Health Psychology

Find out about the Various Health Psychologies and Treatments We Provide in Park Ridge, IL

WELLNESS

The term Wellness generally implies the concept of health and the absence of illness. Wellness often also incorporates the holistic concepts of health, emphasizing the whole person. Such well-being implies that our physical (biological, etc.), emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions are working together.
Emotional Health Assessment — Park Ridge, IL — Athans and Associates

HAPPINESS

We might expect to be the most fulfilled in life when we have our physical and emotional health. Wellness can also be described as a state that combines health and happiness. Awareness of one’s physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, social, and/or occupational health is the precursor to learning how to improve those factors in our life. As behavioral health care consultants, Athans and Associates support making healthy lifestyle changes as part of your overall treatment plan. Good, healthy nutrition, daily physical exercise, and good communication among family members and the workplace are important. We will also try to help you find balance in your life, knowing when and how to set limits, and most importantly, take care of yourself.

WELLNESS

The term Wellness generally implies the concept of health and the absence of illness. Wellness often also incorporates the holistic concepts of health, emphasizing the whole person. Such well-being implies that our physical (biological, etc.), emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions are working together.

HAPPINESS

We might expect to be the most fulfilled in life when we have our physical and emotional health. Wellness can also be described as a state that combines health and happiness. Awareness of one’s physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, social, and/or occupational health is the precursor to learning how to improve those factors in our life. As behavioral health care consultants, Athans and Associates support making healthy lifestyle changes as part of your overall treatment plan. Good, healthy nutrition, daily physical exercise, and good communication among family members and the workplace are important. We will also try to help you find balance in your life, knowing when and how to set limits, and most importantly, take care of yourself.

Emotional Health Assessment — Park Ridge, IL — Athans and Associates

A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Treating the whole person

Statistics show that people with a mental health diagnosis die approximately 25 years younger compared to those without the diagnosis. Part of the reason is the lack of treatment addressing the whole system. Proper nutrition, exercise, socialization, coping skills, etc. add to one’s biology and genetics which already determines part of who we are.


Our conscious choices and behaviors also help define who we are. For example, smoking, substance abuse, over-indulging, diets high in sugar or fat, obesity, lack of physical exercise, etc. can contribute to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and even death.


Holistic refers to addressing the whole person, including one’s physical, mental, and emotional health while taking social factors into consideration.

The Mind-Gut Connection

Researchers have observed that digestive concerns and mental health often coincide. There is a gut-brain connection of neurons traveling from the gut to the brain. New research is showing that reducing inflammation can contribute to stress-reduction as well as less anxiety and fear. Dr. Emeran Mayer and colleagues concluded: “If you change autonomic nervous system activity by decreasing anxiety and increasing coping skills, the signals get from the brain down to the microbes in the gut. It’s not just the microbes talking to the brain. The brain has a big part in this conversation as well.” ( The Mind-Gut Connection , Mayer, E. HarperCollins, 2016).


In many ways then, you are what you eat! A high-fiber, low-sugar, plant-based diet with probiotics is certainly helpful. However, the role of anxiety, stress management, and coping skills play an important part too. The doctors at Athans and Associates are skilled in these areas and can help you find that balance in your life.

“Psychogastroenterology” is a new term used to describe an innovative field which focuses on the brain-gut connection. You might have experienced that our emotions can influence our gut. You may not have known that our gut can also influence our brain. The gut has also been called “the second brain.” Evidence suggests a connection between psychological factors and gut sensory, motor, and immune functioning. Psychological research has identified specific gut connections and behaviors and somatization that are associated with exacerbation of gut symptoms[1]. In fact, the World Health Organization defined health as “a state of complete physical mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Thus, disease is an interplay between biological and psychosocial factors.


Our professionals are trained to use cognitive-behavioral approaches to treat psychosocial gut specific cognitions, emotions and behaviors, thereby re-training the Gut-Brain Interaction. We work in unison with your physician exploring biological factors. Recent evidence shows that integrative psychogastroenterology improves patient outcomes.

