Whatever the cause of it is, mental illness can happen to anyone. Whether you're rich or poor, tall or short, black or white, famous or not, you have just as equal a chance of getting it. If you become aware of it, you'll see it's as common as night and day. You probably have a friend, relative, co-worker, or acquaintance who has depression right now; who is experiencing difficulty from a loss in their life be it a job or loved one. Or it could be that they are having trouble in school, like being bullied which could in fact cause them to contemplate sucide. Or maybe they're all of a sudden experiencing too much stress and feel like they're having some sort of emotional breakdown. Here is a list of famous individuals and cultural creatives who have also lived life with mental illness. Paula Deen Agoraphobia and panic attacks Billy Joel alcohol and depression Craig Ferguson alcoholic Karen Carpenter anorexia nervosa Sandra Dee anorexia nervosa Tracey Gold anorexia nervosa, attention deficit disorder; Richard Simmons anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa; Kurt Cobain attention deficit disorder and bipolar depression Michael Phelps attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Doug Flutie, Jr. autism Bill Oddie bipolar disorder DMX bipolar disorder Frank Bruno bipolar disorder James Dean Bradfield bipolar disorder Jane Pauley bipolar disorder Macy Gray bipolar disorder Ozzy Osbourne bipolar disorder Rosemary Clooney bipolar disorder Sinead O’Connor bipolar disorder Tony Slattery bipolar disorder Mel Gibson bipolar disorder Britney Spears bipolar and postnatal depression Stephen Fry bipolar depression Alonzo Spellman bipolar disorder Art Buchwald bipolar disorder Axl Rose bipolar disorder Ben Stiller bipolar disorder Bert Yancey bipolar disorder Bill Lichtenstein bipolar disorder Brian Wilson bipolar disorder Burgess Meredith bipolar disorder Dimitrius Underwood bipolar disorder Francis Ford Coppola bipolar disorder Gaetano Donizetti bipolar disorder J.P. Morgan bipolar disorder Jack Irons bipolar disorder Jean-Claude Van Damme bipolar disorder Jimmy Piersall bipolar disorder John Gibson bipolar disorder John Mulheren bipolar disorder Joshua Logan bipolar disorder Kate Millett bipolar disorder Kristy McNichol bipolar disorder Larry Flynt bipolar disorder Linda Hamilton bipolar disorder Ludwig van Beethoven bipolar disorder Margaret Trudeau Kemper bipolar disorder Murray Pezim bipolar disorder Ned Beatty bipolar disorder Patty Duke bipolar disorder Pierre Péladeau bipolar disorder Robert Boorstin bipolar disorder Robert Campeau bipolar disorder Robert Lowell bipolar disorder Robert Munsch bipolar disorder Spike Milligan bipolar disorder Ted Turner bipolar disorder Alvin Ailey bipolar disorder (aka “manic depression”) Abbie Hoffman bipolar disorder (speculated) Isaac Newton bipolar disorder (suspected) Vivien Leigh bipolar disorder after miscarriage Kitty Dukakis bipolar disorder, alcoholism; substance abuse; Patricia Cornwell bipolar disorder, anorexia nervosa, anorexia bulimia;; Carrie Fisher bipolar disorder, substance abuse; Shecky Greene bipolar disorder, with severe panic attacks Charley Pride bipolar disorder; alcoholism John Daly bipolar disorder; alcoholism, gambling addiction; Jaco Pastorius bipolar disorder; alcoholism; substance abuse Winston Churchill bipolar disorder; dyslexia Frances Lear bipolar disorder;, substance abuse Catherine zeta jones bipolar II Adam Ant (Stuart Goddard) bipolar disorder Doug Ferrari borderline personality disorder Marsha Linehan bpd Adam Rickett bulimia nervosa Barbara Niven bulimia nervosa Herb McCauley bulimia nervosa Jane Fonda bulimia nervosa Ally Sheedy bulimia nervosa; substance abuse Sir Elton John bulimia nervosa; substance abuse, alcoholism; Princess Diana Bulimia nevosa, depression and multiple suicide attempts Paula Abdul bullimia nervosa Alanis Morissette clinical depression Alma Powell clinical depression Anne Sexton clinical depression Ben Vereen clinical depression Benjamin Disraeli clinical depression Billy Joel clinical depression Boris Yeltsin clinical depression Buzz Aldrin clinical depression Carmen Miranda clinical depression Cary Grant clinical depression Charles Schulz clinical depression Charley Pell clinical depression Clara Bow clinical depression Connie Francis clinical depression Damon Wayans clinical depression Darryl Strawberry clinical depression Diane Arbus clinical depression Dick Clark clinical depression Dolly Parton clinical depression Dorothy Day clinical depression Drew Carey clinical depression Dwight Gooden clinical depression Eminem clinical depression Emma Thompson clinical depression Eric Clapton clinical depression Ernest Hemingway clinical depression Eugene O’Neill clinical depression F. Scott Fitzgerald clinical depression Frank Lloyd Wright clinical depression George Eliot (Marian Evans) clinical depression Georgia O’Keeffe clinical depression Harrison Ford clinical depression Hermann Hesse clinical depression Hunter Tylo clinical depression Irving Berlin clinical depression Jack Farrell clinical depression James Forrestal clinical depression James Garner clinical depression Janet Jackson clinical depression Jessica Lange clinical depression Jim Carrey clinical depression Joey Kramer clinical depression Joey Slinger clinical depression John Kenneth Galbraith clinical depression John Quincy Adams clinical depression Jose Canseco clinical depression Jules Feiffer clinical depression Karen Kain clinical depression Kendall Gill clinical depression Larry King clinical depression Lawton Chiles clinical depression Leonard Bernstein clinical depression Leonard Cohen clinical depression Mark Rothko clinical depression Meriwether Lewis clinical depression Mike Wallace clinical depression Morrissey (S.P.) clinical depression Natalie Cole clinical depression Neil Simon clinical depression Norman Mailer clinical depression Pablo Picasso clinical depression Pat Lafontaine clinical depression Patrick Kennedy clinical depression Paul Gascoigne clinical depression Paul Simon clinical depression Pete Harnisch clinical depression Peter Gabriel clinical depression Queen Victoria clinical depression Ray Charles clinical depression Rick Springfield clinical depression Robert McFarlane clinical depression Rod Steiger clinical depression Rodney Dangerfield clinical depression Sarah McLachlan clinical depression Scott Donie clinical depression Sheryl Crow clinical depression Sigmund Freud clinical depression Sir Anthony Hopkins clinical depression Sting (Gordon Sumner) clinical depression Susan Powter clinical depression Sylvia Plath clinical depression Tennessee Williams clinical depression Theodore Dreiser clinical depression Thomas Eagleton clinical depression Tipper Gore clinical depression Tracy Thompson clinical depression Walker Percy clinical depression William Styron clinical depression Yves Saint Laurent clinical depression Calvin Coolidge clinical depression (speculated) Elizabeth Hartman clinical depression (speculated) Tiberius clinical depression (speculated) Vincent Foster clinical depression (speculated) Edgar Allan Poe clinical depression (speculated); alcoholism Richey James clinical depression, anorexia nervosa;;alcoholism Robin Williams clinical depression, learning disability; Marie Osmond clinical depression, post-partum Jack Kerouac clinical depression, substance abuse, severe alcoholism; Tammy Wynette clinical depression, substance abuse; Ann-Margret clinical depression; alcoholism Hart Crane clinical depression; alcoholism Robert Young clinical depression; alcoholism