Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being at every stage of life. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
Many people are affected by mental health problems such as depression or panic disorders. These problems can make it harder to perform day-to-day activities, think clearly, and manage feelings. Some people may have difficulty around others or feel helpless and hopeless. Treatment can help them get back in control.
Help can be sought for numerous challenges, including:
Resources available include:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
988 or 1-800-273-8255
As of July 15, 2022 a person can be connected with local suicide prevention resources anywhere in the country by dialing only three digits (988). Think of it as the 911 emergency system for mental health help!
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine
1-800-464-5767 or visit https://www.namimaine.org/
MAINE
Crisis Hotline and Suicide Prevention Program
https://www.maine.gov/suicide/
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
https://www.sprc.org/states/new-hampshire
Suicide Prevention Center
https://vtspc.org/suicide-resources/get-help
State Suicide Preventiond
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/suicide_prevention
Suicide Prevention Program
https://www.mass.gov/suicide-prevention-program
Care Partnership
https://www.pacarepartnership.org/resources/crisis-and-hotlines
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that can result from traumatic events. It can make you feel scared, confused, or angry. And you may have nightmares or flashbacks. PTSD can cause a lot of distress and can affect your daily life. But many people get better with treatment.f
Anyone who has gone through or witnessed a traumatic event can get PTSD. These events can include:
Many people who go through a traumatic event don't get PTSD. It isn't clear why some people get PTSD and others don't. How likely you are to get PTSD depends on many things, including:
Having a history of mental health problems, substance use disorder, or childhood trauma may also increase your risk.
PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not happen until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years.
Symptoms include:
PTSD symptoms can change your behavior and how you live your life. You may pull away from other people, work all the time, or use drugs, marijuana, or alcohol. You may find it hard to be in relationships. And you may have problems with your spouse and family.
Children can have PTSD too. They may have symptoms listed above and symptoms that depend on how old they are. As children get older, their symptoms are more like those of adults.
If you think you or your child has PTSD, talk to your doctor or a counselor. Treatment can help.
There is no medical test that can diagnose PTSD. Your doctor will ask about symptoms, how long you've had them, and how much they affect your daily activities.
Your doctor may also ask about:
You may also have a physical exam or lab tests to check for signs of injury or other medical problems that my be causing your symptoms. Your doctor will also check to see if you have any other mental health problems, like depression or substance abuse disorder.
Your doctor may want your spouse, partner, or close family member to come with you. This person can help your doctor understand what you've been going through.
Medicines and counseling are used to treat PTSD. Treatment can help you feel more in control of your emotions, have fewer symptoms, and enjoy life again.
Counseling—there are many types of therapy that focus on trauma to help you get better. Most therapies use cognitive-behavioral (CBT) techniques to help you understand your thoughts and learn ways to cope with your feelings.
Antidepressant Medicines—in particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). They can help with many PTSD symptoms. SSRIs include:
You may need to try different types of treatment before you find the one that helps you. Your doctor will help you with this. These treatments may include other types of medicines and other forms of counseling, such as group counseling. If you have other problems along with PTSD, such as overuse of alcohol or drugs, you may need treatment for those too.
When you have PTSD, social situations can bring up a lot of emotions. For example, you may feel on edge, anxious, or angry. Because of this, you may withdraw from those who are closest to you to cope with your symptoms. This can make it hard to connect with your community or accept support from those who care about you.
Here are things you can do to help yourself, your family, and your community better understand and deal with PTSD:
Remember that life transitions (even positive ones such as getting married, having a baby, or starting a new job) can cause stress and result in more PTSD symptoms.
It's important to take care of yourself when you have PTSD. Here are some things that you can do.
Get help right away if you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, or feeling hopeless.
If you care about someone with PTSD, here's what you can do to help.
If COVID-19 remains as a source of stress for you, it’s important to get the care you need and learn self-care strategies to help you cope.f
Stress can cause the following:
Healthy ways to cope with stress include the following:
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/videos/covid-19/asl/managing-stress/managing_anxiety_covid19_asl.pdf
Our care managers are social workers with behavioral health training and expertise. A care manager may follow up after you are discharged from a hospital stay to help your transition. A care manager can also help address ongoing behavioral health needs.
A social work care manager will:
To contact a Martin’s Point behavioral health care manager, please call 1-877-659-2403.
Martin’s Point Health Care contracts with Behavioral HealthCare Program (BHCP) to manage the behavioral health network and perform authorizations related to behavioral health care.
BHCP is a Maine-based benefits management program which is part of the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization. They are dedicated to helping provide quality care. BHCP coordinates a network of mental health services in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania and New York. Using their knowledge of our region and our providers, they can guide you to the most suitable provider at the most appropriate level of care.
Their website, https://www.bhcp.org/, has many features including a current provider search function for members and providers and online treatment plan submission.
A hospitalization is a major and sometimes life-changing event in your life. The 30-day period following the discharge can be hard—physically and emotionally. Studies have shown that, after hospitalization, nearly half of discharged patients will experience at least one issue that could lead to a readmission within 30 days. We want to prevent that from happening.
After you have been hospitalized, you may receive a call from the hospital, your provider’s office, or someone from the Martin’s Point Behavioral Health Care Management team.
- If you have questions, create a list to ask at the appointment.
- If you are on several medications, either write down the names, dosages, and frequency or bring the medications with you to the appointment.
If you need additional assistance coordinating your care after discharge, Martin’s Point offers a care management transitions of care program that can help! Feel free to call 1-877-659-2403.
A person who has a medical condition or needs may also have a behavioral condition or needs and vice versa.
Your primary care provider (PCP) and your behavioral health care provider have different areas of expertise and it is very important to maintain visits with both. Open communication among all your providers is important to be sure you are getting the best care and assistance you need and to avoid medical errors or misses.
To keep all your providers informed about your care, your provider may ask you to complete a medical release form for the purpose of sharing your records.
It is important to watch for mental disorders in children and understand how they are treated because they can have a significant effect on overall health and relationships throughout life. Identifying problems early can help children get the support they need. At Martin’s Point, we want to work with your family to close any gaps in care that may be recommended for your child. Martin’s Point annually monitors the quality of our pediatric member’s behavioral health by claims submitted by their providers.
Sources: Mental Health Stats - NAMI.org; Children's Mental Health - CDC.gov
This program is offered at no cost and is designed to support best-practice care for young beneficiaries. Our care managers are social workers with behavioral health training and expertise. When our care managers are notified of a member’s behavioral health hospitalization they outreach to the family after discharge and, if needed, assist with coordination of care to assure a smooth transition.
A care manager will:
To contact a Martin’s Point pediatric behavioral health care manager, please call 1-877-659-2403
Information regarding mental health medications and needed monitoring - includes medications treating Anti-Psychotic medications and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
If your child or adolescent is aged 17 or under and is taking two or more antipsychotic medications listed below, they can have an increased risk for developing serious health complications associated with weight gain, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Given these risks and the potential for lifelong consequences, they should have annual blood sugar and cholesterol testing to ensure appropriate health management.
Medications for the treatment of antipsychotic disorders include:
*Please contact the doctor who prescribes your child’s medication to request labs such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels if this is not already scheduled.
If your child is between 6-12 years old and has been newly prescribed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, they should have three follow-up care visits with the prescribing doctor within a 10-month period to assure the medication is working appropriately and there are no adjustments needed:
Medications for the treatment of ADHD include: