Blog Archive
Many people think post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a problem that’s only associated with military service, but the fact is that PTSD can affect anyone. In fact, it’s a fairly widespread problem, affecting about 6% of Americans. As a top-ranked psychiatry practice in Beverly Hills, California, Bowman Medical Group helps...
Nightmares are surprisingly common for many children. Up until age 6, roughly half of kids have frequent nightmares, and about a fifth of those between 6-12 years of age have similar episodes. While the number of nightmares a child experiences tends to decrease as they get older, that doesn’t make...
Once used as an anesthetic, ketamine has gained popularity in recent years as an effective treatment for people suffering from a wide array of treatment-resistant medical issues, including clinical depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. But despite its increasing use, many people don’t know how it works, leaving many wondering if...
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is extremely common, affecting both kids and adults. People who have ADHD exhibit symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, or both, with symptoms so frequent, they interfere with normal daily living. Many people mistakenly think ADHD occurs mostly in boys, which means girls and women who could...
While the birth of a child can certainly be an exciting time, it can also be challenging, and it’s not uncommon for some new moms to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and worried. Nicknamed “the baby blues,” these feelings typically resolve as hormone levels return to normal. But sometimes, feelings can persist...
Each year, roughly 60 million Americans suffer from a mental health issue, including long-term, chronic illnesses, such as depression and bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, data show that less than half received medical care for their condition. For some people, issues about confidentiality could be preventing them from seeking care. For others, difficulty fitting...
About 20% of Americans suffer from mental illness each year, including kids, teens, and adults. Without proper treatment, mental health issues can take a toll on every aspect of your life, including school and work performance, relationships, finances, and your overall enjoyment of life. Medications can offer dramatic relief for many people...
Macaroni and cheese. Mashed potatoes. Pizza. Chocolate cake. Most of us have at least one “comfort food” we turn to when we’re feeling stressed, lonely, or just plain down. The problem: Many so-called comfort foods might actually be making us feel worse, increasing feelings of depression or anxiety and making...
Every year, millions of Americans suffer from mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And while these health problems are common, many people delay professional treatment simply because they’re unaware of the significant benefits it offers. A leading psychiatric practice in Beverly Hills, California, Bowman Medical...
Roughly 6% of Americans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point during their lifetimes, with symptoms that can wreak havoc on everyday activities and life in general. Fortunately, treatment can help, and that begins by recognizing the symptoms of PTSD. PTSD is a mental health disorder that happens...
Nearly 60 million American adults suffer from mental health disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and more than half will be diagnosed with a mental health issue during their lives. While most people understand that mental health issues can affect behavior and mood, the effects of these...
By now, many people with anxiety and depression have heard that ketamine therapy can help treat mood-related symptoms. However, what many people don’t know is that ketamine therapy can help with cognitive function as well, especially in people who suffer from the disorders listed above. At Bowman Medical Group in Beverly Hills,...
There was a time in the not-so-distant past when post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated solely with military personnel who’d experienced trauma during battle. In fact, just decades ago, PTSD was known by nicknames like “battle fatigue” and “shell shock.” Today, we know that while service members can certainly be...
If you suffer from depression, you may feel like you’re all alone. But the fact is, depression affects millions of people, and today, there are more treatments than ever that can help. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive therapy that has helped many people, even when other therapies, such as medication...
Mood disorders and sleep disorders are extremely common among adults and teens. While mood disorders and sleep disorders can occur independently, research shows that people who struggle with one disorder often have problems with the other disorder, too. Understanding the relationship between mood disorders and sleep disorders is critical for...
Millions of Americans suffer from clinical depression, in which they have persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness. While many individuals are helped with traditional medications and therapies, nearly a third have treatment-resistant depression, which is depression that doesn’t improve despite months or years of treatment. In recent years, researchers...
