Seasonal Affective Disorder Symptoms

Many people brush off seasonal depression as the “winter blues.” They may think it’s natural to feel low during this time of year. However, if you find your mood worsening each fall and not improving until spring or early summer, you may need clinical intervention. Learn the warning signs of seasonal affective disorder.

Signs that you have SAD include:

• Fatigue and low energy levels
• Feeling depressed nearly every day
• Losing interest in your favorite hobbies
• Sleep problems
• Eating much more or much less than usual
• Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight
• Becoming easily irritated or agitated
• Thinking about suicide or death
• Struggling to concentrate on a task
• Feeling hopeless, guilty, ashamed, or worthless
• Engaging in more frequent use of drugs or alcohol

Why Am I Depressed in the Winter?

The science behind seasonal affective disorder is ever evolving. In spite of mixed data, researchers have determined risk factors and protective factors associated with this diagnosis. Some circumstances that may result in SAD include:

Changes to Serotonin Levels

Researchers believe that reduced sunlight can decrease your serotonin production. Since serotonin is the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, its absence can kickstart a depressive episode.

Melatonin Shifts

Seasonal changes also impact your natural levels of melatonin. This hormone, produced by the pineal gland, controls your sleep-wake cycle. When you can’t sleep, you probably won’t feel very well in the morning.

Circadian Rhythm Goes Off Track

Once Daylight Savings ends, PNW residents have to adjust to a new schedule – one with much less sunlight. The lack of sun (and increase of darkness) can throw off your body’s internal clock. Disruption to a person’s circadian rhythm can cause sleep problems, low mood, and other issues.

Family History of Seasonal Depression

If your loved ones have experienced seasonal affective disorder, you will probably be at risk for the same disorder. Depression and other mental illnesses tend to run in families.

Having Another Mental Health Problem

If you’ve already been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder, you may be prone to SAD.

Living Up North

Finally, the further you live from the equator, the more likely you are to be affected by decreased sunlight during the winter months.

Light Therapy

Luckily, researchers have identified several effective interventions for seasonal affective disorder. Some of these can even be done from the comfort of your own home! In addition to traditional talk therapy, improved diet, and exercise, another treatment has become well-known throughout the United States: seasonal affective disorder light therapy.

Light therapy, or phototherapy, is the process of shining a bright light on the body. Sessions can last for thirty minutes to two hours, and are most effective when delivered in the early morning. You should have your eyes open and sit in front of the light, but not look directly at it. Many people use this time to read, work on a project, or relax.

Most professionals advise patients to use light therapy at 10,000 lux. This brightness level is considered ideal for the activation of the hypothalamus: the part of the brain that controls your circadian rhythms. It’s about one hundred times brighter than typical indoor lighting, and twice as bright as a clear, sunny day.

It’s important to note that light therapy isn’t a good option for everyone. If you have a condition that makes you sensitive to light – like lupus erythematosus – or have any vulnerability to light damage, we advise you to consider alternative methods.

Choosing Your Light Therapy Lamp

Here are just a few factors to consider when purchasing your own light therapy lamp.

How bright is it? Be sure that your light therapy lamp produces the prescribed 10,000 lux of cool, white light.

Is it adjustable? Many newer fixtures will come with an adjustable dial that allows you to modify the intensity of the light.

How big is it? Smaller lamps aren’t as effective as larger alternatives. Unless you travel frequently, we advise you to purchase a lamp whose surface is around one foot across.

Do You Like the Way It Looks? If you’re not a fan of your lamp’s aesthetic, you may be tempted to store it in a closet and forget about it. Be sure that your light sparks joy in all ways.

Is it UV-free? UV light is a major concern for those undergoing light therapy. Check that your device filters out UV light, which can damage your skin and eyes.

Does it have good reviews? Finally, it’s important to consider that light therapy lamps are not regulated by the FDA. You can evaluate each product’s performance by reading reviews online.

Help for Seasonal Depression

Before investing in a light therapy lamp, we advise you to receive a proper diagnosis from a mental health professional. Such clinicians are always available at Lakeside-Milam.

At our various locations, we offer life-changing treatment for seasonal affective disorder, depression, substance use disorder, and other seasonal struggles. Our outpatient mental health services are available both in person and through telehealth. To learn more about treatment in Washington State, contact our knowledgeable admissions team.

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What Is Psychosis?

