What's serotonin syndrome?

Serotonin syndrome, or serotonin toxicity, is an excess of serotonin in the body.

How do you get serotonin syndrome?

Generally, mild and more severe cases of serotonin syndrome is caused by taking too much medication (or a combination of medications) that alter serotonin levels. For example, taking a combination of antidepressants, or taking antidpressants with pain pills may increase the risk of serotonin syndrome.

How common is serotonin syndrome?

Serotonin syndrome is not often reported. However, this condition is thought to be commonly overlooked and may therefore be underdiagnosed.

How do you know if you have serotonin syndrome?

Symptoms of mild serotonin symptoms are easy to miss, so it is important to be aware of the medications that can cause this condition. In general, symptoms may include tremors or involuntary muscle movements, excessive sweating, changes in blood pressure and heart rate, pupil dilation, fever, anxiety, confusion, and ultimately, seizures.

How long does serotonin syndrome last?

The length of serotonin syndrome depends on the severity of the case. Mild serotonin syndrome will resolve on its own within a few days as long as the medication causing the problems is stopped. More severe cases will require medical attention and may take a week or longer to resolve.

What is a co-occurring disorder?

A co-occurring disorder is a condition that exists secondarily to another major health issue. If we use this co-occurring disorders definition to look at mental illness and substance abuse, we can see that turning to drugs or alcohol, which then results in addiction, often happens simultaneously when a patient also has mental health concerns. Since one issue influences and worsens the other, we would call these co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring disorders must be treated together through a specialized program to ensure full recovery.

Why is drug addiction considered a disease?

As with any disease, drug addiction is classified as such because it is a condition that can cause serious and numerous health complications. Additionally, drug addiction is considered a disease because it cannot simply go away on its own—instead, it needs to be treated by experts in the field.

Is alcoholism a mental illness?

Yes. According to the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), alcoholism, or alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a diagnosable mental illness that occurs in people who experience at least two of the 11 total criteria for this disorder. In fact, alcohol and mental illness have always been connected. Alcohol use can lead to mental health symptoms, and experiencing mental health distress without treatment can lead people to use alcohol as a way to “cope.”

What is a co-occurring disorder?

A co-occurring disorder is when you experience a mental health condition alongside another. If you have depression and anxiety, these would be co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring disorders can be challenging to diagnose and end up putting people at a greater risk for developing addiction struggles as well.

Is addiction a mental illness?

Having an addiction to drugs or alcohol is actually a mental illness. This means that addiction is something that greatly impacts your day-to-day life. Additionally, the fact that addiction is a mental health concern proves that it cannot go away on its own—instead, your ability to heal from addiction and any other mental health concerns relies on professional treatment.

What does dual diagnosis mean in mental health?

When it comes to mental health, dual diagnosis indicates that there is a mental health concern on top of a substance use disorder. Dual diagnosis is meant to help people who need treatment for mental health conditions as well as addiction.

What is dual diagnosis?

Simply put, the dual diagnosis definition is that a patient has two or more diagnoses that require treatment. For example, struggling with addiction as well as anxiety would be a dual disorder. With dual diagnosis treatment, you will have the opportunity to heal from both conditions in addition to learning valuable skills to use if you experience symptoms in the future.

What are barriers to mental health care?

Apart from challenges in getting access to care as well as navigating insurance for mental health treatment, the biggest barrier to mental health care is a lack of mental health awareness. Mental health awareness is essential in understanding symptoms of different mental illnesses and actually finding treatment to make your life happier and healthier.

What are evidence-based practices in mental health care?

Evidence-based practices are approaches to mental health care that are scientifically supported and proven to help treat specific disorders and illnesses, such as addiction. Port St. Lucie uses evidence-based practices to provide the best care possible for all of our patients.

How do I take care of my mental health?

The best way to take care of your mental health is to receive professional help through treatments for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Professional programs, like those at Port St. Lucie Hospital, give you access to evidence-based treatments that are proven to help you learn the skills you need to manage various mental health conditions.

