Blog Archive

Perhaps you’ve tried medications to address your mental health and they haven’t made any difference. Or, worse, your symptoms have increased. Or maybe you just want to get a feel for what your options are for improving your mental health. Whatever has brought you here, Dr. Diana Ghelber and the...

“Oh, they’re just being bipolar right now,” is a sentence that has crept into our language to describe someone that runs hot and cold. While there may be a touch of truth in there, it hardly paints a clear picture about what is a very serious mental health issue. To...

The death of a loved one, the ending of a partnership or friendship, the loss of a job — there’s no shortage of events and circumstances that can lead to sadness. In fact, sadness is an important part of the human condition, and we should always make room for it....

Thanks to your post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you’re often jumpy, stressed, and hyperreactive and negative thoughts swirl uncontrollably around your head. And you’re feeling more than just a little overwhelmed at not being able to quiet and control your brain. First, we want to assure you that you are most...

You have very few peaceful moments in your life thanks to your obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and you're tired of constantly living in its shadow.  Dealing with a mental health issue like OCD, which affects 2.3% of adults in the United States, can be challenging and time-consuming. But these hurdles are...

Since antidepressants were first introduced in the 1950s, there haven’t been any sea changes in how we treat mental health issues until the last two decades. Today, we have more mental health resources to work with, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy and ketamine infusion therapy, which are offering new...

You’ve been struggling with your depression for far too long and you feel like you're running out of answers. You’ve devoted months, if not years, to finding the right combination and dosing of medications, to no avail. Depression still has you in its grips. The first thing that Dr. Diana...

The moment you start seeing holiday decorations — and they come out earlier and earlier each year — a growing ball of dread or anxiety starts to build inside you. Not to mention stress levels begin to soar as you look ahead to all that you have to do. If...

You've been trying to find solutions for your mental health, but you feel that you’ve just been spinning around on a hamster wheel with nothing to show for your efforts.  As you are already likely aware, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for mental health, and it often takes many attempts before...

Whether you’re dealing with depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), treatment options can be challenging — it takes time for medications to kick in, and finding the right combination of therapies can be a lengthy process. Making matters more complex, many people don’t respond well to medications — 30% of people...

Botox® has been a go-to cosmetic tool for more than two decades now and it’s helped millions of people to turn back the clock on aging skin by relaxing wrinkles and fine lines. It seems that turning your frown upside down by getting rid of frown lines might also improve...

The population of the United States is as old as it’s ever been: The number of Americans aged 65 and older is going to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050. While this means that age-related health issues like arthritis and cardiovascular disease will certainly tick...

Maybe you’ve tried antidepressants to help with your depression, but you’ve had little success and the dark cloud still hangs over you. Or, maybe your anxiety is at an all-time high, but you don’t want to take potentially addictive medications. Whatever your situation, you’re part of the 26% of American...

People often say, “The pain is all in your head,” like it’s a bad thing. Well, in reality, all pain is in your head given that your head houses your central nervous system. Where pain can become even more head-based is when it’s chronic and turns the corner from a...

You get into your car and you’re not sure whether you locked the house. So, you go back and check. After the 10th time, you're now running very late, again, and you drive away, still obsessing over the idea of intruders in your house. This type of scenario is all...

Because mental health is incredibly complex, issues rarely come in tidy packages that are easy to diagnose and treat. Instead, there’s ample crossover between mental illnesses — someone who has a substance use disorder may have arrived there through trauma. Or a person with an eating disorder is often also...

You go from being really happy one minute and sad the next and you’re accused of “being bipolar.” This use of what is a very serious mental health issue is certainly rooted in some truth, but it’s also very far off the mark when it comes to true bipolar disorder....

We want to believe in silver bullets when it comes to our health, but these simply don’t exist. This is very much true in the field of mental health, where medications routinely miss the mark, especially when it comes to depression.  In fact, this problem might be much larger than...

To kick off this discussion, we want to make two important points about trauma: 1) About 70% of American adults have experienced at least one traumatic event; and 2) Trauma is a risk factor in most behavioral and substance use disorders. In fact, trauma is directly responsible for one of...

Holidays and mental health issues often don’t make for great bedfellows. Each, on its own, is stressful enough, but when the holidays and a mental health issue like anxiety or depression come together, the union is often a bad one. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, a survey...

The statistics surrounding chronic pain are nothing short of concerning — nearly 52 million Americans report chronic pain and, of this number, slightly more than 17 million have high impact pain that severely limits their lives. Making matters worse, chronic pain can also have a major impact on mental health....

Like 21 million other adults in the United States, you’re tired of living under the cloud of depression and you want to do whatever you can to break free.  Seeking expert help with Dr. Diana Ghelber and the team here at Institute for Advanced Psychiatry is a great first step. We’re well versed in treating depression, and...

There’s nothing wrong with exercising a little caution — at least that’s what you tell yourself when you get out of bed to check the stove or drive back to your house to make sure the front door is locked. Each time you check after the first time, it’s getting...

