Targeting Delaware County Opioid Use Through No-Cost Treatment

 

Delaware County
Image: co.delaware.pa.us

Based in Philadelphia, Dr. David Kaicher practices with Crozer-Keystone Health Network – HAN Psychiatry and offers psychotherapy and psychiatric medication management services. Among Dr. David Kaicher’s areas of focus is opioid treatment, with Delaware County residents living with opioid use disorder able to receive quality recovery services.

With the numbers of drug-related deaths countywide reaching record levels of more than 200 per year, heroin and fentanyl are the most common culprits. Most such addictions begin with abuse or overuse of prescribed pain medication, such as codeine, morphine, and oxycodone. The addiction then often leads to use of illegal substances such as heroin.

A grant set in law by Governor Tom Wolf and undertaken in collaboration with the Delaware County Office of Behavioral Health, Division of Drug and Alcohol ensures that all treatment for Delaware County residents is free. This does away with the need for insurance and billing, and ensures that critical care is available to all in need. Crozer-Keystone provides patients with additional services including transportation and placement into a treatment center.

Forget Sugar – Eat a Balanced Diet and Drink Water to Stay Energized

 

Health
Image: prevention.com

Licensed to practice in New York and Pennsylvania, David Kaicher is a medical doctor specializing in psychiatric medication management and psychotherapy. Part of the Crozer-Keystone Health Network, David Kaicher partners with patients in their health care decision making, emphasizing nutrition in overall wellness.

Good nutrition is essential for health and for energizing the body. Many people reach for a sugary treat or an energy drink whenever they feel sluggish. That’s a poor nutrition habit. While sugar does give a temporary energy boost, it causes a crash afterward that exposes you to various health problems. Energy drinks, especially the ones that contain caffeine and sugar, may cause nervousness, irritability, and high blood pressure.

Whenever you feel sluggish, try these healthier options to help you re-energize:

– Eat a balanced diet
A diet consisting of one-half plant-based nutrition and portions of animal protein or dairy will give you optimum nutrition and energy. Plant-rich diets contain plenty of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, all of which are essential for energy metabolism.

– Drink water 
If you feel tired, chances are you are dehydrated. Almost all body systems need water for proper functioning. Dehydration will slow you down. Drink a glass of water to nourish your body with fluids and keep it active.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors – How They Work

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Image: webmd.com

A psychiatrist with the Crozer-Keystone Health Network, Dr. David Kaicher treats patients with psychotherapy, medication, and a combination thereof. As a board-certified and licensed professional, Dr. David Kaicher draws on an in-depth knowledge of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other psychiatric medications.

SSRIs stand out as the most frequently prescribed medication for moderate to severe depression. They counteract the process by which a depressed person’s brain reabsorbs the neurotransmitter serotonin, the function of which is to stabilize mood. Reabsorption of this crucial chemical is believed to be a key contributor to symptoms of depression.

SSRIs works by blocking this reabsorption so that the serotonin remains in the synapse between nerves. This increases the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain and can strengthen the interaction between nerve cells, which in turn can improve the function of neural pathways that regulate mood. Patients experience this as a reduction of depressive symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in activity.

PHR’s Anti-Landmine Efforts in the 1990s

Physicians for Human Rights
Image: physiciansforhumanrights.org

Board-certified psychiatrist David Kaicher, MD, serves at Crozer-Keystone Health Network – HAN Psychiatry and is a member of both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association. Prior to attending medical school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Dr. David Kaicher volunteered for the nonprofit organization Physicians for Human Rights (PHR).

PHR was founded in 1986 with the mission to use medicine and science in driving attention to key issues such as severe human rights violations and mass atrocities. Since its founding, the organization has initiated several campaigns, including one calling for the banning of landmines.

Landmines are artifacts of war which continue to maim and kill innocent individuals long after hostilities have ended. Many countries have banned the weapon. Unfortunately, the United States has failed to follow through completely with this call.

In 1991, PHR collaborated with Human Rights Watch to shed light on the public health implications of landmines in Cambodia. This report was instrumental in focusing international attention on the matter. In 1992, PHR co-founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, seeking their worldwide prohibition. It was also in the 1990s when PHR conducted critical research that led to the International Mine Ban Treaty. This campaign was so significant that the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to its coordinator, with PHR sharing in the prize.

Identifying Signs of Mental Health Disorders in Teens

Mental Health
Image: healthaffairs.org

After completing his psychiatry residency at Saint Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center in Manhattan, David Kaicher, MD, joined Crozer-Keystone Health Network as a psychiatrist. Board certified, Dr. David Kaicher is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, a group which runs public education programs to sensitize the public to mental health disorder detection and treatment.

Many mental health disorders start during a person’s early teens. It is estimated that one in five children less than 18 years of age has a mental health disorder. Left untreated, the disorder can make for a difficult time at home and school, and potentially lead to suicide, the third leading cause of death for youth aged 15 to 24.

Thankfully, research shows that early detection and treatment of mental health disorders can prevent suicide attempts and improve student achievement. Parents, teachers, coaches, and community members who continuously interact with children have a huge role to play in identifying the early signs of various mental health disorders, which include: changes in school performance, changes in eating or sleeping habits, sexually acting out, alcohol or drug abuse, self-harm or self-destructive tendencies, aggression, opposition to authority, depression, truancy, and running away from home. Such behaviors, particularly when they appear as a pattern, should prompt the parent or teacher to refer the teen to a mental health professional as soon as possible.