Show 313 Mental Telehealth Services

In this episode, a look at some of the mental tele-health options that are in or will be introduced to the healthcare marketplace.

Next time, and throughout the year I'll show examples of a virtual mental health service, what it does, the pros & cons and other items of interest. 

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

SAMSHA Disaster Distress helpline is 1-800-985-5990 for voice and text communication in English and Spanish. There are also other languages available and ASL video access is accessible via a smartphone. The SAMSHA website has a lot of information about disaster related mental health issues.

Telehealth.gov page Behavioral Health Care for Individual Care, this does a good job of describing the options in the the virtual mental health space at this time. 

National Institute of Mental Health has a downloadable PDF that gives a basic description virtual mental health option.

If you don't know where to start but you have to talk to somebody, there is the NAMI HelpLine that offer support Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. eastern standard time in the U.S. Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email at helpline@nami.org

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 312 - What is Telehealth?

This is the start to a mini-series about telehealth and telemedicine options. Starting out with a definition of what telehealth is, types of provider services including a taste of virtual mental health care and recourses.

The short version is, per the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services, 

“Telehealth — sometimes called telemedicine — lets your health care provider care for you without an in-person office visit. Telehealth is done primarily online with internet access on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.”

I think I have that song by David Bowie on repeat in my head. So many changes are occurring and I don't know if it is good sense to try to keep up with all of them.

Some changes there isn't a choice about. We have to be aware that entrepreneurs are providing medical  and mental health services via software, apps and treatment options.

Not all of the entrepreneurs are coming from a traditional medical orientation. There is a for profit slicing and dicing about providing access to care is taking place.

This is nothing new. There has always been stratified healthcare in the United States. 

• You have concierge medicine for the very rich and wealthy.
• Metered insurance access for those people that are in a rapidly compressed middle income space.
• And governmental and charity access if you are broke and your dollar has to stretch around the block.

The growth of telehealth/telemedicine providers is something we have to pay attention and understand what the impact will be on our physical and mental health treatment options.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, What Is Telehealth?  There is also a downloadable PDF on The Basics of Telehealth Care.

Medline Plus page on Telehealth also provides a bounty of information about what telehealth is and some of the pros and cons of it.

The National Institute of Mental Health has a two page brochure with basic description of what is tele-mental care and some of the pros and cons.

Emergency Resources: 

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP Pebble in the Road - One More Thing About CBD Oil

Trying to finish up on my science literacy class. It is a pip. It is very good and provides a lot information about how scientists evaluate questions and data. 

It is thumping my poor brain with all kinds of concepts. Once I finish the class, I should be back on a regular schedule. 

Going through my stuff and seeing if I forgot anything. Seems like I did forget a thing or two. 

I might have included this in an episode but just in case, I want to make sure that you know about buying CBD oil on Amazon.com.

If you have been following the mini series about hemp seed oil and CBD oil you know:

The sale of hemp products with less than 0.3 THC or any psychoactive properties is permitted in the U.S. on the federal level.

However, depending on where you live in the United States, hemp products can either legal conditionally legal or totally illegal to purchase depending on the state or territory you happen to live in. 

Fifty states, the District of Columbia and the territories. All with different laws , regulations and Attorney Generals.

Not to mention interstate commerce rules and the TSA at the airports.

And then there is American version of Amazon.com. The site really wants to help you find what you want. 

Amazon site does not want to disappoint you. Neither do the flim flam artists who will make it seem that there product does what you hope it would do but it does not.

This is a quick episode on why you can't buy CBD oil with 0.3% TCH via the U.S. version of Amazon.com.  It isn't complicated.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

The National Council of State Legislators current activity list of the current cannabis laws in the United States.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 311 Kindness Grounding Practice

In this episode, a pebble in the road. A look at a kindness inspired grounding practice you could do when you need to tame your internal little hater.

Sometimes people come to the podcast intentionally. They see the album cover or up on a social media site and check it out.

Or they might see a post on a social media place and happen to see the name of the show.

Some entrepreneurial site owners will post a link to their blog or podcast, having nothing to do with anxiety or mental health.

And then there are the entrepreneurial vendors that offer alternative forms of self-gratification, aficionados of the anal canal of prostate joy or climatically cliffs of everlasting delight. 

I am under no illusion that providers who have goods, services and products for sale have honorable or dishonorable intentions. Most of it is just juicing for keyword or putting on that wolf coat.

Many times it is probably a quick get off the site link or trying to look legit. I have no control over that and Google is doing what they can, when they can.

That being said, I welcome all who find themselves on the road and decide to check out some of the information. Because lack of nookie can make you anxious. 

I might mention it at least once a year.

Really, the focus of the podcast and blog is to provide information about handling the life interfering type of anxiety conditions and disorders.

99.94% of you are welcomed. 

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

From 2022 Psychology Today article on Grounding Techniques. An opportunity to learn about what grounding is and some of the different types of re-centering yourself to the present time.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 310 - No Resolutions 2023

It is the time when a bunch of people and advertisers want to encourage you to make changes to your existence and how you currently live your life.

