7 Bipolar Self-Help Tips

Posted on by Dr. Mark Parisi

If you were recently diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder or even dealing with it for a while now, Dr. Parisi and his team of affordable counselors in Chicago have some tips to help you (or you help your loved one) better deal with the diagnosis. Our low cost physiologists can also help you with more personal treatment in Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette.

  1. Take ownership of your illness. Our affordable psychologists are not saying it is your fault that you have bipolar disorder, but we ask that you take responsibility to get help, work toward a healthier lifestyle, and follow your treatment prescribed by one of our Chicago counselors.
  2. Take control of your lifestyle. Most likely, medications are going to need to be taken daily and you must be consistent. Don’t drink alcohol and avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine. You are going to have to make life changes to make your treatment plan a success. There are many options for counseling in Chicago that can help with this.
  3. Sleep. Sleep deprivation can greatly impact your mood. You will need to shoot for seven to eight hours of good sleep a night to make sure you are at you best.
  4. Minimize stress. We all have stressors in our life, but you should learn better coping techniques to make sure these little stressors don’t become major problems. Your affordable counselor can help you find strategies that work for you.
  5. Your Chicago therapist is there to help. This is a big one. Your affordable Chicago counselor can provide you better support when you are consistent and honest. Make and keep your regularly prescribed appointments and use your time together to better your treatment plant. Don’t make changes without talking to your psychologist first.
  6. Gain and share knowledge. Educate yourself on your disorder and share what you learn with those around you. The more you and others around you know about what is going on inside your body, the better you all will be equipped to keep it under control. An affordable psychologist at Dr. Parisi and Associates can help you find reliable sources.
  7. Use your support system. Hiding this from your friends and family (don’t forget your therapist) is not going to help and more than likely will end up hurting relationships. Be honest and let them know when and how they can help you, even if sometimes that means you just need them to back off for a while. Use the support you have will making coping with the disorder easier for everyone.

Remembering all these tips isn’t always the easiest thing when you are in different mood cycles. It is important to let those in your support system be a part of your treatment plan, so they can help you feel your best.

Contact our affordable psychologists or psychiatrists in Chicago or one of our behavioral therapy specialists in Chicago the surrounding area including Mt. Prospect and Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette.

 

 

5 Ways to Build Your Mental Muscle

Posted on by Dr. Mark Parisi

We all hear how important it is to stay fit and healthy. You go to the gym, run, do crunches, but are you doing anything to challenge your mental muscle? It always surprises me how health and fitness take a focus, but the brain is left on the back burner. The brain needs exercise to keep functioning at its best. Here are a few tips to make sure your mind is also looking good.

  1. Get some brain food. You know that eating right is good for your body, but did you know it is good for your brain too! Foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids (fatty fish and grass-fed animals) are instrumental in allowing your brain membranes to remain fluid and allow signals to easily pass. You also must eat enough food every day. If you are starving your body, you are also starving your mind. You also need to avoid some foods. There are studies showing that foods that are high in cholesterol are linked to brain diseases. Too much sugar and fat effect the brain as well as rest of the body. Eat brain food to make sure your memory and cognitive ability are functioning at their best.
  2. Challenge your brain. People are running on routine. They get up, do the same job, see the same people, and relax in the same ways. This may be comforting to them, but they are not stimulating the brain. Try something new! When you mind is doing something it doesn’t know how to do, it is building synapse. It can be simple such as crosswords, Sudoku, or other brain games or something even more challenging such as learning a new language or craft. To build new synapses you bust work your brain in ways that it has never worked before. Think of it like this, going to the gym and doing the same exercise will eventually quit producing results, so you must switch things up to keep your body (AND MIND) gaining progress.
  3. Remember? How often are you forgetting things? Do you try to purposely remember something? Your memory is a use it or lose it muscle. If you haven’t been challenging your brain or switching things up, it is likely that you haven’t been forced to remember much knew knowledge. You are probably doing your same routine, and don’t need to remember anything. Start small by trying to remember the details of a favorite day or event and then build up to trying to remember entire conversations. Can’t remember what you did yesterday? Start journaling your daily activities and review them in the morning. Get your memory working and challenge it each day.
  4. Focus! Do you notice that you can’t concentrate like you used to? This is another cognitive process that must be practiced and put to use. One of the best things to do to help keep your focus is to learn what is distracting your. If there is something else on your mind, you probably need to address it first. You will also need to practice concentrating to get better at it. You have to force yourself to stay on a topic of a certain length of time, and then give yourself a break to think of other things. This is more difficult than it sounds.
  5. Relax and sleep. This one sounds super simple and a no-brainer, but most people do not get enough sleep and do not take time to relax their bodies and brains with something they enjoy. Your mind needs a break as much as your body. REM sleep is critical for your brain to retain information and maintain cognitive function.

