One of the expectations that I have for patients I work is that they are connected with a therapist. My role has been to evaluate for the need for medicine and to periodically assess how well that medicine is working. Medicine is rarely THE answer to behavioral health needs, especially when a patient first arrives . . . → Read More: Into Every Life A Little Rain Must Fall–Some Thoughts On Being Prepared
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As we head into the last stretches of the school year, some kids are clearly having more difficulty with focus/concentration and impulse control. Work habits are degrading and homework completion is increasingly difficult. Teachers are having to reconnect some kids to the task at hand more frequently. Others are having more impulsive behaviors toward peers . . . → Read More: Fine Tuning The Antenna–Small Adjustments In ADHD Medicine Can Bring A Clear Picture The last few mornings I have been reading and meditating on the following passage from a book entitled The Still Point Dhammapada: “By giving up a lesser happiness one may gain a much greater one. Let the wise give up the lesser to attain the greater.” As I sat, repeating that passage to myself . . . . → Read More: Getting Better: Choosing a Greater Happiness  Leave a comment  ADHD, anger/irritability, antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiety, benzodiazepines, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, medical illness, medication, meditation, mood stabilizers, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, parenting, stimulants, stress management, temper dysregulation disorder, therapy  anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, diet, exercise, Hartman, medication, meditation, mood stabilizers, psychiatric medication, SSRI I recently got notified about the potential for confusion between two medications. Brintellix, a relatively new antidepressant with a novel mechanism of action, and Brilinta, a medication used by cardiology to help prevent blood clots that could result in a heart attack. Obviously, the names are quite similar, but the conditions they treat could not . . . → Read More: As If The Name Wasn’t Cumbersome Enough–Confusion between Brintellix and Brilinta Leave a comment antidepressants, depression, medication, medication side-effects, TMS, transcranial magnetic stimulation Add new tag, antidepressants, Brintellix, depression, Hartman, medication, philadelphia psychiatrist, psychiatric medication, psychiatric medicine, Psychiatrist, psychiatry, SSRI, TMS, transcranial magnetic stimulation, treatment resistant depression I got another bulletin of alarm in the mail the other day . . . I get these periodically. They come in a white envelope with a BIG red warning on the front that yet another major side effect was found with one of the many medications that are available for my use. This one . . . → Read More: Eye Don’t Know Why Eye Prescribe This Stuff . . . Additional Worries About Topamax (topirimate) Leave a comment antidepressants, bipolar disorder, depression, medical illness, medication, medication side-effects, meditation, mood stabilizers, therapy bipolar disorder, depression, Hartman, medication, medication side-effects, meditation, mood stabilizers, philadelphia psychiatrist, psychiatric medication, side effects, therapy, topamax A couple of articles in my local rag caught my attention (The Philadelphia Inquirer . . . and yes, I still read the paper version of it) and has brought me back to the writing table. Thursday’s article about entitled “A global mental health concern” spoke the growing realization that mental health issues are becoming . . . → Read More: The Great Divide–Bridging The Gap Between Medical and Psychiatric Care Leave a comment antidepressants, bipolar disorder, depression, ECT, medical illness, medication, R+R, relationships, school issues, therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation Affordable Care Act, antidepressants, bipolar disorder, depression, government regulation, Hartman, insurance denials, medication, philadelphia psychiatrist, psychiatric medication, relationships, therapy, TMS, transcranial magnetic stimulation, treatment resistant depression One of the frequent issues I help parents deal with is a child who is profoundly angry . . . the “too mad too fast over dumb stuff” syndrome. It is a frequent accompaniment to both ADHD-spectrum issues and mood disorders, and is typically more difficult to deal with than the other presenting aspects of . . . → Read More: Tenex–A Tonic To Treat Terrible Tantrums Leave a comment ADHD, anger/irritability, medication, medication side-effects, parenting, relationships, school issues ADHD, guanfacine, Hartman, Intuniv, medication, medication side-effects, ODD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, philadelphia psychiatrist, psychiatric medicine, Quotient ADHD Testing, side effects, Tenex I interviewed a young man this past week who had recently had to take a second medical withdrawal from a prestigious (and expensive) university because of debilitating symptoms of depression. It struck him in the spring semester last year (his Freshman year) and then again this fall. Over the summer, he had seemed to get . . . → Read More: The Cost Of Ignoring ADHD Comments are closed ADHD, antidepressants, anxiety, depression, medication, medication side-effects, parenting, Quotient ADHD Testing, relationships, school issues, stimulants, therapy adderall, ADHD, antidepressants, anxiety, concerta, depression, Hartman, medication, medication side-effects, parenting, philadelphia psychiatrist, psychiatric medication, psychiatric medicine, Psychiatrist, psychiatry, Quotient ADHD Testing, relationships, side effects, stimulants, therapy, Vyvanse I came across an article in the September/October 2012 issue of Scientific American MIND concerning the effect that stress can have on children and their capacity to learn. The researcher summarized years of work and ongoing studies showing the effect of stress hormones on the developing neural connections in the prefrontal cortex (the part of . . . → Read More: Toxic Effects of Chronic Stress–Bad for Adults, Even Worse For Kids Comments are closed ADHD, anger/irritability, anxiety, medication, meditation, parenting, Quotient ADHD Testing, R+R, relationships, school issues, stimulants, stress management, therapy adderall, ADHD, concerta, executive functions, Hartman, medication, medication side-effects, meditation, philadelphia psychiatrist, psychiatric medicine, relationships, stimulants, stress management, therapy, Vyvanse I came across a journal article lately that highlights an area of great concern for me and for others in the mental health world. A research paper published in the August edition of the Archives of General Psychiatry (a dense and difficult to read tome), identified a massive increase in the use of antipsychotic mood . . . → Read More: The Quick Rush To Medicate Comments are closed ADHD, anger/irritability, antipsychotics, bipolar disorder, FDA, medication, medication side-effects, mood stabilizers, parenting, school issues, temper dysregulation disorder, therapy Abilify, ADHD, anger, bipolar disorder, Hartman, medication, medication side-effects, mood stabilizers, Philadelphia, psychiatric medication, Risperdal, Seroquel, seroquel xr, side effects, suicidal ideation |
   
Dr. Daniel G. Hartman, aka The Sidewalk Psychiatrist, manages and works at The Philmont Guidance Center, just outside Philadelphia. Learn more about Philmont Guidance Center. |
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