Services
Visiting your doctor or taking advantage of a provider of behavioral telehealth in Chicago, Illinois, like us, on a regular basis is key to a healthy life. Whether you’re feeling the effects of the common cold or just coming in for a checkup, we want to make sure you have all the facts you need to make an educated decision.
Conditions we treat include:
ADHD
The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be categorized into 2 types of behavioral problems:
- Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)
- Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
Many people with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this is not always the case. For example, around 2 to 3 in 10 people with the condition have problems with concentrating and focusing but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness. This form of ADHD is also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADD can sometimes go unnoticed because the symptoms may be less obvious. Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing).
The main signs of inattentiveness are:
Having a short attention span and being easily distracted, making careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork, appearing forgetful or losing things, being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming, appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions, constantly changing activity or task, having difficulty organizing tasks.
Hyperactivity and impulsiveness:
The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are: being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings, constantly fidgeting, being unable to concentrate on tasks, excessive physical movement, excessive talking, being unable to wait their turn, acting without thinking, interrupting conversations, little or no sense of danger.
Anxiety/Depression
It’s normal to feel anxious from time to time, especially if your life is stressful. However, excessive, ongoing anxiety and worry that are difficult to control and interfere with day-to-day activities may be a sign of generalized anxiety disorder. It’s possible to develop a generalized anxiety disorder as a child or an adult. Generalized anxiety disorder has symptoms that are similar to panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other types of anxiety, but they’re all different conditions. Living with generalized anxiety disorder can be a long-term challenge. In many cases, it occurs along with other anxiety or mood disorders. In most cases, generalized anxiety disorder improves with psychotherapy or medications. Making lifestyle changes, learning coping skills, and using relaxation techniques also can help.
Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms can vary. They may include Persistent worrying or anxiety about a number of areas that are out of proportion to the impact of the events, overthinking plans and solutions to all possible worst-case outcomes, perceiving situations and events as threatening, even when they aren’t, difficulty handling uncertainty, indecisiveness and fear of making the wrong decision, inability to set aside or let go of a worry, inability to relax, feeling restless, and feeling keyed up or on edge, difficulty concentrating, or the feeling that your mind “goes blank”.
Physical signs and symptoms may include fatigue, trouble sleeping, muscle tension or muscle aches, trembling, feeling twitchy, nervousness or being easily startled, Sweating, nausea, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome, and irritability.
Bi-Polar Disorder
- Bipolar I disorder. You’ve had at least one manic episode that may be preceded or followed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes. In some cases, mania may trigger a break from reality (psychosis).
- Bipolar II disorder. You’ve had at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode, but you’ve never had a manic episode.
- Cyclothymic disorder. You’ve had at least two years — or one year in children and teenagers — of many periods of hypomania symptoms and periods of depressive symptoms (though less severe than major depression).
- Other types. These include, for example, bipolar and related disorders induced by certain drugs or alcohol or due to a medical condition, such as Cushing’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or stroke.
Bipolar II disorder is not a milder form of bipolar I disorder but a separate diagnosis. While the manic episodes of bipolar I disorder can be severe and dangerous, individuals with bipolar II disorder can be depressed for longer periods, which can cause significant impairment.
Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it’s diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning and can be disabling. It is characterized by thoughts or experiences that seem out of touch with reality, disorganized speech or behavior, and decreased participation in daily activities. Difficulty with concentration and memory may also be present.
- Delusions.These are false beliefs that are not based on reality. For example, you think that you’re being harmed or harassed, certain gestures or comments are directed at you, you have exceptional ability or fame, another person is in love with you, or a major catastrophe is about to occur. Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia.
- Hallucinations.These usually involve seeing or hearing things that don’t exist. Yet for the person with schizophrenia, they have the full force and impact of a normal experience. Hallucinations can be in any of the senses, but hearing voices is the most common hallucination.
- Disorganized thinking (speech).Disorganized thinking is inferred from disorganized speech. Effective communication can be impaired, and answers to questions may be partially or completely unrelated. Rarely, speech may include putting together meaningless words that can’t be understood, sometimes known as word salad.
- Extremely disorganized or abnormal motor behavior.This may show in several ways, from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation. Behavior isn’t focused on a goal, so it’s hard to do tasks. Behavior can include resistance to instructions, inappropriate or bizarre posture, a complete lack of response, or useless and excessive movement.
- Negative symptoms.This refers to a reduced or lack of ability to function normally. For example, the person may neglect personal hygiene or appear to lack emotion (doesn’t make eye contact, doesn’t change facial expressions, or speaks in a monotone). Also, the person may lose interest in everyday activities, socially withdraw or lack the ability to experience pleasure.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is an epidemic in our country, and we are here to help you fight that.
Inspiration & Guidance
Do you need guidance and inspiration to help improve your life?
Mania and Hypomania
Mania and hypomania are two distinct types of episodes, but they have the same symptoms. Mania is more severe than hypomania and causes more noticeable problems at work, school, and social activities, as well as relationship difficulties. Mania may also trigger a break from reality (psychosis) and require hospitalization.
Both a manic and a hypomanic episode include three or more of these symptoms:
- Abnormally upbeat, jumpy, or wired
- Increased activity, energy, or agitation
- An exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)
- Decreased need for sleep
- Unusual talkativeness
- Racing thoughts
- Distractibility
- Poor decision-making — for example, going on buying sprees, taking sexual risks, or making foolish investments
Major Depressive Disorder
A major depressive episode includes symptoms that are severe enough to cause noticeable difficulty in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities, or relationships. An episode includes five or more of these symptoms:
- Depressed mood, such as feeling sad, empty, hopeless, or tearful (in children and teens, depressed mood can appear as irritability)
- Marked loss of interest or feeling no pleasure in all — or almost all — activities
- Significant weight loss when not dieting, weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite (in children, failure to gain weight as expected can be a sign of depression)
- Either insomnia or sleeping too much
- Either restlessness or slowed behavior
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
- Decreased ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
- Thinking about, planning, or attempting suicide
Contact us for more information about our services.