Author Archive

The Mind Lives in the Body

In part one of our series on keeping your mental health steady during the COVID-19 quarantine, we discussed how to stay connected socially.  Today, we want to talk about maintaining physical health.  The brain is just another part of the body, and the condition of your body below the neck greatly affects your mental health.

This isn’t just a list of ways to be healthier.  We want to help you customize your efforts to better your health to the situation at hand.

Physical Exercise

Depending on your neighborhood,

Home Alone?

During the quarantine, which as of now is to last until April 30th, Rochester Holistic Psychiatry is keeping in touch with our patients.  We are currently consulting over the phone and via video call, so you don’t have to go without mental health help.  Telemedicine is being used by medical professionals all over the world and aids greatly with diagnosis and home care.  Talking with a medical professional via telemedicine services also helps patients know whether they should make an in-person appointment and/or if there are instructions from the

What Happens During TMS

Recently we talked about what actually happens during a TMS procedure.  now we’ll look at what kinds of TMS equipment are out there.  there are a lot of folks who don’t know about this procedure, and it helps to know about everything that goes into something before you try it.

During a TMS procedure, they will make sure there is no metal on or in you.  then you’ll sit in a comfy chair with earplugs (it’s not too loud but about as much as an MRI machine.  you’ll

The TMS Breakdown

We talk a lot about TMS on this blog and what it does or may do for the mental illnesses we treat. But what actually goes on during a TMS treatment? We’re often asked about how it feels, aftercare, and what the doctor does. We’ll go into those questions and answers today.

TMS Defined

The general definition of TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, describes it as a noninvasive treatment using magnetic energy to stimulate areas of the brain regulating mood. TMS is only approved by insurance companies for use on

The Bipolar Divide

At Rochester Holistic Psychiatry, we often help people with bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression.  What is bipolar disorder? Like the name suggests, bipolar is a twofold condition, like a pendulum between mania and depression.  These “swings” from one extreme to another can be a quick change or a slow slide, and each state can be mild or severe.  Bipolar disorder affects millions in the United States alone, and is a very serious condition, damaging families and taking lives.  It typically becomes pronounced in early adulthood but may

Answering Our Patients’ Questions

When discussing their mental health with us, our patients sometimes report panic attacks as one of their symptoms.  What is a panic attack exactly, why do they happen, what happens during a panic attack, and what can be done during a panic attack to lessen the severity?  Are there actions that can lessen the occurrence of panic attacks?  Let’s talk about it.

What Is a Panic Attack?

According to the Mayo Clinic and other sources, the definition of a panic attack is “A sudden episode of intense fear, anxiety,

Investigating Risks and Benefits

It’s always a good idea to be concerned about the side effects of any medical treatment.  At Rochester Holistic Psychiatry, we are committed to transparency and want to disclose the side effects, common and uncommon, of trans-cranial magnetic stimulation therapy.

If you have any questions about the side effects of TMS that are not covered here, please contact us.

Common Side Effects of TMS

Most TMS patients experience no side effects at all, but those who do report side effects within the list below:

Scalp discomfort. Reported by patients as a

Depression’s Friends

Depression is troubling and hard to live with on its own, but there are often accompanying events and habits that influence the depressive disorder’s characteristics and severity.  We want to detail a few to help encourage evaluation of one’s surroundings and experiences.

Bad Influences
Trauma

Trauma, especially unaddressed trauma, is a major depression factor and affects thousands.  Trauma can be anything from an accident, an assault, a death, etc.  Traumatic events can cause flashbacks, general anxiety, and stress.  Environmental triggers and anniversaries of the event can be particularly upsetting.

Poor Health

The brain contains

What is Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression is defined by The National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) as “A mood disorder that can affect women after childbirth… that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or others.”

Also called “baby blues,” postpartum depression manifests in different ways and is more common than reported, mainly because it’s hard to talk about.  New motherhood is often portrayed as a time of nothing but joy, despite the sleepless nights, the toll taken on the body by childbirth, and the life

Weighing Your Options

Deciding on a treatment for a mental disorder can be difficult.  The nature of your illness or disorder may be hard to determine, or you might have limited resources, or you might have tried treatments that didn’t work, or made your problem worse.  Many mental disorders manifest as a combination of symptoms.

TMS is emerging as a treatment option for depression and may have positive effects on other illnesses, including anxiety and PTSD, but there are still more studies to be done before TMS becomes mainstream.  We want to