Spencer Tracy clinical depression; alcoholism Drew Barrymore clinical depression; alcoholism, substance abuse; Cole Porter clinical depression; alcoholism; paranoid delusions; obsessive-compulsive disorder (speculated) Winona Ryder clinical depression; anxiety Daniel Johns clinical depression; anxiety disorder;eating disorder James Taylor clinical depression; bipolar disorder Vincent van Gogh clinical depression; bipolar disorder (speculated) Charles Dickens clinical depression; bipolar disorder (suspected) Joan Rivers clinical depression; bulimia nervosa George S. Patton clinical depression; dyslexia Audrey Hepburn clinical depression; eating disorders Leo Tolstoy clinical depression; hypochondriasis; alcoholism; substance abuse Donny Osmond clinical depression; social phobia Jackson Pollock clinical depression; substance abuse Kris Kristopherson clinical depression; substance abuse Judy Garland clinical depression;,substance abuse Kurt Vonnegut clinical depression/bipolar Phil Spector clinical depression/bipolar Richard Dreyfuss clinical depression/bipolar Marilyn Monroe clinical depression/suicide David Bowie crying but not diagnosed but lots of family mental health issues Alastair Campbell depression Ben Moody depression Fiona Phillips depression Graeme Obree depression Hugh Laurie depression Keisha Buchanan depression Kylie Minogue depression Lenny Henry depression Lord Bragg depression Meg Mathews depression Mel C: depression Melinda Messenger depression Neil Lennon depression Robbie Williams depression Ruby Wax depression Russell Grant depression Sarah Lancashire depression Trisha Goddard depression Uma Thurman depression Jack Dee depression Dick Cavett depression – found electro shock therapy helpful Delta Burke depression and compulsive hoarding George Michael depression and fear Patsy Palmer depression and panic attacks Angelina Jolie depression and self harm/OCD Dame Kelly Holmes depression and self harm Mike Tyson depression and severe insecurities and anger Heath Ledger depression, anxiety and sleep depravation Herschel Walker dissociative identity disorder Roseanne dissociative identity disorder (aka “multiple personality disorder”); obsessive-compulsive disorder; clinical depression; agoraphobia Courtney Love drub abuse, clinical depression Sophie Anderton drug addiction and depression Alexander Graham Bell dyslexia Alfred Taubman dyslexia Charles Schwab dyslexia Craig McCaw dyslexia David Boies dyslexia David Murdock dyslexia Edward McVaney dyslexia John Chambers dyslexia Lewis Preston dyslexia Nelson Rockefeller dyslexia Richard Branson dyslexia Thomas Alva Edison dyslexia Tom Cruise dyslexia Walt Disney dyslexia Whoopi Goldberg dyslexia William Hewlett dyslexia Woodrow Wilson dyslexia Albert Einstein dyslexia (speculated) Margaux Hemingway dyslexia; alcoholism; clinical depression (speculated) Justine Bateman eating disorders Amy Heckerling eating disorders; obsessive-compulsive disorder Danny Glover learning disability George Washington learning disability Harry Andersen learning disability Henry Winkler learning disability Caroline Aherne major depressive disorder Margot Kidder manic depression (Bipolar) and paranoia Denise Welch nervous breakdown Howard Stern obsessive-compulsive disorder Howie Mandel obsessive-compulsive disorder Marc Summers obsessive-compulsive disorder Howard Hughes OCD (clinical depression and psychosis both speculated Jessica Alba OCD and eating disorder Shayne Corson panic attacks Nicole Kidman panic attacks on the red carpet Earl Campbell panic disorder Kim Basinger panic disorder Donald Trump possible OCD Gail Porter post natal depression Katie Price/Jordan post natal depression Julie Krone post-traumatic stress disorder; clinical depression Brooke Shields postpartum depression Charles “Buddy” Bolden schizophrenia Charles Faust schizophrenia John Nash schizophrenia Peter Greene schizophrenia Syd Barrett schizophrenia Vaslav Nijinsky schizophrenia John Forbes Nash schizophrenia (paranoid-type) Lionel Aldridge schizophrenia (paranoid-type) Veronica Lake schizophrenia; alcoholism Abraham Lincoln severe clinical depression Charles Darwin severe panic disorder Barbra Streisand social phobia Carly Simon social phobia Ricky Williams social phobia Steve Blass social phobia Steve Sax social phobia John Madden specific phobia (flying) Elton John substance abuse and bulimia Halle Berry suicide attempt Tulisa’s mum Tulisa’s mum had scizoaffective disorder Emily Carr various speculations, neurasthenia; hypochondriasis; clinical depression; conversion disorder; schizophrenia: Related Article: Celebrities - Mental Health & Suicide

One movie that I think was very fascinating is a movie called Happy, which is available on Netflix. It is documentary film directed, written, and co-produced by Academy Award nominated film-make Roko Belic. It discusses principles of happiness, particularly through the perspective of positive psychology, through a series of interviews of people from 14 different countries, with varying cultural, socioeconomic differences. This was created based on Belic's interest in trying to understand the fundamental aspects of happiness, which stem from a article he read "A New Measure of Well Being From Happy Little Kingdom", which indicated that the US was the 23rd happiest country in the world. I am not sure how this ranking was measured. Belic spent several years, meeting hundreds of people, to explore his own curiosity of what factors lead to someone being happy. The film helps deconstruct happiness from an abstract concept to a possible formula based on the principles of human psychology. It was interesting because many of the aspects of happiness that were discussed coincide with concepts that were discussed by Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs illustrated below. Maslow's theory suggests that the most basic level of needs must be met before the individual will strongly desire (or focus motivation upon) the secondary or higher level needs. Maslow also coined the term "metamotivation" to describe the motivation of people who go beyond the scope of the basic needs and strive for constant betterment. The movie reflects, that regardless of socioeconomic factors and wealth, a individual was capable of feeling happy if he/she were capable advancing their life according the hierarchy that had been stated by Maslow. I thought this was an interest parallel which was not discussed in the movie, however coincided. I think in many ways I believe that Maslow's hierarchy applies to my life, where I try to focus on my health first and foremost. Source: Vilash Reddy, MD

It can be challenging, frustrating trying to find a psychiatrist that takes your insurance as more psychiatrist are opting out of insurance plans based on drops in the rate of reimbursement and various mental health legislating changes. At One Life Psychiatry , we think its very important to be able to use whatever insurance you have when you feel sick mentally or physically. We have added on approximately 15 new insurance plans to our company with ongoing additions as our contracts our finalized. Here is a list of our in-network plans. If you don't see your insurance plan please contact us at 888-855-0947 to verify if your insurance plan in now in-network, as we are continually adding new contracts. Updated: 11/3/2023 Allwell Ambetter Anthem | Elevance Blue Cross Blue Shield BlueCross and BlueShield Cenpatico Cigna and Evernorth GEHA Home State Health Plan Medicaid Medicare Optum Oscar Health Show Me Healthy Kids TRICARE TriWest UMR UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH VA Community Care Network (CCN) WellCare We want to make mental health care affordable . If we are out-of-network, we will provide you a super-bill of the charges where you can get 50-70% reimbursement (which you should verify with your insurance company. If you don't have insurance, we have self-pay options (with discounted rates for qualified patients on a sliding scale). If prior arrangements are made, we can create an affordable payment plan. More details on our FAQ page . Interested in setting up at appointment - Click here If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at support@onelifepsychiatry.com

