry, or find it difficult to cope with a feeling of loss of control. You may feel very stressed about having to cope with side effects of treatment, such as fatigue, pain or sickness.

Cancer can also affect your family relationships, in terms of how to discuss the diagnosis with your children and your partner; it may also affect intimacy with your partner. There can be role changes within the family, especially if you are no longer able to fulfill the role you used to, even temporarily.

Cancer can stir up many deeply personal issues such as spirituality, sexuality and relationships. It may also affect your usual work and pleasure activities or your goals and ambitions.

Cancer may also cause financial strain. You may need to have difficult conversations about financial support, mortgages and pensions or making a will. All of these can cause tension within the family and extra stress for you. There may be practical problems such as transportation to appointments and treatment.  In terms of communicating with your physician(s), you may want to deal with things in ways that your friends or family don't agree with.

It can help to talk through any of these issues and feelings with someone outside your circle of friends and family, who are often too close to the issues to see them clearly and objectively. A counselor can help you find different ways of coping that hadn't occurred to you before, and because counseling is confidential, you can be honest about what is bothering you. 

Naturally, there is no evidence to suggest that having counseling will help treat or cure your cancer. Nor is there any convincing evidence that it will help prolong your life. But there is a lot of evidence that counseling can help you to cope better with the many difficulties you face, during and after your cancer diagnosis and treatment, and can greatly reduce the stress you are under and improve your quality of life.

Research has found that counseling can help people overcome the depression and anxiety that cancer can cause and assist in dealing with phobias about cancer treatments, such as fear of  injections or being confined to a small space during an MRI scan.

Although some doctors and nurses may provide their patients with emotional and psychological support, many don’t feel comfortable doing this. Some health care staff may not feel able to give support or they may not have the time. Their main focus is on treating and curing your cancer. Of course, this is very important, but many people are also worried about how they can cope with their illness emotionally, and how it will disrupt their everyday life. Because of this, some cancer units now have a counselor or psychotherapist as part of their team.

You can find professional therapists for cancer in Claremont online, and address emotional issues inherent in a cancer diagnosis in a more effective way.

How to know when your child needs counseling

Are you worried your child is suffering from anxiety, depression, or other emotional issues? Does your child have problems at school, either academic or social? Are they not the happy child you once knew? If this is the case, then your child may benefit from mental health services. According to a recent study, approximately 25% of children in America suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. However, 20% of these children suffer at a sub-clinical level and hence do not receive the therapeutic services they need.

Understanding how emotional issues affect your child’s wellbeing will help you determine how to best help your child. As it relates to mental health, for children there are four common areas where we see it show up. Let’s take a look at these four areas:

Schools:

School plays a crucial part in every child’s life. Developmental tasks involving attending school can affect children academically, emotionally, or socially. Various learning disabilities and attention disorders can affect a child’s ability to learn at school which in turn impacts children emotionally. Furthermore, many social factors such as social skills can affect a child’s peer relationships and ability to stay out of trouble at school. If your child has issues either academically, emotionally, or socially at school, mental health counseling or assessment may be of great benefit for your child. 

Bonding with adults:

Another important area of functioning for your child is the ability to get along with adults. It is important that your child can comply with adult demands and listen to parents, teachers, and other authority figures in your child’s life. Therapy is often very useful in managing defiant behavior from your child and teaching parents strategies to help their child succeed in this area.

Mood:

Very often parents miss the signs that suggest their child may be suffering from a mood disorder. A common sign of anxiety in children is if you notice that your child worries about many things. Furthermore children with anxiety typically are very critical of themselves, and have a strong desire to please others. Another common mood disorder for children is depression. Signs of depression in children include sadness most of the day, changes in appetite, more cranky or irritable than normal, problems sleeping, or refusal to go school. Psychologists are especially qualified in treating mood disorders, and can offer your child much relief.

Bonding with peers:

Children may also struggle to make substantial peer relationships. Some children struggle in this area due to aggressive behavior and lack of social skills related to boundaries. Other children find it difficult to make friends because of social anxiety and shyness. Either end of the spectrum can drastically affect the way a child perceives themselves and overall wellbeing

According to many clinical studies, efficient psychotherapy can help children struggling in these areas. Psychotherapy offers a way to cope with the academic and psychological issues., as well as offers parenting strategies as well. A capable psychologist can certainly aid in helping your child find relief in these areas.

How to know when your child needs counseling ?

