May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI) provides behavioral health services to the residents of central Pennsylvania and the surrounding regions. We create specialized mental health treatment programs for children and adolescents, adults and mature adults so that the unique needs of each group can be addressed separately.
This year the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) continues to amplify their ”You Are Not Alone” message. This is a time we should prioritize mental health, focusing on connecting in safe ways. Even if you are in a good place mentally, when reaching out to friends and family, you can keep their best interests in mind by looking out for the symptoms below.
Warning Signs of Mental Illness:
Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks
Significant weight loss or gain
Trying to harm or end one’s life or making plans to do so
Seeing, hearing or believing things that aren’t real
Severe, out-of-control, risk-taking behavior that causes harm to self or others
Excessive use of alcohol or drugs
Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart, physical discomfort or difficulty breathing
Drastic changes in mood, behavior, personality or sleeping habits
Extreme difficulty concentrating or sleeping
Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities
If you or someone you know needs to seek assistance, please call our Admissions department at 866-746-2496 or (717) 782-6493.
If you are a person in need of immediate assistance, please go to your nearest Emergency Department or dial 911.
This year, Patient Experience week is April 26-30. Patient Experience Week is an annual event to celebrate the healthcare staff impacting patient experience. Inspired by members of the Institute community, this week provides a focused time for organizations to celebrate accomplishments, re-energize efforts and honor the people who impact the patient experience every day.
Jason Kibler, MBA, LPC, is Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute’s (PPI) Director of Quality and the Chair of Patient Experience. When asked about ensuring quality patient experiences, Kibler responded, ”First, and most importantly, we try to get as much feedback from our patients as possible. This is through both formal surveys and informal conversations during the course of treatment. Based on this feedback, we identify areas to focus on as performance improvement opportunities to ensure that we are constantly working to improve the patient’s experience.”
”We want 100% of our customers to have a great experience at PPI. Our patients should feel cared for and valued. They should feel safe while receiving services. They should feel that their treatment needs are being addressed. We are working towards a customer service program where these core values, along with some others, are consistently evident in all our interactions with patients.”
When asked about the beneficial changes PPI has been able to implement because of these practices, Kibler noted, ”In recent years we have been able to make positive changes in the physical treatment environment, largely based on patient feedback. In addition, we have made some changes to both our admission and discharge processes that have led to an improved patient experience. Our CEO, Kimberly Feeman, has made improving the patient’s experience a top priority at PPI, and we have a large number of ongoing projects planned for the next year that we are excited about.”
PPI is grateful for Jason Kibler and the rest of the PPI staff who make it a point each day to make sure each patient who comes through our doors has a great experience.
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
This year for Black History Month, we will be highlighting different mental illnesses each week and two prominent members in the Black community who have spoken out about their experiences with them. We aim to highlight that even though someone has a mental illness, they can still be successful.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is an actor, businessman, and former professional wrestler, known as one of Hollywood’s tough guys and top earners. Seemingly someone who has it all together, the former wrestler-turned-actor started shedding light a few years ago on his battle with depression.
He first experienced depression after not getting drafted into the NFL after playing collegiate football. “Struggle and pain is real. I was devastated and depressed,” Johnson said in an interview with The Daily Express. “I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere. I was crying constantly.”
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Source: oasisapp.com
It took time, hard work and self-empathy for The Rock to get through the difficult times. Rates of major depressive disorder in young Black adults ages 18 to 25 increased by more than 3 percent between 2015 and 2018, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), yet Black Americans of all age groups are less likely to seek treatment than white Americans. While Black Americans experience similar rates of mental illness as other Americans in general, research finds that Black men are more likely to endorse aspects of traditional masculine ideology, such as the need to act tough and in control and to avoid emotional expression.
Because of this many Black men are not receiving the help they need for these problems. For example, only 26.4% of Black and Hispanic men ages 18 to 44 who experienced daily feelings of anxiety or depression were likely to have used mental health services, compared with 45.4% of non-Hispanic White men with the same feelings (NCHS Data Brief No. 206, 2015).
“Took me a long time to realize it but the key is to not be afraid to open up,” he continued. “Especially us dudes have a tendency to keep it in. You’re not alone.”
Successful women have also gone through depression, like Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams. In fact, depression facts and statistics commonly report that women are two times more likely to suffer from depression than men. Tenitra Michelle Williams is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame in the 2000s as a member of R&B girl group Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling female groups of all time with over 60 million records.