Keynote: Anyone could experience a mental health condition or hospitalization. Inpatient mental health treatment is offered when a person needs a higher level of care. Most stays in psychiatric units are short, between three to seven days. Gaining the most from inpatient care often means keeping an open mind. I remember running my fingers through my blonde, 13-year-old hair as my mother's car approached an intimidating building. Instantly, I wanted to go home. My mother had told me we were going to see a doctor. Something felt off. We walked through a set of large doors and clicked a buzzer. Gesturing to me, my mom said, "I'd like to have her admitted." I had no warning of this beyond a few notes on scratch paper I had found with the hospital name sitting on a desk at home. I think I cried more tears that evening and night than ever in my life. My understanding of psychiatric hospitalization came from soap operas and Batman. I didn't know why I was there or how long I would be there. Yet, I met teens who were not too much unlike me. One roommate showed me how to dry my hair through headbanging. We had access to a gym and time outside. Music therapy, activity therapy, and groups all day long. The food was surprisingly better than the food I had at home. There were some anxiety-provoking pieces. The level of control in the space was wild. Other people decided when I got up, what I could wear, who I could talk to, whether or not I could leave the unit, what I ate, and almost every other aspect of my life for the time. I found the realities of restraint, sedation, and seclusion used in the hospital to be frightening. I watched another teen pulled to the ground and carried to the "quiet room" after trying to run for a door. She emerged from sedation the next day. Today, I still advocate against these practices. Some staff did seem to care, knowing that most of us, though young, had complex lives. I still remember one particular staff member by name who shared about his own life, joked, and gave motivational tidbits. He brightened my days a bit. I learned about my mental health condition and began a journey toward recovery. Though the experience was painful, it sparked compassion. The youth came to the space for a myriad of reasons—self-harm, substance use, depression, psychosis. I became aware of a world of suffering I did not know existed and wished to help. Though I wasn't sure how, I hoped that once my mental health improved, I could find a way to show up for others. In 10 days, I returned to life outside the hospital. I wish I had known about psychiatric hospitals before my turn in one. I think it would have made the experience less frightening. "Mental Institutions and Asylums" Recently, in a debate, former president Donald Trump invoked the words "mental institutions and asylums" as he described where immigrants were coming from. These words accompanied others such as "prisons" and "terrorists"—lumping all into the same category. Are psychiatric hospitals dangerous places full of dangerous people? As a therapist who has worked and interned within inpatient environments at times, as well as a former patient myself, I would say no. People seek inpatient mental health care when coping with a mental health crisis or when temporarily needing more rigorous care for a mental health condition. One person might go to the hospital at the advice of their doctor during a particularly nasty turn of depression during which they have struggled with thoughts of suicide and tasks of daily living. Another person might find themselves hospitalized in an emergency room where they have come due to hearing painful voices or in an altered state. Many people find themselves needing inpatient mental health care at one point or another. Among these individuals are neighbors, friends, mothers, teachers, lawyers, and people from many sectors of our community. Anyone can face a mental health challenge requiring hospitalization. Acute psychiatric hospital stays tend to be short: three to seven days on average, depending on response to treatment and case details. To learn more about psychiatric hospitalization today, I spoke with Brittany Burke, a licensed master social worker and intake clinician. She is an expert on mental health and an individual with lived experience of recovery herself. Together, we defined five things everyone should know about psychiatric hospitalization. 1. There Are No Crazy People The people in psychiatric units are representative of the general population. While inpatient units are secure, it is not due to the outlandish nature of the people inside. Rather, as some individuals come to the hospital due to suicidal crisis, these spaces are designed to prevent anyone from harming themselves. When I asked Brittany to describe the space of an inpatient unit, she replied, "A safe environment." In America, most inpatient units are secured with unique rules compared to the outside, giving a sort of bubble away from the rest of the world to focus on one's mental health above any distractions. 2. Healing Often Takes an Open Mind Most people do not wake up one day and think, "You know what sounds fun? Going to the hospital." Going to a psychiatric hospital often involves a host of new experiences. It can feel somewhat tense, and it may be tempting to withdraw or try to find a way out. Brittany recommends being "open" when approached with opportunities like group therapy. She shares the importance of being "willing to learn coping skills" and communicating openly with staff. Whether someone comes to a hospital for physical or mental health concerns, people go to a hospital to get better. We have to be willing to accept help if we want it. 3. The Low Point of a Hospitalization Can Be a Turning Point Brittany shares that the mental health symptoms leading to hospitalization might leave someone feeling "hopeless," "without purpose," or with a compromised "sense of self." In psychiatric hospitals, there usually are some therapeutic components. Utilizing these therapies and experiences to grow and find meaning in a dark time. 4. If Going to Hospital, Ask What You Can Bring Due to constraints meant for one's safety, some items, like shoelaces and hairspray, are not usually allowed in hospitals. Yet, if you are going to a psychiatric unit or know someone who is, you might be able to bring some comfort items. When I asked Brittany what items she recommends asking about, she said, "Books." Although the days in a psychiatric hospital usually involve group therapy, meals, and recreation activities, there can still be a lot of downtime. Having a book can give some added sense of normalcy. 5. There May Be Other Options While inpatient stays are some of the most intense mental health treatment options, sometimes a person might not need this level of care. In many areas, alternatives such as crisis centers or intensive outpatient may be available to someone needing more help than traditional outpatient care but who is not at a level of distress where they need the supervision of psychiatric hospitalization. Intensive outpatient therapy involves going to a clinic during the day to attend group and individual therapies like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy while still keeping the liberty to go home at night. Crisis centers offer mental health care in a space where someone might stay for a few hours or a few days with 24-hour support, but usually without the medical presence of a hospital. Closing Psychiatric hospitalization is an option for treatment when someone needs a higher level of care than what is possible in an outpatient setting. The security of a psychiatric hospital is meant more to prevent individuals from harming themselves rather than to protect others. Anyone can have a mental health challenge that leads them to require inpatient psychiatric care, and willingness to seek this out in a time of need is a sign of strength. Note: This article originally appeared on Psychiatric Times .

