- Cancer CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe use of tobacco can often lead to nicotine dependence and other resulting health problems. However, people who smoke always have the option to quit. In fact, the number of former smokers has been greater than the number of current smokers since 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have made the decision to quit smoking, you should be aware of a few common misconceptions. Getting the facts about quitting smoking is important in order to make your journey to a tobacco free life a little easier! Misconception: Today is the day! I quit smoking. Actually… you should have a plan. It is easy to be impulsive, wake up one day and decide to throw away your cigarettes. But making a huge lifestyle change like quitting smoking requires a plan. You want to set yourself up for success. It is important to be prepared for the triggers – those routines and habits that you built around smoking. You will need alternative activities when you stop smoking. Preparing for potential urges or cravings to smoke is critical to staying on track. If you are more comfortable when you quit smoking, you will be more likely to stay on track. You may experience “recovery symptoms”, (also known as nicotine withdrawal). Understanding why those symptoms are occurring and learning tools and strategies to manage them can help you cope and not be thrown off when they happen. Misconception: All I need to do is take a pill or put on a patch! Actually… your plan should include other strategies in addition to medication. There are seven FDA-approved products that can help you to quit smoking. Combining smoking cessation medication with some type of supportive classes or counseling can double your chances of quitting successfully. Try not to fall into the trap of a miracle cure or the latest novel product, like e-cigarettes. These have not been fully tested as an effective tool for quitting smoking. There are many options that have been tested and proven to be effective. Misconception: I won’t tell anyone I’m quitting…just in case I don’t! Actually… it’s good to have support. Don’t keep it a secret. Support is very important to your success. Find people who will celebrate your successes and will support you through the tough times. Let people know how they can help you in your journey to quit smoking. There are several options for getting the support you need – classes, individual counseling, online, smart phone apps, text-to-quit programs and Nicotine Anonymous groups. Misconception: I’ll never be able to quit, I have tried a thousand times! Actually… you’re doing a great job and you should be more forgiving of yourself. It’s easy to think that it’s one-and-done. Unfortunately, when you quit smoking, like any other addictive substance, slips and relapses are part of the process. Learning how to manage slips and avoiding relapses is important. Learn from your experience and apply it to your next quit attempt. It’s not an event, it’s a process. Be kind to yourself and keep trying! Misconception: Quitting smoking is all about willpower! Actually… not really. You may think it’s all about willpower and if you can’t do it on your own that it’s a personal failure or weakness, but quitting tobacco is a tall order. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical. Don’t forget about all the resources, support and medications available to you. You can do this! Misconception: This plan worked for my friend, surely, it’ll work for me too! Actually… plans are very individualized. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Talk to your health care provider or a tobacco treatment specialist to discuss options and determine the best plan for you. Here are a few things you can do to keep moving ahead on the path to quitting smoking: Visualize yourself as a nonsmoker. If you’ve been smoking for many years, you may not remember a time when you did not smoke. Try picturing yourself as a non-smoker, going through your daily routines without a cigarette or using tobacco. Visualizing yourself as a non-smoker can prepare you for when you actually quit. When you first quit smoking, you may feel uncomfortable and awkward. You may feel like you don’t know what to do with your hands, during a work break, on the phone or when driving. Think about how you can handle these situations differently. Perhaps using a cinnamon stick or a straw if you need something to hold; replace your breaks with walks; doodling while you’re on the phone; and sipping on a water bottle in the car. These little tricks can help you get through those challenging times. Celebrate small successes. If you quit for two days or two weeks – those are wins! That means you can go without smoking and you can actually quit. Those small wins are huge. Reward yourself, you’re doing something really great! Identify your why. Examine the personal reasons you have for quitting smoking. Those reasons will drive you and keep you motivated to get you through the difficult times. Write your reasons down and carry them with you so you can pull them out when you need an extra boost of confidence and motivation. Constantly remind yourself why it is important to you to quit. Recognize that smoking has been a part of your life for a long time. Smoking has served some purpose in your life and that is one of the reasons you continue to smoke or use tobacco. Try to identify that purpose or need and fill that void with something else you enjoy and that will contribute to your overall health. Try to focus not on what you are giving up but what you are gaining by giving up tobacco. Celebrate quitting but don’t become too overconfident. Once you have quit smoking, try not to become too overconfident and think that you can enjoy the “occasional” cigarette. Once you have been dependent on nicotine, you will always be dependent on it. Remember — you’re a puff away from a pack a day! Think about how hard you worked to become tobacco free! It might take a few attempts to quit smoking, but there are many resources available to help you along the way. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself, be kind to yourself and above all, don’t give up! Author Joanne Ebner is a Cancer Prevention Program manager at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC). You can reach her office at 443-481-5366/67. Originally published Aug. 20, 2018. Last updated Sept. 30, 2019.
- Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt was a typical evening as Amanda Brady chatted with her 16-year-old and eldest of three children, Lee. As the two sat in Lee’s room talking and sharing laughs, Amanda spotted a Post-It note stuck to the wall. Small, handwritten scribbles outlined some of the goals Lee wanted to accomplish that year. One goal in particular stood out to Amanda. It read, “Come out as pansexual by the end of the school year.” “I was totally confused because I had no idea what pansexual meant,” Amanda recalls. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), pansexual describes someone who has the potential for emotional, romantic or sexual attraction of people of any gender though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Soon after this, Lee asked his family to refer to him by the gender-neutral pronoun “they” while also noticeably becoming more isolated and depressed. The turning point It was during senior year of high school when Lee started self-harming and was eventually hospitalized because of suicidal ideation. “The hospitalization was rock bottom for our family, but it was also a blessing in disguise,” says Amanda. In talking with a counselor at the hospital, Lee opened up about identifying as transgender. While there, Lee, who was born female, also firmly stated that he wanted to be referred to as “he” or “they” and changed his name from Liana to Lee. “My husband and I were willing to support him in whatever he wanted to do,” says Amanda. “We told him that we loved him whether they were ‘her’ or ‘him.’” Amanda, who works as a clinical director of nursing at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), was determined to support her son and help him get through this dark time. Amanda says her family sought therapy, got Lee treatment for depression and anxiety and found an endocrinologist to start him on testosterone. “It hurt my feelings when I found out,” Amanda says admittedly, “but I never said I didn’t want him to be a boy. I always said I wanted him to be happy and that I would help the best way I could.” Amanda also joined AAMC’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender, Queer, Intersex or Asexual (LGBTQIA) Business Resource Group, a group of employees who joined together based on shared characteristics or life experiences. She wanted to glean from others ways she could better support her son. “The easiest part for me was when he cut his hair and started wearing male clothes because growing up I was a tomboy,” Amanda laughs as she reflects. “The hardest part was not knowing how to help him through the emotional state. He didn’t want to open up at all because he thought we wouldn’t understand.” Acceptance, communication and support Danny Watkins grew up in a small community in Allegany County and was raised in a traditional Catholic family. He told his parents he was gay when he was 15. To his dismay, he was faced with unacceptance and was unwillingly ‘outed’ to the rest of his family members. Traumatized, Danny tried not to be gay for the next two years to cope with pressure at home. At age 17, his family found out he was dating a boy and the family discord from years before resumed. “I felt very isolated and lonely,” he recalls. “It’s as if I were a giant air balloon that couldn’t fit in any situation. I was just barely functioning and trying to get through the day. I didn’t have the support I needed at home so I relied heavily on my friends. They became my support system I needed to survive until the relationship with my family started to slowly get better over the next couple years.” Danny pursued a career in nursing, moved out at 19 and worked at an inpatient psychiatric unit. He is now the director of clinical operations at Pathways, AAMC’s substance abuse and mental health treatment facility. “Working in mental health has really opened my eyes to suicidality in the LGBTQ community.” Four in 10 LGBT youth say the community in which they live is not accepting of LGBT people, according to the HRC which surveyed more than 10,000 LGBT-identified youth ages 13-17. An estimated 26 percent of LGBT youth say problems they face include not feeling accepted by their family, having trouble at school or with bullying, and coming out or being open. Danny advises parents with an LGBTQ child to work on acceptance first. “You should always support your child and try to approach them from a non-judgmental place,” he says. He also recommends keeping the lines of communication open and meeting your child’s friends as important steps to take. “Reassure your child that you love them and that you support them, no matter who they are inside.” Danny also advises parents to find a good support system by joining local support groups and finding a counselor in the school or community who can provide support and resources. Silver lining Amanda and her husband have fully accepted their son’s decision to come out as transgender. Amanda is also observing Lee becoming more comfortable with himself. Lee is currently a freshman in college. She says he is growing facial hair for the first time. “He has really blossomed,” she adds. Even as someone who has an LGBT child, Amanda admits she still doesn’t know all there is to know about the community but is committed to furthering her understanding so she can continue to support her son. “If you isolate your child because you don’t see eye to eye, that’s a very boring and lonely existence to live,” she says. “Love your child for who they are, that’s the bottom line.” Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists offers care for diverse mental health needs for adults and children ages six years and older. For more information, visit myAAMG.org/mental-health-specialists.
