WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Find out what your co-pay may be and if your insurance provider is accepted.

MAKE APPOINTMENT     OR     MAKE REFERRAL

Category Archives: Mental Health

  1. Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

    The following is an article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more information regarding COVID-19, please visit their website.

    The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children.

    Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.  The emotional impact of an emergency on a person can depend on the person’s characteristics and experiences, the social and economic circumstances of the person and their community, and the availability of local resources. People can become more distressed if they see repeated images or hear repeated reports about the outbreak in the media.

    People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:

    • People who have preexisting mental health conditions including problems with substance use
    • Children
    • People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors and other health care providers, or first responders

    Additional information and resources on mental health care can be found at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website.

    • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746.
    • People with deafness or hearing loss can use their preferred relay service to call 1-800-985-5990.

    Reactions during an infectious disease outbreak can include:

    • Fear and worry about your own health status and that of your loved ones who may have been exposed to COVID-19
    • Changes in sleep or eating patterns
    • Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
    • Worsening of chronic health problems
    • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

    People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment plans during an emergency and monitor for any new symptoms. Additional information can be found at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website.

    Coping with these feelings and getting help when you need it will help you, your family, and your community recover from a disaster. Connect with family, friends, and others in your community. Take care of yourself and each other, and know when and how to seek help.

    Call your healthcare provider if stress reactions interfere with your daily activities for several days in a row.

    Things you can do to support yourself:

    • Avoid excessive exposure to media coverage of COVID-19.
    • Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep and avoid alcohol and drugs.
    • Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do some other activities you enjoy to return to your normal life.
    • Connect with others. Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships.
    • Maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking.

    Share the facts about COVID-19 and the actual risk to others. People who have returned from areas of ongoing spread more than 14 days ago and do not have symptoms of COVID-19 do not put others at risk.

    What are quarantine and social distancing?

    • Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.
    • Social distancing means remaining out of places where people meet or gather, avoiding local public transportation (e.g., bus, subway, taxi, rideshare), and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others.

    Sharing accurate information can help calm fears in others and allow you to connect with them.

    Learn more about taking care of your emotional health.

    For parents:

    Children react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.

    Not all children respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for in children:

    • Excessive crying and irritation
    • Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (e.g., toileting accidents or bedwetting)
    • Excessive worry or sadness
    • Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
    • Irritability and “acting out” behaviors
    • Poor school performance or avoiding school
    • Difficulty with attention and concentration
    • Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
    • Unexplained headaches or body pain
    • Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

    There are many things you can do to support your child:

    • Take time to talk with your child about the COVID-19 outbreak. Answer questions and share facts about COVID-19 in a way that your child can understand.
    • Reassure your child that they are safe. Let them know if is ok if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
    • Limit your child’s exposure to media coverage of the event. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
    • Help your child to have a sense of structure. Once it is safe to return to school or child care, help them return to their regular activity.
    • Be a role model; take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members and rely on your social support system.

    Learn more about helping children cope.

    For responders:

    Responding to COVID-19 can take an emotional toll on you. There are things you can do to reduce secondary traumatic stress (STS) reactions:

    • Acknowledge that STS can impact anyone helping families after a traumatic event.
    • Learn the symptoms including physical (fatigue, illness) and mental (fear, withdrawal, guilt).
    • Allow time for you and your family to recover from responding to the outbreak.
    • Create a menu of personal self-care activities that you enjoy, such as spending time with friends and family, exercising, or reading a book.
    • Take a break from media coverage of COVID-19.
    • Ask for help if you feel overwhelmed or concerned that COVID-19 is affecting your ability to care for your family and patients as you did before the outbreak.

    For people who have been released from quarantine:

    Being separated from others if a health care provider thinks you may have been exposed to COVID-19 can be stressful, even if you do not get sick. Some typical reactions after being released from COVID-19 quarantine can include:

    • Mixed emotions, including relief after quarantine
    • Fear and worry about your own health status and that of your loved ones who may have been exposed to COVID-19
    • Stress from the experience of monitoring yourself, or being monitored by others for signs and symptoms of COVID-19
    • Sadness, anger, or frustration because friends or loved ones have unfounded fears of contracting the disease from contact with you, even though you have been determined not to be contagious
    • Guilt about not being able to perform normal work or parenting duties during quarantine
    • Other emotional or mental health changes

    Children may also feel upset or have other strong emotions if they, or someone they know, has been released from quarantine. You can help your child cope.

