Dr. Gomez Aracena provides psychiatric evaluations, medication management along with psychotherapy and follow-ups to adults, children and adolescents for different mental disorders, including but not limited to the disorders listed below.
Depression is more than just sadness. People with depression may experience a lack of interest and pleasure in daily activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleeping, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
Depression is the most common mental disorder. Fortunately, depression is treatable. A combination of therapy and antidepressant medication can help ensure recovery.
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.
People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. They may also have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat.
ADHD, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a behavioral condition that makes focusing on everyday requests and routines challenging.
People with ADHD typically have trouble getting organized, staying focused, making realistic plans and thinking before acting. They may be fidgety, noisy and unable to adapt to changing situations.
Children with ADHD can be defiant, socially inept or aggressive. Families considering treatment options should consult a qualified mental health professional for a complete review of their child's behavioral issues and a treatment plan.
Dr. Gomez Araccena provides evaluations and offer recommendations for school consultations.
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a type of behavior disorder. It is mostly diagnosed in childhood. Children with ODD are uncooperative, defiant, and hostile toward peers, parents, teachers, and other authority figures. They are more troubling to others than they are to themselves.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing, checking on things or cleaning, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions.
An impulse control disorder is a mental health problem that involves an inability or failure to control an impulse that results in harm to oneself or others. Typically motivated by cravings or feelings of arousal, an individual with an impulse control disorder will experience release and derive pleasure from having engaged in a destructive behavior or act. Furthermore, despite being aware of the negative consequences, someone with an impulse control disorder cannot stop himself or herself from repeatedly engaging in harmful behavior.
Commonly diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, an impulse control disorder can cause impairment to normal daily function as well as familial and social interactions.
Impulse control disorders seen in children and adolescents may include:
Tourette's syndrome, is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary and uncontrollable tics. A tic is a sudden, rapid, recurrent, nonrhythmic motor movement or vocalization. Symptoms typically emerge between 4 and 6 years old and can reach their peak between 10 and 12 years old.Some people with Tourette's also experience obsessive-compulsive behavior (an intense need to repeatedly perform acts, such as hand washing or checking that a door is locked); attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (difficulty concentrating and staying on task); learning disabilities (difficulties with reading, writing, and arithmetic); and sleep disorders (frequent awakenings or talking in one's sleep).
Selective mutism is defined as a disorder of childhood characterized by an inability to speak in certain settings (e.g. at school, in public places) despite speaking in other settings (e.g. at home with family). Selective mutism is associated with anxiety and may be an extreme form of social phobia.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, is a debilitating mental disorder caused by exposure to a single emotionally and/or physically traumatic event or by being subjected to ongoing traumatic events. While the disorder can occur at any stage of life, it is estimated that about 4% of children under the age of 18 who have been exposed to trauma will experience post-traumatic stress disorder. According to statistics, PTSD affects more girls than boys.
Post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents may be the result of experiencing or bearing witness to violence, abuse, natural disasters, accidents or illness. While the symptoms of the disorder usually appear within the first three months of the trauma, in some cases it can take several months or even years for PTSD to surface.
A child who acts out may require professional help if the behavior persists and is having lasting negative effects on his or her quality of life and impairing daily function as well as social and familial interactions. Any behavior considered unsafe, self-injurious or damaging to others requires prompt evaluation and care.
Dr. Gomez Aracena works in collaboration with the school and families. Treatment for acting out behaviors depends upon the child’s age, the extent and severity of the behavior as well as the presence of comorbid disorders. A child may act out in response to an upsetting ongoing situation, as a means of getting attention from adults, to impress peers, or due to other untreated mental health disorders, unrecognized sensory issues or undiagnosed learning disabilities.
With proper therapeutic intervention and treatment many children and adolescents can develop the tools to better understand their emotions and behavior and more effectively manage them, which lead to better school performance.
Stress can take over our lives and drive us to make incorrect decisions that will likely have consequences. The common saying in stress management is to keep a positive attitude, acceptance of self and events, assertiveness, exercise, and just relax. As helpful as these tips may be, sometimes the stress reaches level 10 out of 10, or a “melting point”, and professional help needs to be considered.
Severe stress is a component of anger and aggressive behavior, both of which, can lead to consequences including involvement of law enforcement, baker acts, and/ or development/exacerbation of psychopathology. Assessment of comorbid conditions and underlying causes is always warranted.
Starting college is a step forward for most young adults with a larger amount of freedom and responsibility. For many college students this is the first time they are living away from their parents and family members. The “college years” are usually transitional years that bring challenges such as time management, financial issues, homesickness, relationship problems, depression, anxiety, problems with school performance, partying, substance abuse, and feeling isolated without friends.
Many young adults struggle in isolation with depression, poor grades, and family dysfunction. Its' important to note that college campuses have counselors, psychologists, and other mental health professionals, paid for by the student body, that can provide help during crisis. When these services are inadequate, overwhelmed, or unavailable to students, it may be appropriate to seek help outside of campus.
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