- Senior CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBeing a caregiver is an important and demanding job. As the level of care your loved one needs increases, it may be time to consider whether a nursing home is the next logical step. “Each situation is unique,” says AAMC Associate Chair of Medicine Jeanette Abell, MD. “It depends a lot on the person, family, overall condition and symptoms. In general, it might be time if there are home safety issues, problems with falling or needs beyond what the caregiver can provide.” It may also be time to consider a nursing home or extra support if you are experiencing burnout as a caregiver. Caregiver burnout can include feelings of frustration or anxiety, physical illness or negative impacts on your other relationships. “These situations are never easy. One of the most important things is letting caregivers know that it’s OK to ask for help,” says Dr. Abell. It’s normal to feel stressed, guilty or anxious. It’s important to get appropriate support for what you need. You can’t continue to be a caregiver if you are not healthy yourself. If it doesn’t seem like quite the right time to move your loved one to care outside the home, Dr. Abell notes that there are several options to consider. She suggests adding support in “layers.” These could include making sure your house is safe, having someone to go grocery shopping or cook meals, or putting in place an alert system to notify the right people if your loved one falls. There are also adult daycare facilities, where older adults can go during the day for socialization, recreation, meals, and occupational or physical therapy. When possible, Dr. Abell suggests discussing your loved one’s wishes ahead of time. Have a conversation with your loved one and write down who should make healthcare decisions when he or she is unable to do so. Additionally, you may want to research and visit care facilities in your area, so you are prepared before a crisis strikes. “There is a real disconnect in the importance of these conversations and who is actually having them,” says Dr. Abell. “That’s why it’s important to have these conversations before a crisis. I like to refer to them as ‘kitchen table conversations.’” Author Jeanette Abell, MD, is the AAMC Associate Chair of Medicine. Originally published Dec. 5, 2016. Last updated Sept. 30, 2019.
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs access to electronics continues to grow among teens and preteens, there’s a disturbing trend that some have dubbed the “hate virus”: cyberbullying. “Cyber bullying is very dangerous because it often occurs in silence. Many times kids are cyber bullied starting at a young age and it can go on for years without parents being aware of the torment that their child is going through,” says Jennifer Williams (Walton), MA, LPC, LCPC, a mental health professional at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists. “It is extremely important for parents to be aware of their child’s online activities, including who they are speaking to, where they met these people, and do they know them in real life. “Parents should consistently check in with children regarding online activities to make sure they are safe, and to allow children an opportunity to share with them information about what is happening in their cyber world and if anything or anyone is causing them to feel depressed or anxious,” she says. “This is an epidemic,” concurs Doyle Batten, supervisor of school security for Anne Arundel County Schools. Doyle says that around-the-clock online access means victims can’t escape their tormentors after school, and that nearly all of the physical confrontations he sees at school can be traced to online interactions. “From a mental health standpoint and from a violence-prevention standpoint this is the most urgent thing I’ve seen.” Parents and guardians are the most important safeguards against cyberbullying fallout. That means being equipped to step in well before teasing, taunts or intimidation create a life-threatening problem. Here are some ways to keep on top of potential problems: How to help your child avoid cyberbullying • Awareness and access: As adolescents have near-universal online access, it may be more realistic to monitor their online use rather than to deny access. Be aware of the social media sites your child uses, and make sure you have passwords to accounts and devices. • Communicate: Have regular, open-ended conversations about online activities with your child, and discuss responsible online behavior, such as never sharing personal information and that what you post may stick around forever. • Encourage reporting: Young people should feel safe talking about cyberbullying, whether they are being victimized or someone they know is. Explain to younger children that reporting cyberbullying isn’t tattling. • Know the signs: A sudden drop in grades, frequent illness, withdrawing from friends or school activities, sleep and appetite changes, and extreme irritability are all warning signs that something is wrong. It could be cyberbullying. What to do if your child is a victim of cyberbullying • Listen: Some mean or hurtful attacks may not seem serious to an adult, but they can be very serious to a young person. Victims need to feel heard. • Question: Without judging, ask open-ended questions to understand the underlying cause. • Report: Contact a teacher, school counselor and/or administrator. If the bullying involves physical threats or is sexual in nature, it should be reported to the police. • Understand the law: Cyberbullying doesn’t always rise to the level of a crime. If you think it may, talk to the police or a school safety officer for guidance. In cases of sexually suggestive or explicit materials, kids and parents need to understand that both the bully and the victim