UnityPoint Health – Des Moines Counseling and Psychiatry – Lakeview

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The most commonly diagnosed behavior disorder in young people, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that ADHD affects an estimated nine percent of children aged 3-17 and 2-4 percent of adults.

Although ADHD has its onset and is usually diagnosed in childhood, it is not a disorder limited to children-ADHD often persists into adolescence and adulthood and is frequently not diagnosed until later years.

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All kids misbehave some times, but behavior disorders go beyond mischief and rebellion. With behavior disorders, your child or teen has a pattern of hostile, aggressive or disruptive behaviors for more than 6 months. Warning signs can include: harming or threatening themselves, other people or pets, damaging or destroying property, lying or stealing, not doing well in school, skipping school, early smoking, drinking or drug use, early sexual activity, frequent tantrums and arguments and consistent hostility towards authority figures

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Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness.

Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment. Medications, psychotherapies and other methods can effectively treat people with depression.

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Grief may be triggered by the death of a loved one. People also can experience grief if they have an illness for which there is no cure, or a chronic condition that affects their quality of life. The end of a significant relationship may also cause a grieving process.

Everyone feels grief in their own way. However, there are common stages to the process of mourning. It starts with recognizing a loss and continues until a person eventually accepts that loss.

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While many mental health issues and symptoms can be treated effectively with psychotherapy or counseling, there are times when prescribing psychiatric medication becomes important or essential.

Mental health difficulties that are commonly treated with psychiatric medications include depression and other mood disorders, anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive disorders, psychosis and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

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According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately one in eight women suffer from postpartum depression (PPD). It can affect any woman regardless of age, race, income, culture or education, and generally, PPD begins within three months of delivery but can on-set at any time, even as late as one year after delivery. A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 10 percent of men or non-birthing parents worldwide showed signs of depression, often referred to as paternal postpartum or postnatal depression or (PPPD), from the first trimester of their partner's pregnancy through six months after the child was born.

Common Postpartum Depression symptoms include:

• Feelings of worthlessness; excessive guilt
• Loss of pleasure or interest
• Loss of energy, tiredness
• Low (anxious or depressed) mood
• Psychomotor agitation (restlessness, jittery, hand-wringing)
• Poor concentration, memory
• Poor appetite
• Sleep disturbance
• Suicidal thoughts (seek help immediately; National Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK)

Your doctor can help you determine if you are struggling with PPD. He or she will ask you questions and may give you a brief assessment questionnaire to help determine your condition. If it is determined you are at risk for PPD, your doctor will make a referral to a mental health provider for a more thorough assessment and to begin treatment. You may also seek counseling on your own without a referral.

Treating a new father/non-birthing parent for PPD can affect the overall health of a family. It's important to address these mood changes as soon as possible.

For more information, please contact us at (515) 241-2300.

Relationship, divorce and/or family therapy can help improve troubled relationships between spouses, children or other family members. Specific issues may be addressed such as marital or financial problems, conflict between parents and children, or the effects of substance abuse or a mental illness on the entire family.

Therapy can be useful in any family situation that causes stress, grief, anger or conflict. It can help family members understand one another better and bring everyone closer together.

For more information, please contact us at (515) 241-2300.

Fear and stress reactions are essential for human survival. They enable people to pursue important goals and to respond appropriately to danger. In a healthy individual, the stress response is provoked by a genuine threat or challenge and is used as a spur for appropriate action.

An anxiety disorder, however, involves an excessive or inappropriate state of arousal characterized by feelings of apprehension, uncertainty, or fear. The anxiety response is often not triggered by a real threat. Nevertheless it can still paralyze the individual into inaction or withdrawal. An anxiety disorder persists, while an appropriate response to a threat resolves, once the threat is removed.

For more information, please contact us at (515) 241-2300.