Psychiatry

Universal Health Solutions offers outpatient psychiatric for all ages. Our comprehensive services include: telehealth and future in office psychiatric evaluations, diagnoses, prescription management and psychotherapy.


Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues in the United States. It is an unpleasant feeling of unease or helplessness that is vague. The individual experiences an internal perception of threat, dread that is imminent or in the future. Anxiety is an expected part of life. You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, before making an important decision etc. this type of anxiety is temporal. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away but get worse over time in no intervention is done interfering with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships.

The most common anxiety disorders that we treat are:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

  • Social Anxiety Disorder

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Panic Disorder

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Agoraphobia

Depression

Depression — also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression — is a common but serious mood disorder that can interfere with how people feel, think, and activities of daily living such as sleeping, eating, or working. Symptoms of depression include sad or anxious mood, feelings of hopelessness or guilt, loss of interest in previous hobbies or activities, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating or sleeping, changes in appetite or weight, and persistent physical symptoms. People with depression experience symptoms nearly every day for at least two weeks

The main depressive disorders that we treat are:

  • Major Depressive Disorder

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder

  • Dysthymic Disorder

  • Postpartum Depression

  • Situational Depression

  • Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are three types of bipolar disorder.

  • Bipolar I disorder

  • Bipolar II disorder

  • Cyclothymic Disorder (also called Cyclothymia)

All three types involve clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.

ADHD

ADHD, defined as attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder and one of the most common diagnosed development problems in childhood. ADHD is not isolated to children; many adults also carry the weight of diagnosed and undiagnosed ADHD as well.

Children with ADHD often struggle academically and are more likely to have a formal learning disorder or co-occurring mental health disorder (e.g., anxiety or depression, Conduct disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder).

ADHD is divided into three different types:

ADHD, Predominately Inattentive Type

  • Concentration and attention problems for specific tasks

  • Frequently switching from one activity to another

  • Easily distracted and missing details

  • Becoming bored easily (except when doing something enjoyable)

  • Trouble following directions

  • Losing things and being forgetful

  • Difficulty learning new material and staying organized

  • Daydreaming

  • Moving slowly or processing information slowly

  • Difficulty with attention to detail and learning new material

ADHD, Predominately Hyperactive-Impulsive Type

  • Interrupting, blurting out or persistent talking

  • Fidgeting, squirming or restlessness

  • Acting out of turn or reacting (verbally or physically) without thinking of consequences

  • Having difficulty engaging in slow or quiet activities

  • Experiencing enjoyment or pleasure by being overstimulated or overly excited

  • Being Impatient

ADHD, Combined Type

Disturbances in inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity to varying degrees.

Opposition Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Negativistic, hostile and defiant behavior that is more severe than seen in most children of the same mental age typically beginning around the age of 8 years.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Failure to resist aggressive impulse that either results in verbal aggression or physical aggression that does not result in damage or injury

Disruptive Mood dysregulation

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is a childhood condition of extreme irritability, anger, and frequent, intense temper outbursts. symptoms go beyond being a “moody” child. The symptoms are severe enough to cause impairment in normal functioning. DMDD typically begins before the age of 10. Children younger than 6 years old or older than 6 years old are not given the diagnoses.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness affecting millions of Americans. It affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality which can be very debilitating to the individual and their family members. if left untreated, schizophrenia can disability to the individual.

Symptoms fall in three categories:

Psychotic symptoms include altered perceptions (e.g., changes in vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste), lose sense of reality, abnormal or distorted thinking, and odd behaviors.

These individuals typically exhibit the following symptoms:

· Hallucinations, such as hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there-

· Delusions, which are firmly held beliefs not supported by objective facts (e.g., paranoia - irrational fears that others are “out to get you” or believing that the television, radio, or internet are broadcasting special messages that require some response)

· Thought disorder, which includes unusual thinking or disorganized speech

Negative symptoms include loss of motivation, disinterest or lack of enjoyment in daily activities, social withdrawal, difficulty showing emotions, and difficulty functioning normally.

These individuals typically exhibit the following symptoms:

· Reduced motivation and difficulty planning, beginning, and sustaining activities

· Diminished feelings of pleasure in everyday life

· “Flat affect,” or reduced expression of emotions via facial expression or voice tone

· Reduced speaking

Cognitive symptoms include problems in attention, concentration, and memory. Some exhibit subtle symptoms, whereas others are more prominent and interfere with activities like following conversations, learning new things, or remembering appointments.

These individuals typically exhibit the following symptoms:

· Difficulty processing information to make decisions

· Problems using information immediately after learning it

· Trouble focusing or paying attention

Despite the debilitating nature of schizophrenia, effective treatments are available and when delivered in a timely, coordinated, and sustained manner, treatment can help affected individuals to achieve independence, and enjoy personal relationships.

At UHS, we are not equipped to treat all the various types of schizophrenia however, we can use effective medication and therapy to manage patients with related psychotic disorders such as schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder and shared psychotic disorder (Folie a deux).