may be implicated in a crime if the victim is a minor and willingly took or distributed explicit photos of himself or herself. • Seek help: Bullying can pose a serious threat to physical and mental health. Your child may need professional help developing coping mechanisms, social skills, assertiveness, or friendship skills to prevent and guard against cyberbullying. What to do if your child is the cyberbully • Teach empathy: Some bullies think it’s funny to tease or hurt someone online. In some cases they simply don’t realize the impact of their activity and need to be taught to empathy. • Seek help: Sometimes children bully because of low self-esteem or because they are being bullied. If your child is bullying as a way to cope with his or her own emotions, seek the help of a mental health professional. • Teach consequences: Parents need to stress that bullies may lose their phones or online accounts. They may face legal charges. If their bullying behavior is sexual in nature it can lead to the bully being registered as a sex offender. RESOURCES AAMG Mental Health Specialists AAMC’s outpatient mental health clinic on Riva Road offers mental health services, including a counseling group for kids from 12 to 17 to discuss issues such as bullying self-esteem, body image, family dynamics, school stress and more. 410-573-9000 Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency Warmline 24/7 information, assistance and referrals 410-768-5522 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Student Safety Hotline 877-676-9854 AACo PD Speak Out App Allows anyone to discretely contact Anne Arundel County school police officers http://aacopdspeakout.myapp.name Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline 800-422-0009 Author Jennifer Williams (Walton), MA, LPC, LCPC, is a mental health professional at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists, located in Annapolis. To reach her, call 410-573-9000. Originally published Nov. 13, 2015. Last updated Sept. 30, 2019.
- Employee SpotlightGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOn a cold December morning, Lori Freedman, Medicare billing systems and audit coordinator, was on her way to work. As Lori pulled into her office parking lot, she saw an elderly woman standing next to a parked car who seemed nervous. Concerned, Lori approached her. “It took her a few minutes to explain what had happened, but she thought she had been involved in an accident,” Lori explains, adding that she recalls the road being icy that morning. “She probably narrowly missed the accident but the entire situation had upset her.” The woman insisted on waiting outside for her husband to pick her up. “I let her borrow my phone because we couldn’t figure out how to use hers,” Lori says. “After she called her husband, I offered her to come inside because it was cold, but she was still very upset by what had happened and wanted to wait until her husband came for her.” Half an hour went by and Lori couldn’t stop thinking about the woman. She told her manager what happened before heading outside to check on her. “I didn’t feel comfortable not knowing what had happened and whether her husband found her or not,” Lori says. The woman was still standing outside waiting for her husband. Lori decided to wait with her. “We talked probably for 20 minutes,” she says. “She told me she was from Germany, and she met her husband during World War II before they got married and moved to the United States. She was an amazing person and I could have listened to her all morning.” More time passed and the woman’s husband had not arrived. Lori was able to convince the woman to let her drive her home. Upon their arrival, the woman’s husband was relieved to see his wife safe and sound. “He was frantic because he didn’t know how to find her,” Lori explains. “They were worried about each other and it was so nice to get them together.” A few days later, the woman came back to the office to deliver a big tray of cookies as a thank you for Lori’s act of kindness. “We are all here to help people and our community,” says Lori. “My manager understood what was happening and I was glad I could help her. That’s why I love working here, because who I am as a person aligns with the organization’s mission and culture.” Lori, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania, moved to the Eastern Shore years ago. Once she had raised her children, she was ready to go back to work. And coming from a healthcare background, working at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) seemed like a perfect fit. Eleven years later, she says she knows she made the right choice. “I started in patient Financial Services in 2008 and I made a jump to Reimbursement for a couple of years before I came back to the department where I started,” she says. “The people who work here and even the projects we’ve chosen and community outreach we do has helped to sustain our culture.” Lori, who has won two Champion Awards, says that her colleagues and the people she gets to work with every day are what have kept her at AAMC for so long. “I left this department and came right back voluntarily,” she says. “I love the people I work with and I love the leadership we have. More than anything, I think my job is fun. All of those factors are important to me.” Pro tip: “At the heart of it, you truly have to love what you do, the people you work with and who you’re serving.” If you know a great individual or a fantastic team going above and beyond to make a difference, make sure to let us know! Looking for a career in health care? We invite you to join a diverse and collaborative team of professionals working together to innovate the future of health care for our entire region. Check out our career opportunities.
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