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear is a part of the body’s “fight-or-flight” response, which helps us avoid or respond to potential danger. People may experience a range of reactions after trauma, and most people recover from initial symptoms over time. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD. Post traumatic stress disorder Who gets PTSD? Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. This includes combat veterans and people who have experienced or witnessed a physical or sexual assault, abuse, an accident, a disaster, or other serious events. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened, even when they are not in danger. Not everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Sometimes, learning that a friend or family member experienced trauma can cause PTSD. According to the National Center for PTSD , a program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about six out of every 100 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men. Certain aspects of the traumatic event and some biological factors (such as genes) may make some people more likely to develop PTSD. What are the signs and symptoms of PTSD? Symptoms of PTSD usually begin within 3 months of the traumatic event, but they sometimes emerge later. To meet the criteria for PTSD, a person must have symptoms for longer than 1 month, and the symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with aspects of daily life, such as relationships or work. The symptoms also must be unrelated to medication, substance use, or other illness. The course of the disorder varies. Some people recover within 6 months, while others have symptoms that last for 1 year or longer. People with PTSD often have co-occurring conditions, such as depression, substance use, or one or more anxiety disorders. After a dangerous event, it is natural to have some symptoms. For example, some people may feel detached from the experience, as though they are observing things rather than experiencing them. A mental health professional who has experience helping people with PTSD , such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker, can determine whether symptoms meet the criteria for PTSD. To be diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of the following for at least 1 month. At least one re-experiencing symptom At least one avoidance symptom At least two arousal and reactivity symptoms At least two cognition and mood symptoms Re-experiencing symptoms include: Experiencing flashbacks—reliving the traumatic event, including physical symptoms such as a racing heart or sweating Having recurring memories or dreams related to the event Having distressing thoughts Experiencing physical signs of stress Thoughts and feelings can trigger these symptoms, as can words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event. Avoidance symptoms include: Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the traumatic experience Avoiding thoughts or feelings related to the traumatic event Avoidance symptoms may cause people to change their routines. For example, some people may avoid driving or riding in a car after a serious car accident. Arousal and reactivity symptoms include: Being easily startled Feeling tense, on guard, or on edge Having difficulty concentrating Having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep Feeling irritable and having angry or aggressive outbursts Engaging in risky, reckless, or destructive behavior Arousal symptoms are often constant. They can lead to feelings of stress and anger and may interfere with parts of daily life, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating. Cognition and mood symptoms include: Having trouble remembering key features of the traumatic event Having negative thoughts about oneself or the world Having exaggerated feelings of blame directed toward oneself or others Having ongoing negative emotions, such as fear, anger, guilt, or shame Losing interest in enjoyable activities Having feelings of social isolation Having difficulty feeling positive emotions, such as happiness or satisfaction Cognition and mood symptoms can begin or worsen after the traumatic event. They can lead a person to feel detached from friends or family members. If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org . In life-threatening situations, call 911 . How do children and teens react to trauma? Children and teens can have extreme reactions to trauma, but some of their symptoms may not be the same as those seen in adults. In children younger than age 6, these symptoms can include: Wetting the bed after having learned to use the toilet Forgetting how to talk or being unable to talk Acting out the scary event during playtime Being unusually clingy with a parent or other adult Older children and teens usually show symptoms more like those seen in adults. They also may develop disruptive, disrespectful, or destructive behaviors. Older children and teens may feel guilty for not preventing injury or deaths. They may also have thoughts of revenge. Learn more about how to help children and adolescents cope with disasters and other traumatic events. What are the risk factors for PTSD? Not everyone who lives through a dangerous event develops PTSD—many factors play a part. Some of these factors are present before the trauma; others become important during and after a traumatic event. Risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing PTSD include: Being exposed to previous traumatic experiences, particularly during childhood Getting hurt or seeing people hurt or killed Feeling horror, helplessness, or extreme fear Having little or no social support after the event Dealing with extra stress after the event, such as loss of a loved one, pain and injury, or loss of a job or home Having a personal or family history of mental illness or substance use Resilience factors that may reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD include: Seeking out support from friends, family, or support groups Learning to feel okay with one’s actions in response to a traumatic event Having a coping strategy for getting through and learning from the traumatic event Being prepared and able to respond to upsetting events as they occur, despite feeling fear How is PTSD treated? It is important for anyone with PTSD symptoms to work with a mental health professional who has experience treating PTSD. The main treatments are psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of psychotherapy and medications. A mental health professional can help people find the best treatment plan for their symptoms and needs. Some people with PTSD, such as those in abusive relationships, may be living through ongoing trauma. In these cases, treatment is usually most effective when it addresses both the traumatic situation and the symptoms of PTSD. People who experience traumatic events or who have PTSD also may experience panic disorder, depression, substance use, or suicidal thoughts . Treatment for these conditions can help with recovery after trauma. Research shows that support from family and friends also can be an important part of recovery. What is Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (sometimes called talk therapy) includes a variety of treatment techniques that mental health professionals use to help people identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Psychotherapy can provide support, education, and guidance to people with PTSD and their families. Treatment can take place one on one or in a group and usually lasts 6 to 12 weeks but can last longer. Some types of psychotherapy target PTSD symptoms, while others focus on social, family, or job-related problems. Effective psychotherapies often emphasize a few key components, including learning skills to help identify triggers and manage symptoms. One common type of psychotherapy, called cognitive behavioral therapy , can include exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring: Exposure therapy helps people learn to manage their fear by gradually exposing them, in a safe way, to the trauma they experienced. As part of exposure therapy, people may think or write about the trauma or visit the place where it happened. This therapy can help people with PTSD reduce symptoms that cause them distress. Cognitive restructuring helps people make sense of the traumatic event. Sometimes people remember the event differently from how it happened. They may feel guilt or shame about something that is not their fault. Cognitive restructuring can help people with PTSD think about what happened in a realistic way. Medications The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a type of antidepressant medication, for the treatment of PTSD. SSRIs may help manage PTSD symptoms such as sadness, worry, anger, and feeling emotionally numb. Health care providers may prescribe SSRIs and other medications along with psychotherapy. Some medications may help treat specific PTSD symptoms, such as sleep problems and nightmares. Source: National Center for PTSD

1-2-3 Magic is the no. 1 selling child discipline program in the country! The 1-2-3 Magic program keeps parents in charge and is proven to be effective, produces results quickly , and is the only parenting program based on the fact that parents talk too much ! This an amazing tool for children with behavioral problems, irritability, poor boundaries. Really helps and coach you on how to be an authoritative parent with positive and negative reinforcement. Kids need disciplining but kind words and external validation. Conditions Helpful: ADHD; ODD; Impulse Control Disorder; etc. Parenting is one of the most important jobs in the world, and it can also be one of life's most enjoyable experiences. Small children are engaging, affectionate, entertaining, curious, full of life, and fun to be around. For many adults, parenting provides profound and unique benefits unequaled by any other area of life. Yet being a mom or a dad can also be unbelievably frustrating. Repeat the Twinkie scene more than a thousand times and you have guaranteed misery. In extreme but all-too-common situations, that misery can become the source of emotional and physical abuse. That's no way for anyone child or adult to live. Children don't come with a How-To-Raise-Me training manual. That's why there is a program like 1-2-3 Magic. The 1-2-3 program is currently being used all over the world by millions of parents (including single and divorced), teachers, grandparents, day care centers, babysitters, summer camp counselors, hospital staff, and other child caretakers, all of whom are working toward the goal of raising happy, healthy children. The 1-2-3 program is also being taught and recommended by thousands of mental health professionals and pediatricians . At parent-teacher conferences, teachers recommend 1-2-3 Magic to the parents of their students (and sometimes parents recommend 1-2-3 Magic for Teachers to the teachers!). Why all the enthusiasm? As one parent put it, "1-2-3 Magic was easy to learn and it gave me results. I went back to enjoying my kids and being the kind of mother I knew I could be." More than twenty-five years after the launch of the program, we're hearing from parents today who say, "My kids were great kids and now they're nice adults. We enjoy being with them." 1-2-3 Magic helps children grow up to be self-disciplined adults who are competent, happy, and able to get along with others. In other words, it helps produce emotionally intelligent people―people who can manage their own feelings as well as understand and respond to the emotions of others. 3 Tips for Tantrums Stop talking – Children see parents' reasons and explanations as sure signs that the parent doesn’t know what he or she is doing. Parents need a plan that focuses on gentle but decisive actions—not words. Check out – When a child whines or melts down after a denied request, the parent has 10 seconds to decide what to do. No talking, for example, no eye contact, increase physical distance as much as possible. Soon the kids will begin to realize that tantrums get them only one thing: Nothing. Be Consistent – Can you apply the same strategies in public? Not only can you, you have to! Attempts at reasoning or distraction in a restaurant or grocery store will bring on a tantrum in no time at all. Source: Tiktok @onelifepsych - I have 20k followers where I discussed diagnosis, helpful tools to understood what you are going through. Check it out. Super helpful I hope.

As the name implies, it is about living your “one life” to its fullest potential without any psychological or psychiatric limitations. My practice is about the holistic model for mental health with medications, therapy, and alternatives. It is an integration of optimal aspects of Western medicines (avoiding potential side effects or complications) with various therapy modalities (CBT, DBT, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, etc). One Life Psychiatry provides a unique blend of patient-driven treatment, from an educational perspective, empowering the patient to select a treatment modality that aligns with his/her values, whether it be medications (psychopharmacology), therapy, and alternatives. In addition, I will explore and find whole body alternatives (if you prefer). As a child psychiatrist, I was very attuned to over prescription of medicines that could have potentially long-term consequences, including addiction, among the least. I will integrate nutritional supplements, herbal/plant based meditation, meditation/mindfulness, and particularly important health habits such as sunlight (vitamin D3), etc. I will continue update these pages with diagnosis, treatments options (including pros and cons), alternatives, knowledge about the different types of therapy (particularly what conditions they are effective for, alternative remedies, self-help books, clips on philosophy. Anything that will give you hope for a first quality of life and a healthy transformation.

