HEALTH
HEALTH QUESTIONS YOU HAVE DURING THIS STRESSFUL TIME. (916) 321-3310.
DOCTOR, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
YOU'RE THERAPY WEST BUT IN NEW
YORK, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH
THAT NAME?
WELL, WE ARE LOCATED ON THE
WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN.
>> OH, OKAY.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE GET THAT
CONFUSED, THEY THINK WE'RE FROM
CALIFORNIA BUT WE ARE NOT.
>> WE DO APPRECIATE THAT.
THE FIRST TEXT QUESTION COMING
IN, WHY IS IT THAT WORKING FROM
HOME IS WORSENING MY MENTAL
HEALTH?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND
I WANT TO JUST BE CLEAR, THAT'S
HAPPENING TO MANY OF US
THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT
THERE IS LITTLE STRUCTURE GOING
ON AT HOME.
INSTEAD OF TYPICALLY GETTING IN
THE CAR AND GOING TO WORK FOR 8
HOURS AND THEN COMING HOME AND
HAVING DINNER
WITH THE FAMILY.
NOW THERE IS REALLY NO STOPPAGE
OF WORK FOR US BECAUSE WE CAN
DO SO MUCH VIRTUALLY AND EVEN
WHEN WE GO WITH
OUR KIDS LATE AT NIGHT WHEN WE
GO BACK TO OUR COMPUTER WE
START TO DO MORE WORK.
AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO WEAR
ALL THESE DIFFERENT HATS AT
ONCE, THAT'S CAUSING A LOT OF,
YOU KNOW,
DETERIORATION OF OUR OWN MENTAL
HEALTH.
>> UH-HUH.
SO, FOR YOU OR FOR ME OR FOR
ANYONE THAT IS GOING THROUGH
THIS, IS IT BEST TO RECOGNIZE
THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED
TO BE STRESSED, UNCOMFORTABLE,
THIS IS DIFFERENT, AND DON'T
TRY TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S
NOT?
>> SO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
THAT EVERYBODY IS GOING THROUGH
THIS.
>> RIGHT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU REALLY
WANT TO TRY TO DO IS CREATE
STRUCTURE IN OUR FAMILIES.
SO, HAVING BREAKFAST TOGETHER,
HAVING DINNER TOGETHER, MAKING
SURE THAT WE'RE EXERCISING
EVERY DAY AT A
SPECIFIC TIME IS REALLY
ESSENTIAL.
THE MORE STRUCTURE WE CAN PUT
AROUND OURSELVES THE BETTER,
BECAUSE WE ARE FOLLOWING THE
ACTIVITY AND THAT'S
GOING TO MAKE US FEEL MORE
SECURE IN WHAT'S GOING ON, THIS
IS STILL A CONFUSING TIME FOR
ALL OF US.
>> THE NEXT ONE KIND OF LEADS
INTO THAT AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT
MORE SPECIFIC, THIS TEXT.
HOW DO MY WIFE AND I KEEP FROM
GOING NUTS BEING TOGETHER 24/7.
>> I SHOULD ASK MY WIFE THE
SAME QUESTION.
IT'S AGAIN THESE SITUATION IS
NOVEL FOR EVERYONE.
AND THE IMPORTANT PIECES IS FOR
THE FAMILY TO GET TOGETHER AND
TO HAVE REASONABLE
EXPECTATIONS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH MY OWN
SPOUSE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR HER
TO KNOW THAT I NEED SOME TIME
TO BE ALONE.
AND WE NEED SOME TIME TO BE
TOGETHER BUT IT HAS TO BE VERY
CLEAR.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT PERSON
TO SPEAK WITH THEIR SPOUSE AND
TELL THEM WHAT'S GOING ON AND
MAKE SOME AGREED UPON RULES.
SO THAT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN
INDEPENDENCE, IT'S IMPORTANT.
>> NEXT ONE, EVERYTHING IS
BEING DONE VIRTUALLY THESE
DAYS, PROBABLY HAVE BEEN TO TWO
OR THREE VIRTUAL
BIRTHDAY PARTIES, ZOOM AND
SKYPE AND ALL OF THAT.
VIRTUAL HAPPY HOURS HAVE BECOME
POPULAR.
ANY OTT EBERT FUN IDEAS FOR
THINGS LIKE THAT?
>> SO, YOU KNOW I THINK A LOT
OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING MOVIES
TOGETHER.
VIRTUALLY, I KNOW NETFLIX HAS A
CHAT OPTION THAT PEOPLE ARE
DOING.
HAVING GOING OUT, INSTEAD OF
GOING OUT TO DINNER WITH
COUPLES, YOU CAN DO IT IN YOUR
LIVING ROOM OR APARTMENT, AND
TRY TO MOVE THE KIDS, HAVE THEM
WATCH A MOVIE AND TRY TO HAVE
THE HOUR OR HOUR AND A HALF
WITH OTHER
COUPLES TO CONNECT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE ISOLATED.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO
ENGAGE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES.
>> NEXT ONE COMING IN, YOU
THINK HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED IN
THE LAST 20 TO 25 YEARS WITH
THIS TEXT IN MIND, HOW
CAN I EXPLAIN TO MY HUSBAND
THAT THERAPY ISN'T BAD BUT IT'S
A HEALTHY THING TO DO?
PROBABLY NOW AND CERTAINLY
AFTER WE GET THROUGH THIS VIRUS
STAGE.
>> SO, WE KNOW 20% OF ADULTS
HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE AT
SOME POINT.
AND THAT'S PRETTY HIGH.
AND I WOULD SAY IT'S PRETTY
NORMAL.
WHEN YOU ALL -- BEING A HUMAN
BEING IS ABOUT BEING SOCIAL,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE OTHER
PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH AND TO
VENT.
AND MENTAL HEALTH SPEAKING TO
OTHER PENAL, IT'S ACTUALLY A
STRENGTH TO KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE
A WEAKNESS AND THAT
YOU KNOW YOU NEED SOME HELP.
AND I