Millions of people suffer from anxiety or depression, and some people have both. When it comes to getting treatment, it can be difficult to get a correct diagnosis without the aid of a mental health professional, because both conditions share several common symptoms. At Bowman Medical Group in Beverly Hills, California, our team uses in-depth evaluations to identify...
Most people think of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as something that only affects kids and teens, but that’s not correct. In fact, ADHD affects about 10 million adults in the United States. And just as childhood symptoms of ADHD can have a marked effect on a child’s self-esteem and...
When most people think about bipolar disorder, they think of the disorder’s extreme “high” and “low” moods. What a lot of people don’t know is that sometimes, bipolar disorder can also cause hallucinations and delusions. At Bowman Medical Group in Beverly Hills, California, our team helps patients navigate the symptoms...
About 5% of American adults suffer from depression, according to the CDC, with other data reporting significantly higher numbers. While antidepressants and psychotherapy can help some people with depression, they don’t always work. Fortunately, advances in mental health research have yielded new treatments aimed at helping people who don’t benefit from traditional therapies....
All of us have between 20,000-25,000 genes that make up who we are, from hair and skin color to blood type and metabolism. Our genes can even contain clues to which illnesses or medical conditions we are most likely to acquire during our lifetimes. Genetic testing provides health care providers with a...
About 20 million American adults suffer from major depression. Depression can cause persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness, along with physical symptoms that affect mood and energy levels. Unfortunately, there’s a persistent stigma that surrounds depression and similar issues, such as anxiety, which can make people who have these issues feel...
Anxiety disorders comprise the most common mental health concern in the United States, affecting about 40 million Americans, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Not surprisingly, the number of people suffering from anxiety has risen significantly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as people struggle with...
Everyone thinks of birth as a time of intense happiness — and deep down, it is. But, for as many as 75% of women, the postpartum time can also be filled with sadness, anxiety, and other symptoms. In fact, these symptoms are so common that they've even earned the nickname...
Just like there isn’t a single cause of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there isn’t a single solution. Instead, it takes a variety of strategies to help manage this complex disorder that changes the structure of your brain. So what can you do to cope? At Bowman Medical Group in Beverly...
Finding the right treatment for depression calls for experts who understand the complexities of depression and have the skill and experience to tailor a treatment plan to your unique situation. And that’s exactly what we do at Bowman Medical Group in Beverly Hills, California. We approach depression differently. We don’t...
Depression and other mental health disorders can be difficult to treat since their origins are complex and hard to identify. There are often several factors at play, and these can produce an inward spiral that feeds itself and resists many therapeutic approaches. Bowman Medical Group recommends transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)....
The holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration and cheer, but several factors can cause stress, anxiety, and even depression during the holiday season. Bowman Medical Group board-certified psychiatrists Philip J. Bowman, MD, and Sara Bobak, MD, strive to help you lead a happy and fulfilling life. Every...
Approximately 40 million adults in the United States struggle with anxiety, preventing them from leading happy lives free from the grips of panic, fear, and worry. While moderate to severe anxiety is considered a mental disorder that stems from your brain, its effects can become physical if left untreated. At...
According to the CDC, more than six million children have ever been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and diagnoses in boys outpace those in girls by more than two to one — 12.9% compared with 5.6%. Boys aren’t more prone to ADHD, so why the disparity in diagnoses and why...
If you’re among the 46.6 million Americans struggling with mental health conditions, you know how important it is to take back your life and feel more like yourself again. Learning to cope and better manage your condition is at the heart of successful mental health wellness programs. Although the process...
Psychological testing might have an ominous sound to it, but it’s a simple assessment that checks for mental health issues, just as your vital signs create an impression of your physical health. It’s the first step in the treatment of mental illness. Depending on your circumstances, a psych test could...
Anxiety is a natural human response to situations that have unknown outcomes. It boosts your energy and helps you focus on the task at hand. But for some, anxiety has a way of creeping into everyday activities, causing excessive fear and worry, hijacking the day. At Bowman Medical Group, our...