Feeling sad is a perfectly normal part of being human, and it’s safe to say that most of us have experienced this emotion — far more than once. While sadness can be fleeting, it can also settle in for a spell, such as after a big loss. But, is prolonged...

Throwing caution to the wind can be a very good step in certain situations, but a lack of abandon can also do harm. Risky behaviors are part and parcel of certain mental health conditions and it’s important to recognize when there might be an issue that goes above and beyond...

You have a mental health issue that you’re taking medications for, but your symptoms aren’t improving and you’re tired of living under a cloud. You’re not alone — nearly 31% of those treated with medications for major depressive disorder are treatment-resistant. The good news is that medications aren’t the only solution. Here...

You’re worried about a work or school project or you’re apprehensive about an upcoming dental appointment. These are instances in which worry and anxiety are perfectly normal. You can’t leave the house without going back, over and over, to check that the stove is off or you’re susceptible to frequent...

A large-scale analysis of thousands of studies conducted over the past 30 years on the benefits of exercise on mental health came to an important conclusion — there’s ample evidence of statistically significant, and beneficial, links between physical activity and your mental well-being. Here at the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry,...

“Oh, he’s just being bipolar,” or “She’s just acting all bipolar.” Statements like these tend to blur the definition of what is, in reality, a very serious mental health issue that affects nearly 3% of the population in the United States, with  83% of those quite severely. Dr. Diana Ghelber...

For the 21 million adults in the United States who suffer from major depressive disorder, life can seem hopeless much of the time. In reality, there is cause for hope as treatments for depression are expanding, giving you more options than ever before. Included in this expanding area are cosmetic...

When someone contemplates suicide, they feel as if there’s no other way out and that all hope is lost. We assure you, this is far from the truth. No matter how hopeless things may appear to be, remember, it’s a malfunction in the brain that’s most often to blame, and...

It may feel like hope is hard to find when you’re struggling with post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), but we want you to know that there is hope — a good deal of it. At the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, Dr. Diana Ghelber and the compassionate mental health team have extensive experience helping people to move...

You’ve been trying for months, if not years, to improve your mental health with psychiatric medications, to no avail. While psychiatric medications have been a godsend for millions of people, they’ve also proven ineffective for a large number, too. In fact, about 30% of people are resistant to antidepressant medications for depression. We...

The incidence of chronic pain among adults in the United States is alarming — slightly more than 20% struggle with ongoing pain and more than 7% report high-impact pain, which prevents them from engaging in many activities. While the pain is enough to cast a long, dark shadow, the risk...

While bipolar disorder may not affect a significant number of people — about 2.8% of the population in the United States — 83% of those cases are classified as severe.  Not treating bipolar disorder can be very dangerous as the condition tends to get worse, which is why recognizing when...

Battling a major depressive disorder can be frustrating, at best, and seemingly futile, at worst. While antidepressants have proven useful, the fact is that up to two-thirds of people with depression don’t achieve adequate relief from the first antidepressant they try. While trying another antidepressant is one route, Dr. Diana Ghelber and the experienced mental health team here...

There are many issues when it comes to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), not the least of which is the amount of misinformation floating around about the condition. This anxiety disorder, which affects up to 2% of people in the United States at some point in their lives, is incredibly complex, and we want to...

When you think of depression, you likely think of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest. Indeed, these symptoms of major depressive disorder are the hallmarks of the condition, but there are other signs that point to a potential problem. To illustrate the many ways in which depression can manifest itself, Dr. Diana Ghelber and...

You live in fear, you avoid certain people or places, you’re drinking too much, and/or your moods seem to be out of your control. These hallmarks of post-traumatic-stress disorder (PTSD) can consume your life, making you a prisoner of the problem. We want you to know that there are solutions...

Your depression has cast a long shadow over your life for far too long and you just want your life back. You’ve tried medications and the results just weren’t there, leaving you trapped inside a cloud of sadness and hopelessness. It's alled treatment-resistant (or treatment-refractory) depression, and we want you to...

Germaphobia, mysophobia, verminophobia, bacillophobia — these are all names for a very common condition in which a pathological fear of germs and contamination can overshadow your life. At the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, Dr. Diana Ghelber and our team recognize the difference between a fear and a phobia, and we...

Many people believe that bipolar disorder is characterized by fluctuating manic and depressive episodes — extreme highs and extreme lows. While there’s some truth to this simplistic characterization, bipolar disorder is more complex than that, and this can make diagnosis tricky. If you’re concerned that your or a loved one...

With many health issues, it’s not until you slowly recover that you realize the extent to which the condition infiltrated your life. This can certainly be said of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as recovery allows you to break free from the trauma and regain control over your life. With you...

When you wake each day to ongoing pain and discomfort, the toll this exacts on your overall wellness is great, and this can very much include your mental health.  Here at the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, our team of mental health experts, led by Dr. Diana Ghelber, fully appreciates how...

You’re tired of living in the darkness and hopelessness that define depression, and you've tried to find a way out through medications and therapy, to no avail. It might be time to consider another approach to depression — transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS therapy. At the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry,...