Most people define psychosis as a break with reality. While this is mostly true, NAMI Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth offers a more in-depth explanation. Psychosis is defined as a series of disruptions in a person’s thinking and perception. These disruptions make it difficult for someone to distinguish between what is real and what is imaginary.

Typically, people with psychosis will hear, see, or believe things that aren’t real. They may also exhibit persistent behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that seem strange to others. For family members and the sufferers themselves, psychosis can be a frightening experience.

It’s important to know that psychosis is a symptom, not a diagnosable illness. In some instances, it can indicate a mental health issue like schizophrenia. In others, it can serve as a sign of a brain tumor, epilepsy, or serious infection. This article will deal with psychotic symptoms brought on by substance abuse: drug-induced psychosis.

About Drug-Induced Psychosis

Drug-induced psychosis is characterized by the emergence of hallucinations or delusions after a period of heavy substance use.

Hallucinations are sensory perceptions not rooted in reality. A person experiencing them may see or hear things that do not exist outside of their mind. Most people associate hallucinations with hearing voices. In rare instances, someone might feel, taste, or smell something that does not exist. Someone with drug-induced psychosis may hallucinate:

• The sound of footsteps or voices
• A crawling sensation on or underneath the skin
• The sight of lights, people, or objects that are not present

Delusions are strong beliefs that are often unreasonable and unfounded. They are frightening because it is nearly impossible to convince the person experiencing them that these delusions aren’t true. Commonly, those with an addiction may suffer delusions that they are being persecuted, or that someone is intending to harm them. Other common delusional themes include obsessions surrounding:

• Infidelity
• Religion
• Love
• Guilt or unworthiness
• Negation or nihilism
• Grandiosity
• Somatic problems (health-related)

Drug-Induced Psychosis vs Schizophrenia

Like any co-occurring mental health condition, it is important to determine whether a person’s psychotic symptoms or substance abuse began first. If someone only began seeing and hearing things after a period of heavy drug and alcohol use, it’s most likely that they are experiencing drug-induced psychosis. If they had these symptoms before, the explanation may be different.

Drug-induced psychosis is more common than you may have thought. In one study about patients experiencing their first psychotic episode, nearly 75% had been previously diagnosed with a substance use disorder at some point in their lives, and a majority were reliant on drugs or alcohol during the time of their hospital admission. Because these individuals had never experienced symptoms before the onset of addiction, they were categorized by researchers as patients with drug-induced psychosis.

What Drugs Cause Paranoia and Hallucinations?

Many drugs are known to cause psychotic side effects. These include prescription medications, like muscle relaxers, anticonvulsants, drugs for Parkinson’s, and certain antihistamines. People who are taking these drugs should immediately consult their doctors for guidance.

Illicit substances present a wide variety of side effects that may vary from person to person (and drug to drug). For example, while small doses of cocaine probably won’t make someone hear voices, a large dose can result in severe psychotic symptoms. Amphetamines in particular are associated with the delusions of persecution we mentioned above. Heavy, constant alcohol use is also a primary catalyst for drug-induced psychosis.

Drugs associated with psychotic episodes include:

• Methamphetamine
• Cocaine
• LSD
• Mushrooms
• Ketamine
• Peyote
• PCP
• Ecstasy
• Amphetamines
• Benzodiazepines
• Marijuana
• Alcohol

Drug-Induced Psychosis Symptoms

Psychosis rarely occurs out of the blue. Early or first-episode psychosis (FEP) is the term for a person’s initial psychotic episode. If you or someone you love has begun to experience these symptoms, we recommend immediate clinical intervention.

• Strong emotions that are not appropriate for the situation
• Isolation from family and friends
• Lack of any emotional reaction, positive or negative
• Worsened self-care, poor hygiene
• Difficulty concentrating or thinking
• Seeing or hearing things that others don’t
• New, strongly held beliefs that can’t be ignored

Help is Available

Fortunately, when a person’s substance use disorder is treated, so are the symptoms of their drug-induced psychosis. Approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy, family involvement, and social support are considered to be the gold standard in the resolution of both of these conditions.

To learn more about drug-induced psychosis, contact Lakeside-Milam. Our team of experts is standing by to help you find the right path to treatment.

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How Alcohol Affects the Body

First, it’s important to understand alcohol’s method of action within the body. Once a person takes a drink, it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the brain. Effects can be felt in just five to ten minutes. Alcohol impairs a person’s ability to think, move with coordination, and make decisions. It also impacts their mood.