Are you worried your child is suffering from anxiety, depression, or other emotional issues? Does your child have problems at school, either academic or social? Are they not the happy child you once knew? If this is the case, then your child may benefit from mental health services. According to a recent study, approximately 25% of children in America suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. However, 20% of these children suffer at a sub-clinical level and hence do not receive the therapeutic services they need.

Understanding how emotional issues affect your child’s wellbeing will help you determine how to best help your child. As it relates to mental health, for children there are four common areas where we see it show up. Let’s take a look at these four areas:

Schools:

School plays a crucial part in every child’s life. Developmental tasks involving attending school can affect children academically, emotionally, or socially. Various learning disabilities and attention disorders can affect a child’s ability to learn at school which in turn impacts children emotionally. Furthermore, many social factors such as social skills can affect a child’s peer relationships and ability to stay out of trouble at school. If your child has issues either academically, emotionally, or socially at school, mental health counseling or assessment may be of great benefit for your child.

Bonding with adults:

Another important area of functioning for your child is the ability to get along with adults. It is important that your child can comply with adult demands and listen to parents, teachers, and other authority figures in your child’s life. Therapy is often very useful in managing defiant behavior from your child and teaching parents strategies to help their child succeed in this area.

Mood:

Very often parents miss the signs that suggest their child may be suffering from a mood disorder. A common sign of anxiety in children is if you notice that your child worries about many things. Furthermore children with anxiety typically are very critical of themselves, and have a strong desire to please others. Another common mood disorder for children is depression. Signs of depression in children include sadness most of the day, changes in appetite, more cranky or irritable than normal, problems sleeping, or refusal to go school. Psychologists are especially qualified in treating mood disorders, and can offer your child much relief.

Bonding with peers:

Children may also struggle to make substantial peer relationships. Some children struggle in this area due to aggressive behavior and lack of social skills related to boundaries. Other children find it difficult to make friends because of social anxiety and shyness. Either end of the spectrum can drastically affect the way a child perceives themselves and overall wellbeing

According to many clinical studies, efficient psychotherapy can help children struggling in these areas. Psychotherapy offers a way to cope with the academic and psychological issues., as well as offers parenting strategies as well. A capable psychologist can certainly aid in helping your child find relief in these areas.
About the Author Steven L. McLendon is an author who writes informative articles on Verdant Oak Behavioral Health and other topics related to mental health services.

What is a Psychologist?

Psychologists are mental health professionals that work within many spheres in the healthcare world. Psychologists can be found working in research, hospital, private practice, and many other settings. The main focus of all psychologist is to study the mental, emotional, and behavioral processes of humans. Psychologists are required to obtain doctorate level education either as Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Furthermore subsequent licensure is required for psychologists seeking to treat clients clinically.

In your search to find the right psychologist it is important to understand what types of psychologist are out there, and how they may be able to help you. People seek a psychologist for a variety of issues including stress, relationship problems, issues at school, career problems, depression, anxiety, and many more. The right psychologist may be able to help you with your specific need, utilizing their expertise and training. If you are looking for a psychologist in the Claremont area, this article will help clarify the different types of psychologists within the field of psychology.

Here is a description of a few different types of psychologists to help you with your search:

Counseling Psychologist:

Counseling psychologists have training and experience focused on the assisting individuals in their personal and interpersonal functioning across a lifespan, according to the Society of Counseling Psychology. Psychologists specializing in counseling psychology typically do not work with severe mental illness; however focus on helping individuals better their everyday functioning. Examples of areas that counseling psychologists’ focus on in therapy include occupational, relationship, emotional, and developmental concerns.  Therefore counseling psychologists primarily use psychotherapy as means to help those suffering from mental and emotional distress.

Clinical Psychologists:

Clinical psychologists like counseling psychologists, use psychotherapy and treatment planning to help people cope with mental, emotional, and relationship problems that disturb their everyday functioning. However clinical psychologists also incorporate other interventions into treatment to aid client’s treatment such as assessment and testing. According the American Psychological Association, clinical psychologist are adept to provide “consultation to agencies and communities; training, education and supervision; and research-based practice” in addition to counseling services.Furthermore, clinical psychologists can be found in a wide range of settings from hospitals to private practice, and are qualified to treat severe mental illness in addition to more common emotional issues.

Educational Psychologists:

Educational psychologists work within the educational system to address how individuals learn, learning disabilities, giftedness, and instructional strategies. Educational psychologists mostly serve children, adolescents, and young adults who have learning complexities, social problems or emotional issues. They are equipped to help students and teachers with issues surrounding learning aptitudes and other concerns related to school performance. Furthermore, they teach teachers or instructors how to offer a more learning conducive atmosphere, particularly for kidswith learning disabilities or giftedness.

