Relapse is a common and important concern of the patient with bipolar disorder. A relapse is the return of depression or a manic or hypomanic episode after a period of wellness. A study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that 73 percent of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder experienced at least one relapse during a five year period, and, of those who relapsed, two-thirds of those had multiple relapses.

The most important thing for the bipolar patient and his or her family to understand is that it is possible to do all of the right things (medication, therapy, diet, exercise, sleep, etc.) and still relapse. There is no clear understanding of why this happens. Sometimes stressors and difficult life events may lead to a relapse.

“There may be changes in the cellular level that cause cycling but their cause is unknown,” says Joseph R. Calabrese, MD, director of the Mood Disorders Program at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.

If bipolar symptoms worsen or return, the situation should be addressed quickly by the patient and his or her family. Many families develop a “relapse plan” in which there is a list of actions and agreements between the patient and another party about what will happen as a relapse reveals itself and progresses. Effective treatment at an early stage of an episode may help shorten and/or lessen the severity of an episode.

Patients who believe they are relapsing should contact their psychiatrist, therapist, family practice doctor, a trusted family member or friend, or even visit an ER for help as soon as possible.

Pasadena Villa^® provides mental health residential and transitional services for adults with bipolar disorder. We provide full medical treatment, psychiatric therapy, medication management, life skills training, and aftercare in via our safe, friendly locations in Orlando, Florida and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. We believe every person can live a happy, productive and healthy life; every client has the ability to learn, grow and recover. Call 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information about our adult residential mental health programs.

A new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry says that using marijuana, or cannabis, may cause psychosis to develop sooner in patients already predisposed to developing the condition. In other patients it may even cause psychosis.

The study was led by Australian researchers, who analyzed data from 83 studies involving more than 20,000 patients. One important finding is that cannabis users experienced psychosis three years younger than non-users. Users of substances other than cannabis experienced symptoms two years earlier. The study found alcohol had no influence on the development of psychosis. Read more here.

As those with mentally ill loved ones may know, psychosis can result in losing touch with reality and hallucinations and/or delusions about what is going on around one. Psychosis is frequently seen in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The study says, “An extra two or three years of psychosis-free functioning could allow many patients to achieve the important development milestone of late adolescence and early adulthood that could lower the long-term disability arising from psychotic disorders.”

In a similar 2010 study, lead author John McGrath, a professor at the Queensland Brain Institute in Brisbane, Australia, told Businessweek, “The earlier you use cannabis, the more likely you are to have symptoms of a psychotic illness.”*

Both Australian studies support the conclusions of a Danish study published in the December 2005 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. While researchers in this study did not find their results proved marijuana was directly linked to schizophrenia, there was some evidence it might hasten the onset of the disorder. The study also found subjects who developed schizophrenia after cannabis use did so at an earlier age than comparison subjects.

Mikkel Arendt, Ph.D., a fellow at the Center for Basic Psychiatric Research at the University of Aarhus in Denmark said in an interview with Psychiatric News, “I think it is important to follow the patients treated for cannabis-induced psychosis closely and offer them and their relatives information on risk factors for and early signs of schizophrenia.”

Arendt continued, “The prognosis of patients improves with early intervention. An episode of short-lived psychotic symptoms following cannabis use seems to have great prognostic value.”**

* Businessweek, Long-Time Marijuana Use Linked to Psychosis in Young Adults, February 26, 2010
** Psychiatry News, Marijuana-Induced Psychosis May Fortell Future Episodes, February 3, 2006

Pasadena Villa offers adult residential treatment to mental health patients with Dual Diagnosis, addressing both emotional disorders and substance abuse.  Our Social Integration Model helps individuals with a dual diagnosis by providing an integrated, comprehensive approach to both the emotional disorders and the substance abuse. If you are the caretaker or family member of an adult or young person with a mental illness, please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online.

