How to Support Your Treatment: The Role of a Patient

How to Support Your Treatment: The Role of a Patient If you are rooting for better health, there is one thing you can do to help yourself: understand your role as a patient so that you can work together with your Psychiatrist or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) to find the right medication for you. Understand: If you are an active participant in your treatment (PLS LINK to: PAT0077 How can I be an effective participant in making decisions concerning my medication?), you will exert effort to understand the basic things and information about your condition and your medications. Understanding these things means: You will be in a better position to discuss and participate in matters pertaining to your health care decisions, including the selection of your medications    what it is and why it is being selected. You have read about your medication from the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) so you would know its components, how best to store it, what it can interact with (food or other medications), its contraindications, its generic name and brand names, etc. If you are confined in a hospital, you can ask your doctor for a copy. You would know the importance of medication management (PLS LINK to: PAT000 What is med management?), so you will adhere to your prescription the dose and time to take the medication. You would monitor and note the possible side effects and know what to do (PLS LINK to: PAT0064 What must I do when I experience side effects from my psychotropic medicines?) when they happen. You will not just abruptly stop (PAT0048 Can I stop taking my psychotropic medications when I feel better?) taking the medicine knowing it could cause a relapse, withdrawal symptoms and/or even worsen the original symptoms you experienced. Tell Your Psychiatrist: Your psychiatrist will decide on your medication (PLS LINK to: PAT0084 How would my psychiatrist decide which antidepressant to prescribe?) based on the information that you will tell them. So, you have the responsibility to provide them with the information they need to make informed deductions and decisions, and to deliver the best possible care. The quest for the right psychotropic medicine may take a long process if you will withhold certain vital information or be not completely honest with them. What are some of the most critical information you need to tell your psychiatrist? Are you taking other medication supplements, non-prescription or OTC medications, prescription medicines, etc.? Be honest, if you are; and be very precise. Are you abusing or dependent on any substance? Do you have other health issues or conditions? Are you pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding a child? Have you been on a psychiatric medication before? If yes, tell the psychiatrist about your medical history what medications were prescribed to you, your responses, and the side effects, if you had any. Your Other Responsibilities: Choose your psychiatrist or PMHNP (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) and treat them with respect. This means you will keep your appointments and inform youre the administrative staff in advance if you are cancelling an appointment. Ask questions to be able to understand your condition, medication, and to be able to follow the medication/treatment plan. It is also your responsibility to ask questions when you need information. Inform your Psychiatrist or Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner if you are planning to stop taking your medications and why, or if you are considering taking other medications or treatment. Inform your prescriber of your responses or experiences about a prescribed medication that would be relevant in assessing your condition. Tell your prescriber your concerns with paying the fees, buying the medication or your insurance coverage. Keep an updated and accurate history of your own medical information. This can be relevant when you must consult another professional. Responsibly follow and adhere to the treatment plan, which must be agreed upon between you and your Psychiatrist or PMHNP. Support your treatment with a healthy lifestyle and habits. The road towards wellness can be a long one if you will not support your treatment. You can better support your treatment if you are aware of your role as a patient.   This means knowing not only your rights as a patient, but your responsibilities as well. Between being a responsible patient and having good psychiatric care from Living Well Psychiatry at Raeford Road in Fayetteville, NC, you stand to have a better chance of looking forward to better, happier days. Health and Diets Today: Changes in Food Habits Health and Diets Today: Changes in Food Habits Nhat Nguyen Eating today Are you eating an affordable, balanced diet? In todays fast-paced living, people consume various selections of foods; especially on-the-go. How healthy are their meals? Will they ensure the overall health and safety of the consumer? According to the book, Acting Out Culture, unhealthy nutrition habits are more noticeable now than ever before. Some 47 million Americans receive food stamps, some who would otherwise go hungry. A recent government study found that about 5 percent of American households have very low food security, which means that food can run out before the end of the month. (Kristof 172) This raises the question whether the Food Stamps program is effective? In my observations