Author Archive

 TMS and Electromagnetism in the Human Brain 

As we learned in a recent post about the function of electromagnetism in the human body, we use electric charges to power our nervous system. These charges provide the energy needed to send signals to various parts of the body. Without it, we could not do things like showing empathy or waving to someone we know. 

One of our offerings at Rochester Holistic Psychiatry is transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. TMS is a noninvasive method for adjusting brain function by delivering electromagnetic

 The Role of Electric Charges in the Body, Part 1 

The human body’s cells use electricity to run the nervous system. Without electrical charges, our nervous system could not send signals through our bodies, and we could not respond to stimuli. That would include running away from a charging bull, pulling our hands away from a hot surface, or even feeling excited when we see someone we like. 

Most of the time, these reactions are immediate, and we don’t have to think about them. So how is it that

 How to Prep for SAD Season 

The nighttime temperature is in the 20s and the first snows have fallen. It’s the holiday season, but it’s also SAD season. SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder, but some sources refer to it as Seasonal Affective Depression or Seasonal Depression (SD). It is primarily caused by inhibited production of serotonin influenced by lack of exposure to sunlight. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps us feel stable and focused. 

SAD is associated with colder seasons because the days are shorter, plus people spend

 Antepartum Depression 

Antepartum depression is depression experienced during pregnancy, also called perinatal depression or prenatal depression. Depression while pregnant is not uncommon. About 7% of pregnant people experience antepartum depression according to data reported by Healthline, but the number is likely much higher. 

If you have antepartum depression, you may feel: 

− Dread about the future 

− Fear about mistakes one has not made, like hurting the baby 

− Helplessness 

− Low self-esteem, such as believing one is not fit to be a parent 

− Disinterest in things one

 How to Journal for Better Mental Health 

Something we encourage our patients to do is keep a journal. The reasons we do this are many, so we thought we’d outline them in this post. 

Journaling is an excellent form of stress management. It forces one’s mind to slow down and concentrate on the task at hand. Staying in the fight-or-flight state isn’t so easy when writing about your stressors. 

Visions and goals become that much more real when written down. Journaling isn’t just for writing about our problems. Your

TMS and Addiction: Neuromodulation for Substance Abuse 

Addiction/substance abuse and depression walk hand in hand. Many times, it’s impossible to tell which came first, but that point can be moot, as the two quickly mesh. Substance abuse and depression make each other stronger; a pair of destructive best friends. Today, we’re going to take a look at how brain stimulation can be used as a form of neuromodulation to help patients fight substance abuse and achieve remission for depression. We’ll use “addiction” and “substance abuse” interchangeably. 

But first, why

 Depression and Traumatic Brain Injuries 

The brain is just another organ in the body, and when it is injured, it affects the function. Just like when a pulled neck muscle causes pain and difficulty turning your head, injuries to the brain will affect how the body and mind function by themselves and with each other. 

Today, we want to take a look at the effect injuries to the brain may have on the development of depressive disorders. Specifically, a traumatic brain injury, a TBI. According to information cited by

 Beyond Type 2: The Other Types of Bipolar Disorder 

In recent articles, we covered bipolar types 1 and 2, as well as TMS for bipolar disorder, resources, its relation to manic depression, etc. Bipolar disorder is tricky enough as it is, but there are patients with characteristics and symptoms that do not fit into types 1 or 2 and need their own designation to better identify and treat. 

Research is ongoing, but the following are the general types we’ve identified as being on the spectrum of bipolar disorder. 

Unspecified

 Things That Depression Is Not: Part 3 

Depression is not just a mental health issue, but a physical health issue too. This is the third blog on our series on what depression is not. When we say “depression” in this blog, we are using it as an umbrella term for multiple depressive disorders. When we are referring to major depressive disorder, it’ll be abbreviated as MDD. 

Depression and poor health walk hand in hand. Someone can be in perfect health and still have depression. Overall, though, there are distinct

 What Depression is Not, Part 2 

There are many myths about depression floating around out there, and part of our job every day at Rochester Holistic Psychiatry is to help dispel those myths to help people better understand themselves, their situation, and their options. One of the biggest myths we come across is that depression is just one thing, a mental disorder characterized by symptoms like sadness, withdrawal, and problems focusing on tasks. 

We offer psychiatric health services to patients with a variety of physiological issues, from major depressive