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Here at Statesboro Psychiatric Associates, our approach to treatment is comprehensive, using a combination of medication, newer technologies, and therapy. Ours is a team approach in which our board certified Psychiatrists, mid-level Practitioners, and Psychotherapists, work closely together to personalize and individualize treatments to suit each person’s specific needs. As a practice, we aim to treat the whole individual as a person and not as an illness, as an individual and not a type or category. We are here to help optimize your health, address your very specific concerns, and reach your goals for good health.
© 2024 Statesboro Psychiatric Associates. All Rights Reserved.
Depression is a potentially serious debilitating condition that significantly impacts the way people function and participate in daily activities. Symptoms of depression include feeling sad, helpless, hopeless, worthless or guilty. The person may have little energy and feel like sleeping all the time, or may experience insomnia and get very little sleep. Appetite may increase or decrease causing weight gain, or loss. People with depression often report little interest or pleasure in doing things including activities of daily living such as bathing. Some people have thoughts of suicide and self harm.
Anxiety is a serious, potentially debilitating condition that may manifest in many different ways. One may experience social anxiety in which the anxiety is present in social situations such as school, gatherings, crowded venues, when meeting new people, when having to give a presentation. Some people experience a more generalized anxiety which involves a steady feeling of anxiousness which may manifest in physical symptoms such as stomach and headaches, increased sweating, shortness of breath, chest pain, increased heart rate, muscle tension, and a sense of dread.
Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder that includes episodes of Major Depression in addition to episodes of Mania. Mania presents as distinct periods of time in which a person may experience excessive energy, decreased need for sleep, elevated mood or irritability, rapid speech, pressured speech, racing thoughts, grandiose thinking, impulsive/unusual behavior including excessive spending, sexual promiscuity, substance abuse, among others.
ADHD symptoms include short attention span, poor focus and concentration, being easily distracted, impulsive, failing to complete tasks, often losing things necessary to complete tasks, poor frustration tolerance, hyperactivity and inability to sit still, frequent daydreaming, talking too much, frequent interrupting, poor school performance. ADHD can affect children, adolescents as well as adults.
PTSD is a psychiatric condition that is triggered by a terrifying event. The person either is witness to the event, or actually experiences the event. If left untreated, symptoms may worsen over time and last for months to years after the trauma. When the symptoms begin to interfere with daily functioning it is time to seek help. Symptoms include, nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive recollections of the event, emotional or physical reaction to something that reminds you of the event, avoidance of places, activities or people that remind you of the event, negative changes in thinking and mood, changes in emotional reactions such as irritability, anger/aggression, trouble sleeping, being startled easily, self destructive behavior including drugs/alcohol or reckless driving, always feeling on guard watching for further danger.
OCD is marked with obsessive thoughts that repeat over and over again in the mind, and is followed by an action (compulsion) that must be done to relieve the anxiety caused by the obsessive thought. Examples include counting things, constant need to straighten, washing hands, performing rituals prior to completing a task, and checking things over and over again.
Signs and symptoms of substance abuse and addiction vary considerably depending on the drug of choice. The common denominator is the effect the addiction has on the individual’s ability to function in society. Once addicted to a substance the person may have intense urges or cravings for the drug. They may spend an unusual amount of time worrying about their supply and making sure they do not run out of the drug at the expense of personal relationships and obligations. Some begin to feel that they must use the drug daily or several times per day just to function. Over time, they usually require more and more of the drug to get the same initial effect. The person may find him or herself spending more money than they should on the drug at the expense of other necessary things such as food, electricity and housing. The person may fail to meet obligations at work or with family because of the drug use. Withdrawal symptoms occur when an attempt is made to discontinue the drug. Attempts to stop using may result in failure. Family members may begin to notice changes in behavior, changes in hygiene or appearance, problems at school or work, and irresponsible spending/requests for money/stealing money or items from the home go missing, legal issues arise.
TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation. It is used to treat depression by stimulating the brain using electromagnetic fields, similar to those produced by an MRI machine. TMS is non-invasive, meaning that it does not involve surgery. It does not require any anesthesia or sedation, as the patient remains awake and alert during the treatment. TMS is also non-systemic, meaning that it is not taken by mouth and does not circulate in the blood stream, limiting its side effects.