Putting Minds at Ease

He pulled knives on people, threatened to kill his parents, displayed frequent outbursts of anger, and was admitted to a mental health facility on two occasions under the state’s Baker Act law.

These were not the actions of a young misguided adult. Instead, they were acts of rage committed by an elementary school boy plagued with mental illness that interfered significantly with his daily life.

Such erratic behavior left the young boy’s parents with a difficult decision. They could delude themselves into thinking their child was merely going through a phase, or they could allow him to be evaluated by a mental health professional

They chose the latter. It was a wise decision because, when it comes to children and mental health, early parental intervention is vital to successful outcomes. Unfortunately, most parents have a hard time accepting their child possibly have a mental illness and scoff over the possibility of that child taking perscribed drugs.

The boy was diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder and ADHD. He has been under the care of Dr. Thomas Valente, medical director of LifeStream Behavioral Center, for two years. He takes two types of medication—one to control his mood and another to help him overcome his short attention span.

Intervention proved invaluable because his behavior changed significantly. “It’s like we have a brand-new child,” said the boy’s father. “He has gone from failing to passing all his classes and he loves going to school. More importantly, he has not acted out or had a bad episode in more than two years. We’ve definitely learned that not treating a mental health issue is far worse than any side effects someone may experience with medication. However, our son hasn’t had any side effects with the medication thus far.”

“Patients with personality disorders are definitely the most resistant to treatment. They are mistrusting and believe everyone else has a problem…not them. ”

A rewarding career
Success stories such as those make Dr. Valente’s job rewarding. Since becoming medical director of LifeStream 15 years ago, he has seen numerous patients with mental illness enter remission (no longer experiencing clinical levels of symptoms) and transition back into society.

Much like heart disease or breast cancer, early recognition and treatment of a mental illness are vitally important to help patients recover and prevent recurrence.

“With treatment, mental illness can have a high success rate,” Dr. Valente said. “Many of my patients have recovered. They realized they had a problem, sought professional help, and underwent treatment. If left untreated, mental illness is disabling because it leads to cognitive deficits and impairs your ability to make logical decisions. Many people do not realize the brain begins deteriorating prematurely.”

While Dr. Valente treated patients with all sorts of ailments—including depression and anxiety— he said schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder are two of the most difficult conditions to treat.

“Patients with personality disorders are definitely the most resistant to treatment. They are mistrusting and believe everyone else has a problem…not them. They live in a very black-and-white world and either love you or hate you. Schizophrenia is the most debilitating because it is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder. The frontal lobes of your brain are not working adequately and impair your’s ability to make logical decisions. With each episode, a schizophrenia patient loses 1 percent of his or her brain matter.”

Thanks to stereotypes and stigmas about mental health, the thought of being around mentally ill patients may seem downright frightening to many. In reality, though, the vast majority of mentally ill patients are not violent. That does not stop the news media and entertainment industries from linking violence to mental illness.

“Nine times out of 10, mentally ill patients are more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators,” Dr. Valente said. “Also, the majority of people who commit violence, such as mass shootings, do not suffer from mental illness. I am not scared to work with these patients on a daily basis. In fact, I love having the opportunity to have a positive impact on their lives. Patients who undergo treatment and get better are extremely grateful.”

One of those patients visited Dr. Valente in September at LifeStream Behavioral Center’s AIMS (Achieving Independence Mastery Skills) Center in Leesburg. Because mental illness is a lifelong condition, this patient undergoes temporary assessments to keep her stabilized, prevent relapses, and assist her in recovery and re-integration.

“I was originally diagnosed with major depressive disorder,” the patient said. “However, Dr. Valente accurately diagnosed me with bipolar disorder four years ago and prescribed the proper medication to treat the disease. My life has become much better. I have learned to take life slower and I am not always in a hurry. The medication is a lifeline for me because it keeps me stable and in control.”

The diagnosis process

“I listen with my inner ear,” Dr. Valente said. “If patients are depressed they make you feel sad. If patients are addicts they frustrate you. And if patients are anxious they make you feel nervous.”

Bipolar disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder are the three most common mental illnesses Dr. Valente treats. Symptoms for generalized anxiety disorder include persistent fear and anxiety without a precipitator. Depression is often accompanied with sadness, changes in appetite, decreased energy level, and feelings of guilt, insomnia, and suicide. With bipolar disorder, the most common symptom is an unstable mood.

Schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder are the most severe types of mental illnesses Dr. Valente treats.

Symptoms of schizophrenia include: 

• Delusional thoughts

• Self-defeating thoughts

• Paranoid thoughts

• Allusions and hallucinations.

Symptoms of borderline personality disorder include:

• Unstable interpersonal relationships

• Periods of emptiness

• High rates of suicide

• Volatile toward others

• Hostile toward others

• Manipulation

Did you know?

Dr. Valente said mental illnesses fall under three domains: mood, anxiety, and thought.

Mood disorders:

Depression

Bipolar disorder

Dysthymia

Thought disorders

Schizophrenia

Personality disorders (paranoid personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, etc.).

Anxiety disorders

Generalized anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder

Panic disorder

Specific phobias