If you would like more tips building your mental muscle or need an affordable psychologist or psychiatrist, contact Dr. Parisi in the Chicago and surrounding areas including Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette

Why it is Important to Offer Help in Many Different Languages

Posted on by Dr. Mark Parisi

English, Polish, Russian, Tagalog (Filipino), Spanish, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, and Arabic Spoken and Understood Here

No matter your culture or background we all need a little help sometimes. If you are seeking a low cost therapist in the Chicago and neighboring area, we know you have many choices and we appreciate you seeking the best fit for you. It has come to our attention that many of our clients were unaware of the language services that are available to them. Not only does Dr. Parisi and Associates offer affordable counseling in Chicago and surrounding areas of Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette, we also have psychologists who most likely have speaks your native language to better meet your needs.

We have a wide array of services, including psychotherapy treatments for ADHD, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addictions, bipolar disorder, psychosis, OCD, and couple counseling and family problems. If you are seeking any mental health services including, a marriage and family therapist, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a play therapist, a psychotherapist, a counselor or counselling, please contact us to help us find a program that best fits your needs to help you be your best. We are dedicated to the mental, emotional, and behavioral health of children, adolescents, adults, geriatrics, and families in and near Chicago.

 

 

Ways to Reduct Your Anxiety NOW!

Posted on by Dr. Mark Parisi

We all have time in our lives where we can feel the stresses of life creeping up on us. When we think of anxiety, we usually think of apprehension over an upcoming event of some kind. This can be a life change, a big meeting, a move, dinner with the in-laws, or anything that causes you to feel a little anxious.

The events that makes us anxious will be different for everyone, but it can is a real problem that can cause real physical symptoms. When truly anxious, you may experience an increased heart rate, sleep problems, sweating, mood swings, and lack of concentration.

As stressful as all that sounds, there is good news. Dr. Parisi and Associates have some tips for you to reduce your anxiety now.
Of course, if you feel that you are dealing with extreme anxiety or more than the typical symptoms, contact Dr. Parisi and Associates for a low cost psychiatrist in Chicago to help you assess the problem.

Catch some Zzzzzzs. I know, I know, we just said that sleep can be hard when you are feeling anxious, but it is important to keep with your routine and try to be consistent in your sleeping pattern. Catching that beauty rest is so important to help your body function properly. Shoot for seven to nine hours every night.

Be positive. When we feel anxious, it is easy for those negative thoughts and feelings to creep over us. Make sure you are in control of your thoughts and focus on the good in life, especially when those feelings are directed at yourself.

Plan ahead. This one will make you feel more in control of your situation. Do the simple things that you have complete control over. Set out your clothes, make a schedule, follow your to-do list, pack lunches the night before. Start building habits that increase productivity in your daily routines. These are smalls steps that help ward off anxiety when something uncontrollable pops up (which we know happens, it is called life).

Exercise and eat right. When you don’t feel well, anxiety and stress can have ben more control over you. Use food as fuel and not a way to cope. Exercise is a great way to burn off a little extra steam and wash away the day. You will feel great when you are done.
Breathe. No, seriously, just sit there and focus on your breathing and nothing else. Nice deep breaths in a quiet space. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Doesn’t that feel nice?

Most Important…
STAY IN THE MOMENT. No one can control the future. Don’t waste time worrying about something that might happen in the future and enjoy the moments you are living right now.

For more help, contact Dr. Parisi in the Chicago and surrounding areas including Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette.