This last portion is what we want to focus on. Alcohol is a CNS depressant – this means that it slows the actions of a person’s central nervous system. These effects are obvious when an individual exhibits signs like slurred speech, stumbling, and passing out. It also means that they may experience negative mood changes as a result of drinking. This can either magnify existing depressive symptoms or lead to a new diagnosis: substance-induced depression.

Statistics About Drinking and Depression

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) offers several troubling statistics about alcoholism and depression. First, they cite the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). According to this research, nearly 86% of Americans over the age of 18 reported that they had drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime. Of these, 25.8% percent of people surveyed reported that they had engaged in binge drinking within the past month, and 6.3% admitted to heavy alcohol use during the same time. This provides us with an overall perspective on alcohol consumption in the United States.

In that same survey, a trend emerged: high-intensity drinking. Scientists define this practice as “consuming alcohol at levels that are two or more times the gender-specific binge drinking thresholds.” Those who drank at this level were 70 times more likely to experience an alcohol-related emergency. Individuals who reached three times the gender-specific binge drinking thresholds were 93 times more likely to have an emergency related to alcohol.

These numbers correlate with depression statistics in America. An article from the Psychiatric Times points out that the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions indicates a high prevalence of comorbid depression and alcohol use disorder. Of the 43,093 adults surveyed, over 20% of those with a current alcohol dependence reported a comorbid depressive disorder. Those with an alcohol use disorder were 3.7 times more likely to be depressed than those who did not have a substance use disorder.

Does Alcohol Make You Depressed?

Research published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that the relationship between alcohol addiction and major depressive disorder may be causal or correlational – the jury is out.

Potential explanations for this link include:

Alcoholism and depression may be tied to similar underlying genetic and environmental influences. Research shows that individuals who are genetically predisposed to alcohol use disorder may also have a similar vulnerability to mental illnesses, including depression.

Alcohol use disorder may arise as an attempted method of self-medication for those dealing with depression. If someone is feeling depressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, they may try to lessen their symptoms through drinking. What starts as an occasional drink can turn into several as one’s tolerance grows.

Alcoholism may increase a person’s risk of depressive symptoms. Heavy, regular drinking is linked to symptoms of depression. Because alcohol affects the brain’s neurotransmitters, it can impact one’s ability to regulate emotions.

Healing a Dual Diagnosis

Knowing that these diagnoses are interconnected can help us to make decisions about treatment. Providers understand that identifying the cause of each condition is important for one’s plan of care. For example, if a person’s depressive symptoms can be attributed to heavy alcohol use, antidepressants may not have a significant effect for them.

Criteria for an independent mood disorder (one not caused by substances) include:

• Low mood preceding alcohol use
• Mood disturbances persisting following prolonged abstinence
• Depressive symptoms more severe than those typically seen considering one’s substance use

If a person exhibits these signs, it is likely that their disorder is worsened by their alcoholism, but not caused by it.

Since it is difficult to separate substance-induced depression from a typical mood disorder, it is first necessary for patients to discontinue their alcohol use. At Lakeside-Milam, we provide proven dual diagnosis treatment for those who want to overcome depression and problem drinking. Our staff members understand recovery because we’ve been there ourselves. Since our facility first opened its doors, we’ve helped more than 100,000 people to find recovery.

Contact us today to learn more about our treatment plans for addiction and mental illness.

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America’s addiction epidemic is a growing public health concern. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2016 survey, an estimated 17.7 million adults needed substance use treatment but did not receive it. Of these 17,700,000+ people, only 4.5 percent (806,000) felt that they needed substance use treatment at all.

With continuous efforts to make treatment affordable, effective, and accessible, progress is being made in the field of addiction medicine. Read on to learn which signs to look for, and when you should seek professional help for your loved one.

The 5 Stages of Addiction

Addiction is typically broken down into five main stages. These patterns of behavior correlate with the amount of control that substance use has over someone’s life.

1. Experimentation

The first stage of addiction, experimentation, is exactly what it sounds like. This behavior typically begins in the party scene for teens, or in times of stress for adults (for example, taking Adderall to meet a deadline at work). Substance use at this stage is associated with fun or relaxation, not consequences or cravings.