Does psychiatry’s future lean towards online practice? Telepsychiatry is a form of telemedicine that uses telephone or video conferencing tools to provide psychiatric services . As with in-person psychiatric treatment, telepsychiatry providers can evaluate and diagnose, provide therapy, and prescribe medication. On the one hand, I fully agree with Dr Varas that something is lost when we are not meeting in the same room with our patients. As I stated in my article, however, I think that telepsychiatry will increasingly be the way of the future, especially with younger generations of patients and therapists, along with continued advances in technology. Dr. Reddy believes that telepsych allows patients that are in remote areas of the country of state the access to quality doctors. People feel more comfortable taking about sensitive issues in their own environment. It eliminates the white coat syndrome. The no show rate is dramatically improved as it is much more flexible than commuting at least 30 minutes to 1 hour for an appointment, then seeing the doctor then being stuck in traffic. In this fast paced word, we don't have much time. The advantage of telepsych is we don't have to do a physical examination on patients, which is unlike many other fields who are transitioning into telehealth. The Way to Improve Mental Health in Missouri and Kansas City I see patients from 7 hours away which would have been impossible with the benefits of telepsychiatry. I can see patients all over Missouri and Kansas City which is a major advantage as they are often burned out by their local providers and want a clean state. Now a days it's common to psychiatrists to practice in multiple states to reach more patients. I hope to expand with more Midwest states in the near especially with the patient population i see which is highly vulnerable. Dr Vilash Reddy is the owner of One Life Psychiatry. As a child/adult/addiction psychiatrist, he has a holistic approach mental health, through the use of medication, therapy, and alternative remedies. His main focus he believes is vitally important is to educate and empower patients that are struggling with mental illness. He places a strong emphasis on understanding the patient way before prescribing random medicines which why he often the 2nd, 3rd, etc opinion.

I remember what it was like to be a medical student at a well-known cancer hospital where patients were dying of cancer. In life's final stages, it was not uncommon for physicians to increase the dose of morphine ; it alleviated pain, eased labored breathing, and yes, probably hastened the inevitable for patients who were in their final hours. In these scenarios, no one considered this euthanasia, and no one questioned whether it was the right thing to do. Fast-forward to 2023 when the act of a physician hastening a patient's death has become a controversial topic as criteria have expanded. Like all such topics in our polarized society, people aligned on sides, politics, and religion rush to the head of the room, legislation is proposed, and words take on new meanings. If you're in favor of legalization of clinician assistance in a patient's death, the term is medical assistance in dying (MAID). If you're opposed, the term is the more graphic physician-assisted suicide . The scenario is entirely different from what I saw in my medical school rotations decades ago. It's no longer an issue of easing the pain and discomfort of patients' final hours; the question now is whether, faced with a potentially terminal or progressively debilitating physical illness, a patient has the right to determine when, and how, their life will end, and the medical profession is given a role in this. In many places the bar has been further lowered to incorporate nonterminal conditions, and Belgium and the Netherlands now allow physician-facilitated suicide for psychiatric conditions, a practice that many find reprehensible. In these countries, patients may be provided with medications to ingest, but psychiatrists also administer lethal injections. While Belgium and the Netherlands were the first countries to legalize physician-facilitated death, it could be argued that Canada has embraced it with the most gusto; physician-assisted suicide has been legal there since 2016. Canada already has the largest number of physician-assisted deaths of any nation, with 10,064 in 2021 — an increase of 32% from 2020. The Canadian federal government is currently considering adding serious mental illness as an eligible category. If this law passes, the country will have the most liberal assisted-death policy in the world. The Canadian government planned to make serious mental illness an eligible category in March 2023, but in an eleventh-hour announcement, it deferred its decision until March 2024. In a press release, the government said that the 1-year extension would "provide additional time to prepare for the safe and consistent assessment and provision of MAID in all cases, including where the person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness. It will also allow time for the Government of Canada to fully consider the final report of the Special Joint Committee on MAID, tabled in Parliament on February 15, 2023." As a psychiatrist who treats patients with treatment-refractory conditions, I have watched people undergo trial after trial of medications while having psychotherapy, and sometimes transcranial magnetic stimulation or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The thing that is sustaining for patients is the hope that they will get better and go on to find meaning and purpose in life, even if it is not in the form they once envisioned. To offer the option of a death facilitated by the very person who is trying to get them better seems so counter to everything I have learned and contradicts our role as psychiatrists who work so hard to prevent suicide . Where is the line, one wonders, when the patient has not responded to two medications or 12? Must they have ECT before we consider helping them end their lives? Do we try for 6 months or 6 years? What about new research pointing to better medications or psychedelics that are not yet available? According to Canada's proposed legislation, the patient must be aware that treatment options exist, including facilitated suicide. Physician-assisted suicide for psychiatric conditions creates a conundrum for psychiatrists. As mental health professionals , we work to prevent suicide and view it as an act that is frequently fueled by depression. Those who are determined to die by their own hand often do. Depression distorts cognition and leads many patients to believe that they would be better off dead and that their loved ones would be better off without them. These cognitive distortions are part of their illness. So, how do we, as psychiatrists, move from a stance of preventing suicide — using measures such as involuntary treatment when necessary — to being the people who offer and facilitate death for our patients? I'll leave this for my Canadian colleagues to contemplate, as I live in a state where assisted suicide for any condition remains illegal. As Canada moves toward facilitating death for serious mental illness, we have to wonder whether racial or socioeconomic factors will play a role. Might those who are poor, who have less access to expensive treatment options and social support, be more likely to request facilitated death? And how do we determine whether patients with serious mental illness are competent to make such a decision or whether it is mental illness that is driving their perception of a future without hope? As psychiatrists, we often struggle to help our patients overcome the stigma associated with treatments for mental illness. Still, patients often refuse potentially helpful treatments because they worry about the consequences of getting care. These include career repercussions and the disapproval of others. When this legislation is finally passed, will our Canadian colleagues offer it as an option when their patient refuses lithium or antipsychotics, inpatient care or ECT?

