Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center Blog

At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, we are proud to offer SPRAVATO® – the only FDA-approved nasal spray for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). We are the largest certified SPRAVATO® treatment center in the Westfield area.

SPRAVATO® esketamine nasal spray, is an innovative prescription medication, that when taken along with an oral antidepressant, may offer greater relief from depression symptoms for adult patients suffering from TRD or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

One of the caring and compassionate members of the diverse team of medical professionals at Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, can help you to understand if SPRAVATO® might be right for you.

If you or someone you love is suffering from TRD or MDD and may benefit from using SPRAVATO®, read these frequently asked questions to learn more:

Who is a good candidate for SPRAVATO® nasal spray?

If you are an adult (over the age of 18) who is suffering from TRD and/or experiencing symptoms of depression after having taken two or more oral antidepressants, you may be a good candidate for SPRAVATO®.  It is also used to treat adults suffering from MDD who may experiencing suicidal thoughts. According to Healthline, symptoms of MDD include:

• Persistent low mood
• Little interest in activities you used to enjoy
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Fatigue (low energy)
• Trouble focusing
• Increase or decrease in appetite
• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
• Having a hard time completing daily activities
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors

What makes SPRAVATO® nasal spray effective?

SPRAVATO® contains the drug esketamine, which is included in a group of drugs called NMDA receptor blockers. While it is unknown exactly how SPRAVATO® works to help ease symptoms of depression, studies published by the National Library of Medicine show that it blocks the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors proteins in the brain.

SPRAVATO® will be prescribed along with at least one other antidepressant that you will take by mouth. Examples of these drugs include (but are not limited to):

• Venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Escitalopram (Lexapro)
• Bupropion (Wellbutrin)

Are there any side effects of using SPRAVATO®?

The most common side effects, are:

• Dissociation
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Sedation
• Spinning sensation
• Reduced sense of touch
• Anxiety
• Lack of energy
• Increased blood pressure
• Vomiting
• Feeling drunk

If these common side effects occur, they usually happen right after taking SPRAVATO® and go away the same day. These are not all the possible side effects of SPRAVATO®.

SPRAVATO® can cause interactions when taken in combination with certain other prescription drugs. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications you are taking, including prescription and over the counter, as well as any supplements or vitamins.

How is SPRAVATO® nasal spray administered?

When administered by an experienced Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center team member, SPRAVATO® is safe and effective. The amount of medication you will be prescribed will be tailored to your specific needs and medical history. You will receive your SPRAVATO® treatment at one of our offices under direct supervision to ensure you are as safe and comfortable as possible.

You will administer the SPRAVATO® nasal spray yourself under the guidance of a healthcare professional at a certified SPRAVATO® healthcare facility. Your treatment schedule will depend on the medical condition it’s being used to treat. Your doctor will explain how much and how often to use the nasal spray.

Because of the risks for sedation, dissociation, abuse, and misuse, we will enroll you in the SPRAVATO® Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) Program as part of your treatment process.

At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, we offer all our new SPRAVATO® patients a complimentary bag filled with a few custom items to help ensure all the things you will need and want during your treatment appointments are available to you.

Our bag includes:

• Fuzzy socks
• A cozy fleece blanket
• A supportive neck pillow
• A reusable water bottle

Ready to Get Started? Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation and learn if SPRAVATO® might be right for you:

• Call: (908)-923-3483
• Visit: embracepwc.com

Author: Sara Magnola Taner is an online marketing and communications specialist – with a website development and editorial background – who has over 15 years of experience creating and editing clear, compelling content on diverse topics across a wide range of mediums.

Edwin is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) who has a deep passion for providing patient-centered empathetic care to all of those who suffer from a myriad of mental illnesses.

Edwin is skilled in managing and treating a comprehensive range of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and insomnia. As your PMHNP, Edwin’s comprehensive role would include: educator, mental health advocate, therapist, and medication manager.

