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Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Victor, BCBA, LLMSW, LBA is a social worker in Grand Rapids, MI specializing in social work. Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Victor, BCBA, LLMSW, LBA is affiliated with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services and PINE REST CHRISTIAN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
300 68th Street Se
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
6505 Cherry Meadow Drive Se
Caledonia, MI 49316
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Depression
Everyone knows what it feels like to get the blues once in a while. But depression is a serious illness that is more severe than a bad day and lasts much longer. Symptoms of depression stop a person from being able to function and enjoy daily activities for weeks or months at a time. It can happen to anyone, and it isn't something that people can control by force of will or "snap out of it."
Some common symptoms of depression include:
We don't yet know what causes depression, but it's thought that it is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social influences. Because of this, the most effective treatments for depression combine medication with psychotherapy. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be extremely helpful in resolving the negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression. It gives patients new tools that they can use themselves to cope when their depression is making them feel down.
Some of the common medications used to treat depression include antidepressants such as SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) or atypical antidepressants (Cymbalta, Wellbutrin). It's important to remember that these medications have different effects on everybody, and no one medication works right for everyone. Patients may have to try a couple before finding the one that works just right for them. If the first medication they try doesn't work, they should talk to their doctor about trying something else. In extreme cases where medication is not enough, electro-convulsive therapy and hospitalization may be the answer to keeping a severely depressed person safe.
Depression is a difficult illness to deal with, but it is more common than believed and there are many people who can help. With the right treatment, individuals with depression can get back to fully enjoying life again.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that people may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD causes recurring nightmares, flashbacks, and disturbing memories about the traumatic event. It is frequently triggered by particularly intense and life-threatening incidents. For example, someone involved in a serious car accident may have severe anxiety about the accident months or even years later. War veterans and people involved in armed conflict are particularly prone to developing PTSD. In decades past, PTSD was called shellshock and was used to describe the negative emotions that soldiers endured from war. Today, medical professionals who treat PTSD recognize that it can occur in all types of people and can result from all types of traumatic incidents. It is not known exactly why some people develop PTSD, although PTSD frequently arises from:
People who have experienced significant and repeated trauma are more likely to develop PTSD. Those who have disorders like depression or a family history of depression may also be more prone to PTSD. PTSD symptoms typically begin one month to one year following the traumatic event. There are four main categories of PTSD symptoms:
The intensity and frequency of these symptoms can vary over time. PTSD symptoms may suddenly return after disappearing for years. Many PTSD patients find treatment helps to gradually reduce their symptoms over time.
The most common treatments for PTSD are psychotherapy and oral medications. Psychotherapy for PTSD can include cognitive therapy (therapy to change thought patterns), exposure therapy (therapy to confront memories of the traumatic incident) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). EMDR integrates exposure therapy with guided eye movements to help patients confront and process their trauma. Certain oral medications may help with PTSD, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. Self-care, support groups, and relaxation may also benefit those with PTSD.
The path to overcoming PTSD can be long and challenging and people with PTSD can benefit greatly by seeking professional treatment from a mental health care provider. Treatment can reduce PTSD symptoms, provide essential coping strategies, and improve one's quality of life.
Self-Harm
Self-harm occurs when people hurt their own bodies on purpose. People who self-harm may feel an emotional or psychological release after hurting themselves. This release can become a coping mechanism to deal with negative thoughts and feelings. While not a mental illness in itself, self-harm may be a response to abuse, trauma, or other mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Those who self-harm typically do not have suicidal intent, but are at a greater risk of attempting suicide. They may also conceal their self-harm from others, making their behavior and injuries all the more risky. Self-harm frequently arises in adolescence or adulthood. Some self-harm once, while others may self-harm more frequently and for longer periods of time.
People may self-harm by a variety of means, including cutting themselves with sharp objects, burning themselves with matches, or hitting and bruising themselves. Symptoms and signs of self-harming include:
Therapy can treat patients who self-harm. Therapists ask people to explore current and past experiences and emotions that may contribute to the desire to self-harm. Cognitive behavioral therapy, a specialized form of therapy, can also reduce self-harm by encouraging patients to identify negative patterns of thought and to develop coping strategies that do not involve self-inflicted injury. Those suffering from more severe self-harm may require in-patient hospitalization to recover mentally and physically.
She has a state license in Michigan.
Licensed In: Michigan
Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Victor, BCBA, LLMSW, LBA is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
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Ms. Jennifer Victor specializes in social work. Her areas of expertise include the following: self-harm, abuse, and depression. Ms. Victor is professionally affiliated with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services.