Why care about mental health?

As with your overall health, mental health influences the way that you function from day to day. This is why it is so important to care about mental health. If you do not take care of your mental health, you could find it challenging to work, build healthy relationships, and even leave your home.

Can you visit someone who is Baker Acted?

Yes, unless having visitors will be harmful to the person being treated. If a facility wants to restrict visitors from a patient, they must file a written notice documenting the refusal of visitation.

How do you Baker Act a minor in Florida?

Baker Acts must be imposed by the courts or law enforcement, or medical/mental health professionals. If a parent wants to have their child Baker Acted, they should petition the Clerk of Court or contact the police.

Do you call 911 to Baker Act someone?

If a person is actively endangering themself or others while showing symptoms of mental illness then the police can be called to manage the situation. Alternatively, a request can be turned into the court to ask that an individual is mentally evaluated due to safety concerns.

Can you Baker Act yourself?

Yes, a Baker Act can be voluntary. However, to willingly Baker Act yourself you must be considered capable of consenting to treatment. To Baker Act yourself, visit an Emergency Room and describe your symptoms to medical professionals. If necessary, the medical staff will request the Baker Act.

What happens after a Baker Act?

When a person is Baker Acted in Florida they are taken to a mental health hospital that is also a Baker Act receiving facility. A mental evaluation must be performed within 72 hours. After 72 hours if deemed mentally stable the person will be released. If further treatment is mandated, the individual can be admitted to a mental health facility for up to six months.

What does it take to Baker Act someone in Florida?

To be Backer Acted in Florida a person must meet certain criteria. The individual must be showing signs of mental illness, a failure to understand why an evaluation may be needed, and/or posing a threat to themselves or others. Usually, a Baker Act is used in response to a mental health emergency. A Baker Act can be started by medical professionals, the court system, and law enforcement.

What does Baker Acted mean?

Usually, being Baker Acted means that a person was admitted to a mental health hospital to be mentally assessed. The time a person can be held during the Baker Act is 72 hours.

DO YOU TAKE INSURANCE?

Yes, we do take insurance, give us a call for a free insurance verification.

HOW LONG DOES TREATMENT LAST?

Treatment can vary from a few days to months. Research shows that the longer a person remains in treatment, the greater the likelihood that long-term recovery will result. As with most aspects of treatment (such as therapy types and program structures), determining ideal length of stay involves an analysis of a number of personal factors.

WHAT TYPES OF THERAPIES ARE USED IN TREATMENT?

Please see our treatments under Programs and Services here

WILL MY FAMILY BE INVOLVED IN MY TREATMENT?

Family involvement is an integral component of an effective treatment program. Though every recovery experience is unique and personal, most effective treatment programs will encourage strong family involvement.

WHAT ARE THE VISITING HOURS AT PORT ST LUCIE HOSPITAL?

Behavioral Services visiting hours, Wed 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Sat 1:45 pm - 3:15 pm, Sunday 1:45 pm - 3:15 pm

Quit Lit: The Best Sobriety Books to Help You Quit Drinking in 2021

There are many resources available to help you reach your goal to stop drinking. Among them, literature supporting recovery from alcohol abuse, often referred to as “quit lit,” is a popular choice for informative support within the recovery community.

To assist you in establishing resources to promote your sober goals, we have established a list of the best quit lit books and books about alcoholism that explain the science behind alcohol abuse and why addiction is so difficult to kick.

Before we dive into sobriety books, let’s address how alcohol use disorder relates to mental health in the first place.

Contents

Alcohol Use Disorder and Mental Illness

Substance use disorders and mental illness frequently present together, or “co-occur.” To date, one of the most common co-occurring substance use disorders is alcohol use disorder (AUD).

At Port St. Lucie Hospital, we are committed to treating the co-occurring substance use disorders that accompany mental illness. Through our dual diagnosis program, we address any addiction-related issues in tandem with mental health. This way, each disorder can be analyzed separately as well as together, and an understanding of their relationship can be determined.