In addition to these there are several other types of psychologists including neuropsychologists,research psychologists, and forensic psychologists to name a few. In order to find the right psychologist for you, it is important to know what each type of psychologist specializes in and how they will approach helping you. Hope this information helps you on your journey to find the right psychologist for you.

About the Author Steven L. McLendon is an author who writes informative articles on Verdant Oak Behavioral Health and other topics related to psychologist in the Claremont.

Anger Management With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Have you ever been in an argument and found yourself in a rage before you knew it? Or like many people, have you ever experienced road rage that is so sudden that it surprises you? We all experience anger, which is a normal and healthy experience. Anger is an emotion that can be extremely helpful when it is expressed in a healthy way. Experiencing anger brings about insight into out triggers and helps us navigate many relationships. However when we go from controlling our anger to allowing our anger to control us is when problems arise. There are many physical and mental ramifications for letting anger run rampant, like hypertension or depression. Therefore it is imperative to our well being that we are able to manage anger in a useful way.

There is a wide spectrum of interventions that address how to process unhealthy anger, with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) yielding the some of the best outcomes for learning how to cope with out of control anger and related behaviors.

The core of CBT is cognitive restructuring, which is working to change the way we think about situations and anger triggers to in turn change the way we feel and act. For example, this type of therapy would work on changing thoughts like “You don’t care about me” to “Do you understand what I need from you?” which in turn changes the way one would feel and act in that situation. Working to restructure the way we experience anger is one of the main aspects of this type of treatment.

However CBT also adopts a multiplicity of approaches & systems to aid in anger management. Some of the frequently used methods are:

• Working on Acceptance &Nonjudgmental Stance
• Applied Behavioral Analysis
• Exposure & response prevention
• Problem-Solving Techniques
• Mindfulness Techniques
• Communication Skills

Also, during your cognitive behavioral therapy session your counselor will facilitate learning with a variety of strategies including:

• Recognizing the behavioral issues
• Recognizing the triggers to unconstructive feelings resulting in behavioral issues
• Finding ways to reduce unconstructive feelings
• Designing alternate reactions & behavioral patterns
• Practicing and treating the source of unconstructive sentiments by changing the sentimental pattern of a person.

Anger is a healthy and normal emotion that can teach us a lot about ourselves. If you struggle with managing your anger, cognitive behavioral therapy could be of great benefit to you. Working with a qualified therapist can help you along your journey to better control your anger.

For effective cognitive behavioral therapy in Claremont, contact Verdant Oak Behavioral Health (VOBH) - a group of collaborating psychologists located in South Pasadena.

Chronic Illness – Mental Support Is Equally Important As Medication

A chronic ailment is medical condition that takes place or carries on over a long period of time. Many factors can contribute to having a chronic illness, such as heredity/genetics or lifestyle choices. For instance alcohol consumption and smoking are lifestyle factors that increases the risk of obtaining a chronic disease. Another important factor that may contribute to having a chronic ailment is aging, as human beings tend to be more susceptible to these sorts of illnesses as our bodies mature. For instance, some elderly people may obtain chronic illnesses like cancer, due to aging regardless of sound lifestyle choices.

There are various types of chronic disease, affecting different areas and functions of the body. Examples of chronic diseases include cancer, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, hypertension, arthritis and asthma. While most of these ailments can’t be cured completely, they can be controlled with the help of medicine.

A valuable asset when coping with a chronic illness is social support. Having the support of friends and family helps to offer individuals hope in their journey and a moral booster along the way. Furthermore this support can practically help someone with chronic illness in many ways, from medication adherence to accessing treatment.

Understanding how a chronic illness works can also aid in coping with a particular disease. For instance with ailments like diabetes, understanding the how the disease works can aid in making healthy diet choices that are crucial in managing diabetes. Furthermore, understanding the symptoms of an illness can help you provide better information and feedback to your doctor and other healthcare professionals.

As such, and given that chronic disease a last over a long duration of time, management by a medical doctor is usually necessary. In addition to management of physical symptoms by a medical doctor, many people need additional care to help with the mental and emotional toll that comes with chronic illness. Chronic disease does not affect your body physically, but it can also impact your emotional and mental wellbeing. As a result many individuals with a chronic illness find therapy and counseling very helpful in order to cope with the negative emotional and mental effects of living with chronic illness. Psychologists are especially qualified to help individuals process the emotional ramifications of living with a chronic illness. Psychologists can aid in processing many mental issues related to having a chronic disease including depression, anxiety, existential dilemmas, and feelings of loneliness.

