Biologically-Based Mental Illnesses

As a result of the Mental Health Parity Act, many health insurance companies are now providing the same coverage for biologically-based mental illnesses as they provide for other medical illnesses. A biologically-based conceptualization of mental illness allows advocates to frame parity legislation as antidiscrimination legislation. Using PET scans and MRI’s, researchers have testified before Congress and state legislatures that mental illness is directly linked to brain dysfunction. In light of such evidence, policy makers have been persuaded….

 

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Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed

Unless we are mindful and deliberate in leading lives of conscious action, our fate is determined largely by our inborn temperament; that is, what we find rewarding. The majority of people live lives of unconscious reaction. They are not mindful of their thoughts, feelings, or actions, or the consequences thereof.

For people living with mental illness, this tendency is particularly devastating and self-reinforcing. To the person suffering from alcoholism, it is far more rewarding to pick up a bottle than to endure painful withdrawal….

 

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Informed Consent

The American Psychological Association’s ethical guidelines require that psychologists obtain informed consent for treatment from all patients and parents of minor patients. But what does it mean for consent to be truly informed?

In standard practice, informed consent generally amounts to a frazzled patient or harried parent signing a consent form after a perfunctory glance. Patients and parents are often in crisis when they first present for treatment, and signing the form is just one more hoop to jump through before getting into….

 

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10 Common Mistakes in Eating Disorder Treatment

Eating disorders are notoriously difficult to treat and have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. With traditional treatment, average time to recovery is 5-7 years, relapse is the norm, and many patients continue to suffer from chronic physical and mental illness for decades. Fortunately, new research has shed light on how we can help patients recover more quickly, prevent relapse, and live healthy, fulfilling lives. Below are 10 of the most common mistakes I’ve observed in the treatment of eating disorders.

1.) Setting….

 

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