You might in fact want to do this because you do not feel good in your mind and body.  Totally understandable.  But you don't have to define you worth on promises you really don't want to do.

There is a way to achieve your goals without imposing an artificial and non-valuable deadline.

You can take small, measured steps. You decide when to start and when to start.

Does not have to be January 1, 2023. 

It can be when you are ready.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

Virtual Bubble Wrap, pop your way into a bit of calm with this site.

Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is a non-profit directory of therapists open to a diverse range of clients. 

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 309 Apps for Mindfulness & Meditation

There are lots of apps for mindfulness and meditation. The advantage is just in time training, help and support and symptom relief.

The disadvantage could be the continued separation from actual people, data harvesting by low lifers and the app not exactly meeting your needs.

I would say that it is important you develop your skills as an informed health consumer.

2024 Update. One Mind PsyberGuide is closed. The non-profit could not obtain funding to continue. You can still access the archives at this time.  One way to do that is to visit the website One Mind Psyber Guide. 

In this episode, some of the apps that are available for mindfulness and meditation.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) consumer page about protecting your privacy and being aware of permissions you give an app.

Free Meditation Apps

From the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center there is the UCLA Mindful App for iOS and Android has features such as getting started in meditation, videos and access to the podcast where there are a number topics about mindfulness. 

Healthy Minds Program, this is an app that has both active and sitting practices. This app helps you to build you process by introducing the concepts of awareness, staying focused and tracking the actual time spent in mindfulness and meditation.

Meditation with In-App Purchases

The Mindfulness App by the company Mind App has a tutorial on how to meditate, 400 mindfulness recordings, customization option like choosing the length of a meditation, guided or silent and other options. This app is accessible in multiple languages. Seven-day free trial. Subscription is either $4.99 a month or $59.99 a year. 

Simple Habit has meditation on the go, guided mindfulness and meditation practices and experts on the topic. You can access some of the content for free or there is a subscription for $12 monthly, $90 annually, or $300 for lifetime use. iOS and Android.

Subscription Based Mindfulness and Meditation Apps

In the last episode, I mentioned Runkeeper for those that want to do running meditations. It is a subscription service for $39.99 a year. https://runkeeper.com/cms/

Buddhify designed for just in time meditation or up to 30 minutes. for meditation on the go $4.99 a month or $30 a year on iOS and $3.99 and $30 a year  in the Google Play store. 

And the app created by Dan Harris and his team. 10 Percent Happier. You get audio, video, tutorial guidance and if you want it, community. 7 days free trial, $100 a year. It is available for Android and iOS phones. 

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 308 Mindfulness Meditation 2022

When I'm looking for viable resources, I can tell when I find a traditional approach to treatment.

Listed are two options listed, medication and therapy. Sometime they will mention others as a lifestyle choice. That is slowly changing. I am seeing more traditional sites including mindfulness and meditation. 

There is increasing medical documentation that mindfulness and meditation work. 

Medical scientists are still trying to quantify how it works. But they aren't kicking up a fuss about it anymore. 

Another force for change is the entrepreneurial health app providers.  They offer meditation as a treatment option, for users and for large corporations. 

Many are targeting corporations. The pitch is "we can provide meditation as a services and it won't cost you (corporations) as much as dealing with traditional providers." 

And in-between the entrepreneurs and traditionally medicine is you, me and the rest of the gang. 

Truth is, there are people that will be thrilled with an app that actual helps them. They are practicing and benefiting from meditation via an app.

There are other people that need an in-person experience. Some will get that through a faith based provider. Other people will seek out secular choices from non-profits, university offerings and commercial or virtual retreats.

No matter which way you choice to go; know what you are getting into and see if the app or training course meets your expectations. 

As I mention in the episode, there is no consensus about what those two words mean across disciplines, faith systems and from the medical and behavioral health professionals.

Some people use mindfulness for meditation or meditation for mindfulness.

I had to cobble out a definition that works for me but I do mention the other definitions in the show.

One definition of mindfulness is that it is a practice of paying full attention, being aware of what you are doing and grounding yourself in the moment. 

The website Very Well Minds definition of meditation: 

"can be defined as a set of techniques that are intended to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focused attention. Meditation is also a consciousness-changing technique shown to have many benefits on psychological well-being"

In this episode, a look at mindfulness and meditation in 2022.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

App and Audio Resources:

ASICS Runkeeper app for those that want to run as they meditate.

Australian podcaster Rachel Kable has an episode on How to Train Your Brain and Worry Less, might be good for the generalized anxiety folks. 

NPR Life Tool Kit has an interview with Jon Kabbt-Zinn. In addition to the text interview is a recording of the conversation where he defines mindfulness as awareness. 

10 Percent Happier with Dan Harris - there is also an app for accessing more content.

Text Resources: 

American Psychological Association page on Mindfulness Meditation.

The Blissful Mind has a page on Mindfulness 101: Everything You Need to Know About Mindfulness.

 

The National Center for Integrative and Complementary Health page on Meditation and Mindfulness, What you need to know. 

Update 2024 - Mindful.org Getting Started page on Mindfulness.  Scroll down to see the text.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.