During her time within Destiny’s Child, Michelle suffered from anxiety after years of being negatively compared to her bandmates. “For a lot of folks, it was Beyoncé, Kelly, and ‘that other girl,’” she writes. The singer was bombarded with negative thoughts, like, “Maybe they’re right. Maybe I should quit. Maybe I’m not talented. Maybe I am a joke.”
Michelle has written a book about her battle with depression, ‘Checking In.’ (Courtesy of Thomas Nelson)
Though she suffered for years, Michelle wasn’t diagnosed with clinical depression until she was 30 – years after she left the group – when she went to see a therapist. Nearly a decade after that she checked herself into a treatment facility after having suicidal thoughts following a breakup with her then fiancé.
In her book, Checking In, she aims to remove the stain of shame from mental illness and to encourage people to seek help if they need it. “Depression is an assassin,” Michelle writes. “It acts like a silent, slow killer. And if you don’t deal with it, it can just swallow you up.” Michelle urges her fans, and anyone struggling to check in and not ignore their feelings of depression and anxiety.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. It can cause trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes feel as if life isn’t worth living.
More than just a “bout of the blues”, depression isn’t a weakness, and you can’t simply “snap out” of it. Depression may require long-term treatment. But fortunately, most people with depression feel better with medication, psychotherapy or both (Mayo Clinic). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) lists experiencing the following signs and symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, as a likelihood that you may be suffering from depression:
• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood • Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism • Irritability • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities • Decreased energy or fatigue • Moving or talking more slowly • Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions • Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping • Appetite and/or weight changes • Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts • Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI) is nestled in central Pennsylvania – a great place to live that is located just a short drive away from many major metropolitan areas.
Yassir Mahgoub, MD, started his training through a residency program with Penn State and PPI. Once he finished his residency, he followed his wife to New York as she was finishing a program of her own. After three years working at a medical center in Brooklyn, they decided to return to their PA roots.
Yassir Mahgoub, M.D.
”The cost of living in New York was too high, and I had personal goals of being in academia” explains Dr. Mahgoub. ”Penn State and PPI offered an academic position with opportunity for research, clinical work and inpatient services. I was already familiar with their programs from residency and being back in an area with very solid and excellent schools with a reasonable cost of living for a family just made sense.”
Now back in the Hershey area, Dr. Mahgoub has been back at PPI for almost two years. Dr. Mahgoub is currently a staff psychiatrist at PPI, inpatient psychiatrist, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Penn State School of Medicine.
”I enjoy working at PPI because I get to balance clinical work with research and academic opportunities. I get to work with medical students and residents alongside my peers in a supportive and caring environment.”
Alison Swigart, M.D.
Another one of our psychiatrists, Alison Swigart, MD, moved to central PA from out of state because of the advantages that PPI and this area offer. Dr. Swigart is an Attending Psychiatrist at PPI, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and the Program Director for Public & Community Psychiatry Fellowship at Penn State College of Medicine.
Following her residency and staying to work in Providence, RI, to work for five years, Dr. Swigart joined the team at PPI in 2018.
”I wanted to move somewhere that had an academic medical center, but that wasn’t in a big city.
Relocating back to central PA with our two sons, living on the West Shore just made sense. Housing is reasonable. We can have space in our backyard for our boys and the public schools are good. Not to mention we are much closer to family” mentions Dr. Swigart.
”What was appealing to me about working for PPI was that I could work in an academic institution and still perform clinical care while teaching and educating residents, fellows and medical students. And only having to be on call three weekends a year is a huge bonus!”
”PPI serves an important service in our community; it makes a big impact on a community that has needs. At PPI, we have the opportunity to make a real impact in the community where our help is needed.”
”There is strong teamwork and a collaborative attitude with the staff here. PPI has a collegial and supportive atmosphere among the physicians. We have each other’s backs and can go to one another for advice. There is a great interdisciplinary team of behavioral health professionals that provides our patients with excellent care.”
”We also have strong physician leadership. Our Chief Medical Officer, Elisabeth Kunkel, MD, is focused on quality improvement. She focuses on the quality and access to care for our patients and career development for physicians” notes Dr. Swigart.
Elisabeth Kunkel, M.D.
Equally as enthused about her new peers, Dr. Kunkel notes ”The physicians we recruit to PPI and to the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health are intelligent, accomplished, creative, and enthusiastic about being part of our PPI academic-community team.”
