Labyrinth Psychiatry Group, LLC

04/03/2025

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https://www.labyrinthpsychiatry.com/

06/02/2022

Now more than ever, we are experiencing more open dialogue and appreciation of the vital role mental health plays in our daily lives. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life, as well as determining how we handle stress, relate to others, make choices, and function in society. PsychU would like to join the awareness efforts by providing perspectives from experts in psychiatry and behavioral health on the significance of Mental Health Awareness month by uncovering ways in which we can all play a role to raise awareness and enhance the lives of individuals with mental health challenges and their loved ones. Listen in as Dr. Salvatore Savatta discusses some of these topics with moderator Rachel Self, PhD, MD.

05/11/2022

Now accepting Tricare to provide our New Jersey veterans with the mental healthcare services they deserve!

11/25/2021

11/25/2021

11/17/2021

What effect will psilocybin have on the treatment of depression?

A recent press release from Compass Pathways indicates positive results from its phase IIb trial of the psilocybin containing compound COMP360, and from what can be determined from its marketing materials, these data may eventually pave the way for the FDA approval of a unique treatment for Major Depressive Disorder. Interestingly, Wall Street seems not to be very impressed, as Compass Pathways stock has been trading significantly lower in the days after its announcement, but as this is not a financial blog, I will not discuss that any further!

From a psychiatrist's perspective, the more interesting data regarding psilocybin were released in the April 15th, 2021, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Although this is a relatively small study, it indicates that psilocybin offers results that are on par with the antidepressant medication Lexapro, but with very unique properties that could make psilocybin an alternative for many people who suffer from depression and either do not respond to medications like Lexapro or find the side effects of medications like Lexapro intolerable.

In my opinion, the most interesting aspect of this study, was that psilocybin achieved these results in only two dosages given 3 weeks apart, while Lexapro was administered as a daily medication. If this dosing schedule holds up as beneficial and tolerable in large scale trials, psilocybin may prove to be a true gamechanger in the way that treatment is offered for Major Depressive Disorder, as every other treatment that is currently offered requires much more frequent administration for comparable results to be achieved.

Given preliminary results, it is my expectation that psilocybin will eventually find its way into mainstream psychiatric treatment. However, it is not clear if it will be offered early on, or if it will be reserved only for people who do not respond to currently available treatment options. Fortunately long term studies are already underway, so we may not have to wait very much longer to find out.

AUTHOR: Salvatore Savatta, MD

11/12/2021

Meditation provides a wide variety of both physical and psychological benefits to those who practice it. Studies have shown that meditation aids in the treatment of depression, anxiety and PTSD. Defined as a mind and body practice used for increasing mental and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance and overall health and wellness, meditation can be practiced in various forms, such as:

☑️ Mindfulness meditation: allows you to use deep breaths to remain aware and in the present moment, rather than letting your mind drift to past, future and hypothetical concerns. This can greatly help with depression and anxiety.
☑️ Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: a blend of meditation and CBT originally created to prevent relapses in depression, which aids in changing patterns of negative thinking.
☑️ Breath awareness meditation/mindful breathing: allows you to focus on your breathing, which can improve your mood.
☑️ Yoga: allows for both meditation and exercise, working on creating positive thoughts to outweigh negative emotions
☑️ Transcendental meditation: uses sound or personal mantras as an anchor versus the breathing that most forms of meditation utilize. Research has demonstrated that this form of meditation improved stress and reduced burnout for as long as four months.
☑️ Body scan meditation: allows for awareness of different parts of the body, aiding in observing and understanding thoughts and emotions. This can be helpful when used in conjunction with yoga, increasing awareness of the body through exercise.
☑️ Walking meditation: enjoying nature while clearing the mind.

In order to truly understand the importance of meditation, it is helpful to explore the effects chronic stress can have upon the brain. When a stressful event occurs, the amygdala sends signals to the hypothalamus, resulting in a fight-or-flight response triggered by the body’s nervous system. When stress occurs frequently, cortisol levels rise. When produced in excess, cortisol enlarges the amygdala and affects synapse regulation, making us less social and more withdrawn from our loved ones. It can also reduce the size of the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which aids in our memory and learning processes, and is even believed to hard-wire the pathways between the amygdala and the hippocampus to keep the body in a constant state of fight-or-flight. These changes can be reversed over time, however, and meditation is a great tool to aid in this process.

Meditation helps to reduce cortisol levels, lessening activity in the amygdala and therefore the frequency and intensity of our fight-or-flight response. Therefore, this practice can not only improve your mental health by reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders, but can also prevent memory loss, increase learning capacity, preserve your desire for social interactions, and even help you live a longer and happier life by reducing your chances of experiencing health problems associated with chronic stress.

Author: Courtney Santiago

References:

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Stress effects on the body. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body

Bernstein, R. (2016, July 26). The Mind and Mental Health: How Stress Affects the Brain. Retrieved from https://www.tuw.edu/health/how-stress-affects-the-brain/

Gardner, A. (2018, June 26). 11 Types of Meditation That Can Help If You're Depressed. Retrieved from https://www.health.com/condition/depression/types-of-meditation-for-depression

Meditation: In Depth. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-in-depth

Powell, A. (2018, August 27). Harvard researchers study how mindfulness may change the brain in depressed patients. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/

11/12/2021

Is Ma*****na medicine? With respect to Mental Health, the answer to this question remains unclear.

THC and CBD, two of the compounds found naturally in Ma*****na, have been shown to work effectively for certain forms of epilepsy and cachexia, the medical term for severe weight loss associated with other medical disorders. Epidiolex was FDA approved in 2018 for the treatment of certain types of Seizure Disorders, and Marinol (a synthetic form of the naturally occurring dronabinol, a psychoactive component of Ma*****na) was approved for the use of nausea associated with chemotherapy in 1985.

Ma*****na has also found widespread use in pain management, as a safer alternative to chronic op**te use. Anecdotally, Ma*****na use is known to lower pressures in the eye and can be helpful for patients with glaucoma.

As a psychiatrist, I do not treat any of the above conditions, and I have not yet registered to be a medical ma*****na prescriber. At present, I do not recommend the use Ma*****na for any psychiatric conditions, and I strongly recommend that any of my patients who have active psychiatric symptoms to stop using Ma*****na recreationally, at least until their symptoms go into remission.

I routinely review the available medical evidence, to determine if I should change my practice or recommendations. At present, the most compelling evidence for medical ma*****na prescribing in psychiatry is for PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). There is quite a bit of available evidence indicating that Ma*****na helps reduce the fear response associated with post traumatic memories and anxiety. However, fear is only one component of PTSD. Other limiting aspects of PTSD include numbing and avoidance of activities. It has been my personal experience that many of my patients with PTSD who smoke Ma*****na report less anxiety and fear, but unfortunately are more avoidant. When they start treatment with psychotherapy and standard medications for PTSD, and stop smoking Ma*****na, their lives improve dramatically. So, for now, I continue to advise all patients with PTSD to reduce and hopefully discontinue their Ma*****na use. Should the available evidence base ever indicate improved functional outcomes for the use of Ma*****na in PTSD, I will happily change my practice!

With respect to other psychiatric conditions, the available evidence indicates that Ma*****na use is more likely to be harmful than helpful for people who suffer from depression, and dangerous for people who have symptoms of psychosis.

If you are interested in reading another opinion regarding Ma*****na and its medical uses, follow this link to MDLinx.com.

Author: Salvatore Savatta, MD

11/08/2021

Can TMS help with weight loss?

According to the CDC, approximately 40% of the country is overweight, and the rate continues to climb as time goes by. From a public health perspective, it is clear that more options are necessary to help with weight loss.

The best weight loss options center around healthy eating and exercise. Unfortunately, in today's world, it is very difficult for many people to make these necessary changes. In these circumstances, there are medical options that can help.

At present there are several FDA approved medications for weight loss, that can be safely prescribed by a primary care doctor. For people who take psychiatric medications, it is often possible for their mental health practitioner to modify these medications in such a way to keep the psychiatric benefits but reduce their effect on weight and appetite. In some circumstances, weight loss surgery is a very effective option.

TMS may someday also be an option that doctors will be able to prescribe to help with weight loss. For those of you reading this blog that are interested, feel free to follow the link to Medscape for more information regarding weight loss and TMS.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/864877?ecd=ppc_google_rlsa-traf_mscp_news-perspectives_t1-psych_us

www.cdc.gov/obesity/data

Author: Salvatore Savatta, MD

11/08/2021

11/08/2021

If you have depression and have not experienced relief after trying multiple antidepressants, esketamine might be the next step in your comprehensive treatment plan. At Labyrinth Psychiatry Group in Cranford, New Jersey, the team of licensed mental health professionals uses SPRAVATO® (esketamine) nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression symptoms in adults. To learn more about this innovative medication and how it works, call the office or book your visit online today. Telehealth appointments are available.

11/08/2021

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an FDA approved non-invasive treatment where magnetic pulses are delivered to stimulate nerve cells in a part of the brain that is important for controlling mood. This part of the brain is often underactive in patients with Major Depressive Disorder. The FDA has also recently approved TMS Therapy for the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The TMS Sessions take place in our office under the supervision of a trained technician and licensed professional. Call the office or book your appointment online for a TMS therapy consultation today!