Multiple studies show that the link between extensive media exposure as an preteen or teenager leads to a significant increase of risky behaviors in adolescence and into young adulthood. These behaviors include drug and alcohol use, unsafe sex, smoking, aggressive/dangerous driving, street racing, gambling, physical confrontations and possibly arrest.

One study, lead by Valerie Carson with Queen’s University in Canada, showed that teens exposed to 4.5 hours or more of internet, TV, music, video games, and advertising were at risk for demonstrating multiple risky behaviors. Another study, lead by Peter Fischer, Ph.D., with the University of Regensburg in Germany, showed that video games glorifying risk are more likely to prompt dangerous behaviors than more passive media such as movies or music.

With many mental disorders, particularly bipolar disorder and its accompanying mania, patients exhibit these kinds of risky behaviors. Whether as a means of self-medication or hope of self-harm, young adults who have been and are exposed to extensive risk-glorifying media may adopt these behaviors as a coping mechanism.

Hopelessness is another factor contributing to this kind of behavior. Iris Borowsky, M.D., Ph.D., with the University of Minnesota, found that one in seven adolescents believe it is highly likely they will die before the age of 35. “These youth may take risks because they feel hopeless and figure not much is at stake,” said Borowsky.

She continued, “Our findings reinforce the importance of instilling a sense of hope and optimism in youth. Strong connections with parents, families, and schools, as well as positive media messages, are likely important factors in developing an optimistic outlook for young people.”

Despite all or any positive influences, many young adults continue to struggle with risky and potentially life threatening behaviors. In such a situation, residential mental health treatment at Pasadena Villa may provide the type of guidance and supervision necessary to help young adults overcome addictions and risky behaviors as they journey towards a happy, productive and healthy life. Contact us online or call 877.845.5235 to learn more about our mental health programs, Orlando and Tennessee mental health facilities.

Often those with mental illness are uncertain of the best way to address their needs with loved ones. You can help facilitate this important conversation by doing the following:

• Set aside time for conversation in a location that is quiet and free from distractions.
• Preface your comments with statements such as, “Tell me what you need in regards to…” or “Tell me how you feel about…”
• Work to uncover specifically how you can help. It may not be emotional help, perhaps your loved one needs help grocery shopping or with laundry.
• Show your willingness to be available emotionally and physically. Your loved one may not always express thanks or appreciation, but your actions are welcome.
• Encourage your loved one to ask for help when he or she needs it. And then provide that help.
• Help your loved one put a support team together. Who in his or her universe beside you might lend support? How can you request or cultivate that support?

Pasadena Villa^® provides mental health residential and transitional services for adults with cognitive, emotional and social disorders.  If you are the caretaker or family member of an adult or young person with a mental illness, Pasadena Villa can help. We provide residential and transitional housing in Florida and Tennessee. Our social integration model enables young adults with mental health disorders to live with a greater sense of independence, become socially responsible citizens, and rebuild relationships with family and friends.  Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online.

Those with a loved one suffering from bipolar disorder may have experienced many episodes of anger, sometimes uncontrollable anger, directed toward them. It may seem unreasonable and unprovoked. Did you know that often a bipolar person may be using anger to cloak his or her real emotions? Anger may be a coping mechanism that helps the bipolar person relieve tension and avoid dealing with their real emotions and issues.

Angry outbursts are symptomatic of bipolar disorder and may last during a period of several days. Outbursts may occur during manic episodes and agitated states of depression. During a manic episode, mood changes can swing from irritability to euphoria to depression in as short as a half-hour.

The bipolar person may feel completely justified in his or her behavior and express anger by yelling, throwing or breaking things, and physical violence toward another person. Generally these outbursts are not premeditated and may have been triggered by something that is seemingly insignificant to others. And, unfortunately, usually those closest to the bipolar person and least deserving of this anger receive the brunt of it.

