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May 19, 2020
In any catastrophe, the medical needs must be tended first, followed by a wave of behavioral health issues that can last for months and years. The COVID-19 infection rate peaked in Connecticut at the end of April and now the Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network (BHN) is preparing for increased demand…
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May 19, 2020
A team of 20 staff members at the Institute of Living met in the parking lot May 15 and festooned their vehicles with balloons, streamers and messages of support for patients in their Child & Adolescent Day Program and Extended Day Program. A parade was in the works. “Depression and…
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May 18, 2020
Ongoing stresses related to the COVID-19 pandemic – financial constraints, unemployment and isolation – have caused a national spike in suicide. Patricia Rehmer, MSN, ACHE, president of the Behavioral Health Network and senior vice president of Hartford HealthCare (HHC), said national sources estimate up to 75,000 people will die by…
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May 14, 2020
While parents often feel like broken records, constantly repeating safety reminders and directions on an endless loop, pandemic parents of teenagers need to be prepared to keep that theme moving as the world starts to reopen around us and the kids want out. “We, as adults, know to go slow…
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May 11, 2020
Cheech & Chong aside, commentary published by a Hartford HealthCare researcher declares that teen marijuana use may not affect one’s IQ as is generally assumed. Dr. Godfrey Pearlson, director of the Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center and research director at the Institute of Living, part of Hartford HealthCare, was the single…
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May 04, 2020
Few people really seem themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic as we juggle new schedules, isolate ourselves and, for essential workers, face spirit-crushing realities as many help others gravely ill with the virus. But, besides other responsibilities you may be juggling right now, being mindful of the behavioral health state of…
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April 27, 2020
They’re lifesavers – how we work, socialize at Zoom happy hours, visit with doctors via virtual health, stay abreast of the news – but our screens may also spark digital overload that negatively impacts our mental health. It’s not just teenagers who need to separate from smartphones, laptops or tablets….
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April 24, 2020
Nearly half of American adults report that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health, according to a new poll released by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Even with that high percentage, the real measurement of the pandemic’s effect will come later, after hospital beds empty and people emerge…
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April 20, 2020
Shortness of breath is a red-alert symptom associated with COVID-19. It’s also a characteristic of many other conditions, whether it’s asthma, heart issues, pneumonia or even acid reflux. For most of us, the pandemic has become a source of anxiety that, for some, reaches an extreme — a panic attack….
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April 19, 2020
Social distancing and stay-at-home guidelines are needed to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, but Hartford HealthCare behavioral health experts predict it could spark a mental health crisis that lingers well after the pandemic ends. In an appearance on the podcast “Healthy Rounds,” Dr. James O’Dea, vice president…