The Best Quit Lit in 2021

If you are facing a co-occurring mental health condition with alcohol use disorder, recovery might seem like an uphill battle. However, in conjunction with rehab, supplying yourself with supplemental resources like sober books and other quit lit can help you stay on target.

Below is a list of books to enrich your recovery experience by helping you understand your relationship with alcohol. Some are newer, while others have stood the test of time and continue to provide value. As you will discover, one of the themes across these books is the surprising joy found in sober lifestyles. In the end, sobriety is often described as a privilege rather than a chore.

Ultimately, the best books on quitting alcohol are determined by the readers. Therefore, if one piece of quit lit doesn’t resonate with you, try another!

Alcohol Explained

Alcohol Explained by William Porter takes a science-based approach to discussing alcohol addiction. Porter breaks down the chemistry behind alcoholism in an easy to understand format that includes psychological and physiological components to addiction. Ultimately, Alcohol Explained helps you understand your relationship with alcohol consumption and why so many continue to drink despite wishes to quit.

This Naked Mind

Annie Grace, the author of This Naked Mind, uses a blend of science and personal experiences to reveal reasons for alcohol addiction. She touches upon not only psychological elements of addiction, but also cultural and social expectations that contribute to alcohol abuse.

The Alcohol Experiment

Annie Grace also wrote The Alcohol Experiment. In this piece of quit lit, the reader is challenged to quit drinking alcohol for 30 days to re-evaluate their assumptions about alcohol. During the 30-day journey, Grace offers insight into addiction, includes exercises for mindfulness, and discusses how to recognize destructive habits connected to drinking.

The Power of the Habit

While not an addiction-specific book, The Power of the Habit by Charles Duhigg can still be considered one of the best quit drinking books because of its analysis of how habits are responsible for behavior. In this book, Duhigg describes the “cue, routine, reward” loop that drives habitual actions that can lead to behavioral addiction. Duhigg explains that once these habits are recognized and replaced, new routines can form. This theory extends to alcohol use.

We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of Sober Life

In We Are the Luckiest, author Laura McKowen emphasizes appreciating the gift of sobriety instead of lamenting the loss of casual alcohol use. While based on her own sobriety journey, McKowen’s candidness has connected with thousands of readers thus far who have credited the book with helping them face getting sober.

Alcohol and You: 21 Ways to Control and Stop Drinking

In Alcohol and You, a professional therapist (Lewis David) describes scientifically supported methods of reducing or eliminating alcohol intake. These include how to recognize an alcohol use disorder and how to shift your mindset about quitting alcohol. Readers appreciated the non-judgmental and empowering nature of advice that addresses many different patterns of drinking.

The Sober Diaries

Clare Pooley intertwines personal victories, research, and answers to FAQs about quitting alcohol in her memoir, The Sober Diaries. In a light-hearted manner, Pooley addresses the culture that supports alcohol abuse and describes her journey to sobriety. Readers appreciated her ability to intertwine humor into her accounts of recovery.

When choosing quit lit, if you find yourself gravitating towards addiction memoirs, there are many to choose from. Here are a few more to consider:

Blackout: Remembering the Things that I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola
The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
Unwasted: My Lush Sobriety by Sacha Z. Scoblic
Lit: A Memoir by Mary Karr

Finding Help for Co-Occurring Disorders in South Florida

At Port St. Lucie Hospital, we specialize in individualized, holistic therapies that address the whole person. Our programs extend beyond mental illness treatment to detox and dual diagnosis, which combines addiction treatment with mental health therapies.

In addition to these services, the Port St. Lucie hospital also offers adult and senior mental health programs, and a partial hospitalization program. Each of these programs will be tailored to individual patient needs and recovery goals.

We welcome you to our facility. From dual diagnosis to support groups to individual therapy treatment options, we are here to fight the battle with you. Reach out to us online today, or call us at (772) 335-0400.

Quit Lit: The Best Sobriety Books to Help You Quit Drinking in 2021

Alcohol Use Disorder and Mental Illness