There is hope for your loved one with bipolar disorder and significant anger issues. Pasadena Villa uses the techniques of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help residents who need guidance with distress tolerance and emotional regulation to deal with daily stresses and major transitions. DBT has been demonstrated to be effective in treating mood disorders such as bipolar disorder. Pasadena Villa’s therapists and groups focus on the skills of mindfulness and interpersonal effectiveness to help residents improve their relationships with themselves and others and handle their emotions honestly and appropriately.

Are you caring for a loved one with bipolar disorder or another mental illness? Pasadena Villa^® offers psychiatric therapy, medication management, life skills training, and aftercare in via our safe, friendly locations in Orlando, Florida and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. We treat a variety of mental illnesses in our adult residential facilities — among the clinical diagnoses we treat are schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizoaffective disorder, asperger’s syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders. Call 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information about our residential mental health programs.

Recently actress Catherine Zeta-Jones stunned the world when she revealed she has bipolar II disorder. Even more astounding was her first statement after treatment, which encouraged others to seek help, reminding all that there is no shame in doing so:

“This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them. If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it’s worth it. There is no need to suffer silently and there is no shame in seeking help.”

A public figure such as Zeta-Jones challenges social stereotypes of what bipolar disorder “looks like.” Research suggests that only half of the people with bipolar disorder receive mental health treatment. As when a loved one or friend receives a mental disorder diagnosis, suddenly the face of mental illness becomes familiar and there is an increased willingness to treat the illness like any other human condition such as heart disease or diabetes.

For those with an undiagnosed mental illness, Zeta-Jones’ message paves the way to self-recognition of the need for help, which may lead to a more successful road to treatment. Personal and social stigmas about mental illness are one of the many reasons why Pasadena Villa is a vital stop in a young adult’s journey toward health, independence and social integration.

Parents may be assured that our approach provides your child with the consistent care, medication, counseling, and the life skills they need to be successful. Research shows that extended recovery time in a safe, professional environment paves the way for your child or loved one to live a healthy, happy life and to integrate into society in a way that reduces stigma and its negative impact on continued good mental and physical health.

Pasadena Villa is an adult residential treatment facility that caters to individuals with bipolar syndrome and other challenging mental illnesses. Our mental health programs strongly feature the Social Integration Model, which immerses clients into real life activities within the community. We also offer medication management and traditional and group therapies. Pasadena Villa  adult residential treatment centers in Orlando and Tennessee, as well as transitional living. Please call 877.845.5235 or contact us online to speak to someone today.

Schizophrenia is one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized mental illnesses. Those with this complex mental health disorder find it difficult to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, think logically, have normal emotional responses, and behave normally in social situations.

Late adolescence and early adulthood are peak periods for the onset of schizophrenia. Of those diagnosed with the disorder, 40 percent of men and 23 percent of women manifest their symptoms before the age of 19 with the rest usually presenting before age 35. Not only is this a critical age range for a young adult’s social and vocational development, but the disease makes normal thinking and functioning difficult, significantly inhibiting the opportunity to receive education and training in skills needed for employment. Many schizophrenics experience a lifetime of social problems including unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse.

For these young adults, schizophrenia rehabilitation programs such as Pasadena Villa provide opportunities to overcome the risk of succumbing to social problems and to learn and experience education and training in areas the resident may have missed due to illness. These include job preparation and counseling; money management; communication and social skills; and life skills training such as caring for themselves, catching a bus or grocery shopping. In conjunction with appropriate medical care, a residential mental health program may increase a schizophrenic loved one’s chance of living a more productive, happy, and healthy life.

Pasadena Villa is an adult residential treatment facility that caters to individuals with schizophrenia and other challenging mental illnesses. In addition to medication management and traditional and group therapy, our mental health programs focus on the Social Integration Model, which immerses clients into real life activities within the community. Pasadena Villa offers two adult residential treatment centers – Orlando and Tennessee – as well as transitional living. Please call 877.845.5235 or contact us online to speak to someone today.

