Like any other illness, some are treatable n a short period of time while some are not, requiring the need for an extended period of treatment. Whatever the case may be, timely treatment can give a happy and productive life.

Medicines are not the only means of treating mental illness. Many are treated and cured with various kind of therapies available in recent times.

The belief that psychiatry medications are addictive is a myth. Just like an antidiabetic medicines keeps your glucose in control so does the psychiatry medicines for your thoughts and feelings.

There are no medicines without side effects in pharmacology. If given for the right reasons in the right dose for right duration there is no or minimal side effect.

Many people are unsure of the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is a physician who has completed medical school and specialized residency training in psychiatry. Because they are M.D.s, psychiatrists can prescribe medication. Most psychiatrists only treat people with medication but a few, like Dr. Ghosh, also provide therapy for people who are interested.

Psychologists are not physicians. Their degree is a Ph.D. or Psy.D. Psychologists do not prescribe medications. Most psychologists have intensive training in the treatment of mental illness through a variety of types of therapy. Psychologists usually have a lot of experience providing testing. Child psychologists have specific training in the treatment of disorders often seen in childhood.

As with psychiatrists, child psychologists see some children and adolescents with severe mental illnesses, but most children who see psychologists have a variety of difficulties that are interfering with their ability to succeed in school, get along with friends, or get along with their parents. Sometimes a child’s teacher will suggest that a child receive testing to determine whether s/he has a problem that interferes with learning. These types of tests are available through the schools but some parents prefer to have their child seen by a professional who is independent of the schools. Psychologists usually work with parents as well as children to help parents develop strategies for managing a child’s behavior or improving their relationships with family members.

People come to see a psychiatrist for many reasons. Some people have severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Some people are simply having trouble coping with the many stresses of modern life. Some people are already seeing a counselor who has suggested that medication might help them feel better. Most people who see a psychiatrist are simply trying to find ways to cope better with difficult feelings or behaviors and see psychiatric treatment as an opportunity to improve their lives.

We all have times when we are blue or particularly stressed. Usually these times pass and we begin to feel like ourselves again. Sometimes these problems persist a long time or start to interfere with daily life. People may have trouble sleeping, may feel more irritable, or begin to have difficulty in their jobs and relationships. Many of the websites on our links page have checklists that might help you decide if you need to see someone about your mental health. If you are unsure about whether you would benefit from treatment by Dr.Ghosh, feel free to call us and describe your problems to see if we can help you make this decision.

No. There is a negative stereotype that many people have that can make them shy about coming to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. Because of this stereotype, many people put off treatment when they could have been feeling better long ago. Seeing a mental health professional really just means that you are struggling with feelings or behavior and would like help. It’s no different than if you were seeing an eye doctor because you couldn’t see well. Often as part of treatment you will receive a diagnosis. The diagnosis is shorthand to describe the types of problems you have, to qualify you for services from schools or the government, and to help you get reimbursement from your insurance company. We firmly believe, though, that a diagnosis does not define who you are and definitely does not mean anything bad about you. All people are unique and any two people with the same diagnosis are usually very different from each other. So coming here does not mean you are crazy and if you take a survey of your friends, family members, and coworkers, you will probably find a large percentage of people who have sought treatment for mental health at some time in their lives.

We know a lot more about the brain than we used to and are learning more all the time. What scientists have found out is that most people with mental illnesses have a predisposition to those problems, just as many people have a predisposition to diabetes or asthma. These predispositions are not a personal weakness. They may be a random difference in how your brain developed, or it may be genetic. We know that many people with depression, thought disorders, anxiety, and learning difficulties (among others) have other family members with the same problems. So we don’t know what triggers this predisposition in most people but we do know that most mental illnesses are rooted in how the brain works and not in whether you are a good person.

No. Just like going to other doctors, your records are confidential and we cannot even tell people that you come to us without your permission. We take confidentiality very seriously. There are a few exceptions to this rule. Most insurance companies will need to know a specific diagnosis and may need to know general information about your treatment (for example whether you are receiving therapy or medication management), but they won’t know about the specific information you share with your doctor.

Sometimes people share information that indicates they may hurt themselves or another person. If this happens, we are required to share this information in order to keep our patients safe. Also, if you are involved in a legal matter relevant to your treatment, the court can subpoena our records. But these exceptions are rare occurrences. We will never share information without informing you and usually we will need your written permission.

Maybe: You will be part of the decision process in determining what types of treatment are going to be most helpful to your child. Parents are often involved in helping the child transfer what they are learning in therapy to their everyday lives. When the difficulties have to do with parenting problems, the parents are often as active and involved in therapy as the child. As children get older, they are more concerned about privacy and may not want us to tell their parents everything they say. In these cases we will often share general issues about what the child discusses but not specific information. If your child is under 18, you have the legal right to know what happens in your child’s treatment but most parents understand and support their son or daughter’s right to privacy as this makes treatment more effective and can also create a more trusting relationship between parent and child.

Children may be reluctant to see a psychologist for many reasons. Young children are often worried that this is like going to the pediatrician and that they will get a shot. Usually reassuring them that Doctor does not give shots is enough to reduce their worries. Children also do not always know what a psychologist is and, like anyone, are nervous about new experiences. You might want to tell your child that this is just like going to talk to a school counselor. Showing your child the pictures on this website may also reassure them that this is a friendly place.

Older children and adolescents may have the same worries that adults do. They might worry that they are “crazy”, their friends may find out, or that this means that their parents believe a family problem is “all their fault.” Reassure these youngsters that what they do with Doctor will be private and that she may be giving you suggestions of ways to change and not just making those suggestions to your child.

Please bring all your prescriptions (even if they are for other problems) in their bottles so that Doctor can see exactly how they were prescribed. If you have had previous treatment from a psychologist, counselor, or other psychiatrist please bring those records. If you do not have any records, Doctor may ask you to sign a release so he can talk to the other people who have worked with you if this is OK with you.  In this case, please bring the names and phone numbers of the people who have treated you in the past.

If there are any records you want to be sure that doctor will review before your appointment, feel free to mail them, or drop them by our office.