If you’re worried your child has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 6 million children and adolescents ages 2-17 years have an ADHD diagnosis. And researchers suspect many more children, especially girls, are still undiagnosed. At the Bowman Medical Group,...
Roughly 7% of American adults will have a major depressive episode this year. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, but many people either can’t get help, or traditional treatments don’t work for them. At Bowman Medical Group in Beverly Hills, California, Dr. Phillip Bowman and his team work...
The good news is that most mental health conditions are highly treatable, especially with all of the medications available to help manage symptoms. However, it can be challenging to find the ideal medications for an individual, because everyone can respond to them in different ways. In the past, finding the...
As we enter our second year of the global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, we, as a nation, are seeing large increases in the prevalence of anxiety and depression. That information comes by way of the US Census Bureau’s emergency coronavirus project —...
If you have a mental health condition, one of the best ways to treat it is by attending psychotherapy. Group therapy, a form of psychotherapy that takes place with a therapist and a group of people, is convenient and impactful. Board-certified psychiatrists Phillip J. Bowman, MD, MPH, and Sara Bobak,...
If you’ve ever felt your heartbeat suddenly beat faster, your palms sweat when you enter a room, or intrusive thoughts consistently enter your mind, you may have experienced anxiety. While it’s normal to feel an occasional sense of worry, it’s not normal for these feelings of anxiety to dominate your...
One in 11 Americans experiences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives. It's natural to feel afraid or angry after a traumatic event. However, when these emotions persist long after the event is over, it can put the body in a chronic state of stress, leading to...
Is your child struggling in school or acting out at home? Have you noticed changes in their weight, appetite, or sleeping habits? They could be suffering from a behavior disorder. Kids can and do experience many of the same mental health issues as adults, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),...
Bipolar disorders define themselves with extremes of emotion ranging from mania to depression. The extent of symptoms vary widely, though they tend to fall in roughly grouped patterns. The pendulum swings of bipolar disorders range from emotionally up periods, the mania stages, to the down and depressed times. Your illness...
Your mental health affects everything you do and plays a crucial role in your overall quality of life. If you’re suffering from persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, you’re not alone. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, an estimated 40 million adults — that’s more...
Everyone feels stress at some points in their lives, even from happy events like starting a new job or buying a home. And who doesn’t worry about their children, ailing parents, or bills piling up? These are normal feelings. But when you have a difficult time controlling your worries and...
If you or someone you know struggles with depression, you probably already know that it’s more than just feeling down. More than 17 million Americans suffer from depression, a complex mental health disorder that can cause memory loss, lack of interest in hobbies and pastimes, and overwhelming feelings of sadness...
Sadness is a normal feeling. You might feel sad if you’re going through hard times or when you experience a traumatic event such as losing a loved one. It could even be something small that can make you feel sad. But feeling blue most of the time could be a...
Anxiety can keep you from participating in life. Worry and fear may keep you in the house, or fill you with dread as you navigate everyday situations at school, work, or social events. You may even suffer from severe panic attacks that seem like heart attacks. Does this sound like...
Producing feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, irritability, and sadness, depression affects some 17.3 million adults in this country — or 7.1 percent of all U.S. adults. Despite the prevalence of depression, many sufferers do not seek treatment. What’s more, of those who do seek treatment, 10-15 percent do not experience improvement...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects approximately seven percent of U.S. adults. The cause of this disorder is multi-factorial and the treatments are diverse. With the emergence of newer technology to investigate the human genome, genetics now plays a role in depression. Various genes have been identified which may predispose an...
Psychotherapy is a crucial component of mental health treatment. As the field continues to grow, different modalities of therapy have emerged. These specific types of therapy are often referred to by acronyms, which can lead to some confusion. Three of the most common approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical...
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a disturbance in mood associated with the time of year. Most commonly, SAD occurs during the Fall and Winter months, with symptoms remitting during the sunnier seasons of Spring and Summer. Up to 5 percent of the U.S. population experiences SAD in a given year....