The University of Vermont Medical Center HealthSource blog is your leading source for mental health articles and information from industry experts. Read through a collection of mental health articles on a variety of conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and autism. The HealthSource mental health blog features an array of regular authors and contributors from the medical world including doctors, nutritionists, nurse practitioners and healthcare executives.
Anxiety is natural response to threats that are looming or beyond our control. It mobilizes us for action, and focuses our attention on possible sources of danger. When fear and anxiety take on a life of their own, we often get so focused on making the anxiety go away that we lose perspective, and simmer […]
Northern New England Poison Center Vermont educator Gayle Finkelstein sits down with Dr. Thomas Delaney and Dr. Rebecca Bell of the University of Vermont’s Medical Center and Larner College of Medicine to talk about trends in self-poisoning among Vermont youth. Listen below. Gayle Finkelstein: Welcome to Poison Ed. This is Gayle Finkelstein, Vermont educator from […]
Alcohol use is part of the American culture and its recreational landscape. Recreational use does not require a secret contact member, or a drive to the vendor in the inner city. It is the universally acceptable way “we enjoy ourselves” at the backyard barbeque, the neighborhood party, and the family celebration. Non-drinkers must courageously exclude […]
All children have times when their concentration, activity and behavior become difficult for a parent or caregiver to manage. What is ADHD? Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — formerly known as Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) commonly comes up in conversation about any child who struggles with concentration or behavior. With so much information around about ADHD, what causes […]
Cold weather and less daylight can make anyone feel down. The reduced light and warmth may leave you feeling melancholy, irritable, or tired. If these feelings recur each year and make it difficult to function during the winter months, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD. This form of depression can […]
Bullying. For a long time it was seen as part of growing up, something unpleasant, but ultimately an experience children recover from. Now, new research shows that bullying can actually have long-lasting effects similar to emotional, verbal and physical abuse. This is a big shift in our thinking on bullying. Here are three new ways […]
Today suicide ranks as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. But in Vermont it’s the eighth leading cause of death. In recent years in Vermont, people have died by suicide at a rate more than 35% higher than the national average. With the recent deaths of high profile celebrities like Kate […]
National Suicide Prevention Week occurs in September. This is an important time to focus attention on what remains a serious public health concern that all too frequently remains hidden. Here are some myths and facts about suicide that are important to remember: MYTH: Suicide is rare. FACT: Suicide is the second leading cause of death […]
When I was first asked to write a blog post on how to assess one’s own mental health, I first thought that this would be easy. After all, I’ve been a psychiatrist for more than 15 years! But therein lies some of the complexity. Even though I call myself a mental health professional, most of […]
Claire Barker joined the UVM Medical Center’s Sleep Program in 2012. She is a registered polysomnographic technologist and a clinical sleep educator, certified in clinical sleep management. Her job? To help people sleep in a healthy way. We asked her about her career path and learned that a career in sleep medicine is anything but a snooze. […]
