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Private: Online Psychiatrists Are Preferred By Many Americans

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What Are Online Psychiatrists?

Online psychiatrists are psychiatrists who provide services through a HIPPA compliant ( secure ) video platform. They do not talk to patients over the phone, or by text message, although these tools can be used for brief communications such as scheduling and prescription refill. Online psychiatrists have completed the same training requirements as in office psychiatrists working in the same country. This includes medical school, internship, and have completed psychiatric residency training, or the equivalent in their country of residence. They must be licensed, and insured in the country and state where they reside. An online psychiatrist must follow the same rules and regulations and standards of care as any other psychiatrist.

Are Online Psychiatrists Effective?

An online psychiatrist should be as competent as a psychiatrist who sees patients in his office. There should be little difference between treatment administered via telemedicine or in the office.  Factors which affect outcome include the length of the visit, which can be shorted due to insurance cuts, quality of equipment, and rapport between patient and provider. Generally speaking, a patient is less likely to see a telemedicine provider with who they do not feel comfortable, as they have greater access to alternative providers via the internet. Some patients prefer telemedicine visits, while others prefer to see someone in the office.

What Are The Advantages Of Seeing An Online Psychiatrist?

  1. Online psychiatrists are more likely to be available on evenings and weekends.
  2. Greater choice of a psychiatrist, less limitation by geographic location.
  3. Less travel time to and from the psychiatrist.
  4. Greater privacy, as you will not run into an acquaintance or colleague in the waiting room.
  5. Greater comfort
  6. Access to psychiatrists with specialist training, e.g., addiction fellowship or psychodynamic training.

Is It Safe To See An Online Psychiatrist?

It is safe to see an online psychiatrist providing he or she uses the correct equipment. This includes HIPAA compliant electronic health records and practice management to store notes, schedule appointments and collect payment. A HIPAA complaint video platform and not Skype should be used for security.

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ABOUT GABA TELEPSYCHIATRY

Gaba Tele-psychiatry provides services through a HIPPA complaint video platform, as if you were in the office. We do not treat patients via phone or text message.All affiliated practitioners are US licensed , trained, and insured psychiatrists , who are screened, verified, and are known to follow US psychiatry guidelines and standards of care.

Now you can see your US qualified licensed & licensed Psychiatrist from anywhere in the world via Gaba Tele-psychiatry’s encrypted video platform.

 
Picture of Dr. Gundu Reddy, Certified Psychiatrist, NY

Dr. Gundu Reddy, Certified Psychiatrist, NY

Dr. Gundu Reddy is a Board Certified Psychiatrist with ten years of experience practicing forensic psychiatry and fifteen years of experience practicing clinical psychiatry. Dr Reddy has served as an expert witness in many high profile cases, both in the private and public sector, working for both plaintiff and defence.

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Book Online or Call +1 800-222-GABA / +1 212-655-0541

Many of us have noticed a change in mood during the winter months, a lowered level of motivation, a mild sluggishness, craving fatty foods, sleeping more, and just a little less excited about everything. This collection of symptoms during the winter is called ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ or ‘Winter Blues.’  There are many factors which can contribute to this:

  1. Cyclical/Idiopathic – Bears hibernate, why shouldn’t we? Are we all large two-legged mammals after all? Homo sapiens are thought to come from coastal Sub Saharan Africa where they lived for hundreds of thousands of years before migrating to southern Europe, and eventually the NorthernHemispheres. Hibernation is a method of conserving energy and essential nutrients as the food was traditionally scarce during the winter months.
  2. Although we are technically ‘warm-blooded,’ our metabolism does decrease during the winter months, which means reduced blood flow to the brain.
  3. We spend less time outdoors during the winter months – exposure to sunlight can stimulate our metabolism.
  4. Shorter daylight hours can mean it is dark when we go to work, and dark when we come home. Loss of exposure to sunlight can cause vitamin D deficiency.
  5. Direct exposure of bare skin to sunlight can stimulate the production of serotonin which elevates mood.