 

  1. Van Tilburg M.A.L. Integration of biomedical and psychosocial issues in pediatric functional gastrointestinal and motility disorder. In Faure C., Thapar N., DiLorenzo C., editors. Neurogastoenterology: Gastrointestinal Motility and Functional Disorders in Children. Springer; New York, NY, USA: 2017. pp. 71-80. 

 

STRESS MANAGEMENT

The professionals at Athans and Associates know that stress management is so important. Our stress management techniques provide you with a variety of tools to help you feel in control. Over time, high levels of stress can lead to serious health problems. Don’t wait until stress has a negative impact on your health, relationships, or quality of life. Start practicing a range of stress management techniques today. Call us for a consultation!

Please also see our stress management section by clicking here .

As health psychologists, we incorporate holistic approaches in our understanding and treating the medical and emotional correlates of health and illness. Prevention is the cornerstone of health psychology, exploring healthy choices in diet, exercise, coping skills, etc. We have an understanding of the mind-body connection and help people regain control of their bodies.

Your psychologist will work with you to develop an individualized treatment plan following a full assessment of your medical, psychological, and social needs.

Although we can all benefit from having consultation from a health psychologist, patients who may particularly benefit are those who are at risk for the following:

  • Heart Disease
  • Stroke
  • Diabetes
  • Acute Stress
  • Irritable Bowel
  • Pain Management
  • Stress Management
  • Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Conditions
  • Medical Non-Adherence
  • Tobacco Cessation
  • Weight Management
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) Including the Following:
    • Crohn’s Disease
    • Ulcerative Colitis
    • Transitional Care
    • Encopresis
  • Eosinophilic Enteropathy

BIOFEEDBACK

Biofeedbackis an advanced technique used to train people to improve their health by controlling their heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and skin temperature. Most people who benefit from biofeedback have conditions that are brought on or made worse by stress. When your body is under chronic stress, internal processes like blood pressure become overactive. The doctors at Athans and Associates can help you learn how to change your body’s physiology (such as blood pressure, etc.) through relaxation techniques and mental exercises. Biofeedback is a specific technique that will allow you to see the results on the monitor, encouraging your efforts.


Biofeedback is an effective therapy for many conditions, including, but not limited to high blood pressure, tension headache, migraine headache, chronic pain, abdominal pain, constipation and encopresis, Irritable Bowel Disease, attention problems, anxiety, etc.

NEUROFEEDBACK

Neurofeedback is a similar type of training, emphasizing brain training through the use of EEG (brain) electrodes, and the feedback your brain sends back directly to you and the computer. Neurofeedback can improve symptoms of inattention, cognitive difficulties, and emotional regulation by re-training the brain.

Research supports biofeedback and neurofeedback in improving a number of physiological conditions and often results in reducing the need for medication.

The doctors at Athans and Associates have the appropriate biofeedback/neuro feedback equipment and are trained and credentialed in the above techniques.

DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Encopresis
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Although the digestive disorders are medical conditions, they are often affected by stress and maintained by habit.


The mind and body influence digestive health through the autonomous nervous system. This system is important to us because it is one of the few physiological systems we have control over. A health psychologist can help an adult or pediatric patient experience more control over their body through cognitive-behavioral interventions geared toward their particular medical condition. These strategies will stress coping techniques and good habits to help you regain personal strength and improve well-being and functioning. Additionally, other interventions, such as relaxation training, which includes deep breathing, biofeedback, etc. can also be used to help with chronic or recurrent abdominal pain.


We understand that non-adherence to a medical regime can be improved through better family communication and improved coping mechanisms.


Children can be assured that they should feel safe and comfortable with their parents and the “talking doctor” in a child-friendly setting. There is no physical exam and no shots! Early intervention is the best intervention. Don’t hesitate to give us a call for questions or concerns.

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

What is IBD?

About Crohn’s Disease

About Ulcerative colitis

Epidemiology of the IBD

Impact of the IBD as a Chronic Disease

References

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES (IBD)

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) is a broad term that describes conditions with chronic or recurring immune response and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two most common inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.