We are pleased to announce that Heather Williams, LMHC, who has been our Admissions Manager for 8 years, has accepted the newly created position of Compliance Manager with our organization. Heather will manage all licensure and compliance efforts company-wide. We appreciate Heather’s dedication and commitment while Admissions Manager over her years with us.

Jenny Stokes, Administrator of the Pasadena Villa Florida System, is now also Admissions Manager for the company.

Mary Moffat is now full time Admissions Counselor, and will be working with Jenny to meet the intake and admissions needs of our referents and families.

Please join us in welcoming these dedicated and talented employees to these new roles.

Pasadena Villa^® provides mental health residential and transitional services for adults with cognitive, emotional and social disorders. We provide full medical treatment, psychiatric therapy, medication management, life skills training, and aftercare in via our safe, friendly locations in Orlando, Florida and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. We believe every person can live a happy, productive and healthy life; every client has the ability to learn, grow and recover. Call 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information about our residential mental health programs.

As the parent or loved one of a young adult with mental illness, you may have witnessed the absence of hope that is so often prevalent with these disorders. It can be painful to watch someone lose hope and believe they are worthless and have nothing to live for.

Hope is an important part of recovery. It is the characteristic that lets us look forward to new day or a better day despite our current situation. It is the characteristic that encourages us to find the glimmer of positivity in our situation.

How do you help a loved one nurture hope? A few tips include:

Help him or her find something to be grateful for daily – This may be simply that the sun is shining or that there are clean clothes in the drawer or the color of a beautiful apple. The little things count as much as the big ones do.

Explore what the meaning or purpose of your loved one’s life is – What’s on the other side of the current situation? Help find that “carrot” in the future that motivates and pulls your loved one forward. It may be returning to class, finding a job, rock climbing, or volunteer work.

Discuss the strength that comes from overcoming adversity – What has your loved one learned on this journey? How is it shaping his or her character?  Focus on the positive lessons learned and how resilience expands with each obstacle overcome and helps prepare us for new challenges.

Approach these conversations in a casual, matter-of-fact way and without pressure. This is not an item to be checked off of a to-do list. The idea is to open your loved one up to new ideas and a broader way of thinking, not inadvertently cause him or her to throw up new walls or withdraw from you.

Are you caring for a loved one with a mental illness? Pasadena Villa^® provides mental health residential and transitional services for adults with cognitive, emotional and social disorders. We provide psychiatric therapy, medication management, life skills training, and aftercare in via our safe, friendly locations in Orlando, Florida and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. We treat a variety of mental illnesses — among the clinical diagnoses we treat are schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizoaffective disorder, asperger’s syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders. Call 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information about our residential mental health programs.

Since 1949, May has been recognized as Mental Health Month, a time for those with mental illness and their loved ones and friends to reflect on their experience and offer encouragement, support, and educational resources to others in need.

The advocacy group Mental Health America has launched a May campaign called “Do More for 1 in 4” to draw attention to the 1 in 4 American adults who live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition and the fact that they can go on to live full and productive lives. For the 60 million Americans who are diagnosed with a mental health condition each year, these are important, maybe even life-saving messages.

Those who have been down the mental illness path themselves or with a loved one appreciate that such a diagnosis may be difficult to hear, particularly if there is a concern about what other people will think, or “social stigma.” With proper treatment, self-care and knowledge, there is hope.

Share this message of hope with others during Mental Health Month. Your story may make a life-time of difference to someone suffering in silent need.

“Recovery is a life-long journey, not a destination. Recovery is a process, not a cure.” – RecoveryHope4All.com

Pasadena Villa^® provides mental health residential, transitional and support services for adults with cognitive, emotional and social disorders. Facilities are located in Orlando, Florida and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. We believe every person can live a happy, productive and healthy life; every client has the ability to learn, grow and recover. Our social integration model enables young adults with mental health disorders to become socially responsible citizens and rebuild relationships with family and friends. Call 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information about our residential mental health programs.