2. Regular use

When substances are being consumed on a more regular basis, your loved one has progressed into the second stage of addiction. Instead of using sporadically, at parties or when friends offer the drug, people may begin using alone and at regular intervals (such as on the weekends). Small consequences may begin to appear, such as missing work due to hangovers, and they may develop a nagging concern that their source for the drug will disappear. Substance use is now associated with escapism – perceived freedom from negative emotions or situations.

3. Risky use

At this stage, drug use has escalated and begun to cause serious issues in daily life. School or work performance has degraded, and relationships are becoming strained as substance use becomes more important. Behavior also begins to change significantly, as do one’s circle of friends. Risky use in particular is characterized by DUI or DWI sanctions that occur as a result of driving while high or drunk.

4. Dependence

There are three factors associated with dependence, which is considered a general reliance on drugs or alcohol. The first is tolerance: needing more of a substance to achieve the same effect. Users will also begin to experience withdrawal symptoms when they don’t maintain a baseline of the substance in their system. The final aspect of dependence is psychological – your loved one will crave the drug, use it more and more often, take increasing doses, and come back to it after attempting to quit.

5. Addiction

The final stage is addiction, or a full-blown substance use disorder. This is characterized by the following signs. Users cannot deal with day-to-day life without drugs or alcohol, and fail to control their use. They’ll keep drinking or using even when they know that consequences will come their way as a result. At this stage, it’s common to lie about their use and isolate themselves from concerned friends or family members. Above all, they do not see any of this as a problem.

Signs That Someone Needs Addiction Treatment

Like many diseases, addiction is progressive. It exists on a spectrum and can range from mild to severe in intensity. The below signs are pulled directly from diagnostic criteria from addiction – they can indicate whether your loved one is exhibiting classic signs of substance use disorders.

• Desiring to quit, but feeling unable to stop using.
• Uncontrolled, increased use over time.
• Experiencing cravings for the substance.
• Failing to meet expectations at work, school, or home.
• Abandoning activities and hobbies that used to be enjoyable.
• Using in situations where it is unsafe, such as while driving or swimming.
• Developing tolerance – requiring more of the substance to achieve the same effect.
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug.

Seattle-Area Recovery and Treatment

If your friend, family member, or spouse is experiencing any of the above symptoms, they should pursue professional addiction treatment. The sooner they receive help, the more quickly they’ll be able to recover. Give your loved one a fresh start. Lakeside-Milam offers comprehensive, proven rehabilitation along the full continuum of care: from intervention to long term treatment. Assessments are provided at no charge. If your loved one meets any of the above criteria, please call Lakeside-Milam today at (800) 231-4303.

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As Lakeside-Milam develops additional outpatient services to help meet the needs of patients in early recovery, Ross can call on his years of private practice success and the unsurpassed understanding of Lakeside’s treatment philosophy. His experience will enable Lakeside-Milam to identify what they can effectively provide and enhance their relationships in the community.

Lakeside-Milam Recovery Centers is dedicated to continuing development and strengthening of their services to increase their effectiveness in putting families back together again.

You can find out more about Ross and all of our programs by visiting Lakeside-Milam’s website: www.lakesidemilam.com, or by contacting us at 800-231-4303.

Please click the link below to see the official press release.

Lakeside-Milam Recovery Centers Adds New Staff Member and Additional Services

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Admission to treatment doesn’t have to be difficult. We’ve been in business for a while and have made the admissions process simple. Our goal is to provide you or your loved one with quick and affordable access to treatment. Our admissions team are some of the best; showing kindness and compassion. From your initial call or email to walking through our doors, ready to start treatment; below is just a glimpse of what you can expect when you contact us.

Admission to Treatment Process

The first step towards recovery begins with you. We can assist you from there. Today is the day to get help.

Don’t wait, it always gets worse.

(800) 231-4303
help@lakesidemilam.com

At Lakeside-Milam Recovery Centers, we put families back together.

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On July 24, 2018 the National Association of Addiction Treatment Centers (NAATP) testified in front of the House of Energy and Commerce in Washington DC. A Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations was examining the deceptive practice of using unclear tactics to buy and sell leads, known as patient brokering. Businesses use websites that can be disguised as a database of treatment centers. Often the deceptive websites are owned by a treatment center, or are paid by treatment centers to generate leads.

In short, it is a dirty business model.

Marvin Ventrell, the executive director of National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), and other leaders in the treatment community, testified at the hearing regarding these misleading practices. In his opening statement, Marvin explained the struggles those providing treatment for substance abuse disorders have faced. One of the most recent is the perceived notion that the treatment industry is a lucrative one and, therefore, many people want to get in on a piece of the industry. Some of which see people as a monetary figure, not an individual. Reputable treatment centers have faced an uphill battle of stigma and misinformation about what addiction is. Addiction is and should be recognized as an illness and the individual will need to receive medical treatment from a licensed, accredited provider.

Marvin went on to describe the top unethical business practices that some treatment centers practice:

1. Patient Brokering
2. Billing and Insurance Abuses
3. License and Credential Misrepresentation
4. Predatory and Deceptive Web Practices
5. Unbranded Marketing Pages
   1. Web and Call Directory Deception
   2. Consumer Identity Aggregation
   3. Google Platform Deception
      1. AdWords
      2. Maps
      3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

In response to the hearing, Carl Kester, the CEO and President of Lakeside stated:

Tuesday morning [July 24th], Marvin Ventrell, the Executive Director of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, testified before congress. In helping to shine a light on the bad actors in addiction treatment, Mr. Ventrell was able to share the positive steps our association has taken in regards to ethics and quality. We can consider today a victory in the ongoing battle against the disease and a positive step in focusing on providing quality care that is both effective and affordable.

At the same hearing Mark Mishek, President and CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation reported:

As this subcommittee discovered in its earlier hearing on patient brokering, laws prohibiting commissions and kickbacks for patient referrals are not strong, or even existent, everywhere. As a result, some treatment providers pay a third-party “lead-generation” service for calls, turning patients into commodities. We’ve also heard of patient brokers monitoring Twelve Step meetings, drug courts and the streets to find people they can send to treatment centers willing to provide a kickback, regardless of the clinical appropriateness.

Mark goes on to mention that a lot of these call centers are staffed by sales people, not medical professionals. They will promise free travel, gift cards, or many other luxuries to get people into treatment facilities. The staff often gets kickbacks or commission for getting people into treatment. Some will go as far as encouraging relapse to get people coming back.

In an attempt to dissuade these practices, the NAATP updated their membership code of ethics that went into effect January 2018. The updated code added strict marketing guidelines that treatment centers are to follow. As a member, we agree with and adhere to these standards. We are in the business of helping people recover.

Websites, however, do not need to get permission from the treatment center before posting an advertisement. While researching for this article, we searched Lakeside-Milam Recovery Centers. Not too far down in the results, after our website listing, was the Rehabcosts site.

An unauthorized usage of Lakeside-Milam’s logo on Rehab Costs website

They do list our local number in light gray. Let’s take a closer look at that light gray section….

And, they do offer a disclaimer in their “about us” section

About us disclaimer or Rehab Costs website

Rehabcosts about us section reads: “RehabCosts.org has made every reasonable effort to provide accurate costs and information. We assume no responsibility for the accuracy of the information. The website content is ‘as is’ and is without warranties of any kind. RehabCosts.org shall not be liable for direct, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages for the users inability to use this website properly. The information provided is a good starting point for users to contact the listing directly for more complete information.”

Another site has information about us (albeit old, outdated info), but nowhere on the site lists our actual phone number. This one also offers a form to fill out regarding addiction treatment. That’s a little unnerving when it’s listed under our information. By providing information there, you are not sending Lakeside-Milam your information. You are sending some unknown call center your information and you have no guarantee what they will use your information for.

These tactics are similar to Disguised Ads that are a real pain when you are trying to download something and end up clicking on ads.

NAATP is revoking membership for offending members and holding companies accountable for their business tactics. They are removing companies from their membership and taking a hit financially because of loss in membership dues. Personally, that says a lot to me that they wouldn’t let up on their ethic code even if that meant a significant loss of members. It means if a business wants to be recognized by NAATP they will have to have an ethical business.

We stand with NAATP in fostering an ethical group of facilities who truly do want to provide the best chance of recovery. We are appalled by the act of patient brokering and we are very concerned when our name is being used by these call centers without our knowledge or consent. We take deceptive marketing practices very seriously as we strive to be as transparent as possible. The very best thing to do when finding a treatment center is to go to NAATP’s site to see which treatment centers are accredited members. To find out more and current contact information, please go to the website of the treatment center of your choosing.

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