Mental health is one of the most important aspects of overall wellness, but it is frequently overlooked. Many people believe that psychiatry is only for people suffering from severe mental illnesses, but it can benefit anyone looking to improve their quality of life. Whether you are suffering from anxiety, depression, ADHD , bipolar disorder, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges, psychiatry provides tools and strategies to help you regain balance, function better in daily activities, and improve your overall sense of well-being. For many, the term psychiatry conjures up images of hospitals, medications, and crisis care. While psychiatrists treat serious conditions, their responsibilities are much broader. Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that studies, diagnoses, and treats mental health issues . Psychiatrists are trained physicians who can evaluate both biological and psychological aspects of health. Unlike therapists and counselors, psychiatrists can prescribe medication as needed. However, modern psychiatry frequently combines medical treatment with therapy, lifestyle advice, and holistic approaches. The goal is not only to alleviate symptoms, but also to assist people in living more fulfilling, productive lives. How Psychiatry Enhances Daily Life One of the most significant barriers to seeking psychiatric treatment is stigma. Many people believe that seeing a psychiatrist indicates that they are weak or broken. Seeking psychiatric care demonstrates strength and self-awareness. Just as people see doctors for diabetes or high blood pressure, seeing a psychiatrist for mental health is a normal, healthy step toward wellness. In fact, early intervention frequently prevents symptoms from worsening and assists individuals in developing stronger coping skills before they interfere with daily life. Psychiatric care can improve daily life in several important ways. Improved Emotion Regulation Anxiety, depression, and mood disorders can all cause overwhelming emotions. Psychiatry provides effective tools for managing these emotions. With the right treatment, people frequently experience: Less irritability and emotional outbursts. An increased sense of calm. Increased resilience in stressful situations. This simplifies everyday interactions, whether at work, home, or school. Improved concentration and productivity. Mental health issues frequently impair concentration, motivation, and decision-making. For example, someone with untreated ADHD may struggle to complete tasks, whereas depression can deplete energy and motivation. Psychiatric treatment can include: Restore clarity of thought. Boost motivation. Improve your organizational skills. As a result, patients frequently report improved work performance, academic success, and personal goal achievement. Healthy Relationships Communication, empathy, and stability are essential components of relationships, which can be disrupted by mental health challenges. Psychiatry helps people reconnect with loved ones by treating mood swings, irritability, and social withdrawal. Many people realize they are More patient and understanding. Better at expressing needs. Less prone to conflict. This results in stronger, healthier relationships with family, friends, and partners. Improved Physical Health Mental and physical health are intricately linked. Stress, depression, and anxiety can all lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep problems, and weakened immunity. When treating psychiatric symptoms , people frequently experience: Improved sleeping patterns. Healthier lifestyle options (exercise, diet, self-care). Lower risk of stress-related physical illness. In other words, a healthy mind promotes a healthy body. Increased sense of purpose and fulfillment. Many psychiatric conditions can make people feel hopeless or disconnected from reality. Treatment helps to restore a sense of purpose and motivation. Psychiatry helps patients rediscover joy in their daily activities, hobbies, and relationships, whether through therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes. When to Consider Seeing a Psychiatrist If you're wondering if psychiatry can help, ask yourself: Do I frequently feel overwhelmed, anxious, or sad? Do my mood swings interfere with my relationships or at work? Am I having trouble concentrating, sleeping, or staying motivated? Do I feel like I've lost interest in the things that used to make me happy? Have I tried other approaches, but the symptoms persist? If any of these apply to you, psychiatry may be able to help. Taking the first step may be difficult, but consulting a psychiatrist could be one of the most life-changing decisions you make. Just as we invest in physical health through regular check-ups and healthy habits, prioritizing mental health through psychiatry is critical for long-term wellbeing.

TOPLINE: Less than half of US adolescents with major depressive episode (MDE) received treatment for the condition, with Black, male, and rural participants having significantly lower odds of receiving specialist care than their peers, a new study showed. Additionally, insurance coverage strongly affected access to telehealth services. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which was conducted in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The analysis included more than 2000 adolescents aged 12-17 years (71% girls, 54% White and 12% Black individuals, 58% from large urban areas) who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria for MDE in the past year. Main outcomes included the use of various types of mental health services, such as treatment by a specialist clinician, prescription medication, and telehealth services . Disparities in the use of services were assessed while adjusting for rurality, race or ethnicity, sex, age, health insurance coverage, and poverty level. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 48% of participants received any mental health treatment; 39% received treatment by a specialist clinician, 25% received prescription medication, 31% used school-based services, and 35% used telehealth services. Rural adolescents had significantly lower odds of receiving specialist treatment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.6) or telehealth services (aOR, 0.6) than urban adolescents (P < .05 for both); participants with private insurance (aOR, 3.3) or public insurance (aOR, 3.4) were significantly more likely to use telehealth services than those with no insurance (P < .05 for both). Black adolescents had markedly lower odds of receiving any mental health treatment (aOR, 0.4), treatment by a specialist clinician (aOR, 0.4), and prescription medication (aOR, 0.3) than non-Hispanic White adolescents (P < .05 for all). Girls had higher odds than boys of receiving any mental health treatment (aOR, 1.6), treatment by a specialist clinician (aOR, 1.52), and prescription medication (aOR, 1.5) than boys (P < .05 for all). IN PRACTICE: “Our findings continue to illustrate the persisting inequity in mental health treatment among adolescents from marginalized groups,” the investigators wrote. “Policy and clinical initiatives should be informed by further research into how cultural and systemic factors influence the utilization of mental health services and help-seeking behaviors in race/ethnic minority populations,” they added. Note: This article originally appeared on Medscape .

