Washington Integrative Mental Health Services

11/30/2022

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR TEEN. 5 GROUND RULES

Talking to your teenagers can be one of the most challenging experiences in your adult life. Even the most level-headed of parents can find themselves in a rage after trying to get their teen to do even the simplest of tasks. Here are some ground rules you can use when talking to your teen.

You are not their friend – Though they seem emotionally mature and ready to take on the stressors of the world, they are not and cannot. Their world is full of it’s own complexity and we, as their parents, cannot share our burdens with them.

You are the adult in the room – Though teens can make us seethe with anger, we need to react to their provocations with the wisdom that our years of life have given us. If you need to, remind yourself that you are the grown-up and, regardless of what they want, you still do have the final say.

Though they can make a good argument, their brains aren’t fully formed- Teenage brains waste a lot of energy on lines of reasoning that ultimately make little to no sense. Using logic and reason may be helpful in dissuading a teenager from making an obviously poor choice, but sometimes, even if well argued, the right answer is still the right answer.

To be heard, you also need to listen - Model for them the way you want them to act with you. Even if the answer is still “no,” taking the time to listen to them respectfully and with love can make a huge difference down the line.

You were once like them – It’s so easy to forget that we were once their age and asking for more or less the same things that they’re asking for. We once suffered from similar social pressures and seemingly un-resolvable dilemmas. Being compassionate with them can not only help them grow into healthy and mature adults, but it can also help us heal the wounds we experienced at their amazing and terrifying age.

Dr Benjamin Bregman, MD
Interested in modern integrative psychiatry? Please, consider Washington Integrative Mental Health Clinic.

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Talking to your teenagers can be one of the most challenging experiences in your adult life. Even the most level-headed of parents can find themselves in a rage after trying to get their teen to do even the simplest of tasks. Here are some ground rules you can use when talking to your teen. You are....

11/30/2022

FINDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. WHAT TO LOOK FOR?

Finding a good mental health care provider can be complicated. It’s often hard enough to just find anyone, let alone someone whom you feel you can trust. Finding someone good can take a little time and effort, but that is time well spent! Here are some recommendations I’ve made to people seeking care.

1) Use search engines
We live in an incredible time where you can find almost anything you need on the internet. Mental health practitioners are no exception to that. Sites like psychologytoday.com, zencare.com, zocdocs.com and even rating services like vitals.com and healthgrades.com can help you compile a list of people who can be helpful. This isn’t to say that your primary doctor or your insurance company website aren’t good sources as well, but they may not be as up to date as the search engines.

2) You can learn from anyone
When you’re compiling your list of potential people, cast a wide net. Gender, age, the type of therapy a practitioner provides, the person’s credential (i.e MD, DO, PsyD, PhD, LCSW…etc) and even the time the person has been out of training matter far, far less than the kind of connection you feel towards your personal person.

3) Interview potential providers
After you make a list of the 3-4 best candidates, call them to ask for a short, “getting to know you,” session. You will be spending a lot of time with your person, so it’s important that you put the time in upfront before you sign on. These days, people are typically open to spending a few minutes on the phone with a potential client, so take advantage of that opportunity. You can ask them how they approach working with patients, what types of challenges they feel most comfortable treating and if there are types of challenges they feel ill-equipped to treat. Beyond the information you get from this conversation, hearing a person’s voice, how well they listen to you, and if they sound rushed or distracted can tell you a lot about whether this might be a good person for you.

4) Go with your gut
Your feelings turn out to matter a whole lot when picking someone to work with. Numerous studies have been conducted over the past few decades trying to figure out what factors offer the best chance at people feeling like they’ve gotten better. “Feeling connected with your provider” is the number one indicator of a good outcome.

5) Cost of care
Money doesn’t grow on trees, so this can be tough. Though insurance companies often have high quality providers on their panel, these practitioners are connected with insurance companies so they can get more referrals. Additionally, getting paid by insurance companies can be a challenge, and practitioners may have to use a “check the box” approach in order to make sure they meet the insurance company’s requirements for payment. As such, though they may be awesome and are less costly to you, they may be fully booked or over-worked, neither of which is ideal.

If your insurance company offers mental health coverage and has “out of network benefits” you may want to consider paying up-front for services and get reimbursed later. During your phone interview, ask your practitioner whether they provide you with a “superbill” and what they charge per session. If you have an insurance company that does reimburse for mental health care, you can file a claim and expect that some fraction of what you pay will be reimbursed to you. Call them up and ask them what they reimburse by providing them with your provider’s NPI or national identifier number, the ICD-10 code for your diagnosis (you can look this up on line, they typically start with the letter “F” followed by some numbers: F40.1 or F32.2) and the CPT code(s) they will be using (for an MD or DO they look like 99214 of 90836, for a therapist they look like 90834 or 90837). They can provide you with an estimate of what you’re likely get back once you file. Don’t be surprised if it’s a number less than you’ve been told, insurance companies can be sneaky with deductibles, co-insurance and other such things. Typically, you can expect a 50% discount on care. You can file a claim on your own or use an app-based service like reimbursify to submit your claims for you.

If the cost of care is still too high, you can always ask the providers you interview if they offer a sliding scale. Though the answer might be no, it never hurts to ask.

Remember, though quality mental health care can cost a lot, it costs a lot less than depression (the leading cause of disability world-wide), addiction and divorce, and can help you find more priceless moments in your life.