Both illnesses have one strong feature in common. They are marked by an abnormal response by the body’s immune system. Normally, the immune cells protect the body from infection. In people with IBD, however, the immune system mistakes food, bacteria, and other materials in the intestine for foreign substances and it attacks the cells of the intestines. In the process, the body sends white blood cells into the lining of the intestines where they produce chronic inflammation. When this happens, the patient experiences the symptoms of IBD.


Neither ulcerative colitis nor Crohn’s disease should be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disorder that affects the motility (muscle contractions) of the colon. Sometimes called “spastic colon” or “nervous colitis,” IBS is not characterized by intestinal inflammation. It is, therefore, a much less serious disease than ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. IBS bears no direct relationship to either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.

ABOUT CROHN’S DISEASE

Crohn’s disease is a condition of chronic inflammation potentially involving any location of the gastrointestinal tract, but it frequently affects the end of the small bowel and the beginning of the large bowel. In Crohn’s disease, all layers of the intestine may be involved and there can be normal healthy bowel between patches of diseased bowel.

Symptoms include persistent diarrhea (loose, watery, or frequent bowel movements), cramping abdominal pain, fever, and, at times, rectal bleeding. Loss of appetite and weight loss also may occur. However, the disease is not always limited to the gastrointestinal tract; it can also affect the joints, eyes, skin, and liver. Fatigue is another common complaint.

The most common complication of Crohn’s disease is blockage of the intestine due to swelling and scar tissue. Symptoms of blockage include cramping pain, vomiting, and bloating. Another complication is sores or ulcers within the intestinal tract. Sometimes these deep ulcers turn into tracts called fistulas. In 30% of people with Crohn’s disease, these fistulas become infected. Patients may also develop a shortage of proteins, calories, or vitamins. They generally do not develop unless the disease is severe and of long duration. Until recently, an increased risk of cancer was thought to exist mainly for ulcerative colitis patients, but it is now known that Crohn’s patients have an increased risk of colon cancer as well.


The five groups of drugs used to treat Crohn’s disease today are aminosalicylates (5-ASA), steroids, immune modifiers (azathioprine, 6-MP, and methotrexate), antibiotics (metronidazole, ampicillin, ciprofloxin, others), and biologic therapy (infliximab). Two-thirds to three-quarters of patients with Crohn’s disease will require surgery at some point during their lives. Surgery becomes necessary in Crohn’s disease when medications can no longer control the symptoms.

ABOUT ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that is limited to the large bowel (the colon). Ulcerative colitis does not affect all layers of the bowel, but only affects the top layers of the colon in an even and continuous distribution. The first symptom of ulcerative colitis is a progressive loosening of the stool. The stool is generally bloody and may be associated with cramping abdominal pain and severe urgency to have a bowel movement. Diarrhea may begin slowly or quite suddenly. Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss are common, as is fatigue. In cases of severe bleeding, anemia may also occur. In addition, there may be skin lesions, joint pain, eye inflammation, and liver disorders. Children with ulcerative colitis may fail to develop or grow properly.


Approximately half of all patients with ulcerative colitis have mild symptoms. However, others may suffer from severe abdominal cramping, bloody diarrhea, nausea, and fever. The symptoms of ulcerative colitis do tend to come and go, with fairly long periods in between flare-ups in which patients may experience no distress at all.


Complications of ulcerative colitis are less frequent than in Crohn’s disease. Complications can include bleeding from deep ulcerations, rupture of the bowel, or failure of the patient to respond to the usual medical treatments. Another complication is severe abdominal bloating. Patients with ulcerative colitis are at increased risk of colon cancer.

The four major classes of medication used today to treat ulcerative colitis are aminosalicylates (5-ASA), steroids, immune modifiers (azathioprine, 6-MP, and methotrexate), and antibiotics (metronidazole, ampicillin, ciprofloxin, others). In one-quarter to one-third of patients with ulcerative colitis, medical therapy is not completely successful or complications arise. Under these circumstances, surgery may be considered. This operation involves the removal of the colon (colectomy). Unlike Crohn’s disease, which can recur after surgery, ulcerative colitis is “cured” once the colon is removed.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF THE IBD

