FAQs

A.

Some signs of mental illness in adults include:

• Confused thinking
• Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)
• Feelings of extreme highs and lows
• Excessive fears, worries and anxieties
• Social withdrawal
• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Strong feelings of anger
• Delusions or hallucinations
• Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Denial of obvious problems
• Numerous unexplained physical ailments
• Substance abuse

In older children and pre-adolescents:

• Substance abuse
• Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
• Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
• Excessive complaints of physical ailments
• Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism
• Intense fear of weight gain
• Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death
• Frequent outbursts of anger

In younger children:

• Changes in school performance
• Poor grades despite strong efforts
• Excessive worry or anxiety (i.e. refusing to go to bed or school)
• Hyperactivity
• Persistent nightmares
• Persistent disobedience or aggression
• Frequent temper tantrums

Reference: www.mentalhealthamerica.net

A.

No. We specialize in psychological and behavioral interventions and do not have an on-staff psychiatrist. However, because many individuals might benefit from a combination of therapy and medication, LMHA works with many local prescribers (e.g., psychiatrists, primary care physicians) to coordinate care. We are happy to work with your current prescriber (if you have one), or we can provide you with a referral to a prescriber who has experience in treating your condition.

A.

Going to a therapist can be a worthwhile growing and stabilizing experience. Most people tend to go to a therapist when they are having a crisis or when they feel as though they can’t live their life in a normal productive way. People also seek therapy services specific non-crisis problems, such as insomnia, procrastination, low grades, or even feeling depressed. You don’t need to have a “major” problem to go to a therapist. Going to therapy is a commitment to improving your mental health.