Freedom From Fear Spring 2020 Newsletter

Newsletter Spring

2020

Message from Freedom From Fear

Spring brings great expectations. We have waited all through the cold winter for it to come. We think sweet thoughts in spring. We smell sweet scents in spring. Oh, those thoughts of the flowering gardens!!!

However, not this year. Spring brings heighten anxiety about a strange and little-understood virus call Coronavirus (COVID-19). Americans and the world are very frightened about this invader which is spreading destruction around the world as mounting deaths continue to occur. Along with the high medical crisis comes economic uncertainty in the world. The stock market is in free fall and people are watching their economic security being destroyed. It is beyond scary.

We at Freedom from Fear wish to let you know we are here for you. If you need reassurance or just need to talk to a trained professional, please call for assistance. We also offer the following suggestions to help navigate through these times of heightened insecurities. Your mental health is more important than ever before.

Exercise every day. Even if you do it at your house. Put on lively music and dance away your coronavirus fears
Each day take some time to sit in a quiet place at home, play some soothing music, light a scented candle, if you have one, close your eyes and just take deep breaths thinking pleasant thoughts. Do this for at least five minutes, you are welcome to repeat as many times you want to. Clearing your mind is very important to reducing anxiety
Take a walk if possible make sure you are socially distancing yourself
Keep washing your hands regularly even when you are home
Check-in with elderly, family, friends, and neighbors via phone or text. Remember most things can be ordered online.
Avoid going to hospitals, nursing facilities or other medical treatment facilities unless it is necessary.

We are all in this together. America is a great resilient nation. We will overcome this threat, just like we did through all-natural disasters, 9/11 and so much more.

We are united with you.

Mary Guardino and The staff of Freedom from Fear

Shortage of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists in the United States

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) reported a significant shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists according to their updated workforce map in May 2018. The severity of mental, emotional, and/or behavioral disorders in U.S. children are nearly 1 in 5 according to the AACAP. 15 million children in the U.S. need child psychiatrists, however there are abruptly 8,300 practicing child psychiatrists in America. These concerning numbers suggest that majority of vulnerable children struggle through their days without any mental help. Why the shortage? It has been reported that half of the reason is that there is a high demand and that there are too many children with vital mental health concerns. The other half? The desire of medical students that wish to pursue child and adolescent psychiatry are strikingly low and one reason for this is stigmatization towards psychiatric illnesses. Additionally, psychiatry is one of the least-reimbursed fields in medicine according to PsychologyToday.

Dermatologists get paid almost $200 for a one-minute skin biopsy but insurance pays half of this for an hour-long psychiatry appointment. The increasing concern of suicidality among this population parallels with an increasing demand for the replenishment of child and adolescent psychiatrists. According to the director of the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, it is stated that "in some parts of the country, there's not a child psychiatrist within a 100-mile radius.” The low number of child and adolescent psychiatric residents as opposed to the large demand of those in need indicate that this shortage will unfortunately continue. Hope is the only determinant that things in the future may change…for now, this issue remains systematic and troubling.

Ariana Galante

MSW Intern College of Staten Island

Self-quarantine wasn't on our bucket list for this spring!!

Baking is known to be a great stress reducer.

Here is a recipe to follow during these rough times to release your stress. Try this simple recipe for zucchini Muffins recipe.

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup finely shredded unpeeled zucchini

Direction

In a bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Combine the egg and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini, walnuts and currants.
Coat muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners; fill three-fourths full with batter. Bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Nutrition Facts 1 each: 318 calories, 16g fat (1g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 180mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.

Recipe by Taste of Home

What You Should Know About CBD Products

Many products today promote health benefits of chemicals in cannabis, another name for marijuana. CBD products contain a chemical compound called cannabidiol. Unlike THC, CBD does not have mind-altering effects on the brain. Over-the-counter CBD products claim to treat conditions such as chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, and many more illnesses. However, these products are not regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means they have not gone through rigorous testing to make sure they are safe and effective and contain exactly what their labels claim. For example, some have been shown to contain THC which has mind-altering effects on the brain. Research also shows CBD may interact with other medications with potentially harmful results. That's why it is critical to talk to a medical doctor before taking any CBD products and carefully discuss usage.

This information is provided by The National Institute of Drug Abuse .

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