as a foreign student in America, I believe that this program is helpful and necessary because it assists in meeting a basic, daily need that would otherwise be difficult for a financially-challenged person to meet. In fact, it affords the possibility to satisfy other basic needs of life such as affordable housing, season-appropriate clothing, utilities, etc. Another issue of concern are people who unfortunately take advantage of the program; gradually becoming dependent and lazy. Why would they work hard if they can continuo usly manipulate the government system to support their livelihood? Over 56 billion farmed, land animals are killed annually by humans. Fish and other sea animal deaths are so great they can only be measured in tons. Animals are not simply food sources but thinking and feeling creatures that bring necessary balance to our eco-system . An animals life is as important and irreplaceable as ours in the circle-of-life. As children, we are conditioned to view cows, pigs, chickens, sheep and fish as inferior. This way of seeing other species is known as speciesism. Its time for us to change our view on animals with which we share the planet. We need to stop thinking of them as simply resources and start viewing them as sentient beings whose lives deserve to be respected and valued. The solution is veganism. We can prevent a great deal of animal suffering by adopting a vegan diet. We can personally save up to 95 animals a year and thousands during our lifetimes by adopting a vegan lifestyle. Many people believe that animals should not be harmed unnecessarily . By consuming animal products we are participating in harming and killing them. Eating animal products is not essential for human health. Choosing a healthy, varied, vegan diet means respecting the lives of animals and refusing to take part in their exploitation. Organic food is a booming new trend of many consumers due to better food safety practices and product quality. The production of these foods must adhere to specific standards regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In other words, the production of these foods is very closely monitored to ensure quality and safety. About 70 percent of Americans buy organic food occasionally, and nearly one-quarter buy it every week, according to the Hartman Group, a market research firm (Redbook 2016). Consumers are looking for food they can trust.   Organic products have a reputation of offering the highest level of safety and nutritional value by eliminating the practice of using:   fertilizer, pesticides, growth hormones, irradiation, biotechnology, and antibiotics. Studies have shown that these additives are known to cause everything from headaches-to-cancer, birth defects. With that being said, eating organic may be a bit more costly but has proven to be a wiser choice for consumers healthwise. Junk food is a term people often use to label foods and beverages high in calories and sugar. Calories are measured as units of energy and are found in most foods. Sugar or high-fructose (especially of corn syrup) is found in carbonated soft drinks, confectionery, chocolate, fatty oils, many trans fat, and preservative chemicals. These foods and beverages contain little or no fiber, minerals, or vitamins. In America, Junk food is everywhere! Frequent consumption of junk food often leads to health problems such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. For example, there are several McDonalds Restaurants conveniently located in most U.S. cities. Their famous fries are deep fried and saturated in hydrogenated vegetable oil. They also contain preservatives, citric acid, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate color retention agents, and salt. Frequent consumption of these highly saturated fries will, unfortunately, put you at risk for heart vessel blockage and heart disease. In conclusion, Americans must be mindful of how their food choices affect their health and their planet as a whole. Governments should pay better attention to the food issues of this generation in order to maintain a healthy country for generations to come. Implementation better food habits and practices will surely lead to a healthier world, body, mind; which leads to an overall healthier and better life. Works Cited Its How We Eat, Not What We Eat. Psychology Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/million-meals/201305/its-how-we-eat-not-what-we-eat Neporent, Liz. Organics Safer, No More Nutritious Than Conventional Foods.ABC News. ABC News Network, 2012. Web. 05 Oct. 2016. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/organic-food-cleaner-nutritious/story?id=17138185 Free Essays Must Be Free!TM. Food Stamps Essay. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016. http://essaymania.com/131523/food-stamps By Adopting a Vegan Diet We Can Personally save up to 95 Animals a Year, and Thousands during Our Lifetimes. Most of Us Already Believe That Animals Should Not Be Harmed Unnecessarily Yet Eating Animal Products Harms and Kills Animals and Is Unnecessary for Human Health. Choosing a Healthy, Varied Vegan Diet Means Respecting the Lives of Animals and Refusing to Take Part in Their Exploitation. Food. Animal Equality. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016. http://www.animalequality.net/food Kristof, Nicholas.   Prudence or Cruelty?  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Acting Out Culture, edited by James S.Miller. Bedford/St. Martins, 2015, pp. 172-174.