Life can be full of hardships and unfortunately, there are some who suffer more than most. Having access to high-quality, compassionate, and empathetic mental health services is very important and at times life-altering. Edwin understands that the relationship between client and provider is an important partnership and strives to meet his patient’s established mental health goals.

Edwin obtained his MSN from LaSalle University and is currently a member of both the Neuroscience Education Institute, and the National Institute of Mental Health. He has been studying and working in healthcare since 2006. Having experienced multiple hardships in his own life, he understands how difficult it can be for people to access affordable medical and mental health care. He loves to use his medical knowledge and skills to help people in need. 

Outside of working hours, Edwin enjoys spending time with his loving family and trying out new BBQ recipes and techniques.

Edwin – a first-generation immigrant from Honduras – is bilingual and specializes in treating 19–70-year-olds suffering from anxiety, ADHD, depression, and mood disorders. He is able to accommodate patients for in-person and telehealth appointments.

Edwin is currently accepting new patients for medication management at one of our convenient New Jersey locations and via telehealth.

Call 908-233-8065 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with Edwin or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners.

Workplace anxiety is a common challenge that many individuals face, impacting their well-being and professional performance. It’s crucial to acknowledge and address these feelings, as they can hinder personal growth and success. Read on to learn about effective strategies to confront and cope with workplace anxiety, creating a healthier, more productive work environment.

With the school year coming to an end, temperatures rising, and fireflies starting to come out at twilight, the summer season has officially begun.

While the long hot days of summer often conjure up visions of relaxation and fun times in the sun, for many people the reality is that this season can also have a negative impact on their mental state. The expectation that you “should” constantly be having a great time, can create a lot of pressure. Rest assured, that even though it may seem like everyone else is living their best, Instagram-worthy lives this summer, many people are also feeling the undesirable effects of the season as well.

Here are some features of summertime that can make the living not so easy and a few ways to proactively protect your mental wellbeing:

Create a Summer Schedule

For many people, the summer months wreak havoc on their normal routine.  Children being on summer break from school or college, can result in fuller, noisier homes and extra demands. Going on vacations also results in regular schedules being disrupted. Backyard barbecues and pool parties can lead to later bedtimes and needing to sleep in. Sweltering midday temperatures can require us to switch things up, so we don’t overheat on our lunchtime walk for example. For many people, a disruption to the norm can result in feelings of stress, agitation, anxiety, and depression. This year, take time to assess how the shift to summer will affect your schedule and routines.  Then come up with a summer schedule that can become your new norm for the next few months.

Protect Your Sleep

Extended hours of sunlight and disruptions to your regular schedule can result in not getting enough quality sleep. According to the National Institute of Health: “Sleep deficiency can cause trouble learning, focusing, and reacting. It can also make it hard to judge other people’s emotions and reactions. Sleep deficiency can make you feel frustrated, cranky, or worried in social situations.” To ensure you are getting enough sleep during the summer, stick to your regular bedtime and nighttime routine as much as possible. It can also be helpful to check the window coverings in your bedroom to make sure they are blocking out most of the light from the earlier sunrise or later sunset.

Stick to A Summer Fund

Pressure to splurge on vacations and fun summertime activities like concerts, trips to the water park, frequent visits to the ice cream parlor, etc. can lead to worry about over-spending. Adding to the financial demands of the season are pricey summer camps and child care for parents when school is not in session. To help mitigate the anxiety worrying can cause, try setting a “Summer Fun” budget. Allocating a predetermined, responsible amount of money to spend during the summer months, can help you maintain a sense of calm and alleviate stress.

Beat the Heat

While some people love the hot summer sun and can soak up its rays all day every day, for others, sweltering summer weather can take a toll on their physical and emotional health. Spending too much time in the heat can lead to dehydration, feeling tired, and a lack of appetite, which is why a study by the American Physiological Society found that people are more likely to have higher levels of stress hormones in the summer than in winter. Additionally, the summer heat makes it more challenging to spend time exercising outdoors, which can be incredibly beneficial to your physical and mental health. It’s important to resist the urge to stay inside an air conditioned home all day, by finding ways to still get the benefits of being out in nature without overheating. Getting out early or later in the day for your walk or workout, will ensure you do not roast in the strong midday sun. Spending time by a body of water, such as an ocean, lake, or pool, when possible, allows you to cool off when you get too warm.