 

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Seasonal Affective Disorder is now a DSM diagnosis and is accepted as a medical condition. Diagnostic criteria include persistent low mood during the winter months, with significant improvement in mood during the summer months for three consecutive years. The question is, what should you do if you have a seasonal affective disorder and how can it be treated? Treatment strategies for seasonal affective disorder include:

  • Exposure to sunlight-  try to take your vacations during the winter months rather than during the summer if you suffer from the seasonal affective disorder. Luckily winter is considered ‘offseason,’ at many tropical resorts and vacation packages can be purchased at heavily discounted rates.
  • Sunbathing is an effective treatment, but care must be taken not to burn. Use sunblock, avoid the midday sun, and exposing as much skin as possible for shorter periods is more effective and safer than intense exposure to packages of skin.
  • Spend time outdoors- it is easy to huddle in front of the fireplace during the cold weather, but as the Russians say ‘There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.’ Wrap up warm and take brisk walks outside.
  • White Light Lamps or SAD lamps for Seasonal Affective Disorder- Certain lamps have been found to combat depressive symptoms in those suffering seasonal affective disorder.  Seasonal affective disorder lamps emit white light which is supposed to imitate sunlight and have been found in clinical trials to be useful for the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder. White light lamps used in clinical trials emit white light, are at least one-foot square and emit at least 10000 lux. A standard daylight bulb is not an effective treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
  • Vitamin D- Some studies say that vitamin D is more effective than the SAD lamp in treating the seasonal affective disorder. Some doctors believe that seasonal affective disorder does not exist and is just vitamin D deficiency. It is accepted that vitamin D deficiency can make Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms worse, and it is worth trying supplementation. Standard multivitamins contain 800 IU of vitamin D, while some doctors prescribe 5000 IU daily during the winter months, especially in darker skinned individuals.
  • Avoid oversleeping- Sleeping more than ten hours per day can exacerbate symptoms of depression, and people tend to sleep more during the winter.
  • Avoid drinking more alcohol,  indoor activities which include going out for dinner, and going to bars- Harsh weather conditions can also mean staying at home and opening a bottle of wine. People do tend to drink more when drinking at home, as alcohol is significantly cheaper when purchased at the liquor store, and it is easy to keep drinking without hurting your bank balance.
  • Treatments for Major Depressive Disorder such as ‘Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors,’ can be effective for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
  • Any form of regular, intense exercise can improve symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, possibly by improving metabolism and increasing the production of Growth Hormone, Noradrenalin, and Serotonin.
  • One strategy for treating low mood is filling your day with enjoyable activities. Extra care should be taken to fill your day with activities that you enjoy during the winter months if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Differential Diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder includes Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthymic disorder, Atypical Depression, Mood Disorder due to a General Medical Condition (Vitamin D deficiency), and Bipolar Disorder. The seasonal affective disorder is treatable, and with careful evaluation and adherence to symptom management the ‘ Winter Blues,’ could be a thing of the past.

ABOUT GABA TELEPSYCHIATRY

 

Gaba Tele-psychiatry provides services through a HIPPA complaint video platform, as if you were in the office. We do not treat patients via phone or text message.All affiliated practitioners are US licensed , trained, and insured psychiatrists , who are screened, verified, and are known to follow US psychiatry guidelines and standards of care.

Now you can see your US qualified licensed & licensed Psychiatrist from anywhere in the world via Gaba Tele-psychiatry’s encrypted video platform.

 
Picture of Dr. Gundu Reddy, Certified Psychiatrist, NY

Dr. Gundu Reddy, Certified Psychiatrist, NY

Dr. Gundu Reddy is a Board Certified Psychiatrist with ten years of experience practicing forensic psychiatry and fifteen years of experience practicing clinical psychiatry. Dr Reddy has served as an expert witness in many high profile cases, both in the private and public sector, working for both plaintiff and defence.

Read More

Social Media

Most Popular

Get The Latest Updates

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

No spam, notifications only about new products, updates.