If you are looking for a Psychologist for chronic illness in Claremont, contact Verdant Oak Behavioral Health (VOBH) - a group of collaborating psychologists located in South Pasadena.

Things Involved With ADHD Testing Claremont

Does your child find it hard to focus? Do you worry about your child’s inability to pay attention? Or does your child find it hard to sit still? Determining if your child suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperacticity Disorder (ADHD) can be difficult considering the many other possibilities to explain such questions. For example many symptoms of ADHD overlap with generalized anxiety disorder and even learning disabilities. The American Psychiatric Association has detailed the symptoms of ADHD breaking them down into three categories:

• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type
• Predominantly inattentive type
• Combined (Hyperactive-Impulsive and Inattentive) type

In each of these categories, separate symptoms define three different ways ADHD manifests in children and adults. Psychological testing is an effective way to diagnose these symptoms and determine if you or your child suffers from ADHD. Here is a quick overview of ADHD testing and diagnosis.

ADHD Testing and Diagnosis 

Psychologists at Verdant Oak Behavioral Health offer ADHD testing in Claremont that comprises of psychological assessments adept in discerning ADHD. Psychological assessment will require certain steps in order to accurately diagnose ADHD including:

• An interview with you and your child
• An ADHD behavior rating scale, (usually completed with the input of parents and teachers)
• Educational and behavioral history of your child
• Review of your child’s medical records

Furthermore, psychologists may recommend that your child’s physicians administer additional medical testing along with their psychological tests to rule out other possible medical diagnoses that may be a cause of behavior. Examples of such conditions include:

• Thyroid disease
• Seizures
• Hearing & vision problems
• Contact to lead
• Anemia

Again psychologists at Verdant Oak Behavioral Health offerADHD testing in Claremont comprising of comprehensive testing and diagnosis. They can help you answer many questions like:

• Does my child have a learning disability or ADHD?
• What is causing my child to have behavioral issues?
• Are my child’s attention problems due to medical issues?
• Can I do anything to help my child focus better in school?

Contact Verdant Oak Behavioral Health for more information and for answers to questions like these.

Therapy for Drug Addiction– Some Important Facts To Know

Drug addiction is something that affects many people’s lives and wellbeing in devastating ways. Also because of the combination of biological and psychological factors involved in drug addiction, recovering from addiction can be very difficult. Recovery from drug addiction is possible, but usually requires the help of medical and psychological professionals. If you are looking for therapists who treat drug addiction in Claremont, read this brief article to give you valuable information to have on your search.

First, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, drug addiction is “a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and changes in the brain, which can be long lasting.” Examples of common drug addictions in America include alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, pain killers, prescription sedatives and stimulants, cocaine, ecstasy, heroine, and methamphetamines. Also important to know about drug addiction is that relapses (occurs when after a period sobriety, an individual starts using the drug again) are common to this disease. As stated above, it is possible to successfully treat drug addiction and the goals of most treatments are to help the individual cease the use of the drug of choice and maintain sobriety while also increasing their ability to function in the world.

Therapists work in a variety of settings helping people reach such goals. Furthermore, many mental health professionals work alongside medical professionals to treat the addiction both biologically and psychologically. Many times a client will go through a detox phase at the beginning of treatment, which may involve medication treatment to help stabilize the person as well as treat other disorders the person may have. The help of a qualified therapist is important in this stage, as the withdrawal symptoms may include psychological symptoms like anxiety or depression. Once the person is stabilized, therapists begin treatment to help the client gain more insight and develop skills to cope with their addiction.

A common treatment used to treat drug addiction is behavioral therapy. Even if behavioral therapy is not the only intervention used, it is likely to be among the treatment strategies if not the only one. The National Institute of Drug Addiction also cites the following as common forms of behavioral therapy used to treat drug addiction:

• cognitive behavioral therapy
• multi-dimensional family therapy
• motivational interviewing
• motivational incentives

When seeking a therapist to treat drug addiction, it is helpful to understand their approach to treatment. Furthermore, it is important to have the help of healthcare professionals when starting the detox process. For effective therapy for drug addiction in Claremont or for more information, contact (VOBH) - a group of collaborating psychologists located in South Pasadena.