This summer, keep your cool by protecting your mental health.  If you are struggling with anxiety or depression due to summer stress, the team at Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center can help! 

Contact our compassionate staff today to learn more:

• Call: (908)-923-3483
• Visit: embracepwc.com

Author: Sara Magnola Taner is an online marketing and communications specialist – with a website development and editorial background – who has over 15 years of experience creating and editing clear, compelling content on diverse topics across a wide range of mediums.

Even though it’s sometimes difficult to detect, depression is one of the most common mental illnesses out there and can profoundly impact a person’s life. But when many of us think about depression, we associate it with mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. However, depression can also manifest a wide variety of physical symptoms that are sometimes quite challenging to manage. Here’s a closer look at some of these symptoms, along with a few useful ways for handling them.

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives. From connecting with friends and family to sharing our thoughts and experiences, these platforms offer a seemingly endless array of possibilities. However, it’s important to bring to light the complex relationship between social media and mental health. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricate connection between the two, shedding light on the potential impacts social media can have on our mental well-being.

April is National Stress Awareness Month – a time designated by the The Health Resource Network (HRN), a non-profit health education organization, to raise awareness of the potential damaging effects stress can have on a person’s physical and mental well-being, as well as to inform people how to effectively cope with stress. Understanding how and when stress can be damaging to our health is an important first step to being able to manage the negative impact it can have and know when it is time to seek professional help.

What is Stress & How Can it Affect Us?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree.

The way we respond to stress – and the amount of time we experience stressful situations – makes a big difference to our overall health. Feelings of heightened stress during challenging events in our lives is often unavoidable. Losing your job, going through a breakup or divorce, or moving to a new place are all common stressful scenarios. 

Stress can manifest in our bodies in many ways. Emotional responses can include feelings of anxiety, depression, and irritability. Physical responses to stress often include pain, such as headaches, tension, and digestive issues. If a person already suffers from any of these symptoms, being under stress will often exacerbate them and make them more intense. 

What are the Best Ways to Manage Stress?  

While stress, and the challenges that cause it are often unavoidable, there are several simple and easy ways to practice stress management and self-care.

WHO offers a stress management guide – Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide – for coping with adversity. The guide aims to equip people with practical skills to help cope with stress.

Additional Stress Management Techniques include:

• Getting Plenty of Sleep
• Eating a Nutritious and Balanced Diet
• Working Out Regularly
• Spending Time Connecting with Others
• Reducing Time Spent on Social Media

When Is It Best to Seek Professional Help?

Prolonged periods of dealing with a stressful situation and the effects it has on your mind and body, can begin to affect your quality of life and productivity over time. Worsening mental conditions, including depression and anxiety, trouble concentrating, a lack of interest in activities you previously enjoyed, diminished or increased appetite, an inability to fall or stay asleep, and an increased use of alcohol or drugs, can all be indicators that it may be time to seek professional help for management the effects of stress on your life.

At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, we take the time to get to know you as a person and make the process of finding the care you need as easy as possible. Dr. Leopold Bolona leads a team of in-person and remote professionals who are dedicated to providing the personalized services and innovative treatments you need to get the life-changing care you deserve.

Contact our compassionate staff today to learn more:

• Call: (908)-233-8065
• Visit: embracepwc.com

_{Author: Sara Magnola Taner is an online marketing and communications specialist – with a website development and editorial background – who has 15 years of experience creating and editing clear, compelling content on diverse topics across a wide range of mediums}

If you are looking to improve your mental wellness, you may be thinking about booking an appointment with a qualified professional. But whom should you see to address the specific issues that are plaguing you? Should you visit a psychiatrist or a therapist? Often, such words are used interchangeably even though they have very different meanings. This blog post will help you to understand the difference between psychiatrists vs. therapists.