Medication assisted treatment (MAT) has been increasingly shown in the literature to be helpful component of substance abuse treatment. The range of treatments has grown over the years, and certain treatments bring risks that limit their use in the primary care setting. Both methadone and buprenorphine, effective medications for opioid abuse, can be abused, have […]

Eating disorders are among the most dangerous psychiatric conditions. It is important to recognize and treat them as early as possible to prevent medical sequelae. The good news is that there are effective interventions, and here in San Diego, we have some of the most cutting-edge eating disorder treatment programs in the country. Here is […]

Collaborative Care Across the country, there is a large treatment gap for children and adolescents facing mental health challenges;  up to 70 % of adolescents don’t receive care (SAMHSA). One of the ways to solve this crisis is to increase the capacity of primary care offices to provide mental health services. The integration of mental […]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability with increasing prevalence in the United States. The CDC estimates 1 in 59 children have ASD and is 4 times more common in boys than girls. The changing landscape makes is difficult to know true rates of healthcare utilization, but individuals and families impacted by ASD often […]

  Many medications we prescribe for psychiatric conditions are associated with weight gain, including atypical antipsychotic medications, some mood stabilizer medications, and antidepressant medications. Some clinicians might view the risk of weight gain with antidepressant medications as a minor risk when viewing the seriousness of a patient’s depression. However, it is important to not add […]

Given the increase in prescribing of antipsychotic medication, it is more important than ever for providers to be screening for Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) and other extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) related to antipsychotic use. Partially, the increase in prescribing of antipsychotic medications is related to their use in non-psychotic disorders, like monotherapy for bipolar disorder and adjunctive […]

The primary medications used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are stimulant medications. These medications can be very helpful for children who struggle with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention so that they can be more successful in the home and school environments. Often these medications can lead to problematic side effects such as decreased appetite, […]

Last week’s eWeekly discussed the assessment of depression in older patients, and the intricate interplay between depression and cognitive impairment in older patients. This eWeekly addresses treatment of depression in older patients and how it might differ from treatment in younger adults. First it is important to identify and address any medical contributions to a […]

Depression is not an inevitable part of growing older, but there are factors that come with aging that can increase the risk of developing depression, even for a person who does not have a history of depression. These include retiring and losing one’s professional identity, increased medical problems, losing loved ones, and increased isolation. It […]

Harm Reduction is a pragmatic and strategic approach to reduce the harmful effects of substance use that has emerged in recent years that recognizes that people with substance use disorders present for care at different stages in their road to recovery and that successful intervention in substance abuse treatment can be applied even with people […]