    Learn more tips for taking care of yourself during emergency response.

  2. Ketamine Treatment Center Open in Pinehurst

    ketamine, Pinehurst, N.C.Carolina Behavioral Care opened its first Ketamine Treatment Center at our Pinehurst, N.C., site in September 2017. Ketamine is a medicine which has been proven to be very effective (over 70 percent response rate) in treating severe, refractory, major depressive disorder. It has efficacy in the treatment of other psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. It is also used widely for the treatment of medical conditions including chronic pain, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia and reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

    Under the leadership of Dr. Robert Fleury and Dr. Robert Millet, we have developed an office-based, medically supervised program which is consistent with protocols developed by leading university medical centers in the United States.

    Ketamine treatment involves the administration of the drug by intravenous infusion. Before administering the medication, a thorough psychiatric and medical assessment is undertaken by the Carolina Behavioral Care staff.  The treatment requires four to six sessions, usually every other day for intravenous infusion of Ketamine followed by appropriate monitoring. Follow-up psychiatric monitoring is coordinated by the Carolina Behavioral Care staff. Maintenance therapy is also offered based on individual responses.

    Read more about this surprising effective drug therapy.

    To make a referral or schedule an appointment for Ketamine treatment, please call Carolina Behavioral Care at (844) 534-7208.

    Click here

  3. Screen Time Smarts: Developing Healthy Habits For Using Electronic Devices

    Screen time on electronic devices has become such a routine part of work, school, communication and recreation, it can be difficult to recognize when and how to turn off our screens. There is rising evidence pointing towards negative effects of excessive screen time on the mental and physical wellness of children and adults alike. It’s important to take a look at how we use our technology so we take advantage of its benefits and minimize harm to our health. Read more

  4. Substance Abuse Awareness: When Does Use Become Abuse?

    Substance abuse is common, so common in fact that almost every American will have to deal with it at some point in their lives. Whether it’s something they struggle with personally or as an issue for someone close to them, it makes sense for everyone to be aware about substance abuse. Unfortunately, most of the data gathered on substance abuse is on individuals who have already met diagnostic criteria for substance dependence and are headed for intensive treatment. This blog is about the warning signs for everyone that their (or someone else’s) use of alcohol, illicit, or prescription drugs is about to become a problem. Read more

  5. Sleep Hygiene: 12 Tips for Better Sleep

    Sleep Disorders Commonly Plague Many People

    Everyone, at some time in their lives, has experienced problems with sleep. Insomnia is the most common of the sleep disorders. And, as we have all experienced, insomnia is usually affected by things occurring over the normal course of our lives. For example, feeling stressed, worried, anxious or depressed as a result of life events can have a detrimental effect on the quality of our sleep. Normal healthy sleep is usually in the six to nine-hour range daily and any disturbance in that, such as difficulty falling asleep, mid- cycle awakening or early morning awakening, is generally considered the condition of insomnia. Read more

  • Greensboro office

    7029 Albert Pick Rd, Suite 200 Greensboro NC 27409

    Tel: 336-944-6522

    Fax: 833-449-5165

  • Charlotte Office

    7400 Carmel Executive Park, #155, Charlotte, NC 28226

    Tel: 336-944-6522

    Fax: 833-450-5457

  • Pinehurst office

    289 Olmsted Blvd Pinehurst, NC 28374

    Tel: 910-295-6007

    Fax: 833-450-4876

  • Hillsborough office

    209 Millstone Drive Hillsborough, NC 27278

    Tel: 919-245-5400

    Fax: 833-449-5166

  • Durham office

    4102 Ben Franklin Blvd Durham, NC 27704

    Tel: 919-972-7700

    Fax: 833-449-5163

Coworker
Dr. David Cowherd, MD, FACC - Pinehurst Medical Clinic

Carolina Behavioral Care has been my number one choice for my psychiatric referrals for the past 20 years. Their level of professionalism is unsurpassed and I have never been disappointed.

Affiliations:
Privacy Policy | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | No Surprise Act | Notice of Nondiscrimination | Notice of Availability

Our self-pay rates will soon be updated. Please contact our staff for more information.

X