Mental health professionals got a huge, and much-needed, boost when the FDA approved the use of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression in 2019.  While this acknowledgment was important, Dr. Diana Ghelber and the team here at the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry have understood the potential benefits of ketamine infusion therapy for...

Anxiety and depression are often lumped together, giving the impression that they go hand in hand. This is not necessarily the case as anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder are very separate diagnoses, yet there can be considerable overlap — nearly half of people in the United States who are...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, affects about 1% of the population in the United States, interfering with the ability to enjoy life as disruptive thoughts and behaviors take control. If OCD is significantly impacting your life (or your child’s), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy may hold the key to releasing you...

Depression is depression, right? Not so fast. Depression is a mood disorder that can manifest itself in several ways, and understanding what you’re up against can help you better control your mental health. At the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, Dr. Diana Ghelber and our team believe that education is an...

Of the 70% of adults in the United States who’ve experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives, 20% go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be a debilitating and life-altering condition. Here at the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, Dr. Diana Ghelber and our team of...

The incidence of childhood trauma in the United States is eye-opening — more than two-thirds of children report at least one traumatic event by the age of 16. From bullying to abuse, trauma is an unfortunate part of growing up for many children, and the effects can very much carry...

The prevalence of sexual assault in the United States is nothing short of alarming — according to the CDC, more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence at some point during their lives. While statistics may be a cold way to open up...

Bipolar is fairly common, affecting nearly 3% of adults in the United States (about five million people), and also incredibly complex. In fact, diagnosing bipolar disorder is the first hurdle, while treating the mental illness poses further challenges as it’s more resistant than depression. So, when a new treatment comes...

About one in eight women  in the United States experiences signs of postpartum depression, which goes far beyond the usual fatigue and frustration that comes with caring for a newborn. If you’re feeling abnormally overwhelmed and empty, please know that there is hope. At the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, Dr....

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD, more specifically) has entered our language to jokingly refer to someone who likes a little bit of organization. In reality, clinical OCD is no laughing matter as the anxiety disorder can hijack your life, imprisoning you in a world of uncontrollable compulsions and/or obsessions. To help you...

You cut your finger, break a bone, or burn yourself and pain ensues, which is your nervous system’s way of signaling the damage. What about the mysterious body aches and pains that often accompany anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health issues? Just because there’s no visible signs of physical...

Americans, on the whole, have experienced an alarming amount of trauma. To wit, 70% of adults report experiencing trauma, to say nothing of children. For many, this trauma leads to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — 5% of adolescents and 3.6% of adults in the United States struggled with PTSD in...

When it comes to mental health issues of all kinds, there remains an alarming amount of misinformation and misconception that may be preventing people from getting the help they need. This is especially true of one of the more common mental health disorders — depression. At the Institute for Advanced...

The numbers surrounding trauma, which includes physical and emotional trauma, are extraordinarily high in the United States — more than 223 million people have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives. Diving even deeper, 90% of those who struggle with a mental health issue report experiencing trauma. At the...

Nearly one in five people in the United States (46.6 million) struggles with a mental health illness. This includes both children and adults. And these numbers are only continuing to grow, especially in light of recent events.  One of the first lines of defense against mental health disorders are medications...

Bipolar disorder is not only a highly complex condition, but it’s also one of the most misdiagnosed mental health issues as it involves components of more common disorders, such as depression. Making matters more confusing, there are three main types of bipolar disorder, which affect 4.4% of the adult population...

Life is full of ups and downs, and there are many events, situations, or people that can temporarily send you into a sad or low mood. And these moods can last for days or weeks, casting a general pall over your life. If you’ve been struggling with low moods for...

More than 17 million people struggle with major depression in the United States, making it the largest mental health care concern in our country. As if the grips of depression aren’t awful enough, treatment can be frustrating as people respond differently, or not at all, to the traditional medications and...

Unfortunately, trauma is fairly common among Americans — approximately 60% of men and 50% of women experience at least one trauma during their lives. For many, the event(s) can have a long-lasting effect, leading to a psychological disorder known as post-traumatic stress disorder, which is commonly known as PTSD. In...

More than half of those who are diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which affects about 1.2% of adults in the United States, report serious impairment and another 35% have moderate impairment. In other words, OCD can have a significant impact on your ability to get through life as obsessive thoughts...

Everyone experiences highs and lows in life, but the term “bipolar” has been used to describe those who swing back and forth to the extreme. While there’s some truth to this when it comes to what a bipolar disorder truly is, it doesn’t paint the full picture. At the Institute...

If you’re suffering from depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you’re not alone. Recent studies estimate that about 16 million American adults have experienced depression and 2-3 million adults have OCD.   For many of these men and women, traditional treatments like psychotherapy and mood medications don’t provide significant relief. At the...

Intractable chronic (long-term) pain can make it impossible to carry out your normal daily routine. You may find you’re unable to attempt personal care, get through a normal day at the office, or participate in social or recreational activities you once enjoyed. At the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, Diana Ghelber,...