Key Takeaways Cannabis use in older adults has increased significantly, with many seeking relief for pain, insomnia, and anxiety, despite limited geriatric-specific evidence. The regulatory environment for cannabis is inconsistent, with federal restrictions contrasting state-level legalization, complicating clinical guidance. Age-related pharmacokinetic changes heighten risks of cognitive decline and physical impairments, necessitating cautious cannabis use in older adults. Cannabis shows potential for managing dementia-related agitation, but evidence is mixed, requiring careful consideration of risks and benefits. Once relegated to young adults and college campuses, cannabis is now edging its way into retirement communities and geriatric clinics. This generation is increasingly lighting up or dropping tinctures for pain or anxiety relief, or a better night’s sleep. Cannabis use among adults 65 years and older has increased more than 10-fold over the past 2 decades, from just 0.4% in 2006 to 7% in 2023. Clinicians are now tasked with guiding cannabis use in older adults using evidence largely derived from younger populations, applied to products with inconsistent potency, and with minimal data specific to a vulnerable demographic. Research in this area has not kept pace with public enthusiasm, leaving psychiatrists with limited guidance on how to navigate cannabis use with their older patients. Metabolic shifts, polypharmacy, cognitive changes, and fall risk make cannabis use in this population even more complex. This article provides an overview for psychiatrists and mental health clinicians who are increasingly encountering patients older than 65 years using cannabis in ways that range from cautious to curious, and often without adequate clinical guidance. Cannabis 101 Older adults report turning to cannabis primarily for what they perceive as therapeutic reasons: pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and Parkinson disease symptoms. Although these indications reflect a growing interest in self- directed symptom management, it is important to recognize that much of the evidence s upporting cannabis for these conditions remains scant, particularly in geriatric cohorts. Cannabis use patterns in this age group are as diverse as the ailments. Some individuals are lifelong users, others return after decades-long hiatuses, and many are newcomers. New users, often motivated by health needs, prefer noninhaled methods including edibles, tinctures, or topicals, whereas consistent users are more likely to smoke or vape and engage in higher-frequency use. The Regulatory Landscape The current US regulatory environment for cannabis is a chaotic patchwork. At the federal level, cannabis remains a Schedule I substance, meaning it is classified as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Yet over 40 states have legalized cannabis for medical use, and more than 20 have approved it for recreational use. Within this murky framework, only 3 cannabis-related medications have received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval: Dronabinol (synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]; brand names Marinol and Syndros): Approved for anorexia in patients with AIDS, and for chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. Nabilone (synthetic cannabinoid similar to THC; brand name Cesamet): Approved for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Cannabidiol (CBD; brand name Epidiolex): Approved for specific seizure disorders (Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes) and tuberous sclerosis complex. FDA-approved cannabinoid agents are tightly regulated and have well-characterized pharmacokinetic profiles, in stark contrast to the cannabis products accessed by older adults through dispensaries, which often exhibit significant variability in potency, purity, and accuracy of product labeling.8 That said, older patients often turn to dispensary products due to substantial monetary costs associated with off-label use of FDA-approved medications. Many obtain these products independently, without physician involvement, navigating a landscape of loosely regulated dispensaries with variable labeling standards. Pharmacokinetics Considerations THC and CBD are both highly lipophilic, subject to extensive hepatic metabolism (via CYP450 enzymes), and affected by the physiological changes that define aging: decreased hepatic and renal clearance, increased body fat, and altered receptor sensitivity. In older adults, these changes increase the volume of distribution and reduce clearance, potentially amplifying THC’s duration and intensity of effects, even at lower doses. When taken orally, THC undergoes significant first-pass metabolism to 11-OH-THC, a more psychoactive metabolite with greater blood-brain barrier penetration, which accounts for the stronger and longer- lasting effects of edibles compared with smoked forms that largely bypass this conversion. CBD, often touted as a gentler, nonpsychoactive compound, carries risk in this population as well. CBD inhibits CYP-2C19, CYP-3A4, CYP-2C9, and CYP-2D6, among other enzymes, raising the potential for pharmacokinetic interactions, particularly with antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids, blood thinners such as warfarin, and antiepileptics. Neuroprotective or Neurotoxic? In all age groups, cannabis is well known to acutely impair attention, memory, psychomotor function, and executive function, with dose-dependent effects. In terms of long-term effects, 2 large longitudinal studies found that heavy cannabis use was linked to modest declines in verbal memory by midlife. In the Dunedin cohort, long-term users showed broader cognitive decline including a 5.5-point drop in IQ and reduced hippocampal volume by age 45 whereas infrequent users did not, indicating that both frequency and duration of use influence cognitive outcomes. Short-term medical cannabis use in older adults appears relatively benign, with some studies even suggesting modest cognitive improvements likely secondary to symptom relief (eg, improved sleep or reduced pain). Long-term recreational use, however, has been linked to slower processing speed and reduced executive functioning, and more recent cannabis use is associated with poorer working memory. Findings from the Health and Retirement Study reinforce this: Older adults using cannabis more than once per week demonstrated deficits in attention and short-term memory. Encouragingly, some of these effects may improve with sustained abstinence. The bottom line is that cognitive effects likely depend on the age of onset, frequency, duration, and abstinence intervals. However, the threshold for concern is lower in older adults, especially those already experiencing mild cognitive decline. Risky Business: Injuries and Driving Cannabis use in older adults particularly formulations higher in THC can impair balance, reaction time, and coordination, increasing the risk of falls and other injuries. These impairments extend to driving, where cannabis use is associa ted with a 2-fold increase in the risk of serious or fatal motor vehicle crashes. In one study of older drivers, cannabis users were 4 times more likely to report driving under the influence of alcohol, compounding risk. Reflecting these dangers at the population level, cannabis-related emergency department visits among adults 65 years and older surged by more than 1800% between 2005 and 2019, with the highest rates seen in men, those aged 65 to 74 years, and individuals with multiple comorbidities. Notably, even older adults without significant health issues experienced increases, highlighting that cannabis-related harms are not limited to the medically vulnerable. Agitation in Dementia Agitation is one of the most distressing neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia and often drives caregiver burnout, hospitalization, and long-term care placement. Current pharmacologic options, like antipsychotics, offer only modest benefit and carry serious risks, so it is no surprise that cannabis has attracted growing interest as a potential alternative. Several small randomized controlled trials have tested cannabinoids for agitation, with mixed results. Notably, studies using low doses of THC have largely been negative, whereas more recent trials employing higher doses such as synthetic THC or CBD/THC oil—have shown promising reductions in agitation. A large multicenter trial of dronabinol is under way and early results suggest meaningful reductions in agitation with good tolerability.28 Sedation remains the most common adverse effect, although it is often manageable with dose adjustment. Until larger, published trials provide clearer guidance, cannabinoids remain a cautiously intriguing option unlikely to replace first-line behavioral interventions, but potentially helpful when conventional strategies fall short. Concluding Thoughts: Between Green Rush and Gray Area Cannabis in older adults is here to stay. The wave of baby boomers aging into Medicare while embracing cannabis as medicine or pleasure will continue to grow. We clinicians must approach this topic with clinical curiosity, pharmacologic rigor, and humility. The evidence base remains underdeveloped, and the physiological nuances of aging demand caution. Until we have more robust data, the best we can offer is thoughtful, individualized guidance that weighs potential benefits against real and often underestimated risks. Note: This article originally appeared on Psychiatric Times .