Mental Health

In the area of mental health services for Coloradans, at least three forces are altering the landscape at once. One is the mandate that insurers must offer parity between mental and physical health coverage. Another is the severe ongoing shortage of mental health professionals to meet growing patient demand—including the increasing numbers of older Coloradans who are dealing with mental health challenges. And a third force is the emergence of various technology “substitutes” for patients to consult in lieu of seeing professional therapists in person.

…Despite the fact that research indicates up to 15% of people age 65 and older who live outside of nursing facilities have a diagnosable anxiety condition. An editorial in the journal JAMA Psychiatry stated only about one-third of seniors with anxiety disorders receive treatment. Which is concerning since such disorders can have links to stroke, adverse heart conditions, and neurodegenerative problems such as dementia. Other anxiety disorders in seniors can include phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, hoarding, fear of falling, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of talk therapy that can be an alternative to taking sleeping pills, antianxiety medications or antidepressants. It can also be used to complement medications when they are prescribed. Dr. Ava Schumacher is a Denver-based clinical health psychologist who works with people who are struggling with a variety of difficulties, including medical challenges,

The Hartford insurance company recently took a targeted look at what’s been called the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 6 million men experience depression every year. One problem, The Hartford said, is that people generally assume women experience more mental health challenges