The peak age of onset for IBD is 15 to 30 years old, although it may occur at any age. About 10% of cases occur in individuals younger than 18 years. Ulcerative colitis is slightly more common in males, whereas Crohn’s disease is marginally more frequent in women. IBD occurs more in people of Caucasian and Ashkenazic Jewish origin than in other racial and ethnic subgroups. In the past, it was thought that IBD occurred less frequently in ethnic or racial minority groups compared with whites. But previously noted racial and ethnic differences seem to be narrowing.1

Precise incidence and prevalence of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have been limited by (1) a lack of gold standard criteria for diagnosis, (2) inconsistent case ascertainment, and (3) disease misclassification. The data that does exist suggest that the worldwide incidence rate of ulcerative colitis varies greatly between 0.5-24.5/100,000 persons, while that of Crohn’s disease varies between 0.1-16/100,000 persons worldwide, with the prevalence rate of IBD reaching up to 396/100,000 persons.2 It is estimated that as many as 1.4 million persons in the United States suffer from these diseases.

The etiology of IBD is unknown but is thought to involve genetic, immunologic, and environmental factors as evidenced by the following:

 

  • The greatest relative risk of IBD disease is found among first-degree relatives, suggesting a strong genetic component.
  • Smoking is one of the more notable environmental factors. Ulcerative colitis is more prevalent among ex-smokers and nonsmokers, whereas Crohn’s disease is more prevalent among smokers.
  • There have been three studies outside of the United States that specifically examined the relationship between socioeconomic factors and IBD. One study found both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease more prevalent in white-collar compared with blue-collar occupations.3 Bernstein (2001) found Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis less common in higher SES groups and Li (2009) found a minor association between specific occupations and IBD in a hospital-based study.4, 5 This relationship should be further investigated in a U.S. population.
  • IBD is more common in developed countries. There is a noted north-to-south variation and higher frequency in urban communities compared with rural areas. These observations suggest that urbanization is a potential contributing factor. It is postulated that this is the result of Westernization of lifestyle, such as changes in diet, smoking, variances in exposure to sunlight, pollution, and industrial chemicals.6
  • Other factors such as diet, oral contraceptives, perinatal and childhood infections, or atypical mycobacterial infections have been suggested but not proven to play a role in the expression of IBD.

 

IMPACT OF THE IBD AS A CHRONIC DISEASE

IBD is one of the five most prevalent gastrointestinal disease burdens in the United States, with an overall health care cost of more than $1.7 billion. This chronic condition is without a medical cure and commonly requires a lifetime of care. Each year in the United States, IBD accounts for more than 700,000 physician visits, 100,000 hospitalizations, and disability in 119,000 patients. Over the long term, up to 75% of patients with Crohn’s disease and 25% of those with ulcerative colitis will require surgery.

References

1 Loftus EV. “Clinical epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease: incidence, prevalence, and environmental influences.” GastroMay 2004;126(6): 1504-17.

2 Lakatos PL. “Recent Trends in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases: up or down?” World J Gastroenterol 2006;12(38): 6102-08.

3 Sonnenberg A. “Disability from inflammatory bowel disease among employees in West Germany.” Gut . 1989;30(3): 367-70.

4 Bernstein CN, Kraut A, Blanchard JF, Rawsthorne P, Yu N, Walld R. “The relationship between inflammatory bowel disease and socioeconomic variables.” Am J Gastroenterol 2001;96(7): 2117-25.

5 Li X, Sundquist J, Sundquist K. “Educational level and occupation as risk factors for inflammatory bowel diseases: a nationwide study based on hospitalizations in Sweden.” Inflamm Bowel Dis 2009;15(4): 608-15.

6 Hanauer S. “Inflammatory Bowel Disease: epidemiology, pathogenesis, and therapeutic opportunities.” Inflamm Bowel Dis 2006;12: S3-9 (Suppl 1).

7 Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, editors. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management 8th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Publisher Saunders an imprint of Elsevier; 2006.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(Reprinted with permission)


For more information on these topics, here are links:

Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/ibd/

Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America: http://www.ccfa.org/


Call us today at (847) 823-4444 for more information and scheduling for health counseling sessions.

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