 

Quick Facts About Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Posted on by Dr. Mark Parisi

All children sometimes break the rules. The difference between disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) and a kid just being a kid is the severity and frequency that these disruptive behaviors occur. A DBD is diagnosed from a persistent pattern of angry outbursts, arguments, and disobedience.

Children and teens with a DBD struggle with symptoms that interfere with their daily lives. This usually leads to them having conflicts with parents, teachers, authority figures, and other children. With the proper help from a marriage and family therapist in Chicago children with DBDs can be very successful in school and life and maintain healthy relationships with family and friends, but they need a lot of support and tools to make this happen.

So your child was diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorder (DBD), now what? First, relax and learn a few facts.

What does this mean?

  •  * DBDs are the most common mental health disorder among children.
  •  * 4% to 9% of all children from birth to 18 years old will be diagnosed with a DBD.
  •  * Environmental factors can effect how the child functions.
  •  * DBD are disorders that are only identified in children and adolescence.

 

What should you expect in treatment?

  •  * Parenting modification strategies Social and emotional skills training for children
    •  – Communication skills
    •  – Parenting skills
    •  – Conflict resolution skills
    •  – Anger management skills
  • * Psychotherapy for the child and the family, such as one of our play therapists in Chicago
  •  * Teaming with a counselor in Chicago
  •  * If necessary, the addition of medication to the therapy plan

 

What can you do?Dr. Parisi chicago counselor

  •  * Find ways to maintain a positive relationship with your child.
  •  * Be consistent. Learn all you can about how to effectively manage your child’s behavior; find what works for you and stick to it.
  •  * Find parental support so you can handle your own emotions.
  •  * Get help!

* Try our affordable psychologists or psychiatrists in Chicago or one of our behavioral therapy specialists in Chicago and Mount  and the surrounding area including Mt. Prospect and Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette.

 

How the Media Impacts the Stigma of Mental Illness

Posted on by Dr. Mark Parisi

Frequently we hear stories of tragic situations around the nation, such as the recent one about a woman in Florida who drove her van full of children in to the ocean (http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/05/us/florida-mother-minivan-ocean/).  A big story such as this usually end with uncertainty of the individual’s mental stability or the individual was being sent for full evaluation, and that is the last the public hears about it. This leaves many people with a misconception about those dealing with a mental illness. Media followers are left with a brutal image and no education. The news is not the only media outlet that is guilty of building this type of stigma. Many movies and TV shows also provide wrong, incomplete, or misinformation about mental illnesses.

Media coverage of psychiatric issues will reflect or influence public perceptions of the mentally ill whether it is intentional or not, and these typically inaccurate depictions fuel the negative stigma. Because of the stigma related to these often violent and tragic stories, people who need help are often afraid to seek it due to the thought that they will be categorized with some of these tragic events.

There are many elements about mental illness that are inaccurately portrayed in the entertainment industry. One of the most common misconceptions is that the mentally ill are violent. The truth is mental illness is a poor predicator of violence or even a situation that would be news worthy (http://depts.washington.edu/mhreport/facts_violence.php). Unfortunately, because of the way that media has portrayed people who are impacted by a mental illness, this is a not commonly known among viewers.

Some of the other misconceptions about mental illness due to media influence include people with a mental illness are bad or evil in some way, that depression is easily treated with a magic pill, that they are unstable or unpredictable, or that mental illness is not something that can be cured. (http://psychcentral.com/lib/medias-damaging-depictions-of-mental-illness/0002220)

People can and will get better all the time, and most people who are dealing with a mental illness are typical people who get up and go to work every day like the rest of us. To get better, individuals need to not be afraid to seek out the supports and services that are necessary to provide hope and a belief that tomorrow can be a better day.

The media’s job is to entertain, not educate. My wish, is to put a more positive emphasis and greater accuracy of media coverage of mental health issues, but it is our job to be more conscious about what information we are taking in and seek further information.

For mental health services in Chicago, Dr. Parisi and staff are available to help those in the Chicago, Mt. Prospect, and surrounding areas of Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette. Don’t fall victim to the negative stigma. Believe that tomorrow can be better and we can provide the support you need.