I hope this helps you in your quest to find quality mental health care!

Benjamin Bregman,
Washington Integrative Mental Health Care

Read More Here: https://www.washingtonimh.com/post/finding-mental-health-care-provider-what-to-look-forv

11/30/2022

Foods and drinks that make you anxious

A big part of helping people with anxiety is identifying some things that they might be eating or drinking that can make them feel anxious. Here are some things you might be eating and drinking that can make your anxiety worse!

Low hanging fruit:

1) Anything with caffeine – I live for my morning cup of joe, but for people suffering from anxiety it can be the cause of a lot of unnecessary anxiety. Coffee, green and black teas and sodas are just the tip of the iceberg, you’d be surprised to know how many things have caffeine in them. Anything with green tea extract (think mochi ice cream), chocolate products, caffeinated waters, caffeinated alcoholic beverages, power beverages, coffee infused beer… the list goes on.

2) Special shout out to green tea – L-theanine is a compound commonly found in green tea. Though the literature suggests that this compound can reduce anxiety, it can actually cause it in many individuals seeking their morning pick-up without the jitters coffee can cause.

3) Alcohol – Bregman… isn’t alcohol something people drink in moderation to relax? You wouldn’t be wrong, but after the immediate effects of the alcohol wear off, people often report rebound anxiety and even panic attacks the next day. That doesn’t even take into consideration any errors of judgement one might make when under the influence…

4) Sugary foods and drinks –Remember “sugar high’s?” When we eat or drink sugary compounds (and high glycemic index foods like white breads and processed carbohydrates) our blood sugar levels spike in a way that can make us feel jittery or energized for a short period of time before we experience a “sugar crash.” As you can imagine neither is good for you. Even worse, the rapid increase in oxidative stress (when our bodies turn food into energy too quickly) can have a long-term impact on our brain health.

The more you know

1) Nightshade family plants – Did you know that tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes come from the same family as deadly nightshade? Most people can tolerate these foods without much fanfare, but for people looking to identify and cut out potential dietary causes of anxiety, this is a good place to start.

2) Black pepper – Once worth its weight in gold, this ubiquitous spice has an active ingredient that can trigger heartburn, a symptom many people associate with anxiety.

3) Mint/Lemon balm – When reaching for a non-caffeinated tea, a refreshing mint tea is often high on our list. Sadly, teas containing mint family plants (mint, lemon balm, pennyroyal to name a few) can induce a cold sweat that can trigger a panic attack in people unfamiliar with this effect.

4) Gassy foods/drinks –The gassy/bloated feeling some people can get after they eat beans or drink carbonated beverages can, to no one’s surprise, make people feel anxious. Garlic family foods, milk products (for those with lactose or A1 intolerance) and fermented foods are also surprising sources of anxiety.

We hope you’ve found this helpful. If you would like to learn more or get additional support, please reach out!

Read More Here: https://www.washingtonimh.com/post/foods-and-drinks-that-make-you-anxious

11/30/2022

5 TIPS ON HOW TO REDUCE YOUR ANXIETY, NATURALLY

With the holiday season clearly in sight, many of my patients are asking about how they can naturally reduce their anxiety in anticipation of all the stress it can bring. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve shared with them that can naturally reduce their stress.

1) Nature’s beauty
Study after study has shown that time spent in nature reduces stress and improves resilience. Find a quiet place under the trees or by any body of water and you will find the day feeling a whole lot better!

2) While you’re out enjoying nature…
If you are able to move your body, your body will love you! Exercise of any sort can be a powerful anti-anxiety tool. Getting your blood pumping on a walk, or really any way, reduces inflammatory chemicals throughout your body and increases BDNF, a neuro-peptide instrumental in natural resilience. Combining this with a hike in the woods can double your return!

3) Take a moment to breathe
It surprised me to find that I was unconsciously holding my breath when I felt stressed. This is something we all do without thinking about it and, as studies have found, can have an impact on your health and anxiety. An easy, natural fix for this is to take 10 conscious breaths a few times a day. You don’t have to breathe deeply, or do anything fancy, just count out ten whole breaths. You’ll be surprised to find how much this can take the edge off of even the hardest day.

4) Warm cup of tea
While studying biofeedback, one of the coolest things I learned was that when our hands are warm, we feel calm! Try it! Hold a cup of tea or soup (not too hot!) or just run warm water over your hands, you’ll soon discover that without even trying, your muscles will relax and you will feel a whole lot calmer, no big effort required.

5) Dark chocolate for the win!
Dark chocolate really does everything. It’s amazing how this treat is powerful medicine for our minds and bodies, just as long as its 80% dark chocolate or more. Why? Though we don’t know for sure, it seems as though one of the naturally occurring compounds in chocolate can actually reduce the level of cortisol, our body’s stress hormone, when we let a little bit of dark chocolate melt in our mouth.

Washington Integrative Mental Health Clinic,
Dr Benjamin Bregman

Our holistic mental health and wellness clinic headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.

Learn More Here: https://www.washingtonimh.com/post/5-tips-on-how-to-reduce-your-anxiety-naturally

Washington Integrative Mental Health Services offers a holistic approach to mental wellness. Whether you are searching for your first mental health provider or holistic mental health care provider, our team can help you find new solutions.