”This year we wanted to provide additional faculty development support by recruiting in 3 new people to support faculty in their academic projects, academic career development, and research. All our faculty work well together as a team and garner mentorship and academic support from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Medical Center. The area has a lower cost of living, great schools, beautiful trails, and lots of activities to enjoy. People are friendly and there is a real sense of community. I would be delighted to speak to anyone interested in a position at Penn State Health and Psychiatry.”
If you are interested about joining the team at PPI, please contact Erica Geist at egeist@pennstatehealth.psu.edu for additional information.
Unfortunately, drug and alcohol addiction is negatively affecting millions of people all over the world every day.
Did you know?
• 13 is the average age when children first experiment with drugs.
• Alcohol is the most abused substance.
• The most abused prescription drugs are pain killers, tranquilizers and stimulants.
• The most abused illicit drugs are marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens.
• Over 50% of all suicides and over 50% of all violent crimes are influenced by alcohol and/or drugs.
• 35 of 36 alcoholics have never received treatment.
Drug and alcohol addiction, or a substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s behavior and brain and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication.
For some, addiction can start with socially with experimental use that gradually becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins with exposure to prescribed medications, or receiving medications from a friend or relative who has been prescribed the medication.
The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by the substance. As time passes, you may need larger doses of the substance to get the same effects. Soon you may need it just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it is increasingly difficult to go without it. Attempts to stop using the substance may cause intense cravings and cause you to feel physically ill and experience withdrawal symptoms.
If you are currently struggling with drug or alcohol addiction or know someone who is, now is the time for you to do something about it. You may need help from your doctor, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program to overcome your addiction and stay substance-free.
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute’s Advancement in Recovery (AIR) Program offers a comprehensive Medication Assisted Treatment Program for individuals struggling with Opioid Use Disorder. The AIR team consists of medical doctors and clinicians, all of whom have expertise in dealing with opioid use disorders and the transition to Buprenorphine, Methadone, and Vivitrol. The team provides support for patients throughout all phases of treatment.
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
One week each year, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) observes National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week ® (NDAFW). A health observance week for teens that aims to SHATTER THE MYTHS ® about drug and alcohol use. It links students with scientists and other experts to counteract the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the internet, social media, TV, movies, music, or from friends. Teens, scientists and other experts come together to discuss how drugs affect the brain, body, and behaviors, in community and school events all over America. This year, NDSFW will be held Monday, March 22 – Sunday, March 28. Chat Day for 2021 will be held Wednesday, March 24, 2021. Visit the NIDA website for more info.
March is Social Work Month ”” a time to celebrate the great profession of social work. The theme for Social Work Month 2021 is Social Workers Are Essential.
Social workers are essential to the well-being of our community. They are trained to help people address personal and systemic barriers to optimal living. They are employed to effect positive change with individuals, families, groups and entire communities.
At PPI, our Social Services Department includes different disciplines: nurses, LPCs, recreation and expressive therapists and social workers. Not all our Social Services staff are social workers, but their jobs involve helping our patients beyond their time with PPI. Essentially, the role of our Social Services Department is acknowledging the needs our patients have and empowering them to succeed based on their strengths. They acknowledge everyone’s ability to recover as an individual.
The staff in our social work department provide clinical work for our patients such as:
• Group and Individual therapy and family counseling
• Discharge planning, assessing admission needs and how to meet needs.
• Long term patient success planning
◦ Going above and beyond the traditional psychotherapy, we have certified art, music and movement therapists who provide programs to help patients on another level.
• Recreational and expressive therapy
◦ A psychological disorder characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive.
”A large aspect of social work is being the voice for the patient. We are empowering them to speak up for their needs. We work with them to reach short goals and identify long-term goals for their personal recovery.” Explains Emily Vazquez, LSW, the new Care Coordination Supervisor in the Social Services Department.
Emily began her career at PPI in 2012 as a care coordinator and worked her way up to her current supervisor role. Previously performing assessments and discharge planning/ connecting with community services, her new role now includes managing the department’s three parts: care coordination, therapy and certified peer specialists.
Her previous counterpart, Karen Sandnes, LCSW, is retiring after serving PPI and our local community since the inception of PPI in 2008. ”The personality and the roles we each play in the Social Services Department was shaped by Karen’s work” acknowledged Emily. ”For example, she had a vision for creating a role for peer specialists, who have gone through our programs and can relate to our current patients. She started numerous programs and landed grants to help our department succeed.”
PPI is indebted to Karen and all she has done not only for our institute, but for our patients and our community during her time with us over the past thirteen years. We wish her the best in her retirement and will miss her dearly!
During Social Work Month take time to learn more about the many positive contributions of the profession and celebrate all the social workers you know. PPI is grateful for our social workers and all our hardworking employees in our Social Services Department!
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
February 22 to the 28th is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. The goal of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is to shine a light on eating disorders by educating the public, spread a message of hope and put resources into the hands of those who need it.
An eating disorder is a condition characterized by irregular or abnormal eating habits. Some common eating disorders are:
• Anorexia Nervosa
◦ An eating disorder characterized by abnormally low body weight.
• Binge Eating Disorder
◦ A disorder involving frequent consumption of large amounts of food without stopping.
• Bulimia Nervosa
◦ Eating disorder characterized by binge eating, followed by methods to avoid weight gain.
• Pica
◦ A psychological disorder characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive.
There are some alarming facts when it comes to eating disorders:
The rate of children under 12 being admitted to a hospital for eating disorders rose 119 percent in less than a decade.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, with nearly 1 person dying every hour as a direct result of an eating disorder.
Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents, after asthma and obesity.
A huge supporter of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is the National Eating Disorders Association – the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. This year, they are inviting Every Body to Have a Seat at the Table.
”In a field where marginalized communities continue to be underrepresented, we welcome conversations on raising awareness, challenging systemic biases, and sharing stories from all backgrounds and experiences.”
PPI wants to help spread this information to help our community get better and stay healthy. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, reach out for help today.
If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493 for more information.
During Black History Month, we are highlighting some of the top Black professionals in the mental health field that many have not heard of.
This week we are highlighting Freda C. Lewis-Hall, M.D., DFAPA, one of the largest and most significant players in the field of medication and pharmaceuticals, and her story as a black female doctor is empowering and humbling.
Born in 1955 in Baltimore, MD, Freda C. Lewis-Hall dreamed of becoming a doctor from a young age.
Freda C. Lewis-Hall, M.D. Source: salem.edu
Her first year in medical school was the most difficult year of her life. Medical school to begin with is an uphill battle, a few weeks into her classes, the steep path became even more daunting when her future husband, Randy, was sent to immediate exploratory surgery to check out a suspicious mass. Cancer. Constant worry and frequent trips to visit Randy started to interfere with her studies, though she persevered and somehow passed her exams, and Randy was on the mend.
The good news was short lived however, as tragedy struck over summer break when her mother unexpectedly passed away from a stroke. The shock of the unanticipated loss while attempting to care for her family and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandmother drained her physically and emotionally. She returned to medical school ready to take a leave of absence, fully aware that the chances of her returning if doing so would be slim.
By chance, on her way to request leave, she ran into her mentor, Dr. Lasalle D. Leffall, Jr., a legendary surgeon and professor. He listened as she spoke of her rationale for leave. He told her that he believed in her promise as a healer and as a leader and understood the pressures. Was she ready to give up on a dream that she had since she was six?
Freda went on to earn her B.S. degree from Johns Hopkins University and her medical doctorate from Howard University in Washington, DC.
Freda spent her first few years as a medical professional working on the frontlines of psychiatric care, earning recognition as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She was also an associate professor of the Department of Psychiatry for Howard University.
She then transitioned into working behind the scenes in a career in biopharmaceuticals bringing her expertise and experience of years in the field of psychiatry and mental health into the process of developing medication. She served as Pfizer, Inc.’s Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President until the end of 2018 and as Chief Patient Officer and Executive Vice President during 2019.
In these roles, Dr. Lewis-Hall expanded outreach to patients, reshaped the focus on patient engagement and inclusion, improved health information and education and amplified the voice of the patient within company culture and decision-making. She was responsible for the safe, effective and appropriate use of Pfizer medicines and vaccines.
Among her other various accomplishments are:
In 2010, Dr. Lewis-Hall was appointed by the Obama Administration to the inaugural Board of Governors for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Savoy’s Top Influential Women in Corporate America in 2012
“Woman of the Year” by Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s in 2011
25 Most Influential African Americans in health care by Black Health Magazine
Freda C. Lewis-Hall, MD is tough, to say the least, and her continued involvement in mental health makes her a role model for aspiring psychiatrists and mental health professionals.
